I am ALWAYS interested in hydrogen news.  As usual though Americans will be left behind due to lack of leadership and not for lack of technology.  When did America cease to be the innovator and leader in technology?  It seems that now we will only change kicking and screaming.  If the same amount of us got onto our reps in washington about a serious energy policy that called about that BS $700 billion bailout or the rich, things could change fast.  I am not holding my breath.  I had to sell my big chevy truck because I drive almost 100 miles a day to work and back.  I still see plenty of them on the road driving 75 to 80 mph everyday flipping me off because I drive a reasonable speed to save fuel.  Unless you are close to 50 like me you do not really remember the first fuel embargo in the early 70s.  Most young people under 35 have not really ever seen hard times.  Remember the Carter years when interest rates were around 18%?  If I could buy CDs now for what I was getting them for back then I could just about retire. 

I love my country.  I spent 8 years in the Army--4 over seas never coming home-- and I gave both my knees, my righ foot, lower back, and frost bite for my country.  The most interesting thiing I found living in many countries is how we are viewed by them.  Sadly, they are correct many, many times.  We import our brain power, ship our jobs overseas, see education as a hiderance, etc.  Do we as a people and a nation have the stomach for a revolution?  I really doubt it.  On the positive side, thanks to the Iraq war we will have a well trained army ready if it ever did come to that living next to you.  One interesting thing I learned in college was something from my poly-sci teacher:  He said that revolutions never occure when things are bad and getting worse, they occure when things are getting better and then stop.

Soon I will be getting my MS.  I will be able to retire in 4 to 8 years.  I am going to be faced with the idea of leaving my country.  Many, and some here, will say "go, we do not need you anyway".  Maybe that is true, but if my skills and abilities would be welcomed elsewhere,  why are they so despised here?

 

Sorry for the long rant but this has been building for a long time.  Not against anyone here but just life in general, everyday.  Just a little food for thought.

My 2c

Lonser

 

Vampy,

I never said America was the greatest.  I said we USED to be the leader in technology and inovation.  I am very much aware of how other countries view us.  In Europe they can tell an American usuually because we are way over weight, loud, and generally rude.  We do not hold any patents on being loud or rude but we seem to bear the brunt of blame.  For the most part, many countries would fall apart if they did not have vast amounts of natural resources to exploit GB comes to mind there.  Cut off that north sea oil and it will come down.  We will probably fall apart for just the opposite reasons. 

Thanks for the iinvite.  Maybe I will come up there and teach for a stretch some day.  I do not think I can take the cold.  Frost bite never goes away and cold weather really causes problems.  I think I will try Brasil.  Up and coming, still like Americans, are building a large new tech university where I would fit right in, and its warm.  Portugeuse isn't any harder than Spanish so Bom Gia!    America will fall apart sooner or later just like every other country has done.  I just do not want to be around or even be alive when it happens.

Take care