Very well said, Voltageaav. I think that's where too many people who don't understand the history of the planet tend to fall short--they somehow think that this climate is a "perfect stasis" that's been this way forever.
Put bluntly, we've been lucky....we hit a relatively calm spell at just the right time in our history and thus moved from a Stone Age society to a Technological Age society. A lot of other planets probably aren't so fortunate.
Ferretman From the High, Snowy Mountains of Colorado
Actually I'd be pleased as punch to get governments out of the road business. It's not really their task anyway (at least at the national level) and we've seen what the temptations of eminent domain lead to.
Better to have roads built and run privately....that's how they were done for a long, long time before the Feds got involved.
Well said ccm. I'm always amazed at the Ecos who bash "the wasteful modern lifestyle"--while sipping latte brewed from beans flown in from Columbia, in a brightly lit coffee shop made of 82% plastic with hundreds of little point lights throughout, on a laptop made with a hundred modern industrial processes, using a worldwide network built with literally megatons of glass and refined metal.
The average African native would think the whole thing was magic.
If batteries are so recyclable, why do I have such a hard time *finding* a place to *take* these things? I'm not talking about car batteries...I'm talking about AA, AAA, C, D, transitor batteries...where the heck can I take these so they don't end up in a landfill?!?
Saw two shows back to back....gotta say it's a great movie. Anybody who loved the TV series won't be disappointed, and anybody looking for something a little different is going to find *exactly* what they were looking for.
Good turnout too, both shows a good 150-200 people. If this holds solid throughout the country Josh has got a respectible hit on his hands.
The planet did not experience "dramtic" global warming of this scale. It appears that our current changes are the fastest they have been.
Actually this is false, as any quick scan of the climate records prior to the last few Ice Ages can show. Rapid temperature rise are almost a necessity in order to hit the "tipping point" and start a new Ice Age cycle.
Boy, I sure want one though...that would be SO COOL!
Lovely wyfe doesn't understand though. I tried to explain how we were all promised flying cars when I was growing up but it's pretty much a mystery to her....sigh.....
Our house uses these almost exclusively, but they very definitely do NOT consistently last longer than conventional bulbs. I've had to replace a bunch of'em over the years, well before their normal rated lifetimes. I think their overall quality control still leaves something to be desired.
Additionally they're not as environmentally friendly as the previous poster might have though. Flourescent bulbs contain mercury and require special handling to dispose of properly. (Ours go to a specialized recycler here in the Springs.)
Still these are the ones we use because of their lower energy consumption. Once we're generating our own power I don't want wasted consumption for a bunch of wasted heat!
Heh...no, although there's one of those down the road from our place (part tire, part beer can of all things...very odd looking). Polysteel as in insulated concrete forms (http://www.polysteel.com).
You're exactly right. Polysteel claims about a 5% cost increase (it's more like 10% but hey...) and I presume straw bale is about the same. In return, however, you get a far more fire-resistant home (important in our mountain stronghold), a stronger house in general (snow, earthquakes), and usually much more energy efficient.
Don't know how much you know about Polysteel, but they're an insulated concrete form (ICF) that one stacks up rather like Legos and then fills with rebar and concrete. Immensely strong stuff, fairly thick walls (roughly 12" or so), very warm/cool. We liked our flexibility better with Polysteel, plus we'd worked with a couple of other folks who used it for their houses.
It's not quite like that. We almost used strawbale construction before going with a different product (Polysteel) instead.
Straw construction is very strong, makes for very thick walls, provide excellent insulation, and is relatively cheap. The straw is bound together in their bales and the whole wall sealed in plaster/concrete/etc. This makes the area they're in dry with no moisture, and hence no mold.
You see here an excellent (gotta give them credit) tactic of the Left, one used often by the Soviets.
If you disagree with their stridently stated position you must, by definition, be "ignorant, stupid, or insane". Sorta a "don't bother me with the evidence, and you're crazy" approach to debate.
Never mind that most serious scientists don't think there's enough evidence one way or the other yet.....these guys don't care for true analysis of facts.
Ferretman
Oh absolutely...my Typing class was the very best course I ever took in High School. I learned my way around a typewriter (and nowadays a keyboard) better and faster than anybody I work with. They're continually amazed at how quickly and accurately I can type Unix commands, enter data, etc.
Typing is something that a person just must take if they want to stand out, IMO.
Personally I thought the show was great, and this is from a dedicated fan who has a jacket from the original series.
Different yes, though I loved the references back to the old series stuff (the older Cylons and basestars were particularly a nice touch). Well done indeed.
Oh, another great one that I loved--the Sylvester Stalone flick Oscar. A true throwback to the way movies used to be made in the 1930s...deeply complicated, a dozen plots at once going on, and funny as all get-out. Tim Curry's best performance (okay, one of them) and probably the funniest I've ever seen Stalone. This one came and went right quick, but I did manage to grab it on video tape.
Slashdot Mirror
Very well said, Voltageaav. I think that's where too many people who don't understand the history of the planet tend to fall short--they somehow think that this climate is a "perfect stasis" that's been this way forever.
Put bluntly, we've been lucky....we hit a relatively calm spell at just the right time in our history and thus moved from a Stone Age society to a Technological Age society. A lot of other planets probably aren't so fortunate.
Ferretman
From the High, Snowy Mountains of Colorado
I'm curious if you drive as well, or are at least doing the biking/walking to work thing? Don't know if there's good mass transit where you are.....
Steven Woodcock
From the High, Snowy Mountains of Colorado
Actually I'd be pleased as punch to get governments out of the road business. It's not really their task anyway (at least at the national level) and we've seen what the temptations of eminent domain lead to.
Better to have roads built and run privately....that's how they were done for a long, long time before the Feds got involved.
Steve
From the High, Snowy Mountains of Colorado
Well said ccm. I'm always amazed at the Ecos who bash "the wasteful modern lifestyle"--while sipping latte brewed from beans flown in from Columbia, in a brightly lit coffee shop made of 82% plastic with hundreds of little point lights throughout, on a laptop made with a hundred modern industrial processes, using a worldwide network built with literally megatons of glass and refined metal.
The average African native would think the whole thing was magic.
Steve
From the High, Snowy Mountains of Colorado
What the heck is "STFU"?
And as for the screwing around part....likely not an issue for most Slashdotters.....
Steve
From the High, Snowy Mountains of Colorado
Sorry, that's an amusing bit of folklore....no independent verficiation of this alleged quote has ever come forth.
What I find interesting is that it's FAR more likely that Klinton said something quite like this during his tenure....but that's another topic.
If batteries are so recyclable, why do I have such a hard time *finding* a place to *take* these things? I'm not talking about car batteries...I'm talking about AA, AAA, C, D, transitor batteries...where the heck can I take these so they don't end up in a landfill?!?
Saw two shows back to back....gotta say it's a great movie. Anybody who loved the TV series won't be disappointed, and anybody looking for something a little different is going to find *exactly* what they were looking for.
Good turnout too, both shows a good 150-200 people. If this holds solid throughout the country Josh has got a respectible hit on his hands.
Great movie. Plan to see it again tomorrow.
Ferretman
Oh lordy...and here I was going to say it was one of the most incoherent pieces of whiny drivel I've heard in a couple of weeks.
Ferretman
The planet did not experience "dramtic" global warming of this scale. It appears that our current changes are the fastest they have been.
Actually this is false, as any quick scan of the climate records prior to the last few Ice Ages can show. Rapid temperature rise are almost a necessity in order to hit the "tipping point" and start a new Ice Age cycle.
Irrelevant to the discussion at hands, folks.
Olde English for "wife". She's a bit different from other wives so she gets a different spelling.
Boy, I sure want one though...that would be SO COOL! Lovely wyfe doesn't understand though. I tried to explain how we were all promised flying cars when I was growing up but it's pretty much a mystery to her....sigh.....
Our house uses these almost exclusively, but they very definitely do NOT consistently last longer than conventional bulbs. I've had to replace a bunch of'em over the years, well before their normal rated lifetimes. I think their overall quality control still leaves something to be desired.
Additionally they're not as environmentally friendly as the previous poster might have though. Flourescent bulbs contain mercury and require special handling to dispose of properly. (Ours go to a specialized recycler here in the Springs.) Still these are the ones we use because of their lower energy consumption. Once we're generating our own power I don't want wasted consumption for a bunch of wasted heat!
Ferretman
Heh...no, although there's one of those down the road from our place (part tire, part beer can of all things...very odd looking). Polysteel as in insulated concrete forms (http://www.polysteel.com).
Ferretman
You're exactly right. Polysteel claims about a 5% cost increase (it's more like 10% but hey...) and I presume straw bale is about the same. In return, however, you get a far more fire-resistant home (important in our mountain stronghold), a stronger house in general (snow, earthquakes), and usually much more energy efficient.
Ferretman
Don't know how much you know about Polysteel, but they're an insulated concrete form (ICF) that one stacks up rather like Legos and then fills with rebar and concrete. Immensely strong stuff, fairly thick walls (roughly 12" or so), very warm/cool. We liked our flexibility better with Polysteel, plus we'd worked with a couple of other folks who used it for their houses.
Ferretman
Heheheheh...yes, that WOULD be impressive.
You know what I meant you snarky person you....
Ferretman
It's not quite like that. We almost used strawbale construction before going with a different product (Polysteel) instead. Straw construction is very strong, makes for very thick walls, provide excellent insulation, and is relatively cheap. The straw is bound together in their bales and the whole wall sealed in plaster/concrete/etc. This makes the area they're in dry with no moisture, and hence no mold.
Ferretman
You see here an excellent (gotta give them credit) tactic of the Left, one used often by the Soviets. If you disagree with their stridently stated position you must, by definition, be "ignorant, stupid, or insane". Sorta a "don't bother me with the evidence, and you're crazy" approach to debate. Never mind that most serious scientists don't think there's enough evidence one way or the other yet.....these guys don't care for true analysis of facts. Ferretman
I like how you completely ignored everything he said. He didn't resort to namecalling at all, but you did resort to trying to change the subject.
Amen, and very well said.
Oh absolutely...my Typing class was the very best course I ever took in High School. I learned my way around a typewriter (and nowadays a keyboard) better and faster than anybody I work with. They're continually amazed at how quickly and accurately I can type Unix commands, enter data, etc. Typing is something that a person just must take if they want to stand out, IMO.
Steve
Personally I thought the show was great, and this is from a dedicated fan who has a jacket from the original series.
Different yes, though I loved the references back to the old series stuff (the older Cylons and basestars were particularly a nice touch). Well done indeed.
I can't wait to see a sequel!
Oh, another great one that I loved--the Sylvester Stalone flick Oscar. A true throwback to the way movies used to be made in the 1930s...deeply complicated, a dozen plots at once going on, and funny as all get-out. Tim Curry's best performance (okay, one of them) and probably the funniest I've ever seen Stalone. This one came and went right quick, but I did manage to grab it on video tape.