RE: Madisonian's last response:

We're probably not far apart in our thoughts about this, but there are some unrealistic assumptions in your reply. Our governments should be encouraging the use of alternative and renewable energy sources, and alternative energy and 100% world-wide use of electric cars isn't going to happen if we penalize their adoption by regressive taxation. In short, there are other ways to support our road systems besides making Prius owners pay a premium.

I am in complete agreement with you that coal mining states are among our most economically depressed, and that the US has a major issue in trying to balance their legitimate economic concerns with those equally legitimate concerns over what oil and coal consumption is doing to the environment. However, perhaps a place to start would be to eliminate the billions in tax breaks given the Exxons of the world, and refocus those breaks on promoting the creation of cleaner alternative and renewable energy sources so America can (in an act of enlightened self-interest) become energy independent.

Heck, countries once hunted whales to near extinction for whale oil to light our homes, and I'm sure the ship owners who sponsored those whale hunting activities were distressed about being put out of business. While I'm not promoting putting anyone out of business, I do see our conversion to sustainable, clean energy being blocked by a very powerful industry that isn't necessarily concerned about the long-term impact of their business model.

We're all part of the problem...we are addicted to the easy use and access to oil and coal. My point is a simple one...taxing electric vehicles is not only counter-intuitive, it's just plain dumb.

(07-12-2013 08:30 AM)Longhorn Wrote:  RE: Madisonian's last response:

We're probably not far apart in our thoughts about this, but there are some unrealistic assumptions in your reply. Our governments should be encouraging the use of alternative and renewable energy sources, and alternative energy and 100% world-wide use of electric cars isn't going to happen if we penalize their adoption by regressive taxation. In short, there are other ways to support our road systems besides making Prius owners pay a premium.

I am in complete agreement with you that coal mining states are among our most economically depressed, and that the US has a major issue in trying to balance their legitimate economic concerns with those equally legitimate concerns over what oil and coal consumption is doing to the environment. However, perhaps a place to start would be to eliminate the billions in tax breaks given the Exxons of the world, and refocus those breaks on promoting the creation of cleaner alternative and renewable energy sources so America can (in an act of enlightened self-interest) become energy independent.

Heck, countries once hunted whales to near extinction for whale oil to light our homes, and I'm sure the ship owners who sponsored those whale hunting activities were distressed about being put out of business. While I'm not promoting putting anyone out of business, I do see our conversion to sustainable, clean energy being blocked by a very powerful industry that isn't necessarily concerned about the long-term impact of their business model.

We're all part of the problem...we are addicted to the easy use and access to oil and coal. My point is a simple one...taxing electric vehicles is not only counter-intuitive, it's just plain dumb.

Very well stated.

Fair enough. For the record, I am against whaling but tolerant of baby seal clubbing as I have come to believe it is a fine lost art. It is my opinion that if you see a baby seal, you club that pup and any of his adorable friends.

I'm surprised the Greenies aren't more up in arms about the absolute raping of the countryside that is done to collect the materials that go into the "environmentally friendly" electric/hybrid car batteries. (Although, since much of that is done to our neighbors up north, I guess it wouldn't be terribly big news down here in the States.) The used batteries aren't particularly doing the environment any favors, either.

Funny how a topic on whether or not Virginia has become a police state has turned into a discussion on "to green or not to green."

I don't want to live in a world where throwing a snowball at a peace officer is NOT a felony.

Everybody wants to live in a Utopian world. The problem is, going green as Kermit the Frog says, ain't easy. Carbon fuels rule the world and are here to stay until the free market comes up with something better. The administration has proven that pouring all or our tax dollars into supposed green industries has been nothing more than cronyism. Currently nothing works as well as carbon fuels. Invent a better widget and rule the world. That is the way it works.

(07-15-2013 10:00 AM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  Everybody wants to live in a Utopian world. The problem is, going green as Kermit the Frog says, ain't easy. Carbon fuels rule the world and are here to stay until the free market comes up with something better. The administration has proven that pouring all or our tax dollars into supposed green industries has been nothing more than cronyism. Currently nothing works as well as carbon fuels. Invent a better widget and rule the world. That is the way it works.

True. We can do all the Kyoto Protocols and agree to limit emissions all we want, but nothing is stopping developing nations like China, India, Brazil from just saying screw you guys and polluting anyway.

(07-15-2013 09:40 AM)TheDudeWithTheJMUTat Wrote:  I don't want to live in a world where throwing a snowball at a peace officer is NOT a felony.

Peace officer? It was a snow-moving machine, a friggin' grader or enclosed loader or backhoe or dump truck. It wasn't a person or a "peace officer." Get a friggin' clue, man! A felony?!!!! Destroy the kid's life?!!!! I don't want to live in a world where people who make idiotic statements like yours also reside. Geeeesh!

(07-15-2013 10:31 AM)bulldogg Wrote:  

(07-15-2013 09:40 AM)TheDudeWithTheJMUTat Wrote:  I don't want to live in a world where throwing a snowball at a peace officer is NOT a felony.

Peace officer? It was a snow-moving machine, a friggin' grader or enclosed loader or backhoe or dump truck. It wasn't a person or a "peace officer." Get a friggin' clue, man! A felony?!!!! Destroy the kid's life?!!!! I don't want to live in a world where people who make idiotic statements like yours also reside. Geeeesh!

Perhaps we were referring to different stories. I was referring to stories of adults (age 18 and over) throwing snowballs at peace officers. i.e. the events that took place in Dupont Circle in Washington, DC two years ago. Also, this: http://misterirrelevant.com/index.php/20...snowballs/
Yes, in my opinion, the above story is assault on a peace officer. Which is a felony.

Please link to the story that you are referring to. Also, please calm down.

(07-15-2013 11:49 AM)TheDudeWithTheJMUTat Wrote:  Perhaps we were referring to different stories. I was referring to stories of adults (age 18 and over) throwing snowballs at peace officers. i.e. the events that took place in Dupont Circle in Washington, DC two years ago. Also, this: http://misterirrelevant.com/index.php/20...snowballs/
Yes, in my opinion, the above story is assault on a peace officer. Which is a felony.

Please link to the story that you are referring to. Also, please calm down.

Well, I mentioned the incident I was referring to in Post #1, this thread, which I have to assume is what you were responding to. I have no idea what incident you are talking about, and I am not going to go searching for a link. It was a well-know story that happened in Harrisonburg a few years ago.

My quote, Post #1: "Felonious assault charges for a college student who throws a snowball at a snow-moving machine?"

Now how did you get from that a police officer in Dupont Circle? Read the thread title again. When did they move Dupont Circle to Virginia?

And I really have no need to calm down. I apologize if I seemed to be irate at your confusing reply. I wasn't. I was really just perplexed.

i dont think virginia is a police state, however, i bet virgina is.

(07-16-2013 12:29 AM)bulldogg Wrote:  

(07-15-2013 11:49 AM)TheDudeWithTheJMUTat Wrote:  Perhaps we were referring to different stories. I was referring to stories of adults (age 18 and over) throwing snowballs at peace officers. i.e. the events that took place in Dupont Circle in Washington, DC two years ago. Also, this: http://misterirrelevant.com/index.php/20...snowballs/
Yes, in my opinion, the above story is assault on a peace officer. Which is a felony.

Please link to the story that you are referring to. Also, please calm down.

Well, I mentioned the incident I was referring to in Post #1, this thread, which I have to assume is what you were responding to. I have no idea what incident you are talking about, and I am not going to go searching for a link. It was a well-know story that happened in Harrisonburg a few years ago.

My quote, Post #1: "Felonious assault charges for a college student who throws a snowball at a snow-moving machine?"

Now how did you get from that a police officer in Dupont Circle? Read the thread title again. When did they move Dupont Circle to Virginia?

And I really have no need to calm down. I apologize if I seemed to be irate at your confusing reply. I wasn't. I was really just perplexed.

I assumed that you had some facts of your story wrong, and that you were referring to the JMU students who threw snowballs at a police car a few years ago.

(07-16-2013 11:18 PM)TheDudeWithTheJMUTat Wrote:  

(07-16-2013 12:29 AM)bulldogg Wrote:  

(07-15-2013 11:49 AM)TheDudeWithTheJMUTat Wrote:  Perhaps we were referring to different stories. I was referring to stories of adults (age 18 and over) throwing snowballs at peace officers. i.e. the events that took place in Dupont Circle in Washington, DC two years ago. Also, this: http://misterirrelevant.com/index.php/20...snowballs/
Yes, in my opinion, the above story is assault on a peace officer. Which is a felony.

Please link to the story that you are referring to. Also, please calm down.

Well, I mentioned the incident I was referring to in Post #1, this thread, which I have to assume is what you were responding to. I have no idea what incident you are talking about, and I am not going to go searching for a link. It was a well-know story that happened in Harrisonburg a few years ago.

My quote, Post #1: "Felonious assault charges for a college student who throws a snowball at a snow-moving machine?"

Now how did you get from that a police officer in Dupont Circle? Read the thread title again. When did they move Dupont Circle to Virginia?

And I really have no need to calm down. I apologize if I seemed to be irate at your confusing reply. I wasn't. I was really just perplexed.

I assumed that you had some facts of your story wrong, and that you were referring to the JMU students who threw snowballs at a police car a few years ago.

Now I'm really confused. First you told me you thought I was citing an incident in DC where someone threw snowballs at a "peace officer," even though the title of my thread mentions only the state of Virginia, and my original post cites a case of a JMU student who was charged with felonious assault for throwing a snowball at a "snow-moving machine." NOW you are saying that you thought I was confused about JMU students throwing snowballs at a police car, which I never said, nor was I confused about, nor would I hardly consider grounds for felonious assault, or any charges at all, at most a good tongue-lashing by the cop.

Tell you what. We are both confused enough about this. Let's drop it and laugh about it over a couple of beers at a tailgate someday. GO DUKES!!