It’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. Nearly 200 years ago, it was even better to light a gas lamp. On this date in 1817, America’s first gas streetlamp was lit in Baltimore, Maryland. The coal gas was supplied by the nation’s first incorporated gas company. Just like today, startups have their struggles, but by 1850, about 50 urban areas had gasworks for mostly municipal and business illumination, along with some private residences. While gas lamps today are mostly confined to elegant accent lighting, natural gas itself is a huge energy source in America. Revenues for natural gas distribution to consumers and other users total about $130 billion annually. You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at <www.census.gov>.
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Well, it looks like those fools at Duke Energy-or whatever it’s called now-have unleashed the kraken on our water supply. Various metals and other tasties are drifting down the Dan River toward Kerr Lake. I hear Virginia Beach is already not sipping out of Lake Gaston.
Thanks I have learned of another mythical creature to fear.
In Dagny’s and Royal Rooter’s thinking those things happen from time to time and we should allow corporations such as Duke/Progress energy to self regulate any dangers they pose on the public. Until the County forces me to pay them for my water I can avoid this danger.
Left Field – why do we have the Environmental Protection Agency? They are required to regulate Duke Power and their sludge storage facilities. That beaurocracy is more worried about false global warming threats than real threats like what occurred on the Dan River. Pay attention, I hate crony capitalism, which liberal dems and rino repubs support. I love capitalism, which conservatives and tea partiers support. What happened on the Dan River stinks, to put it mildly.
The EPA is not regulating anything to the public benefit. Get over that notion. Global warming is a reality that most people don’t bother to understand. Our ice caps are melting, it doesn’t matter if it’s snowing in Henderson! EPA exists to maintain the status quo so we don’t panic. Capitalism is a great idea if it weren’t for greedy humans. Take away the greed factor and our economy would reflect the example Jesus set with his community of believers, who pooled their resources for the benefit of all. Oh, no! That’s pure communism! But wait, there’s always the money man, hence the betrayer. There’s always those who want to quadruple their value at the expense of those creating the value. Partisanship is a worthless game and gets no one anywhere except dug in and stuck.
Dagny, you’ve made it clear that fiction to you is truth and reality is a debatable point.
In the non-fiction world the Environmental Protection Agency does regulate Duke Energy’s sludge storage facilities. The bureaucracy that blocked the EPA’s regulation of Duke Energy’s sludge storage facilities is headquartered in Charlotte and one of their key spokespersons lives in the governor’s mansion in Raleigh. In the world of Dagny is that the crony capitalism you “hate”? Duke Energy’s appears to have exercised its political muscle to block the EPA’s actions because that action might impede maximization of profits. In Dagny’s world is that the form of capitalism you “love”?
The point of my reply is to understand Dagny’s level of a denialism. As a poster to HiH you are clearly not a full blown Luddite that leaves unanswered Dagny’s level of denialism. Denialism comes in many forms and guises, I am curious to know your personal level of denialism. Besides global climate change caused by mankind’s evolution what other science based theories do you deny?
Want another one? Life doesn’t begin at conception!
Ok, Dagny I’ll bite. When does life begin?
By the way Dagny, I have been blocked twice for several days from commenting on your postings. I doubt you have asked HiH management to block my access. I do not understand the logic for the block. I know the top of the page login has not worked for months. The block that I have encountered requires I repeatedly ask nicely for permission to regain access. Dagny, I am looking forward to your explanation of when life begins. If I find myself blocked again I will only read your response I will not get on bended knee and ask nicely for permission to regain access.
I gave another example and don’t have anything to do with you being asked permission to respond and have suffered from the same block that seems to be gone for now, lets ask Phil.