You Know What Really Grinds My Gears

The local paper ran a couple of stories this weekend that I want to
blog about, because they are exactly the kinds of things that rile me
up. The first, which I believe ran on Saturday, was about opposition
by some Americans of Arab media powerhouse Al Jazeera expanding into
Western markets, including the US. Some Americans despise Al
Jazeera's coverage as biased, wrong, and inflammatory, and shudder at
the thought of it being broadcast here in this country.

Maybe instead we should be welcoming Al Jazeera, and the opportunity
to hear what world news sounds like from an Arab standpoint. We're so
used to being the center of attention that we've completely lost touch
with how the rest of the world thinks, or else we're aware and we
think they're the ones that are out of touch. I can't tell you how
refreshing it is to read about US and world news from the Economist, a
British periodical. And that's the UK, as close to our culture as you
can get in another country. I think we'd do much better as a nation
if we were more in touch with the Arab perspective on global events.
Let's give Al Jazeera a chance in our country, no matter how fanatical
or foreign their broadcasts might seem at first.

The second article hits a little closer to home. It seems the Comcast
Center, when completed, would be the tallest "green" building in the
US (as deemed by the US Green Building Council) . . . except that the
unions are blocking the developers' and the architects' decision to
use water-saving no-flush urinals. Without these environmentally
friendly installations, the Comcast Center won't get the "green" seal
and a building in Manhattan that's also going up right now will claim
the honor of tallest green building.

What's not to like about water-saving no-flush urinals? Supporters
say they'd prevent 1.6 million gallons of water from being consumed
each year, they're just as safe as traditional urinals, and in fact
are probably more sanitary and less smelly. Green buildings, in
general, aren't just for the tie-dyed environmentalists but have
bottom line justifications for the coldest of bean counters: lower
utilities costs mean a lot nowadays, cleaner air results in less
worker sick days, and being green can be the determining factor for
tenants in a competitive market.

But the plumbers' union is opposed to the no-flush urinal. They claim
it's because they're not convinced of its safety; never mind that you
can already find them in places like Disney World and a Pittsburgh
elementary school. They also claim it's not yet in the local building
code; true, but if the union wasn't opposed, local officials would
change that code right away. The reason for the opposition, say some,
is that they require less labor to install. You read that right:
better for the environment, cuts costs, and easier to install – and
that's a bad thing.

Who knew that, after reading the paper this weekend, I'd get all riled
up about Al Jazeera and no-flush urinals?