Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Freedom and Environment, Etc.

Back in the days when I believed it was not only possible, but advisable to conceive a preferred solution to a problem and then find a way to make it work, I toyed with ideas which reduced or eliminated dependence upon expensive fuels, power companies and tedious building systems. That floodgate opened when I watched an idea go from sketches in a notebook to shop drawings to the physical object to a thing that knew when to move specific parts to perform the task for which it was designed. Since the patent office agreed it was unique, and it actually worked, I assumed a person could decide to solve a problem, lay down the parameters the solution had to meet, then eventually the answer would appear.

I still think so.

Environmental concerns were never the motive for ideas that would make a building or home self sufficient. Freedom and independence from The Man drove that passion. Back then the same group who now want to force their ideas of greenness on everyone were prohibiting the development and manufacture of things that took people off the grid or would lead to reduced dependence upon fossil fuels. The pretense today is that these things are really encouraged.

GE is the biggy in many respects when it comes to wind energy, not because their designs are all that great but because they have clout. There are a number of companies who have been the beneficiaries of grants to design specific components and systems which are predicated on keeping existing system design. Refinements are nice but the big picture is wanting in many of these endeavors sponsored by the American politburo. Eurpoean countries are that way, too, but I don't live there and am one of those stubborn Yanks who has no wish to emulate european bureaucracy.

In researching some items I found endless cases of governmental interference and subsidies which amount to promoting the status quo in some of the industries considered by the press to be cutting edge. In reality, much of this is very old technology whose advancement has been stifled due to subsidies and grants based on the existing methods.

My theory is that the most efficient, cheap energy solutions which would allow inexpensive, independent home energy and/or water are still actively discouraged and squashed by the ever present government. People who are on the take and people who've never taken a design from nothing to something tend to swallow the tripe that political leeches and thugs spout concerning research and development in the field of powering homes, cars, and all other facets of life. I find that disheartening.

The reason it is allowed to happen is that so many are directly dependent on tax money for their research. If you've met many government scientists in a situation in which you had a better alternative, you'd quickly realize that they are not as clinically open minded as they pretend. The system stifles creativity, and in many cases greed and pride tend to kill the creativity of the government supported scientist or engineer. It is human nature; if you are doing well being paid to make a better buggy whip, you would probably not be wanting to promote or even listen to some upstart who has created a horseless carriage.

We've come to the point at which there is a conflict of interest in the policies. It is one that I haven't heard discussed. Consider that the real pioneers in off the grid systems for homes were outlaws only 30 years ago. Most were painted as kooks, and enjoyed everything from physical threat to court action. What is interesting is that the main motive of these green kooks was independence and self sufficiency, not misguided hysteria that they could change climate or that "Mother Earth is sick and in need of healing". That same spirit is still stifled. If the true motive was energy independence, government would not penalize some efforts while subsidizing others. They'd butt out.

Now that some of the major firms who own government have cornered various markets involving alternative energy sources, government is all into it and robbing taxpayers to fund it (payoff those firms). The way it is being done and the nature of the development is aimed at keeping the public dependent and under control, not toward left alone independence. Now that those who want no dime or hint of interference from the feds can't usually afford to start any enterprise, the idea of true energy independence is actually slipping away more than one might think.

The goal of every panic we've been dealt for years, but specifically since 911, is to force more intrusion on private lives, and control how resources, human and otherwise, are allocated. Serfdom.

One hoax after another. I think Michael Phelps proves that occasional use of marijuana is not a big deal. Why are they down on him? No one in their right mind can say bong hits constitute a performance enhancing drug when it comes to swimming. Research into why they made hemp illegal to begin with indicates it had nothing to do with the drug aspect. Another big scam foisted on the public, then after enough repetition people believe whatever they are told, replete with kooks appearing on cue to make it all seem valid.

Why is the US Congress involved in sports? I do not care if a baseball player takes steroids. We know it is potentially deadly in many cases. That's between him and whoever pays him. Buying tickets doesn't give the general public the right to waste congressional time and money on such things. Just drop it. let the tabloids rake them over the coals if they must but legally, it is not an offense that warrants anything. Let a team launch a civil suit if they don't like it. As if they really have no idea.

the end

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Ballistic Mountain, CA, United States
Like spring on a summer's day

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