X-Message-Number: 26504 From: "John de Rivaz" <> Subject: Re: UK energy rationing and cryonicists' mobility Date: Mon, 4 Jul 2005 14:57:30 +0100 >>> Indeed, I have to wonder if Peak Oil resembles cryonics in that it violates familiar cognitive categories so that the human brain has trouble processing the idea. The effort seems to cause irrational anxiety and denial in otherwise intelligent people. Manage your risk, not your terror. <<< Well, with "irrational anxiety" I would certainly agree. (What's "Peak Oil" incidentally -- some form of "end of the world" religion or an oil supply company?) It may be non PC to agree with your president, Mr Bush, on this list, but when he proposes spending money and effort on new technology, as opposed to spending it on more rules and regulations to protect the environment, I certainly agree. Most things that are physically possible can be made very cheaply if enough mass production is implemented. Solar cells are getting better and cheaper, and there is plenty of sea water to electrolyse (and once used it turns back into water again so nothing is lost to the environment). The only problem I foresee is that there is little water in Arizona, but that is hardly serious :-) Rules and regulations may give lots of people jobs, which also provide sadistic satisfaction in having power over others, but they seldom solve problems. For example, despite more and more violence between the authorities and drug racketeers, the drugs market thrives - even though the majority of electors would rather it went away. In some countries the consequence can be corporal punishment or even death, but this does not stop the traffic. People are coming to realise that the problems of Africa stem from trade rules and regulations, but it has already been suggested that the current G8 conference is not going to be able to find a solution because there are too many vested interests in not reducing these regulations. The energy, travel and environmental proposals coming from the UK at the moment are just that -- proposals. There have been many more than the one Mark Plus mentions. The UK has a socialist government and so it is hardly surprising that these proposals are regulatory more than technological in form, although the idea to tax people in cars by the mile requires a lot of technology as well. They have not discovered (or taken into consideration) that most journeys are unnecessary despite the fact that some influential people have been saying this for nearly 40 years. The BBC made a film in the 1960s where they traced a person's use of his car over a period, and it transpired that any trips he made solely for his own benefit were minuscule compared to the total mileage covered. "Other people's money" can be spent at will by those in authority, and so can "other people's time". But when "other people's **enforced** journeys" become a matter of causing congestion and pollution they need to start considering this seriously. It is much better to be positive rather than negative, so if Mark Plus wants cryonicists to concentrate in the US, I suggest that he puts up a web site where the process of immigration is explained and it says positive things about the living in the USA, with links to job opportunities, education and health facilities, real estate agents, and details of the general environment. Denigrating the possible effects of politics of other countries isn't going to convert anyone. If it has any effect at all it may well put them off. -- Sincerely, John de Rivaz: http://John.deRivaz.com for websites including Cryonics Europe, Longevity Report, The Venturists, Porthtowan, Alec Harley Reeves - inventor, Arthur Bowker - potter, de Rivaz genealogy, Nomad .. and more Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=26504