EDITORIAL: Global-warming zealots to ban ice makers

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**Frazzled**

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/apr/23/global-warming-zealots-to-ban-ice-makers/

EDITORIAL: Global-warming zealots to ban ice makers
Ice makers are the latest target in the left's ongoing war against the conveniences of modern life. Earlier this month, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) issued a report that may condemn this essential household item to the contraband list that already includes functional light bulbs, toilets, washing machines and showerheads.

Those looking for an easy way to cool down their drinks with ice cubes are guilty of increasing their refrigerator's energy consumption by about 12 to 20 percent. That's unacceptable to global-warming alarmists at the Department of Energy (DOE) who are hard at work finalizing regulatory standards for the fridge. The proposed changes will increase prices by an estimated $2 billion per year, but DOE justifies this added expense by claiming consumers would save $37 in electricity costs over the lifetime of a typical side-by-side.

Paying more up front to obtain paltry energy savings might appeal to some consumers. Others struggling to make ends meet might not see it as such a bargain. Liberals, however, have no interest in letting the public decide what types of products suit their particular needs. Dishonest bureaucrats impose their one-size-fits-all choice on Americans while simultaneously denying they regulate consumer behavior or ban items like light bulbs, showerheads and refrigerators. "I'm pro-choice on bulbs," claimed Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency Kathleen Hogan in congressional testimony last month. "I really do not believe that the appliance standards end up restricting personal choice."

Yet the likes of Ms. Hogan pull popular products off store shelves and replace them with inferior - but government-sanctioned - products. They do so by forcing appliance manufacturers to file statements confirming that their products meet every aspect of the regulations, that the products have been tested according to government rules and that the manufacturer "is aware of the penalties" involved. Distributing a product that fails to meet with Ms. Hogan's approval carries a typical fine of $7,300 per item. That adds up quickly. Last year, DOE accused a company of producing a showerhead that worked a little bit too well. For this "crime," DOE demanded payment of $1.9 million and destruction of this highly effective product.

That's the left's idea of "choice." Uncle Sam is an unwelcome guest in the home. It's time for Congress to repeal the nanny-state efficiency standards and allow consumers to select the products that they want to use.

© Copyright 2011 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

**SilverMK2**

Wow - I am glad you posted such a clearly un-biased article on the issue of efficiency/environment/regulations-there-of.

**WarOne**

SilverMK2 wrote:Wow - I am glad you posted such a clearly un-biased article on the issue of efficiency/environment/regulations-there-of.

WoW- a game for nerds and powergamers that has now taken the place of a word formerly used to describe expressing astonishment and admiration.

But aren't any news articles inherently biased because they are created by humans? Even those new machines that can cobble together new stories from their databases are made by biased humans and ergo fundamentally flawed.

**SilverMK2**

WarOne wrote:But aren't any news articles inherently biased because they are created by humans? Even those new machines that can cobble together new stories from their databases are made by biased humans and ergo fundamentally flawed.

However, there are some articles which are better than others - I would venture that there are probably less biased and more neutral articles than this discussing the same general topics.

Indeed, I regularly am left astonished at how even mainstream American publishers/TV companies/etc carry on (it is as if all your media outlets are run by the same people who own the Daily Express

).

**Frazzled**

Its an editorial, there's been enough Godless Commie Pinko mocha latte articles posted recently, we need to even the keel of this ship of state.

And where the

are my Zombie threads?

**WarOne**

Frazzled wrote:And where the are my Zombie threads?

Does this count:

http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1604601

(RTTNews) - Rob Zombie has announced the name of a new drummer for his band. Ginger Fish, whose real name is Kenneth Robert Wilson, will join the rocker as a replacement for Joey Jordison, who was forced to bow out of the band due to conflicts with his main gig Slipknot.

Fish is a former drummer for Marilyn Manson. According to blabbermouth.net, his first gig with Zombie took place in February.

Zombie is gearing up for a tour of Europe this summer. The swing begins on June 3 in Germany and continues into July, when he returns to the United States. Several North American dates are scheduled through July and into August.

Zombie's last album was Hellbilly Deluxe 2, which was released in early 2010.

by RTT Staff Writer

**Frazzled**

Getting there, but I may have to post a zombie topic, lest we all start voting for Chavez.

**Kilkrazy**

I heard that left-wingers want to ban soap.

**SilverMK2**

Kilkrazy wrote:I heard that left-wingers want to ban soap.

I wouldn't have thought so as that would mean a more unwashed masses for the right to scare into supporting them...

**Kilkrazy**

Soap requires industrial production and chemicals to make it.

**Frazzled**

Kilkrazy wrote:I heard that left-wingers want to ban soap.

Just the hippies in Berkeley and Austin.

**biccat**

Frazzled wrote:
Kilkrazy wrote:I heard that left-wingers want to ban soap.

Just the hippies in Berkeley and Austin.

For casual reading...