Letters to the Editor
cabdriver
Published Letters: 594 Editor's Choice: 8
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conservation vs. waste
[Read the article: Winds of change]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I think that when it comes to automobiles, conservation is more about driving habits than simply what vehicle is purchased.
Some people need those large pickup trucks, as work vehicles. SUVs make more sense for some people- like large families- than sedans. People who live in rural areas tend to have requirements for larger, more rugged utility vehicles. Much of the USA doesn't have the almost totally cultivated and settled geography of Western Europe, or Japan.
What tends to be more important is driving habits, and cutting back on the private auto travel for superfluous purposes. And in that regard, I suspect that even most Prius drivers are still eligible to do some belt-tightening.
Although such criticisms can raise awareness, I don't think it's a productive act to continually point the finger at the comsumer choices of others. I've encountered too many people who have made that their primary "pro-environment activity"- and it isn't an activity at all, it's a pose.
Another side effect that I've noticed frequently is the adoption of one particular consumer choice as villainous, while ignoring the greater problem as a whole. I've heard enough of the demonization of SUV drivers, for instance. It's a cliche, and I doubt that it's influencing very many consumer decisions. In my hearing, it's often a stereotype uttered by privileged suburbanite kids, directed at other privileged suburbanites. No wonder it rings hollow.
I don't want to take away anyone's right to criticize. But start by applying a regimen of ecological self-discipline in your own life. Nearly anyone who lives in a fabulously wealthy 1st World nation like the USA can continue to find ways to responsibly trim their resource use.
After all, this is a country where even homeless vagrants- if able-bodied- are better off materially than the hard-working majorities of authentically impoverished nations.
I'll start believing that there's a real resurgence in environmental awareness when there's a modern resurgence of Victory Gardens in this country, and homeowners raise vegetables in their yards using bio-dynamic raised-bed agriculture, instead of devoting them to exclusively to manicured lawns (with the attendant lawnmowers and infusions of chemical fertilizers and herbicides, all so they can have a pretty carpet of grass- often, in a climactic region that requires continual infusions of irrigation water to keep lawn grasses alive.)
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Re: "the rumors"
[Read the article: High standards at the Washington Post Op-Ed page]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You know, about Obama and Edwards...
I suggest that the Obama Girl troupe at barelypolitical.com hoke up a YouTube vid that depicts Kathleen Parker's innuendos as a cover for her secret fantasy attraction to the twosome, along the lines of the Obamagirl instant classic, "Hillary, Stop The Attacks"!
Parker must have some television appearance footage somewhere that can be re-worked toward that purpose, she's apparently been on O'Reilly's program and Chris Matthews' show.
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Capitalism done by 2 year olds
[Read the article: Winds of change]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The sheer stupidity of that approach boggles my mind.
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The Rolling Stone Article Excerpted By L.W.M.
[Read the article: The NYT's latest Kristol embarrassment]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]on China's Golden Shield surveillance program, and its U.S. linkages, is important.
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/20797485/chinas_allseeing_eye/print
[click on my highlighted screen name, "cabdriver", for link]
Foolish me...I once thought that the Free World had won out over Totalitarianism, due to the outcome of that contest popularly known as "The Cold War."
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"Unbelievable"
[Read the article: Has life in Iraq improved?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Incredible superlative. Unreal.
When it's time to check in with "someone who's been there for some time", maybe it would be a good idea to read some Iraqis:
Riverbend was one of the more prolific and articulate Iraqi bloggers. However, it appears that as of October 2007, she's become a refugee--
http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/
I used to read "Salam Pax"'s blog a lot, but he's been out of the picture for some time, too. He was one of the best known Iraqi bloggers, his first one was called "Where Is Raed?"
http://justzipit.blogspot.com/
I don't know where Salam Pax is any more. I hope he's okay. As for Raed, he has a blog of his own, now.
http://raedinthemiddle.blogspot.com/
Another Iraqi blogger who isn't posting any more- http://www.blogiraq.info/
The blog of Iraqi journalists employed by McClatchy:
http://washingtonbureau.typepad.com/iraq//
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@ "Cow Head Soup"....
[Read the article: Escape from Baghdad]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]re: your post, #1 in this comment section--
If this is the Anna Badkhen story that you're referring to
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/05/21/services/
then I think that the thread shut-down was simply due the normal expiration of commentary time on Salon articles. Threads close all the time around here for that reason.
The comment with the URL linking to Michael Yon's website remains intact- as does mine, the one that followed it.
[click on my highlighted screen name "cabdriver" for direct link]