Hetch Hetchy thoughts August 10, 2009
Posted by admin in : Environment, Outdoors/Travel, Political/Editorial , 1 comment so farOne slightly negative thing about my Lyell Canyon hike: One person that I had spammed to ask for support for my “Restore Hetch Hetchy” pledge hike decided to reply to that by being a dick. A dick is not someone who declines to support, or even who disagrees with the goal. A dick in this case is someone who decides to pick a fight with me about it, imply that I’m uninformed (but he of course knows everything), that I am trying to “destroy” the water supply, that my position is “crapola”, etc. I mean it was totally unnecessarily aggressive and insulting. Compounded by the fact that it’s a “family” person (not my family, but an in-law) so he created this new awkwardness. He ends his email with “Please do not bother me with this crapola again” yet sent me a second email along the lines of “and another thing…” So I spent a good deal of time on my hike last week mentally arguing with this guy. That was both negative but had its value. I guess if I’m going to do an activist thing (doing this pledge hike) I need to be prepared for challenges and questions. So working it out in my head helped me clarify my position with regard to Hetch.
His basic objection was that Hetch Hetchy reservoir is a major (but not the only) source of water for the city of San Francisco and if the dam (which is in dire need of earthquake proofing upgrades) were to be destroyed by an earthquake, it would be catastrophic, disrupting the water supply at a time of drought, etc.
Well of course. The objective of restoring Hetch Hetchy is NOT about “destroying” anything, or allowing the dam to deteriorate. It is about revisiting the problem. The problem the turn of the century engineers and policitcians were trying to solve was: “How can we provide water for the current and fast growing population?” They solved that problem with the dam. But we in the 21st century are trying to solve a new problem: “How can we provide water for the current population, allowing for a reasonable degree of growth, in a sustainable manner with low impact on fragile eco-systems?” That problem was not at all solved by damming Hetch Hetchy, nor would it be solved by damming Yosemite valley, or all the valleys of the high sierras. We are trying to solve a new problem with new values and new technology. We need not be beholden to bad decisions made a hundred years ago by engineers and politicians long dead. The fact that the reservoir is currently in use is merely a variable in the equation, not a reason to accept the status quo.
So to be clear, my position is that it is possible and desirable to restore Hetch Hetchy valley while not disrupting the water supply to the users downstream. That is also the position of the Restore Hetch Hetchy organization which I am attempting to raise money for. No one anywhere is lobbying to stick it to the city of San Francisco. No one favors allowing the dam to deteriorate.
The only reasonable questions that can be argued over are:
- Can it be done, from an engineering perspective?
- How much will it cost, really?
- Is it worth it?
To question 1, I believe the answer is of course. If we can dam water upstream, we can also move water to a downstream reservoir. No question about it really.
To question 2 — well there’s a lot of numbers to argue over I suppose. But when you factor in real, meaningful water conservation efforts, the cost of upgrading the current dam, and other number crunching one could do, I believe a realistic number could be arrived at (FAQ says $1-3 billion).
To question 3, well, this is a value judgment. My feeling is that reasonable, sustainable growth is better than uncontrolled growth, that low impact environmental solutions are better than high impact ones. I believe the valley is a precious and very special resource that was destroyed by short sighted minds and is worth restoring. I can’t argue with a person who does not share those values.
But please be assured, the goal to restore Hetch Hetchy is a proposal to embark on a civil engineering project that solves 21st century problems with 21st century values and solutions, NOT an attempt to protect a spotted owl at the expense of jobs. If anything, a large civil engineering project like this could be viewed as a very timely stimulus which would create jobs.
So whenever my dick in-law tries to engage me again, I’ll be ready for him.
If you share my concerns about this cause, or if you merely want to stick it to the dicks of this world consider donating to my pledge drive.
Bush legacy BS January 14, 2009
Posted by admin in : End Of The World, Political/Editorial , 2commentsI like how people trying to defend Bush’s record, including W himself, like to emphasize how no 9/11 size attack has happened since 9/11 and that was his administration’s priority, and since none has occurred therefore he was successfull at his main objective. The one thing that he did not royally fuckup was something that didn’t happen. He was also incredibly effective at protecting America from an meteor collision, since that also didn’t happen. And Mt. St. Helens has not blown up in the last eight years. Way to go! A 9/11 size attack most certainly DID happen while he was the president. One just hasn’t happened *lately*, so his record was a success. Bush’s record was a success because it hasn’t killed me yet. Wonderful!
Whatever dude. I’m done with you.
Hummer December 5, 2008
Posted by admin in : End Of The World, Environment, Lies, Political/Editorial , 1 comment so farIf we’re gonna bailout GM, we should use some of the money to buy back every Hummer and replace them with something more economical in GM’s line, say Aveos. The Hummers could then be ritually beaten into ploughshares. For us to bailout a company which sold Hummers during the Iraq war is hard to justify, and only if it means leverage for us to force them to go fully and truly green should we consider it.
8 November 5, 2008
Posted by admin in : Political/Editorial , add a commentInspired by the passage of prop 8 defining marriage as between a man and a woman, I humbly propose for the next election that we amend the consitution to define childhood as between a boy and his dog.
Praise Hindu, Buddha and Allah! November 4, 2008
Posted by admin in : Political/Editorial , 1 comment so farOur god is greater than their god!
Reverse Bradley October 28, 2008
Posted by admin in : Irrelevant, Political/Editorial , add a commentOr something.
For every person who claims he’ll vote for Obama then secretly votes for McCain, I’m sure there’s also a person who publicly claims to support McCain who will really vote for Obama. Right? I mean, isn’t this idea of people who make public statements then secretly do the opposite something that happens all the time, in all directions, for all kinds of different reasons? And doesn’t the fact that it does happen in both directions tend to dampen any statistical significance?
You know there are people who don’t want to publicly reveal they have changed their mind about McCain and will vote for Obama.
No on 4 October 23, 2008
Posted by admin in : Political/Editorial , add a commentHere’s my new angle on why we should not restrict women’s access to safe, legal abortion facilities, whether it’s Prop 4 or overturning Roe v. Wade, etc.
Guess what? It puts the government — some bureaucrat in Washington — between a patient and her doctor. A doctor and a patient may agree on a medical procedure, but they cannot perform that procedure because some bureaucrat in Washington won’t permit it.
Conservatives and Libertarians are supposed to not like that sort of thing, right?
One small political comment October 10, 2008
Posted by admin in : End Of The World, Irrelevant, Political/Editorial , add a commentAs ever, I have little to contribute to the current political discussion since other people who care more and are better skilled have already got it covered.
But this is one observation I’d like to make:
McCain/Palin attacks on Obama just make them look worse. Not because it’s so obviously desperate mean-spirited and cynical. Even if you believe every word they say about Obama, it makes McCain/Palin look worse. They are running against a liberal, secret Muslim opponent named Barack Hussein Obama who pals around with terrorists and would gladly give a platform to our worst enemies.
And they still can’t beat him.
People must really not want you to be the president if they’d rather have a Muslim terrorist president instead.
John McCain looks like the guy standing next to the guy… August 1, 2008
Posted by admin in : Irrelevant, Political/Editorial , add a commentJohn McCain looks like the guy standing next to the guy who’s running for president. Even when he’s the only guy on stage.
Iraq War to be carbon neutral by 2050 July 21, 2008
Posted by admin in : Irrelevant, Joke, Political/Editorial , add a commentJust kidding. That’s an Onion-style headline I had in my head when I woke up this morning. Make up your own humerous copy.