[TowerTalk] AES SK

[Jim Brown]

On Mon,7/11/2016 11:57 AM, Wes Attaway (N5WA) wrote:
> Maybe it is time for the thread to die but I think it has been pretty
> interesting from the standpoint of the numerous real-world experiences
> several of the guys have related.

Yes, it has been quite interesting. One thing I'd like to point out is 
that certain regulations imposed by federal and local governments are 
there to protect local residents from abuse by businessmen. I was born 
and raised in WV, my mom was born in coal country in KY and lived all 
her life there, my grandfather was born and raised in coal country in 
MD, got an EE from Pratt Institute, and spent all of his working life as 
an EE in the mines in WV and KY.

Those coal companies badly abused the people who worked for them in the 
form of truly awful and unsafe working conditions, and the people who 
lived there by destroying the beautiful mountains, and destroyed streams 
by discharging poisonous byproducts of their operations into those 
streams. I've read of similar abuses by the mining of coal, gold, 
silver, copper, and other minerals in the Rockies. We all know about the 
poisoning of the air by the failure to reasonably treat combustion 
byproducts.

The abuses of these companies, while increasing their profits, do so at 
the expense of the people who live there, the insurance companies and 
governments who pay for medical care for those who are sickened by the 
abuse. And as citizens, we all pay for the abuse in the form of higher 
taxes and/or higher insurance premiums.

So SOME regulations are VERY necessary. Certainly regulation of those 
bankers and Wall Street tycoons that caused millions to lose their homes 
and life saving is necessary.

FWIW, California, where I've lived for 10 years, is well known for 
pretty tough environmental regulations, but it hasn't hurt the economy 
here at all. California has a very solid economy, and recovered from the 
2008 financial crisis much sooner than most of the rest of the country.

These are not (or at least should not be) partisan political issues, 
they are HUMAN issues.

73, Jim K9YC