CDR Chat Thread #31 (movies, women, husband, call)

[Chowhound]

The CA regulatory board here is corrupt and incompetent. They've should have managed PG&E better, but I won't belabor that point anymore.

I'm not against EV's it's just most people don't really understand all of the moving parts and pros and cons. People need to manage their expectations and better yet, the politicians need to be more honest with the public and provide some serious engineering studies and real world analysis to the public on practical rubber meets the road pragmatism about where we are, and realistic timetables.

[Sonic_Spork]

Originally Posted by Chowhound

The CA regulatory board here is corrupt and incompetent. They've should have managed PG&E better, but I won't belabor that point anymore.

I'm not against EV's it's just most people don't really understand all of the moving parts and pros and cons. People need to manage their expectations and better yet, the politicians need to be more honest with the public and provide some serious engineering studies and real world analysis to the public on practical rubber meets the road pragmatism about where we are, and realistic timetables.

No argument with any of that.

I've seen the rush and push towards EVs like...what now? I literally just bought a brand new (gas powered) vehicle just last year. If they think I'm gonna trade it in on an EV right now, or heck...before the loan is even paid off, they are crazy!

I think that someone really needs to put some time and effort into how to modify existing vehicles on the road to be more environmentally friendly. Because the other problem I'm seeing here is...suppose they DID replace all of the gas powered cars with EVs practically overnight, what in the hell are we gonna do with all of those discarded vehicles, then? I just get mad with supposed "solutions" that in fact create a pile of new problems, especially when they are promoted dishonestly.

And I really think we need mass transit options so that people don't feel a want or need to drive as much. If I could get on a train and do a trip in the same amount of time, or less, than it takes to drive it...and at a similar cost...I'd much rather do that.

[timberline742]

I would like to think serious studies and research would help, but with the anti intellectual movement and academics are commies tropes spun in media (and on this forum), I doubt it would do anything. Hasn't gotten us anywhere with climate change or any number of issues.

And yeah, mass transit is an obvious low hanging fruit, but we don't invest in it. Again, part of it is people don't believe the research, or refuse to believe it. One of the primary beneficiaries to people riding a train or bus is people that commute in cars (decreased congestion and avoiding the gridlock/traffic jam up tipping points). But people can't seem to wrap their heads around it despite all the studies showing that to be the case.

Oh well.

[Sonic_Spork]

Originally Posted by timberline742

I would like to think serious studies and research would help, but with the anti intellectual movement and academics are commies tropes spun in media (and on this forum), I doubt it would do anything. Hasn't gotten us anywhere with climate change or any number of issues.

And yeah, mass transit is an obvious low hanging fruit, but we don't invest in it. Again, part of it is people don't believe the research, or refuse to believe it. One of the primary beneficiaries to people riding a train or bus is people that commute in cars (decreased congestion and avoiding the gridlock/traffic jam up tipping points). But people can't seem to wrap their heads around it despite all the studies showing that to be the case.

Oh well.

What bothers and upsets me, is that even science can be spun and weaponized or falsified to serve some specific profit motive. Like I can totally accept that the messaging from the scientific community changes over time because new discoveries are made. But you and I both know that sometimes faulty or downright false conclusions are published and touted because they support the promotion of a product or the funding of some entity or organization or the ignoring of malfeasance by some big corporation that pays big donor dollars to government officials... And that really is a "both sides" issue.

It is such a mess.

But yeah, it's very strange that we can't even get big business interests behind mass transit, heck a lot of white collar employees could clock in DURING their commute, all it would take is wifi on the train!

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by Sonic_Spork

What bothers and upsets me, is that even science can be spun and weaponized or falsified to serve some specific profit motive. Like I can totally accept that the messaging from the scientific community changes over time because new discoveries are made. But you and I both know that sometimes faulty or downright false conclusions are published and touted because they support the promotion of a product or the funding of some entity or organization or the ignoring of malfeasance by some big corporation that pays big donor dollars to government officials... And that really is a "both sides" issue.

It is such a mess.

But yeah, it's very strange that we can't even get big business interests behind mass transit, heck a lot of white collar employees could clock in DURING their commute, all it would take is wifi on the train!

So, I semi agree, but I think part of the issue is that we (as a society) are so ignorant about the scientific method. People say things like "it's just a theory", um, well.... sigh. And any time a scientific news writer does a story, there is going to be at least some oversimplication which makes things technically incorrect. Of course, there are loads of shoddy stories with agendas as well.

But, more directly to your point. A key part of the scientific method is replication. Any one study can turn up a result. And that result can be used or misused. When studies are repeated and repeated again, and there is statistical significance time and time again, it's time to take notice.

I could wax on for ages with my issues with how things are done scientifically (lived it), or heck, how clean tech is dealt with (I saw first hand some very sketchy stuff with novel battery technology IP), but, well, that would be a treatise.

[Chowhound]

The geographical layout here in So Cal makes mass transit pretty difficult to be effective.

We don't have "city centers" here like other parts of the country, we DTLA of course, but it's not like Manhattan or places similar.

If I could take a train or bus in a reasonable fashion here to get to the office, I would. Traffic is driving me crazy. I want to leave the state because the crowding and traffic.

[RbccL]

Originally Posted by fleetiebelle

What the what? You can only hope that they were in dire straits and needed that bacon.

I assume so…. maybe they hit the jackpot and have a cat to feed too. Someone always has it worse it seems.

[fleetiebelle]

I need to go out and bring my trash cans in, but my neighbors' cat is snoozing in the sun on my back steps, and I don't want to disturb him.

[Chowhound]

Originally Posted by fleetiebelle

I need to go out and bring my trash cans in, but my neighbors' cat is snoozing in the sun on my back steps, and I don't want to disturb him.

In our condo complex there a few kitties running around.

Our next door neighbor has a cat that likes to sit on her door step and nap. Sometimes I'll come around the corner and if I see her sleeping I try to walk slow so I don't freak her out.

I've come around the corner in a hurry before and she just about lost her crap trying to scurry off.

[fleetiebelle]

I just had to send one of those work emails that's like, "here are three options to do the thing you asked about, please choose your preferred option." And the response I get is, "yes, let's proceed." This has now become a Monday morning problem, because I can't even right now.