What Do SOPA and PIPA Have To Do With Alternative Energy?
Unless you sleeping or live under a rock you know that two days ago the internet had a show of descent against the proposed legislation that would have allowed punitive action against web sites who might be accused of any type of “copy right” violation. What I was amazed by was how quickly the members of the House and Senate backed away from the effort to codify the “censorship” of the internet. Most of us saw it for the “smoke screen” that it obviously was. The fact is that the present laws protecting copy rights has all of the teeth that it needs. Pudding proof of that was the action taken the very next day against the web site “Megaupload”. Several people were arrested and property confiscated all because the site was a successful file sharing site. Pundits have averred that the timing of the action by the Government was no accident. They wanted to send a message that, regardless of the fact that Congress backed down in the face of wide spread protest, that they are still in control. But, whats my point as to a relationship between these events and the issue of Alternative Energy? What Amazes me is that there is NO ENERGY POLICY aimed at transitioning away from Fossil Fuels. I believe that several reasons explain that truth. Aside from the well healed vested interests that do not want to see an energy policy that favors Alternative Energy over Coal and Oil there has never been anywhere near the protest from American Citizen demanding that such a Policy be Adopted. Polls indicate that a majority of people want a clean energy future, but we (citizens) have not pressured our Congress to act accordingly. I guess that what I’m trying to say is that if there were a serious outcry akin to the action taken against SOPA and PIPA then we might see a stronger response from the Government. The Big Corporations have hijacked the legislative and regulatory process and the present state of affairs is what we have to show for it.
The Issue is Very Serious and it’s No Joke!
There was a movie made last year about the disaster in the Gulf Of Mexico that exposes the tactics used and the expense that large corporations will go to to defeat any challenge to their control over the worlds energy resources. I doubt that it will ever be widely viewed. It’s titled “Greedy Lying Bastards” and you can see a trailer here. Viewing the short trailer highlights why the Issue is Very Serious and it’s No Joke! Even without the possibility of Climate Change (and I’m not saying that global CC isn’t a real issue) we are in a very precarious position regarding the Economy, Environment, our Infrastructure and National Security. To my mind the problem could be solved and our economy strengthened in relatively short order, if we would rise up in support of an Energy Policy just as many rose up against a lesser, though real, issue concerning internet censorship.
It’s not all dark though.
Many people are doing their level and honest best to make things better and that fact cannot be ignored. Just a few days ago I found this article about a refinement that increases Solar Concentrator Efficiency. Another article that I found interesting, and Kudos have to be sent to FORD for their efforts to recycle plastics in the making of automobiles. Though all of these small things are heartening and comforting we still have a long way to go. Let’s hope that sanity prevails and that we aren’t late to the dance. Better to get there a year early than a minute too late.
What are your thoughts, dear reader?
Ed
