Celebrate Modernity, You Idiots
It's turn out the lights night in the daffy state of California -- from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. tonight (It's 9:16 pm as I'm posting this). Ridiculous people are doing this in celebration of a ridiculous event called "Earth Hour," much like those silly "put on a red ribbon to stop some disease" days. (Scientific research, not uglying up your outfit with a safety-pinned-on ribbon, is what cures or halts disease.)
Here's the LA Times' Ruben Vives on what's happening tonight:
Notable Southern California landmarks such as the glowing pylons at Los Angeles International Airport and the Queen Mary in Long Beach will go dark between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday night in observance of international "Earth Hour."Millions of people from more than 100 countries and territories are expected to participate in the event by switching off lights and nonessential appliances in order to conserve energy and demonstrate an awareness of environmental conservation.
At LAX, the 100-foot-tall pylons will glow solid green an hour before the event and then go dark, according to airport officials. The color-changing LAX Gateway pylons were installed in August 2000. Five years later, airport workers installed a new system of LED fixtures that consume 75% less electricity than the previous lamps and burn for 75,000 to 100,000 hours, compared to 3,000 hours for the original lights, according to airport officials.
...In Santa Monica, the famous Pacific Wheel on the city's pier will go dark. The ferris wheel's emergency lights will remain on.
I love those lights -- at the airport and on that ferris wheel. They make the skyline exciting. And I love the light show that is Times Square. We can have these spectaculars because it's 2011, and not 1611. If it were, it would be wise to use candles -- or ride your goat until you get somewhere where it's daybreak.
Sure, I try to save energy and conserve in general (I drive a 2004 Honda Insight hybrid and spent $198 on gas for all of 2010), but this is just a bullshit idea that will make people feel like they're doing something -- for an hour -- while making the Santa Monica Pier gloomy and unspectacular and making it less cool to go onto Lincoln and drive north from the airport. Meanwhile, I've got the lights on here, and the computer all aglow, and I am in no mood to churn butter, spin wool into a sweater if I'm cold, or go milk a cow when I want a piece of cheese.
Is the intent here to make people feeling like they're doing something for an hour, or rather to make them sit in the dark for an hour feeling ashamed & guilty that they're so much better off than the poor goatherds in Yemen who don't have any lights to turn off? I suspect it's the latter, and anyone who feels that strongly about it can fuck off and go live in a cave.
Martin at March 26, 2011 9:36 PM
no, it's about making you feel guilty for killing the planet.
And, like last year, I let the occasion slip by unaware, or I'd have turned everything I own on.
I was helping my friend install blinds and drink beer.
brian at March 26, 2011 9:48 PM
We turned the lights down for a while, but we did that because we were getting laid.
Steve Daniels at March 26, 2011 10:43 PM
Sounds kind of cool actually. I hope you took advantage of it and went out and looked at the stars.
I hadn't heard of it, but it didn't seem to have been observed here. I live in the country though so there aren't -too- many lights anyways (though there are still quite a few).
NicoleK at March 26, 2011 11:04 PM
You couldn't look at the stars: there was cloud cover obscuring the entire sky threatening rain again.
I like the idea of the pylons having leds installed, not because I care about saving energy per se, but rather because it's foolish to use light you have to replace two or three times a year instead of every eight years.
Strong time was always a stupid desire.
Samuel at March 27, 2011 3:39 AM
We celebrate it as Human Progress Hour and turn on all the lights and use all the technology we can. We're down to just two at home so we can't use all our devices.
liz at March 27, 2011 4:59 AM
Amusingly, there was an election on Sat for New South Wales - the most populous state in Australia - and the Labor Party got whipped like a red-headed stepchild. Which everyone knew was coming, but it was even worse than thought, they're down to 16 or so seats out of 70 odd. They intended to leave their (obviously well-lit) press conference to concede until after Earth Hour, because their federal counterparts have announced a carbon tax and have drawn the battle lines over it, but it was so bad they had to concede at 9pm, right in the middle. The Greens naturally switched to candles for that hour, but they got caned too.
Yes, liz, some of us here celebrate the "Hour of Power" during that time - I personally was running the dryer at the time, using the computer, and watching tv. Not so much on purpose though, just my sheets needed washing. You don't need to know why :)
Ltw at March 27, 2011 6:57 AM
Has it occurred how much Tokyo (and the rest of Japan) would appreciate an hour of power right now?
This is just a celebration of primitiveness. You drop any of these idiots back in 1811, and see how long until they would be begging to come back uptime.
Jim P. at March 27, 2011 8:37 AM
I don't waste, especially not when I'm paying for it. That said, I will be damned if I will inconvenience myself for the sake of some tree hugging clowns.
MarkD at March 27, 2011 8:37 AM
Jim P. - decent toilet paper alone would sell me on not wanting to be in 1811. Or 1911 for that matter.
Ltw at March 27, 2011 8:45 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/26/celebrate_moder.html#comment-1967378">comment from Jim P.If they really want to save energy, they could kill themselves.
Amy Alkon at March 27, 2011 8:47 AM
How can you tell somebody is a "green"?
They live in a sea of pavement.
Idiot. You're too late by then.
Go bulldoze a few useless strip malls and plant trees.
Radwaste at March 27, 2011 8:49 AM
This is all about moral narcissism. I celebrated by sitting by the lights of my back patio, smoking a cigar and playing with my new iPad2.
Brant at March 27, 2011 11:18 AM
So the Pacific Wheel goes dark for an hour. Big whup. And good for LAX for changing to energy efficient lighting (if they are indeed cost-effective). They'll save even more money if they periodically turn off the lights on those absurd pylons.
A wise woman once said:
In other words, powering the blender or mobile phone via bicycle cranks is jolly healthy and builds character. (Just remember to eat enough carbs for optimum energy levels.)
So many young-ones fixate on their gadgets these days (yes, I'm using one to post this comment unfortunately), and they risk atrophy of their dear hearts. That is worrisome.
Let's remember: sometimes the lights are off when we think of bright ideas.
Jason S. at March 27, 2011 1:19 PM
Ok, so if noone else wants to kneecap the guy
A wise woman once said:
Why is it these wise people never have names?
"A simplistic definition of energy is 'the ability to do work.' If that is so,
It aint, lightning is pure energy, what ability does it have to do any sort of work at all?
then a simplistic definition of spirit is 'the ability to be.'
Has noone taught this wise woman the purpse of an 'if/then' senario? It obvious no matter how wrong her first statment was she would still belive the second to be true even if conviced the first was false. Also what kind of spirt does a rock have? Or my shit? My shit exists, it 'be', so what kind of spirit does it have?
Something has to 'be' in order to 'work'
Ok, so what work does a rock do? Or my shit?
and therein you find the spirituality inherent in all things.
kdgf akgkgasdkfg kdgfkahgf aqwoflmnaf7i
(find the hidden meaning to discover true enlightment)
When respect is not shown to the spirit at work, the consequences can be surprising and unpleasant."
So, what sort of suprisingly unpleasnt consequence can I expect for disrepsecting the spirt of my shit?
In other words, powering the blender or mobile phone via bicycle cranks is jolly healthy and builds character. (Just remember to eat enough carbs for optimum energy levels.)
It may be healthy but the only thing it builds is narcicisum. I'd rather spend my time cleaning oil soaked wildlife, or editing a letter to my congressman on superfund sites on an iPad while I work out at the gym.
Which I have time for becuase it doesnt take me a hour to set up the bike generater, pedal for 15 minures to mix ONE smoothie and break it all down and put it away. People like that waste their time needlessly and think to themselves, well I've done my part, unlike that asshole down the street who doesnt turn his lights off durring 'Dark Hour'. The fact that the guy who doesnt turn off his lights donates more money in a month to enviornmental causes then he save all year buy bike generating all his power is a point he will never understand.
So many young-ones fixate on their gadgets these days
Yeah, have you seen how fast porn downloads these days?
(yes, I'm using one to post this comment unfortunately),
Pointing out your faux hypocricy doesnt make you seem noble or likeable or even abashedly shamful, it makes you seem like a douchbag
and they risk atrophy of their dear hearts. That and carpel tunnel syndrom, and a lot of chafed skin
That is worrisome.
I'll say, friction burns SUCK
Let's remember:
Seriously? A colon? You'd think for a colon your final statment wouldnt be o dumb.
sometimes the lights are off when we think of bright ideas.
Yeah, like how to ligt the darkness so we can be more efficent, why go back?
Especiall to appease a bunch of whiney, weak willed, asshole, 'enviornmental morailty' police types - most of whom never go camping and think nature is just a bigger version of the park with the playground their children play at
lujlp at March 27, 2011 8:58 PM
it makes you seem like a douchbag
Seem? I am a douchebag.
Which I have time for becuase it doesnt take me a hour to set up the bike generater
It takes an hour to set up a bike generator? Well, it sounded like a good idea. Hell with that. I'll have to double-check your claim, though. You might be all thumbs in the setting-up department.
Also what kind of spirt does a rock have?
Haven't you listened to Rush (the rock band from Canada)? Start with the album "Permanent Waves". "Spirit of Radio" rocks. "Moving Pictures" is also pretty rocking from what I remember.
C'mon, we live on a rock. We were all rocks and dirt at one time. We need minerals to maintain healthy organs, etc. The Rocky Mountains are sweet, too (until they erupt; then they're a bitch).
So, what sort of suprisingly unpleasnt consequence can I expect for disrepsecting the spirt of my shit?
If you work as a cook, you can infect the food if you don't wash your hands after you take a shit. Don't dis the spirit of the shit. It's good fertilizer too. Circle of life, man.
You'd think for a colon your final statment wouldnt be o dumb.
True. Actually, I don't know what the frak I'm talking about. However, the new bridge in town has massive decorative lights that stay lit throughout the night on the tax dime, while the city power company is raising rates. That's bunch of bull, there.
Jason S. at March 27, 2011 11:39 PM
How can you tell somebody is a "green"?
They live in a sea of pavement.
I love it Radwaste. The only seats here vulnerable to the Greens are inner city. The people that have the least idea. The same ones that then complain about the noise when garbage trucks empty bins at 4am.
My attitude is, you're living in a city dickhead - you expect them to get around to your bins during the day?
In other words, powering the blender or mobile phone via bicycle cranks is jolly healthy and builds character. (Just remember to eat enough carbs for optimum energy levels.)
The human body is terribly inefficient at energy conversion - one of the many major flaws of The Matrix! (Good movie though it is). Plug your phone in, exercise when you need it, don't bother feeling like you're saving the planet. I'd be willing to bet the energy expended in growing your extra carbs way exceeds anything you generate. Even manufacturing the generator itself probably outweighs any value.
However, the new bridge in town has massive decorative lights that stay lit throughout the night on the tax dime
I work on road and tunnel projects. One of the big trends is to write in clauses that *require* the builders to engage architects to make the project look nice - artworks, feature lighting, sensitive to the environment (visibly that is). Drives me nuts, I'm more concerned about getting the damn thing opened safely. They made it look better at the behest of the urban designers so the public would feel it had some function other than carrying cars. Then people complain about the power cost. Sheesh, you can't win.
Ltw at March 28, 2011 7:24 AM
I agree that this turning off lights for an hour event is completely useless. Just like events where everyone is supposed to not buy gas one day (which means they will all just by gas the next day). There is no point to this behavior!
This topic does remind me of another personal pet peeve though. I get frustrated with lots of night time lighting schemes, especially in residential areas. I grew up in the country and am not used to having night time look almost exactly like daytime. I also really miss the stars. I live in a city now, a factor driven by gainful employment and living within my means. I understand that this means my night times will be significantly different that what I grew up with, but some lighting schemes I encounter seem really obnoxious and not very helpful. For example, having really bright lights that don’t have shields to point the light where it is needed (like on a pathway, on a particular area for safety reasons, or on a sign you want people to read) can actually do the opposite of what I think the people who installed the light had in mind. Poor lighting can make places LESS safe by making really deep shadows where “bad” people can hide. It can also create a blinding effect that makes it hard to read signs or navigate a path. It can highlight areas you may not want highlighted (there have been two occasions on my street where people robbed stuff out of the two very highly lit yards/porches, but left all the other houses alone, I think this was juvenile delinquents who grabbed stuff because they were driving by and liked the looks of it from the street). Plus I think that these poor lighting schemes that accidently point light up toward the sky (not purposfully pointing toward anything like a statue or something people want to see) that makes it hard to see the stars.
Turning your lights off for a specific hour a year is useless, but taking some time to think about your lighting scheme and how it impacts the people around is super sweet of you!
If anyone is interested here is a link about lighting schemes: http://docs.darksky.org/PG/PG3-residential-lighting.pdf
Beware, it does say positive things about CFLs, but it has actual helpful stuff too :)
AK at March 28, 2011 10:32 AM
"lightning is pure energy, what ability does it have to do any sort of work at all?"
None. Lightning is the laziest of all the energies. Gravity does more but has no sense of humor.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at March 28, 2011 11:47 AM
I'm more concerned about getting the damn thing opened safely.
I heard that.
On that particular bridge project, the boom of a 90 ton crane came crashing down on traffic after a lift cable snapped. Fortunately, nobody was hurt.
I've worked on road and bridge projects in the States. It takes considerable foresight to get the work completed safely and efficiently. Decorative lighting is an afterthought. It does look sorta good in a way, though.
But speaking of environmental regulations-- some of the hoops companies have to jump through can be completely assinine. You can hardly have equipment in the water because a dab of grease or diesel or oil might get in the stream. I mean, I can understand the deserved outrage for negligent drilling operations in the Gulf of Mexico, but come on. I was once told to put absorbant material next to a pavement cutting machine for fear that the scant muddy, watery residue would end up in the river. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT FLOODS! It's a frakking torrent of muddy devastation. You might see a tree hugger holding on to a tree in the raging waters, but I doubt it's for environmental reasons.
Los Angeles is a smoggy, babylonian hell-hole, though. People in LA shouldn't be allowed to drive. Thank God for high-speed rail.
Jason S. at March 28, 2011 2:02 PM
I got a MS degree from U of Michigan, School of Natural resources and Environment. One prof, Princen, talks about sufficiency, the rest of the college is about band aids.
Philip at March 28, 2011 2:25 PM
To repeat the meme that's been going around the net today: In North Korea, every hour is Earth Hour!
"Gravity does more but has no sense of humor."
It's still sulking from when Einstein accused it of not existing.
Cousin Dave at March 28, 2011 5:46 PM
Thomas Kinkaid was not available for comment.
Mitch at March 29, 2011 4:02 PM
""A simplistic definition of energy is 'the ability to do work.' If that is so,
It aint, lightning is pure energy, what ability does it have to do any sort of work at all?"
***
Energy *is* the ability to do work (move things) not some vague new-age term.
Lightning is not pure energy. Lightning is electrons; particles of matter. Lightning can definitely be used. Ever heard of the Z Machine?
The physicist Richard Feynman had an even simpler definition of energy. He called it "Nature's way of keeping score".
Chris at July 18, 2011 5:09 PM
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