It is ridiculous when these rich people, be it Romney, Gingrich, Obama, you name it, claim to be with the common man in their speeches and public appearances.
Mr. Romney knows as much about the problems of the average citizen as a fish knows about bicycles.
Maybe it is the antisocial beast in me but I wish all stores had a no solicitor policy and the right to enforce it. When I go shopping (or to a restaurant or some other public place) I reserve the right to not want to talk to anybody, be it girl scouts, canvassers or panhandlers. By setting up stage right by the exit they deny me the option to just walk by without feeling awkward. If it were up to me there'd be a 100 foot zone around exits where no solicitors are allowed. This has nothing to do with free speech. You can promote your cause, sell your goods or ask for money as long as you leave me my right to ignore you.
I don't object to charging for trash pickup. The money the city spends on the "free" pickup is missing elsewhere so in the long run we pay some other way.
But this may be a good opportunity to set up incentives to reduce trash by creating a tiered fee system based on how much trash you produce. In my old hometown you paid monthly fees per trash can, more for bigger cans less for smaller ones. When you had extra trash you could buy special bags from the city. Recycling collection was free.
While many traditional American beers (and I am being generous here) are so bad that they have to be served cold enough to numb the taste buds, most of the ever growing number of craft brews go to the other extreme. Instead of making a perfectly good and tasty traditional beer they load it up with all kinds of spices and other concoctions. That is OK for an occasional adventure trip at the bar but what makes a good beer is simplicity. I'm from Bavaria where almost every town has its own brewery and all make a similar range of styles (Weizen, Hefeweizen, Maerzen, Doppelbock etc.). Yet most are distinctly different even while using the same ingredients because the respective brewmasters interpret the recipe in their own fashion. Focus on the fundamentals and then add the bells and whistles if you still need them.
Expanding the freeway to ease congestion is like giving drugs to junkies to alleviate their addiction.
Rather than spend all that money on freeways it should be put into creating alternatives to car traffic. Expanding and building more public transport would be much better in the long run. The main reason so many people cling to their cars is that there is no decent other option and that it is still too cheap to drive a car. Only by letting gas prices go up ($10 gallon sounds good) and gridlock become worse while at the same time providing a real alternative to driving will we be able to change the habits of people.
In my old hometown of Munich, Germany I did not need a car because I was able to get pretty much anywhere at any time of the day using public transportation. And even the occasional splurge on a cab was well cheaper than owning and maintaining a car.
I think a big problem is that many people these days are used to getting information in bits and blurbs. To fully understand most science requires a much longer attention span. Science is never black vs. white but a matter of nuances and implications. I am a research scientist and catch myself having problems to focus on talks outside my field of expertise. How much worse it must be for complete novices. I am not sure how to cure that in a fast way on the "consumer" side. But it would definitely help to train scientists in how to communicate their work to lay-people. In the end most research is funded by public money and if you are unable to explain what you are doing to the public, this disconnect spells trouble in the long run.
64° Partly Cloudy
Romney Wins Florida Primary, Routing Gingrich
It is ridiculous when these rich people, be it Romney, Gingrich, Obama, you name it, claim to be with the common man in their speeches and public appearances.
Mr. Romney knows as much about the problems of the average citizen as a fish knows about bicycles.
February 1, 2012 at 11:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Californians Still Talking, Texting While Driving
Only 9% ???
Seems to me that they picked the wrong neighborhood. Up here in North County I'd be willing to bet the rate is more like 30%.
I ride my bike almost everywhere and so get a very close look. It's not pretty.
April 21, 2011 at 10:09 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Cardiff Kook Celebrates Van Gogh's Birthday
I ride by the Surfer almost every morning and it has gotten to the point that I am disappointed when he is not decorated or otherwise adorned.
The van Gogh is definitely among the better projects over the years.
April 4, 2011 at 2:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Putting ‘Canvass’ Claims To The Test
Maybe it is the antisocial beast in me but I wish all stores had a no solicitor policy and the right to enforce it. When I go shopping (or to a restaurant or some other public place) I reserve the right to not want to talk to anybody, be it girl scouts, canvassers or panhandlers. By setting up stage right by the exit they deny me the option to just walk by without feeling awkward.
If it were up to me there'd be a 100 foot zone around exits where no solicitors are allowed. This has nothing to do with free speech. You can promote your cause, sell your goods or ask for money as long as you leave me my right to ignore you.
March 29, 2011 at 2:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Free Trash PickUp Threatened For Thousands of San Diego Residents
I don't object to charging for trash pickup. The money the city spends on the "free" pickup is missing elsewhere so in the long run we pay some other way.
But this may be a good opportunity to set up incentives to reduce trash by creating a tiered fee system based on how much trash you produce.
In my old hometown you paid monthly fees per trash can, more for bigger cans less for smaller ones. When you had extra trash you could buy special bags from the city. Recycling collection was free.
March 2, 2011 at 3:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Local Brewers Discuss Latest Trends In Craft Beer
I have to agree with renetkt on this one.
While many traditional American beers (and I am being generous here) are so bad that they have to be served cold enough to numb the taste buds, most of the ever growing number of craft brews go to the other extreme. Instead of making a perfectly good and tasty traditional beer they load it up with all kinds of spices and other concoctions. That is OK for an occasional adventure trip at the bar but what makes a good beer is simplicity.
I'm from Bavaria where almost every town has its own brewery and all make a similar range of styles (Weizen, Hefeweizen, Maerzen, Doppelbock etc.). Yet most are distinctly different even while using the same ingredients because the respective brewmasters interpret the recipe in their own fashion. Focus on the fundamentals and then add the bells and whistles if you still need them.
October 13, 2010 at 1:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Is I-5 Expansion An Environmental Disaster?
Expanding the freeway to ease congestion is like giving drugs to junkies to alleviate their addiction.
Rather than spend all that money on freeways it should be put into creating alternatives to car traffic. Expanding and building more public transport would be much better in the long run.
The main reason so many people cling to their cars is that there is no decent other option and that it is still too cheap to drive a car. Only by letting gas prices go up ($10 gallon sounds good) and gridlock become worse while at the same time providing a real alternative to driving will we be able to change the habits of people.
In my old hometown of Munich, Germany I did not need a car because I was able to get pretty much anywhere at any time of the day using public transportation. And even the occasional splurge on a cab was well cheaper than owning and maintaining a car.
August 18, 2010 at 12:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Scientific Illiteracy Could Have Damaging Impact in Future
I think a big problem is that many people these days are used to getting information in bits and blurbs. To fully understand most science requires a much longer attention span. Science is never black vs. white but a matter of nuances and implications. I am a research scientist and catch myself having problems to focus on talks outside my field of expertise. How much worse it must be for complete novices.
I am not sure how to cure that in a fast way on the "consumer" side. But it would definitely help to train scientists in how to communicate their work to lay-people. In the end most research is funded by public money and if you are unable to explain what you are doing to the public, this disconnect spells trouble in the long run.
August 11, 2009 at 9:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )