Granite Geek NH
@granitegeeknh.bsky.social
Daily newspaper reporter for 44 years & counting. Concord Monitor (New Hampshire, the Granite State). Sci/tech, business, energy, environment. Granite Geek blog & newsletter since 2006: granitegeek.org. [email protected]. he/him
The toughest part of this job is listening to a long, earnest complaint from an acquaintance who wants you to write about it and then having to say "Sorry, it's not a story."
I blame it on shrinking newsrooms but that doesn't make them any happier.
I blame it on shrinking newsrooms but that doesn't make them any happier.
December 5, 2025 at 12:25 AM
The toughest part of this job is listening to a long, earnest complaint from an acquaintance who wants you to write about it and then having to say "Sorry, it's not a story."
I blame it on shrinking newsrooms but that doesn't make them any happier.
I blame it on shrinking newsrooms but that doesn't make them any happier.
Reposted by Granite Geek NH
For pretty much any critique you can level at any source of energy -- inefficient, too much pollution, takes too much land, has too many externalities, is propped up by subsidies, whatever -- it's worse for corn ethanol.
It's worse in all dimensions. It has zero redeeming features.
It's worse in all dimensions. It has zero redeeming features.
Corn’s clean-energy promise is clashing with its climate footprint
Corn dominates U.S. farmland and fuels the ethanol industry. But the fertilizer it relies on drives emissions and fouls drinking water.
floodlightnews.org
December 3, 2025 at 6:09 PM
For pretty much any critique you can level at any source of energy -- inefficient, too much pollution, takes too much land, has too many externalities, is propped up by subsidies, whatever -- it's worse for corn ethanol.
It's worse in all dimensions. It has zero redeeming features.
It's worse in all dimensions. It has zero redeeming features.
A great line in this intriguing podcast: You know a rock star is past their peak when they build a home studio.
www.ppfideas.com/episodes/the...
www.ppfideas.com/episodes/the...
The Rise and Fall of Homo Sapiens
240
www.ppfideas.com
December 3, 2025 at 2:37 PM
A great line in this intriguing podcast: You know a rock star is past their peak when they build a home studio.
www.ppfideas.com/episodes/the...
www.ppfideas.com/episodes/the...
Reposted by Granite Geek NH
In a world awash with negative science/health news this is unashamedly great news. connectsci.au/news/news-pa...
Seventh patient in HIV remission after stem cell transplant | News | ConnectSci
connectsci.au
December 3, 2025 at 7:21 AM
In a world awash with negative science/health news this is unashamedly great news. connectsci.au/news/news-pa...
"When looking at the EVs on the road from major Chinese brands, almost all of them are good vehicles. A lot of this has to do with the fundamental benefits of electrification."
@cleantechnica.bsky.social
cleantechnica.com/2025/12/02/w...
@cleantechnica.bsky.social
cleantechnica.com/2025/12/02/w...
When Electrification Is The Expectation, How Can Automakers Break Through? - CleanTechnica
When attending presentations from XPENG, one thing stood out for its absence: they really didn’t talk about their cars being EVs. No selling the audience on the benefits of electrification. They talke...
cleantechnica.com
December 3, 2025 at 11:56 AM
"When looking at the EVs on the road from major Chinese brands, almost all of them are good vehicles. A lot of this has to do with the fundamental benefits of electrification."
@cleantechnica.bsky.social
cleantechnica.com/2025/12/02/w...
@cleantechnica.bsky.social
cleantechnica.com/2025/12/02/w...
A snow/ice storm is coming: Do you put your windshield wipers up or down?
granitegeek.concordmonitor.com/2024/01/15/s...
granitegeek.concordmonitor.com/2024/01/15/s...
Granite Geek classic: "Windshield wipers up or down?" - Granite Geek
As long as I’m using this excellent snowstorm as an excuse to avoid thinking of new articles – I mean, to rerun popular classics – let’s dust this one off from 2015. Winter brings many vital issues t...
granitegeek.concordmonitor.com
December 2, 2025 at 3:23 PM
A snow/ice storm is coming: Do you put your windshield wipers up or down?
granitegeek.concordmonitor.com/2024/01/15/s...
granitegeek.concordmonitor.com/2024/01/15/s...
Reposted by Granite Geek NH
"The use of mushrooms and other organisms to help absorb and break down pollution is a relatively new area of study." From Molly Rains #NHPolitics
Mushrooms could help address Merrimack’s PFAS problem • New Hampshire Bulletin
Angela Graves has lived in Merrimack almost all her life. She grew up aware of the Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics plant on the edge of town, and as a teenager learned alongside her community of…
newhampshirebulletin.com
December 2, 2025 at 2:15 PM
"The use of mushrooms and other organisms to help absorb and break down pollution is a relatively new area of study." From Molly Rains #NHPolitics
"Models scour the internet for information, but the internet's going to get more and more full of information made by the models. So it's sort of like when we fed cows with cows - and got mad cow disease."
www.pcgamer.com/software/ai/...
www.pcgamer.com/software/ai/...
Rockstar co-founder compares AI to 'mad cow disease,' and says the execs pushing it aren't 'fully-rounded humans'
Dan Houser probably won't be asking ChatGPT for help with his next game.
www.pcgamer.com
December 1, 2025 at 5:05 PM
"Models scour the internet for information, but the internet's going to get more and more full of information made by the models. So it's sort of like when we fed cows with cows - and got mad cow disease."
www.pcgamer.com/software/ai/...
www.pcgamer.com/software/ai/...
"Daddy, why does Jesus have six fingers on our hymnal cover?"
www.axios.com/2025/11/12/c...
www.axios.com/2025/11/12/c...
Meet chatbot Jesus: How churches are using AI to save souls
Chatbots answer prayers and algorithms write sermons.
www.axios.com
December 1, 2025 at 4:45 PM
"Daddy, why does Jesus have six fingers on our hymnal cover?"
www.axios.com/2025/11/12/c...
www.axios.com/2025/11/12/c...
The key phrase in this story: "real estate agents complained they hurt sales."
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/c...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/c...
Zillow Removes Climate Risk Scores From Home Listings
www.nytimes.com
December 1, 2025 at 2:09 PM
The key phrase in this story: "real estate agents complained they hurt sales."
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/c...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/c...
These are high-quality vehicles from American manufacturers available at a better price than a comparable car would cost here. But they are blocked from our market.
cleantechnica.com/2025/11/28/y...
cleantechnica.com/2025/11/28/y...
You Can’t Buy This America: EVs from US Brands at Auto Guangzhou - CleanTechnica
You Can’t Buy This America: EVs from US Brands at Auto GuangzhouToday is known as Black Friday in the US. The day after Thanksgiving and traditionally the biggest shopping day of the year. A holiday o...
cleantechnica.com
November 29, 2025 at 5:56 PM
These are high-quality vehicles from American manufacturers available at a better price than a comparable car would cost here. But they are blocked from our market.
cleantechnica.com/2025/11/28/y...
cleantechnica.com/2025/11/28/y...
Reposted by Granite Geek NH
There was never really a point where horse usage reached anywhere near the saturation of car usage, so it's hard to compare. At the highest point there was about one horse for every five Americans. People just walked a lot!
Considering that horses are dangerous and riders are very regularly seriously injured, I wonder what the direct overall injury/death rate looked like when everyone in our society had to constantly ride/drive horses, versus the injury/death rate from cars today?
November 28, 2025 at 7:18 PM
There was never really a point where horse usage reached anywhere near the saturation of car usage, so it's hard to compare. At the highest point there was about one horse for every five Americans. People just walked a lot!
I assume this is some data glych, since the last coal plant in New England recently shut - unless they're doing something at the plant to prep for shutdown that requires a very small power release.
www.iso-ne.com/isoexpress/
www.iso-ne.com/isoexpress/
November 28, 2025 at 5:29 PM
I assume this is some data glych, since the last coal plant in New England recently shut - unless they're doing something at the plant to prep for shutdown that requires a very small power release.
www.iso-ne.com/isoexpress/
www.iso-ne.com/isoexpress/
Reposted by Granite Geek NH
A *huge* vaccine victory. I've been writing on this for years; Australia has seen remarkable progress in cervical cancer prevention with the HPV vaccine. I love seeing science triumph like this.
Australia recorded ZERO cases of cervical cancer in women under 25 for the first time since they started tracking the cancer in the 80s.
This is the power of vaccines.
The HPV vaccine is extremely effective at preventing cancer.
Viruses can be oncogenic. Get your vaccines and protect yourself!
This is the power of vaccines.
The HPV vaccine is extremely effective at preventing cancer.
Viruses can be oncogenic. Get your vaccines and protect yourself!
newsGP - Australia set for world-first cervical cancer elimination
Vaccination programs have played a key role, and GPs remain ‘instrumental’ in boosting screening rates to reach the 2035 target.
www1.racgp.org.au
November 27, 2025 at 6:12 PM
A *huge* vaccine victory. I've been writing on this for years; Australia has seen remarkable progress in cervical cancer prevention with the HPV vaccine. I love seeing science triumph like this.
Inside every lawyer is a thesaurus
"the Designer's heirs, personal representatives, predecessors, successors, agents, lawyers, officers, directors, trustees, shareholders, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, employees, insurers, subconsultants, subcontractors, partners and/or assigns"
"the Designer's heirs, personal representatives, predecessors, successors, agents, lawyers, officers, directors, trustees, shareholders, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, employees, insurers, subconsultants, subcontractors, partners and/or assigns"
gc.nh.gov
November 25, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Inside every lawyer is a thesaurus
"the Designer's heirs, personal representatives, predecessors, successors, agents, lawyers, officers, directors, trustees, shareholders, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, employees, insurers, subconsultants, subcontractors, partners and/or assigns"
"the Designer's heirs, personal representatives, predecessors, successors, agents, lawyers, officers, directors, trustees, shareholders, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, employees, insurers, subconsultants, subcontractors, partners and/or assigns"
School lunchrooms have gotten louder in a post-cellphone world, and that's a good thing.
www.concordmonitor.com/2025/11/24/n...
www.concordmonitor.com/2025/11/24/n...
The return of email, Uno and loud lunches: Inside the first three months of New Hampshire's school phone ban - Concord Monitor
Discover how a statewide ban on personal communication devices in New Hampshire schools has surprisingly improved student focus and socialization.
www.concordmonitor.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:21 PM
School lunchrooms have gotten louder in a post-cellphone world, and that's a good thing.
www.concordmonitor.com/2025/11/24/n...
www.concordmonitor.com/2025/11/24/n...
overheard in the newsroom:
"Occasional gluttony is part of a balanced diet"
<somebody is prepping for Thanksgiving>
"Occasional gluttony is part of a balanced diet"
<somebody is prepping for Thanksgiving>
November 25, 2025 at 2:17 PM
overheard in the newsroom:
"Occasional gluttony is part of a balanced diet"
<somebody is prepping for Thanksgiving>
"Occasional gluttony is part of a balanced diet"
<somebody is prepping for Thanksgiving>
I'm dubious about the nuclear power rebirth - but it does seem to be happening in China. (Everything interesting in energy happens in China these days)
www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/chi...
www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/chi...
Chinese reactor connected to the grid
Unit 2 of the Zhangzhou nuclear power plant has begun supplying electricity to the grid, China National Nuclear Corporation announced. The unit is the second of six Hualong One (HPR1000) reactors plan...
www.world-nuclear-news.org
November 25, 2025 at 1:54 PM
I'm dubious about the nuclear power rebirth - but it does seem to be happening in China. (Everything interesting in energy happens in China these days)
www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/chi...
www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/chi...
Reposted by Granite Geek NH
It’s the first major state facility set to be permanently relocated as a result of damage sustained in the devastating flooding of 2023.
Vermont’s flood-prone hub for vehicle maintenance is getting a new home — on higher ground - VTDigger
It’s the first major state facility set to be permanently relocated as a result of damage sustained in the devastating flooding of 2023.
vtdigger.org
November 24, 2025 at 11:13 PM
It’s the first major state facility set to be permanently relocated as a result of damage sustained in the devastating flooding of 2023.
I'm planning to write a column saying that I've changed my mind about a topic - but I went back and read my original column on that topic and it's very persuasive.
Past Me is confusing Present Me's efforts to create a Future Me.
Past Me is confusing Present Me's efforts to create a Future Me.
November 24, 2025 at 7:18 PM
I'm planning to write a column saying that I've changed my mind about a topic - but I went back and read my original column on that topic and it's very persuasive.
Past Me is confusing Present Me's efforts to create a Future Me.
Past Me is confusing Present Me's efforts to create a Future Me.
I was at a show in a New England town hall Saturday where the band of old white guys plays several Jimmy Cliff songs to cheers from scores of old white people, who danced happily.
We were as un-reggae as a crowd can get but Music Is Universal.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/a...
We were as un-reggae as a crowd can get but
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/a...
Jimmy Cliff, Singer Who Helped Bring Reggae to Global Audience, Dies at 81
www.nytimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:44 PM
I was at a show in a New England town hall Saturday where the band of old white guys plays several Jimmy Cliff songs to cheers from scores of old white people, who danced happily.
We were as un-reggae as a crowd can get but Music Is Universal.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/a...
We were as un-reggae as a crowd can get but
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/a...