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5 years ago
in meat product on Beerdrinker.org is a beer drinker
I heard a fairly persuasive defense of spam in one of those guest opinion bits on NPR a few weeks ago. The points went something like this: (1) It produces less paper waste than traditional junk mail; (2) the lower cost of sending spam vs. traditional junk mail lowers the cost advertising in general, which is a boon to small and emerging businesses; (3) It actually works - people do buy, read, etc. the stuff they get spammed with; (4) it's less intrusive than a cold-call [remember the No-Call list?].
They also made the point spam-bashing is somewhat elitist. No one gets mad when they get spam from people they either do, or want to do business with (wouldn't even call it spam, that's just advertising). Example, most people wouldn't care if they got ads for BMWs or Patagonia in their inbox, but get worked up over septic tank treatment or penile enlargements.
They also made the point spam-bashing is somewhat elitist. No one gets mad when they get spam from people they either do, or want to do business with (wouldn't even call it spam, that's just advertising). Example, most people wouldn't care if they got ads for BMWs or Patagonia in their inbox, but get worked up over septic tank treatment or penile enlargements.
5 years ago
in PUD II on Beerdrinker.org is a beer drinker
When the ads coming from the citizens-organized-by-PGE-spawn-of-enron can't present one legitimate argument against the PUD it makes me suspicious. Especially when we already know they have a financial interest in avoiding a PUD.
The ads say no one can guarantee that rates won't rise - well, duh! No one can guarantee they won't rise under PGEnron either. The ads say, a PUD would have to buy their power from someone else - well that's nothing new. Many power distributors are not the power producers, and quite frankly I think it's better that way. As long as the power producers also control the distribution, there is a possibility for manipulation.
I am not saying that there aren't any possible downsides to a PUD, but I they aren't readily apparent. And the hard-sell doom and gloom politics of fear that is mounting such and active (and expensive) campaign to defeat the PUD are most certainly motivated by more than just good will and community spirit - One cannot ignore the fact that those arguing against the PUD stand to lose a giant cash cow, so prudence demands we view their arguments with a healthy dose of skepticism
The ads say no one can guarantee that rates won't rise - well, duh! No one can guarantee they won't rise under PGEnron either. The ads say, a PUD would have to buy their power from someone else - well that's nothing new. Many power distributors are not the power producers, and quite frankly I think it's better that way. As long as the power producers also control the distribution, there is a possibility for manipulation.
I am not saying that there aren't any possible downsides to a PUD, but I they aren't readily apparent. And the hard-sell doom and gloom politics of fear that is mounting such and active (and expensive) campaign to defeat the PUD are most certainly motivated by more than just good will and community spirit - One cannot ignore the fact that those arguing against the PUD stand to lose a giant cash cow, so prudence demands we view their arguments with a healthy dose of skepticism
5 years ago
in PUD power on Beerdrinker.org is a beer drinker
Our friend SS the other evening pointed out a very significant point, that has been disgustingly distorted the the opponents to the PUD (including PGE, spawn-of-Enron).
The horrible increase to your property tax from this "costly goverment takeover" will be in the form of a one time levy that will cost the average homeowner 45 cents.
This is a bogus argument. I think I could get a street urchin to give me 45 friggen cents - this is nothing but fear propaganda, propagated largely by those with a financial state in PGE remaining part of Enron (and if not that, then they would like to see PGE get sold to another private corp).
PUD's are not new, experimental, or particularly dangerous. They have worked successfully in many other metro areas (including Sacramento), and I can't see any reason why it wouldn't work here.
The horrible increase to your property tax from this "costly goverment takeover" will be in the form of a one time levy that will cost the average homeowner 45 cents.
This is a bogus argument. I think I could get a street urchin to give me 45 friggen cents - this is nothing but fear propaganda, propagated largely by those with a financial state in PGE remaining part of Enron (and if not that, then they would like to see PGE get sold to another private corp).
PUD's are not new, experimental, or particularly dangerous. They have worked successfully in many other metro areas (including Sacramento), and I can't see any reason why it wouldn't work here.
