[Donna Lee Nardo]

Hi ALL.

In all fairness, _Jim is a good, knowledgeable and level-headed Freeper -- and he is also polite. _Jim was more or less baited (if that is the proper word) by some good Freepers on this thread who disagree with him and that is why _Jim stopped by. From those beginnings, the rancor grew.

I have my questions about the blackouts, and I would like to wrap it all up neatly and say it was al qaeda, but I cannot ever take _Jim on in this area with any level of facts because I have zero knowledge on the topic; no expertise at all! I respect _Jim's knowledge and background and I respect the powerful evilness of al qaeda. There may be others here who have much more knowledge then me and then they can feel secure in challenging _Jim. I sure don't.

I know recent reports claim that a series of accidental "innocent" incidents led to the blackout and I also know of a recent report claiming that the authorities have arrived at no final conclusion as to the cause. The grid is that complicated (especially to little old me). I am sitting on the fence as always on this topic because I have no place else to go. Only the jihadis can prove _Jim and others who share his training and position wrong.

My main point is that _Jim is a good guy. It is difficult to remain polite when we are baited; I do it to. I know the Freepers who brought _Jim up are good guys, too. Can't we all agree to respect each others' difference in opinions and knowledge levels? Inviting _Jim to comment on something can be done nicely or in a baiting way. Everyone here has something to contribute and already has contributed over and again. We need that to continue. Come on guys, we are all on the same team.

[DAVEY CROCKETT]

2Tim.3
[1] But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress.
[2] For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
[3] inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, fierce, haters of good,
[4] treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
[5] holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. Avoid such people.

[Indie]

In all fairness, _Jim is a good, knowledgeable and level-headed Freeper -- and he is also polite.

"I suppose this is the future of the Internet - idiocy attempting to do rocket science."

---

You make the call.

[Revel]

I don't agree that he is polite...This is not the first time or place I have seen his posts. I remember when he first showed up. I was not very happy to see him being baited here either.

[JustPiper]

DL yes many of us get baited, and many of us deal with it without being insulting and the area we do have knowledge in does not give the right to come in gungho and patronizing, your friend Jim was not polite and dragged the thread into it

[Domestic Church]

"Only the jihadis can prove _Jim and others who share his training and position wrong"

Here's hope and prayer they *can't* prove _Jim wrong. I'm on the fence on this one as well and I was hoping for more edification as it has been over 25 years since I frolicked with kilovolts. I do think Myrddin raised an interesting question regarding the supply of coal and maintaining grid integrity if coal was taken out of the picture. How much of a brownout factor (if any) would that trigger or is that already a covered nonissue? Isn't there enough nuclear energy driving the grid for security?