On Feb 21, 1:16 pm, "donquijote1954"
wrote:
On Feb 21, 3:03 pm, "Moby Dick" wrote:
On Feb 21, 12:11 pm, "donquijote1954"
wrote:
On Feb 21, 12:24 pm, "
wrote:
On Feb 18, 4:03 pm, "donquijote1954"
wrote:
T-SHIRTS TO CHANGE THE WORLD...
In any case, you may have decided you had it with the stupid beast,
and you've decided to give a chance to the smart and small, just like
a bike or canoe. "Do not feed the dinosaur" seems like a good start.
I'm OK with the sentiment, but I'm having trouble with the metaphor.
SUVs and motorboats run on dead dinosaurs. They don't feed them. Good
luck with your campaign.
Steve
Oh, that's ANOTHER metaphor. Why would God wipe out the dinosaurs, to
provide oil for his worshippers in SUVs and motorboats? Oh sure, they
are fulfilling the prophecies that big is good, if you ever find one.
They no doubt would have sided with Rome at its prime (not the Vatican
but the Roman Empire).
But what if God decides to wipe out the new dinosaurs and make room
for the furry little mammals? Perhaps that would be the Second Coming
of Jesus on a donkey --or bicycle or canoe. Then the cyclists and
canoeists will lead the next revolution... 
For those who only listen to the preacherman, here's what the Bible
says...
John's gospel records that Jesus rejected the call to be their warrior
king. Mounting a young donkey, he rode into Jerusalem, fulfilling the
prophecy of Zephaniah: "Fear not, Daughter of Sion, your king is
coming, mounted on a donkey's colt."
Not a fearsome warrior, he was the humble king the prophet described.
In Jerusalem he would open his arms to the poor outcasts of the
world..
"At the time his disciples did not understand this..." John
concludes.
http://www.cptryon.org/prayer/season/palm.html
Seems to me the best metaphor (or maybe contrast) is Don Quixote
attacking windmills that he believes to be ferocious giants. One would
think that a poster called donquijote might pick up on this....- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -
If you stand your ground before a charging motorboat, then you really
fear no giants. But I do. They give me the creeps, just like when I'm
on the water and I see a fin circling me.
Then you realize you must meet your fate and dress like a knight...
(hey, this is heavy duty stuff, like to charge at the giant
corporations behind SUVs and motorboats)
DON QUIXOTE VS THE WINDMILLS!
When the environmental crisis worsens, how can one remain passive?
Neither the Rio Earth Summit nor the Kyoto Protocol, regrettably, will
do much, particularly when the worst predator refuses to participate.
A big change is needed--or else.
I have been long enough on this planet to witness, not the use, but
the reckless abuse of resources. While the system measures "success"
by the size of the vehicle and the motorboat there can be no solution.
And while the system denies space for bicycles and other efficient
alternatives there can be no solution.
I have, however, a few earthy proposals:
1. INCREASE THE PRICE OF GASOLINE, such as in Europe and Japan. The
revenue so raised could be used to IMPROVE ALTERNATIVE
TRANSPORTATION*, from fast trains to the creation of BICICLE LANES
along all major streets.
2. Open letters from parents to children, perhaps encouraged via the
schools, in which the parents vow to specific lifestyle changes. Such
letters are to be conspicuously displayed in the home. For example, it
could say, "Ride bicycle to work," etc.
Let's give life to our children, not a subsistence of rats. Don
Quixote would have said: "Sancho, let's go for the giants!"
*"A massive public works project that did not expand the deficit would
help; something like a massive clean energy program or nationwide high-
speed rail network financed by new taxes on pollution and fossil
fuels. A more progressive tax system would help as well. Both seem
inconceivable since the Bush administration wants to spend public
works dollars on Mars not earth, and Congress that has just enacted
tax breaks that exacerbate the wealth gap."http://www.eugenelinden.com/news280.html
***
Don Quixotes of the Environment
"I feel like Don Quixote, but quite the contrary," says Marina Silva.
"Don Quixote fought windmills, thinking he was fighting giants. I
fight giants thinking I am fighting windmills."http://www.sdearthtimes.com/et0298/et0298s6.html
Good responses but I take issue with a few things.
I'm not convinced the government can do better at developing
alternative fuels than the competive marketplace. In fact, investors
may be holding out in hopes of getting a piece of pie from the
govenrment instead fo forging investments themselves. Also, I view the
biggest impediments to mass transit like trains and subways as the
airline and auto lobby, not the gas lobby. Oh, and our devotion to
property rights isn't helping either.
I've spent a lot of time in Europe. I don't think the price of gas is
preventing them from pollutiong. I think they have population density
advantages. When a European can afford a big car, they get one, just
like Americans. That's just my experience, not a scientific study.
Regarding the Kyoto protocol and the "worst predator": heck no I
wouldn't join up for these either since somehow China and India are
left out. On the whole those countries may be second or third world
but regions are definitely some of the world's worse polluters, east
China for example.
Regarding public works -- FDR proved deficit spending can spur the
econmy. Various presidents have used that technique again and again.
Putting someone or something on Mars wilpsur technology just like
putting a man on the moon did. BTW, IIIRC, Bush is spending a lot on
fuel cells and clean coal. Both are good things. We should be allowing
nuclear power, too.
Just my opinion. Not wanting to start a fight.