Please don't interpret my response as an attack against the idea of hybrid vehicles in one of the highest gasoline consuming nations:
but WHY AN SUV?
It's a big fuel consuming road hog. Why not start smaller, and say, affordable for like a 2/4 door sedan or compact car for those "younger" types that are -hopefully- more interested in environmental concerns?
Why would any civilization that has the ability to travel on a galactic scale care to come to our planet and say anything?:
What is being asked is the equivlent of the US government visiting every mud-hut tribe on earth, handing out pamphlets about themselves, perhaps give the villagers directions on a map of where the US is (on a scale incomprehensible: as local travel is by foot and navigated by landmarks), and then disappear into the ether.
What would motivate anyone to come talk to us?
Maybe if we had a particular resource that is rare, on a galactic scale: And assuming that they couldn't just take this resource without us being aware in the first place - might be a good reason.
From any imaginary galactic viewpoint: We are a bunch of biped hairless tribes living on the limited landmass, barely breeching the atmosphere of the world and having not even reached a level of mutual respect for their own species (ie. We do not take of all people, because they are our people)) - let alone species that demonstrate even a rudiment of post-animal intelligence.
Why would any galactic civilization care to speak to us? So we can feel good about ourselves knowing we aren't alone (let's not even bother with the social and religious problems this might have)?
Take a deep breath: Breeching the gravity well, 400 foot tall buildings made of concrete and iron are probably not impressive to anyone except ourselves. Let's learn not do each other in, treat each other with mutual respect and general empathy - and just maybe some galactic peace corp. will come visit us and do the galactic equivilent of handing out 10 year old t-shirts and dig wells.
Let's just hope we don't have galactic oil, can you imagine what kind of poisoned blankets they could use? Eck.
Citizen Philip
Or just maybe, millions of years ago some other world species parked in orbit, looked down.
"Oh look, a planet cpable of supporting life, but the homogenous enviroment is not interested in evolving, only creating larger and larger reptiles. We should remedy this problem."
Aliens lob a huge rock at the planet, crack a few tectonics plates, throw a few million tonnes of topsoil into the atmosphere. Coincidentally this rock throwing throws the earth onto a evolutionary friendly tilt, permitting seasons.
The aliens shrug, "Give it a few million, who knows?"
Somewhere at the bottom of the gulf of mexico written on that big rock is "All the best. Hope you evolve. Warmest regards, civilzation 124533452a. PS: Avoid nuclear weapons and eatting too much McDonalds."
Slashdot Mirror
Please don't interpret my response as an attack against the idea of hybrid vehicles in one of the highest gasoline consuming nations:
but WHY AN SUV?
It's a big fuel consuming road hog. Why not start smaller, and say, affordable for like a 2/4 door sedan or compact car for those "younger" types that are -hopefully- more interested in environmental concerns?
Do we really need more SUVs abusing the road?
CP
Then why put our planet at the edge of a galactic cluster, and why isn't the sun revolving around us? Important but.. not that important?
Why would any civilization that has the ability to travel on a galactic scale care to come to our planet and say anything?: What is being asked is the equivlent of the US government visiting every mud-hut tribe on earth, handing out pamphlets about themselves, perhaps give the villagers directions on a map of where the US is (on a scale incomprehensible: as local travel is by foot and navigated by landmarks), and then disappear into the ether. What would motivate anyone to come talk to us? Maybe if we had a particular resource that is rare, on a galactic scale: And assuming that they couldn't just take this resource without us being aware in the first place - might be a good reason. From any imaginary galactic viewpoint: We are a bunch of biped hairless tribes living on the limited landmass, barely breeching the atmosphere of the world and having not even reached a level of mutual respect for their own species (ie. We do not take of all people, because they are our people)) - let alone species that demonstrate even a rudiment of post-animal intelligence. Why would any galactic civilization care to speak to us? So we can feel good about ourselves knowing we aren't alone (let's not even bother with the social and religious problems this might have)? Take a deep breath: Breeching the gravity well, 400 foot tall buildings made of concrete and iron are probably not impressive to anyone except ourselves. Let's learn not do each other in, treat each other with mutual respect and general empathy - and just maybe some galactic peace corp. will come visit us and do the galactic equivilent of handing out 10 year old t-shirts and dig wells. Let's just hope we don't have galactic oil, can you imagine what kind of poisoned blankets they could use? Eck. Citizen Philip
Or just maybe, millions of years ago some other world species parked in orbit, looked down.
"Oh look, a planet cpable of supporting life, but the homogenous enviroment is not interested in evolving, only creating larger and larger reptiles. We should remedy this problem."
Aliens lob a huge rock at the planet, crack a few tectonics plates, throw a few million tonnes of topsoil into the atmosphere. Coincidentally this rock throwing throws the earth onto a evolutionary friendly tilt, permitting seasons.
The aliens shrug, "Give it a few million, who knows?"
Somewhere at the bottom of the gulf of mexico written on that big rock is "All the best. Hope you evolve. Warmest regards, civilzation 124533452a. PS: Avoid nuclear weapons and eatting too much McDonalds."