COLLECTIVE MADNESS
“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."
Damned Onion; they had me going for a minute.
ReplyDeleteAs anon commented upon, yesterday, in regards to Cuba and the effectiveness of economic sanctions.
ReplyDeleteHe went to the motive of the sanctions regime, noting that the Cubanos nunca tiene uno explodar nuclear.
While the Iranians, obviously, are going down that path, even as they deny it.
As if the motive behind the US efforts would vary the outcome of the efforts. I certainly agree that the cause for economic sanctions differ 'tween Cuba and Iran, the outcomes will not.
The efforts have and will continue to fail at modifying either the policies of the regime in power, nor will it cause a regime change to occur.
Some day in America some sharp City Councilman, or woman, is going to look around at his colleagues, and say,
ReplyDelete"look, why don't we build our "Own" stil? We can run the city vehicles on it, and sell the leftovers to the public by installing a blender pump. We can use our grass clippings and waste wood, and paper for feedstock."
"We can get a government grant, and a guaranteed loan," he'll tell them.
Then, he might say, "We'll write a letter to the President telling him that we don't use Mideastern oil any more, so we'd just as soon not send our young men, and women over there."
It could be a Revolootion.
Seriously, with ethanol we Should think "local."
There are 314 Cities, Towns, and Villages in Ms.
ReplyDeleteTake Tunica, Ms. Population a little over 1,000. They probably use 400,000 gallons of gasoline/yr.
The City pays someone $40.00, or so, a ton to carry away their grass clippings, brush, wood waste, etc. Mediocre to marginal farmland on four sides.
A 100,000 gallon biorefinery would be perfect for them. Probably looking at three to four hundred grand. The Government would pay a good chunk. Gov. guaranteed loan for the rest.
With their savings on feedstock, and a $1.00 blender's credit they should be able to produce their ethanol for somewhere less than $1.00/gal. Remember, a lot of that feedstock they were going to have to pay someone to "haul away."
There are probably somewhere close to 15,000 similar situations in the U.S. There are probably in the neighborhood of 30,000 Cities, Towns, and Villages in the U.S.
"Think Local"
We've been beatin' this drum for years, now, rufus.
ReplyDeleteThe rhythm is quickening
Pick up the tempo and take it on home.
That'll get the blood flowing.
ReplyDeleteGive me a Bud Light. Where's my Blue Suede Shoes?
I think the country boy's about ready to get back on the road.
The state of Wyoming seceded?
ReplyDeleteI've got tickets to see Professor Thaddeus Buzz. Great seats, upfront. VIP aftershow pass.
ReplyDeleteWill sell them cheap?
I WISH this was an Onion story, but it aint...
ReplyDeleteThe White House on Friday announced a "summit on entrepreneurship" to build economic ties with the Islamic world, part of President Barack Obama's outreach to Muslims.
The White House said it has invited participants from more than 40 countries over five continents for the April 26-27 conference in Washington.
"The summit will highlight the role entrepreneurship can play in addressing common challenges while building partnerships that will lead to greater opportunity abroad and at home," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.
Obama first spoke of the entrepreneurship conference in his signature June 4 speech in Cairo to the Islamic world.
In the closely watched address, Obama said the United States was seeking a "new beginning" with the Islamic world to rebuild relations that had sharply deteriorated over the past decade.
Obama promised at the time that he would convene a "presidential summit on entrepreneurship" by the end of 2009.
He said that the meeting would "identify how we can deepen ties between business leaders, foundations and social entrepreneurs in the United States and Muslim communities around the world."