Comments on: Living Like Xerxes http://pjmedia.com/blog/living_like_xerxes/ Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:45:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: RiverCocytus http://pjmedia.com/blog/living_like_xerxes/#comment-13437 RiverCocytus Thu, 13 Sep 2007 21:24:17 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/living-like-xerxes/#comment-13437 The funding which will probably place more businesses on the government teat. The funding which will probably place more businesses on the government teat.

]]> By: Boris http://pjmedia.com/blog/living_like_xerxes/#comment-13436 Boris Thu, 13 Sep 2007 20:35:29 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/living-like-xerxes/#comment-13436 Wrong. Carbon offsets are used to fund renewable energy programs, usually in poorer, less developed countries. The treadle pumps are an example of how there will be fewer emissions--there wil be fewer diesel irrigation pumps. Obviously, we need to reduce carbon emissions as well, but the biggest problem for the next century is supplying green power for nations that are developing. Keep in mind that if there were no carbon credit market, there would be no incentive for anyone to help these poor farmers except charity. Now, everybody wins. Why someone would complain about this is beyond me. Wrong. Carbon offsets are used to fund renewable energy programs, usually in poorer, less developed countries. The treadle pumps are an example of how there will be fewer emissions–there wil be fewer diesel irrigation pumps.

Obviously, we need to reduce carbon emissions as well, but the biggest problem for the next century is supplying green power for nations that are developing. Keep in mind that if there were no carbon credit market, there would be no incentive for anyone to help these poor farmers except charity. Now, everybody wins. Why someone would complain about this is beyond me.

]]> By: Jon S. http://pjmedia.com/blog/living_like_xerxes/#comment-13435 Jon S. Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:10:09 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/living-like-xerxes/#comment-13435 Left unsaid here is that carbon offsets even in theory are ridiculous: if you give money to a group that promotes green causes, you are not reducing the amount of carbon used at all. The amount of money donated will almost certainly go for administrative expenses, paying staff to write op-eds, organizing Save the World concerts that use more energy than save energy, and so on. As one economist whose name escapes me said, it's like someone on a diet telling people that b/c they eat salad, they're entitled to eat a big piece of cake for dessert. Left unsaid here is that carbon offsets even in theory are ridiculous: if you give money to a group that promotes green causes, you are not reducing the amount of carbon used at all. The amount of money donated will almost certainly go for administrative expenses, paying staff to write op-eds, organizing Save the World concerts that use more energy than save energy, and so on. As one economist whose name escapes me said, it’s like someone on a diet telling people that b/c they eat salad, they’re entitled to eat a big piece of cake for dessert.

]]> By: Boris http://pjmedia.com/blog/living_like_xerxes/#comment-13434 Boris Tue, 11 Sep 2007 17:39:56 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/living-like-xerxes/#comment-13434 Brad isn't telling the whole story. Treadle pumps require labor, but they will be available to farmers at all times, whereas they would have to rent the diesel pumps (and be responsible for any damage to them). As a result, farmers who cannot afford to rent diesel pumps will be able to have more harvests and others will save money from the rentals. Farmers will earn from two to five times what they earned using diesel pumps. But don't let facts get in the way of a good "enviromentalists are using slaves" story. Brad isn’t telling the whole story. Treadle pumps require labor, but they will be available to farmers at all times, whereas they would have to rent the diesel pumps (and be responsible for any damage to them). As a result, farmers who cannot afford to rent diesel pumps will be able to have more harvests and others will save money from the rentals. Farmers will earn from two to five times what they earned using diesel pumps.

But don’t let facts get in the way of a good “enviromentalists are using slaves” story.

]]> By: Morton Doodslag http://pjmedia.com/blog/living_like_xerxes/#comment-13433 Morton Doodslag Tue, 11 Sep 2007 17:26:06 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/living-like-xerxes/#comment-13433 Yep -- everyone has issues -- but right now I'm responding to this absolutely inane nonsense published by Mr. Rourke at PajamasMedia... Rourke clearly can't tell the difference between a cartoon construct invented in his own mind about the human nature and the essence of capitalism, and a cartoon image of evil as depicted in a movie. Take a look at Rourke's recent item here at PajamasMedia about Barrack Obama -- it reads like an embarrassing letter from a 7th grade girl to a boy she has a crush on (no offense meant to 7th grade girls...) Note how he simultaneously adores Obama and elevates him to near messaih status, while reducing him to an infantile object who is incapable of lucid actions or decisions. It's downright creepy in my opinion: "Please Don't Run!" <a href="http://www.bradrourke.com/pc/2007/08/dont-run.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.bradrourke.com/pc/2007/08/dont-run.html</a> I really question why this guy is featured at this otherwise excellent website! Yep — everyone has issues — but right now I’m responding to this absolutely inane nonsense published by Mr. Rourke at PajamasMedia… Rourke clearly can’t tell the difference between a cartoon construct invented in his own mind about the human nature and the essence of capitalism, and a cartoon image of evil as depicted in a movie.

Take a look at Rourke’s recent item here at PajamasMedia about Barrack Obama — it reads like an embarrassing letter from a 7th grade girl to a boy she has a crush on (no offense meant to 7th grade girls…) Note how he simultaneously adores Obama and elevates him to near messaih status, while reducing him to an infantile object who is incapable of lucid actions or decisions. It’s downright creepy in my opinion:

“Please Don’t Run!”

http://www.bradrourke.com/pc/2007/08/dont-run.html

I really question why this guy is featured at this otherwise excellent website!

]]> By: Janus Daniels http://pjmedia.com/blog/living_like_xerxes/#comment-13432 Janus Daniels Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:21:35 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/living-like-xerxes/#comment-13432 see: free enterprise; job creation; capitalism; employment... clueless... "First, the notion of paying someone else to do what you yourself are not willing to do seems to undercut the whole point." see: free enterprise; job creation; capitalism; employment… clueless…
“First, the notion of paying someone else to do what you yourself are not willing to do seems to undercut the whole point.”

]]> By: Bmoon http://pjmedia.com/blog/living_like_xerxes/#comment-13431 Bmoon Mon, 10 Sep 2007 20:32:42 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/living-like-xerxes/#comment-13431 Mort, We all have issues. Sounds like you may have stored a few too many National Geographics away in your attic. Mort,
We all have issues.
Sounds like you may have stored a few too many National Geographics away in your attic.

]]> By: RiverCocytus http://pjmedia.com/blog/living_like_xerxes/#comment-13430 RiverCocytus Mon, 10 Sep 2007 20:02:46 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/living-like-xerxes/#comment-13430 Morton.. um. Projection much? Morton.. um.

Projection much?

]]> By: Morton Doodslag http://pjmedia.com/blog/living_like_xerxes/#comment-13429 Morton Doodslag Mon, 10 Sep 2007 19:37:22 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/living-like-xerxes/#comment-13429 In that disturbing third person self-referential kind of way, Brad Rourke's website informs us that "Brad Rourke is a writer, consultant, essayist and musician based in Rockville, MD...Brad Rourke is founding editor of the Rockville Central community blog, one of the few community-generated information sources in the third-largest city in Maryland. He is also singer and guitarist for The West End...Brad Rourke received his B.A. in comparative literature from U.C. Berkeley. He is listed in <i>Who's Who in America."</i> He forgot to mention that Brad Rourke seems to despise our economic and governmental systems, systems which he parasitizes apparently for his livelihood as a 'consultant'. He forgot to mention that Brad Rourke is deeply troubled by his own human nature, so much so that Brad Rourke seems to think that it's a very nasty thing -- a thing that requires a LOT of social engineering by confused elitists such as Brad Rourke for the fixing. Brad Rourke forgot to mention that Brad Rourke exhibits many traits of the narcissist, and that Brad Rourke seems to have a little problem projecting Brad Rourke's own internal guilt, Brad Rourke's own interanal anger and frustration, and Brad Rourke's own internal demons onto the world around Brad Rourke. I observes that this is the M.O. of most of the world's zealot fanatics. Such persons eject their own internal conflicts and project them outwards where they can set about waging crusades and 'movements' to destroy these constructed demons. Brad Rourke writes very easily about what other people are thinking, or should be thinking if they 'think right' like he does. But perhaps Brad Rourke would do well plucking the beam out of his own eye before he plucks the mote out of his neighbors'. In that disturbing third person self-referential kind of way, Brad Rourke’s website informs us that “Brad Rourke is a writer, consultant, essayist and musician based in Rockville, MD…Brad Rourke is founding editor of the Rockville Central community blog, one of the few community-generated information sources in the third-largest city in Maryland. He is also singer and guitarist for The West End…Brad Rourke received his B.A. in comparative literature from U.C. Berkeley. He is listed in Who’s Who in America.”

He forgot to mention that Brad Rourke seems to despise our economic and governmental systems, systems which he parasitizes apparently for his livelihood as a ‘consultant’. He forgot to mention that Brad Rourke is deeply troubled by his own human nature, so much so that Brad Rourke seems to think that it’s a very nasty thing — a thing that requires a LOT of social engineering by confused elitists such as Brad Rourke for the fixing. Brad Rourke forgot to mention that Brad Rourke exhibits many traits of the narcissist, and that Brad Rourke seems to have a little problem projecting Brad Rourke’s own internal guilt, Brad Rourke’s own interanal anger and frustration, and Brad Rourke’s own internal demons onto the world around Brad Rourke.

I observes that this is the M.O. of most of the world’s zealot fanatics. Such persons eject their own internal conflicts and project them outwards where they can set about waging crusades and ‘movements’ to destroy these constructed demons.

Brad Rourke writes very easily about what other people are thinking, or should be thinking if they ‘think right’ like he does. But perhaps Brad Rourke would do well plucking the beam out of his own eye before he plucks the mote out of his neighbors’.

]]> By: QwkDrw http://pjmedia.com/blog/living_like_xerxes/#comment-13428 QwkDrw Mon, 10 Sep 2007 19:34:12 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/living-like-xerxes/#comment-13428 Great post. Information (knowledge) presented with a sharp wit -- entertaining. Some educators could take a clue. Great post. Information (knowledge) presented with a sharp wit — entertaining. Some educators could take a clue.

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