Open Thread

“for all of you cow lovers, global cow flatulence is the source of 20% of all Methane gas emissions on Planet Earth” — if you were including me in that cow figure it would be a lot higher than 20%.

Yes, Noki, go ahead, tax EVERYTHING. That’s been a proven economic scenario to ridding the world of problems.

I’m off to lunch. Probably having the filet mignon, medium rare.

My concern regarding holding BP responsible is that in beginning they will claim they will do everything, pay for everything and make big PR production over this. Get lots of press coverage about this cleanup of this shoreline – and nice pics of clean it has become…and wonderful press on some payment to some fisherman…..but after awhile when the story is not headlines anymore their lawyers will be out there fighting all claims, begin saying that this or that is not because of the spill, etc, etc.
You can say they can be sued – but the ability of those down the line (less directly or dramatically affected) to be compensated is dubious. Don’t underestimate the power and $$$ of big oil.

Ringo! Thank you. That is an incredibly important point that few make, or are allowed to. Certainly politicians cannot. But yes, the luxury of cheap oil MUST stop. It is a scourge we rarely discuss. Think of the car pooling, the tightening of belts, the closing of doors so A/C doesn’t spill out into the streets, the changes in traffic, noise levels etc.

I also think meat – specifically red meat – should be taxed like crazy. We could literally rid ourselves of the obesity problem if we became a nation of people who primarily eat like vegetarians, and if meat were a luxury. God knows the “farms” and animals producing these vast amounts of cheap meat are contributing enormously, and far beyond what most Americans know, to environmental disasters including poisoned ground water and methane gas emissions. To say nothing of hearts and waistlines. And don’t get me started on corn!