You are called upon by the next President of the United States to head up a....

[Zythryn]

Originally Posted by damocles

Why do I want to do TWO infrastructure conversion steps? Why not skip step one and use the suggestion that Michaelangelica supplied which would allow us to retrofit the existing fleet(rather cheaply) and start the second step fuel supply and dispensing infrastructure conversion NOW?
As always, the very best of wishes.

You are the one that wanted action now. I am fine waiting till we have hydrogen, however I don't think it will be as soon as you want.

Not because it is impossible to do so soon (BMW plans to come out with a Hydrogen burning car in two years) but because the current political atmosphere will not allow the switch in infrastructure.

As for Natural Gas burning cars, natural gas is limited as well. It is not a good solution. The switch to ethonal on the other hand, is inexpensive and we do have the tech to do it today. GM is producing 'flex fuel' cars right now which will run either gas or ethonal. Converting a car you own now to be able to use ethonal cost about $221 (according to last week's 60 minutes and dateline).
The switch at gas stations (that don't already offer ethonal) is much less than the switch to Hydrogen would cost.

[GAHD]

First thing I would do is immidiatly explain that oil wil be banned in 5 years, and the burning of any perolium poduct after that time will carrya hefty fine.

Then I would make a federal Gas company using Brown's gas.

Next I would Immidiatly propose a cut in all political wages, down (or up) to EXACTLY the national average. Campain contibutions would be immidiatly federally taxed just like buying something at the grocery store.

I would remove controlls on operating a still, under the cicumstance that this still was used to create wood alchohol for an alternative fuel source.

Upgrading your home to comply with this new anti-petrolim act would be a tax write-off. Upgrading your vehicle would be a wright-off too.

Education would be made to follow international baccalaureate standards.

Energy conservation would become a wright-off: each household and business would be given a certain amount of total power usage based on 80% of national supply levels. Houses coming in under his level get a tax credit, those above get a tax penalty.

[TheFaithfulStone]

Originally Posted by UncleAl

The First World is already dead. There is no saving it. The entire planet wll descend into transcendent barbarism and four billion corpses by 2050, possibly by 2015. We have scraped away everything of value down to a depth of two miles. There will be no coming back after the miracles of technology become priests' lies.

Pessimism is cowardice disguised as intellect.

It defends itself as "realism" but all it really is is anti-Liebnizism. This is the inevitable, and therefore there is no sense in trying to resist it. This is the only possible outcome, and any action you may take won't change it.

Any other apocalyptic panglossian insights for us? Even if what you say is true, and the worlds is doomed, and us along with it, so what?

What, we're "rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic?" So? At least we're doing something, not locked in our staterooms waiting to drown.


Take your pick people, die with your chin up, or die hunkered down like a frightened animal. You're just as dead either way.


Anyway, I don't know if there is a solution to all the problems facing us, but I do know that there is are two ways that are GUARANTEED to result in spectacular, society ending failure. You can either refuse to acknowledge the problem, or refuse to acknowledge the possibility of any solution.

Anyway, solutions:

Targeted capital gains and tax credits to companies that invest a significant portion of their budgets towards renewable / nextgen technologies. Other companies go back to paying taxes.

Mandate intelligent urban planning by limiting the size of parking lots. Bring cities back "in." Require a licensed urban planning specialist for all development. Developers no longer get to decide where they put a 105,000 sq ft. Home Depot and it's attendant 30 sq mile parking lot.

Block Grants to Cities for public transportation and green initiatives.

Invest more in the future. Why don't Americans save for the future? Because they think there isn't going to be one. Let's start acting like the future is good and wonderful and happy, and it WILL BE.

Those are a few. Will they happen? I don't know. I think they would work. Maybe not. I'm not willing to sit around and whine about how awful the world is, but really do nothing to change it.

TFS

[Boerseun]

Invest heavily in Modular Pebble Bed Reactor research, and beat China to it!
Have all coal and/or oil guzzling power plants replaced with scalable modular nuclear reactors by 2020!
Dig massively deep holes in geologically stable bedrock to dump the waste in!
Use these same reactors to split water thermochemically into H and O, and use this resource to fuel and make possible the upcoming hydrogen economy!
Use whatever oil's left over or needed solely for lubricants! Once that's completely finished, use silicon oils!
Invest massive amounts of money in education, and shoot any pseudo-science crackpot on sight!
Ban the 'hip-hop' culture to a different planet. This culture is probably responsible for 99% of the dumbing down of the world. They can go peddle weed and bling on the other side of Uranus.
Any government employee found to slack on the job, being paid with my tax money, essentially working for me, me being his/her boss, will be fired with no recourse to labour union protection. Matter of fact, enforce tighter control over unions while we're at it.
Declare war on Venus. We need an enemy planet.
Devise huge vertical filters with massive solar-driven fans to pump air through it. We bitch and moan about the oil running out - we should be able to 'mine' hydrocarbs straight from the atmosphere.
Declare fat chicks illegal. Give them one year to lose weight or lose citizenship. This will increase the happiness levels amongst men, and make them more productive, in which case they'll pay more tax.
All dogs smaller than knee-height should be declared vermin and shot.

This will sort out the US.

[damocles]

Originally Posted by Boerseun

Invest heavily in Modular Pebble Bed Reactor research, and beat China to it! <snip>

Now those are practical and FUNNY!

I love optimism!

D.

[GAHD]

Oh, and upon further thought, Chruches are no longer tax-exempt.

[Michaelangelica]

Originally Posted by GAHD

Oh, and upon further thought, Chruches are no longer tax-exempt.

And their for profit companies (eg Sanitarium) taxed as well (or at least!)

I like the idea of declaring war on Venus.
We need a bad guy.

Hollywood could re-make all the old Anti-Commie/Spy films
and the Bad-Terrorist films
resulting in a massive boost to California's economy.

No unemployed actors. Therefore massive shortage of waiters.
No unemployment.

The last of the remaining Australian actors would move to Los Angles

Lucas Film would have to buy more California to produce all the different forms of life Hollywood imagines Venusians might look like.


Fascinating idea with much potential
- Need to get the UN involved somehow?

[Zythryn]

Boerseun, those are a beautiful mix of great ideas and great humor

[Boerseun]

Originally Posted by Zythryn

Boerseun, those are a beautiful mix of great ideas and great humor

[Elvis Voice] Thank you... Thank you very muuuuuchhh...[/Elvis Voice]
...although I wasn't jokin' about them fat chicks, though...

[ryan2006]

Being President is never easy job nor is it for the lady at the rest home who needs her groceries during the middle of a snow storm. Let's face it everything around the world can change in a split second in 300 days the situation could change but it is change that forges the direction. The situation we find ourselves in however is one issue so I will waste no more time. 2 and one half trillion dollars is 25% over 10 years so we will shoot for a long term goal with little or less. Research grants fund let's say to find energy efficient fuel saving dollars converting from oil to say air based, garbage waste fuel, solar, battery operated electric motors that have been around since the 20s we'll focus our attention there. First locate the people at the patent office who have utility patents in these areas. Sift through the ones that work and then use Oil supply to flourish in the United States by Providing Fair Trade Practices with China in exchange for some of its buys from oil producers such as Iran. Use fair Trade practice Oil for food program to exchange computer goods from India. and if the Embassy between India and Iran agree to exchange the better. The world population will take another 100 years to grow to full capacity of 56million based on the United Nations I believe so we have 50 projected years for nanotech developement for atom built foods. We plant more trees for oxygen production and to allow for the evaportation process. We use land management the best way we can steward the land and hand out pamplets for the areas of land development that we need. Create online opportunities to work closely with financing stability of the top ten as well as the other 278 countries. Those who do not cooperate will be considered resisting growth and must be diplomatically convinced to do the right thing. For the planet. Tax base shrinking means small government at first glance but who is in office and what decisions are being wagered by the congress in effect who will vote which way jobs for political analysts Resources haven't gone away only the people morality so begin entertainment in local towns so people don't have to spend a lot to travel sorry depression is not an alternative. Besides this page is almost run out.