[Roccland]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'S')o rewording, how can you be a super-achiever?

good question.

I could send Aaron a check for a million and I could be an elite. Or buy the website off Aaron and just make myself elite, kind of like how murdock did it...

Otherwise, I think you have to achieve something.

Or, if you already are elite, then just ask Aaron.
He'll just stick you up there.

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ferrelgiraffe', 'T')elevision would have to have
1. Math channel
2. Physics channel
3. Chemistry channel
4. Biology channel
5. Test and quizzes channel like game shows.
6. Music channel
7. Free peoples channel

.

[Plantagenet]

If I were king I'd put a healthy tax on all imported oil....say $3 a gallon.

I'd dedicate most of the new tax money to improving mass transit (high speed inter-city train, light rail in the cities), and I'd put the rest of the money into a "Manhatten-style" project of new scientific research on energy and climate change problems.

[careinke]

Our problems can be boiled down into two separate but related themes. Too many people, and over consumption. The US can probably support the current population on our own, we just need to reduce our over consumption and stabilize our population. So… if I were the dictator of America, here is what I would do…

First,
1. Eliminate all current taxes.
2. Stop the war on drugs.
3. Pull all the troops back home.
4. Stop all foreign aid.

Then,
1. Replace all current taxes with a tax on the sale of all new goods.
2. Double tax carbon based fuels.
3. Provide a tax pre-bate to all US Citizens over the age of 18, equal to twice the amount of taxes which would be paid at the poverty level.
4. Institute three years of mandatory service for all people on their 18th birthday. (Military, Infrastructure repair, health workers etc.)
5. Provide free health care for all US Citizens.
6. Mandatory sterilization for any couple having a Meth or Crack baby.
7. Make “Permaculture’ a required subject in school.
8. Secure our borders.
9. Allow guest workers, but make the employer responsible for health care costs and payment to return them to their home country upon termination.
10. Re-enact the Slacker Land Laws in cities allowing people to grow food in vacant lots.
11. Run a major propaganda campaign making self sufficiency and conservation the patriotic thing to do.

On the other hand, I may just use my powers to throw myself a very nice party until the lights go out.

Cliff (Start a revolution, grow a garden)

[evilgenius]

I forgot a few things.

Outlaw the sale of clothes dryers.

Both tax the rich at 30% and institute a 2% national sales tax.

Form a collective market based social security system that working people can choose to join in addition to the existing system. For every dollar invested there in renewable energy or conservation management companies the government will add a dollar to the same company. Added dollars have to stay there at least a year. The money stays in the persons account until, say the age of 55, then it can be withdrawn. Fraudsters taking advantage of this by way of false companies get life in prison. All buy and sell charges will be shared in such an account between all those making the same daily transaction, thus preventing the death by fees scenario.

Hydrogen power will be gotten via electrolysis, preventing a future oxygen imbalance when mass fuel cell use robs the atmophere of more oxygen than was made available when the hydrogen was initially formed.

[MonteQuest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('careinke', ' ')The US can probably support the current population on our own, we just need to reduce our over consumption and stabilize our population.

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MonteQuest', '
')
Not according to the leading pherologists. The US carrying capacity is about 100 to 150 million on a sustainable basis, even with a lifestyle lower than we enjoy today.

[MonteQuest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'I')f you can give me a reference on these leading pherologists, I'd appreciate it.

[Ludi]

I have, Monte.


There are approx 460+ million acres of arable land in the United States, this means - if we use the typical definition of the word "arable" - land fit for cultivation, as by plowing -"land you can grow food on." An acre is plenty of land on which to grow the food for one person, even under dry farming conditions (it is approx 10 times the amount of land needed if irrigation water is available). Our current population in the US is something like 300 million last I checked. Therefore, we currently have more land than needed to feed the current population if we lived and grew our food a different way.


I guess I must be missing some piece of information you posted somewhere. Sorry to annoy you.


My reference for some figures: http://dieoff.org/page40.htm


I just have to say, I get tired of people saying "we have exceeded carrying capacity" when we don't know the carrying capacity. We KNOW we have exceeded the carrying capacity for living this way. We can estimate the carrying capacity based on other ways. This might not seem like an important distinction to you, but it is to me, so I'll probably keep beefing about it nearly every time someone claims "billions must die because we have exceeded the carrying capacity."


Just my own personal point of view.

[MonteQuest]

(sigh) Once more...

Human Carrying Capacity of Earth

WAY TOO MANY FOR US

The Carrying Capacity of the United States

Land, Water and Energy Versus The Ideal U.S. Population

Just a few from a long list.

Note: Read the metrics used to estimate these numbers.

They all involve a massive reduction in the standard of living.

[Ludi]

Ok, Monte. Have it your way. Your "experts" win out over my "experts."


Just ignore what my "experts" have to say and you win the arguement.



As it turns out, I don't have the willpower to argue with you anymore. I don't have the willpower to fight this death cult.



You win, Monte, you win.

[holmes]

For the love of god they did studies on the carrying capacity of America in the 1960's. If we were to maintian any semblance of freedom and quality of life it is 150 million. Ludi are you brain dead? lack commons sense? Have problems observing? Are u really an indoor urban person? Do you lack an ecological common sense? i have travelled all over this country on foot with backpack. ovbserving all regions of this continent. the carrying capacity has been breached long ago. Montequest is dead on. End of fucking story. this is such old news. Humans need to get out more and observe the productivity capabilities of the land. Is there some kind of delusional thinking going on?
I do not need no stinking "professionals" to tell me a thing about the capabilities of this land. it was made for hunting and gathering. herding beast protiens. If agricultural it needed to stay at 150 million. we are at 350 million now.

[holmes]

OIL has kept this delusional thinking going way too long. Very hard times and reality are coming sadly. It is scary when the "environmentalists" are clueless on just what the carrying capacity is. Oil has made us all delusional.

[MonteQuest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'I') have, Monte.


There are approx 460+ million acres of arable land in the United States, this means - if we use the typical definition of the word "arable" - land fit for cultivation, as by plowing -"land you can grow food on." An acre is plenty of land on which to grow the food for one person, even under dry farming conditions (it is approx 10 times the amount of land needed if irrigation water is available). Our current population in the US is something like 300 million last I checked. Therefore, we currently have more land than needed to feed the current population if we lived and grew our food a different way.

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', '
')As it turns out, I don't have the willpower to argue with you anymore. I don't have the willpower to fight this death cult.

[MonteQuest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', ' ')I just have to say, I get tired of people saying "we have exceeded carrying capacity" when we don't know the carrying capacity. We KNOW we have exceeded the carrying capacity for living this way. We can estimate the carrying capacity based on other ways. This might not seem like an important distinction to you, but it is to me, so I'll probably keep beefing about it nearly every time someone claims "billions must die because we have exceeded the carrying capacity."

[eric_b]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'I') have, Monte.


There are approx 460+ million acres of arable land in the United States, this means - if we use the typical definition of the word "arable" - land fit for cultivation, as by plowing -"land you can grow food on." An acre is plenty of land on which to grow the food for one person, even under dry farming conditions (it is approx 10 times the amount of land needed if irrigation water is available). Our current population in the US is something like 300 million last I checked. Therefore, we currently have more land than needed to feed the current population if we lived and grew our food a different way.

[MonteQuest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'O')k, Monte. Have it your way. Your "experts" win out over my "experts."


Just ignore what my "experts" have to say and you win the arguement.

[holmes]

Ludi does not annoy me at all either. It just is so tiring like you said. rehashing what common sense and observation can easily answer. Its just monotonous. it is just that people do not understand how far we have grown over board. it is really all due to the oil. It has brainwashed us into thinking things are so abundant and easy. I mean the carrying capacity now might even be so low as 20 million. I mean we have paved and flushed out to sea most of our top soil and the minerals in it. so many places if food was grown the food will be so depleted of nutrients people will have filled bellies but will be starving.
yes PMS the truly important life sustaining things have been nearly destroyed.