GM Spreading False Rumors/Lies about the Prius

EricC that is what I will do, they pulled a smartee thing and are all hee hawing...bottom line they could not see someone would not think like them. They heaved trash out, and never expected to get it back. Anyway stick to the good side of the site, I'll stop looking at the responses or at least no longer respond. Good luck with your car you'll have no regrets, I don't have any.

 

When did the new laws get passed? I had not seen anything about it recently. I know they were looking at something to clean up their act, no pun intended, with the Olympic games fast approaching. This is from the Taipei Times yesterday and it looks like the problem is not the laws but enforcement of them, something China has had problems with for a long time, just look at the hugh bootlegging problem they have.

Friday, Jul 01, 2005
"We will strive to realize the general goal of basically stopping the deterioration of China's environment."

Xie Zhenhua, director of China's State Environmental Protection Agency

China's top environment official has lambasted the nation's failure to enforce environmental laws, saying more enforcement is crucial to stemming worsening pollution.

"Non-enforcement and lax enforcement of laws and administrative inactivity are the main targets we must aim at," Xie Zhenhua director of the State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), was quoted by Xinhua news agency as telling a meeting on Wednesday. "The key problems in environmental law enforcement that the government currently needs to face up to and solve is that some local environment authorities do not exercise their law enforcement duties."

Continued failure to enforce the law would make it difficult to stem expanding environmental degradation that has made China's air, water and soil pollution some of the worst in the world, he said.

Xie made it clear that pollution in China was so bad that it was not a question of cleaning up but of stopping things from getting worse.

 

Some of the things I've read recently suggested to me that the Chinese were finally getting serious about their environment, BECAUSE they had ignored it so long that things were pretty horrible. But you are right, having a law and following that law are very different in China, like it was in the Soviet Union too.

I don't know where I read about this law change. I think it might have been GreenCarCongress or something similar.

I heard some other interesting facts about China.

There are more Chinese people who speak English as a second language, then there are Americans who speak English as a first language.

There are more Chinese under that age of 15, then there are all Americans of all ages.

Now those 2 facts have got to make you wonder about future economic - or worse-- military competition.

 

EricC: I enjoy your posts. "This man" referred to IALTMANN. I apologize for the confusion.

 

I believe Hyack has the YOU command in his signature. If I'm thinking of the right signature.

 

No need to wonder at all. A cold and logical examination of their strengths (Absolute control of their economy, many Western companies with production in China, trade surplus, absolute control of their media, harsh penalties for dissenters, their huge population, their military especially the nukes, etc) compared to not just the United States but the entire G8.

They've already won without firing a shot ... we just haven't realized it yet.

 

We've had this conversation before and I disagree. China will be the worlds factory unless they empower their masses with more freedom.

My evidence for that? China has had every one of those "strengths" that you list for 5000 years. So where have they been all this time?

IMHO, China will be a much bigger threat as they increasingly de-centralize their economy, stop controlling their media, and drop the penalties for dissent. That's the path to greatness.

Absolute control on one's economy doesn't work. Of course, absolutely free economies don't do that well either (laissez faire). At least not as well as the "mildly controlled" US economy that we had from circa 1900 to circa today. Personally, I think the evidence is here now for this point of view. This is why I'm a liberal -politically. But I think over the next 50 years it will become obvious to all.

But by then, we probably won't be able to catch up. And then we will be the worlds factory.


___________
Empower the rich corporations, and get 19th century growth. --> Vote Republican.

Empower the masses, and get 20th century growth. --> Vote for anything BUT Republican.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(prius04\";p=\"103592)</div>

Nothing wrong with that. Something tells me my morning coffee would be a lot more interesting if you were at the same table.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(prius04\";p=\"103528)</div>

This would be good if they moved beyond their "extremely strict Euro II pollution standards" they were so proud of until recently. Europe is at least Euro IV.

Recent documentary was showing people in the cities moving about their usual business with white face masks on "all the time" as if it was normal. Probably makes the smoggy skies of the USA in the '70s look either the same or like a clear day.

Quite a change from the clean almost all bicycle traffic of bygone years.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jayman\";p=\"103757)</div>

Thank you very much. I actually had the same thought about you recently. We see the world a bit differently, but you are a very respectful debater. You stimulate my brain cells without raising my blood pressure.

I've read that numerous "thinkers" had ongoing "coffee groups", thought they usually met at a bar over whiskey, discussing the state of the world. Among them could have been found De Toqueville, Locke, Mills, Al Smith, Ben Franklin, and more recently Poe, Hemingway and Fitzgerald. Now I'm hardly one of those, but boy would it be cool to have a "club" to come together each week and discuss the world.

So how about meeting somewhere between Winnipeg and Rhode Island. Say somewhere in Michigan or lower Ontario? Probably about a 1000 mile drive for each of us.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Fredatgolf\";p=\"103508)</div>

What is even more frightening is that he is a high school teacher.

 

I agree with prius04, I have also had friendly debates with Jayman and he is quite respectful and can carry on a debate without getting personal or mean. (or, ahem, calling one's education into question...)

Yep, we need more NICE debaters around here.

 

I don't know, I am prejudiced in favor of Canadians. I even tried to make a Brit a Canadian in this group once because I liked his style.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Fredatgolf\";p=\"103818)</div>

Me, too. I'm sure there are some surly, ignorant Canadians somewhere -- I just haven't met one yet.

Yet another blessing the United States has: a really great neighboring country to the north. Living in the state of Washington, I am particularly appreciative of that.

BTW -- a belated Happy 4th of July as well!

Our countries have a lot to celebrate about.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee\";p=\"103800)</div>

I think the main point is, I've learned a lot with the discussions I've on this site -- and often I've learned the most from those who I have a different viewpoint from.

In some cases I've changed my opinions based on ideas and points made here; in others cases, I've refined my views, and gotten a clearer hold on why I feel the way I do on key issues.

There are some brilliant people here, with a lot of experience in many areas; I feel lucky to be able to tap the well of their knowledge, on things Prius and non-Prius.

About the only thing that turns me away from reading someone's opinions is when they spout rhetoric -- trying to turn it into a debate, instead of a discussion. Someone who isn't listening, but just reading the other posters comments for "weak points" that they can hammer on, without crediting when they make good points. Those people I just switch off.

So: thank you to all of you who try to be polite in your postings, and prefer rapier wit to broadsword sarcasm. It is appreciated.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(prius04\";p=\"103768)</div>

That would be *much* better than a morning coffee session! Two please!

It is a bit of a drive for what you propose, but at least with our fuel economy it wouldn't be horribly expensive.

Jay

 

BTW: now that we've celebrated the two most important dates of our respective countries, maybe the rain will stop? Anytime now would be nice!

Jay

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee\";p=\"103800)</div>

I'll pass along the nice words to my Mom. You really do have to thank her for that ... she was an expert in the application of Positive Reinforcement, Negative Reinforcement, and various torture techniques when things really got out of hand.

Jay

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jayman\";p=\"103924)</div>

Traditionally, the 3-week window of "sunny almost all the time" starts immediately after July 4th for Seattle.

If you're a house painter, you do not take vacation in July.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jayman\";p=\"103925)</div>

All excellent and important skills for engineers! (I save the torture techniques for new-hire marketing guys who don't know the customer, products or field, and act like they don't need to.)