[R-390] Yard sale find

[2002tii]

Dave wrote:

>I will say, however, that as we continue down that path, we are 
>becoming more and more critically dependent on a few enabling 
>technologies, and if those technologies are compromised or 
>destroyed, we as a society may well be destroyed as well.  Does 
>anyone here want to imagine what happens if we lose electrical power 
>for weeks or even months (as is certainly possible; see the EMP 
>Commission's report on the electrical grid, and imagine all the 
>OTHER ways it could be compromised)?  What about clean water?  What 
>about significant loss of access to petroleum?  What about loss of 
>access to rare earths (used in all the fancy magnets in all the 
>fancy motors in hybrid cars and other places)?

I'm familiar with a "quote" to the effect that the whole world (that 
is, including developed countries) is only three meals away from 
revolution.  I thought it was attributed to some Latin American 
revolutionary, explaining that our circumstances weren't really any 
different from those in his country.  But searching on the web 
locates only one confirmed attribution (to Rimmer in Red Dwarf).  So 
it may be apocryphal with respect to real people, although ISTR 
hearing and repeating it long before Red Dwarf was produced.

>Perhaps our enjoying these old platforms needs to be coupled to 
>something else: the ability to use new technology opportunistically 
>and enjoy it while still retaining the resilience to get along 
>without it if necessary.  That's MUCH harder, but necessary, in my pea-brain.

All dinosaurs die eventually, but some can at least function in the 
world in the interim....

Best regards,

Don