6/18 TLC (The Learning Channel) featured "Building the Future" where
other countries are building big ass dams, longest manmade rivers,
planned cities, fast mass transits, levys, etc. None of projects
on the show is in the US. What have we built lately to secure
our future?
\_ We're building DEMOCRACY in the MIDDLE EAST!
\_ as long as Hamas or Islamic Brotherhood or anyone else we don't
like didn't win the election.
\_ i wish we built more fast mass transits. I don't think we need
more big ass dams. What would we dam? we really should work
on improving CA levies before CA gets turned into a vast desert
wasteland by the next earthquake.
\_ where exactly do you want to put these transits?
\_We've built universities where all of the engineers come from that
build these dams. We also own all of the banks that finance these
projects.
\_ We've also learned from studies that show that damming and
concreting everything is neither as ecologically or economically
productive as it first appears. A lot of countries that subsidize
non-stop construction have hugely corrupt construction ministries.
\_ We've built the strongest military force to secure whatever natural
resources we want that are located in other countries.
\_ This was a lot more successful in Civ1, not so much in Civ4.
\_ I think you mean Civ2, Civ1 didn't have the same drive for
natural resources.
\_ We don't do 'projects' in the US anymore. EIRs and NIMBYism
will delay or kill almost any project. What projects would you
like to see in the US?
\_ High speed rail. Maybe a big bridge somewhere. Personally, I would
like to see something like another big water project, but I know
this would be hard to build in today's environment. The sad truth
is that the US is falling behind technologically.
\_ High speed rail. Maybe a big bridge somewhere. Personally, I
would like to see something like another big water project,
but I know this would be hard to build in today's environment.
The sad truth is that the US is falling behind technologically.
\_ Where does your HSR go to/from? Where did we need a bridge
where don't already have one? Maybe an island off the
Alaskan coast? ;-) These are reasonably 'solved'
technologies. The US is moving forward in materials sciences
with nano-everything and a lot of really solid bio work in
genetics and more traditional medicines/chemicals.
\_ There are literally dozens of obvious corridors in
the US for high-speed rail that would be cheaper,
faster, better for the environment, and far more
popular than flying or driving. SF to LA is the
trivially simple example. -tom
\_ There are literally dozens of obvious corridors in the US
for high-speed rail that would be cheaper, faster,
and far more popular than flying or driving. SF to LA
is the trivially simple example. -tom
\_ I wasn't saying there weren't. I was just asking for
examples. More on this in a bit. Busy now.
\_ As someone who has to fly a lot for his job, I say 'fuck
flying.' I would vastly prefer high speed rail to flying.
High speed rail stretching from San Diego to Seattle, say,
would be awesome. -- ilyas
\_ We fixed the MacArthur Maze?
\_ the new bay bridge, should it ever get completed...
\_ We still have the best space program. It doesn't secure our future
but it's cool. We do get knowledge out of that although we don't
hoard that all to ourselves. It adds to our civilization score.
\_ We can barely get the shuttle into orbit anymore and the
replacement is years away. The current program outside of the
JPL robotics work is an embarassment.
\_ This is an excellent example of the best not being good enough.
We could be much, much more. |
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