Kindredist

Whimsy and studiousness from a nice lady who lives in Michigan and loves Objectivism.

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Name: Amy
Location: United States

I'm a good-natured person who enjoys living.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Protest Earth “Cower” – Celebrate Edison Hour

Today at 8pm ET, I will be turning on all the lights in my house to celebrate, what I call, Edison Hour. If Thomas Edison were alive today, I’m sure he would be protesting today’s evil nonsense – what the World Wide Fund for Nature is calling Earth Hour, or Earth Cower, as I prefer to call it. From Wikipedia:

Earth Hour is an international event that asks households and businesses to turn off their lights and non-essential electrical appliances for one hour on the evening of 29 March at 8 pm local time until 9 pm to promote electricity conservation and thus lower carbon emissions. It may also help reduce light pollution, and in 2008, coincides with the beginning of National Dark Sky Week in the USA.

There are around 21 major cities in America participating. Detroit, and Dearborn, Mich., home to Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park buildings, aren’t participating – thank goodness. The cities who are participating are either blinding jumping on this feel-good, public relations bandwagon, or are explicitly conceding that technology, i.e. capitalism and human achievment, are causing global warming by increasing carbon emissions. In response to this outright lie, please watch this video.

So, please celebrate Edison Hour tonight at 8pm. I hope to find every light switch and every means of using electricity – perhaps even a few flashlights – and turn them on! Open your blinds and curtains and let the light shine to the heavens and celebrate technology!

12 Comments:

Blogger Mike N said...

I'm in. I think it's a great idea in protest.

March 29, 2008 6:00 PM  
Blogger Rational Jenn said...

I wrote a post about this, too! "Power" to the People!

March 29, 2008 8:51 PM  
Blogger Elisheva Hannah Levin said...

I commented over at Rational Jenn, too.

Our local astronomy club is a member of the International Dark Skies Coalition. Dark Skies has nothing to do with going back to the dark ages, rather we aim to provide people with information so that they can have their lights at night and see Polaris, too.

There are lots of nifty and inexpensive ways to provide lighting for ambience, safety and pleasure and at the same time shield them so that one can enjoy the observing the night sky with telescopes and binoculars.

There's no reason that preserving dark skies must mean being anti-human.

March 29, 2008 9:36 PM  
Blogger LB said...

Done! It was well worth the $0.70 we calculated that it cost us. I even convinced my parents to do it (though they didn't understand what all the fuss was about).

Elisheva, someone tried to convince me that they were doing it for "dark skies" reasons. I tried to explain the difference.

Amy, you do seem very nice, and I really like your blog so far.

Lynne

March 29, 2008 10:25 PM  
Blogger Amy said...

Thanks, Elishava, for commenting. I was just responding to your interesting comment over at Rational Jenn - what a coincidence!

As I wrote at Rational Jenn:

"I'd much prefer that technology not have to have conditions placed upon it, i.e. the condition of being able to see the stars at night.

I don't particularly like to look at stars, and it's not morally right that others who do should think that this should be a universal value. Our current system of individual and property rights enables anyone who likes star-gazing to purchase a large tract of land, perhaps on a farm away from a large city, to watch stars from [update: or go camping]. I should not have to be forced to install downward-cast lights, for example, to please others.

I remember the power outage in Michigan back in 2003. For three days and nights, we had no electricity, no lights, no air conditioning, no hot water, spoiled food, etc. It was miserable, but brought home the meaning of all the wonderful inventions and technology that so many people expected to have. It was a joyous moment when the lights were finally turned back on."

I'm glad you enjoy, and are enthusiastic about, a very interesting activity like star-gazing. I imagine it can be a very rewarding subject in terms of history, mathematics, navigation, mythology, etc.

However, I do hope you might look into the moral and political effects of what many environmental and anti-light-pollution groups, including the International Dark Skies Coalition, have on a system of individual rights, property rights, limited government, etc.

I would hope that you would not come to the conclusion that others should be forced to accomodate your astronomy club's desires, at the cost of being forced to install "green" technology.

So I hope you keep enjoying the stars, but please don't infringe on my individual rights, i.e. my right to light up my property at nighttime. That would not be nice.

I invite you to consider some thoughts on individual rights by visting this site:
http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=objectivism_pobs5

Thanks again for posting!

March 29, 2008 10:38 PM  
Blogger Amy said...

Hi Lynne - thanks for commenting!

I also convinced my Mom, my Father and Mother-in-law, Brother-in-law, and various friends to crank up the lights for "Edison Hour."

That extra money we spent is well worth it not only to have an hour's celebration, but to thank our power companies for all their hard work and good thinking (despite being heavily chained by the government). Here's to Detroit Edison and other power companies (especially nuclear!) - Hurray!

And thanks for the compliment - I'm glad you are enjoying my site.

March 29, 2008 10:56 PM  
Anonymous James Hennessey said...

This should be of concern to all American citizens. Since we moved up here to Hesperia, CA.in 1971 the electric telephone post out front had capacitors and other equipment on it and a rumbling noise was constantly in the bedroom wall from them. Southern California Edison Electric Co. people came out here after we called them back in the 1980's and put a smaller post in the driveway to alleviate the noise. That solved that particular problem at that time. In 1992 a couple days after my mother died the equipment was removed from the telephone post out front. But a couple months ago in Feb. 2008 they re-installed similar and more elaborate things on the post out front. There is a high pitched constant drone noise and a low rumbling noise coming from them which can be heard when lying down trying to sleep and also can be heard in other rooms in the house. I complained and SCE came out here and claimed there was nothing wrong with their equipment. At first they tried to sell me on the idea the noises were conming from a neighbors vent on there roof which is completely untrue. The next time they came out here and replaced their meter because they thought maybe it was the meter making the noises which it wasn't. The next time they came out to check it they claimed it was the visor on my mercury light in my driveway making the noises which isn't causing it. They have been out here about 6 times and want to ignore the fact which is the noise is coming from their telephone post. I have a picture of this elaborate torture machine eqiupment which goes straight to the brain. They may claim the equipment is for a certain thing, however, I suspect the equipment is being used for ulterior motives. I think the American public should be aware of what the electric companies are using their equipment for. James Hennessey

April 8, 2008 8:47 PM  
Blogger Amy said...

Hi James - Thanks for your message "to all American citizens." My blog is not too popular yet, but who knows how big it will get in the future!

Good luck with your electrical service! Perhaps noise-canceling headphones might be of help.

April 9, 2008 10:51 AM  
Anonymous Garrison Smith said...

This post has been removed by a blog administrator.

December 22, 2008 6:56 AM  
Blogger Realist Theorist said...

Today Rush Limbaugh (no, I'm not a fan) mentioned that he was going to turn on all his lights during the Earth Hour time on Saturday, and he asked his listeners to do the same.

If you can tell him about Edison hour, perhaps you can get some press.

March 26, 2009 8:25 PM  
Blogger Amy said...

Thanks Realist Theorist!

I heard him say this too (simply by chance, as I also am not a fan).

I'll be emailing him with links. Thanks - and keeps those lights shining brightly!

March 26, 2009 10:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"If Thomas Edison were alive today" . . . he'd be selling his longevity invention!

March 28, 2009 4:28 PM  

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