By Germán & Co…
Avoid a Black Swan…
Arctic Blast Forces Venue Change for Trump’s Inauguration Due to Fears of the Infamous “Buchanan Grip” Outbreak…
President Donald Trump’s inauguration has been relocated to the cozy confines of the Capitol rotunda, all thanks to a frigid Arctic blast sweeping across the nation. This is a rare occurrence, marking the first indoor swearing-in ceremony in four decades! With temperatures plummeting to a brisk 20°F, the decision was made to prioritize the comfort and safety of all attendees.
Now, let’s take a moment to reflect on the infamous “Buchanan Grip.” This peculiar ailment plagued President James Buchanan and several guests during his inauguration back in 1857. Also dubbed the National Hotel disease, it unleashed a torrent of symptoms including severe diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. While some whispered of a sinister assassination plot, modern-day experts lean towards a more mundane explanation: the hotel’s shoddy sewage system was likely the culprit behind this unfortunate outbreak.
The Owner of Non-Man and Other Tales… Second edition, revised and expanded…
Workart by Germán & Co is fully owned.
Help us make a dream come true…
From a young age we listen to the instructions of the elderly in the sense that we must be able to choose our path in life. It’s a nice metaphor.
There are those who, complying with this, prepare themselves to travel the highways of life, provide themselves with fast engines and soft seats. Others, simpler, choose secondary roads where the speed does not produce so much vertigo and the tolls are cheaper. Many have to join forces and travel the kilometers in collective buses that force the touches and strident music. And there are too many who have no other option than to walk along the humble paths crossing puddles or boulders and threatened by wild beasts or insects. This is the vineyard of the Lord, and everyone can make use of their free will. Say.
Reading the stories of Germán Toro Ghio one discovers that there are also those who chose all paths. And they also added the alternatives of lifts, elevators (and descenders), cliffs, flying devices and perhaps how many more.
With its eight stories, The Owners of No Man’s Land takes us to a world so real that, unfortunately, we tend to forget it. From the first story, he (Germán) rides the maelstrom of a roller coaster in which he mixes the discomforts of a Moscow hotel with the adventures in the Nicaraguan jungle. He is a de facto witness to the invasion of the USA army in Panama and his cousin of millenary stubbornness at the same time, without us being able to deduce which of the two experiences was more dangerous. He celebrates supposed birthdays in the company of an aphonic Fidel Castro (what a contradiction!) in a city of Havana corroded by sea salt or political blunders. He walks through one of the most unusual borders in the world, the one that divides the island of Hispaniola. He witnesses the sun sheltering us with unusual loves, in this case, his friend “Pepe” who, on a streak of good fortune, attracts them to a stale gypsy princess and a one-eyed gypsy king in the nights of Madrid and prologues his luck in the world of love to an island called Grinda in the Stockholm archipelago where Alexander’s honey captivates.
Germán also takes us to a café in Paris where Ernest Hemingway is in existential conversations about life, accompanied by the sweet notes of a Santa Teresa rum, which invades the soul with harmony and helps the journalist and writer try to persuade some young gang members to change the course of their lives, in this world of violence, organ trafficking, and arms. He evokes the spirit of the Nicaraguan poet and priest Ernesto Cardenal, particularly in his mesmerising “Ode to Marilyn Monroe”. This remarkable work invites him to explore the labyrinth of the mind’s afflictions, guided by the brushstrokes of legendary artists such as Sorolla, Munch, Botero, and Modigliani. Alongside this artistic journey, we encounter the candid whispers of Truman Capote in his poignant “Unanswered Prayers”, which lays bare the frailties of our contemporary society, political systems, and monarchies. Ultimately, Germán leads us to a heartwarming conclusion with the charming figure of “il Nono”, a grandfatherly character we all wish we could have known.
The book is magnified by experiences that have taken place outside the battlefields, far from palaces and ambitions. In other words, the principle of freedom of expression is paramount, even when individuals may endure defamation’s repercussions. With these stories, Germán Toro Ghio allows us to taste something of everything he keeps in his cupboard, and I hope he will continue to cook and deliver in successive books.
*Juan Forch, Puerto Octay, Chile
*Film director, writer, and political scientist is renowned for the 1990 "NO" campaign. / https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/movies/oscar-nominated-no-stirring-debate-in-chile.html
————————————————————————————————————————————————————
O gods, women, and men with the souls of gods and goodwill, we request your solidarity and support for launching the second revised and extended edition of “The Owner of Non-Man Lan and Other Tales” in November 2025. We have already contacted a senior editor at Penguin Random House in London to help us create a remarkable and distinctive book handcrafted to serve as an exceptional corporate gift.
Thanks in advance…
In December 2023, Energy Central recognized outstanding contributors within the Energy & Sustainability Network during the ‘Top Voices’ event. The recipients of this honor were highlighted in six articles, showcasing the acknowledgment from the community. The platform facilitates professionals in disseminating their work, engaging with peers, and collaborating with industry influencers. Congratulations are extended to the 2023 Top Voices: David Hunt, Germán Toro Ghio, Schalk Cloete, and Dan Yurman for their exemplary demonstration of expertise. – Matt Chester, Energy Central
Gratitude is a vital aspect of our existence…
In a world that’s constantly growing and grappling with inflation, the art of blogging faces its fair share of hurdles. To keep our content top-notch during these challenging times, we’ve poured resources into top-tier software, licenses, and stunning copyrighted images, among other essentials. But fear not, we’re not navigating this journey alone! Just last week on “X,” actions like “liking” or “retweeting” have become your secret weapons—free and private, thanks to “Musk” your support through these simple yet impactful gestures is not just a token of appreciation but a significant contribution that shapes our journey!
If you’re feeling motivated to make a difference, consider extending your generosity through PayPal at gjmtoroghio@germantoroghio.com, or by using our IBAN account: SE18 3000 0000 0058 0511 2611. Alternatively, you can support our blog with a secure contribution via Stripe using the donation link. Every little bit helps!
Thank you for being a part of our journey! Your generous support is truly invaluable to us! It plays a crucial role in helping us achieve our goals and make a positive impact. Thank you for being such an important part of our journey!
https://x.com/Germantoroghio/status/1880566102339817886
You can’t possibly deny me…
Have a wonderful day filled with good health, happiness, and love…
Donate
Natural Gas Terminal AES ANDRES, located in the Dominican Republic. Image provided by AES Dominicana.
Andrés Gluski, President and CEO of AES, articulated this perspective during the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland, in January 2023, stating, “I am confident we will need natural gas for the next 20 years.” He further emphasized, “We can start blending it with green hydrogen today.”
Save the Inflation Reduction Act (in Part)…
Solar and wind account for the bulk of the subsidies, which are a waste of money. But promising new technologies deserve support…
WSJ by Ted Nordhaus and Alex Trembath, January, 15, 2025.
The second coming of Donald Trump will bring another head-spinning shift to U.S. energy and climate policy. Climate catastrophism and green industrial policy are out. Energy dominance is in. Mr. Trump campaigned on killing the Inflation Reduction Act and expanding America’s hydrocarbon production. But transforming the nation into a global energy superpower will require more than simply expanding oil and gas production.
The shale gas revolution has revolutionized U.S. energy, but our oil and gas reserves aren’t limitless. Domestic production has increased dramatically over the past 15 years, and by some estimates it is already past its peak.
This, combined with Mr. Trump’s focus on increasing our energy-export capacity, could soon apply upward pressure on domestic energy prices. Over the past decade, the U.S. has lifted its prohibition on crude-oil exports and reversed the direction of many natural-gas terminals intended for import. Natural-gas exports totaled around 10% of domestic production in 2024, with enough new export capacity under construction or already approved to quadruple that figure. Add to this the predicted near-doubling of electricity demand over the next decade for artificial-intelligence data centers, and you’ve got a recipe for sustained price spikes. If we want to increase our export capacity and keep prices low at home, we’ll need new solutions.
Fortunately, the U.S. has the potential to be more than a hydrocarbon superpower. We are on the cusp of breakthroughs in nuclear fission and geothermal energy, and we have world-class wind and solar resources in many parts of the country. Exploiting these opportunities can secure low domestic energy prices and reduce dependence on Chinese supply chains.
Many of these advances, however, depend on incentives and subsidies included in the Inflation Reduction Act. Republicans have their sights set on killing the law—but there is opportunity to reform it without forgoing its benefits to U.S. energy and innovation. Republicans eager for federal savings will still have much to cut. Somewhere between half and three-quarters of projected Inflation Reduction Act spending over the next decade will be for wind, solar and electric-vehicle subsidies. These are all mature, cost-competitive technologies that don’t need further subsidization. Cutting their subsidies could amount to somewhere between $300 billion and $650 billion in savings.
But Congress should maintain federal incentives for promising less-mature technologies, such as nuclear and geothermal energy and natural-gas plants with carbon capture. Doing so would rebuild the bipartisan consensus for energy innovation that prevailed in congressional politics for decades.
Both parties have supported investments in energy innovation since the energy crisis of the 1970s. It proved critical to the development of drilling technology that created the shale revolution. Federal tax credits in the 1980s for unconventional oil and gas exploration were essential for the advancement of fracking technology. Modern solar and wind technology was initially developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and national labs. And federal loan guarantees during the Obama years were critical to getting Tesla rolling. Mr. Trump even approved the Section 45Q credit, a subsidy for carbon-capture and storage technology.
With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, President Biden and congressional Democrats destroyed this consensus by shifting the government’s focus to hyperpartisan climate policy. Democrats and renewable-energy advocates once promised that clean-energy subsidies would be temporary. They now propose to use them as a kind of reverse carbon tax to subsidize clean technology in perpetuity and kill the hydrocarbon industry.
Nixing these subsidies will save taxpayers money and end incentives that often end up undermining energy reliability. But doing so won’t be enough to unleash our full energy potential. Mr. Trump and Congress must also pursue far-reaching regulatory reform to the National Environmental Protection Act, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and interstate-transmission and grid-connection rules. Each is antiquated and restricts energy development.
Republicans in Congress could tie interstate-transmission and grid-connection reform to an overhaul of NEPA’s judicial review process and a streamlining of NRC’s advanced-reactor licensing. Federal tax credits for battery and electric-vehicle manufacturing and charging infrastructure should also be maintained—they will cost less and do more to bolster energy security than subsidies for wind and solar generation and EV buyers.
Many Democrats will oppose these efforts, as the climate movement still has a powerful grip over the progressive wing of the party. But more-moderate Democrats should keep in mind that, one way or another, Republicans are likely to cut many of these subsidies. In their absence, regulatory reforms will be essential for continued growth of clean energy technologies.
Mr. Trump and Congress have the opportunity to restore bipartisanship to energy policy. Their efforts would ensure the U.S. continues its ascendancy as a global superpower. They would do well to remember that no energy policy can stand the test of time without buy-in from the other side of the aisle.
Mr. Nordhaus is founder and executive director of the Breakthrough Institute. Mr. Trembath is deputy director of the Breakthrough Institute.
