If you had to draw "society"

[bluekiwi]

Samoa (or most Pacific Islands)

You must not lump all Pacifici Islandsers in the same boat, there are only really two Island races that you could say have weight issues, being Samoa (Western and American) and Tonga. However, if you look into it, it has more to do with the status within the tribes, that they are 'allowed' to get that size. They also have hereditory problems that help to tip the scales - scuse the pun

 

[Bruce Wayne]

The coloured map shows my point though bruce, the US, canada, europe and australia all lovely blue and the rest... behind.

There are an awful lot of countries growing very, very quickly though. If you look at GDP in general you have countries like China, India, Russia, Brazil and Mexico rising very quickly indeed. Indeed by 2020 the leading economies of the world will look something like this:

China and India are obvious ones but energy concerns are going to play a big part. Russia is already throwing its weight around off the back of its vast energy reserves. Brazil is the largest producer of biofuels in the world. So of the 14 biggest economies, by 2020 six of them will be so called developing countries. Nothing stays the same

 

[SuitsBlue]

russias ambivalence regarding its fuel reseves is a big motive for the government currently subscribing to the nuclear power option, and im all for it as well, GB ought to invest in bio fuel technology and create the best most safe nuclear powerstations on the planet - that way we avoid being dictated to by a corrupt and malicious international animal like russia.

 

[Rob]

Even better, take advantage of what we have as an Island nation.

Wind & sea power, its these types of power I would like to see huge investment into.

I'm sure Bruce has a better idea on this subject. Bruce?

 

[SuitsBlue]

wind and sea needs maintainance even when they arent active/producing.

nuclear is the future, managed wrongly it could also be the end.

 

[Rob]

for now yes, but there is no telling what we can invent create or develop in the future.

As of right now IMO its a backwards technology which has had little or no investment into it, imagine a hundred years ago, people would have belittled your nuclear idea because of the dangers and need for constant maintence and safety measures.

Ask yourself this, if shell, or BP or one of the big boy oil companies invented a small 50p piece size ball, which could run your house, car and office for 100 years and it cost 1 pound to produce, would they release it to the world?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Wind and tidal are ok but both are expensive (tidal) and intermittent (wind). Our energy requirements dictate that we need a stable supply to provide a base load. This could be provided by coal (plenty of, cheap, dirty), gas (dwindling, cheap, Russian), nuclear (waste, cost of management) etc. Until someone works out how to use nuclear fusion it's unlikely that any energy source will tick all the boxes. Improving energy efficiency would be the big thing and domestically solar technology is making big improvements so it probably won't be too many years until that is economically viable.

 

[Rob]

Is that because solar is the most viable for the states bruce?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

No, it's the most viable everywhere. Domestic wind turbines are a non-starter because of the nature of urban living means that wind flow is very irregular so getting any kind of undisrupted wind flow is unlikely.

Solar on the other hand is making great strides in terms of efficiency and cost. Have a read through our energy forums and you'll see the regular improvements made by solar technology. You probably won't like this but America is investing a whole lot into renewable energy. Silicon Valley used be the computing centre of the world but it's fast turning into the renewable energy centre too.

 

[Rob]

That was the point I was making Bruce, America is investing heavily into solar power and so huge and regular advances are being made.

Why wouldn't I like it.... ????

 

[SuitsBlue]

perhaps the 'air' with which you have tackled certain other american points has a slight basis on perceived opinions.

solar is a great way forward, its not quite the fantastic option in britain as it is in spain though - speaking of which, have you seen the solar projects made and being made out there now? a big field of mirrors all focusing the suns rays onto a spot on a tower where energy conversion takes place - its fantastic.

we need nuclear, i dont like the baggage, but i prefer russian rationing even less.

 

[Dylan]

You don't need direct sunlight to benefit for solar to work. My mother, in sunny (HA!) South Wales has Solar Panels for water heating, and even on gloomy days it will heat the water to almost 100degrees F, which is almost enough heat to do the whole house hot water supply (Should be around 120 deg F)

 

[fozzy]

Can't see Mr Leno out here CT.

But it is a serious problem largely not being dealt with, guns, obesity and drugs... and to think where I live people leave their cars open and running when they go into shops, everyone eats healthily and only the biggest of major city gangs have guns.

have they found the bloke who killrd the girl and put her in a bath of sand yet? that manga bad stuff that!

 

[Rob]

yeh, a murder made major news, several people get murdered every week back home.

moot point.

 

[monty]

The biggest problems facing the world can only be solved globally, hot countries to supply solar power, wind places and waste lands can have turbines, each country acting automotously spells disaster because we cannot get by without each other. The very design of mankind with his tribal, racial and zonal preferences help defeat any survival plan. We are a species and will only survive as such together as one unit, anything else spells disaster but I won't be here to see so you can all p--- off, you have been warned