Stirring up the pot...

[Misson]

It is true there were efforts on behalf of the government and industry to promote private car ownership. GM gave the city of Detroit a fleet of diesel buses in the 60s and Detroit scrapped their commuter train system. Still, I believe ridership was down because we are generally a pretty independent lot. That and good marketing made everyone want to own their own cars. OTOH, with the high gas prices, ridership is up - who knows, maybe mass transit will become cost-effective for cities to run once again. (This could be another solution that comes from out of left field. (Left field for the US at any rate.) Oh, for the fine transit systems of cities like London. Mind the gap!)

I think revolution is a fine idea, but few people would have the guts to sign up. As hurricane noted, we're comfortable. Plus we don't all agree on what to the goals of such a revolution would be. For example, I think the Baby Boomer "Revolution" of the 60s, had it succeeded (and I personally don't see how it could have) would have put this country into a socialist model that is every bit as flawed as all the other socialist models that are out there. (Yeah, yeah, tell me about the one or two countries where it has succeeded, more or less. They're usually very small. The big countries have great struggles with the same model.)

Capitalism is by no means perfect, but our country is built more upon that model than any other. Innovation requires the freedom of economy that a capitalist model encourages (again, more or less). Throw this out and we're just another socialist state fighting a losing battle. (The more socialist you are, the slower innovative progress seems to be and the more fixed your resources appear to be. So you end up trying to give more to the people with a perceptually fixed pool of resources because progress in expanding resources is stifled by regulation and less economic incentive.)

Curiously, most countries that have made great strides recently have done so by adopting a more capitalist model, not a more socialist one. (Although there is always a mix of capitalism with other ideas - if one country finally decides to go all out in this direction with reasonable controls against the gross excesses of industry (by which I mean monopolies and unreasonably unhealthy work environments, NOT things like theoretical future damage that may be caused by global warming emissions), I think the US will have met its global power match and we'll be second rate while we wallow in socialist policies designed to keep us safe and comfortable. Keep a sharp eye on China with their huge human resource pool. Imagine the creativity that could be unleashed if they adopted even more capitalist incentives.)

[Lady Alyx]

Mission, where do you get your information on Solar. I have been in Solar production for 10 years now and there is no disposable battery. Solar and Wind and Wave are the ways to go in the future...!!!!!

Wiki- solar power

[Misson]

Mission, where do you get your information on Solar.  I have been in Solar production for 10 years now and there is no disposable battery.  Solar and Wind and Wave are the ways to go in the future...!!!!

Actually, I was thinking mostly of solar-powered cars, which is what we were talking about originally. I think. However, I have also seen homes with batteries for solar power. When you get into areas with less sun, solar can only be a feasible total energy-system replacement if there's a way to store the power for non-sun periods. (However, the trend seems to have been toward solar power with a needed back-up standard power source. On the plus side, if I understand it rightly, when you're not using the power being generated, you can feed it back into the energy grid and the energy companies must pay you for supplying them.)

Last I heard, battery storage becomes less efficient over time and they must be replaced eventually. The solar cars I've seen require large and many batteries to store energy. On top of that cars get replaced regularly and the batteries must go somewhere. (Hopefully to recycle, although I'll bet more recyclables go to landfill than recycle.)

Solar, wind and wave will be the energies of the future if they can devise a way to make them more reliable. (And I think they can, but it seems to be taking a lot of time. My folks have had solar heat since the bad ol' Carter years, but it's a direct feed system with no batteries. That option was too expensive - not to mention to heavy for the rafters to support.)

[Dorian Lasseter]

Watch.

Listen.

Learn.

Understand.

[oderlesseye]

90% of the poeple commenting on his video don't support his view.

The Lemmings are on the path of destruction... The United States is a whore...and has wondered away from her founding values...

Scream loudly enough..then a trumped up charge of treason will more than likely visit your door step unless it is done in the Public like Micheal Moore did.. Irony of it would be the ALCU representing me when I dislike them for thier liberal stances that have been used in the court of law that basically go against goodness, righteousness, and especially honor of God...

[Black Nate]

AMEN BROTHER!!!!!!!!

To many f***in sheep!

[Matusalem]

Thank ye Callenish gunner for being an advocate of rail travel...as is meself . I was watching the news the other night how a family was trying to get to orlando from Philly because their flight was cancelled due to airline cutbacks, and high fares on primetime flights forcing them to drive to Orlando in their Ford Explorer instead. No one thinks trains exist anymore. The Bush administration snubs Amtrak while supporting stupid 'pet projects' like the Trans-Texas highway, and meanwhile we have a passenger rail system worthy of a third world country. The Acela itself cannot attain the speed it was meant for because the trackage (meaning electric caternay wires, bridges, etc) are 100 years old and insufficient.

Furthermore, while some may advocate drilling for oil in Alaska or the Gulf of mexico, the only thing that it accomplishes is empower the oil companies even more so. We are being held hostage by big petro.

Oh, Callenish...net time you travel, try the Cardinal Limited.

[BriarRose Kildare]

Watch.

Listen.

Learn.

Understand.

Aye, our ForeFather's and ForeMother's would be greatly ashamed in how we American's have lost our way by becoming a bunch of sheep, especially when many of our ancestors died for our freedoms. Where is the voice of the people? What have we become by constantly being railroaded?

We are way over due for a Revolution. "Any one want to start another Boston Tea Party over the exhorbent gas prices?"