Posted on 08/05/2006 2:32:45 PM PDT by sully777
And whatever happened to common courtesy combined with a motion detector?
We moved away from Metro Detroit and one of our criteria was a starry sky. Sounds silly to some, but as others have said, it keeps my head on straight and lets me listen to the great I AM rather than the noise of humanity.
Our neighbor has one of those obnoxious floodlights that stays on all night long. If he's worried about coyote in his fenced yard, fine, but a motion sensor would save him money and me the aggravation of having to look north and not west.
> AND DAMN IT YOU'RE GONNA FIX OUR LITTLE WAGONS!
Uh-huh. Your paranoia is showing.
Even for the most rabid libertarian it's valid to regulate activity that has a direct effect on the property of others or the ability of others to make use of that property as they wish.
Apparently, you did not read the entire article. The movement seeks to end commercial lighting after 11PM. The movement seeks to limit development. The movement seeks to disrupt or delay current development. The movement seeks to find its way into schools. The movement seeks to change our thoughts, our behavior, and our capitalistic motives...in short, the movement is not freedom loving.
NO EVER SAID COMMUNISM EXCEPT BIGGERTEN.
Nice try but no soap
lots of the ways to minimize light pollution is more friendly to the people around us, more cost effective and often makes good sense.
The people who benefit most from security lights at night are often the people you are hoping the lights chase off, because it makes their jobs of doing things they ought not be doing easier since they can see what they're doing.
Being diurnal critters, though, I no doubt expect people to want to continue to light their ways around.
There just happen to be ways that are better than others.
Apparently not for some. For some, lighting up the universe, and blotting out all ability to appreciate it, is their GOD GIVEN RIGHT AND YOU WILL NOT FIX THEIR WAGONS. Or something.
North Korea seems to have solved the problem. Perhaps this guy should go there for some tips.
Exactly. My wife wants to put a bunch of yard lights all over the front yard and leave them on all night. And she wants them BRIGHT.
I told her that night is supposed to be dark. That's the way it's been for millions of years. But, she insists that we need our yard to look like an airport 24/7.
> But, she insists that we need our yard to look like an airport 24/7.
Tell her that she's funding bin Laden.
Actually in this state the Luddites tried to ban astronomy.
And on the other hand, Japan is displaying more "progress" than the US. Perhaps you should go there.
I absolutely agree with you. I'd like for people to be educated about the issues surrounding light pollution in both the practical and aestetic reasons why it is a good idea to be more careful with light than is the case generally these days.
Coercion is not something I'd support by any means. Nannystatism has enough supporters out there. They don't need me.
I wish people were more careful with lighting, but I'd never want to unleash the power of government upon people who do not.
Indeed. I'm dismayed to see our nation turn into a bunch of priviledged whiners where the tiny minority not only demand an equal voice, but demand the dominant voice for a cause. Got a town athiest? Kiss that veteran's cross on the hill goodbye, damn the other 99.993% of the citizens of the town. Got somebody who has a telescope? No lights for you! Telescopers' Rights! Got two guys or two gals who want to shack up together? Marry us now! We don't care about your silly citizen's referendum!
If somebody wants to constantly experience a pitch-black night sky, then perhaps they should restructure their lives and move to a location with such an environment. Heck, even the Unabomer had the decency to go live in a rusty old shack out in the middle of nowhere.
When I was kid, my dad used to take me in the back yard and show me the constellations. He pointed out different stars and told me about them.
It was a marvelous experience.
But, that was 1967 New Mexico. No way can I do the same for my child, unless I take a two hour drive and then trespass on some farmer's property.
I spend several weekends a year in the country, watching the little critters, (and the big ones) sky watching and communing with nature. I love it.
But trying to force other people to adjust their lives so I can have what I want is just wrong.
If it's overcast I wouldn't be able to see the stars anyway, right?
Thank you!
It makes me sad that there is no groups that encourage more careful light usage without promoting the "There should be a law" mentality
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