Jim,

Your "reasonable middle ground" could also apply to things like trouble shooting projects. Your essay immediately brought to mind a study I was part of to find the cause of marks put on the paper by the dryer felt seam. Three of us process engineers worked shift work to gather a whole bunch of data to feed to some researchers so they could "solve" the problem. I had the 11-7 shift and didn't take too kindly to just taking data for research. The data didn't solve the problem. Observant process engineers did.

On another variation of this theme, there is probably a lot of data taking and reporting in pulp mills and stock prep areas that could be streamlined to report only the meaningful stuff. In addition, improvements of what is measured and reported.

My best regards,

Chuck Green
Webster, New York, USA

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So what is Earth Day worth?

Jim

Thank you for your article on the Earth Day premium. We need many more people speaking out against the idiocy of our energy policies. For the United States to not extract our own oil reserves and depend on foreign countries that do not have our best interests in mind is not only incredibly stupid but also very dangerous. I have heard that the ANWR area is a postage stamp area compared to a football field. How this could hurt the environment is beyond me. Keep up the good work.

Chuck Grantz
Middletown, Ohio, USA

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Jim

I almost phoned you on this. But it is too late in the evening so this email must suffice.

Who is unwilling to expand our oil consumption? I think I'm completely out of it on this one. The President goes to the Saudis and asks them to help and they say just buy more ... And we have reserves we're not tapping because why?

The gas price at the pump jumps 30 cents a gallon willy nilly and we the people don't know why. I keep looking in the paper and can't find a thing to pin point any answers.

Makes you want to run out and buy a motorcycle.

Peace,

Gene Canavan

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Who? Many individuals and environmental groups. The markets are working just fine. Choking off production where the deer and the antelope play is how this is playing out.

Ironically, I am seeing more and more old Volkswagen Beetles (the old rear engine, air cooled kind) on the road here in Atlanta. I have one in my own garage I need to get back on the road. The unintended consequences of this, however, is that this old things are exempt from emissions standards (they are classified as "antiques" here and have not one tiny bit of pollution control equipment).

Jim

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