tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413935813892441553.post9203070231006246619..comments2024-03-20T02:13:42.947-05:00Comments on real economics: Mars rover Curiosity landed safelyJonathan Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05217670446743983955noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413935813892441553.post-78218364930396191302012-08-06T17:23:13.740-05:002012-08-06T17:23:13.740-05:00For both postings today--this one about the R&...For both postings today--this one about the R&D and science and engineering needed for big projects...both in sci-fi like space projects and new energy projects--it appears we have stumbled into a limitation of our world's leaders.<br /><br />World leaders meaning all of the guys with the money, because we are unable to advance without money. The money is smokingly stupidly being saved away at 1% returns instead of invested in our future.<br /><br />We already even have sufficient inventions and alternative space/green energy ideas (Lord knows we have tons of human resources idle and wishing they could work on such projects), but what is missing is the money to pursue them.<br /><br />We knew next to nothing about going to space before we launched NASA, little more than Jules Verne and Flash Gordon, but off we went.<br /><br />We knew less about how to effectively burn oil when we started using it left and right in all processes to run everything. It has only been in the last 15-20 years that home furnaces became 90% efficient, and they moved from coal to oil to gas over about 60+ years before that. We all know how bad car engines ran in the past compared to today.<br /><br />But we dove in, in both projects, private corporations and public government investments poured into both areas throughout our lifetime. How could we...because we taxed the rich. In 1960, here were no tea party hacks trying to push us back into 1880 technology; and Buckley/Vidal never debated the value of NASA, did they.<br /><br />And Americans had it so good, they got lazy and stupid. Preoccupied with sex and rock n roll and TV and movies and sports AND now with gambling away their hard earned cash, both in casinos and in the Wall Street casino.<br /><br />And that was bad enough in the masses, but what the heck happened with our so-called leaders? Creating bubble economy after bubble economy and confusing that with job creation and increased value?<br /><br />And 30+ years of cutting taxes have exposed the weaknesses of our corporate citizens, hasn't it. It isn't regulations that kill them, it is the 3 month vision they have for our future, which they rate with a bubbled-up stock price.<br /><br />But you all know this...the solution though is (1) for our oligarchy to wise up and invest in green and space again...or (2) they will continue to fall behind and be replaced...at this rate, by China I suppose.Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05252804186064393926noreply@blogger.com