"Humans 'very likely' making earth warmer" is wrong

Rod Speed wrote:
> Joe Fischer > wrote
>> Bill Baka > wrote
>
>>> schools...........
>>> I would say that is a problem with the county officials either completely
>>> blowing it, or getting their pockets lines to ignore the obvious. Bill Baka
>
>> Probably not, where there is an influx of residents,
>> all public services are short of money.
>
> Specially with the terminally stupid US system where schools funding
> is local. That inevitably means that the areas with the most need due
> to lots of the dregs of society also have the lowest tax revenue too.

That's changed in California. Now the property tax money goes to the
state and gets doled out to the schools on a student/day basis. The
schools get paid for sick days, but not for simple truancy. Other stuff
is added in -- handicapped, low socioeconomic status, english-learners,
etc., so now the schools in affluent communities get roughly the same
amount per student as the schools in the slums. The rich parents,
however, can make extra contributions. They also ride herd on their
children, especially the Asian families.

In some of the wealthier communities, Asian parents living in China will
buy houses for their children to live in by themselves while they attend
American schools. Some have bought second houses nearer the school so
the kids will have a good parking place. This was revealed when one of
these kids was kidnapped and held for ransom -- the story ended happily,
fortunately.

> In virtually all other modern first world countrys,
> the funding for schools is state or country based.
>
> And the results the catholic systemic schools get
> shows that it aint really about money anyway.

While there are certainly exceptions, the more money spent per student
the worse the education he gets.

--
Cheers, Bev
===================================
New sig on order, watch this space.

adm wrote:
> "dgk" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On Fri, 09 Feb 2007 11:55:47 -0800, The Real Bev
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> Bill Baka wrote:
>>> My grandkids live in an affluent (not rich, but containing mostly those
>>> monster tract homes that are going for $3/4 million now) district. They
>>> have "lockdown" drills. That's what's supposed to happen when a weapon
>>> or other threat is discovered. The kids drop flat on the floor and the
>>> staff turns out the lights. I need to find out more...
>> Unfortunately that would appear to be a smart thing to plan for
>> considering the number of actual incidents.

Huh? Three? Four?

>> Back when we were kids we
>> had those idiot abomb drills. Climb under the desk and put your head
>> between your legs. And, as the precocious kids added, kiss your ass
>> goodbye.
>
> Do you not think that making weapons far harder to get hold of might help a
> bit ?

Just how do you propose to do that? Disarm everyone including the cops
and the military everywhere, not just the USA? If there are no guns,
people will use knives. Before knives were invented, rocks and clubs
worked just fine.

--
Cheers, Bev
===================================
New sig on order, watch this space.

On Sat, 10 Feb 2007 08:45:57 +1100, "Rod Speed"
> wrote:

>Joe Fischer > wrote
>> Bill Baka > wrote
>>> schools...........
>>> I would say that is a problem with the county officials either completely
>>> blowing it, or getting their pockets lines to ignore the obvious. Bill Baka
>
>> Probably not, where there is an influx of residents,
>> all public services are short of money.
>
>Specially with the terminally stupid US system where schools funding
>is local.

And the reason for that is so the parents through
an elected school board and the PTA have some say
about it. Most of the school funding in the US comes
from the federal government and state, on a per student
basis, but as long as certain rules are followed, control
is local.

>That inevitably means that the areas with the most need due
>to lots of the dregs of society also have the lowest tax revenue too.

Why assume the same reason for all money problems,
here it is because the state will not allow new residential
construction below the 100 year flood elevation (even
though the 1937 flood is considered to be a 500 year flood).

An average of one or two houses are torn down
each year because of residual flood damage and old age.
There have been lots of floods, no doubt a big
one when the glacier melted 18,000 years ago.

>In virtually all other modern first world countrys,
>the funding for schools is state or country based.

And some group with an agenda has imposed
learning not wanted by most of the population in
some countries.

>And the results the catholic systemic schools get
>shows that it aint really about money anyway.

It is when the liberal federal government sets
the requirements for redistribution of collected taxes.

>> And in some towns, like mine, the school may close
>> because there are not enough students to make the
>> payroll, for 150 grade school students, laws require a
>> school superintendent with an advances degree, a principle,
>> and accredited teachers to qualify for federal funds.
>
>> With high fuel costs, look for more people moving south,
>> or closer to work and schools and shopping centers, or
>> if oil stays above $60 a collapse of the world economy.
>
>That last aint gunna happen.

It is already happening, slowly, Venezuela has given
up all franchised gas station contracts beginning some time
this year because they had to buy gasoline on the open
market and didn't feel it was profitable.

>> Garages and large commercial buildings where there is not a
>> lot of business are not heated with modern heaters any more.
>
>> Sitting in an upholstered chair with a propane radiant heater to warm
>> the front feels pretty good when it is 20 or 30 degrees below normal.
>
>> Just some normal weather would be nice.
>
>You should pipe in the hot air from usenet.

The compost furnace sounds good, if it would
work, definitely renewable.

Joe Fischer

George Grapman wrote:
> Bill Baka wrote:
>> George Grapman wrote:
>>> Bill Baka wrote:> Rod Speed wrote:
>>>>> Bill Baka > wrote:
>>>>>> Impractical is a stick in San Francisco. They put stop signs at the
>>>>>> top of a hill and unless you have a hand operated emergency brake you
>>>>>> can roll back and get the car behind you. That's the one place where
>>>>>> I don't want to have a stick.
>>>>>
>>>>> Your gross incompetance is your problem, as always.
>>>>>
>>>> Should I even bother with assholes?
>>>> Or should I be nice and just call you an idiot who has never tried a
>>>> stick in S.F.???
>>>> Try it,then bitch about it.
>>>> It can be done with a foot emergency brake but you have to pull the
>>>> release at the same time as letting out the clutch and giving it
>>>> gas, while wearing out the release mechanism.
>>>>
>>>> Or maybe you have 3 feet, no doubt all of them left.
>>>>
>>>> Only those who have driven S.F. know what I mean.
>>>>
>>>> Reply to jerk mode off.
>>>>
>>>> Bill Baka
>>>>
>>>
>>> It is doable but requires thinking and common sense.
>>> The upside was the mileage in 5th gear on freeways.
>>>
>> I have done it and my favorite cars for doing it were VWs and
>> Renaults, both of which had hand operated emergency brakes. One time
>> with an American car and a foot brake and I swore off sticks. There
>> was an old skit by Cheech and Chong (I think) about losing it on one
>> of those famous hills and rolling backwards into the bay. That thought
>> was in my head when I came to those absurd stop signs where you had to
>> start up again on a 15% or greater hill. What really got me was that
>> the street you were stopping for was dead level, then uphill to the
>> next stop sign.
>> I wonder if it is feasible for a sane person to ride a bicycle there
>> without getting fried by all the ups and downs.
>>
>> I am on the bicycles group, after all.
>> Bill Baka
>
> A few times my clutch was on its last legs and I needed to wait a few
> weeks before replacing it. I learned that the shortest distance between
> to points i not always a straight line.
> I had one route that worked fine except for a one block hill. Had to
> time it so as soon as the light turned green I could go up the hill and
> make a right turn. A few times a car pulling out of a driveway foiled
> my plan.
> Once I had to go to San Rafael and had to do Bay Bridge/Richmond Bridge.
>
>
Yeah,
Been there, done that. It's amazing how a little thing can get you
detoured waaay off your intended path. Not terrible with a car except
for the gas to do it these days. On a bike it might be a sensible thing
to do for the "scenery". The thing you learn on a bike is "Pay attention".
Bill Baka

Brent P wrote:
> In article >, Bill Baka wrote:
>
>> Impractical is a stick in San Francisco. They put stop signs at the top
>> of a hill and unless you have a hand operated emergency brake you can
>> roll back and get the car behind you. That's the one place where I don't
>> want to have a stick.
>
> After being hit a few times maybe people would get the message and not
> stop 2 inches behind someone
>
>
Maybe that counts as a rear end collision and the other guy pays for
being that stupid. I would be on the sidewalk if I was cycling there,
and I don't even want to think about how fast a downhill could be on
pavement. I have nearly fried a cars brakes and don't know if bicycle
brakes would cook either(and--or??).
Bill Baka

> Impractical is a stick in San Francisco. They put stop signs at the top of
> a hill and unless you have a hand operated emergency brake you can roll
> back and get the car behind you. That's the one place where I don't want
> to have a stick.

You just need to know how to drive one. You work the clutch with the left
foot, the brake with the toe or your right. When you want to take off you
use the heel of your right foot to press the accelerator as you let off the
clutch. I've taken off in a fully loaded grain truck w/o rolling back an
inch.

It is a pain when you have to do it a lot but you get used to it.

Rod Speed wrote:
> Bill Baka > wrote:
>> Rod Speed wrote:
>>> Bill Baka > wrote:
>>>> Impractical is a stick in San Francisco. They put stop signs at the
>>>> top of a hill and unless you have a hand operated emergency brake
>>>> you can roll back and get the car behind you. That's the one place
>>>> where I don't want to have a stick.
>>> Your gross incompetance is your problem, as always.
>
>> Should I even bother with assholes?
>
> Never ever could bull**** its way out of a wet paper bag.

That line seems to be YOUR standard come back.
>
>> Or should I be nice and just call you an idiot who has never tried a stick in S.F.???
>
> But have done it fine in places much worse than that thanks.

Grammar boo boo.
>
>> Try it,
>
> Been doing that since before you were even born thanks.

You would have to be 80 for that to be true. I'm a senior, not a junior.
>
> In grossly underpowered cars too.
>
>> then bitch about it.
>
> Nothing to bitch about.

Getting beat at the stoplight uphill drag races is "bitch about" fodder.
>
>> It can be done with a foot emergency brake but you have to pull the
>> release at the same time as letting out the clutch and giving it gas,
>
> Completely routine for anyone but a complete incompetant.

I can do it but prefer not to. I tend to double clutch when I downshift.
Do you even know what that is? I do it on a motorcycle too.
>
>> while wearing out the release mechanism.
>
> Just another pig ignorant fantasy. Never ever wore out any of mine.

Lucky turd then, aren't you. (:-)
>
>> Or maybe you have 3 feet, no doubt all of them left.
>
>> Only those who have driven S.F. know what I mean.
>
> SF aint the only place that hilly, ****wit.

L.A. is fun too, like driving Laurel Canyon road in the dark on a
motorcycle. Been there, done that, after a 6 pack no less. 1969.
I forget what else I did that year, but damn, was it fun.
Bill Baka
>
>

Rod Speed wrote:
> Bill Baka > wrote:
>> adm wrote:
>>> "dgk" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> On Fri, 09 Feb 2007 11:55:47 -0800, The Real Bev
>>>> > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Bill Baka wrote:
>>>>> My grandkids live in an affluent (not rich, but containing mostly
>>>>> those monster tract homes that are going for $3/4 million now)
>>>>> district. They have "lockdown" drills. That's what's supposed to
>>>>> happen when a weapon or other threat is discovered. The kids drop
>>>>> flat on the floor and the staff turns out the lights. I need to
>>>>> find out more...
>>>> Unfortunately that would appear to be a smart thing to plan for
>>>> considering the number of actual incidents. Back when we were kids
>>>> we had those idiot abomb drills. Climb under the desk and put your
>>>> head between your legs. And, as the precocious kids added, kiss
>>>> your ass goodbye.
>>> Do you not think that making weapons far harder to get hold of might
>>> help a bit ?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> No. There would just be a black market for guns. We just need to get
>> rid of some people and maybe arrest them before the fact. Many times
>> the shooter has had a history of animal abuse or other signs that he
>> is whacko, and the police never put 2 and 2 together.
>
> Trouble is the huge numbers who abuse animals and who never gun down kids in schools.
>
>
There is where the problems arise. We had a rather famous murder trial
here (Polly Klas(sp?)) and the killer was a known animal sadist plus a
lot of other stuff back to when he was 6 years old. How much of being a
red flag does someone have to have to be monitored?
Bill Baka

In article >, Bill Baka wrote:
> Brent P wrote:
>> In article >, Bill Baka wrote:
>>
>>> Impractical is a stick in San Francisco. They put stop signs at the top
>>> of a hill and unless you have a hand operated emergency brake you can
>>> roll back and get the car behind you. That's the one place where I don't
>>> want to have a stick.
>>
>> After being hit a few times maybe people would get the message and not
>> stop 2 inches behind someone


> Maybe that counts as a rear end collision and the other guy pays for
> being that stupid. I would be on the sidewalk if I was cycling there,
> and I don't even want to think about how fast a downhill could be on
> pavement. I have nearly fried a cars brakes and don't know if bicycle
> brakes would cook either(and--or??).

The brakes on my Giant road bike did fine going down the bluff in WI to
the Mississippi river. Also had no problem with the rental road bike
riding down from Iao Needle on Maui. Now going up that bluff on the
giant, that did do something to the bike

Of course I'm a flatlander here in IL, so those are about the biggest
downhills I've ever had to deal with. I would doubt an urban hill would
be worse, but all I've seen of San-Fran in person was from the air and the
airport, so I wouldn't know how bad the hills there are.

Joe Fischer > wrote
> Rod Speed > wrote
>> Joe Fischer > wrote
>>> Bill Baka > wrote

>>>> schools...........
>>>> I would say that is a problem with the county officials either completely
>>>> blowing it, or getting their pockets lines to ignore the obvious.

>>> Probably not, where there is an influx of residents,
>>> all public services are short of money.

>> Specially with the terminally stupid US system where schools funding is local.

> And the reason for that is so the parents through an elected
> school board and the PTA have some say about it.

Perfectly possible to have that without the downsides of local funding.

> Most of the school funding in the US comes from the
> federal government and state, on a per student basis,
> but as long as certain rules are followed, control is local.

So there clearly is no need for local funding.

>> That inevitably means that the areas with the most need due to
>> lots of the dregs of society also have the lowest tax revenue too.

> Why assume the same reason for all money problems,

I didnt.

> here it is because the state will not allow new residential
> construction below the 100 year flood elevation (even
> though the 1937 flood is considered to be a 500 year flood).

> An average of one or two houses are torn down each
> year because of residual flood damage and old age.
> There have been lots of floods, no doubt a big
> one when the glacier melted 18,000 years ago.

Irrelevant to the problem country wide.

>> In virtually all other modern first world countrys,
>> the funding for schools is state or country based.

> And some group with an agenda has imposed learning
> not wanted by most of the population in some countries.

Bet you cant list even a single example
of that in any modern first world country.

>> And the results the catholic systemic schools get
>> shows that it aint really about money anyway.

> It is when the liberal federal government sets the
> requirements for redistribution of collected taxes.

No it isnt when those schools get much better
results with much less money per brat.

>>> And in some towns, like mine, the school may close
>>> because there are not enough students to make the
>>> payroll, for 150 grade school students, laws require a
>>> school superintendent with an advances degree, a principle,
>>> and accredited teachers to qualify for federal funds.

>>> With high fuel costs, look for more people moving south,
>>> or closer to work and schools and shopping centers, or
>>> if oil stays above $60 a collapse of the world economy.

>> That last aint gunna happen.

> It is already happening, slowly,

Pigs arse it is. The world economy is doing fine.

> Venezuela has given up all franchised gas station contracts
> beginning some time this year because they had to buy
> gasoline on the open market and didn't feel it was profitable.

Irrelevant to the world economy.

>>> Garages and large commercial buildings where there is not a
>>> lot of business are not heated with modern heaters any more.

>>> Sitting in an upholstered chair with a propane radiant heater to warm
>>> the front feels pretty good when it is 20 or 30 degrees below normal.

>>> Just some normal weather would be nice.

>> You should pipe in the hot air from usenet.

> The compost furnace sounds good, if it would work, definitely renewable.

Pity about the stench tho.