What's with the response to Sandy's victims ?

I'd rather have killer storms than killer bushfires...

I'm down in the city and I hate it, but I still go into panic mode for a second when I get a wiff of smoke.

Funny you should mention that, I can't see the hills at the moment for smoke. I hope it's just someone burning off.


Rob

nr Bundaberg

There's a place called Bundaberg?
Wow! - that's like finding there's a place called "Jack Daniels" or "Famous Grouse"!

Just where do you think the rum is made :slight_smile:

No good to me though, I can't stand the stuff.


Rob

Some day they totally privatize emergency services here. Then the people who are paid up get help until the profit margin drops and the service declares bankruptcy, leaving the government/taxpayers to pick up the tab as usual. Those who aren't paid up will be known as 'Cranicks' and be mocked by talk radio conservatives.
But that won't be happening soon. :grin:

Grey Nomad, what do you think of methane digesters? Any organic waste like kitchen scraps or vegetation off the roadside can in time make fuel, and the 'waste' liquid is good fertilizer. Unlike an aquaponics setup you can probably drive around with a decent size digester on your truck.

I don't really know anything about them. Many (some?) of our rubbish tips here have methane reclamation. I'm all for stuff that will make us more independent, I was going to beta test a grey water recycling system a few years ago, but they couldn't get it small enough.

As for Armageddon, I already have the Mad Max vehicle and 6 months supply of home brew ingredients, bring it on.


Rob

Check Youtube, search on methane digester.

Like this on, I link because his parting words on the science are worth a lot.

One thing I don't see is anyone using weather balloons to store methane or catch pressure release.

That looks interesting, we certainly have a lot of cow crap around here to get it started. Maybe when/if I settle down.


Rob

Why isn't the national guard and the Army all over these places like a rash with generators, fuel tankers, mess facilities with free hot meals, field hospitals, whatever is needed.

It is a question of what you think the role of the government should be.

There is a case to be made that people will remain stupid if stupidity is rewarded.

Many times, the best help you can give people is not to help them.

We already see the results when GREED is rewarded.

We already see the results when GREED is rewarded.

Yes, just look at all those people capitalism / greed has lifted out of poverty.

Oh good, a class warfare food fight right here on the Arduino forum. :roll_eyes:

Lefty

The results I'm talking about aren't class warfare but runaway pollution and catastrophic global warming.

But storms like Sandy are -really- God's plan for the lazy-azz poor because science is just opinion.

It's natural (and right I think) for people to want to better themselves and their situation. It turns into greed when said people have more than they can ever use and yet want even more.

Anyone read the Mexican fisherman story? It's a classic.


Rob

It turns into greed

Without greed, 99.9% of what we rely on daily wouldn't have been available to you and me.

Graynomad:
It's natural (and right I think) for people to want to better themselves and their situation. It turns into greed when said people have more than they can ever use and yet want even more.

Anyone read the Mexican fisherman story? It's a classic.


Rob

Very NSFW comedian, Lewis Black, on Greed:

"Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Take his fish away and tell him he's lucky just to be alive, and he'll figure out how to catch another one for you to take tomorrow."

Ah yes but don't confuse wealth creation with greed.

We do need people with the drive to create large companies that in turn produce goods and livelihoods for the vast majority that don't have the vision or the drive and just want a job.

But the wealth created should be distributed more equitably. Yes as the prime mover you should get paid a lot more than the janitor, but at present you have people spending more on a hotel room for the night than others earn in a year. Not that there's anything new in this, it's been the case ever since there was "stuff" to buy.

There are a few that don't follow the greed path, billionaires that still drive their old Chevy and give a large part of their wealth to various causes.

I just watched a documentary on some bloke (I think he is the richest person in China), he still eats with the staff in the lunch room and gives most of his money away.

He has created a huge amount of wealth, given a good livelihood to 1000s of people (presumably or they wouldn't eat with him, either that or they are scared of being fired :)) and not an ounce of greed in sight (as far as one can tell from a documentary anyway).

So I would argue that greed, while as natural to humans as breathing, is wrong and not necessary.

Wanting to better yourself is good, but as I said before once you have more than you need it becomes greed. This is largely semantics though as some people "need" more than others, for example I "need" an Arduino Due while others need health care or a good meal.


Rob

Lewis Black, on Greed:

That typifies a large portion of our society: greed is good as long as you spend it in liberal-approving ways, like hiring an attractive young girl as your ball-washer, or spending it creatively (as defined by Lewis Black. Greed is bad if you didn't do as Lewis Black had deemed good.

Lewis Black, on Greed:

That's good, I've not seen him before.

One assumes that his use for all the money is just a piss take :slight_smile:


Rob

dhenry:

Lewis Black, on Greed:

That typifies a large portion of our society: greed is good as long as you spend it in liberal-approving ways, like hiring an attractive young girl as your ball-washer, or spending it creatively (as defined by Lewis Black. Greed is bad if you didn't do as Lewis Black had deemed good.

America is doomed as long as people like you are able to turn everything into a political issue.