Text 6935, 117 rader
Skriven 2006-08-25 15:26:00 av Robert E Starr JR (7432.babylon5)
Ärende: Re: My presidential pick
================================
* * * This message was from Vorlonagent to rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.m * * *
         * * * and has been forwarded to you by Lord Time * * *         
            -----------------------------------------------             

@MSGID: <V7ednYjlsf401HLZnZ2dnUVZ_t-dnZ2d@comcast.com>
@REPLY:
<1155541553.581894.307270@b28g2000cwb.googlegroups.com><0001HW.C105E6BD0053FA6EF0284530@news.verizon.net><MPG.1f4b2f2e98


<gabiks@comcast.net> wrote in message 
news:1156478512.867573.186800@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com...
> Vorlonagent wrote:
>>
>> One factor you may be missing is success.  We're a very successful 
>> country.
>> Nationally speaking we're up a level or two on Maslow's pyrimid.  We can
>> afford to be at each other's throats over non-survival issues.
>>
>
> i agree that our particular system of government affords us a level of
> comfort, freedom and opportunity that not all do.  successful... you'll
> have to expain what you mean.

The idea is that we have most issues of really crucial importance under 
control.  We can grow wnough food to sustain ourselves (and export!).  Our 
borders are secure from military threat.  People generally obey generally 
reasonable laws and government officials generally do their jobs honestly, 
if inefficiently.  That's why crime is news and government corruption is 
news.

Take a look around the planet.  This alone puts us a good chunk of the 
world's countries by either number or total popuation.  We can afford to 
concern ourselves with unequal treatment of subgroups in our midst.  We can 
afford to look at the business activity that sustains our lifestyle and 
wonder if we could be less messy about it. We can afford to be concerned 
about people elsewhere who don't have the security of life we do.

We still have to talk and disagree about something.  And because we can 
forget what REAL first-importance issues are, we can inflate our differences 
into appearing to eb first-importance issues.

I am drawing this idea from a book I recently finished called "The Progress 
Paradox" by Gregg Easterbrook.  It's not a core theme of his book but he 
touches on it a couple of times.


>> There are secondary considerations.  To those who believe in human-caused
>> global warming, this would result in the scalding of the planet.
>> Subsidizing gas to that tune would mean not only removing the taxes 
>> placed
>> on gas but adding subsidies.  We're talking serious cash here.  Where 
>> does
>> the money come from?  What other government projects get cut to free up 
>> the
>> money?
>> How do you cleam up the mess when your idea succeeds and the entire world
>> economy collapses?  If you're looking for humanity to commit racial 
>> suicide
>> for the good of the planet, this sounds like a good start.

> i understand the dificulty companies face in the future.  much of the
> world economy, as you say, is wrapped up in fossil fuels.  but they/we
> have about 100 years to come up with and execute a plan.  what's our
> country's engergy plan?  where do we need to be 10, 20, 50 years from
> now in order to ween ourselves succussfully and peacefully; and move
> forward from the day when there are 0 barrels of oil in the ground?
> (all together now,  0 barrels of oil!  take a look, all around, still
> ....0 barrels of oil in the ground!)  who/where are the leaders with
> the courage and forsight to take us into the future?  i don't care much
> about 2 years from now.  i care about many years from now when i'm
> pushing 100 and perhaps not in a position to speak out for fear someone
> will take the bedpan away.

I agree.  I wanted to get the US sconomy off the oil standard since before 
9/11.

There is an internationally-funded testbed fusion reactor under construction 
in France that I hope will provide a good solution.


> all those bumper stickers that say 'no lives for oil' are about 75
> years premature.  when gas hits $100 a gallon and is available mail
> order only, my guess is we're in for a serious blood letting.  as you
> suggest it's all about the allocation of resources.  the chinese are
> hot on our gas guzzling tails.  i'm afraid that all our politicians
> will manage to do between now and then is attend more oil lobby
> sponored events.

It's all about money...


> as for humanity's suicide....that's an inevitability for a different
> thread,  i think.  :^)

Suicide is always voluntary.  It's never inevitable.  People were sure the 
US and Soviets would sooner or later empty their nuclear arsenals at each 
other.  Now there's no Soviets to hold up their end.


-- 
John Trauger,
Vorlonagent


"Methane martini.
Shaken, not stirred."


"Spirituality without science has no mind.

Science without spirituality has no heart."

-Methuselah Jones
                                                                               
   
--- SBBSecho 2.11-Win32
 * Origin: Time Warp of the Future BBS - Home of League 10 (1:14/400)