Russia pulls out of Kyoto - What is the future of the Protocol?

[rah]

Yes, the minimum security country club prisons are full of white collar criminals. But feel free to ignore simple things like FACTS.

[JohnT]

People interested in theory tend to disdain facts, Rah. Haven't you noticed?

[rah]

A common affliction around here I guess.

[axi]

Do other countries have regularly scheduled mandatory car emission tests like the US?

Greece has it, we do it every year.

[rah]

For every car or just those that have reached a certain age?

RAH
And you're a bit behind, this thread has been jacked a couple of times since we were talking about that.

[axi]

I don't know, my car is old. However, the rest of the technical qualifications card which is checked every 3 years (in the big cities, cause in the rest of the country they check more frequently) is not required for vehicles under 6 years.

[VetLegion]

Originally posted by Pekka
I hoped US would have signed the Kyoto thing .. but it didn't happen so it didn't happen.

We didn't sign treaty banning landmines. I'm glad we didn't. I guess half of the countries think we are some kind of crazy war people then. Let them think that I couldn't care less, they are VITAL to our defense and if someone has troubles understanding it, they can go eat poop.

And it surely is global issue. But it doesn't mean we are blowing land mines all over the world as we speak. But we shouldn't sign the treaty either. It doesn't fit to us. We need to have the right to blow up 400 000 pair of legs if it comes down to that. It's our business and no one has anything to it.

Like in the US.. like I said, I wished they would have signed the treaty but they didn't. It's their business. It's global issue for sure, but it's not like they aren't doing anything about it.

Global treaty, nations own business.

This is a classic

[VetLegion]

Btw., we also have yearly "technical exams" for cars in Croatia. The procedure is an immense source of corruption and everyone would benefit if it was reformed, outsorced to foreign private companies, or something like that.

It is like this now, you can pass with a total wreck if you reach an agreement with the technician on duty, or you can fail the test with a new car if they feel like it.

[St Leo]

Originally posted by JohnT

My thesis is that governments are here primarly to serve the people not the corporations.

And corporations are comprised of, and get their "directions" from.... oh, yeah. People.

That's right. Everyone in a corporation has an equal voice and it's not just a bunch of inbred hicks who looks good in power suits running the show.

[St Leo]

Originally posted by GhengisFarb
1) Big Corporations haven't hijacked America, they founded it.

2) In America, it IS the governments primary job to look after and foster the Big Corporations.

We call it Capitalism.

Could Capitalism please bugger off and let Democracy run things?

[JohnT]

Everyone in a corporation has an equal voice and it's not just a bunch of inbred hicks who looks good in power suits running the show.

Fvck you.

[Dauphin]

I blame rah and his SUV for global warming.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

And global warming would have been reduced how if ratified in US and Russia?

Meanwhile third world nations without a clue how to deal with environmental issues get a free pass and are encouraged through market forces to increase their pollution. Sounds like a winner treaty if I ever heard one.

[aaglo]

Ogie,
they who know better should tell the third world. In fact, they should act as an example.

And somebody has to take the first step. It's a very poor excuse saying "because nobody else does it, why should we".

And in the end, it's the money that affects these decisions.

[The Vagabond]

You guys seem to forget that Russia is not only one of the world's largest pollutors, but it is also the world's largest source of clean and fresh air. Perhaps this gives us the right to pollute a little bit more than other countries.

Anyhow, why should Russia support idealistic projects of the evil and in reality not so idealistic EU at the expense of its own economy? Now that the EU-Russian relations are strained on a number of issues, we are in no mood for that.