German Economics, Politics and Global Warming
Jerry Kraus
where it is a major political force. Environmentalism is big
business. German state radio regularly broadcasts demands on China
and the U.S. to sign the Kyoto Accord, and to shift to more
environmentally friendly sources of energy-- naturally, made in
Germany! Engineering and technology are to Germans what construction
is to Americans -- money in the bank.
German tinkerers, Germany's lack of oil, and Germany's continued
rivalry with oil superpower Russia for political power in Europe, tend
to explain Germany's attitude towards Global Warming. It is a boon to
their economy and to their political power in the world. How could
they possibly not support it, true or not. The Germans could not
possibly care less wether Global Warming is "real". What, after all,
is reality, if it doesn't assist a nation to acquire wealth and power?
German Chanceller Angela Merkel has a scientific background. She
knows just how intimately science and politics are related, probably
as well as anyone on the planet. What better individual to push the
Global Warming political/economic agenda, than Frau Merkel?
Citizen Jimserac
I welcome their work and their initiative. People did not fully
realize
how strongly Bush supports the old energy order, the old fossil fuel
way of doing things. To these enormously powerful interests,
the idea of energy being taken from sunlight or wind must be
terrifying
and they will of course oppose real research or else buy
up patents whenver they can - monopolists can be so
adamant about maintining their power!!
As for global warming, I don't waste a second trying to decide
if it has been overhyped or not, because it is generally accepted
that superiour methods of energy production must be found
soon in the face of both dwindling supplies, empowerment
of governements that support terrorists and the inevitable
pollution that is concomittant with old methods of energy
production. And NO, new smokestrack scrubbers
and getting oil from rocks and turning most of the American
midwest into a giant Ethanol factory will NOT solve the
problem
GM is a good example of what is wrong with
current attitudes.
They worked on an electric car and built an all-electric
that was tried out several years ago. It was not
quite viable for mass production, apparently, but
was wildly popular among the movie stars
that tried it out. Several of these stars
begged to be able to buy the car despite
its shortcommings but were refused and the
cars were forceably taken back from their
lease holders.
Now comes the interesting part.
Instead of working on the design, or
farming it out to research institutions or
engineering colleges, GM found it necessary
to destroy almost all of the cars. Now this
is interesting - could it be that they have
outsourced so many engineering jobs
that the talent needed to improve that
car no longer exists or could it be
that American engineers no longer
have the yankee ingenuity or what
it takes to innovate? Or could it
be that GM does not care a whit
about energy efficent cars and so
spent much money marketing the gas
guzzling terrorist-mobiles known as
the Humvees??? You decide.
When the viable electric car does come,
from Japan or China, then there
will be much talk about the "surprise"
invasion and Detroit will rush to meet
the "challenge" - if there still is
any companies left in Detroit
in the few years left before this happens.
Jimserac
Citizen Jimserac
Jerry Kraus
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Fair enough. You don't care whether global warming is real, so long
as it can act as a motivator for useful change.
So, global warming is not really science. It is a religion. It is
irrational.
That's the problem. We need change, but will global warming lead us
in the right direction?
I regularly argue that controlled nuclear fusion is a very practical
solution to most of our economic and environmental problems, but that
the powers that be don't really want to see it done, because it would
turn our entire economy upside down. Free, clean energy! Think of
the implications!
Scientists argue that containment is the main problem in dealing with
controlled nuclear fusion. Harnassing a "mini-star". Fair enough.
Treat it as a nano-technology problem, the smaller the area the
better. Micro-lasers aren't that all expensive. What's the problem?
Citizen Jimserac
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> > - Show quoted text -
>
> Fair enough. You don't care whether global warming is real, so long
> as it can act as a motivator for useful change.
>
> So, global warming is not really science. It is a religion. It is
> irrational.
>
> That's the problem. We need change, but will global warming lead us
> in the right direction?
>
> I regularly argue that controlled nuclear fusion is a very practical
> solution to most of our economic and environmental problems, but that
> the powers that be don't really want to see it done, because it would
> turn our entire economy upside down. Free, clean energy! Think of
> the implications!
>
> Scientists argue that containment is the main problem in dealing with
> controlled nuclear fusion. Harnassing a "mini-star". Fair enough.
> Treat it as a nano-technology problem, the smaller the area the
> better. Micro-lasers aren't that all expensive. What's the problem?
Exactly. But, in order to execute fundamental
changes in energy research, supply and production,
drastic political and foreign policy changes
would be needed - changes that the "powers that be"
will do anything to prevent. It would mean systemic
changes to our schools that do not educate,
our legislatures that do not legislate, our military
that cannot fight, our tax structure which
after many "reforms" is totally unfair,
and reforms to our immigration policies
that would and should isolate us from world
turmoil such as the civil war in Iraq
in which we have unwisely been thrust
by the overly optimistic policies of an
old world energy man and the last
gasp of the neo "con" men.
Citizen Jimserac
Jerry Kraus
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> - Show quoted text -
Nice summary of the situation. Don't think I could have said it
better myself. And I like to think I say things pretty well.