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Explanation ..., Re: "Harper Burns the Forest ..." ..., "Who Killed the Electric Car?" ..., What Soldiers Do in Our Name ...
William,
You mentioned that Harper's ‘nonchalant attitude’ to the environment as an example of his interest in humanitarian problems. You didn't mention his other display of nonchalance when he snubbed the International Conference on Aids that took place in Toronto. The very fact that Canada was chosen to host the conference shows what high prestige Canada enjoys in humanistic matters and the PM of Canada chose to be absent.
electric cars are more polluting than existing cars.
the US needs to REDUCE its energy consumption by about a factor of ten, and the developed world about a factor of 2 to 4 -- if the planet and human species is to survive and thrive, alive!
since those numbers are the same as the INEFFICIENCIES in our useage -- the wanton, squandering, uninsulating, throw-away, designed for inefficiency, etc. etc. consumerism --
we have the IMMEDIATE potential to create a garden planet and planetwide gusher of an economy -- again simply by insulating, making efficient and longlived technologies and systems --
and reducing the number of cars by a factor of four in the US, and a factor of two in the developed world --
and increasing the number of bicycles, pedestrians, home and local offices and gardens etc. etc. accordingly.
the RENAISSANCE is trivial, within us, and ...
wondrous beyond imagination ...
beyond a rainbow of seven billion colours ...
Millennium Twain
amanogawa@fastmail.com.au
astrophysicist, electrical engineer,
father of the (kludge/trash) US/Intl Space Station
In the news lately is the story of a bunch of U.S. soldiers who plotted to kill an Iraqi and make it look like he was planting a bomb and died in a firefight. When they didn't find the man they suspected was guilty, they killed another man instead! The soldiers, members of Kilo Company in the Third Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment, are on trial. One of the soldiers said he had just wanted to be loyal to his group. This incident came to light. Soldiers who believe they are fighting in a good cause can lose their sense of moral proportion and do horrible things. It can never be excused but those of us sitting back home who sent them into this senseless battle would rather not know about the many awful things people will do in war time. It's another reason that we should only go to war if there is no alternative. The ranks are filled with young 21 year olds who surely consider themselves moral and compassionate in civilian life. They are taken to foreign places where the people they trust most are other soldiers. They risk losing not only their own life but their own honour -- for us. Are there still people out there who think Iraq was worth the cost in lives and honour?
Nikole
nikolej@sympatico.ca
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William Markiewicz