Food for thought

Miscellaneous Topics
#21

And here’s a great example of the problem:

…or the US could adopt fuel-efficient cars with smaller engines doing 80mpg instead of 15mpg, could move about 30% of the desk-based workforce to working from home, could move to a delivery instead of collect supermarket shopping model, or could start bloody walking to work or riding bikes and cure the endemic obesity problem while they’re at it, could adopt energy efficient housing and appliances, etc. and lo and behold, only 5% of the US would need to be turned over to rapeseed production to maintain the current level of extreme affluence that it enjoys. Or indeed they could bite the bullet and get a bit poorer like the rest of us :smiley:

Cas :slight_smile:

#22

[quote]My point is that replacements to oil will be more expensive, thus limiting the economic growth. And the economic growth is already to slow for our democratic/market economic civilization (the debt of most countries is growing day by day). But hey, all civilizations (except maybe folks like inuits and amazon indians) has collapsed sooner or later so why should ours be any different?
[/quote]
See at as a challenge instead of an impossibility. A mind shift and changes in society are what’s needed. The current loads of energy usage are simply not necessary. Actually 50% of the US having to be covered is actually great news! It means that even with todays standards, it’s already possible!

EDIT: hmm, just having read Cas’ post, I guess this post doesn’t add something new ::slight_smile:

#23

Connecting the two simultaneous topics… just imagine if we didn’t bomb Iraq with more tonnage of bombs than fell in all of WWII, then we would have had a LOT to invest into cleaner energy :slight_smile: So much for that, we just poluted an entire country with bombs :wink: By the way, did you know Bush is persuing new WMD’s of his own and is currently funding the development of more advanced nuclear weapons?

#24

[quote]A mind shift and changes in society are what’s needed.
[/quote]
Considering the current country leaders, I’m afraid it’ll take a WWIII to do that…

#25

Ah well, carry on as before then, we’ll soon have another one :slight_smile:

Cas :slight_smile:

#26

The reality of life in the US is a bit different than that. Cities are to spread out to allow for most people to walk to work. Riding a bike on the other hand could be possible for some people. Public transportation is virtually non existant thanks to the auto industry.

We’re not the only ones with the obesity problems now I hear…

I just laugh at those suv’s. I have my little honda that sits in the lot all week while a walk to work 2 blocks away. See, I’m doing my part its these other 349,999,999 people…

#27

I’m getting a hybrid as soon as I can afford a car :wink: Hmm… high hopes for Rimscape ;D

#28

I have to un-mum a bit :stuck_out_tongue:

You all know I like lists so…

  • If any one has actually held a government position such as senator, congressman, governor, etc. Please say so. There’s alot of talk about facts, which are based on 4’th hand knowledge.

  • The presidental debates were worthless. It showcased President Bush rolling his eyes alot and repeating himself, while demonstrating Kerry’s ability to do nothing but attack the President and say he has a specific plan without ever actually telling us what it is.

  • Kerry is incompetent as a military leader - Swift Vets

  • If President Bush has done some of the wrong things, which I think he has, he has done them for reasons which he thinks are right. I can accept a man who honestly believes his actions are correct, more than one who doesn’t. You have to give the insane, but brilliant Hitler credit for his ability motivate a country, though it caused the world and nations to grieve at his unfortunate success.

  • The number of terrorists: We’ll unless there is some sort of worldwide census, its doubtful anyone really knows how many there are. Also, is a terrorist someone who hates the US or is it someone who hates anyone not like them?

  • Energy is certainly an issue and its everyone’s fault / responsibility. How many people buy the compact flourescent lightbulbs? How many drive smaller cars or walk to work? Etc, etc. Case in point - me. I drive a motorcycle to work and buy my nice energy saving bulbs in my huge Expedition SUV. :stuck_out_tongue:

  • Why hasn’t anyone mentioned how the flu vaccine is the President / government’s fault? Even if it is, which I think is a silly accusation to make, who cares? What did we all do 10 years ago before it was available? (Anyone actually know when they were first available?) I can see for the elderly or sickly, but come on. Have our bodies just stopped working that we’ll fall apart if we don’t get a flu shot? (I’ve home sick typing this right now. :slight_smile: )

  • I think the news paper and media at large are worthless at reporting anything. Why is it that when someone in plain daylight walks up to another person and shoots them and everyone knows it, the media reports ‘allegedly shot’. Thats crap, everyone knows the fool did it. We need more list based reporting!

  • Fred Dorkus shot Sam

  • Fred fired 5 shots, 3 of them hit Sam

  • People were scared and screamed.

  • Sam may die, but he was receiving medical attention earlier.

  • The shooting happened at about 12:15 AM today, near the Fruitcake Bakery.

  • Fred is in custody.

Its not very exciting, but at least its accurate. If they discover later that they reported a mistake, fine say we said Fred shot sam, its been discovered Fred shot and killed sam.

  • Ignorance travels far far faster than truth. Go read the real story of the McDonald’s coffee burning incident. Now apply what you thought so strongly about this case, to current events and see if it doesn’t temper you views.

ATLA
MTLA

Before learning more, I used to think the case was dumb, but after learning facts, I realized I was the dumb one!

Ok, back to being mum. :-X

Dr. A>

#29

The idea that Bush does what he does because he “thinks it’s right” is nice… but he thinks it’s right because someone with money told him so and I believe he’s simply too stupid to realize he’s being puppeted. The parallels between his actions and Hitler’s are frightening but I don’t think it’s because he’s deceptive or malicious, I think it’s because he’s ignorant. Personally I’d be happier with someone less ignorant leading my country.

#30

Yes, I’d rather have a leader doing the right things for the wrong reasons. After all, his actions are what’s affecting us, he can keep his reasons for himself for all I care as long as he’s doing the right thing :wink:

#31

[quote]Also, is a terrorist someone who hates the US or is it someone who hates anyone not like them?
[/quote]
As long as a hating person isn’t terrorizing, he is not a terrorist.

#32

One man’s terrorist is an other man’s freedom fighter…

// Gregof

#33

like the American air raids launched in Iraq at the beginning of the war? Their purpose, as explained by those soldiers in the field to news cameras, was to keep the enemy from relaxing. They timed the attacks so that they were constant for all hours that they weren’t mobilizing troops into the cities. Can you imagine the terror if the civilians to hear bombs dropping all night long? Every time you’d wonder if the next would hit your home… That sounds like terrorism to me. You may say all’s fair in love and war… but Bush preaches that he’s fighting for the freedom of Iraq AND the elimination of terrorism, he’s being hypocritical twice at the same time. Two wrongs don’t make a right you know :stuck_out_tongue:

EDIT: I think the American soldiers estimate number of terrorists by how many people they encounter shooting at them. Problems with poorly equipped soldiers (also inexcusable on Bush’s part) have become so evident lately because they’ve been more on the defensive than ever before. That’s because there are more people shooting back now than before.

#34

I think the root of the problems is lack of education and the fact that people are taught to hate by religious leaders. The islamic extremists believe they are the good guys because their religious leaders have convinced them of that. In their mind they are the ones that are trying to wipe out evil. Funny, that’s the same thing that the Americans say they are doing. The terrorists don’t think they killed thousands of innocent civilians on Sept 11th, they defeated non-islamic people, and non-islamic people are a threat to islam and any such threat is evil by definition as far as they are concerned.
If people would be educated to think for themselves instead of blindly following some made-up nonsense religion (all people, including the Americans) many of these problems would be reduced significantly. You will always have conflict over differing views, but if you could reduce to fighting over truths instead of dogma the world would be a better place.

#35

Agreed, tolerance and acceptance is what we need! That’s the essence of Hinduism and even Buddhism too. Heck, that’s also probably the most important part of Christianity, but we’ve seen how Bush has even twisted scripture into reasoning to fight in Iraq neglecting important lessons like “love thy neighbor”, yes, other countries are neighbors too, or, “turn the other cheek”. He skipped that one and instead used the “eye for an eye” philosophy… except he got the wrong eye, as Iraq was not in need of retaliation… so yeah… I guess Christianity isn’t a good example :slight_smile: Cause then you have to think about the Crusades… yeah…

Hinduism and Buddhism seem to be the only religions that have maintained peaceful relations with other religions. It’s a wonderful thing, and other cultures should learn from that example.

#36

As far as I know, no religion preaches terrorism. Not christianity, not the islam, not hinduism etc. They all preach tolorance and love for one another.
I don’t think one religion in itself is more peaceful than the other. It’s always people doing the terror, although often they use religion as an excuse. I believe wars and terrorism would still happen if religion wouldn’t exist at all. They’d just find something else to create fear.

#37

[quote] By the way, did you know Bush is persuing new WMD’s of his own and is currently funding the development of more advanced nuclear weapons?
[/quote]
I don’t think the US goverment judges their own country the way they judge others.

#38

Malohkan wrote:

I don’t now if i missed some fine point in the english language (being a non-native speaker) but what I meant By my "One man’s terrorist is an other man’s freedom fighter… "-post was that it often is about point of view, the people who blow themselves up in cafe’s or fly airplanes into buildings are not considering themselves as terrorists. And in this day it is Very popular for every regim, that has some small (or not so small) part of their country being populated by people that do not consider themselves as part of that regim/country, to call these people “terrorists” and use that term to justify all means they want to use to get rid of these “terrorists”. My point being that everyone should be very careful everytime people scream terrorist, because you dont know what motives they might have for doing so.

// Gregof

#39

I am an Iraqi myself. And the cocky, trigger happy americans that are sitting there in tanks chewing gum with .42 calliber guns in their hands just frightens the living day light out of me.

You are driving down the street and you signal left to go right, and right to go left just incase the americans decide “hey you know what? il add a checkpoint there, but lets make it invisible! and if they cross it, we’l shoot!”.

Excuse me? Made-up nonsense religion? Shows what you know. You obviously haven’t read about islam or actually bothered to think about muslims point of view. There are something like 2.6 BILLION muslims in the world, out of 6.5 BILLION, and all of those 2.6 are following a “made-up nonsense religeon”!

Go read history, go find out why a hatred has grew deep inside our hearts for the western countries. Then, and only then, are you qualified to make statements like this.

Right, thats because you bombed all the schools! And for some people, religion is more important than science, computers, and art combined!

Sorry, swpalmer, but you have just lost all my respect for you.

#40

Well numbers dont nessesarily make right. But religion itself is not a problem, it’s how its used/abused to extend politics. Thats what its about, politics.

Its a politic of US to have a string force in the middleeast. Its a politic of terrorists/freedomfighters to be free of western influence.

The curse of the middleeast is the oil. So much wealth and so few people actually benefitting from iit. These kind of conflicts and the influence of the west will continue for as long as the west i dependant on the oil.

What had oil brought to the Iraqies?, nothing but grief and death for 20+ years.

So the discussion wether USA should or should not have done this and that, is futile. Cause there is NO way a superpower will give away its power and the way USA and europe is dependant on oil. They will have to control it.

It’s about politics and power.