Good afternoon fellow DR1ers
Keith, I thought about you yesterday when I pulled into a Kentucky Fried Chicken drive-through behind a vehicle with grey exhaust pouring out from it's tailpipe. I didn't have asthma before, but I'm not far from it now.
Let's go over what we have been discussing. Yes, Keith, you are correct in your statement regarding oil, including imported oil when it is in regards to the Government owned portion of the oil business, which accounts for 50%. The other 50% is Shell (England). The US run companies include Texaco, now Chevron/Texaco, and Esso Standard, also known as Exxon. At this time, their market share is unknown, at least until I recieve results back from Texaco.
Yes, Chavez has certainly done his part in making importing oil from Venezuela as appealing as possible. His fuel is running somewhere around $40 per barrel, as opposed to the US's $65-70. In addition he has sweetened the deal by making it possible for governments to pay with other commodities such as kidney beans, which the Dominican is more than able to provide.
Has anyone ever stopped to think why fuel in the Dominican Republic is more expensive than in the US, especially if they are only paying $40 per barrel, or through trade? This touches on Porfilio's discussion of corruption, I'm sure....or just the fact that if you're the only game in town you can pretty much charge whatever you want...back to the capitalism thing....
What I said is that you cannot compare Dominican costs with Californian costs, as you were doing. Heck, you cannot compare Californian costs with East Coast costs!
My point was never to compare the Dominican costs with California costs directly, but rather to demonstrate what happened with prices in California when they went to cleaner fuels. What you were suggesting for the Dominican Republic will have the same affect on prices, it will drive them up even more. And like I said earlier, if I were to compare prices, I would actually have to raise the price California pays just to make it match the price paid in the Dominican Republic for 1 gallon of gas...by the way, we just dropped down to $2.70 per gallon in Modesto. That's what, about 85DP?
Again, you are talking about air pollution in the US, and my guess is, Southern California at that. Your lack of knowledge of DR conditions, or refusal to use that knowledge in this thread, is showing. For example, large numbers of vehicles -- automobiles, buses, trucks, motorcycles -- in the DR tend to be older models without the wonderful design you mention. And many imports have their catalytic converters disabled by their owners in the name of better gas mileage -- just ask on the board, they'll tell you. Those that do not remove or disable them remove them when they go bad, rather than pay to replace them.
This is unbelieveable! Could you imagine someone actually disabling the smog system on a vehicle? Removing smog pumps, belts, sensors, valves, catalytic converter, removing manifold tubes and then cutting and welding to make them fit for bypassing? Like I said, unbelieveable....someone might just be able to get a little more power out of a vehicle, or at least a little more gas mileage if there did that! Of course it's a big business, much bigger in the states, though. Especially with all these street racers and drifters.
Yes, the vehicles in the DR tend to be old and spew out a lot of exhaust...I've already agreed with that. Fires...I'm not talking about forest fires. It may not happen as often in Santo Domingo, but in other regions people burn their trash, creating and releasing a wide variety of pollutants into the air.
Yes, by small engines I mean plantas and various implements...chainsaws, etc., but definately not lawnmowers. I know there couldn't possibly be a single one in the entire DR. Don't limit yourself, I'm talking about ALL small engines, whether they be in generators, tools, pumps, go carts, light stands, etc. The combined activity of all is what I refer to.
Ok....Now I know that there is an unwritten rule somewhere that reads something like: When one conceads an argument, it's best to just accept and keep one's opinions to themselves from that point on....
More Reasons:
Heat Waves and Asthma -
http://blogs.health.yahoo.com/expert...ves-and-asthma
Posted by Franklin Adkinson, M.D.
on Thu, Aug 04, 2005, 8:25 pm PDT Post a Comment
As I endure this sweltering heat wave in Baltimore and read about the heat-related deaths in Arizona, I’m reminded of how asthma can be triggered by protracted heat and all that it brings. It’s not so much the heat itself but the air inversions that result from heat waves that aggravate asthma. These inversions, in which a layer of warm air is trapped by cooler air above, can increase the amount of toxic air pollutants by more than tenfold.
These harmful oxidants and particles make breathing even harder for persons with asthma and other chronic respiratory conditions -- not because there are more allergens in the air, but because anything that increases the twitchiness of the airways can increase our sensitivity to what we are allergic to, like Grandma’s cat, dust mites, or
molds (tends to grow where it is damp).
If you have asthma and wonder when it’s all going to end, stay in air-conditioned comfort as much as possible and get your exercise in the swimming pool or at an air-conditioned gym. Your local weather channel’s air pollution alert can give you daily updates about the quality of the air you can expect in your community. And stay ahead of the game by drinking lots of fluids. Heat and all that comes with it can kill. Hot weather deserves healthy respect, especially from people with heart and lung diseases.
What are asthma triggers?
An asthma trigger is a factor that can decrease lung function and lead to sudden difficulty breathing (acute asthma episode). When you are around a trigger, you are at increased risk for an asthma episode. A severe episode may mean you have to go to the hospital.
Some triggers are substances you may be allergic to (allergens). Allergens cause the body's natural defenses (immune system) to produce chemicals called immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. These chemicals bind to allergens, causing inflammation of the bronchial tubes. The allergen may also cause asthma episodes. Triggers may include:
House dust mites.
Cockroaches.
Animal dander.
Indoor mold.
Pollen.
Other triggers can cause asthma symptoms without affecting the body's immune system. These include:
Cigarette smoke and air pollution.
Viral infections, such as colds and flu, and sinus and other upper respiratory infections.
Exercise. Many people with asthma have symptoms when they exercise.
Dry, cold air.
Strong expressions of emotion, such as laughing or crying.
Medications, such as aspirin.
In adults, hormones, including those involved in pregnancy and menstrual periods (just before or during periods).
Gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD). Some experts debate whether GERD makes asthma worse. Studies have shown conflicting results as to whether GERD triggers asthma. 1
Yes, it includes air pollution - Ban the vehicles, besides, walking is much better for us anyways!