Reply #9: OK, that's one scenario [View All]

[snowFLAKE]

That seems to overlook some important points.

1) Is coal not a short-term (say over the next century or so?) option for the replacement of many petroleum-based products?

2) The Navy has nuclear powered vessels, couldn't a similar mode of transportation be used to bring the coffee from Columbia?

3) There are many electric powered trains in many countries, couldn't an electricity-powered train haul the coffee from the docks, and the grain from North Dakota? And wouldn't there be jobs created in the conversion of diesel powered railways to electric, and the nuclear power plants needed to supply the electricity? IIRC, WWII provided quite the economic stimulus.

4) Once again, electricity can be used to cook things. The French, for example, have a reputation for being able to cook things quite well, and they use Nuclear Power for a huge amount of their energy needs. Perhaps even cooking. Then the natural gas could be saved for making fertilizers.

5) And what if your money was spent locally? To me that would be a win-win scenario. If to you a vibrant economy means keeping on sending our energy $$s to the Middle East, our IT $$s to India, and our Manufacturing $$s to China - I suppose we'll just have to agree to disagree since it doesn't to me.