NationStates Jolt Archive

A lot of people do a lot of complaining a lot of the time on this forum. So, as a break from tradition, what has your government (local, state, or federal) done recently that you approve of?

Here, there are quite a few things: a new solar power plant is being built, funded half by the state government. The big one was, of course, the apology to the Stolen Generations. Then there's the ratifying of the Kyoto Protocol, and so forth. So yeah, good amongst the bad.

How bout you?

Reduced the VAT on condoms from the luxury item rate(21%, IMS) to the service item rate(13.5%, again, IMS). No tax on them would, obviously, be preferable, but it's something.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_cheese

:)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_cheese

:)

I knew it!

Gay rights. Since labour came to power gay rights have undergone a dramatic improvement, 10 years ago if you said we could serve openly in the military, get married (or almost) and have legal protections from discrimination or denial of service (including adoptions), most people would have laughed at you.

In terms of a lot of policies (especially related to criminal justice), there have been some good ideas (joined up offender management service, increased focus on rehabilitation) with immensely poor implementation and affected by other pieces of conflicting legislation.

They raised the minimum wage, and the state has also raised it even higher.

Bursary support and student loans i'm happy for.

I'm a big fan of NASA, myself, so I'll go with that.

Nhs.

National government ? Hum not much... maybe raising the age of marriage to 18 to prevent forced marriages, a few years ago. There are probably a few similar "small" stuff which were not bad, but overall, since 2002, it's only from bad to worse.

Local government ? Well, the government of my "departement" (93, the poorest of France, and which has a communist majority) is doing good things, like paying the RMI (minimal income to those who have nothing else) to youth from 18 to 25 (the state only gives it to those above 25, so those between who are kicked by their parents are just totally lost and without any help), or paying half of the public transport for students, making it very affordable. They do a lot of very useful stuff for people, and with a very limited budget.

Reduced the VAT on condoms from the luxury item rate(21%, IMS) to the service item rate(13.5%, again, IMS). No tax on them would, obviously, be preferable, but it's something.

Why were condoms taxed at a luxury rate? I'd think they'd be a necessary item myself.

Why were condoms taxed at a luxury rate? I'd think they'd be a necessary item myself.

Yeah... I would even favor totally free condoms.

Barrio Adentro Mission, the two first stages, making first medical care and advanced preventive measures of public health available for the marginal masses is an advancement in my book.

Friggin' HIV thing in Africa, frackin' trade thing with the latin places, froggin' multi-lateral talks with DPRK on their nuclear program.

A lot of people do a lot of complaining a lot of the time on this forum. So, as a break from tradition, what has your government (local, state, or federal) done recently that you approve of?

Here, there are quite a few things: a new solar power plant is being built, funded half by the state government. The big one was, of course, the apology to the Stolen Generations. Then there's the ratifying of the Kyoto Protocol, and so forth. So yeah, good amongst the bad.

How bout you?

I would have to say that the Spanish government has done something I consider extremely good: crafted and effected laws that protect the regional dialects, like it's done with Catalunya, Extremadura (where they speak a "Fala" or derivation of Galician-Portuguese although it's severely endangered), Galicia and Asturias.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalan_language
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galician_language#Official_status
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extremadura

How recent do you want?

Minimum wage was a good one.

I can't say the federal Tories have done anything good because they haven't.

The provincial Liberals however have. They followed up on an election promise, that if they got re-elected they would create a new stat holiday in February.

Friggin' HIV thing in Africa, frackin' trade thing with the latin places, froggin' multi-lateral talks with DPRK on their nuclear program.

Sooo the three F's then?:D

Yeah... I would even favor totally free condoms.
You can in the UK.

So, what have Labour done?

Repealed Section 28
Introduced the minimum wage
Devolution for Scotland, Wales and London
Civil Unions, although it's still discriminatory, and adoption rights
Peace in Northern Ireland
Age of consent equal for hetros and homos, as it were.
Cut the humber of inbred toffs in the Lords (now we have Labour toffs, but there you go)


Although I hardly think it vindicates thir record in other departments, though...

nationally(apart from whats already said):


surgeries open on weekends
kicking Blair out


locally:

waste management is well under control
you can now relie on the buses to get you to work on time
underage drinking has been clamped down on (which is good now I'm a legal drinker :p)

Pension were a good idea - good old Lloyd George.

Welfare State/NHS

Getting rid of the death penalty

Universal suffrage

I would have to say that the Spanish government has done something I consider extremely good: crafted and effected laws that protect the regional dialects, like it's done with Catalunya, Extremadura (where they speak a "Fala" or derivation of Galician-Portuguese although it's severely endangered), Galicia and Asturias.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalan_language
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galician_language#Official_status
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extremadura

Why they haven't done it with the Euskera remains a mystery for me...

I won't play the ol' discrimination part, but well, it could help a lot regarding a certain population that doesn't fell "spanish" in a broad sense.

Built roads and other accommodations like that, NHS, public education and transport, made it possible to go to university, made my region one of the regions with the highest living standards on earth (although there are many other factors contributing to that too) made my city bike-friendly and other small stuff like that.
Of course there are many things that could still be better, but it could be a lot worse too.

N.H.S.
schools
welfare

...

nationalised Northern Rock...

1. Sucessful First Amendment challenges every time uptight people try banning/restricting porn on the internets.

2. Supports world class sports teams

3. Keeps taxes reasonably low

4. When the economy starts getting crappy, the government mails us checks just for the hell of it.

5. In NYS you can buy beer in gas stations and grocery stores.

6. We have water that doesnt make visitors to the country shit themselves when they drink it.

7. Maintenance of the internet.

8. US National Museums

9. Cool new Military hardware

10. Las Vegas

1
6. We have water that doesnt make visitors to the country shit themselves when they drink it.

I challenge that statement

Why they haven't done it with the Euskera remains a mystery for me...

I won't play the ol' discrimination part, but well, it could help a lot regarding a certain population that doesn't fell "spanish" in a broad sense.

Euskera's protected. And remember that the Basque Country has autonomy from Spain, and Euskera is officially recognized as the language of the area in regions that fall under Euskal Herriá's territory: Navarra, Vizcaya, Gipuzcoa and Zuberoa. The problem with Euskera is that, since the Basque Country also falls under French jurisdiction, those who live on the Francophone side do not recognize Euskerra nor allow its use in their collective communities. But the Basque can use it in French courts.

The only reservation that many people in Spain have, myself included, is that Euskera has no resemblance to any of the dialects used in the country, it has no ties to Romance languages nor sounds like any other language in Europe.

For more information on Euskera and the Basque Country in general, check the following link:
EUSKAL HERRIA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euskera)

My local government continues to pump money into our library system (although I have to give our local voters credit for always passing the levies). As a result, we boast the best public library system in the country.

Also, (again, with voter support) we had the police make stopping marijuana possession their lowest priority. We can then focus our resources on more important stuff.

1. Social Security
2. Medicare
3. Welfare
4. Public Education
5. USPS
6. Roads without tolls
7. EPA
8. FDA
9. 40 hour work week
10. Minimum wage (though it should become living wage)
11. Police
12. Fire Department
13. Rural electrification
14. Civil rights (race / gender / LGBT)


The order doesn't show favoritism, I just listed them in the order that I came up with them.

Euskera's protected. And remember that the Basque Country has autonomy from Spain, and Euskera is officially recognized as the language of the area in regions that fall under Euskal Herriá's territory: Navarra, Vizcaya, Gipuzcoa and Zuberoa. The problem with Euskera is that, since the Basque Country also falls under French jurisdiction, those who live on the Francophone side do not recognize Euskerra nor allow its use in their collective communities. But the Basque can use it in French courts.

The only reservation that many people in Spain have, myself included, is that Euskera has no resemblance to any of the dialects used in the country, it has no ties to Romance languages nor sounds like any other language in Europe.

For more information on Euskera and the Basque Country in general, check the following link:
EUSKAL HERRIA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euskera)

Didn't know it was protected by the autonomy act, I thought Català was more or less in the same situation.

I think that the fact it lacks ties to any of the other languages or dialects in Europe or the world for that matter makes it more unique, and more worthy of protection. Although any dialect should be properly protected, from any area.

I thought Álava was also one of the regions included in Euskal Herria, Did I miss something regarding the current political division? (my family is from Vitoria, and actually there is where I am inscribed as a citizen).

The Welsh Assembly Government have made prescriptions free in Wales. That's a good thing and I like it.

Didn't know it was protected by the autonomy act, I thought Català was more or less in the same situation.

I think that the fact it lacks ties to any of the other languages or dialects in Europe or the world for that matter makes it more unique, and more worthy of protection. Although any dialect should be properly protected, from any area.

I thought Álava was also one of the regions included in Euskal Herria, Did I miss something regarding the current political division? (my family is from Vitoria, and actually there is where I am inscribed as a citizen).

The laws encated to protect the different dialects, and always make allusion to the Estatut de Galicia, stem from the Spanish Civil War. After Franco died, the different provinces, having suffered the near erradication of their dialects, wanted to ensure their survival.

For example, I'm from Asturias, and, as I've posted before, in 1998, the government put into action a law that protects Asturian (bable), Astur-Leonese and Eonavian. It ensures schools teach and preserve them. We also have a Xunta pola Llingüa Asturiana (http://www.exunta.org/spip/), where every aspect pertaining to the dialect is discussed.

And no 'tía', you haven't missed anything on the division. Álava's still part of the Autonomous Government of Euskal Herriá. The province is divided in Vizcaya, Gipúzcoa and Álava.
http://www.campings.net/Espana/Euskadi/euskadi.gif
I was mentioning those areas (Vizcaya and Gipúzcoa) in a broad sense.

Here's a map of the entire autonomous community:
http://209.35.123.177/inmonacional/images/m_pais_vasco.jpg

Your family's from Vitoria-Gasteiz? Neat, my great-grandfather emigrated to Llanes (although he settled permanently in Oviedo) from Vitoria. It's cool to know there's a fellow paixana here.:D Adieu!

Umm, well we haven't nuked anybody recently...

My state gov't has been fucked up for a while, so I can't really applaud anything there.

And I don't really follow local politics that much.

My government has done nothing but put upon the last respectable Christian Subjects.

God help us.

All we can hope for is that our resilience shall out live all else.

I am imprisoned in my mind.

That's horrible.


How so?

I am imprisoned in my mind.

That's horrible.

They haven't wholly destroyed Coniston.

Though they've started.

:confused:
Coniston?

They have not imprisoned or tortured me.

I am imprisoned in my mind.

That's horrible.

They haven't wholly destroyed Coniston.

Though they've started.

The best thing the US government's done lately? It entered the "less than one year left with Bush" period.

And the world's cheering you, buddy!
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg257/cheer4uprincess1991/Cheerleader.gif

The best thing the US government's done lately? It entered the "less than one year left with Bush" period.

Reduced the VAT on condoms from the luxury item rate(21%, IMS) to the service item rate(13.5%, again, IMS). No tax on them would, obviously, be preferable, but it's something.

Thats just obvious. They sell them here quite cheap (I think it's about $7 for a dozen usually?) but many youth centres and stuff give them free too, so its all good. Not sure how much tax is put on them, but surely it should be minimal.

Why were condoms taxed at a luxury rate?

Rhinestones and flavour.
Oh, and the RFID for the blue law enforcers and pedophile busters.

My government (in proto-form) gave the finger to King George, establishing the precedent of British colonies becoming independent democracies. Heck, we established the first modern democracy.

My government also won World War II for the free world, and rebuilt it as well.

Those are the only two real big things I can think of off the top of my head. If the US can get back to doing shit like that, then maybe I'll be able to muster up some national pride.

edit - oops, guess these weren't recent

Here's one from the early days of the UK Labour government. So good, in fact, that the opposition have even promised not to undo it when they eventually return to power.

What did they do?

Handed power to set interest rates over to the (moderately) independent Bank of England within three days of taking office back in 1997.

Prior to that politicians were mucking about with interest rates for all kinds of political reasons. Rates went up and down faster than a whore's knickers with predictably bad effects for the economy.

Since then, that particular part of society has, happily, been very boring. And, partly because of that decision, the people of Britain have enjoyed much prosperity in the years since.

My government also won World War II for the free world,


That's not entirely true. There were other nations fighting on the Allied side y'know. And, let's remember, from June 1940 (the Fall of France) to June 1941 (Axis invasion of the Soviet Union), the United Kingdom fought alone :sniper:

If the Nazis has destroyed the British Army (then the British Expeditionary Force) at Dunkirk, France in May 1940, instead of allowing it to escape, then the UK would have been finished. Who knows what would have happened then? Would the Nazis have conquered the Soviet Union? And then Africa? Who knows.


and rebuilt it as well


That's true :D

My government also won World War II for the free world, and rebuilt it as well.



Wow, I didn't know you were Russian?

The two things that come to mind are gay marriage, and standing up to America on the Iraq War. To think we could've had our citizens trapped in that hopeless death-hole sends shivers down my spine.

And yes, I know we have men in Afghanistan. That is a slightly less hopeless death-hole, and we're still debating it.

Here's one from the early days of the UK Labour government. So good, in fact, that the opposition have even promised not to undo it when they eventually return to power.

What did they do?

Handed power to set interest rates over to the (moderately) independent Bank of England within three days of taking office back in 1997.

Prior to that politicians were mucking about with interest rates for all kinds of political reasons. Rates went up and down faster than a whore's knickers with predictably bad effects for the economy.

Since then, that particular part of society has, happily, been very boring. And, partly because of that decision, the people of Britain have enjoyed much prosperity in the years since.

I had forgotten about that one. Yup, this was definitely a good thing.

Here's one from the early days of the UK Labour government. So good, in fact, that the opposition have even promised not to undo it when they eventually return to power.

What did they do?

Handed power to set interest rates over to the (moderately) independent Bank of England within three days of taking office back in 1997.

Prior to that politicians were mucking about with interest rates for all kinds of political reasons. Rates went up and down faster than a whore's knickers with predictably bad effects for the economy.

Since then, that particular part of society has, happily, been very boring. And, partly because of that decision, the people of Britain have enjoyed much prosperity in the years since.

gotta agree with that one

whatever it might have it stopped doing with raygun's 'deregulation' and california's prop 13.

foodstamps and the v.a. are about all i can think of on the plus side of the collum. and both were a day late and a dollar short really.

sociable insecurity was ok when they lowered it to 55, but now its up to 65 and i'm 59. i think they'll just keep raising it so that none of us baby boomers will ever see one penny of our f.i.c.a. comming back to us.

=^^=
.../\...

:confused:
Coniston?

Coniston is a Village and Lake in the English Lake District. It was in Furness, but now it's Cumbria.

It is the most beautiful place in the world. If heaven were Coniston I could not be more happy. (I really hope it is)

The Valley itself is in a national Park but the view on the East Lakeside road has been spoilt as they've put windturbines up on the very edge of the National Park.

That's how evil my Government is, if they can't destroy beauty's perfection they marr it and then shift the blame to the Electric Companies and the eco mob.

Look it up.

See It and You'll love it.

Whenever I go there it feels like I'm coming home.

Coniston is a Village and Lake in the English Lake District. It was in Furness, but now it's Cumbria.

It is the most beautiful place in the world. If heaven were Coniston I could not be more happy. (I really hope it is)

The Valley itself is in a national Park but the view on the East Lakeside road has been spoilt as they've put windturbines up on the very edge of the National Park.

That's how evil my Government is, if they can't destroy beauty's perfection they marr it and then shift the blame to the Electric Companies and the eco mob.

Thanks for the info.;)

I'm struggling to find anything New Labour has actually done that I approve of. The Bank thing mentioned previously might pass muster, but beyond that I loathe New Labour, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, every one of their ministers, supporters, voters and policies.

Coniston is a Village and Lake in the English Lake District. It was in Furness, but now it's Cumbria.

It is the most beautiful place in the world. If heaven were Coniston I could not be more happy. (I really hope it is)

The Valley itself is in a national Park but the view on the East Lakeside road has been spoilt as they've put windturbines up on the very edge of the National Park.

That's how evil my Government is, if they can't destroy beauty's perfection they marr it and then shift the blame to the Electric Companies and the eco mob.

I find wind turbines quite attractive to be honest

Not anywhere near Coniston. In a City devoid of nature, stick 'em up.

But keep them Out of the real World (the Countryside). We were fine with wood stoves.

I find wind turbines quite attractive to be honest

I don't. Out at sea, yes, but in a rural area, no. Aesthetically, it fundamentally alters the scale and general image of the relevant area.

And they pulverise birds.

I don't. Out at sea, yes, but in a rural area, no. Aesthetically, it fundamentally alters the scale and general image of the relevant area.

Same as anything else that could be built in their place.
I like them, aesthetically. The fact that they're useful is an added bonus.

Same as anything else that could be built in their place.
I like them, aesthetically. The fact that they're useful is an added bonus.

However, aesthetic beauty is a subjective consideration. What is empirically true is that for rural areas reliant upon tourism, row of gleaming white monolithic wind turbines tends to detract from the prevailing genteel, antique atmosphere.

If you emphasis their practicality, as you should, then it is more sensible to place them offshore, where wind is more consistently powerful.

And they pulverise birds.

I though they had to rotate a few mph or so below the speed at which birds cannot avoid moving objects?

However, aesthetic beauty is a subjective consideration. What is empirically true is that for rural areas reliant upon tourism, row of gleaming white monolithic wind turbines tends to detract from the prevailing genteel, antique atmosphere.

If you emphasis their practicality, as you should, then it is more sensible to place them offshore, where wind is more consistently powerful.

Works for the UK, with more than enough shoreline. What would you suggest Austria or Switzerland do?

However, aesthetic beauty is a subjective consideration. What is empirically true is that for rural areas reliant upon tourism, row of gleaming white monolithic wind turbines tends to detract from the prevailing genteel, antique atmosphere.

If you emphasis their practicality, as you should, then it is more sensible to place them offshore, where wind is more consistently powerful.

And put shipping in danger. Just wait for a big storm when the new Yarmouth Harbour opens.

What was wrong with old windmills, watermills, slate effect solar panels etc?

And put shipping in danger. Just wait for a big storm when the new Yarmouth Harbour opens.

What was wrong with old windmills, watermills, slate effect solar panels etc?

They don't appease the metropolitan intelligensia who require everything to be novel, innovative and revoltionary.

I would also suggest they might simply be insufficient for the scale of reneweable energy now required. Why not simply place the turbines away from major shipping routes then?

Works for the UK, with more than enough shoreline. What would you suggest Austria or Switzerland do?

Why do they necessarily have to use wind turbines? Whyever not use hydroelectric energy? I should imagine they have sufficient meltwater and relief to do so given their proximity to the Alps.

And put shipping in danger. Just wait for a big storm when the new Yarmouth Harbour opens.

What was wrong with old windmills, watermills, slate effect solar panels etc?

They don't produce enough power and/or aren't cost effective

Trust me, that's not a lot of ocean.

As for the "Metropolitan Intelligensia" They should go to Hell (or as they call, it, the city) and never enter the Countryside again.

Ever.

Ever.

Ever.

Again.


Yes I do live in the country (well, in a small town, but I'm really not a townie and I spend every minuite I can in the country, which feels more like home).

They forget we were here long before them and will be here long after they're gone.

The Countryside should be a seperate Nation to the towns.

I see you are normal for Norfolk.

I'm not from Norfolk by Blood.

Or insane.

:D

But seriously, you wouldn't let a Newspaper editor perform heart surgery on you. In the same way, you shouldn't let townies rule the countryside.

Trust me, that's not a lot of ocean.

As for the "Metropolitan Intelligensia" They should go to Hell (or as they call, it, the city) and never enter the Countryside again.

Ever.

Ever.

Ever.

Again.


Yes I do live in the country (well, in a small town, but I'm really not a townie and I spend every minuite I can in the country, which feels more like home).

They forget we were here long before them and will be here long after they're gone.

The Countryside should be a seperate Nation to the towns.


I see you are normal for Norfolk.

I'm struggling to find anything New Labour has actually done that I approve of. The Bank thing mentioned previously might pass muster, but beyond that I loathe New Labour, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, every one of their ministers, supporters, voters and policies.

Are Convservatives any better?
I mean take David Cameron, he's really a nasty guy off camera. Alot of them are pretty two-faced.
But i agree the New Labour aren't living up to their promises either, with Blair ignoring his party and country when he invaded Iraq.
And finally all tolls have been dropped for all Scottish Bridges (yay!).

Are Convservatives any better?
I mean take David Cameron, he's really a nasty guy off camera. Alot of them are pretty two-faced.
But i agree the New Labour aren't living up to their promises either, with Blair ignoring his party and country when he invaded Iraq.
And finally all tolls have been dropped for all Scottish Bridges (yay!).

Yes, they are. I firstly take issue with you labelling David Cameron "nasty" on the grounds I do not want a "nice" Prime Minister. I want a latter day Thatcher, and am hence still angry beyond words that William Hague is not either party leader or Prime Minister.

In truth, I simply have more faith in a Tory cabinet with the likes of Hague, Davis, Clarke, Howard, Portillo (how I wish he was still an MP...), Cameron and Osborne in than anything New Labour can muster, policies notwithstanding.

there's going to be a tram system installed in edinburgh. i like the idea in principle but i'll wait til it's operational before congratulations are in order. there's still plenty of opportunities for them to fuck up.

5. In NYS you can buy beer in gas stations and grocery stores.


You can do that in every state...

Yes, they are. I firstly take issue with you labelling David Cameron "nasty" on the grounds I do not want a "nice" Prime Minister. I want a latter day Thatcher, and am hence still angry beyond words that William Hague is not either party leader or Prime Minister.

In truth, I simply have more faith in a Tory cabinet with the likes of Hague, Davis, Clarke, Howard, Portillo (how I wish he was still an MP...), Cameron and Osborne in than anything New Labour can muster, policies notwithstanding.

I thought they just nicked most of Liberal Democrats ideas, then New Labour nicked theirs?
From what i've heard New Labour have been cleaning up the mess the Conservatives left last time they were in power. I mean privatising public services was unforgivable.
Alas i'm no expert in UK politics either, so i could be wrong.

I thought they just nicked most of Liberal Democrats ideas, then New Labour nicked theirs?
From what i've heard New Labour have been cleaning up the mess the Conservatives left last time they were in power. I mean privatising public services was unforgivable.
Alas i'm no expert in UK politics either, so i could be wrong.

New Labour have done little more than move into the centre ground, and then vacillated, accomplished little and spent much money.

Cameron certainly has moved the party further to the centre, however, he has adopted neither Labour nor Lib Dem policies.

And put shipping in danger. Just wait for a big storm when the new Yarmouth Harbour opens.

What was wrong with old windmills, watermills, slate effect solar panels etc?

People in the countryside keep complaining that wind farms on land ruin the view. Given that wind (and tidal) forces account for a large part of the UK's potential renewable energy sources it makes sense to exploit them. The potential shortcomings still far outweigh the current problems of using fossil fuels, although I prefer a nuclear option.

Also: solar panels? In a country where more than half the days are overcast?

there's going to be a tram system installed in edinburgh. i like the idea in principle but i'll wait til it's operational before congratulations are in order. there's still plenty of opportunities for them to fuck up.

I don't see whats wrong with the buses. £1 to go anywhere along the route, £2.50 for an unlimited dayticket, regular service...

Why do they necessarily have to use wind turbines? Whyever not use hydroelectric energy? I should imagine they have sufficient meltwater and relief to do so given their proximity to the Alps.

I believe Austria does, for the moment. But you know as well as I do that enegry consumption is steadily rising, so new and sustainable methods of winning energy need to be explored.
As you said, both have mountains, and mountains not only have melt water in the spring, they are also very conveniently exposed to wind.

Err I suppose I could have died at the age of 6 were I not in hospital for like 3 months with Pluracy, all on the NHS.

Apart from that, precious little, but there we go. Life goes on.

I don't see whats wrong with the buses. £1 to go anywhere along the route, £2.50 for an unlimited dayticket, regular service...

as a bus service it is fairly good, not the best but it does the job. a properly worked out tram service would relieve the conjestion of buses on such routes as leith walk and the west end. basically the no.22 route would be far better served by a regular tram than it is by the fleet of randomly appearing, leap-frogging buses. the only issue i have with a tram service is that of connections, the tram is only going to service the trunk routes. if i have to get a bus to the tram terminus in order to get a tram into the centre for work and have to pay for two tickets for the privelege, instead of just getting one bus into the centre as i do now, i shan't be happy.

Well, there was that one time in '95 where the Federal government shut down for a few days...

People in the countryside keep complaining that wind farms on land ruin the view. Given that wind (and tidal) forces account for a large part of the UK's potential renewable energy sources it makes sense to exploit them. The potential shortcomings still far outweigh the current problems of using fossil fuels, although I prefer a nuclear option.

Also: solar panels? In a country where more than half the days are overcast?

People in the Countryside complain because:

A: That''s a right of all peoples.

B:They also write off farm land at a time when the world needs ever more food.

C: They ruin landscapes that have been the same for centuries.

D: Why should the Countryside, to all intents and purposes a Nation seperate to the towns, Suffer for the needs of the towns?

(The Countryside has a different set of customs, traditions, morals, beliefs and values etc to the towns. If that's enough for Scotland to warrant independence then why can't the countryside be independent too?)

Tides occur just as much on the Thames in London as on the Severn. Which is to be blocked to shipping and have it's surroundings scarred forever if the government gets it's way? Guess.

Here's an idea. Lets get all these Eco-protestors and politicans and use them as fuel, especially for the Countryside. It's renewable, clean and doesn't ruin the landscape. (this idea is to the countryside what windfarms are to the towns.)
(Note this is a joke, although it emphasises my point)

Also: Solar panels need light. Even the moon casts light.

Nothing at all.

People in the Countryside complain because:

A: That''s a right of all peoples.

B:They also write off farm land at a time when the world needs ever more food.

C: They ruin landscapes that have been the same for centuries.

D: Why should the Countryside, to all intents and purposes a Nation seperate to the towns, Suffer for the needs of the towns?

(The Countryside has a different set of customs, traditions, morals, beliefs and values etc to the towns. If that's enough for Scotland to warrant independence then why can't the countryside be independent too?)

Lets just keep burning fossil fuels then. You seem opposed to all others forms of power generation. We'll see what acid rain and global warming do to the countryside instead.

Tides occur just as much on the Thames in London as on the Severn. Which is to be blocked to shipping and have it's surroundings scarred forever if the government gets it's way? Guess.

No its not. The tidal range of the Severn is 15m, making it the second highest in the world and as such the best location in the UK to put a tidal barrage. Not that barrages are even the only possible source of tidal power either - other options exist as well.

Also: Solar panels need light. Even the moon casts light.

Correction: solar panels need a lot of light. Which we don't have.