America - The Official Thread

[Chrunch Houston]

Even if it's an image that represents public fears of what might happen as a direct result of Trump's policies?

The skies in this country cleaned up way before Obama was president. look back at the 9/11/01 videos, blue and clear as can be. It would have been fair to post pictures of the sky in 2008, but then there would be no scary impact because the air is basicly the same. Trump is only rolling back Obama's policies.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Trump is only rolling back Obama's policies.

And I said that the image was a representation of the public's fears, not an accurate depiction of the direct result of Trump's policies.

 

[Chrunch Houston]

And I said that the image was a representation of the public's fears, not an accurate depiction of the direct result of Trump's policies.

But why feed into a false perception? That is my whole point.

They should be educating the people not fanning their misguided fears. Or worse, inciting those fears in the first place.

 

[McLaren]

@McLaren Are you sure it is only a rouse? seems kind legit, every newspaper I have seen today have posted this. Would be a big setback for "fake news" if this turned out to be fake

Everything keeps referencing the WSJ article. I'd be more inclined to believe anyone but them after the Pewd's fiasco which gave a lot of "credit" to them being "fake news".

 

[IforceV8]

https://www.cov.com/en/professionals/k/robert-kelner

Seems real enough.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

But why feed into a false perception?

I'd hardly call it a false perception, given that Obama's policies were not designed to maintain the status quo, but rather to slow the environmental damage down and with a little luck start to reverse the damage. Trump's policies undo all of that for the sake of a temporary boost to the economy mining a dirty and inefficient power source.

 

[Chrunch Houston]

I'd hardly call it a false perception, given that Obama's policies were not designed to maintain the status quo, but rather to slow the environmental damage down and with a little luck start to reverse the damage. Trump's policies undo all of that for the sake of a temporary boost to the economy mining a dirty and inefficient power source.

So If Obama had not enacted those policies, then US cities would look like Beijing?

 

[prisonermonkeys]

So If Obama had not enacted those policies, then US cities would look like Beijing?

Yes. Maybe not Manhattan, but certainly others. If you ignore the environmental issues, there's a practical reason why the world is moving away from coal: it's dirty and inefficient.

 

[Touring Mars]

Does anyone else think that Michael Flynn might have an unfortunate accident in the coming weeks?

 

[Liquid]

Does anyone else think that Michael Flynn might have an unfortunate accident in the coming weeks?

Suicide with two in the back of the head. 💡

"I want to testify but I want immunity so the illegal stuff I've done is swept under the carpet."

Not suspicious at all.

 

[TenEightyOne]

Everything keeps referencing the WSJ article.

And Flynn's counsel, obviously. But apart from that it's all the SJW, or whatever you said.

after the Pewd's fiasco which gave a lot of "credit" to them being "fake news".

It was fact, not fake - even the publisher* referenced the language of Nazi ideology that he used in some of his videos when he apologised. Go figure.

*Pewd? really? I thought one had to be at least 13 at this forum?

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

And Flynn's counsel, obviously. But apart from that it's all the SJW, or whatever you said.

He said WSJ... as in Wall Street Journal.

 

[Joey D]

So If Obama had not enacted those policies, then US cities would look like Beijing?

I've posted this before, but there are cities that have days that are worse than China in the US. There have already been a couple days this year where Salt Lake City has been worse than Beijing, I'm sure the same can be said about LA, Bakersfield, Pittsburgh, and several other US cities.

I'm not sure what should be done about air pollution in the US, but to think that it's all blue skies and clean air is completely false. Personal responsibility should be the answer, but it's clear many people just don't care.

 

[Dotini]

Personal responsibility should be the answer, but it's clear many people just don't care.

Wealth, comfort, and safety follow along with plenty oil and gold. Energy and money are the basis of a strong economy. Economics seems to have pretty well understood laws. How climate actually works is still rather poorly understood.

I care more about my wealth, comfort and safety than I do about the air in Beijing or Bakersfield.

 

[Joey D]

Wealth, comfort, and safety follow along with plenty oil and gold. Energy and money are the basis of a strong economy. Economics seems to have pretty well understood laws. How climate actually works is still rather poorly understood.

I care more about my wealth, comfort and safety than I do about the air in Beijing or Bakersfield.

I'm not talking about the climate or climate change, I'm talking about observable, scientific data that shows the air quality is unhealthy and even dangerous for humans.

And what good is a strong economy if your workforce is unhealthy or dead? Poor air quality leads to increased asthma and COPD, along with other respiratory conditions, cancers, and even things like skin conditions and mental illness. All of that is an extra burden on our healthcare system, which raises the prices, which means companies either have to pay more in insurance or the employee needs to contribute more, either way that's less money to go around for most people.

And to care more about wealth than the environment is short sighted since you need a sustainable, healthy environment to keep an economy moving.

 

[Imari]

I think it is courteous to display your flag for others to see. Unless you have a good reason, I actually think it is a little rude not to. That was your answer.

This is a big sign that you're playing the man and not the ball. It's not exactly a good way to have a discussion, to require that people disclose personal information beforehand so that you can vet them as to whether you think that they're suitable.

Regardless of whether he's a New Yoiker or an Esquimo,

I did not know where he was from until he told me.

But not because he hid it, but because you didn't bother to look. You are not the centre of the world.

Hiding something requires that he made an effort to do so, and he didn't. Accept that you made a fuss about something that wasn't a secret and was of no real relevance other than to make you look like a bigot.

Does anyone else think that Michael Flynn might have an unfortunate accident in the coming weeks?

Part of me thinks that it's an amusing idea. Part of me is afraid of thinking that because of how I'll feel when he turns up dead in a few weeks.

Sadly, it would not surprise me much at all.

 

[Dotini]

I'm not talking about the climate or climate change, I'm talking about observable, scientific data that shows the air quality is unhealthy and even dangerous for humans.

And what good is a strong economy if your workforce is unhealthy or dead? Poor air quality leads to increased asthma and COPD, along with other respiratory conditions, cancers, and even things like skin conditions and mental illness. All of that is an extra burden on our healthcare system, which raises the prices, which means companies either have to pay more in insurance or the employee needs to contribute more, either way that's less money to go around for most people.

And to care more about wealth than the environment is short sighted since you need a sustainable, healthy environment to keep an economy moving.

I agree, good local air quality is very important. I'm for that. And I'm very glad to have it in Seattle.

 

[huskeR32]

I'm not sure why you are so concerned why I care. Care to answer that?

Sure. You asking that question at all implies that it's somehow relevant to his opinion on the topic. Which is nonsense.

Or, as @Imari put it:

you're playing the man and not the ball

--

I don't go reading the profiles of everyone I respond to.

Nobody is asking you to. But if you want to know where somebody is from, that's probably a good place to check. 💡

I think it is courteous to display your flag for others to see.

Why?

Unless you have a good reason, I actually think it is a little rude not to.

Why?

 

[Danoff]

For the third time - what does it matter where any of us is from?

You from Midland! Err... Canada!

* That was a fantastic performance, man that's a good movie.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

I didn't even realize how rude I'm being by not walking around with a Canadian flag displayed prominently on my person.

 

[IforceV8]

Follow the trail of dead Russians.

 

[ryzno]

You from Midland! Err... Canada!

* That was a fantastic performance, man that's a good movie.

May I ask what movie that is?

 

[Danoff]

May I ask what movie that is?

To anyone reading this, if you haven't seen that movie, see it. The guy featured in the gif turns in an awesome performance.

 

[Johnnypenso]

I'm not talking about the climate or climate change, I'm talking about observable, scientific data that shows the air quality is unhealthy and even dangerous for humans.

And what good is a strong economy if your workforce is unhealthy or dead? Poor air quality leads to increased asthma and COPD, along with other respiratory conditions, cancers, and even things like skin conditions and mental illness. All of that is an extra burden on our healthcare system, which raises the prices, which means companies either have to pay more in insurance or the employee needs to contribute more, either way that's less money to go around for most people.

And to care more about wealth than the environment is short sighted since you need a sustainable, healthy environment to keep an economy moving.

Makes one wonder how anyone survived the 20th century and how our western economies didn't completely collapse under the burden of caring for the 100''s of millions of people that fell I'll during times when there were little to no environmental regulations.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

Phew, was almost beginning to think you'd run out of straw men to throw into discussions.

 

[McLaren]

And Flynn's counsel, obviously. But apart from that it's all the SJW, or whatever you said.

Wall Street Journal. Don't start acting daft. You're already convincing enough.

It was fact, not fake - even the publisher* referenced the language of Nazi ideology that he used in some of his videos when he apologised. Go figure.

*Pewd? really? I thought one had to be at least 13 at this forum?

No, it's not a fact PewDiePie is a Nazi sympathizer that WSJ tried to paint him as by taking his videos out of context.

Do you? Well I guess I'll place you back on Ignore. I'll check back in a year if you've reached that age.

 

[Dotini]

When I was born, the old folks still recalled transportation by horse and buggy, and the world population was barely 2 billion. There is no question at all that global industrialization and population of 7+ billion (and still rapidly growing) has put enormous strains on not only the environment but also humanity's ability to cope with it all.

 

[Scaff]

Geez the people here will argue about anything.

You opened the door, please don't complain when people ask why.

ABC is not supposed to be Liberal, or Conservative. It is an over the air broadcast network. It's stations and affiliates are licensed by the FCC and must act in the public interest.
I don't think that The View, showing images from before the EPA ever had a chance to clean up the air, while talking about Trump rolling back recent Obama restrictions on energy, is in the public interest. It is a scare tactic, it is propaganda.

Do you honestly think any news source (in the world) doesn't have a bias? At either an institutional level, or at an individual level it all will.

Not that you actually answered my question.

The skies in this country cleaned up way before Obama was president. look back at the 9/11/01 videos, blue and clear as can be. It would have been fair to post pictures of the sky in 2008, but then there would be no scary impact because the air is basicly the same. Trump is only rolling back Obama's policies.

That's not all he's doing however is it.

The funding cuts would push back the money it has to work with to an early '90s level and the potential impact on staff to a mid '80s level.

It also opens the door for further regulatory changes, potentially going well beyond those put in place by Obama.

http://www.politico.com/tipsheets/m...nistration-pushing-massive-epa-changes-218965

 

[Joey D]

I didn't even realize how rude I'm being by not walking around with a Canadian flag displayed prominently on my person.

You didn't apologize for your rudeness, I refuse to believe you're Canadian.

Makes one wonder how anyone survived the 20th century and how our western economies didn't completely collapse under the burden of caring for the 100''s of millions of people that fell I'll during times when there were little to no environmental regulations.

Illness due to industrial concerns is well known throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. There are links between pollution from industry and illness, especially among those who live within a close radius to the polluter. Look at how people are affected that live in mining communities or next to foundries. Also the people that tend to live near these polluters also work for them, getting them sick or worse doesn't help your company grow.

I'm not advocating that the government should be the ones regulating this, but rather people should have the personal responsibly not to completely ruin the environment for their own economic gain. I get you can't force anyone to care, but it astounds me how shortsighted some people are.

It's only going to get worse as the population of the planet grows and more nations become industrial superpowers.

 

[Biggles]

I didn't even realize how rude I'm being by not walking around with a Canadian flag displayed prominently on my person.

The oldest trick in the book: Americans backpacking around the world with Canadian flags displayed prominently on their persons. Never accept a "Canadian" at face value - ask them for hockey stats.

Makes one wonder how anyone survived the 20th century and how our western economies didn't completely collapse under the burden of caring for the 100''s of millions of people that fell I'll during times when there were little to no environmental regulations.

You're kidding right? You want to take a look at life expectancy for people in Europe in the early parts of the 20th century, especially those working in industries with unregulated environmental regulations? Ever hear of the London smog?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Smog_of_London

Current WHO figures indicate up to 7 million deaths per year worldwide due to air pollution:

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2014/air-pollution/en/