What All Countries With AAA Rating Have In Common

Rockdoc Franz wrote: This is an area with which I am familiar. The lack of "serious" thought is not its absence as much as it is its timing. Current research is asking all kinds of questions about alternatives, but has yet to realize a wow type of breakthrough. Though ongoing, there are not enough people exploring new alternative methods. Continued availability of hydrocarbons allows that. Technologic advances in geophysics make finding hc far more easily than it was even a decade ago. Additionally, comfort lies in knowing there are vast reserves in hydromethane (methane trapped in sea ice at oceanic depth), may ease the feeling of pressure to find alternatives. Additionally, we can grow oil, another deterrent from doing serious volumes of research on alternatives. So, if something new is to come to fruition, it will come from some obscure research effort. Ultimately, I do trust in man's ingenuity.

When I talk about lack of serious thought, I am not just referring to ongoing research. I am referring to society at large failing, utterly, to think at all about what happens if a technological "fix" does not materialize in time to keep the economy and culture from crashing. And if we are mired in economic difficulties due to factors like fuel shortages and high prices, are we going to have the economic resources to even fund the research, let alone build the infrastructures, that would be neeeded to make such a massive switch in the way we do business?

If it were just fossil fuels that were becoming a problem, I might be more optimistic. But it's also water, rare earth minerals, even the raw materials for crop fertilizers.

AspenValley wrote: But it's also water, rare earth minerals, even the raw materials for crop fertilizers.

BS, water give me a break, rare earth materials, (regulations will not ALLOW mining to get them),
Corp Fertilizers are being bought up by the terrorists!

TPP wrote:

AspenValley wrote: But it's also water, rare earth minerals, even the raw materials for crop fertilizers.

BS, water give me a break, rare earth materials, (regulations will not ALLOW mining to get them),
Corp Fertilizers are being bought up by the terrorists!

If you don't realize what a serious issue water is becoming, we really don't have much basis for a discussion on the topic. I won't even comment on the rest of your...comments.

Water is becoming an issue because of population expansion. 50% of the nation's population lives withing 100 miles of a coastline. If the huge metropolises on the edge of the ocean need more fresh water they can pull the salt out of the water that extends as far as the eye can see towards the horizon. If the choice comes down to water for crops or water for a living green carpet in front of their homes that is a pretty easy choice to make, right?

PrintSmith wrote: Water is becoming an issue because of population expansion. 50% of the nation's population lives withing 100 miles of a coastline. If the huge metropolises on the edge of the ocean need more fresh water they can pull the salt out of the water that extends as far as the eye can see towards the horizon. If the choice comes down to water for crops or water for a living green carpet in front of their homes that is a pretty easy choice to make, right?

I have a hard time figuring out how you can practically stroke out at the amount of money the government is spending now and just lightly dismiss the water problem by glibly suggesting we start desalinating water to solve all our problems. Do you have any idea how costly that is?

Lawns and ornamental of course are a stupid waste of water, but it's water for agriculture and industry that are really the concern.

That would be an expenditure of the state governments that live along the coast AV, not the DC government. I know you keep thinking in terms of a national instead of a federal government, but we don't have a national government, at least not yet, and we won't ever have one if I have any say in the matter.

PrintSmith wrote: That would be an expenditure of the state governments that live along the coast AV, not the DC government. I know you keep thinking in terms of a national instead of a federal government, but we don't have a national government, at least not yet, and we won't ever have one if I have any say in the matter.

You don't "know" in what terms I am thinking, thank you very much.

All of this costs money, whether it's paid for at the local or federal level. Are you trying to tell me you don't care how much local and state governments tax have to tax their citizens to come up with this infrastructure you so lightly propose as a "solution"?

I'll get caught up reading this thread later..I don't have time now so I might be covering old ground here, but I forgot to mention that wages are higher in all those countries.. The people have more money to spend, and more time off to spend it

OH THE HORRORS OF SOCIALISM!!!!

AspenValley wrote:

PrintSmith wrote: That would be an expenditure of the state governments that live along the coast AV, not the DC government. I know you keep thinking in terms of a national instead of a federal government, but we don't have a national government, at least not yet, and we won't ever have one if I have any say in the matter.

You don't "know" in what terms I am thinking, thank you very much.

All of this costs money, whether it's paid for at the local or federal level. Are you trying to tell me you don't care how much local and state governments tax have to tax their citizens to come up with this infrastructure you so lightly propose as a "solution"?

I really don't care how much the government in California taxes their citizens to provide for their welfare, I am not a citizen of the state of California, I am a citizen of the state of Colorado. If I was considering becoming a citizen of California I would certainly look into how much California taxes their citizens, but other than that, it is not my business and I truly don't care. They don't have to build the desalination plant, they can simply ration the water they do have if they are unwilling to pay for the desalination plant. Matters not to me, I don't live there and I am not a citizen there.

Vice Lord wrote: I'll get caught up reading this thread later..I don't have time now..

We will all be holding our breath waiting at this thread for your brilliant words and wisdom.

Please everyone, keep this channel open!