Ben's Opinions

Welcome to the Opinions Section of my site... here is where I'll list articles and such written about the experiences I've had with companies and products that might be of interest to others...

I'm so tired of hearing people complain about the price of gas to the extent that they think they can continue to drive their 8 to 16mpg cars and not affect the current and future gas problems!

Am I saying everyone should run out and buy a new car this minute? Well no. But the past decade or so of soccer mom's buying UAV's (Urban Assault Vehicle) isn't helping. The vast majority of us could get around on much less. We have allowed the auto industry to convince us again that we need big V8's that get crappy gas mileage. Let's face it, there has been a lot of splurging on cars we maybe don't need that get some pretty bad mileage. We need to change this way of thinking that gas is going to be around forever at the prices we have enjoyed for so long. Go to Europe and see how many people drive in cars that get such crummy mileage. When you pay what Europeans pay, efficiency counts. Maybe a little bit of pain is what we need.

Is it our fault? In a sense yes, but also in a sense no. I'm going to take to task here the members of our government that allow for the kind of continued development that does nothing both further increase our reliance on driving a mile or more to pick up a stupid gallon of milk. I'm just as guilty on this as do make it a point to ride my bike to the office or walk around everywhere. i.e. I walk to the local store for supplies when I need them. Seriously though, this is one of the ways that suburban life has failed us as a society. For whatever reasons, our cities have been zoned in a such a fashion that a corner store at the end of the block is not allowed. Nothing is within walking distance. Heck, nothing is within BIKING distance. We need to talk to our local government and tell them that this method of urban planning is no longer acceptable if we are to LESSEN our need of transportation.

Speaking of development, here's another topic I'd like to cover quickly since we're talking about people who build our homes for us... What happened to Solar Power? I was having a conversation with a local developer here in Champaign who had NO IDEA that the government will subsidize up to 50% of a renewable energy installation! If you put panels on your roof, Uncle Sam will pay you! Wanna know the kicker? If you pump power back into the grid, the power company *HAS TO PAY YOU*!!! It's law! Now, I don't own a home, but if I did or when I do, you can bet I'll be looking into what I will need in order to put together such a system. Consider this, if you put together a "smart house" that only lights where lighting is needed and charged batteries during the day for when the lights are on at night, how much electricity do you think you really use that couldn't be covered by such a setup? I'm thinking the bills would be significantly lower.

I have more thoughts on this but will leave it at that for now...

What am I talking about? (Read more)

I presently have a list of about 12 CD's I'd like to go buy and will not do so until RIAA stops their wasteful use of the legal system to hide their techno-ignorance. They are trying to use legislation to dictate how we, the users, should buy products. Yes, I know you don't buy automobiles in pieces, although you can. Albums are collections of individual pieces of an artist's/band's work. Fully separable from the other pieces (songs) that make up an album. Some of us no longer find any value in an album that's $20 on average (Yes, I know they're $10 at places like Wal-Mart). So why not split the product up for us in a format that we would be happy to purchase via the internet? You have the same production costs, but your delivery costs go down steeply. Even at a deep discount, product would be sold, money would be made. Everyone would be happy. Instead, they close the purse strings on the content, distribution and marketing that only they control. The RIAA is an industry mandated monopoly. Membership equals survival. Non-membership equals almost guaranteed failure. Monopolies stifle competition and innovation. (Are you listening, Microsoft?)

That's not (supposed to be) how this country works. You make a product that people like, they will buy it. From this you start a business and prosper. If you make a product that people don't like or need, they won't buy it. You won't stay in business. If someone else comes along and improves on your idea before you do, people might like that better and then they will buy THAT product. That's called competition and it's what USED to make this country great.

Instead, what we have now is a commercial level of prohibition. Instead of making it easy and cheap for people to just pay into the system, they attempt to do what the government did back in the day with alchohol and today with drugs. (Not that I think drugs consumption is a good thing - but I know people who smoke marijuana that have little trouble getting it no matter what level the government tries to stop it.)

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