I had a conversation at work today with a few of the guys. We were discussing various topics, mainly just bitching about the gas prices, when the conversation took a twist. One of the guys, who shall remain anonymous in order to protect his identity, mentioned that cars that run on gasoline are not good for the environment. You know when I heard that my ears perked right up.
me: Cars that run on gasoline are basically the only affordable technology out there right now, so you're just going to have to deal with it.
him: Well, then I want to buy one of those all electric cars. I'll just plug it in every night to charge the batteries, just like my cell phone.
me: (all smart-ass like) Well that sounds like a great idea, but just like the gas prices in six months from now you'll bitch that your electric bill is too high.
him: (Looking over at me nodding his head, he changed his approach slightly.) I heard they have cars that will run on water. Water doesn’t cost that much.
me: That’s all well and good but you’re going to have to deal with some environmental group or another complaining about how we’re killing all the fish or the animals are thirsty because we're stealing all the water.
him: (Now looking my way in disgust.) Well what about a bike, smart ass?
me: (Just short of cracking up, I had to shoot this idea down too.) Rubber tires are petroleum based and now we’re back to where we started with the oil.
him: The bike will have wooden wheels then!
me: Save the rain forest!
In a last ditch effort to stump me.
him: ROCK! I’m going to have the bike made out of rock!
me: Rock, huh? That’s a great idea! Oh, but wait. What about the furry woodland creature’s habitat that you destroyed to get the rock?
He laughed, shook his head, and walked away in frustration.
The point of this story is simple. No matter how we try to fix a fictional or non-fictional problem we have with the environment, someone is going to keep coming up with some stupid reason why it’s bad. Just like the ethanol situation. That was a great idea and now we are supposedly starving the world. I say we just stick to what works. Good old fashioned gasoline and oil. Oh, and how about we drill for it in our own country?
Monday, May 19, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Global Warming, huh?
This little rant is going to be one those 'go look it up for yourself and make your own decision little rants, only because I don’t have the patience to cut paste and drag every link to every website and talk show host and reporter that I read and listen to throughout the day. With that said, this whole argument about “global warming” drives me up a wall.
First little tidbit. The average temperature in the month April was a searing 51 degrees. I know what you’re thinking. "So what." Right? Well that was the coldest April in 114 years. Global warming, right? I know all those tornadoes happening in the Midwest lately are a result of global warming too, right? Wrong! Everyone has more or less heard of the whole El Nino, La Nina thing, right? Well El Nino is warm air coming off the Pacific and La Nina is cold air coming off the Pacific. Well folks, we are in a La Nina year and tornadoes are caused by a lot of cold air mixing with warm air, thus the tornadoes, thunderstorms, etc. etc. Global warming or a naturally occurring event? I vote natural.
A couple of weeks ago, a few scientists from the United Nations wrote an article for a nature magazine saying they used a new model to check climate changes in North America and Europe. The jist of the article was that we have to put global warming on hold for the next 10 to 12 years because it’s just going to get colder. For all of those who don’t believe that the Earth is a living, breathing, entity that heats and cools according to it’s position to the sun should refer back to your 8th grade text book. Flip to the section on the solar system where you’ll find out that the Earth doesn’t rotate straight up and down. It is slightly tilted. At this point in time we are in what’s called an interglacial period, which is basically a period of time that lasts between 40,000 to 45,000 years when the earth goes through a warming trend before the next ice age. Thus causing the glaciers to melt along with the polar ice caps. Right now we are in around year 35,000. Which means in 5,000 years we will have an ice age. I’m almost saddened by the fact that I won’t be around to show all the frozen people Al Gore’s movie.
First little tidbit. The average temperature in the month April was a searing 51 degrees. I know what you’re thinking. "So what." Right? Well that was the coldest April in 114 years. Global warming, right? I know all those tornadoes happening in the Midwest lately are a result of global warming too, right? Wrong! Everyone has more or less heard of the whole El Nino, La Nina thing, right? Well El Nino is warm air coming off the Pacific and La Nina is cold air coming off the Pacific. Well folks, we are in a La Nina year and tornadoes are caused by a lot of cold air mixing with warm air, thus the tornadoes, thunderstorms, etc. etc. Global warming or a naturally occurring event? I vote natural.
A couple of weeks ago, a few scientists from the United Nations wrote an article for a nature magazine saying they used a new model to check climate changes in North America and Europe. The jist of the article was that we have to put global warming on hold for the next 10 to 12 years because it’s just going to get colder. For all of those who don’t believe that the Earth is a living, breathing, entity that heats and cools according to it’s position to the sun should refer back to your 8th grade text book. Flip to the section on the solar system where you’ll find out that the Earth doesn’t rotate straight up and down. It is slightly tilted. At this point in time we are in what’s called an interglacial period, which is basically a period of time that lasts between 40,000 to 45,000 years when the earth goes through a warming trend before the next ice age. Thus causing the glaciers to melt along with the polar ice caps. Right now we are in around year 35,000. Which means in 5,000 years we will have an ice age. I’m almost saddened by the fact that I won’t be around to show all the frozen people Al Gore’s movie.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
I stopped being shocked
I went to the gas station this morning and happened to look up at the neon sign and thought “wow $4.05!” This was for 87 octane unleaded gas in this small little town that I live in. I just shook my head thinking “it is what it is”. As I was done filling my gas tank, I put the nozzle back in the pump and made a mental note. I told myself that when I get home I would jump on my computer and draft an email to send to my congressman, to all the various environmental groups, and also to OPEC, thanking them for screwing us over once again. I also plan on writing a letter to the polar bears in northern Alaska, letting them know that I just dumped a ton of money into my gas tank and I’m glad they feel safe and are protected.
It wouldn't hurt to also mail a letter to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. That dictator that calls himself the leader Chavez in Venezuela. And since I'm on a roll, maybe even another to that fine organization we know of as Al Queda. I'll let them know that I was doing my part in funding their operations against America.
My point is that I am tired of listening to the radio every. single. day, hearing that the price of a barrel went up again because some psycho spit on an oil pipeline in some no name country. A few weeks ago, I sat listening to the radio where in some congressperson said that they are outraged that they are only paying $1.86 a gallon for gas in Iraq and here in America we are paying well over $3.00 a gallon. I concluded the reason may very well be, call me crazy, the fact that THEY DRILL FOR THEIR OWN DAMN OIL, YOU DUMBASS. What a novel idea...maybe, just maybe, we might want to do the same. You know that supply and demand thing...supply is low, can’t meet demand, price goes up. Supply goes up to meet demand, price goes down. Simple, huh?
Someone please explain this to the morons who make the decisions for this country. I know, I know, you are thinking “well how are we going to increase our supply?”. Well let me see. Maybe, just maybe, we should stop buying oil that’s not ours and drill for it in our own damn country. You know like take care of yourself.
What about the polar bears and cariboo and all those other cute, furry creatures that live all across our territory, you ask? Well I say modern technology is a wonderful thing and studies have shown there would minimal environmental impact, but don’t listen to me. Look it up for yourself.
I have dreams about waking up one day and reading the news that the price of a gallon of gas is a $1.50 and the country’s economy is booming, all because we decided as a nation that we are going to take care of ourselves, instead of financing every other country’s economy. We shouldn't be afraid that some poor, fuzzy, little bear in the Arctic circle may have at some point in their lives broken a sweat because it got a little too warm out. My brain hurts.
It wouldn't hurt to also mail a letter to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. That dictator that calls himself the leader Chavez in Venezuela. And since I'm on a roll, maybe even another to that fine organization we know of as Al Queda. I'll let them know that I was doing my part in funding their operations against America.
My point is that I am tired of listening to the radio every. single. day, hearing that the price of a barrel went up again because some psycho spit on an oil pipeline in some no name country. A few weeks ago, I sat listening to the radio where in some congressperson said that they are outraged that they are only paying $1.86 a gallon for gas in Iraq and here in America we are paying well over $3.00 a gallon. I concluded the reason may very well be, call me crazy, the fact that THEY DRILL FOR THEIR OWN DAMN OIL, YOU DUMBASS. What a novel idea...maybe, just maybe, we might want to do the same. You know that supply and demand thing...supply is low, can’t meet demand, price goes up. Supply goes up to meet demand, price goes down. Simple, huh?
Someone please explain this to the morons who make the decisions for this country. I know, I know, you are thinking “well how are we going to increase our supply?”. Well let me see. Maybe, just maybe, we should stop buying oil that’s not ours and drill for it in our own damn country. You know like take care of yourself.
What about the polar bears and cariboo and all those other cute, furry creatures that live all across our territory, you ask? Well I say modern technology is a wonderful thing and studies have shown there would minimal environmental impact, but don’t listen to me. Look it up for yourself.
I have dreams about waking up one day and reading the news that the price of a gallon of gas is a $1.50 and the country’s economy is booming, all because we decided as a nation that we are going to take care of ourselves, instead of financing every other country’s economy. We shouldn't be afraid that some poor, fuzzy, little bear in the Arctic circle may have at some point in their lives broken a sweat because it got a little too warm out. My brain hurts.
The Making of The Nonsense
Welcome to the first installment. Here is where you'll read about all the nonsense that comes spewing out of my mouth when someone or something sets me off on a tangent on something that I am passionate about.
But first, a brief introduction. I'm 30-something and I'm passionate. I'm not going to categorize myself with any label I'll allow you to label me as you see fit. I'm not about to take a magic marker and write "I'm a jackass" on my forehead. I will let you determine that for yourselves. And just for a quick note, I can be a jackass.
Now where was I, oh yes, I'm passionate about politics and sports but politics intrigue me. I feel a lot of people don't pay attention to what really goes on with our government or the economy or the elections, things of that nature. They normally get their information from one source, which is usually the main stream media. To each is own, but I feel that's like asking the 16 year old kid who works in the produce department at the grocery store to tell me how to manage an apple orchard.
I prefer to listen or read various news outlets on both sides of the fence, for example left wing, right wing, liberal, and conservative and form my own opinion because everyone spins the truth for their own benefit. I do lean in one particular direction when it comes to politics but you'll figure it out. I'm not doing this to incite rioting. I'm not going to spew out statistics or anything of that nature. I'm simply going to be stating my opinion on certain subjects and hopefully some of what I say will make you go "hmmm... I didn't know that" or "hmmm... that's interesting" or maybe even "this guy is a genius, he should be bottled and sold... and he's cute too". Just kidding on the last one, but I hope everyone understands my goal here. Frankly, it's not important to me if you like what I have to say or not. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I respect that. Hopefully everyone will enjoy reading because my fingers hurt from typing. The sacrifices I make to entertain.
But first, a brief introduction. I'm 30-something and I'm passionate. I'm not going to categorize myself with any label I'll allow you to label me as you see fit. I'm not about to take a magic marker and write "I'm a jackass" on my forehead. I will let you determine that for yourselves. And just for a quick note, I can be a jackass.
Now where was I, oh yes, I'm passionate about politics and sports but politics intrigue me. I feel a lot of people don't pay attention to what really goes on with our government or the economy or the elections, things of that nature. They normally get their information from one source, which is usually the main stream media. To each is own, but I feel that's like asking the 16 year old kid who works in the produce department at the grocery store to tell me how to manage an apple orchard.
I prefer to listen or read various news outlets on both sides of the fence, for example left wing, right wing, liberal, and conservative and form my own opinion because everyone spins the truth for their own benefit. I do lean in one particular direction when it comes to politics but you'll figure it out. I'm not doing this to incite rioting. I'm not going to spew out statistics or anything of that nature. I'm simply going to be stating my opinion on certain subjects and hopefully some of what I say will make you go "hmmm... I didn't know that" or "hmmm... that's interesting" or maybe even "this guy is a genius, he should be bottled and sold... and he's cute too". Just kidding on the last one, but I hope everyone understands my goal here. Frankly, it's not important to me if you like what I have to say or not. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I respect that. Hopefully everyone will enjoy reading because my fingers hurt from typing. The sacrifices I make to entertain.
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