<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for Tom Friedman talks up the need for an ‘energy revolution’ on ‘Meet the Press’]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by hapa http://www.grist.org/article/hot-flat-and-crowded/ Mon, 08 Sep 2008 06:46:56 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/hot-flat-and-crowded/1 tom is weird

used to be the world was flat because it was economically integrated. now it's flat because there is growing economic equity (meeting in the middle) among the bourgeoisies. well, as long as it's flat. maybe next time it will be flat because it has run over a nail and needs replacing.

i know the crowd will probably like it, as a step from "energy independent" toward some kind of resource management truth, but the "earth race" thing gives me ugly shivers.

there's a couple ways i can imagine such a winner-take-all thing resulting in no prize.

the world is flat but can't cooperate. can't see past its nose. so why would such a world compete to save itself? tom is his own counterargument.

]]> tom is weird

used to be the world was flat because it was economically integrated. now it's flat because there is growing economic equity (meeting in the middle) among the bourgeoisies. well, as long as it's flat. maybe next time it will be flat because it has run over a nail and needs replacing.

i know the crowd will probably like it, as a step from "energy independent" toward some kind of resource management truth, but the "earth race" thing gives me ugly shivers.

there's a couple ways i can imagine such a winner-take-all thing resulting in no prize.

the world is flat but can't cooperate. can't see past its nose. so why would such a world compete to save itself? tom is his own counterargument.

]]> Comment #2 by infp http://www.grist.org/article/hot-flat-and-crowded/ Mon, 08 Sep 2008 07:40:40 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/hot-flat-and-crowded/2 Equivocation

Notice how Brokaw feels compelled to observe that both the Democrats and the Republicans have neglected the global warming issue. To point out that the Republicans have been far worse on this issue might make Brokaw appear to be (gasp!) "partisan."  As long as the mainstream press believes in this type of equivocation the American public will remain ignorant.  

]]> Equivocation

Notice how Brokaw feels compelled to observe that both the Democrats and the Republicans have neglected the global warming issue. To point out that the Republicans have been far worse on this issue might make Brokaw appear to be (gasp!) "partisan."  As long as the mainstream press believes in this type of equivocation the American public will remain ignorant.  

]]> Comment #3 by ConsumeLessofIt http://www.grist.org/article/hot-flat-and-crowded/ Mon, 08 Sep 2008 08:50:39 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/hot-flat-and-crowded/3 Do it for the kids

I agree with most of what Tom said.  Regardless of whether "global warming" is real or not we need to take the next step in energy technology.  We can't continue living at the expense of the natural world.  The sooner new alternatives are discovered the better off we will all be.  The current generation might be able to scrape by living as we do today, but there is no way future generations will be able to consume as many resources as we do without suffering dire consequences.  

Now the question becomes how do we convince the majority of the population that change is necessary?

Cheers! Stu www.ConsumeLessofIt.com

]]> Do it for the kids

I agree with most of what Tom said.  Regardless of whether "global warming" is real or not we need to take the next step in energy technology.  We can't continue living at the expense of the natural world.  The sooner new alternatives are discovered the better off we will all be.  The current generation might be able to scrape by living as we do today, but there is no way future generations will be able to consume as many resources as we do without suffering dire consequences.  

Now the question becomes how do we convince the majority of the population that change is necessary?

Cheers! Stu www.ConsumeLessofIt.com

]]> Comment #4 by gmobus http://www.grist.org/article/hot-flat-and-crowded/ Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:48:03 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/hot-flat-and-crowded/4 Innovation in IT - Moore's law

I wonder if Tom realizes that the analogy doesn't really work. In this country we are so used to bigger faster better in IT that we have a tendency to believe it applies to all invention.

In a sense, computers and telecomm are antithetical to power production. Moore's law is a kind of neg-second law of thermodynamics. Unfortunately in the world of energy conversion and storage bigger isn't necessarily better.

Where exactly does he believe these innovative ideas are going to come from?

I know this isn't the message the growth-economy crowd wants to hear, but you should save your money, don't buy Tom's book and spend it on a physics book on thermodynamics. You'll understand reality a lot better for it.

George
 

George Mobus, Associate Professor, Institute of Technology, University of Washington Tacoma, and Professional Student for Life


]]> Innovation in IT - Moore's law

I wonder if Tom realizes that the analogy doesn't really work. In this country we are so used to bigger faster better in IT that we have a tendency to believe it applies to all invention.

In a sense, computers and telecomm are antithetical to power production. Moore's law is a kind of neg-second law of thermodynamics. Unfortunately in the world of energy conversion and storage bigger isn't necessarily better.

Where exactly does he believe these innovative ideas are going to come from?

I know this isn't the message the growth-economy crowd wants to hear, but you should save your money, don't buy Tom's book and spend it on a physics book on thermodynamics. You'll understand reality a lot better for it.

George
 

George Mobus, Associate Professor, Institute of Technology, University of Washington Tacoma, and Professional Student for Life


]]> Comment #5 by Jason D Scorse http://www.grist.org/article/hot-flat-and-crowded/ Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:55:07 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/hot-flat-and-crowded/5 Friedman nailed it....

he was 100000 times better than Gore and is exactly the right spokesman for the cause. And this coming from someone who never really liked him all that much....until now.

We need to focus on the root causes of problems.

]]> Friedman nailed it....

he was 100000 times better than Gore and is exactly the right spokesman for the cause. And this coming from someone who never really liked him all that much....until now.

We need to focus on the root causes of problems.

]]>