Compact Fluorescent Bulbs -- some are unreliable

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

What I'm objecting to, would be the even more intrusive, searching thru the trash crap. Can't wait to see the people who line up for THAT job.

Doesn't that seem just a little bit.............oh, I don't know.........authoritarian?

Not at all. Recycling in mandatory in many European countries, and people get fined for putting in the "general" trash something which is recycleable.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

What I'm objecting to, would be the even more intrusive, searching thru the trash crap. Can't wait to see the people who line up for THAT job.

Doesn't that seem just a little bit.............oh, I don't know.........authoritarian?

Nope, because collecting any information from that effort would be redundant and pointless. The only additional thing they're likely to learn, that they can't already get from my initial purchases and private records, is whether I use a pair of scissors or my teeth to open cellophane bags.

It would also be an incredibly inefficient use of their limited resources. Conspiracy theories aside, I don't honestly expect any agency that is trying to monitor the type (or safety) of discarded goods is going to take the extra effort to examine those goods for other information. They'll be lucky if they have enough money and resources to do the job they're mandated with, much less taking on additional duties like determining whether your chicken bones are from Popeyes or KFC.

How 'bout it, Harry? Any evidence that that goes on in Europe through existing recycling-filtering methods?

What you're going to get, realistically, are people (or machines) that will separate individual pieces of trash, based on recyclability, and record an "instance" of each type to create a charge based on X plastic bags, Y pounds of cardboard, Z pounds of glass, etc. That's the most they'd have the time or resources to keep track of... don't expect itemized lists that show X bottles of Perrier, and Y bottles of Pabst Blue Ribbon, that you'll someday have to justify to a prospective employer somewhere.

That's just a little bit.............oh, I don't know.........paranoid? (And trust me, I know paranoid.)

And by the way: It might not be a Trump apprenticeship, but at least it would be a job.

[kazbates]

[QUOTE=Steve Jordan;484846]Ask Desertgrandma. She knows. (I think she's related to the Shadow.)

Seriously: I recently found out the last time I visited The Men's Wearhouse that they've kept my purchases on file for years. I wanted a longer size of a shirt I'd bought from them a year previously, and they were able to find the info on that exact shirt style and color in their computers in 5 minutes. I bought my suit and three sportcoats from them, over the years. They've got all of 'em.

Sears knows what brand of underwear I buy.

Giant (and whatever foreign grocery conglomerate owns them this year) can tell you what cereal I prefer.

Carefirst Blue Cross Blue Shield has my entire medical history.

Wachovia could tell you exactly what I use my credit card to buy.

Starbucks can tell you what flavor frapps I prefer.

Amazon.com can tell you what kind of music I prefer.

The state of Maryland knows the last time I drove through the toll booth on my way to Rehoboth.

Every item I listed is being stored by somebody, right now... retailers... government agencies... telemarketers. To be retrieved, by somebody (besides me), on demand. Right. Now.

So, am I afraid of someone going through my trash? Ha! Bring it, Sunshine.

(Hmm... ramble much, Stevie?)

[\QUOTE]

Yikes! I really hadn't considered all of that. Other than the medical and banking information, they are welcome to clog up their systems with my insignificant data. Maybe I should go and make some really strange purchases just to throw them off track!

Originally Posted by HarryT

I don't follow your argument there, I'm afraid. If incandescent lightbulbs are manufactured in your country, why can't fluorescent lightbulbs also be? Is there something inherent in the manufacturing process which prevents it?

There really IS no logic to why things cannot be manufactured here in the US other than what Steve has already stated. It's all about the work force. Labor here is expensive thanks to the Unions. Don't get me wrong, Unions have a purpose and I was a member of the teachers' union when I was working as were both my parents. They were great advocates for teachers' rights, although, the main reason I joined was the malpractice insurance that came with my membership (thankfully I never had to use it). However, some unions have a strangle hold on the manufacturing industries and refuse to make necessary compromises to keep companies solvent. The American auto industry comes to mind, although, I do think a lot of their problems came about because they refused to look toward the future.

Sorry. . .now I'm rambling.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by kazbates

Yikes! I really hadn't considered all of that. Other than the medical and banking information, they are welcome to clog up their systems with my insignificant data. Maybe I should go and make some really strange purchases just to throw them off track!

That's right: Who needs paranoia about imagined conspiracies when you've got real life? Careful about what you buy to throw them off-track, though... unless you want endless junk mail, spam and telemarketers bugging you over similar products to that one purchase of Conservatives Weekly or the endangered parrot that you brought home...

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

That's just a little bit.............oh, I don't know.........paranoid? (And trust me, I know paranoid.)

And by the way: It might not be a Trump apprenticeship, but at least it would be a job.

I imagine you would know, and no, i don't think I'm being paranoid when I expect the government (under your solutions) to stay out of my trash.......or to not fine me if I accidentally throw away something which could be recycled, or even better yet.....to tell me which type of bulbs I can use in my home.

THAT seriously pisses me off.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

I imagine you would know, and no, i don't think I'm being paranoid when I expect the government (under your solutions) to stay out of my trash.......or to not fine me if I accidentally throw away something which could be recycled, or even better yet.....to tell me which type of bulbs I can use in my home.

THAT seriously pisses me off.

Well... do you have a better way to clean things up, use less energy, and prevent global warming and the ruination of our environment? (I mean, it's not as if we have a lot of choices, here...) Or are you saying you don't believe any of that stuff needs to be done at all?