Comments on: The Black Hole http://www.orphanroad.com/blog/2009/03/black-hole Seattle-area Transportation, Infrastructure and Land Use Issues Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:01:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Matt the Engineer http://www.orphanroad.com/blog/2009/03/black-hole#comment-1073 Matt the Engineer Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1073 It's just another way our society is inefficient. Excess does that to a society, and clearly some have had an excess of prosperity. The good news is that this bubble has been going on for quite a while, and it's built into our economy. If this prosperity ever runs out, it (hopefully) won't take long for the people burning piles of money to realize that they could be actually using that money for a worthwhile purpose. But yes, the climate issue is separate and urgent. It’s just another way our society is inefficient. Excess does that to a society, and clearly some have had an excess of prosperity. The good news is that this bubble has been going on for quite a while, and it’s built into our economy. If this prosperity ever runs out, it (hopefully) won’t take long for the people burning piles of money to realize that they could be actually using that money for a worthwhile purpose.

But yes, the climate issue is separate and urgent.

]]> By: serial catowner http://www.orphanroad.com/blog/2009/03/black-hole#comment-1074 serial catowner Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1074 Uh, in what respect is it "good news" that this is built in to our society? That's one of the things that scares me the most. Another thing that has me scratching my head- hasn't the prosperity <em>already run out</em>? Between the bills outstanding and the bills that are pending, this country has a heap of debt. But the only ideas on the table now for making our economic engine go are 'more of the same'- basically a 'dig faster' approach to being in a hole. I'm inclined to agree with the 'won't take long' idea in the sense that new vehicles are only new for about 8 years. Arguably the owner can choose to downsize or simply not buy another vehicle at about the 8-year mark, and that's a pretty short time compared with investing in homes or transit lines. And I figure that if someone simply stops driving that's a big plus for the economy. I guess my real question has to do with the effects of pitchforking huge amounts of money into the furnace and getting no value at all. At a gut level I'm inclined to think that it's making us, as a nation, poor at a very high rate of speed. Uh, in what respect is it “good news” that this is built in to our society? That’s one of the things that scares me the most.

Another thing that has me scratching my head- hasn’t the prosperity already run out?

Between the bills outstanding and the bills that are pending, this country has a heap of debt. But the only ideas on the table now for making our economic engine go are ‘more of the same’- basically a ‘dig faster’ approach to being in a hole.

I’m inclined to agree with the ‘won’t take long’ idea in the sense that new vehicles are only new for about 8 years. Arguably the owner can choose to downsize or simply not buy another vehicle at about the 8-year mark, and that’s a pretty short time compared with investing in homes or transit lines.

And I figure that if someone simply stops driving that’s a big plus for the economy. I guess my real question has to do with the effects of pitchforking huge amounts of money into the furnace and getting no value at all. At a gut level I’m inclined to think that it’s making us, as a nation, poor at a very high rate of speed.

]]> By: Matt the Engineer http://www.orphanroad.com/blog/2009/03/black-hole#comment-1076 Matt the Engineer Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1076 By "built into our economy" I mean that if we were all subsistence farmers and had a bad year, many of us would starve to death. But since we're apparently so rich that we can buy Cadillac SUVs and game systems, when we hit hard times maybe these luxuries are the only things that need to go away. "hasn't the prosperity already run out?" In many respects, yes. But I don't think it's too late at all if we chose tomorrow to start using our time and money wisely. If you take a look at <a href="http://zfacts.com/p/318.html">this</a> (the graph, not the article), you'll see our debt/GDP isn't that bad in a historical sense. If we turned some of that GDP into capital for growth, we could raise this sinking ship quickly. But if we're just adding more lanes on the freeway... well not so much. By “built into our economy” I mean that if we were all subsistence farmers and had a bad year, many of us would starve to death. But since we’re apparently so rich that we can buy Cadillac SUVs and game systems, when we hit hard times maybe these luxuries are the only things that need to go away.

“hasn’t the prosperity already run out?” In many respects, yes. But I don’t think it’s too late at all if we chose tomorrow to start using our time and money wisely. If you take a look at this (the graph, not the article), you’ll see our debt/GDP isn’t that bad in a historical sense. If we turned some of that GDP into capital for growth, we could raise this sinking ship quickly. But if we’re just adding more lanes on the freeway… well not so much.

]]> By: GemmaWy30 http://www.orphanroad.com/blog/2009/03/black-hole#comment-1491 GemmaWy30 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1491 The only pass way to have some information close to this good post is to buy written essay or <a href=" http://www.essayslab.com">buy custom essay papers</a>. The only pass way to have some information close to this good post is to buy written essay or http://www.essayslab.com“>buy custom essay papers.

]]>