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Broadcasting Liberal Guilt and Conservative Fear

In Entertainment, Local News, Opinion, Politics on August 16, 2011 at 10:11 am

By Gery L. Deer

Deer In Headlines

Liberals love to make people feel guilty about success in any form. Even as the country struggles to regain its financial legs, President Obama and his Democratic friends constantly seem to be apologizing for America’s achievements. Business or personal success and any obvious practices of capitalism are severely frowned upon in those circles, reserved only for people named Kerry, Pelosi or Clinton, all of whom are millionaires.

Take public broadcasting, for example, where the liberal talents of cloaking capitalism in good deeds and manipulation through guilt are masterfully played over the airways.

Both the Public Broadcasting System and National Public Radio refer to paying advertisers as “supporters,” and people who give in to their annual pleas for donations in exchange for a tote bag are called, “members.” Insulting the intelligence of their audience with the ridiculous notion that there’s something more dignified about the wordplay, an advertiser is an advertiser and P.T. Barnum would have been able to tell them why pledge drives work.

At local NPR affiliate stations, sound engineers crank the bass, throwing in just a touch of reverb, as a soothing, generally raspy, female voice begins to ply the money out of the wallets of listeners. “Keep the support coming,” the woman says softly, “Your pledge will make it possible for us to tell you the stories of the world.” Yes it will, but they still won’t be able to provide a traffic report that’s less than a half-hour old.

It still seems counterproductive that the only government-sponsored broadcasting services have, not balanced, but staggeringly left-leaning content yet are subsidized by the tax payers. Imagine the firestorm of anger that would ensue if a Conservative radio host like Rush Limbaugh was suddenly awarded federal grant money and began soliciting donations over the air. No doubt the Left would go berserk.

Of course, Conservatives have their own brand of manipulation in the form of, for lack of better terms, fear mongering. Their idea is to scare everyone to death about nearly anything in order to sway voters and promote the American dream, which, in their eyes consists of success in every possible way no matter who is trampled upon in the process.

Exaggerating components of important issues like Mexican immigration or social security, Republicans go on the air and strike fear into their constituents wherever possible. Imagine this scene for example.

The sound of what can only be interpreted as a fist impacting a wooden desk top is followed immediately by a voice kindred only to an evangelist at an old time tent revival. “My friends, we cannot let the socialist commies of the liberal party flush America down the toilet of the world,” the exasperated man says, breathless and loud. Papers shuffle in the background.

“We must protect the Ten Commandments on our court house lawns and keep the Democrats from taxing us back into the Stone Age or handing our country over to their Islamic cohorts.”

This onslaught of right-wing rhetoric is usually followed by the host playing sound bites of some popular Democrat which have been taken thoroughly out of context and cleverly edited to elicit just the right response from listeners. Usually, the desired reaction is anger and outrage.

For the record, it is the opinion of this reporter that Limbaugh and his blowhard buddies are uneducated, uninformed, fear-mongering hairdos. But they still have as much right to the airways as pretentious, know-it-all, liberal “newscasters” like Meeshell Norris and Robert Siegel.

If fair and balanced reporting is what people want, it’s unlikely to be found in a free press. Broadcasters are often at the mercy of advertisers, especially in today’s economy. Once a format is chosen and it gains a following, broadcasters need to meet the demands of listeners by giving them what they want to hear and, subsequently, if no one listens, advertisers (or supporters, if you happen to be a Liberal) will dry up.

Keep also in mind that radio personalities like Terry Gross and Rush Limbaugh are performers, not journalists. Their job is to entertain the listening constituency of lemmings who follow their one-sided nonsense, no matter how ridiculous it might seem to a free-thinking person.

Gery L. Deer is an independent columnist and business writer based in Jamestown. Read more at http://www.deerinheadlines.com.

Jamestown Grads Share Memories on Facebook

In Local News, Opinion, Uncategorized on August 9, 2011 at 1:37 am

By Gery L. Deer

Deer In Headlines

 

As the school bell begins to ring, signaling the start of a brand new year, I was recently reminded of how fast time slips by and what we miss along the way. Not to mention what we forget about entirely.

One evening, not too long ago, I was lurking on Facebook when I noticed that aJamestown,Ohiopage to which I subscribe was being bombarded by messages. I rarely get a chance to spend more than a few minutes looking at any of this stuff, so, having some free time at the end of the day, I decided to look in on it.

Appropriately titled, “You Know You’re From Jamestown If,” the group page is usually full of nonsense or bad jokes about small town life. On this particular night, however, something more fun and positive was happening.

A group of graduates from the 1980’s were sharing their memories of Greeneview High Shool and growing up inJamestown. I was in the Greeneview class of ’85 and rarely think of my school days. But watching the flood of memories being shared on the chat page was not only fun and entertaining, it was touching as well. Looking back through the eyes of others was a fascinating exploration into perspective.

Memories of people and events long forgotten were being typed and posted as fast as people could think of them. Some things being discussed I didn’t remember at all, while others, the amazing food at our elementary school for example, were clearly visible in my mind.

You know you are fromJamestownif you remember walking to the Pizza Pantry after football games, or if you had a history teacher who hired a belly dancer, or a language teacher that gave A’s to the girls who wore dresses to class. You know you are fromJamestownif you had a shop instructor obsessed with, “Glue and screws,” or a band director who looked like Mr. Kotter.

InJamestown, probably elsewhere too, girls used to wrap their boyfriend’s class ring with yarn so they could wear it on their finger instead of on a chain around their neck. Do they even still do that or has the class ring exchange been replaced with the, “In a relationship with,” notation on Facebook?

Besides their school memories, some people also reminisced about whatJamestownwas like in those days. Before the Wickersham building collapsed and the fires of the early 90’s ravaged the downtown, and before the railroad left,Jamestownwas thriving and busy.

There were gas stations at each end of town, two ice cream stores, and two restaurants: The Grasshopper and Curley’s, where my mother worked. The Jamestown Pharmacy had a soda fountain and while you waited for your ice cream you could go get your favorite candy from the five and dime next door. Back then, you often had to wait for trains to pass by in order to get from one side of town to the other.

Some folks even spent an unusually long time talking about the one, full-time traffic light at the center of town. Though before long, someone promptly noted that there were actually two, reminding everyone that the other one just flashed yellow after school hours.

No doubt we all remember our childhoods in our own way and many posters lamented over easier times. One person commented, “Life back then was so simple.” Another classmate said, “Since graduation I’ve lived inCincinnati,Cleveland,Columbus,Philadelphia,Minneapolis, andEvansville…still the best memories are fromJamestown.” That sentiment was shared by many, including me. Even one of the teachers chimed in to say that he has nothing but wonderful memories about his years at Greeneview.

As the Class of 2012 heads into their finale, here’s a special hat tip to them from the Class of 1985 – and all the classes of Greeneview, and Jamestown High School (yes, there was a “Jamestown High School” at one time), Ross Township, Jefferson Township, and Silvercreek Township High Schools. The Statler Brothers once sang, “Things get complicated when you get past 18.” They couldn’t have been more correct. So thanks for the memories everyone. You made my night.

 

Gery L. Deer is an independent columnist and business writer based in Jamestown. Read more at http://www.deerinheadlines.com.

 

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Martin Arrest Typifies Bad Judgment of Politicians

In Local News, National News, Opinion, Politics, State News on August 2, 2011 at 8:57 am

By Gery L. Deer

Deer In Headlines

Representative Jarrod Martin (R-Beavercreek)

Republican State Representative Jarrod Martin of Beavercreek is facing drunken driving and child endangerment charges following a July 22nd traffic stop inJacksonCounty. Martin was pulled over after swerving over the center line while pulling a trailer without a tail light.

He then allegedly refused a sobriety test claiming that he was embarrassed to be seen on the cruiser’s dashcam. Two other adults and two children were in the vehicle as well.

According to police records, just over a year ago, Martin was found in the early hours of the morning drunk and slumped over a Chevy Suburban that belonged to State Representative William Batchelder, R-Medina, who had left his car in the garage.

State patrol logs indicate that officers tried, unsuccessfully, for more than 20 minutes to wake Martin until medics arrived. He was released to House Republican campaign director Mike Dittoe.

In May of last year Martin and several others were evicted from aBeavercreekhotel after police were called by employees for what they reported to be drunken fighting. Reports indicate that officers found Martin and six others highly intoxicated at a bachelor party. Martin’s parents were called and the men were removed from the hotel. The representative was not charged in either incident.

Martin’s latest problem comes only a few days after another Republican state representative, Robert Mecklenborg ofCincinnati, resigned after he reportedly failed to disclose a drunk-driving arrest.

Let’s face it, politicians are human but at the same time, they should be held to a higher standard. It seems like those who most forcefully argue for stiffer penalties and regulations of alcohol or drugs tend to be the ones who are so publicly misusing them.

Through written statements, Jarrod Martin maintains that alcohol played no part in the most recent incident and intends to vindicate himself in court. However, whether or not he was intoxicated this time, the facts are clear on the previous two incidents and any regular citizen would have been hauled off to jail in either case.

Perhaps some of the officers responding to these incidents simply did not want the headache and paperwork that would come with arresting a sitting legislator. It is possible that they are afraid of being fired or denied promotion and other benefits were they to arrest an important political figure.

Government officials proven to have used their political credentials to avoid prosecution for serious offenses like DUI or child endangerment should be forced to resign. By the same token, law enforcement officers should be fired who ignore their duty because the subject is a politician.

Martin’s guilt or innocence in this most recent occurrence will be determined by the courts, but his records indicate that he clearly has an issue with alcohol. The use of alcohol, or any other drug, is a choice. If he is going to continue to do it, he is going to continue to have problems.

The official reports show that Martin’s republican associates have covered for him time and time again. Is theOhiorepublican party guilty of willingly participating in a campaign of misinformation relating to the sobriety of their members? And what does it say about a state representative whose mommy and daddy have to come rescue him from a drunken party?

The whole situation is disappointing and Ohioans should think twice about returning government representatives to Columbus who they already know to have bad judgment.

Constituents should keep in mind, when it’s time to vote on important issues like alcohol and child welfare, that same poor judgment could be employed on the floor of the state legislature.

Gery L. Deer is a local business writer and columnist. Read more at http://www.deerinheadlines.com.

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How Does A Federal Shutdown Affect You?

In Business, Economy, Local News, National News, Opinion, Uncategorized on July 26, 2011 at 8:01 am

By Gery L. Deer

Deer In Headlines

 

In a live address July 25th, President Obama urged Americans to pressure congressional leaders to move toward a compromise. (AP Photo)

On Monday, July 25, in his seventh prime time televised address to the nation, President Obama pleaded with Americans to pressure their congressional representatives to make a deal on the debt ceiling. While Mr. Obama argues against the GOP plans or any sort of a short term solution, Speaker of the House John Boehner is resolute against handing the president, what he called, “Another blank check.”

Both parties are using fear to motivate the public to demand action. But Americans who rely on federal funds to survive watch helplessly as Washington continues to bicker with itself and worry about how they will eat and pay the bills if there is a government shutdown amidst an already sluggish economy.

According to a CBS poll taken earlier this week, 79 percent of Americans are angry about the way the debt problem is being handled. There is also a great deal of speculation and misinformation about exactly what will happen should an agreement fail to be reached by the August 2nd deadline.

During the Clinton administration, three different government shut downs occurred, the longest lasting 21 days. Each resulted in the forced furlough of more than 800,000 federal employees. For information about how a federal closure would affect specific programs, contact the individual department directly. In the meantime, here are some examples of how a shutdown might affect the average citizen.

Many agencies like the CDC and National Institute of Health will scale back operations during the shutdown, with only essential personnel staying on the job. Law enforcement, public safety and national security employees would remain working, including the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and the national military. Some other agencies, not thoroughly funded by the government, like the postal service, would continue to operate as well.

Many employees of those departments may not be paid during that time, however. No factual information was available on which agencies will continue to issue paychecks, but one congressional aid told The Washington Post that military personnel would likely receive a paycheck during the first week of any shutdown, but possibly nothing after that.

For employees of government contractors the situation is even more ambiguous. Whether contractors work or get paid will depend on the employer, the specific area of the government being serviced and the projects involved. Workers in these situations should contact their company’s human resourced department for information.

Planning a summer vacation to a national park over the next few weeks? It might be a good idea to look into alternatives. If federal dollars are cut off, any national park that requires a Forest Service employee to be on site would be closed. Locally, that would include the Wright Brothers sites throughout theMiamiValleywhich are part of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park.

Officials are being tight-lipped about the full impact of the shutdown. Those who are talking agree that many civilian employees will be forced to take an unpaid vacation and it is unlikely that pay will be made retroactively once things start up again.

In 2010, an unprecedented number of people voted for a divided government – and sometimes it has merit. But usually such a total split of ideology just brings out the worst in politicians and leaves important issues mired in partisan rhetoric.

Possibly more maddening is the idea that the Washington egos in charge of this mess are mostly people of wealth who do not have to worry about where their next paycheck will come from. Given their childlike behavior and inability to compromise for the good of the people, come November of 2012, the most sensible actions that Americans can take is to show them the door.

 

Gery L. Deer is an independent columnist based in Jamestown, Ohio. Read more at http://www.deerinheadlines.com.

Loneliness, Grief Leave Seniors Vulnerable To Opportunists

In Local News on July 22, 2011 at 7:55 am

By Gery L. Deer

Deer In Headlines

Sometimes life takes unpredictable turns. Adjusting to those changes can be daunting. As friends and family pass away, many people are left alone, a single voice of a generation with no one to talk to. Experts suggest that isolated seniors can become inappropriately, even romantically, attached to caregivers, neighbors or friends who offer a shoulder to cry on or those needing the kind of care and support once given to a spouse or children.

Grief, loneliness and stress can interfere with normally sound judgment. Vulnerable and often depressed, senior citizens can easily fall victim to opportunistic individuals who seek only to take advantage of their kindness.

Unscrupulous people will abuse the misplaced affections of a senior citizen manipulating them with big sad eyes and a long sad story. The individual accepts the senior’s offer of gifts, money and other tokens of adoration; small gestures at first that grow more elaborate. Some reports conclude that seniors have been convinced to sign over financial powers of attorney, real estate and other holdings.

When concerned family members confront the senior about the situation, it can be a conversation that rapidly deteriorates into an argument. Pushed too hard, he or she may be driven deeper into depression and anxiety, generally becoming even more susceptible to outside influence, possibly even cutting ties to family in an effort to maintain the outside relationship, albeit unrealistic.

Inconsiderate and uncaring of the damage that can befall a family in these circumstances, the self-serving outsider may provide a comforting ear; enforcing the idea that the children are jealous, controlling or wanting to keep the parent from going ahead with life.

It will be virtually impossible to convince the senior that the outside individual has ulterior motives for the relationship. He or she may have to come to the realization on their own, but that may happen too late – after the bank account has been bled dry or vital resources have been depleted. So how does a family cope with this kind of problem?

Every situation is unique, but family members should be mindful of some telltale signs that their parent is involved in a dangerous relationship. Here are some questions to consider.

Are the bills falling behind? If access to the information is available, are account balances suddenly shrinking at the bank or increasing on the credit cards? Does the senior frequently do chores or run errands for the outsider?

Does the senior avoid answering questions about money or does he or she get angry or defensive when queried about expenditures or unpaid debts? Does the senior place an irrational level of importance on the outsider ahead of themselves or family?

If the answer to one or more of these questions is yes, there may be cause for concern and family members should first try talking. As stated before, arguments solve nothing, so don’t push, try to help the parent see that you understand their feelings and are merely showing concern for their security. Begin by talking with the family doctor or clergy.

Depression is often a prime factor leading to these types of attachments. In cases where the senior has had to deal with the death or lengthy illness of a spouse, geriatric psychologists suggest individual or family grief counseling. It’s also helpful to get the senior involved with activities, groups or organizations in which he or she has a common interest with others of similar age and background.

For those adult children facing this situation, be diligent but understanding. A helpful ear and sympathetic heart will go a lot further than a loud, accusatory voice. Remind your parent that, though you are not in their shoes, you both walk the same path.

For the parents, perhaps you should at least try to listen to concerns expressed by your adult kids. It might be a good idea to remove the rose-colored glasses for just a moment and see the situation from their point of view. If their concerns are unfounded, what do you have to lose by taking a closer look at it?

Greene County Combined Health District Announces Summer Well Child Tot ‘N Teen Clinic Schedule

In Health, Local News on July 18, 2011 at 4:31 pm

(From Left) Medical Assistant April Lucas, Well Child patient Josephyne Powers, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Elaine Hughes.

XENIA – The Greene County Combined Health District (GCCHD) has announced that it will hold Well Child Tot ‘N Teen Clinics every Monday during the months of July, August and September. Clinics are held from 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. and are designed to help children and teens get ready for school and sports.

Well Child Clinics provide comprehensive wellness care for children ages birth – 18 years old from a dedicated team of health care professionals. Routine well baby/child check-ups include vision, hearing and speech screenings, immunizations, screenings and tests for lead and a visit with the dietitian if needed. Physicals for school, sports, work, camp, Head Start and Kindergarten are also offered.

Appointments are necessary and can be made by calling the Greene County Combined Health District at (937) 374-5655 of toll-free at 1-866-858-3588.

Payment options include Medicaid, CareSource, Amerigroup, Molina, private insurance, private pay, and by sliding fee scale. For more information, please call April Lucas at (937) 374-5600, ext. 5676.

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Annie Oakley Days Hosts Wild West Arts Showcase Performances

In Entertainment, Local News, National News on July 11, 2011 at 11:12 am

Whip handling, knife throwing and trick roping headline seven shows at the fairground coliseum during Annie Oakley Days.

Whip Artist / Showcase Producer Gery L. Deer - http://www.thewhipstudio.com

GREENVILLE, OH – Wild West performers headlining the 9th Annual Annie Oakley Western Arts Showcase are gearing up for five live performances during Annie Oakley Days in the upper level of the Darke County Fairground Coliseum. Entertainers will be appearing from shows like America’s Got Talent and The Bonnie Hunt Show. Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday July 29, 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturday the 30th and 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on July 31st. Each show is free with regular admission.

Writer, entertainer Gery L. Deer is an award-winning whip artist and serves as the producer and director of the performances. “We’re happy to be back at Annie Oakley Days for our ninth year of precision whip artistry, knife throwing and fancy trick roping,” said Deer, who is also the managing director of The Whip Artistry Studio training center in Jamestown, Ohio. “I’m grateful that we have the opportunity to show the public that Wild West arts are real and require talent and skill, not to mention years of practice.”

Each showcase will also feature champion knife thrower Kirk Bass, of Xenia, who teams up with wife Melodee in the suspenseful “Bass Blades” impalement show. Bass is a certified thrown weapons instructor with the International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame and the assistant director for the Western Arts Showcase events.

According to Deer, the best shows to see will be on Saturday. “We pull out all the stops on Saturday, with Wild West arts exhibitions during the afternoon performance and a longer, variety show in the evening.” Saturday night’s extended program will be hosted by The Brothers & Co. Entertainers music and variety group from Jamestown, Ohio. Often compared to The Statler Brothers or Oak Ridge Boys, “The Boys In Black” do a combination of four-part vocals and Vaudeville-style comedy and variety routines.

All performances are family friendly. For more information go online to http://www.thewhipstudio.com/annieoakley.html or call (937) 902-4857.

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New Book By Reclusive Local Author Highlights Judeo Christian Mysticism

In Local News, Media, National News, Senior Lifestyle on June 29, 2011 at 1:05 pm

Local Literary News

Images Old and New by Sarah Seymour-Winfield

GREENE COUNTY – A Greene County author now shares with readers a similarly controversial book, the result of a twenty-year journey following a deep, personal spiritual awakening. Officially released by Greyden Press in June, Images Old and New by Sarah Seymour-Winfield is described as, “A scholarly book about Christian mysticism.”

The book is a painstakingly referenced mixture of theologically-based studies including literature, philosophy and spiritualism, offering the reader unique insights into the Bible and its origins. The author’s goal is to help readers on a path to their own illumination.

“Long ago on Mount Sinai, Moses, Aaron, and seventy-two privileged men actually saw the God of Israel and with Him actually ate and drank,” recalled Seymour-Winfield. “Likewise, Images Old and New grants the contemporary reader a similar mystical privilege through the readings of Scripture alone – to see God in the contemporary world and live.”

Because of Seymour-Winfield’s notable public absence, the author is being represented by Gery L. Deer, senior publicist and managing copywriter with GLD Enterprises Commercial Writing in Jamestown. “Sarah’s work has received outstanding reviews from theological experts around the country,” Deer said. “Early interest in the book has been surprising, from the devout and the secular alike, particularly in the academic community.”

According to Deer, Images Old and New has been chosen as an accompanying text this fall for one of the religion courses at the University of Dayton. Writers of theologically-based fiction are also showing great interest in Images. The book is to be the focus of several panel sessions during the 2011 Context Alternative Fiction Literary Conference in Columbus, August 28-30.

Currently the book is available in paper and hardback editions online, directly from the publisher or by contacting the author’s publicist, Gery L. Deer by calling (937) 902-4857. Limited copies are available for scholarly review by application to the publicist. Excerpts and a full bibliography, as well as scholarly reviews of the book, are available on the official website http://www.imagesoldandnew.com.

Greene County Safe Communities Coalition Reminds 4th of July Drivers to Plan Ahead

In Local News, Media on June 28, 2011 at 2:55 pm

Xenia – July 4th celebrations often include cook-outs, picnics, boating, time
spent with family and friends and, of course, fireworks. But for too many
families, this holiday weekend can be filled with tragedy instead of
celebration. The Fourth of July is one of the deadliest holidays of the year
when it comes to alcohol-impaired-driving crashes on our roadways.

That is why the Greene County Safe Communities Coalition is reminding everyone
that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving and to designate a sober driver before the
celebrations begin.

Statistics gathered from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over
the past 25 years show that, on average, nearly half of all deadly traffic
crashes over each year’s July 4th holiday involved some level of alcohol.

In fact, 410 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes nationally
during the Fourth of July weekend in 2009. Of that number, 40 percent involved
drivers with blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) of .08 grams per deciliter or
higher.

“The Fourth of July is a time most Americans spend celebrating with family and
friends, but in order to keep someone you love from becoming another deadly
statistic, each of us can do our part to combat one of America’s deadliest
crimes—drunk driving,” said Laurie Fox, Safe Communities Coordinator. “We hope
each individual will be responsible, designate a sober driver before the parties
begin and will never get behind the wheel after they’ve been drinking.”

All 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have made it illegal to
drive with a BAC of .08 or higher.

“Alcohol impairs many of the skills that safe driving requires, including
judgment, concentration, comprehension, coordination, visual acuity and reaction
time,” said Fox. “Even driving ‘buzzed’ is simply not worth the risk to you or
the thousands of innocent victims who are hurt or killed each year by drunk
drivers.”

Impaired driving is one of America’s deadliest problems. In 2009 alone, 10,839
people were killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes, accounting for 32
percent of all traffic-related deaths in the United States. That’s an average
of one impaired-driving fatality every 48 minutes in 2009.

Ms. Fox said that impaired drivers not only take the risk of hurting or killing
themselves or someone else, the trauma and financial costs of an
alcohol-impaired crash or an arrest can be significant. Violators often face
jail time, the loss of their driver licenses, higher insurance rates and dozens
of other unanticipated expenses.

“We want everyone to enjoy their holiday celebrations, but it’s important when
you or a friend are out drinking, to act on that knowledge by putting down your
keys or taking a friend’s keys to not let them drink and drive,” said Fox. “And
folks need to be particularly careful at night, because the rate of alcohol
impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2009 was four times higher
at night than during the day.”

The Greene County Safe Communities Coalition encourages a few simple precautions
to keep themselves and loved ones safe:

-Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin;
-Before drinking, designate a sober driver;
-If you’re impaired, don’t get behind the wheel. Call a taxi, use public

transportation or call a sober friend or family member so you are sure to get
home safely.
-If you see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact the local law
enforcement dispatch — because you may just save someone’s life.
-Remember, Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk. Take the keys and help them
make other arrangements to get where they are going safely.

“Remember, Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving, so whether you’ve had way too many,
or just one too many, it’s not worth the risk to yourself or others to get
behind the wheel,” said Fox. “Please plan ahead and designate a sober driver
before the party begins.”

For more information, please visit http://www.StopImpairedDriving.org.

Electric Cars Are Coal Powered

In Business, Economy, Local News, National News, Opinion, Politics on June 28, 2011 at 2:54 pm

By Gery L. Deer
Deer In Headlines

A few years ago gasoline prices were hovering around the 5-dollar per gallon
mark driving automakers around the world to meet the sweeping demand for
alternatively powered vehicles. Within a year, nearly every company had unveiled
its own version of either a hybrid or fully electric passenger car.

The first electrically-powered cars were introduced in the U.S. and Europe
around the mid-nineteenth century. Though it is unclear who actually invented
the concept back in those days, today there is every reason to believe that the
electric car is no better of a solution than its gasoline ancestors; at least
not yet.

According to the United States Energy Information Administration, almost half
(45 percent) of America’s electrical power is currently generated by burning
coal. Natural gas and nuclear power come in second and third, 23-percent and
20-percent, respectively. Wind and hydroelectric power providers barely even
register on the scale.

With these facts in mind, it may as well be said that an electric car being
operated in the United States is essentially powered by coal. Yes, coal; and
environmentally-minded drivers need to know that there’s nearly nothing green
about driving an electric car.

Coal mining requires the excavation of substantial areas of land and poses a
host of environmental hazards including soil erosion, excessive noise and
pollution of the air and water. In an effort to appear more environmentally
friendly over the years, mining companies have done a better job at covering
their tracks. However, backfilling and tree planting will ever undo the overall
destruction caused by the extraction process.

Mining also takes a toll in human life. In 2010, for example, 48 people died
working in American coal mines. At the same time, China lost more than 2,400
workers to mining accidents.

Once mined, coal is burned to boil water for immense steam turbines which
generate electricity. Burning coal is a dirty process; a statement that cannot
be easily disputed. Burning coal gives off a mixture of sulfur dioxide, carbon
dioxide and nitrogen oxide.

Any ideas that so-called clean coal technologies will help to curtail
environmental damage is idealistic but finally erroneous. Adding
chemical-filtering scrubbers to the chimneys of power plants will only slightly
reduce the amount of toxins released into the atmosphere over time because of
the increasing number of plants needed to meet power demands.

And what happens to the contaminants when reusable scrubbers are cleaned? Some
scientists claim that the filtered toxic waste ends up in the soil and water
supplies in close proximity to the power plants. There is no consensus on an
answer to this question.

Eventually, the world’s coal supply will be exhausted, just as petroleum stores
will be and vehicle designers will be back to square one. But the immediate
issue rests in how to limit America’s dependence on foreign fuel supplies. For
the moment, electricity seems to be the go-to technology, but even the cars
themselves pose an environmental threat.

While they may not directly create a pollution problem, electric cars have some
particularly toxic components, particularly the lithium-ion batteries which
power the motors. Currently, the federal government says these batteries can be
freely disposed of in normal municipal landfills.

Toyota, on the other hand, recently stated that lithium-ion batteries were far
too hazardous to be used in passenger cars at all. If sold en mass, these
batteries could create a significant amount of solid waste, with no
predetermined plan for their complete disposal or breakdown.

Trading one problem for another is not a solution. For now, the amount of
petroleum needed to generate wind and solar power prevents either from becoming
immediately affordable or practical. There is no perfect answer but until there
is a viable option, not just for gasoline but also for coal, the electric car is
not going to help the environmental problem.

In the end, using more electricity to run the millions of automobiles in the
United States will, at least in the short term, generate more pollution and
waste. Anyone looking down their environmentally-friendly noses from behind the
wheel of an electric car should remember just how much damage they may still be
doing.


Gery L. Deer is an independent columnist and business writer based in Jamestown,
Ohio. Read more at http://www.deerinheadlines.com.