Going the way of the Ming empire

[Torchwood]

http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/gl ... -grim.aspx

[Typhoon]

http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/gl ... -grim.aspx

Eurocrat of the future:



Interesting article by Matt Ridley.

If memory serves, the last Ming emperor's time was consumed by performing meaningless rites.

Environmentalism has unfortunately mutated into a mysticism based on the irrational fear of the new.

Even the supposedly rational Germans have opted to shut down their nuclear power plants, given Germany's history of earthquakes and tsunamis, to be replaced by unworkable medieval windmills.

[Endovelico]

Environmentalism has unfortunately mutated into a mysticism based on the irrational fear of the new.

Even the supposedly rational Germans have opted to shut down their nuclear power plants, given Germany's history of earthquakes and tsunamis, to be replaced by unworkable medieval windmills.

For a scientist you have a particularly closed mind... Those "unworkable medieval windmills" already supply more than one third of Portugal's electricity, saving us a lot of much needed money.




Can you notice the difference?...

[Typhoon]

Environmentalism has unfortunately mutated into a mysticism based on the irrational fear of the new.

Even the supposedly rational Germans have opted to shut down their nuclear power plants, given Germany's history of earthquakes and tsunamis, to be replaced by unworkable medieval windmills.

For a scientist you have a particularly closed mind... Those "unworkable medieval windmills" already supply more than one third of Portugal's electricity, saving us a lot of much needed money.




Can you notice the difference?...

20.4% according to REN.

Wind Power Monthly | Portugal's wind market is facing stagnation.

Good luck with the maintenance of so many windmills and associated operating costs.

Also, when the subsidies eventually come to an end, my bet is that these wind farms will be abandoned.



I can understand why industries in Germany are threatening to move overseas.

[Endovelico]

20.4% according to REN.

I realize this changes from month to month, but in November 2013 it was 30.9%, according to the same REN.

Also, when the subsidies eventually come to an end, my bet is that these wind farms will be abandoned.

Not subsidizing would mean keeping imports at a higher level, which would always be more onerous to the country than paying those subsidies. My guess is that subsidies will not disappear.

[Doc]

20.4% according to REN.

I realize this changes from month to month, but in November 2013 it was 30.9%, according to the same REN.

Also, when the subsidies eventually come to an end, my bet is that these wind farms will be abandoned.

Not subsidizing would mean keeping imports at a higher level, which would always be more onerous to the country than paying those subsidies. My guess is that subsidies will not disappear.

The general refusal in Europe to go forward with fracking is more to the point than oil imports. The only country I know have that has embraced it is Estonia

The great flowering of Arab prosperity and culture under the Abbasids was brought to an end with the burning of books, the shutting down of inquiry and a mistrust of novelty.

[YMix]

The general refusal in Europe to go forward with fracking is more to the point than oil imports. The only country I know have that has embraced it is Estonia.

And Poland.

[Mr. Perfect]

This is of course the natural result of leftism, modern at any rate. The eschewing of the tradition family, the celebration of supinity and eternal adolescence, turning men into women and women into men, and the rejection of ambition, dreams, and competition leave no alternative but death and destruction. And modern Europe will self destruct. Sooner then anyone will guess. The next bubble pop will be the killing blow, just chain stoking left.

It's interesting what people used to froth at the mouth at Spengler over just a few years ago is now capitulated to with a mere whimper.

[Endovelico]

The eschewing of the tradition family, the celebration of supinity and eternal adolescence, turning men into women and women into men, and the rejection of ambition, dreams, and competition leave no alternative but death and destruction.

That I would call a mature and flexible society where tolerance has finally taken the upper hand over intolerance and fundamentalism. It's a society of many shades of gray and very few blacks and whites. The alternative is the predatory, violent and oppressive society which we have become, where people are killed and maimed every day - in the name of "good", "morality" and "uprightness" - and where collateral damage is seen as acceptable...

[Mr. Perfect]

A society that doesn reproduce or live within it's means simply ends. Regardless to friendliness.

Not that anyone would consider European society tolerant, if you deviate from the PC rules you can actually have your life destroyed, the same has come to America.

War is far more complex than tolerance. The "tolerant" can be easy pickings for the predators. If I was a predator that's where I'd look first.

[Endovelico]

War is far more complex than tolerance. The "tolerant" can be easy pickings for the predators. If I was a predator that's where I'd look first.

Don't be so sure. I am pretty tolerant but I have a very well defined threshold line. Once someone goes over it and takes away any doubts that harm is meant against me, my answer is total destruction, without any qualm...

[Alexis]

The general refusal in Europe to go forward with fracking is more to the point than oil imports. The only country I know have that has embraced it is Estonia

The great flowering of Arab prosperity and culture under the Abbasids was brought to an end with the burning of books, the shutting down of inquiry and a mistrust of novelty

Fracking is nothing novel.
It already existed in the 1970s. It was too expensive at that time compared to cheap oil, while now oil price has very much increased, that's all.

Refusal of fracking is refusal of wasting a country's water resources, agriculture and landscape in order to get a few more years of gas or oil. It's akin to refusal of burning one's furniture to heat one's house. Rather sensible I would say.

It also should be reminded that European countries generally have population densities between 100 and 300 people per square kilometer, while the US have 30. Americans can do much more ruining of their landscape, water and agriculture before the price to pay is too obvious. Europeans having far less space are much more conscious of that price.

[Alexis]

A society that doesn reproduce or live within it's means simply ends. Regardless to friendliness.

Yes.

However, I don't know a single developed country presently living within its means, even just speaking about the financial and the monetary.

And if one includes the energy and the mineral resources, I can't see a single country on this Earth which is living within its means. All are consuming non-renewable one-time-only resources which will be severely depleted within the lifetime of most presently alive people, without any solid idea of how to replace those resources.

It's humankind as a whole which is not living within its means, which is consuming the werewithal of our own children.

Your point about such societies coming to an end is not necessarily wrong, that being said...

[Typhoon]

20.4% according to REN.

I realize this changes from month to month, but in November 2013 it was 30.9%, according to the same REN.

Also, when the subsidies eventually come to an end, my bet is that these wind farms will be abandoned.

Not subsidizing would mean keeping imports at a higher level, which would always be more onerous to the country than paying those subsidies. My guess is that subsidies will not disappear.

I wonder . . .

Europe wants to block UK wind farm subsidies

European climate action commissioners say state aid for renewable technologies should be phased out by the end of the decade

[monster_gardener]

A society that doesn reproduce or live within it's means simply ends. Regardless to friendliness.

Yes.

However, I don't know a single developed country presently living within its means, even just speaking about the financial and the monetary.

And if one includes the energy and the mineral resources, I can't see a single country on this Earth which is living within its means. All are consuming non-renewable one-time-only resources which will be severely depleted within the lifetime of most presently alive people, without any solid idea of how to replace those resources.

It's humankind as a whole which is not living within its means, which is consuming the werewithal of our own children.

Your point about such societies coming to an end is not necessarily wrong, that being said...

Thank You VERY MUCH for your post, Alexis.

I largely agree.

Another reason to support Space Colonization & Development besides the Space Rock danger..... And the danger of living in just one nest with Crazy People.....

Lots of water, metals & other minerals out there....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonizati ... _asteroids

Worth the Risk....

Even if the previously cited Ming the Merciless/Skeletor is out there.......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ming_the_M ... .281979.29

Mother Nature can be pretty merciless too....

[Mr. Perfect]

War is far more complex than tolerance. The "tolerant" can be easy pickings for the predators. If I was a predator that's where I'd look first.

Don't be so sure. I am pretty tolerant but I have a very well defined threshold line. Once someone goes over it and takes away any doubts that harm is meant against me, my answer is total destruction, without any qualm...

That's what everybody says.

[Mr. Perfect]

Yes.

However, I don't know a single developed country presently living within its means, even just speaking about the financial and the monetary.

Boy are you right about that. When thinking about the possible outcomes certain apocalyptic scenarios become very viable. It's almost like we're following a script. I wonder where you can get a copy...

And if one includes the energy and the mineral resources, I can't see a single country on this Earth which is living within its means. All are consuming non-renewable one-time-only resources which will be severely depleted within the lifetime of most presently alive people, without any solid idea of how to replace those resources.

When I a was a boy I was told that we would be out of everything by now.

It's humankind as a whole which is not living within its means, which is consuming the werewithal of our own children.

The liberal solution is to stop having children, which they are succeeding at doing. Not that I'm complaining. Rather, I will trash talk them into the grave.

Your point about such societies coming to an end is not necessarily wrong, that being said...

Yeah.

[Endovelico]

War is far more complex than tolerance. The "tolerant" can be easy pickings for the predators. If I was a predator that's where I'd look first.

Don't be so sure. I am pretty tolerant but I have a very well defined threshold line. Once someone goes over it and takes away any doubts that harm is meant against me, my answer is total destruction, without any qualm...

That's what everybody says.

I was for three years in the Army, two of which in action overseas... I think I can still shoot pretty straight...

[Mr. Perfect]

Everybody can shoot pretty straight, that is the problem. "If everyone does what I say we'll have peace", well when 2 people proscribe 2 different ways, that's where the fun always starts, been going on for thousands of years, will continue till the Lord comes. A lot of people will continue to shoot very straight at each other, producing large piles of dead bodies.

[Endovelico]

Everybody can shoot pretty straight, that is the problem. "If everyone does what I say we'll have peace", well when 2 people proscribe 2 different ways, that's where the fun always starts, been going on for thousands of years, will continue till the Lord comes. A lot of people will continue to shoot very straight at each other, producing large piles of dead bodies.

You missed my point. I said I was tolerant and would only resort to violence if attacked. And would direct my retaliation exclusively against those responsible for the aggression. No collateral damage would be acceptable. If everybody did the same, there would be no violence.

[monster_gardener]

Everybody can shoot pretty straight, that is the problem. "If everyone does what I say we'll have peace", well when 2 people proscribe 2 different ways, that's where the fun always starts, been going on for thousands of years, will continue till the Lord comes. A lot of people will continue to shoot very straight at each other, producing large piles of dead bodies.

You missed my point. I said I was tolerant and would only resort to violence if attacked. And would direct my retaliation exclusively against those responsible for the aggression. No collateral damage would be acceptable. If everybody did the same, there would be no violence.

Thank You Very Much for your post, Endovelico.

No collateral damage would be acceptable.

Collateral damage is almost always a possibility.

A .22 is rated as dangerous within 1 mile/1.6+ kilometer...

Recalling that deer hunters with bows and arrows are sometimes required to shoot downward from an elevated tree stand when culling deer in urban areas so that a stray arrow will impact the ground...

You might try a shotgun but see below......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat_shotgun#Combat_use

Am sure Mr. Perfect and Bezerk Savant/DOU can provide more definitive advice.....

[Typhoon]

A society that doesn reproduce or live within it's means simply ends. Regardless to friendliness.

Yes.

However, I don't know a single developed country presently living within its means, even just speaking about the financial and the monetary.

I've wondered if the cost of maintaining an industrialized society is far greater than that of building an industrialized society.
Beneath all the rhetoric is entropy the real culprit?

And if one includes the energy and the mineral resources, I can't see a single country on this Earth which is living within its means. All are consuming non-renewable one-time-only resources which will be severely depleted within the lifetime of most presently alive people, without any solid idea of how to replace those resources.

It's humankind as a whole which is not living within its means, which is consuming the werewithal of our own children.

Fossil hydrocarbon fuels are a non-renewable resource, so we will eventually run out.
However, I doubt that it will be within the lifetime of any poster here.

The one thing that all such predictions have in common is that they have to completely wrong in their timeline.

What other non-renewable resources are we consuming?

Your point about such societies coming to an end is not necessarily wrong, that being said...

Complete societal collapse is rare. Such predictions should be taken with a very large crystal of salt.

[Mr. Perfect]

You missed my point. I said I was tolerant and would only resort to violence if attacked. And would direct my retaliation exclusively against those responsible for the aggression.

What do you do when other people define tolerance differently than you and find you intolerant and dangerous.

No collateral damage would be acceptable.

That's what everyone says until the shooting starts. Then everyone behaves a little differently.

If everybody did the same, there would be no violence.

That's the whole problem, you've built your foundation on a very big if. The biggest of all. It is an if that will never be lived up to and why leftism has failure built into it.

[Mr. Perfect]

I've wondered if the cost of maintaining an industrialized society is far greater than that of building an industrialized society.
Beneath all the rhetoric is entropy the real culprit?

No.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troubled_A ... ef_Program
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_R ... ct_of_2009
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_waste

"We must spend our way out of bankruptcy" -Joe Biden.

Complete societal collapse is rare. Such predictions should be taken with a very large crystal of salt.

Real Estate always goes up.

[Doc]

The general refusal in Europe to go forward with fracking is more to the point than oil imports. The only country I know have that has embraced it is Estonia.

And Poland.

I was thinking there was another country fracking for gas But I couldn't remember. Anyway there is really no excuse for not getting natural gas through fracking. But watch what happens if Europe doesn't get its head out of somewhere.