Disqus - Latest Comments for Ben T. Johnson

Re: Second Life “Winter” Festival - good old ethnocentrism

Ben T. Johnson — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 09:54:07 -0000

Generally, the people who make the program can do whatever they want, 'cause they're God, y'know?
Besides...now you'll get to know what normal seasons are like! bwwwAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! ahem...sorry...

Re: The Joe Cell — A Fuel-less Energy Source?

Ben T. Johnson — Tue, 16 May 2006 11:23:01 -0000

It's helpful to remember that the laws of physics are man's attempt to understand the world around us. We are far from being able to do that, and if we think we've got it figured out, then that's all the more arrogance on our part, of the same sort that is leading us down a path of global destruction.

My jury is still out on this one, yet I am hopeful.

Re: SustainLane Releases 2006 Sustainable City Rankings

Ben T. Johnson — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 12:01:40 -0000

You may have done a little head-scratching, but I did a LOT of head-scratching when I saw Denver ranked 9th. How Denver even ranked on that list is beyond me. It's one of the most frustrating things about living here....reading great articles about great people doing cool stuff in cities like Portland, Seattle, etc., and looking out over Denver on almost any given day to see a huge brown cloud hovering over the city.

Aside from a homebuilder out here that touts their "green" designs and construction--but only in the occasional newpaper ad and radio spot, but not near as much as they should--there seems to be little else going on in the way of conservation, reuse, reduction, and recycling. At least, nothing that gets noticed and adopted. We're even getting a coal-fired power plant, that nobody wants, constructed for us down in Pueblo. Whoohoo! That's progress!! Thanks, Xcel Energy. Enjoy your steak dinners in your luxury homes.

(Funny aside: Xcel is having trouble getting the plant built because of union labor issues. My heart bleeds for them.)

No, SustainLane, I must disagree with you about Denver, as much as I'd like otherwise. People complain about the landscape and horizon when the issues of wind power are brought up, yet are perfectly content to breathe the giant brown cloud. Getting LightRail to expand to a useful size is like getting the Pope to swear during mass. Getting a transpo alternative to the mountains is the same; always claims of a 25-year study to find the best solution, which is pointless because it'll all have changed by then. Meanwhile small companies that make solar panels, alternative energy solutions, or even the solar-powered train manufacturer/developer up north, are all looked over like yesterday's paper. And there seems to be a near-complete lack of interest in using reclaimed materials; the closest I've seen to it is a demolition salvage place near downtown that sells neat stuff at ridiculous prices for the upscale so they can be chic.

We are rich in sun and wind, yet we are poor for change.

No, SustainLane, Denver doesn't make the list.

Re: Crocs. Birkys for a New Millenium?

Ben T. Johnson — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 14:59:23 -0000

One thought about the use of petroleum for these shoes...it seems to me you get much more 'mileage' out of the amount of petroleum used in these shoes than you would if it were in your tank.

Re: MacBook Pro 15" Screens Now Mercury-Free LED, but 17" a No-Go + Tekserve Recycles E-Waste June 16-18

Ben T. Johnson — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 11:40:22 -0000

I applaud your getting seven years out of the G4 laptop. I got 6 years out of my Pismo, finally retiring it last December, replacing it with a MacBookPro. Too bad I didn't know about the LCD conversion back then.

One of the best things we can do is not subscribe to the "gotta have the newest/biggest/bestest" mindset. I'm excited to see more stories like this.