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