A Torture Scene with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor

Last week I had a somewhat disturbing dream involving Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. In the dream, Burton was being tortured by electroshocks. He was seated on a couch in which one cushion had been removed so that his body was on a metal plate. He was wearing a herringbone sport coat and semi-formal attire.  With limbs quivering, eyes ablaze with terror and fingers curled alongside his face, he looked like a terrified, helpless animal.  

On the far side of the room was a man in a lab coat fiddling with knobs like a studio engineer adjusting a soundboard.

Elizabeth Taylor, wearing an incongruous grin, was standing over her suffering prey looking triumphant. 

* * *

When I awoke, my first thought was about the film Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? which featured a cruel, escalating  conflict between Taylor and Burton.

As I reflected further, a number of things came to mind, the first being: This was the not the purpose of bringing electricity into the world. One of electricity's benefits is light, electricity being a source of light in the world. It was not harnessed for the purpose of torturing people.

Looking into it further, I discovered that the Ancient Greeks noticed how rubbing amber produced static electricity. Ben Franklin linked electricity to lightning in 1752. Alessandro Volta created the first battery (1800), Michael Faraday later discovered electromagnetic induction (1831), enabling generation. Electricity exists in nature as electrons and charges; humans learned to harness it in the 18th–19th centuries.

What we see is that humans did not "create" electricity, they discovered it, and learned how to apply it.

In the late 19th century power lines began to appear. The first long-distance line was built to carry electricity between Williamette Falls and Portland, Oregon, a stretch of 13 miles. Within a matters of years high-voltage AC transmission enabled efficient delivery everywhere.

The advent of dedicated electric torture devices for interrogation appeared in the 1930s' The electric prod was purportedly first used by police in Argentina in 1932. Essentially it was a modified cattle prod that delivered high-voltage, low-amperage shocks to sensitive body areas for pain without killing its subjects.

Hand-cranked magneto/dynamo devices (from field telephones or car batteries) were used for shocks in various contexts by the 1940s, notably by French forces in colonial Algeria and Vietnam in the 1950s, and in other places. 

The use of electricity for torture spread widely in the mid-20th century because it often leaves minimal visible marks, suiting regimes wishing to avoid scrutiny. It has since been documented in dozens of countries with devices like cattle prods, stun guns, and electrodes.

One of the shocking revelations of the Iraq War was our own use of electricity for torture and psychological coercion at Abu Ghraib prison. We denounced it as odious when Saddam Hussein was doing it, It's a shame our own nation dropped its own ethical standards in this pointless activity. We've been told all our lives that the ends don't justify the means. We also know that any information extracted by torture is unreliable. 

Sorry to be so depressing. 

"Man's inhumanity to man

makes countless thousands mourn."

--Robert Burns

If you're interested in learning about the history of electricity as a torture technology, click here.

 

Related Link

The National Stain Known as Gitmo

Minnesota Caucuses Next Tuesday: An Important Step Toward Keeping the Lights On

Minnesotans: We Need Your Help On An Important Issue

In the Minnesota caucus system, party platforms are built bottom-up, not written all at once by national leaders. They emerge through layers of meetings, resolutions, and negotiations that start with ordinary party members and move upward.

This process is used (with variations) by both the DFL Party and the Republican Party, especially in states with strong caucus traditions. I myself once participated in this caucus system which begins at the grassroots local level, the moves to the district level, then to the state and ultimately to federal level. In short, party platforms emerge through layers of meetings, resolutions, and negotiations that start with ordinary party members and move upward.

It's at the precinct level that platform planks (policy statements) are proposed, debated and voted upon. If you attend your local caucus meeting, YOU can make a difference.

When I became (briefly) involved in party politics (1984), I spoke up about an issue which was passed and elevated to the district level. Because I was apparently articulate, I also (unintentionally) got "elected" (chosen) to become part of the district level where I served on the platform committee. In our district we had hundreds, perhaps thousands of of "statements" to review and syntheisize into a workable platform which will be voted on item by item in the district convention. The resolutions that passed in the district convention would be forwarded to the State Convention. The state level committee also has an open ear to activists, experts and party leaders. Ultimately from there these state platform planks are submitted to the National body (GOP, DNC) to become the "official" party platform.

Today's MISO energy mix, Feb 1, 2026.
Once Minnesota eliminates coal and gas, 
nuclear will be essential for steady power
because wind and sun are intermittent.

FOR THE 2026 MINNESOTA CONVENTION there is an especially important platform item to address.

Currently there is a plank on the DFL platform that asserts being opposed to nuclear power. If you are attending a DFL caucus meeting, write a resolution to remove the plank opposing nuclear and to lift the moratorium.

In February 2023, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed the Clean Energy Acceleration Act, mandating 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040, with interim targets of 80% by 2030 and 90% by 2035. This ambitious goal, while supported by utilities, faces significant hurdles, including the 1994 moratorium banning new nuclear power plants – a critical source of reliable, carbon-free baseload power.  

With energy demand rising due to data centers, electric vehicles and industrial growth, and with the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) classifying Minnesota’s region as “high risk” for outages under extreme conditions, experts warn that without nuclear energy, the 2040 target may be unattainable. Despite setbacks in the 2024 legislative session, advocates like Generation Atomic have made substantial progress toward lifting the moratorium, laying the groundwork for a cleaner, more reliable energy future.

NERC’s 2024 assessment highlights Minnesota as one of the most vulnerable to outages, especially as coal plants retire faster than replacements are built. The 1994 moratorium prevents utilities from planning new nuclear facilities, limiting options for consistent, carbon-free power.

Nuclear power is clean, safe, and carbon-free. Minnesota has committed to de-carbonizing its electric grid by 2040, but currently prohibits the building of new nuclear plants. Our coalition is working to remove this outdated law.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: https://mnnuclear.org/
For more information regarding the DFL Party Platform Change, Signup Here.

Nuclear power is clean, safe, and carbon-free. Minnesota has committed to de-carbonizing its electric grid by 2040, but currently prohibits the building of new nuclear plants. Our coalition is working to remove this outdated law.

The Most Recent Cold Snap

On January 24, the electric system across the central U.S. came close to serious trouble during a winter storm. The grid operator for the region issued a warning that means electricity supplies were tight and blackouts were getting closer if conditions worsened.

One major reason was that wind power dropped sharply just when demand was high. During the cold weather, wind speeds fell, and many wind turbines produced very little electricity. Before the storm, wind farms were supplying a strong share of power. By midnight on January 24, they were producing only a small fraction of what planners normally expect in winter.

While living in Puerto Rico for a year in 1979-80, I experience blackouts and brownouts almost weekly. This was disruptive, but not really deadly for the average citizen. Temps are 70 to 90 degrees year 'round there. But this past week while the MISO* grid was stretched to the max, temps were 20 to 30 below zero. Blackouts will have serious consequences for homeowners who have plumbing. (And who doesn't these days?)

* * * 

Groups align to lift Minnesota's nuclear energy ban

https://www.businessnorth.com/businessnorth_exclusives/groups-align-to-lift-minnesotas-nuclear-energy-ban/article_a3a4761d-afa7-4458-bc7a-43df54eb70a7.html

Why Nuclear is Cheaper than Wind and Solar

https://energybadboys.substack.com/p/why-nuclear-is-cheaper-than-wind

Germany's Merz calls nuclear phaseout 'serious strategic mistake'

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/germanys-merz-calls-nuclear-phaseout-serious-strategic-mistake/3800545?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Germany shut down its last three nuclear reactors in April 2023, marking the end of more than 60 years of nuclear power generation in Europe's largest economy.

* MISO = Midcontinent Independent System Operator, serving electrical power to 15 states in the center of the country from Manitoba and Minnesota to the Gulf Coast

Tech Tuesday: Thought Provoking Energy Stories

I have currently been reading Meredith Angwin's Shorting the Grid: The Hidden Fragility of Our Electric Grid. The book challenges us to think about matters we have probably given very little thought to. Specifically, how do our power systems work? Why do the lights go on when I flip a switch? What would our lives be like if we shut down all the power plants? That is, what would happen if the power went out forever?

Here are some article to chew on for today's energy lesson. (I'm not an expert. Just relaying ideas that strike me as significant from this week's readings.)

Our electricity demand is shifting into high gear. That's why we need diverse energy sources. | Opinion

The question isn't whether our country will need more power, but what energy mix is needed to meet our economic and environmental goals.

READ MORE

* * * 
In another article I had a new insight about solar energy that I'd not considered. 
KEY NEW THOUGHT: The more Sun we get to produce energy, the higher the demand to run air conditioners and cooling systems. 

* * * 

Regarding the best way to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 in Europe, it's apparent that the EU nations are hardly in unison. Here are two excerpts from a thought-provoking article at FairPlanet.com.

France, an ardent supporter of nuclear power, drew 70 percent of its energy from nuclear sources last year, while the Czech Republic relied on its six nuclear reactors for 37 percent of its energy. 

President Emmanuel Macron doubled down on France’s nuclear strategy, announcing a new €1 billion investment in new-generation nuclear reactors. On the other hand, 2022 will witness the shutdown of the last of Germany’s nuclear reactors, completing Chancellor Angela Merkel’s 2011 plan to phase out the country’s 17 nuclear power plants in the wake of the Fukushima disaster.

* * * 

THIS SKYNEWS STORY proposes that  Climate Change "could be solved overnight" with nuclear. It seems an ambitious claim. Tomorrow evening more details will be spelled out regarding the role nuclear will play in the global effort to achieve netzero carbon.

* * * 

In Europe Germany is on the way to phasing out nuclear completely. France leads the EU with 70% of it power generated by nuclear. Which country produces more carbon? Germany by more than 6-fold. Which country best exemplifies the future of energy reliability? France. 

Details HERE.  

* * * 

Who among you (older readers) ever imagined that people would one day be "mining" bitcoins using powerful computers? The concept is still elusive for many, if not most, laypeople. 

Well there have been remarkable new developments in the field of nuclear power. Are you familiar with Thorium? Read this introduction to Thorium from the World Nuclear Association. 

* * * 

For the record, small scale nuclear power has been around for decades. Nuclear-powered submarines are submarines powered by nuclear power. When Australia recently cut a deal to build a fleet of nuclear powered subs, it did not mean submarines loaded with nukes. 

According to this article in Business Insider, the advantage of nuclear-powered subs is that they can operate at sea for longer, spend more time submerged, and sail at higher speeds than conventionally powered subs.

* * * 

There are now Portable Nuclear Reactors That Can Power Over 1,000 Homes. 

* * * 

According to Meredith Angwin, author of Shorting the Grid, a world without coal, oil or nuclear power is wishful thinking. It's a notion suggested by people who do not understand how power generation works. 

To learn more, read my interview with Ms. Angwin. It is amazing what science is achieving in the realm of clean energy today. 

* * * 

May all your skies be blue. (Except when we need a little rain.)

Who's Got The Power?

Well, last night was interesting here in the Northland. I was watching The Maltese Falcon while organizing some files on my laptop and vwoosh.... suddenly all is dark (except the laptop which reverted to battery mode.) I slipped on some boots, grabbed a flashlight and went out to the road. In all directions, darkness.

It wasn't a fuse, so we were powerless to do anything about it, but it set in motion a number thoughts. First, that I am glad it is early spring and not mid-winter where temps can be minus twenty or thirty at night. Second, at what point will the frozen goods in the freezers need to be dealt with?

In 1979 I spent a year in Puerto Rico, where blackouts and brownouts were a weekly routine. Evidently the infrastructure we take for granted here in the U.S. was not yet a reliable part of life elsewhere, something I did not know due to my limited experience with such things.

In fact, there was a lot I didn't know about Puerto Rico, that many Americans probably didn't, though I did know my favorite baseball player, Roberto Clemente of the Pittsburgh Pirates, was from Puerto Rico. I also knew that the country was under U.S. jurisdiction, and not a free state. But I did not know that Puerto Rico had four political parties. Two wanted the country to break free of the U.S. and become independent. One of these wanted a Capitalist democracy and the other a socialist state. There third political party wanted Puerto Rico become the 51st state in the U.S. and the last group wanted to keep the status quo, which was good for those in power and not so good for the fifty percent who were unemployed.

It was this last group which held the power, and so it is that Puerto Rico remained a "subject" of the U.S. Actually, people born in Puerto Rico are considered U.S. citizens who can vote.

My thoughts flew to Puerto Rico because whenever the power went out, the refrigerators and freezers had to be left closed. After eight hours they would be opened and we'd all eat the semi-melted ice cream, and cook the meat. The younger people all liked the ice cream part and when five or six hours had passed, they were very attentive to the passage of time.

Last night here, we weren't sure how long the power woulf be off. About a half hour after going to bed all the lights came back on, and the radio. Up we jumped, to take care of everything needing attention.

This morning I went online to find a news story about it, but am not seeing anything. A falling telephone pole snapped some lines and put out the power in a section of Salt Lake. The city of Niles had a brief power outage yesterday, as did the Whittier Middle School on Monday, which sent kids home early. There were also power outages due to winds in Monterrey County, CA, and a pickup us truck that hit a pole somewhere else.

We take it for granted, our roads and electricity and cell phones. Our infrastructure, however, didn't appear out of nowhere. Last night we had candles and a lamp to light the house. This is how it had been done for centuries until Edison came along. In the grand scheme of things, our modern era has been but a blip on the most recent page of history. Where it will end up is anyone's guess, but for now, I like it when they keep the power on.