Thomas Friedman Interview

[alchemize]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
A bunch of morons stuffed full of opinions and spouting like diarrhea machines on things they know nothing about. Is there anybody here with the modesty to say I need to learn more on this matter and know practically nothing at all?

Have you read The World is Flat? This is a binary question.

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: racolvin

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
A bunch of morons stuffed full of opinions and spouting like diarrhea machines on things they know nothing about. Is there anybody here with the modesty to say I need to learn more on this matter and know practically nothing at all?

Oh and I suppose you are the be-all-end-all of knowledge and enlightenment?

I'm perfectly willing to learn more, which is why I went and looked up that reference to Johnsons War on Poverty. Which is why I read every day about alternative energy plans like Google's investment in geothermal research, in companies that make wind turbines and how they're changing the blade design to be more efficient, about bio farms to produce natural gas, about TFT solar devlopments. And I put my money where my mouth is, as in buying stock in these companies.

By that same token, I read every day about how much money GWB asks for to support the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, how our soldiers get killed and maimed, and then come home substandard care, marital and financial crises, etc. And for what? Our security? Oh bullhockey, we went there for oil interests and nothing else.

So take your "diarrhea machine" and produce something that contributes to the discussion, rather than letting it spill all over the floor...

People who hate themselves, and that's everybody here, pull insults out of the air and apply them to themselves. It's because you feel guilty already of something that you took insult. Now if you are trying to educate yourself on this matter and are open to various points of view and haven't decided you know something you don't, then my words don't apply to you now do they.

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: alchemize

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
A bunch of morons stuffed full of opinions and spouting like diarrhea machines on things they know nothing about. Is there anybody here with the modesty to say I need to learn more on this matter and know practically nothing at all?

Have you read The World is Flat? This is a binary question.

I was going to specifically name you as an exception to my remark since you were informing yourself via reading and that was clear and obvious from your post, but I figured it was clear enough I shouldn't worry. The answer is no. What I do is keep up with developments is alternative energy on the net as best I can and the information I have seen tells me that those who poo poo alternative energy are full of shit because it's already here competing in the market place and more is on the way. I fully agreed with the other content of your post too.

 

[Moonbeam]

Web sites i like:

http://www.technologyreview.com/

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/

http://www.solarbuzz.com/index.asp

http://www.solardaily.com/

http://www.treehugger.com/

as a few. The MIT site is super

 

[racolvin]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam

People who hate themselves, and that's everybody here, pull insults out of the air and apply them to themselves. It's because you feel guilty already of something that you took insult. Now if you are trying to educate yourself on this matter and are open to various points of view and haven't decided you know something you don't, then my words don't apply to you now do they.

Thank you Dr. Niles Crane for that analysis ...

I feel guilty about nothing in this discussion other than I got baited by a troll. What I reacted to was a "bump and run" post calling everyone morons and accusing them of diarrhea of the mouth. It added no value whatsoever to the conversation.

If you have some opinions on the topic at hand or some news/information sources you'd like to share, I'd be interested. Poking your head in and calling everyone a moron simply isn't helpful ...


edit: we were posting at the same time .. thank you for the links

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: racolvin

Originally posted by: Moonbeam

People who hate themselves, and that's everybody here, pull insults out of the air and apply them to themselves. It's because you feel guilty already of something that you took insult. Now if you are trying to educate yourself on this matter and are open to various points of view and haven't decided you know something you don't, then my words don't apply to you now do they.

Thank you Dr. Niles Crane for that analysis ...

I feel guilty about nothing in this discussion other than I got baited by a troll. What I reacted to was a "bump and run" post calling everyone morons and accusing them of diarrhea of the mouth. It added no value whatsoever to the conversation.

If you have some opinions on the topic at hand or some news/information sources you'd like to share, I'd be interested. Poking your head in and calling everyone a moron simply isn't helpful ...


edit: we were posting at the same time .. thank you for the links

I have posted masses of material on this subject. It explains why I get tired of the same old shit spouted over and over again by the latest uninformed goons.

 

[alchemize]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam

Originally posted by: alchemize

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
A bunch of morons stuffed full of opinions and spouting like diarrhea machines on things they know nothing about. Is there anybody here with the modesty to say I need to learn more on this matter and know practically nothing at all?

Have you read The World is Flat? This is a binary question.

I was going to specifically name you as an exception to my remark since you were informing yourself via reading and that was clear and obvious from your post, but I figured it was clear enough I shouldn't worry. The answer is no. What I do is keep up with developments is alternative energy on the net as best I can and the information I have seen tells me that those who poo poo alternative energy are full of shit because it's already here competing in the market place and more is on the way. I fully agreed with the other content of your post too.

Fari enough. I *highly* reccommend it as a primer on understanding what's going on in the world with globalization, how it's essentially unstoppable, and how we can position ourselves to compete in the future.

I'd be interested in much the same on alternative energy!

Not as interesting as whether Palin uses tampons or pads, I know

 

[Moonbeam]

Editorial Reviews
Product Description

Thomas L. Friedman?s phenomenal number-one bestseller The World Is Flat has helped millions of readers to see the world in a new way. In his brilliant, essential new book, Friedman takes a fresh and provocative look at two of the biggest challenges we face today: America?s surprising loss of focus and national purpose since 9/11; and the global environmental crisis, which is affecting everything from food to fuel to forests. In this groundbreaking account of where we stand now, he shows us how the solutions to these two big problems are linked--how we can restore the world and revive America at the same time.

Friedman explains how global warming, rapidly growing populations, and the astonishing expansion of the world?s middle class through globalization have produced a planet that is ?hot, flat, and crowded.? Already the earth is being affected in ways that threaten to make it dangerously unstable. In just a few years, it will be too late to fix things--unless the United States steps up now and takes the lead in a worldwide effort to replace our wasteful, inefficient energy practices with a strategy for clean energy, energy efficiency, and conservation that Friedman calls Code Green.

This is a great challenge, Friedman explains, but also a great opportunity, and one that America cannot afford to miss. Not only is American leadership the key to the healing of the earth; it is also our best strategy for the renewal of America.

In vivid, entertaining chapters, Friedman makes it clear that the green revolution we need is like no revolution the world has seen. It will be the biggest innovation project in American history; it will be hard, not easy; and it will change everything from what you put into your car to what you see on your electric bill. But the payoff for America will be more than just cleaner air. It will inspire Americans to something we haven?t seen in a long time--nation-building in America--by summoning the intelligence, creativity, boldness, and concern for the common good that are our nation?s greatest natural resources.

Hot, Flat, and Crowded is classic Thomas L. Friedman: fearless, incisive, forward

 

[CallMeJoe]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
Wishful thinking.
Half our conversation on alternative energy is BS.
Right now there are only two ways to power a car. Gas(oil) and electricity. I have not even heard of an alternative energy source that will solve this problem.
Perhaps hydrogen, but we would need a way to create that hydrogen. Such as more nuclear power plants.
But to think that we can throw $15 billion a year at the problem and then watch as an amazing solution pops up out of no where is wishful thinking.
BTW I still think we should invest some money, but we need to be willing to accept the fact that 10,15 or 20 years from now we may not have come up with anything better than what we have now. The internal combustion engine has been around for 100 years now and no one seems to have come up with something better.

I have a retired engineer friend who is pushing hard for natural gas - trying to work with our Congressman (Bob Inglis) despite his fixation on hydrogen. He claims there is already a booming market in Australia (I admit I've not done the research to confirm this). I also have heard T. Boone refer to natural gas as a possible 25% to 30% offset for our current petrol consumption.

 

[frostedflakes]

Originally posted by: lupi
Outside of the taboo nuclear, what clean techs are available to start building new power plants now. As for things like electric cars, there is a good deal of skeptiscism that GM will meet its target release date for it's release as is.

Concentrated solar is probably our best option, mainly because of it's simplicity. Theoretically, most/all of our energy could be provided by solar thermal installations in the southwest deserts. We have the ability today, it'd just be a matter of throwing money at the project.