RE: [biofuel] Who Owns The Sky?/off topic but worth it?

2002-01-18 Thread Alex McKinney

I find it amazing that all the articles below state how another country's 
pollution is to blame for some of the problems in North America.  These are 
probably written by the American government to lay the blame elsewhere.  I 
hope in my lifetime I am able to see individuals take responsibility for 
their own actions.

Alex McKinney


Original Message Follows
From: Keith Addison [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Reply-To: biofuel@yahoogroups.com
To: biofuel@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [biofuel] Who Owns The Sky?/off topic but worth it?
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2002 05:15:59 +0900

  It is anybody´s wild guess when dollars will begin
   to obey the laws of
   nature.
   Andydownsouth

They do, once you ignore the spin that says otherwise. The winds of
free trade quite naturally favour the ships with the biggest sails.
Free market forces naturally drive goods towards those with excess
liquidity away from those without. It's just that we're supposed to
believe the opposite is true. Adam Smith said two merchants cannot
sit down for a cup of coffee together without plotting against the
public good, and I guess that's natural too. Which doesn't make it
right.

But of course you're right - so is Manolo. Chinese atmospheric
N-tests in the late 70s were said to have killed babies in New York.

http://www.nandotimes.com/healthscience/story/195828p-1880494c.html
Nevada air pollution found to originate in Mongolian desert  --
Christian Science Monitor Service , December 16, 2001

http://ens.lycos.com/ens/may2001/2001L-05-31-07.html
Ill Winds Carry Toxic Dust -- May 31, 2001 - Storms in places as
distant as China and Africa have generated public attention with dust
clouds that travel across oceans to North America, bringing with them
living bacteria, fungi, heavy metals and other pollutants.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com:80/html/nationworld/134286076_haze18.html
Parts of U.S. seeing Asian dust storm; unusual haze expected to
dissipate soon  -- The Associated Press, April 18, 2001, DENVER - A
dust storm that started in Mongolia and picked up industrial
pollution from China has spread a haze across a quarter of the
mainland United States, experts said yesterday.

Etc etc.

Manolo wrote:

 the problem here that the sky puluted is not only owned by us citizens, 
and
 the more afected by climate change are the citizens far awey the us, like
 the ones afected by the mitch, or the starvation, on central america.

Sadly, it's often the most vulnerable and innocent who seem to bear
the brunt of it.

 and still other problem, big american enterprises goes to contaminate
 outside their bounderies where the polution and security laws are weak

Yes, and big European and Japanese and Southeast Asian and other
corporations also do that. Japanese companies deforest Southeast
Asia, Southeast Asian companies deforest Africa and Latin America.

 Sadly the very concept of currency allows the
 accumulation of unatural amounts of wealth. Without
 chits one would be unable to squirrel away more
 wealth than one had a natural ability to spend
 relativly soon after it was created/gathered. It is
 also the concept of currency that allow some of the
 most physically unproductive human beings to
 accummulate wealth most easily. I speak from
 experience as I have been both.
 
 I have also seen that we all have power that CAN be
 used to facilitate incredable changes...but most
 prefer to believe thay do not and so by proxy hand
 that power over to those that most often, at least in
 my opinion, deserve it the least.
 
 Dana

Quite right - but deserve power, as if it's a reward, or a valuable
commodity? Well yes, sure it is, but isn't that what's wrong? David
Brin fantasized Ben Franklin saying this (in 'The Postman'): It's
said that 'power corrupts', but actually it's more true that power
attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other
things than power. When they do act, they think of it as service,
which has limits. The tyrant, though, seeks mastery, for which he is
insatiable, implacable. Huxley said only angels could cope with
power responsibly, but they invariably refused to accept it. Or
something like that.

Which partly explains why people cede power to others, competent or
not - it's because they're sane. Also because that's the purpose of
the spin industry (manufacturing consent etc), and partly because
they're reluctant to accept the extra responsibility.

It's not just political power, it holds true much closer to home. A
very common reaction to biodiesel is sheer disbelief that any
ordinary Joe can make his own fuel without being a Seven Sister - can
generate his own power without being a massive utility or a coal
mine, and so on and on.

But wouldn't you agree that there's always a significant minority
that doesn't think nor act that way, which is capable of effecting
the groundswell of change and (real) progress that's always required
in a society?

Olga Lange wrote:

 I think there's an inherent problem with the whole

RE: [biofuel] Who Owns The Sky?/off topic but worth it?

2002-01-18 Thread Brad Gordon

I can't believe that you paint business men with such
a broad brush.  You assume that becuase someone is
interested in a profit that means at any cost?  

Profit is one of the greatest motivators there is. 
The ability to make more so you can provide better for
your children etc. I work for a large company and
their rules of conduct are without question.  I would
not work for them otherwise.  Would any of us have the
jobs we have if they didn't help feed our families.  I
can assure you though I would and have quit working
for a company that was managed by someone that made
ethically poor decisions.   

You seem to assume that just because someone has money
they must have done something illegal to get it.  

I would disagree.  

The free market naturally drives money to those people
who make things people want.  If everyone wanted to
pay $26,000 for a Honda Insight instead of the old gas
guzzling oil burning car they drive, we would have
more cars like the Insight.  

BRAD


--- Keith Addison [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
  It is anybody¥s wild guess when dollars will
 begin
   to obey the laws of
   nature.
   Andydownsouth
 
 They do, once you ignore the spin that says
 otherwise. The winds of 
 free trade quite naturally favour the ships with
 the biggest sails. 
 Free market forces naturally drive goods towards
 those with excess 
 liquidity away from those without. It's just that
 we're supposed to 
 believe the opposite is true. Adam Smith said two
 merchants cannot 
 sit down for a cup of coffee together without
 plotting against the 
 public good, and I guess that's natural too. Which
 doesn't make it 
 right.
 
 But of course you're right - so is Manolo. Chinese
 atmospheric 
 N-tests in the late 70s were said to have killed
 babies in New York.
 

http://www.nandotimes.com/healthscience/story/195828p-1880494c.html
 Nevada air pollution found to originate in Mongolian
 desert  -- 
 Christian Science Monitor Service , December 16,
 2001
 
 http://ens.lycos.com/ens/may2001/2001L-05-31-07.html
 Ill Winds Carry Toxic Dust -- May 31, 2001 - Storms
 in places as 
 distant as China and Africa have generated public
 attention with dust 
 clouds that travel across oceans to North America,
 bringing with them 
 living bacteria, fungi, heavy metals and other
 pollutants.
 

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com:80/html/nationworld/134286076_haze18.html
 Parts of U.S. seeing Asian dust storm; unusual haze
 expected to 
 dissipate soon  -- The Associated Press, April 18,
 2001, DENVER - A 
 dust storm that started in Mongolia and picked up
 industrial 
 pollution from China has spread a haze across a
 quarter of the 
 mainland United States, experts said yesterday.
 
 Etc etc.
 
 Manolo wrote:
 
 the problem here that the sky puluted is not only
 owned by us citizens, and
 the more afected by climate change are the citizens
 far awey the us, like
 the ones afected by the mitch, or the starvation,
 on central america.
 
 Sadly, it's often the most vulnerable and innocent
 who seem to bear 
 the brunt of it.
 
 and still other problem, big american enterprises
 goes to contaminate
 outside their bounderies where the polution and
 security laws are weak
 
 Yes, and big European and Japanese and Southeast
 Asian and other 
 corporations also do that. Japanese companies
 deforest Southeast 
 Asia, Southeast Asian companies deforest Africa and
 Latin America.
 
 Sadly the very concept of currency allows the
 accumulation of unatural amounts of wealth.
 Without
 chits one would be unable to squirrel away more
 wealth than one had a natural ability to spend
 relativly soon after it was created/gathered. It is
 also the concept of currency that allow some of the
 most physically unproductive human beings to
 accummulate wealth most easily. I speak from
 experience as I have been both.
 
 I have also seen that we all have power that CAN be
 used to facilitate incredable changes...but most
 prefer to believe thay do not and so by proxy hand
 that power over to those that most often, at least
 in
 my opinion, deserve it the least.
 
 Dana
 
 Quite right - but deserve power, as if it's a
 reward, or a valuable 
 commodity? Well yes, sure it is, but isn't that
 what's wrong? David 
 Brin fantasized Ben Franklin saying this (in 'The
 Postman'): It's 
 said that 'power corrupts', but actually it's more
 true that power 
 attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually
 attracted by other 
 things than power. When they do act, they think of
 it as service, 
 which has limits. The tyrant, though, seeks mastery,
 for which he is 
 insatiable, implacable. Huxley said only angels
 could cope with 
 power responsibly, but they invariably refused to
 accept it. Or 
 something like that.
 
 Which partly explains why people cede power to
 others, competent or 
 not - it's because they're sane. Also because that's
 the purpose of 
 the spin industry (manufacturing consent etc), and
 partly because 
 they're reluctant to accept the extra
 

RE: [biofuel] Who Owns The Sky?/off topic but worth it?

2002-01-18 Thread Dana Linscott

To get back to what I think was the original thought
on this subject;
Is it excessive greed that causes whole societies to
ignore that their pollution is causing problems
downstream or downwind, preferring to believe that if
they stay in the smoking section it does not affect
those in the  non-smoking section 3 feet distant.
Yes. It is.

And unfortunately, many societies, I would dare say
most, are essentially ruled by their most excessively
greedy members. 
Am I shouting abandon all hope? Not at all. I am
encouraging all who will listen to decide early on in
life what constitutes enough and to stick with that
decision. You will be happier...I guarantee it. Spread
this idea of enough and show others as I try to that
enough aids in personal happiness much more than
need more as a basis to judge your self. Generally I
have seen those that decided I have enough ended up
with more than enough on a regular basis after
reaching that point. Invest what ever you have that is
more than enough in helping others to decide what
enough is and the idea spreads like a virus.

I have also spent much of my more than enough on
entertainment, essentially. I invest it in programs
designed to hold those individuals responsible that
cause great pain to many others by refusing to act
responsibly. These programs actually force the
responsibility back upon those excessively greedy
individuals who profit at others expense by refusing
to act in an ethical or responsible manner simply
because they can legally do so. The entertainment
value of these programs far exceeds that of ,say
watching The Simpsons (an acerbic Fox animated
comedy) each night. It may also be helping in a small
way to make a better world.

I applaud you for having personal ethics that would
cause you to take a risk of quitting a job that forced
you to support ethically poor decisions. 

But if everyone wanted to drive Honda Insights they
would cost twice as much. I agree however that this
would stimulate more production of expensive
environmentally friendly cars. If however those owners
of non environmentally friendly cars were forced to
pay the entire cost of such a car...there would be no
environmentally unfriendly cars. 

Dana

--- Brad Gordon [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 I can't believe that you paint business men with
 such
 a broad brush.  You assume that becuase someone is
 interested in a profit that means at any cost?  
 
 Profit is one of the greatest motivators there is. 
 The ability to make more so you can provide better
 for
 your children etc. I work for a large company and
 their rules of conduct are without question.  I
 would
 not work for them otherwise.  Would any of us have
 the
 jobs we have if they didn't help feed our families. 
 I
 can assure you though I would and have quit working
 for a company that was managed by someone that made
 ethically poor decisions.   
 
 You seem to assume that just because someone has
 money
 they must have done something illegal to get it.  
 
 I would disagree.  
 
 The free market naturally drives money to those
 people
 who make things people want.  If everyone wanted to
 pay $26,000 for a Honda Insight instead of the old
 gas
 guzzling oil burning car they drive, we would have
 more cars like the Insight.  
 
 BRAD
 
snip

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RE: [biofuel] Who Owns The Sky?/off topic but worth it?

2002-01-18 Thread Brad Gordon

Well reasoned and well said

I agree that many stand in the no smoking section, to
follow your example, and assume noone else is
bothered.  There are some companies in the US that 
moved to Mexico about 15 years ago and did just that
with harmful results.  That was greed.  Most people
aren't necessarily greedy but just don't care, lazy
etc.  Most people won't change their lifestyle to
ensure that our environment is less polluted because
that means they would have to do something or spend
extra money.  Most people don't get that we (talking
about american citizens in this case) always end up
paying for it one way or another.

Also, the true costs are ignored because our
government (USA) gets paid to ignore them.  They make
so much money from gasoline, booze and cigarrettes
(can't spell) that we will always have them around. 
If people who used these items had to pay the real
costs, they would cease to be sold or alternates
found.  

The original message talked about a new group that
would collect this wonderful money that the evil
companies would pay which would then be distributed to
all the poor downtrodden masses.  You know our
government would step in and create a program, waste
half the money and share the rest with us.  Our
$1000 would be more like $5.  and then our energy
costs would go up by $100 because the money has to
come from somewhere.  When you add it all up, all US
citizens pay the costs of all the stuff that goes on
here.  You can't charge a company more and just assume
that the money magically appears out of nowhere and we
all get rich.

It would be more reasonable to have everyone in the US
decrease electrical usage by 5% or drive their car 1
year longer or  This would have more effect than
all the regulations in the world.  As with anything,
companies always pass their costs along to the end
user.  

To draw the biofuel issue into the mix... I am
learning a great deal about making alternate fuels on
this list.  The discussions all look promising and
seem to indicate that we are on the verge of using
biofuels on a larger scale.  As with many paradigm
shifts (which using an alternate to petroleum really
is) it will probably take a bunch of individual people
prooving out the economics for biofuel on the small
scale, then scaling up bigger and bigger.  Until
someone has a full scale production facility and
becomes the next Phillips non-Petroleum.  Or as more
likely, getting big enough so the big oil companies
buy the process and take over production.  I would
stake my next cup of coffee that if big oil companies
could be shown that biofuel is more profitable than
the present petroleum process, they would be into it
before your could blink.  

All you biofuelers out there keep up the good work.   

BRAD
 

--- Dana Linscott [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 To get back to what I think was the original thought
 on this subject;
 Is it excessive greed that causes whole societies to
 ignore that their pollution is causing problems
 downstream or downwind, preferring to believe that
 if
 they stay in the smoking section it does not
 affect
 those in the  non-smoking section 3 feet distant.
 Yes. It is.
 
 And unfortunately, many societies, I would dare say
 most, are essentially ruled by their most
 excessively
 greedy members. 
 Am I shouting abandon all hope? Not at all. I am
 encouraging all who will listen to decide early on
 in
 life what constitutes enough and to stick with
 that
 decision. You will be happier...I guarantee it.
 Spread
 this idea of enough and show others as I try to
 that
 enough aids in personal happiness much more than
 need more as a basis to judge your self. Generally
 I
 have seen those that decided I have enough ended
 up
 with more than enough on a regular basis after
 reaching that point. Invest what ever you have that
 is
 more than enough in helping others to decide what
 enough is and the idea spreads like a virus.
 
 I have also spent much of my more than enough on
 entertainment, essentially. I invest it in
 programs
 designed to hold those individuals responsible that
 cause great pain to many others by refusing to act
 responsibly. These programs actually force the
 responsibility back upon those excessively greedy
 individuals who profit at others expense by refusing
 to act in an ethical or responsible manner simply
 because they can legally do so. The entertainment
 value of these programs far exceeds that of ,say
 watching The Simpsons (an acerbic Fox animated
 comedy) each night. It may also be helping in a
 small
 way to make a better world.
 
 I applaud you for having personal ethics that would
 cause you to take a risk of quitting a job that
 forced
 you to support ethically poor decisions. 
 
 But if everyone wanted to drive Honda Insights they
 would cost twice as much. I agree however that this
 would stimulate more production of expensive
 environmentally friendly cars. If however those
 owners
 of non environmentally friendly cars were 

RE: [biofuel] Who Owns The Sky?/off topic but worth it?

2002-01-18 Thread kirk

Why be amazed? Pollution is pollution and the west is not the sole source.
There are cities in Asia where it is hazardous to breathe. Any oxygen
dispensing machines on the sidewalk near your home? Some places have them,
and for a reason.
Once in the air it moves and sometimes very long distances.
To know in your heart the US gvt spreads disinformation is very true.
But to think they have a corner on the market, sorry, all gvts represent the
truth as they would have you see it.
The tragedy is when science becomes political, not objective, and that is an
every day occurrence now.

Kirk

-Original Message-
From: Alex McKinney [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Friday, January 18, 2002 5:19 AM
To: biofuel@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [biofuel] Who Owns The Sky?/off topic but worth it?


I find it amazing that all the articles below state how another country's
pollution is to blame for some of the problems in North America.  These are
probably written by the American government to lay the blame elsewhere.  I
hope in my lifetime I am able to see individuals take responsibility for
their own actions.

Alex McKinney


Original Message Follows
From: Keith Addison [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Reply-To: biofuel@yahoogroups.com
To: biofuel@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [biofuel] Who Owns The Sky?/off topic but worth it?
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2002 05:15:59 +0900

  It is anybody´s wild guess when dollars will begin
   to obey the laws of
   nature.
   Andydownsouth

They do, once you ignore the spin that says otherwise. The winds of
free trade quite naturally favour the ships with the biggest sails.
Free market forces naturally drive goods towards those with excess
liquidity away from those without. It's just that we're supposed to
believe the opposite is true. Adam Smith said two merchants cannot
sit down for a cup of coffee together without plotting against the
public good, and I guess that's natural too. Which doesn't make it
right.

But of course you're right - so is Manolo. Chinese atmospheric
N-tests in the late 70s were said to have killed babies in New York.

http://www.nandotimes.com/healthscience/story/195828p-1880494c.html
Nevada air pollution found to originate in Mongolian desert  --
Christian Science Monitor Service , December 16, 2001

http://ens.lycos.com/ens/may2001/2001L-05-31-07.html
Ill Winds Carry Toxic Dust -- May 31, 2001 - Storms in places as
distant as China and Africa have generated public attention with dust
clouds that travel across oceans to North America, bringing with them
living bacteria, fungi, heavy metals and other pollutants.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com:80/html/nationworld/134286076_haze18.html
Parts of U.S. seeing Asian dust storm; unusual haze expected to
dissipate soon  -- The Associated Press, April 18, 2001, DENVER - A
dust storm that started in Mongolia and picked up industrial
pollution from China has spread a haze across a quarter of the
mainland United States, experts said yesterday.

Etc etc.

Manolo wrote:

 the problem here that the sky puluted is not only owned by us citizens,
and
 the more afected by climate change are the citizens far awey the us, like
 the ones afected by the mitch, or the starvation, on central america.

Sadly, it's often the most vulnerable and innocent who seem to bear
the brunt of it.

 and still other problem, big american enterprises goes to contaminate
 outside their bounderies where the polution and security laws are weak

Yes, and big European and Japanese and Southeast Asian and other
corporations also do that. Japanese companies deforest Southeast
Asia, Southeast Asian companies deforest Africa and Latin America.

 Sadly the very concept of currency allows the
 accumulation of unatural amounts of wealth. Without
 chits one would be unable to squirrel away more
 wealth than one had a natural ability to spend
 relativly soon after it was created/gathered. It is
 also the concept of currency that allow some of the
 most physically unproductive human beings to
 accummulate wealth most easily. I speak from
 experience as I have been both.
 
 I have also seen that we all have power that CAN be
 used to facilitate incredable changes...but most
 prefer to believe thay do not and so by proxy hand
 that power over to those that most often, at least in
 my opinion, deserve it the least.
 
 Dana

Quite right - but deserve power, as if it's a reward, or a valuable
commodity? Well yes, sure it is, but isn't that what's wrong? David
Brin fantasized Ben Franklin saying this (in 'The Postman'): It's
said that 'power corrupts', but actually it's more true that power
attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other
things than power. When they do act, they think of it as service,
which has limits. The tyrant, though, seeks mastery, for which he is
insatiable, implacable. Huxley said only angels could cope with
power responsibly, but they invariably refused to accept it. Or
something like that.

Which partly explains why people cede power

RE: [biofuel] Who Owns The Sky?/off topic but worth it?

2002-01-17 Thread Dana Linscott

Andres,
It is anybody´s wild guess when dollars will begin
 to obey the laws of
 nature.
 Andydownsouth

Sadly the very concept of currency allows the
accumulation of unatural amounts of wealth. Without
chits one would be unable to squirrel away more
wealth than one had a natural ability to spend 
relativly soon after it was created/gathered. It is
also the concept of currency that allow some of the
most physically unproductive human beings to
accummulate wealth most easily. I speak from
experience as I have been both.

I have also seen that we all have power that CAN be
used to facilitate incredable changes...but most
prefer to believe thay do not and so by proxy hand
that power over to those that most often, at least in
my opinion, deserve it the least. 

Dana

--- Andrés_Stepkowski [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 Manolo is right in that the sky does not end at the
 Big River boundary. The
 laws of nature (thermodynamics) tell us that mass
 flows always go in the
 direction of the more to the less. Heat moves from
 the hotter to the colder,
 water flows from the higher to the lower, and
 unfortunately, pollution also
 follows the law, but never stops at that imaginary
 border, and rather
 continues on to ravage my water, my beaches and my
 trees down here, or
 anywhere else.
 It is anybody´s wild guess when dollars will begin
 to obey the laws of
 nature.
 Andydownsouth


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RE: [biofuel] Who Owns The Sky?/off topic but worth it?

2002-01-17 Thread Keith Addison

 It is anybody´s wild guess when dollars will begin
  to obey the laws of
  nature.
  Andydownsouth

They do, once you ignore the spin that says otherwise. The winds of 
free trade quite naturally favour the ships with the biggest sails. 
Free market forces naturally drive goods towards those with excess 
liquidity away from those without. It's just that we're supposed to 
believe the opposite is true. Adam Smith said two merchants cannot 
sit down for a cup of coffee together without plotting against the 
public good, and I guess that's natural too. Which doesn't make it 
right.

But of course you're right - so is Manolo. Chinese atmospheric 
N-tests in the late 70s were said to have killed babies in New York.

http://www.nandotimes.com/healthscience/story/195828p-1880494c.html
Nevada air pollution found to originate in Mongolian desert  -- 
Christian Science Monitor Service , December 16, 2001

http://ens.lycos.com/ens/may2001/2001L-05-31-07.html
Ill Winds Carry Toxic Dust -- May 31, 2001 - Storms in places as 
distant as China and Africa have generated public attention with dust 
clouds that travel across oceans to North America, bringing with them 
living bacteria, fungi, heavy metals and other pollutants.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com:80/html/nationworld/134286076_haze18.html
Parts of U.S. seeing Asian dust storm; unusual haze expected to 
dissipate soon  -- The Associated Press, April 18, 2001, DENVER - A 
dust storm that started in Mongolia and picked up industrial 
pollution from China has spread a haze across a quarter of the 
mainland United States, experts said yesterday.

Etc etc.

Manolo wrote:

the problem here that the sky puluted is not only owned by us citizens, and
the more afected by climate change are the citizens far awey the us, like
the ones afected by the mitch, or the starvation, on central america.

Sadly, it's often the most vulnerable and innocent who seem to bear 
the brunt of it.

and still other problem, big american enterprises goes to contaminate
outside their bounderies where the polution and security laws are weak

Yes, and big European and Japanese and Southeast Asian and other 
corporations also do that. Japanese companies deforest Southeast 
Asia, Southeast Asian companies deforest Africa and Latin America.

Sadly the very concept of currency allows the
accumulation of unatural amounts of wealth. Without
chits one would be unable to squirrel away more
wealth than one had a natural ability to spend
relativly soon after it was created/gathered. It is
also the concept of currency that allow some of the
most physically unproductive human beings to
accummulate wealth most easily. I speak from
experience as I have been both.

I have also seen that we all have power that CAN be
used to facilitate incredable changes...but most
prefer to believe thay do not and so by proxy hand
that power over to those that most often, at least in
my opinion, deserve it the least.

Dana

Quite right - but deserve power, as if it's a reward, or a valuable 
commodity? Well yes, sure it is, but isn't that what's wrong? David 
Brin fantasized Ben Franklin saying this (in 'The Postman'): It's 
said that 'power corrupts', but actually it's more true that power 
attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other 
things than power. When they do act, they think of it as service, 
which has limits. The tyrant, though, seeks mastery, for which he is 
insatiable, implacable. Huxley said only angels could cope with 
power responsibly, but they invariably refused to accept it. Or 
something like that.

Which partly explains why people cede power to others, competent or 
not - it's because they're sane. Also because that's the purpose of 
the spin industry (manufacturing consent etc), and partly because 
they're reluctant to accept the extra responsibility.

It's not just political power, it holds true much closer to home. A 
very common reaction to biodiesel is sheer disbelief that any 
ordinary Joe can make his own fuel without being a Seven Sister - can 
generate his own power without being a massive utility or a coal 
mine, and so on and on.

But wouldn't you agree that there's always a significant minority 
that doesn't think nor act that way, which is capable of effecting 
the groundswell of change and (real) progress that's always required 
in a society?

Olga Lange wrote:

I think there's an inherent problem with the whole idea of pollution
credits and the commodifcation of our entire environment. How have we
gotten  to the point where we don't think it's absurd to charge rent for
the sky? Also, as to who owns the sky, we all do--that all is not just
homo sapiens. $1,000 checks for clams and koalas too?

But if we're going to start charging rent, I've long felt that we should be
charging storage fees for the toxic wastes in our lungs.

Hear hear! (Not just in our lungs.) Frankly I think the whole idea of 
the Sky Trust is half-assed, but I suppose it is at least an 
approach to 

RE: [biofuel] Who Owns The Sky?/off topic but worth it?

2002-01-17 Thread r . p . kurz

GOD owns the sky and i'm afraid that he's not too happy
with our stewardship of it.
 kind regards roger kurz
 Andres,
 It is anybody«s wild guess when dollars will begin
  to obey the laws of
  nature.
  Andydownsouth
 
 Sadly the very concept of currency allows the
 accumulation of unatural amounts of wealth. Without
 chits one would be unable to squirrel away more
 wealth than one had a natural ability to spend 
 relativly soon after it was created/gathered. It is
 also the concept of currency that allow some of the
 most physically unproductive human beings to
 accummulate wealth most easily. I speak from
 experience as I have been both.
 
 I have also seen that we all have power that CAN be
 used to facilitate incredable changes...but most
 prefer to believe thay do not and so by proxy hand
 that power over to those that most often, at least in
 my opinion, deserve it the least. 
 
 Dana
 
 --- AndrŽs_Stepkowski [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
  Manolo is right in that the sky does not end at the
  Big River boundary. The
  laws of nature (thermodynamics) tell us that mass
  flows always go in the
  direction of the more to the less. Heat moves from
  the hotter to the colder,
  water flows from the higher to the lower, and
  unfortunately, pollution also
  follows the law, but never stops at that imaginary
  border, and rather
  continues on to ravage my water, my beaches and my
  trees down here, or
  anywhere else.
  It is anybody«s wild guess when dollars will begin
  to obey the laws of
  nature.
  Andydownsouth
 
 
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