Wil's Rant

Actually..... it's worse. The real problem with all the trouble in the world today is the concept of threshold levels. This applies to virtually every topic I discuss here. No one knows just how much strain all our various systems of government and the eco-system can take. At what point will the domino affect take over, and the problems become runaway problems that we can't stop no matter what we do. This is my main fear. Until the actual runaway problems occur, no one can say exactly what level of disturbance will initiate it. Unfortunately, by that time, it will be too late to do anything about it and the best we will be able to do is hold on for dear life and hope that some of us survive. There are positive signs. We are becoming more aware of the dangers of the environment. Kyoto, reduced emission laws for cars, stricter guidelines for industry, and an overall increased awareness are making gains. On the down side, one of the biggest sinners in all these regards, the U.S. continues to refuse to get on board with the rest of the world. The U.S. continues to refuse to accept their responsibility in this regard. This is not likely to change in a nation that values economic gain above everything else. The only way that it is likely to change is when so many Americans begin dying from the results of these policies that they can not ignore them any longer. Tragic enough in itself, but what makes it worse is the fact that a lot of other nations will suffer right along with the Americans as pollution and environmental damage doesn't recognize borders and as such becomes as big a problem for others as it is for the U.S. Anyone wishing to take a look at this problem need only examine the recent past to get this point. As environmental laws make it more difficult to operate in this fashion in the U.S., big American companies have simply set up even more lax manufacturing practices in third world countries that have not enacted laws to control them. Once there, they go right back to the good ole' way of doing things. Another example is the Kyoto Accord. Virtually every nation on Earth has signed this accord, but not the U.S. There is such a widespread agreement on this that it is about to become international law. How much difference that will make is questionable. The U.S. will likely respond to this as they do to everything else that the rest of the world thinks....Eat My Shorts, or " You Can't Talk To Us Like That... We're Americans". That attitude is quickly becoming quite annoying to the rest of us lesser humans ( we were not born American). Sooner or later this will change as the entire globe gets tired of it and the U.S. ends up being an island of ignorance all on its own. The real shame here..... The U.S. has the best ideals in the world for having true freedom and democracy. Somewhat startling in the face of deceit, lies, corruption, hidden agendas, and ever widening gap between the rich and the poor. Even the polls in the U.S. state that the Americans don't really like either of the two candidates in the last election, but what other choices are they being given.