The difference between the US and Germany....

[Diesel_Dave]

Originally Posted by suspectnumber961

Interesting. But which country now has BY FAR the worlds biggest military...is ignoring international law along with it's little friend in the ME....is essentially lining up to be...or is lined up to be the next country to go bonkers and try to rule the world using military might? Also can't seem to take care of it's own infrastructure while it tears up other countries and then does a half*ss rebuild? Has increased it's military spending by 50% in a decade...now has a seriously large internal police force. Is up to it's eyeballs in debt....ALWAYS destabilizing. I wonder what country that could be....???

Trust me...we're heading down that road...yes...we went there.....

The US is far from a perfect country and, were you and I to sit down together over a cup of coffee, I suspect we'd agree on many of the flaws and mistakes. However, I strongly reject the notion that other countries all have their act together and the US is just "bassackwards as usual." The United States of America is, and has been, the greatest country on the face of the earth by any objective standard. Does she have her flaws? Certainly. But the US has done more good for more people than any other country. Heck, most of Europe would most likely be under tyranny from either the Germans or the Russians without the help of the US in 2 world wars.


Now, getting back to your original post, while I have no doubt that Germany is doing some good things, I'd like to point out that there's a big difference bettween having energy plans, and actually carying them out. The US has had plenty of plans, many of which are officially "law", going back to at least Nixon, detailing how we'll be energy independent by XXX year, or that we'll use so much renewable fuel by XXX year, etc.

I'd also like to point out that doing this type of thing from a top-down approach is very difficult because not all that's "green" or "clean" or "renewable" is clearly good. Look at ethanol in the US for example. You also can't just mandate everything and make it happen. Look at eh cellulosic ethonal mandate for example.

[redyaris]

I wonder what a comparison of The Roman Empire, The British Empire and The American Empire would yield...?

[gone-ot]

Roman Empire = dead.
British Empire = dying.
American Empire = next.

[suspectnumber961]

Originally Posted by Diesel_Dave

The US is far from a perfect country and, were you and I to sit down together over a cup of coffee, I suspect we'd agree on many of the flaws and mistakes. However, I strongly reject the notion that other countries all have their act together and the US is just "bassackwards as usual." The United States of America is, and has been, the greatest country on the face of the earth by any objective standard. Does she have her flaws? Certainly. But the US has done more good for more people than any other country. Heck, most of Europe would most likely be under tyranny from either the Germans or the Russians without the help of the US in 2 world wars.

The US used to be the shining city on the hill or some such....but I think things have gone downhill since. US won't sign the Kyoto type treaties on GW....US is a major purveyor of weapons...has serious debt issues....biggest military...all makes for bad news ahead.

I've seen lists of areas where the US is way behind many other countries. Things might be more dire than you think?

https://www.truthdig.com/report/item...ttle_20121223/


Since 9/11 Americans have been systematically stripped of their freedoms: Their phone calls are monitored under [George W.] Bush and Obama’s warrantless wiretapping program, they are videotaped relentlessly in public places, there are drones over American soil and the police control protesters and dissenters with paramilitary gear and tactics. As long as Obama and the leadership of both parties want the military to police our streets, we will fight. This is unacceptable, un-American and unconstitutional.”

...

The corporate state knows that the steady deterioration of the economy and the increasingly savage effects of climate change will create widespread social instability. It knows that rage will mount as the elites squander diminishing resources while the poor, as well as the working and middle classes, are driven into destitution. It wants to have the legal measures to keep us cowed, afraid and under control. It does not, I suspect, trust the police to maintain order. And this is why, contravening two centuries of domestic law, it has seized for itself the authority to place the military on city streets and citizens in military detention centers, where they cannot find redress in the courts. The shredding of our liberties is being done in the name of national security and the fight against terrorism. But the NDAA is not about protecting us. It is about protecting the state from us. That is why no one in the executive or legislative branch is going to restore our rights. The new version of the NDAA, like the old ones, provides our masters with the legal shackles to make our resistance impossible. And that is their intention.

...

But since it is almost Christmas...we should pretend along with Virginia...that Santa is coming to town...so you'd better be nice or do don't get nothin'!

Besides...THEY are watching...if you don't like Christmas...you might get on THE list...THOSE who don't like Christmas?

...

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by TheEnemy

Electricity in the US costs on average $0.13/kwh

Electricity in Germany $0.31/kwh, 5th highest in the world.

I'm paying 0.22 EUR / kWh (that's $ 0.29 / kWh) for sustainable electricity - wind, water, PV, biomass.
This is one of the better prices on the local market though.
If you're not careful, you'll pay a lot more.
I'm actually a shareholder in my cooperative electricity producer

Some 60% of the electricity price here is VAT (state tax), gov't imposed taxes, transport, ...
Only 40% goes toward the actual electricity production.

[MetroMPG]

Shut down for too much politics.

Remember: there are lots of forums where you're welcome & encouraged to engage in political "discussion". EcoModder ain't one of them.

Let's keep it to discussions of our vehicles & improving efficiency.

Thanks!