It will never happen in my lifetime!

pincushion · 26 Feb 2012

So, having been born at the end of WWII I had the pleasure of growing up with the ever present threat of nuclear war via the MAD doctrine with things such as MIRVs and although it seems to have calmed down a bit most of us will not be truly happy until all nuclear weapons are consigned to the dustbin - a secure one hopefully. I must say that for most of my early life I did not see an end to this stalemate and also did not see apartheid ending in South Africa. Things do change and sometimes quite unexpectedly but what do you see as just not possible in your lifetime or what major changes do you expect to see?

MWRed · 26 Feb 2012

it would really be hard to dismiss things with the constant change that we see all the time now.
I never would have had a 2nd thought about not seeing another World War, but now i'm not so sure. I don't think it would be like WWI or II, but I do think, eventually, something will happen. Too much tension almost everywhere that has to be let off somewhere along the line.

I do however think it will be a different kind of warfare. Not really 100% physical/ground + air war. More will have to do with technology in the future.

Other than that, it's really hard to say. technology is moving so fast that anything could happen in the future.
I think major changes in Government, worldwide, are inevitable.

Trucidation · 26 Feb 2012

Every once in a while I'd read an article saying how they've made a breakthrough on "life-extending" procedures. Since the 1990s.

Needless to say, I'm beginning to think I'll die of old age before anything actual comes out of this.

whs · 26 Feb 2012

I would be happy if people would waste less energy in the US - at least get to the European level (which would be cutting the current consumption by about 60%).

And that would be so easy to accomplish. Put an additional $5 tax on each gallon of gas like in Europe (and similar on electricity) - you can get people only by their pocket book. Then use the trillinos the goverment collects to build high speed trains like this one, give money to the people to install sun collectors and insulate their houses and sponsor green energy.

The result would be that the US would have a surplus of oil from their own production. No more oil imports would very positively impact the balance of payment and the US debt situation. The green energy drive would create a whole new industry with a lot of new jobs (as was demonstrated in Germany). The car industry would produce cars that can do 60 or 70MpG (the technology exists and the Eurpean manufacturers build those cars right now) which they could export much better than the current models. Everybody would win.

smarteyeball · 26 Feb 2012

I'd like to see the death of tabloid 'journalism' and replace current 'role models' with those of more substance.

And metro sexuality being cool...

I also don't want to live through a modern day religious crusade.

seekermeister · 26 Feb 2012

whs said:

I would be happy if people would waste less energy in the US - at least get to the European level (which would be cutting the current consumption by about 60%).

And that would be so easy to accomplish. Put an additional $5 tax on each gallon of gas like in Europe (and similar on electricity) - you can get people only by their pocket book. Then use the trillinos the goverment collects to build high speed trains like this one, give money to the people to install sun collectors and insulate their houses and sponsor green energy.

The result would be that the US would have a surplus of oil from their own production. No more oil imports would very positively impact the balance of payment and the US debt situation. The green energy drive would create a whole new industry with a lot of new jobs (as was demonstrated in Germany). The car industry would produce cars that can do 60 or 70MpG (the technology exists and the Eurpean manufacturers build those cars right now) which they could export much better than the current models. Everybody would win.

I've got a better idea...why don't you drill some oil wells and leave our taxes alone? We already have a number of hybrid autos available, some using no gas at all, but they are quite expensive, and more than many of us can afford.

whs · 26 Feb 2012

People will never save anything if it is cheap. Only expensive resources will be saved. And as for the prices of efficient cars - they cost the same as any cars if you equip them with turbo diesels. They produce much more power than gas engines for half the fuel consumption - especially in heavier cars. Hybrids are not the solution - too complex and too expensive.

seekermeister · 26 Feb 2012

It is not a matter of saving. It is a matter of either having or not having. I guess it doesn't matter to you whether many of us can afford to drive a vehicle, but it definitely does to me, and to a vast number of Americans. It sounds to me that the only savings that you are concerned with is your's.

whs · 26 Feb 2012

You got that all wrong. If you drive a car that does 20MpG at $4 per gallon versus a car that does 60MpG at $8 per gallon, you come out ahead of the game - and those cars do exist. But things will not change unless people do not change - e.g. buy different cars. And that they will do only if it is cheaper for them the going with the old ways. And the industry will follow suit.

I think it is better to change the trend now than to wait until oil will be really scarce and unaffordable. And what do you do if the Arabs decide one day to deliver no more or a lot less oil to the US. China will buy it all up - and they have money, lots of it.

seekermeister · 26 Feb 2012

No, you have it wrong. Before your concept would be applicable, it would mean that everybody would have to buy a new car. Not just any new car, but one with the technology that you described, and that is not something that the majority of American citizens can do.

If that seems like a small thing to you, then you must have so much money that you could afford to donate a new vehicle to someone here, but if that were the case, then you would not be complaining about your cost of fuel.