Occupy Wall Street

I can't imagine why more people would sympathize with OWS' goals (limit the influence of $$$ on the formation of policy ) than with tea party goals (make sure no one, especially rich people, has to pay more taxes, regardless of the consequences).

 

This doesn't speak to my point at all. I never said that propane tanks aren't dangerous, I specifically said there's no evidence that what the Occupiers were doing was putting them in danger. The one piece of evidence we've seen is a tarp with a warning on it. We don't know anything else, and you know that's not enough to base your conclusions on. Propane tanks simply being present does not suggest likely danger.

Again, there's no actual evidence of danger. There's no actual evidence of danger.

 

With respect to propane tanks, I suspect that a person is statistically more likely to get hit by a car crossing the street to Zucotti Park than they are to get hurt by a propane tank mishap.

 

i'll comment later but just wondered what other people's opinions are on this.

 

True, but car is less likely to kill 10 people in the resulting fire/explosion.

 

True. And I'm not in on all the details on this. However, any slackjaw with an ID can go into a gas station and purchase a propane tank. It's not like these are illicit fireworks. I think it somewhat suspect that NYC has decided that propane technology is just too risky to leave in the hands of peaceful protesters, while at the same time, we can fill up stadium parking lots across the country twice a week (if you include college games) with people binge drinking and propane grilling seemingly without incident.

I'm just saying, I suspect that this whole propane thing might be a cover of some sort.

 

I wasn't speaking only of NYC. I was just pointing out that drunk football fans use propane tanks very often and that it very rarely seems to result in tragedy. I realize this isn't bulletproof evidence of anything, however, I suspect the safety concerns by folks who aren't privy to the particulars might be overblown.

From the code you posted, it just seems like they need to keep the tanks in a more open space.

 

Either way, it puts to rest the whole "ows is everyone" b.s. We know who's out there and we know why.

 

I'll conceed that it's a possibility. That said, this is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, and there's not really any tailgating there. So saying that the cops don't check propane tanks in Auburn, AL before and after ball games doesn't really equate to checking "campers" in a downtown NYC park.

 

It doesnt put to rest the fact that most polls show OWS having greater support than the Tea Party.

Or that on issues like banking and financial services regulation, the growing income inequality and raising taxes on the top bracket and balancing spending cuts with tax increases, the majority of the people are more in line with OWS than the Tea Party by a wide margin.

 

I think if it's a legit enforcement of city code it's just that. As long as there isn't a history of non-enforcement, which there doesn't seem to be, then whatever. A city gotta do what a city gotta do.

I don't buy the "it's not safe" argument, which, you know, hooray for OWS, I'm sure the relevant decision-makers will note my skepticism and respond accordingly.

 

The National Park Service prohibits propane tanks at any major gathering on the national mall, lafayette park or other common gathering places on federal property in DC for protests. It is a safety issue.

 

Anyone who can operate a gas stove can operate a propane tank. From a mechanical perspective, they're pretty similar.

 

Who wants to start a "propane tank safety" thread?

 

You had better call the police and the fire brigade, then, because one of my neighbors has a propane tank in his side yard attached to his gas grill. That and that alone, according to your ridiculous reasoning, is evidence of danger. It could explode at any second, right? Let's err on the side of politically convenient paranoia.

 

No, OWS is happening because the inflated sense of entitlement of the spoiled, liberal youth had finally reached a boiling point. And the politicians are treating the protesters just as most parents treat screaming brats; they ignore them and if they start hitting they get a spank.