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Quote by: gr8fuldaniel Its easy to argue that Edison should have invented the light bulb sooner. http://www.ideafinder.com/history/in...s/story074.htm . Ben Franklin was pretty sharp he should have done it. In fact while he was at it he should have come up with this FIRST: http://www.livescience.com/technolog...ano_light.html (Think of all the money you'd have now, if you didnt have to replace light bulbs)
Well for all the huge population and industry, California produces plenty of petrol to support itself, and with plenty to export. There really should be a limit. When I was a child I remember globs of tar and corpses of marine life washed ashore, something had to be done. Have you ever happened on an expired baby seal during a stroll on the beach? Major bummer. You shut up. We did something about the smog that made my eyes water all day. Only while they detox. The human body doesnt "Require" recreational drugs and alcohol to exist. Alcoholism/addiction are treatable, not necessarily painless. But the pain goes away, unless you choose to feed the beast again.
I am not familiar with him, I would be glad to look him up. Later today. For now I will ask you how you feel about government handing over the water resources of your city to an international corporation to set the price of "their" water as they deem fair? GWB would not step up and help California stave off the 1000% increases ENRON was syphoning off energy customers, while his brother, Jeb and Swartzennegger was in bed with Kenny "Boy" Lay.And I will repeat, what if it were water that is being pumped? How are we supposed to "wean" ourselves off the water tit?
Tough talk, but we already produce enough for ourselves and others, what is your state doing to "wean" itself off of Californias oily tit, and start producing your own alternet energy? A symbol of todays White House? One of the first things Dumbya did was to remove the solar panels from the White House roof. Oily bastard. And now he is losing his mind (Cheney)? Good. Maybe he'll just jump. |
Well there is alot to respond to here. I will keep it short. The main point of my view is that Americans want someone to blame here. And you seem to hate GWB so much you want to hang him with 30 years of indifference by every president who occupied the White House. You blind hatred tends to disqualify you from objective viewpoints. I think Americans should look in the mirror. When I said for Californians to"shut up already" I meant that they should quit complaining. If they have done everything you say they have done, then all well and good, but maybe it wasn't enough, was it? What is the saying: "Lead, follow or get out of the way." Ted Turner, I believe.
As for your comparison to Edison, that is a Red Herring. Americans were warned 30 years ago and they did NOTHING. They had the knowledge, the tools, the incentives and all they lacked was the will. There is no way around it. I refuse to blame anyone for market conditions. I will blame Americans for doing nothing when they were made aware of the oil situation in the 70's. People should hold their politicians responsible when, or if ,they used public pressure for alternatives to oil. Otherwise, shame on us for not repsonding properly to the oil crisis of the 70's. If you were alive then, you know what I mean. If not, well then I suggest you read about it because it was scary enough to predict what is happening today.
This is not an individual states problem in oil production. This is an American problem. It doesn't matter where the oil comes from in a world market. I didn't introduce California's problems into the argument, someone else did. I commented on them and I stand by my comments. California knew it needed water since Los Angeles was first developed and the state should have taken steps to insure the proper levels and quality of its water. California can purchase its water from other venues. But they will have to pay for it. Same for electric. That is the part that everyone gets all screwy about, purchasing it.
I know nothing about California's water/electric problems but I do know that the state doesn't exist in a vacuum. It must have known that it needed water and electricity to sustain its growth. Any logical person moving into the state must make themselves aware of the problems associated with living there. I, as a East Coaster, know that if I move to LA there is a good chance I will be in a earthquake someday. So I must prepare for that circumstance. And if I don't , who am I going to blame? Me, that's who. If I move into the desert and don't find potable water whose problem is it? Mine, not yours. If California can't provide the basic necessities of life, why do they continue to allow growth? I would say that is quite irresponsible. They need to place a moratorium upon growth until these problems are corrected. But no, the greedy government sees tax dollars that come along with its endorsement of irresponsible growth. If that is what is happening out there, then whose fault is that now? The greedy electric companies, the worn out water companies? No, it is the fault of the government for allowing the growth and the those who participate in such risky development ventures.
So big oil polluted the coastline. It has been cleaned up and regulations are in place to safeguard the enviornment, correct? If they aren't, them get them in there. So if Californians hold your opinion that they produce enough oil for themselves, good for them. But who do they sell it to now? To the highest bidder, that is who. Californians are no more entitled to that oil than the Chinese because PRIVATE INDUSTRY leased the land, drilled the well, and refined the products. If the Chinese are willing to pay $80 a barrel, and Californians opt out at $60, then why would you blame the producers for selling to the Chinese? If I drill a water well, and wish to sell my water to the highest bidder, then what right has the government to tell me who I can sell it to, except for reasons of National Security.
Sorry you get so defensive about California, but this is really an American problem, not just a Californian one.
In summary, all I am writing is that Americans have to be responsible for our own society. We can't depend upon government to protect us from everything in life that is big bad and ugly. Especially economic situations like the current one. Government can play a role but it certainly shouldn't be one like it demonstrated in the tobacco companies transfer of wealth from Corporate America to the state legislatures to line the pockets of crooked politicians.
We, as Americans, must hold our legislators accountable for responsible alternative energy development. We must hold them responsible for introducing incentives to produce and refine more oil products to responsibly satisfy demand. We must hold them accountable to set up incentives to responsibly develop, supply and deliver alternative energy. And we need to QUIT assigning blame through blind hatred and political partisianship to a situation that should have been remedied over the last 30 years. Punishing the big oil company solution is wholly anti capitalistic, and even if it were a viable solution, it is 30 years too late.