Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Cash for Clunkers was a beneficial program for many
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Cash for Clunkers was a beneficial program for many
In analyzing the Cash for Clunkers program Nov. 5, the Associated Press writer's view is that it did not improve the environment ("The most common Cash for Clunkers deal? Trading in an old Ford F150 truck for a new one"). This conclusion is not supported by the facts in the article.
The author focuses on the most common deal. However, if you examine the list, you see that most people traded in old Ford Explorer SUVs (very low gas mileage) for more fuel-efficient cars (getting close to 30 mpg).
The article then reports, "The data show the average fuel economy was 15.8 mpg for the old vehicles and 24.9 for the new ones." That means the program was successful in getting energy guzzlers off the road, thereby keeping down carbon emissions and decreasing oil consumption. Nevertheless, the writer dismisses this data with, "but plenty of consumers bought relatively low-mileage trucks and SUVs with the help of government checks."
If the author had examined the facts rather than his bias against SUVs/trucks (a necessity in rural and mountainous areas), he would conclude that the Cash for Clunkers program was good for consumers, the auto industry, the environment and the economy.
2012 prospects for Palin and the world
Some say the world will end in 2012. Some say Sarah Palin will be elected president that year. So what's the difference?
Congress must push for cleaner energy
Why are people worrying about cap and trade? The proposed law does nothing to reduce pollution or CO2 emissions, nor does it cost any jobs.
A meaningful energy law would tax CO2 emissions on a dollar-per-ton rate, and remit all tax revenues to taxpayers to defray higher energy costs caused by the tax.
We should be subsidizing nonpolluting energy, not coal and oil. Windmills produce electricity at costs equal to coal or steam. Cost of solar electricity will equal coal in five to 10 years.
Some people think windmills are ugly. Certainly not as ugly as chopping the top off a mountain to uncover a coal seam. Rumors of windmills killing birds are exaggerated. A neighbor watched a crow land on the tip of a windmill blade and ride it up 90 degrees. The bird used the windmill to gain altitude. Retrain coal miners to build and service windmills.
We should push for a balance of wind, solar, wave and geothermal so all our electricity can be nonpolluting in 10 to 15 years. Electric bills would stop going up.
Tell Congress to show some guts and stop oil and coal interests from writing our energy laws.
Funds from closed rest areas paying off
If the closing of 18 Virginia rest areas by our commonwealth's administration saved money, blessed be the greenbacks that produced the following:
After leaving Lancaster, Pa., on U.S. 30 and arriving at Interstate 81 in Maryland, driving through West Virginia, and finally onto I-81 in Virginia, the state police were at work.
Truly, what a thrill that for the next two hours we would see many marked and unmarked police cars, with violators stopped; cars waiting in the median, unmarked police cars with behind-the-grill flashing blue lights, and marked police cars in a remaining open Virginia rest area.
If this activity by our Virginia State Police was made possible by fund-finding, so be it.
Political enemies can make good allies
On Election Day, Bob McDonnell, a Republican, became governor of Virginia. I think McDonnell and President Obama, a Democrat, shall work well together because of this: Abraham Lincoln was, arguably, the greatest president of all time. Why? Some say it was because Lincoln picked his enemies to be cabinet members. Enemies supposedly work well together.
Maybe it will happen with Obama. Maybe not.
Taubman attendance figure questionable
Re: "Taubman survives tough first year," Nov. 8 news story:
I am writing about the attendance figure for the Taubman Museum of Art quoted in The Roanoke Times. As an art collector and gallery owner, I understand a little about the art world. I have visited our museum on three occasions.
My concern is the quoted figure of 130,000 people who visited the museum. If the museum is open six days per week, closed for six holidays, that leaves 307 days to be open. If you divide 307 into 130,000, you get a total of 423 people per day. If open eight hours per day, this means 53 people coming in each hour the museum is open.
Are we to believe this? Does the museum use accepted museum counting techniques, such as counting every delivery person who comes in a door? At one time that was the way the attendance was taken when the museum was in the old location.
How about people who attend social events? They certainly are not there to view art.
I want the museum to succeed. It would be nice if it was totally honest and gave us accurate, truthful information.
The Bible tells us where higher life forms exist
Re: "What if we aren't alone," Nov. 15 commentary:
The Bible is God's guidebook to mankind, and in it he has informed us that higher forms of life do exist, the angels being one example. If higher forms of life (those possessing self-awareness/conscious of their own existence, etc.) other than human or angel had been created by God, then it appears reasonable both that he would have informed them as to the reason they had been brought into existence and his purpose for them, as he did to Adam at his creation, and would have made mankind aware of their existence, as he did the angels.
Satan, a fallen angel himself, made the claim that Job worshipped God not because of his love for him, but for what he could gain materially from God. Satan's challenge would necessarily involve all higher forms of life also, but the Bible mentions none. The Bible informs us that in due time God will clear up all the confusion and misconceptions pertaining to all his creation.
Rose-colored glasses tint opinions
Often times, as in Poe's purloined letter, the obvious becomes overlooked. Such seems especially true over time. Even important issues become trite and oblivious in their predictable redundancy.
Who any longer pays much attention to the constant chorus of more government, more taxes, more spending -- less individual freedom and responsibility -- as sung by Dan Radmacher and The Roanoke Times? Very old hat.
Yet, among the noisy aggregate clutter, sometimes little things break through and resonate, providing glimpses of one's perspective.
One example: In Radmacher's Nov. 15 column, "Kaine saw much progress in his four years," he depicts the current economy in two quite differing hues. When contemplating Democratic Party hopes in upcoming mid-term congressional elections, the economy is "still shaky." In describing the heroic governor's time at the helm, the economy is "the roughest economic times since the Great Depression."
I cannot help but wonder how many shades of glasses, rose-tinted and other, Radmacher can wear.
