Paranoid end of Heavens above?

wrote in message
ps.com...
The Americains seem perfectly able to hurt themselves at every
available opportunity.
Americain tobacco will kill vast numbers in comparison with a thousand
Al Kai-di-Wotsits.

The difference is choice. You don't have to smoke.

Eating their franchised food between meals will shorten your life far
quicker than a thousand trrrrrsts.

The difference is choice. You don't have to eat crap food.

Simply using the roads will decimate the population out of all
proportion to the terrrrrst threat.

No choice for the pedestirian here, I agree (other than not walking on
roads) . However the personal freedom to travel wherever and whenever you
wish should be defended.

Then there's always global warming and the potential deadly threat to
our whole civilisation.

Tiny when compared to the threat to civilisation caused by ignorance, good
medicine and lack of birth control.


More importantly: I won't hear a bad word said against windturbines!
Wind farms are a matter of taste. Singular windmills (or small groups
of them) add beauty and drama to most scenery.
Suitably placed, they are vastly more attractive than what lies beyond
them!

Me neither. I like them too. I think they have a sense of majesty. It's just
a shame they take so long to pay for themselves and most governments don't
have the balls for that kind of long term investment (i.e. there are no
positive returns until they are out of office)

"Sayf Connary" wrote in message
...
Mark Underwood wrote:
"Hils" wrote in message
...

Mark Underwood wrote


We could make a fairly comprehensive start just by killing Bush and co.

lol I've already been supposed reported to the American FBI & SS for
suggesting that a few times myself.

Why? Removing Bush and Bliar would be a huge step forward for world
peace and progress.

--
Hil


But in the USA its a federal crime to make threats against the president,
even if they are only said jest... so the americans just report anyone
who says ' I wish that Idiot Bush was dead or I'd kill him if I saw him'
Very Orwellian lol
It's actually a crime to say that to anyone. It's called Criminal
Threatening, I think. It is taken a bit less seriously when it isn't the
President being threatened, however. Given the fact that about every 20
years or so a US president has had an assassination attempt (or success)
then you can see why such threats are always taken seriously. I'm all for
political humour, etc.. but threatening anyone's life is a bit much, and
not very funny really. Plus, it wouldn't solve anything in this case,
because someone else would just step into his place.

--
~Sayf

'It's actually a crime to say that to anyone. It's called Criminal
Threatening, '

Must be another American law that one.... It's fairly common in the UK
to say you want to kill someone .. I'd like to kill my boss sometimes :-)

How about is we all boycott Meade ? ( I see lots of faces dropping lol)

"Martin Brown" wrote:

But when new solar photovoltaic cells are currently around $4/W (or £2/W
surplus) hell will freeze over before you get any payback. Added to the
problem is long dark winter observing nights with low feeble sun.

Ah, sod the cost! Whenever I've experimented with PV cells, It's always a
great thrill to be getting "free" energy. Of course, there's no need to DIY -
you could buy from a green-centric electricity company instead:

http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/clima..._green_energy/

As for observing, the only electricity I use is when "recharging" my hot water
bottle -- a somewhat hazardous procedure in complete darkness, but I simply
must preserve my night vision!

Sayf Connary wrote

threatening anyone's life is a bit much,
and not very funny really. Plus, it wouldn't solve anything in this
case, because someone else would just step into his place.

Someone should explain this to the US president and his toadies.

--
Hil

Stephen Tonkin wrote

On the question of renewables, a lot of the debate seems to degenerate
into an "either or" false dichotomy. What is required is a diverse,
integrated system of energy supply: diverse sources and diverse scale.

And energy savings.

OBASTRO:
Anyone solar- or wind-charging batteries for running their scopes?

Almost. I have a small portable PV panel which I intend to try with my
cameras in lieu of packing extra batteries. In the meantime it's trickle
charging a portable battery unit. I may build something more substantial
later.

--
Hil

"Robert Geake" wrote in message
...

Chaps, Chappetts

Lets face it , are we not just letting the terrorists win by changing
the way we live in order to avoid getting blown up???

If they want to hurt us no amount of security will stop them(aside from
killing every member of every fanatical religion).

The purpose of terror is to effect our daily lives, make us think twice
before we go or do....The death and destruction is a side effect!!!

My thoughts...

Rob

----
You're right to a point - I couldn't help thinking the same when people
suggested that no new WTC is built - by not doing so, we've proved to the
terrorists they won...

Back to the point - I hope Heavens above can stay, very useful site.

James.

Ed wrote

"Martin Brown" wrote:

But when new solar photovoltaic cells are currently around $4/W (or £2/W
surplus) hell will freeze over before you get any payback. Added to the
problem is long dark winter observing nights with low feeble sun.

Ah, sod the cost! Whenever I've experimented with PV cells, It's always a
great thrill to be getting "free" energy.

My portable PV panel was towards the more expensive end of the UKP/W
range, but it will run a small radio receiver, or recharge cellphone (or
other rechargeable) batteries anywhere where there is sunshine. It makes
me feel warm and fuzzy inside as well. :-)

--
Hil

Hils wrote:

My portable PV panel was towards the more expensive end of the UKP/W
range, but it will run a small radio receiver, or recharge cellphone (or
other rechargeable) batteries anywhere where there is sunshine. It makes
me feel warm and fuzzy inside as well. :-)

And I bet it never gathers as much energy as it took to make it in its
entire life, fuzzy or not.

Steve

In Denmark they have windmill clubs. Private investors pay for the
windmill and are guaranteed a high return. Once the turbine is up and
running they dump any excess electricity, for 1/7 the meter price to
the Danish consumer, onto the Swedish grid. I'm quoting from memory, so
don't quote me.

We probably have more windmills within a radius of twenty miles than in
the whole of Britain! Though I'm not sure a how many there are in the
UK now.

A local small town, set in a large bowl in the landscape has upwards of
50 windturbines and the number is always climbing. These are widely
seperated, usually placed in groups of three out in the fields. The
earlier, rapidly-rotating, smaller windturbines are being replaced by
much larger, much slower moving turbines. These have enormous majesty
in the landscape. Many can be seen from the motorway. They paint hem a
very pale grey which constantly changes colour in ever-changing light
and shade.

I recently saw some new blades for an Australian turbine at a motorway
rest stop. Each blade resting on a single tractor and very distant
trailer. Each blade was over 60 metres long! I was told by one of the
drivers that these were not even the largest made! A nearby factory has
a large yard covered in windturbine towers ready for delivery. These
usually have to be moved by the nearby motorway in sections. I consider
these towers rather beautiful myself. The magic of so many huge
cyclinders and the superb choice of colour, I suppose.

Another local town has a wood-fired power station. Tree-trunk-sized
logs are brought in by sea from Eastern Europe. Interestingly, a very
large wind-turbine sits on a nearby hill. Its blades often seem to chop
through the white smoke & steam being carried by the on-shore wind from
the tall slender chimneys of the power station. Though I readily admit
that the vast stacks of dark fuel logs aren't a very pretty sight
beside the road. :-)

Chris.B

Stephen Tonkin wrote in message

Also, when I lived in Cornwall I devised a simple solar-heated
shower -- just coils of black alkathene piping (the usual
agricultural stuff) between water storage tank (fed by a
hydram from the spring 250ft below)
and the shower. Bloody useless if you want a hot shower
first thing in the morning...

We have a similar outdoor shower for use in the summer, we just turn on
the tap which is gravity fed from a spring. We use it to top up the
above ground pool too. Also have a solar powered electric fencer which
charges a 12V battery, same type as a car battery but a bit smaller, I'm
sure someone with better technical skills than me could make good use of
such a system for other purposes.

--
Holly, in France.
Holiday home in the Dordogne,
website: http://la-plaine.chez.tiscali.fr