The Other Day Somewhere in the US

[Rabbi O'Genius]

Yes, and the first airplane only flew a few hundred feet. The point remains, if we don't keep up, we get left behind.

Actually,this is a domain where "we" are ahead.
Directional drilling dates back to the 1940s, and was not invented by the Chinese.
None of the world's top fifteen extended-reach wells was drilled by the Chinese.
Additionally, some of my best friends are......etc

[Sparky]

It's a question of the source's credibility, which does cut across issues.

Mayhaps true.

There is also "Don't shoot the messenger."




http://www.sptimes.com/2006/05/08/Wo...l_near_K.shtml

Sparky

[Airbus_A320]

Actually,this is a domain where "we" are ahead.
Directional drilling dates back to the 1940s, and was not invented by the Chinese.
None of the world's top fifteen extended-reach wells was drilled by the Chinese.
Additionally, some of my best friends are......etc

My point is that we are currently ahead because of what we did in the past. In past we drilled for our oil, built refieries, airports, highways, etc. However the current policies of for example not drilling in Alaska, off of Florida, and in other places on our own territory because of environmental concerns, or because "that oil well out there will spoil my view from the beach" leaves us at the mercy of whatever happens in other parts of the world, many of them quite unstable, while we have a lot right in our back yards that we don't touch. While the Chinese for example couldn't give a rats ass about the environment and will do whatever is necessary to keep their economy going. If we don't do something to stay ahead we will be left behind. For some reason people got the idea in their head that the world has gotten to point that it is at currently, and then has become static, and nothing will change (except global warming, which is being caused by us, and only us, and the processes that shaped the world we have now have completely ceased to function, and all climates would remain the same as long as we didn't have Hummers and Escalades :rolleyes: ) We aren't keeping up with places like China, sure we are currently still ahead of them overall, but they are catching up, and we aren't going anyplace because all we care about now is being PC and solving everyone else's problems except our own. Just look at all the money being wasted in the Middle East so we can get a few drops of oil from governments who go against all the principles that the US was founded on, while we have a hell of a lot in our own territory, but won't go after it because we are afraid to tell PETA, Greenpeace, and Al Gore to piss off.

[Sparky]

My point is that we are currently ahead because of what we did in the past. In past we drilled for our oil, built refieries, airports, highways, etc. However the current policies of for example not drilling in Alaska, off of Florida, and in other places on our own territory because of environmental concerns, or because "that oil well out there will spoil my view from the beach" leaves us at the mercy of whatever happens in other parts of the world, many of them quite unstable, while we have a lot right in our back yards that we don't touch. While the Chinese for example couldn't give a rats ass about the environment and will do whatever is necessary to keep their economy going. If we don't do something to stay ahead we will be left behind. For some reason people got the idea in their head that the world has gotten to point that it is at currently, and then has become static, and nothing will change. We aren't keeping up with places like China, sure we are currently still ahead of them overall, but they are catching up, and we aren't going anyplace because all we care about now is being PC and solving everyone elses problems except our own. Just look at all the money being wasted in the Middle East so we can get a few drops of oil from governments who go against all the prinicples that the US was founded on, while we have a hell of a lot in our own territory, but won't go after it because we are afraid to tell PETA, Greenpeace, and others to piss off.

One would like to think that our all seeing wise leaders in the U.S. are playing a wise strategic hand, allowing the energy resource holders to deplete their assets, whilst we wisely hold ours in reserve.

Wasting our youth and treasure in the Middle East seems counter to that position...

I have lost the view that we have deep thinkers in position of authority in the conduct of U.S. foriegn and domestic policy, or they are at least doing a very Confucian job of steering our policies...

I see more greed than reason, but has it not always been so, but less discernable?

Sparky

[Airbus_A320]

I think many see being a leader as kind of of an entitlement bestowed upon them for whatever reason, family name, 6 degrees from Yale/Harvard, divine right, etc. Kinda of like how kings believed they were placed in power by god. And they are out of touch with reality for the non-elite majority of the country.

At least it's good to see that (so far) we can have these kinds of discussions without raising too much hell, and having the B& Hammer coming down all over the forums.

[Sparky]

I think many see being a leader as kind of of an entitlement bestowed upon them for whatever reason, family name, 6 degrees from Yale/Harvard, divine right, etc. Kinda of like how kings believed they were placed in power by god. And they are out of touch with reality for the non-elite majority of the country.

At least it's good to see that (so far) we can have these kinds of discussions without raising too much hell, and having the B& Hammer coming down all over the forums.

I agree that it is nice that we can discuss these things civily.

I have been dismayed by the Bush dynasty, and their apparent disavowal of the U.S. (When you buy thousands of acres in another country to retire in....well...at leats explain it to the peopple who's treasuere you have spent...)

I was always wary of posting in political forums, as they are as charged as religious forums.

Civil discussion can occur in both settings, if people follow simple manners.

Manners are like locks, they are not to keep things safe, but people one step away from (cheap shots, and / or) temptation.

Properly used, they make for lively exchanges of ideas.

Curiosity didn't kill the cat, lack of restraint did.

Sparky

[Schorsch]

Reading all this discussions, maybe bombs, invasion and endless civil war also a viable mean to secure oil sources. It would reduce the happiness about having oil under your sand.

[Dmmoore]

As long as the price of oil remained cheap enough, the cost of developing alternative sources of energy precluded their development. As the price of oil raises, the development of oil sand and oil shale becomes practical. But it requires oil prices above US $70 per barrel to be cost effective.

Attracting the kind of capitol required to develop these resources isn't going to happen unless investors are convinced the price of oil was going to remain higher than the break even figure for producing their product.

The supply of energy will increase but the cost will be far higher than the cost of oil extracted in the traditional manner.