>>I'm fully in favor of regulating coal to be as clean as technology allows
The idea of "clean coal" is mostly a marketing gimmick.
Even perfect coal burning will release mass amounts of CO2 and require continued mining.
(Whenever miners die in a mine collapse, why don't people protest coal? _NOBODY_ has died from a nuclear accident in the US yet plenty of people are anti-nuclear.)
>>I guess "Public" no longer means paid for by the people's taxes, but means, paid for by the people's taxes, and rented out to the folks who can afford it.
Public roads are already rented out to those that can afford it - through a deal with the auto, oil, and insurance industries.
>>Those cars have to go somewhere.
No, no they don't. Many of those people could take public transportation but don't because it cramps their style.
>>Nothing is as good for the environment as trading in a one or two year old 2000-4000 lb hunk of aluminum, steel, glass, and rubber that has at least 8 more years of life left so you can save a marginal amount on gas mileage.
When you trade in a car, do they bury it?
Its a couple more cars on the used market. Does that have an environmental impact?
>>McCain-Feingold censoring of political speech that criticizes incumbent politicians before elections.
McCain-Feingold doesn't CENSOR anything! You have a right to free speech. You don't have a right to be the loudest voice in the room. Buying influence in politics should be taken seriously. I really don't feel bad for the "poor little companies" having their lobbying powers restricted.
>>furthermore, i would like to add that if you are a liberal, and you downplay the effects of terrorism and hype the effects of government abuses, you fail.
When terrorism is used as justification to strip citizens of their rights and privacy, alter due process of law, funnel money into private corporations, fan a new wave of xenophobia, and maintain a constant state of fear, I will downplay the effects of terrorism.
Downplaying terrorism is the only intellectually honest thing to do when its been overinflated.
>>If it was that successful, pubs would have banned smoking themselves, to make more money. The fact that it hasn't speaks volumes.
I don't think any bar owner wants to define themselves by whether or not they allow smokers. Its not customer friendly to specifically exclude a legal activity even if its for the benefit for the overall group. The "free market" doesn't solve all problems.
Pubs in England have been having trouble for a while. I've heard it blamed on tougher drunk driving laws and lower prices on big screen TVs. I agree that traditional pubs are a good thing but they shouldn't be protected at the cost of our health.
You can banty around high minded ideas relating to personal freedom all you want but seeing the law in person will give you a much different impression.
New York City passed the law several years ago and it has been AMAZINGLY successful. It has been popular with smokers and non-smokers alike.
Non-smokers don't like sitting in smoke. Smokers don't like sitting in other people's smoke. People don't like coming home from pubs smelling like an ash tray.
Bar owners feared that people would stay away because they couldn't smoke indoors. The opposite happened. People stay LONGER because they're not poisoning themselves by breathing the air.
>>Why do you assume I didn't think he was insured?
I didn't. However, you seem to think the antagonistic relationship between customers and provider in the health care industry is perfectly natural. Its OKAY to give them money and let them decide whether we get what we paid for.
>>Look, if I have car INSURANCE, and I get into five accidents in one year, guess what is going to happen.
Sorry, car insurance isn't health insurance. Having health is a necessary component of life, having a car isn't.
You can talk about "personal responsibility" until you're blue in the face but the simple fact is that a huge percentage of people in this country are unprepared for a major medical emergency. Now, either you can blame them and feel superior or you can fix it and help them.
The vast majority of commercial photography has gone digital. Printing digitally has many speed and cost advantages over darkroom prints. The longevity of digital prints frequently exceeds that of darkroom prints.
>>are we some kind of freaks when it comes to gas use compared to most Americans? [...] We live in a city neighborhood where we can walk to places for some basic errands and our grocery store is two-minute drive away.
Either you're freaks or you're very lucky or both. Since the 1950's, the US has been segmenting its cities so that even small errands require a car. If your wife works five miles away and the grocery store is a two minute drive, you could eliminate car usage for daily tasks.
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I agree wholeheartedly! In fact, the idea extends to smaller situations as well.
I will get out of bed as soon as I fully understand the implications...
dead.
>>I'm fully in favor of regulating coal to be as clean as technology allows
The idea of "clean coal" is mostly a marketing gimmick.
Even perfect coal burning will release mass amounts of CO2 and require continued mining.
(Whenever miners die in a mine collapse, why don't people protest coal? _NOBODY_ has died from a nuclear accident in the US yet plenty of people are anti-nuclear.)
From the article: "Bush will likely nominate Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to the position"
Events like this remind me to donate to the ACLU.
Spoken like someone that's never commuted by bike.
Bicycles work under all but the worst conditions for all but the disabled.
I've biked when its well below freezing and over 90 F. That covers 95% of the year here in NY.
>>I guess "Public" no longer means paid for by the people's taxes, but means, paid for by the people's taxes, and rented out to the folks who can afford it.
Public roads are already rented out to those that can afford it - through a deal with the auto, oil, and insurance industries.
>>Those cars have to go somewhere.
No, no they don't. Many of those people could take public transportation but don't because it cramps their style.
>>Same outcome, but less likely to piss people off.
People should be pissed off already if they're overweight. You'd hope that their health is more important to them than a couple of dollars a month.
>>Nothing is as good for the environment as trading in a one or two year old 2000-4000 lb hunk of aluminum, steel, glass, and rubber that has at least 8 more years of life left so you can save a marginal amount on gas mileage.
When you trade in a car, do they bury it?
Its a couple more cars on the used market. Does that have an environmental impact?
>>McCain-Feingold censoring of political speech that criticizes incumbent politicians before elections.
McCain-Feingold doesn't CENSOR anything! You have a right to free speech. You don't have a right to be the loudest voice in the room. Buying influence in politics should be taken seriously. I really don't feel bad for the "poor little companies" having their lobbying powers restricted.
>>furthermore, i would like to add that if you are a liberal, and you downplay the effects of terrorism and hype the effects of government abuses, you fail.
When terrorism is used as justification to strip citizens of their rights and privacy, alter due process of law, funnel money into private corporations, fan a new wave of xenophobia, and maintain a constant state of fear, I will downplay the effects of terrorism.
Downplaying terrorism is the only intellectually honest thing to do when its been overinflated.
>>If it was that successful, pubs would have banned smoking themselves, to make more money. The fact that it hasn't speaks volumes.
I don't think any bar owner wants to define themselves by whether or not they allow smokers. Its not customer friendly to specifically exclude a legal activity even if its for the benefit for the overall group. The "free market" doesn't solve all problems.
Pubs in England have been having trouble for a while. I've heard it blamed on tougher drunk driving laws and lower prices on big screen TVs. I agree that traditional pubs are a good thing but they shouldn't be protected at the cost of our health.
You can banty around high minded ideas relating to personal freedom all you want but seeing the law in person will give you a much different impression.
New York City passed the law several years ago and it has been AMAZINGLY successful. It has been popular with smokers and non-smokers alike.
Non-smokers don't like sitting in smoke. Smokers don't like sitting in other people's smoke. People don't like coming home from pubs smelling like an ash tray.
Bar owners feared that people would stay away because they couldn't smoke indoors. The opposite happened. People stay LONGER because they're not poisoning themselves by breathing the air.
>>For me, there is optimism.
Yes, but thats only because you didn't bet your future on pets.com stock!
Wait....are you saying that optimism can exist outside of delirious fantasy??
>>Why do you assume I didn't think he was insured?
I didn't. However, you seem to think the antagonistic relationship between customers and provider in the health care industry is perfectly natural. Its OKAY to give them money and let them decide whether we get what we paid for.
>>Look, if I have car INSURANCE, and I get into five accidents in one year, guess what is going to happen.
Sorry, car insurance isn't health insurance. Having health is a necessary component of life, having a car isn't.
You can talk about "personal responsibility" until you're blue in the face but the simple fact is that a huge percentage of people in this country are unprepared for a major medical emergency. Now, either you can blame them and feel superior or you can fix it and help them.
>>and you wonder why health care was the single biggest expense of your year?
Did you miss the part where he said he was INSURED???
If he has INSURANCE, why should his medical bills be pushing him toward poverty?
>>It seems you could...You could...You could...You could...You could
In hindsight, there are always a million way to avoid the unfortunate. Insurance should INSURE you against the unexpected. Thats why we pay for it.
>>Shielding individuals from the costs of their care provides no incentive for people to make economical health care choices
We can't make economical health care choices because no economic information is given to us. Have you price shopped hospitals?
as others are saying, while unions have noble goals, their power has also produced corruption.
>>It loses out in diversity of development process.
What does that mean? No, digital isn't a cyanotype, but then again silver process isn't a cyanotype either.
>>It loses out in resolution - I'm talking compared with medium and large format photography
Not if you scan your negs. I shoot 4x5 and print digitally.
>>There is no way on God's good earth that anyone can reliably claim that digital prints outlive film development.
Well, I guess you have your mind made up. Then there's no point in discussion.
Photography troll?
The vast majority of commercial photography has gone digital. Printing digitally has many speed and cost advantages over darkroom prints. The longevity of digital prints frequently exceeds that of darkroom prints.
>>are we some kind of freaks when it comes to gas use compared to most Americans? [ ...] We live in a city neighborhood where we can walk to places for some basic errands and our grocery store is two-minute drive away.
Either you're freaks or you're very lucky or both. Since the 1950's, the US has been segmenting its cities so that even small errands require a car. If your wife works five miles away and the grocery store is a two minute drive, you could eliminate car usage for daily tasks.
>>What happens when you do something you enjoy over and over again? You stop enjoying it.
Nope. You find another girl to do it with.
>>In software, having other folks use doesn't diminish your value of the software in any fashion.
While the animals are consuming something that can be copied infinitely, strangely, they still poop.
I think we can all agree that the poop has been piled pretty high.
>>the #1 DAP on the market?
Whats a DAP? Is it like an iPod?
>>Virtual money though? It's nothing but a mysql column. ..and how do you think that differs from your checking and savings accounts?
>>Tell me how any part of that whole idea sound any bit logical?!?
Buckets work waaaaay better than bowls.
(Unless its the bowl for a KitchenAid mixer.)