Comments on: Mini Blog #37 - Corn Cup

By: AxsDeny

AxsDeny — Thu, 01 May 2008 20:18:34 +0000

Scientists don’t set energy policy, nor did they decide that ethanol was the way to go. Lawmakers do. I _wish_ that our lawmakers were scientists. Heck, I wish our lawmakers would _listen_ to scientists. Perhaps they would be more apt to make pragmatic decisions rather than knee-jerk reactions to what’s in the news this week.

The people that pushed for ethanol use were (mostly) senators from farm states. Scientists said it was possible, but not necessarily a good idea. We all know that pragmatism isn’t a skill that the government has managed to master. I know that I’ve thought it was a bad idea from the start. It would take hundreds of acres of corn to support even one American commuter.

By: Braden

Braden — Thu, 01 May 2008 12:02:52 +0000

“Braden, scientists use something called The Scientific Method to make decisions about how things happen and react. They teach this method in the 7th grade. So, with that in mind, if something was thought to be a good idea in the past, that doesn’t automatically invalidate new empirical information. Stop using data and dogmatic arguments that are irrelevant to the current state of scientific development.”

You mean they did this when they all decided that ethanol was the way to go? Nice scientific method(s) there, especially since there are food shortages now because of their “scientific method.”

Nice try, no cigar.

By: AxsDeny

AxsDeny — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:50:58 +0000

re: Paper vs. Plastic.

The answer is canvas. We’ve been using canvas for about 18 months now and it’s awesome. We bought eight regular bags and two of the insulated ones for frozen foods. They are so much stronger and can hold so much more per bag.

re: “Absolutely senseless.”

Braden, scientists use something called The Scientific Method to make decisions about how things happen and react. They teach this method in the 7th grade. So, with that in mind, if something was thought to be a good idea in the past, that doesn’t automatically invalidate new empirical information. Stop using data and dogmatic arguments that are irrelevant to the current state of scientific development.

By: Andy

Andy — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:34:59 +0000

You could do the really big hippie thing like me and bring your own canvas bags to the grocery store. Or, you can get plastic bags and bring them back to the grocery stores where most stores these days have receptacles you can put them in and they are recycled. Or…now, I know this sounds crazy, Braden…YOU COULD PUT THE PAPER BAGS IN YOU RECYCLING BIN. But that would just be madness, as you say.

By: Braden

Braden — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:49:40 +0000

At least we’re drinking from cups made from corn instead of burning it as fuel when we have huge reserves of oil fields here at home, completely untapped.

Sort of reminds me of the grocery store bag madness when I was a kid. I can remember paper bags being replaced by the plastic ones we all know today. Yes, plastic saved trees, and that’s good!

Now, of course, we are going back to paper because the plastic bags don’t break down fast enough in landfills, etc.

Absolutely senseless. I think I’ll ask for a plastic bag with a paper bag insert so I can have the best of both worlds. This way, I’m doing “my part” because the environmentalists sure can’t make up their mind. I’ll be saving trees, while saving the landfills at the same time, right?

When will this environmental madness end?