Germany gets contracts for american highspeed train system

[DeathMagus]

Doubt it. The cost-benefit curves will converge at some point and alternatives will be developed. I really doubt it will be a sudden collapse of deposits. As the supply decreases, the cost will rise. It won't happen over night.

The oil supply doesn't have to tank overnight - it only need happen faster than the alternatives can be adequately researched and deployed. Yes, as more money is pumped in, research will speed up - but there's still a minimum time frame for testing, prototyping, and initial manufacture. I'd rather let proven alternatives sit on a shelf for the five years before we need them because we started a bit earlier than we had to, than have to deal with a decade of obscenely expensive energy because it turned out to be harder than we anticipated to make the transition.

 

[Veritas]

yes i see...

well USA can rise taxes on gas prices to make it even more attarctive. Sometimes you must force people to their luck.

But the US at least at this point, is not a socialist country like Germany. Your cradle-to-grave system is bankrupt forcing massive austerity measures to try and salvage your economies.

It definitely could work, but Americans will not let it. Lots of things could work, but will not. Health care, educations, business regulation, etc... all of it fails when crossing into American territory. It is like some sort of weird Twilight Zone where the laws of normal society cease to exist.

We feel the same way about you.

"It won't work in America"

How sad nothing works in America!!!

You sure do spend a lot of time on an American politics forum for someone who hates America so much. Maybe you should look in your own back garden and solve some of your own problems before you decided to tell America what it should do. Considering she is the most prosperous and free nation the world has known, she must have done something right.

Here is a little perspective on high speed rail.

And it all comes from taxpayers. Once again, the non-users will subsidize the users.

 

[Ar Cosc]

But the US at least at this point, is not a socialist country like Germany. Your cradle-to-grave system is bankrupt forcing massive austerity measures to try and salvage your economies.

And your refusal to tax the rich an appropriate amount has left your country in not much better of a state

You sure do spend a lot of time on an American politics forum for someone who hates America so much. Maybe you should look in your own back garden and solve some of your own problems before you decided to tell America what it should do. Considering she is the most prosperous and free nation the world has known, she must have done something right.

Provided you're born to the right parents. I wouldn't value the freedom to die on the street if you're uninsured too highly, or the freedom to attend inferior and underfunded schools if your parents can't afford to give you a better opportunity.

 

[DeathMagus]

You sure do spend a lot of time on an American politics forum for someone who hates America so much.

Since when does he hate America?

 

[Veritas]

Since when does he hate America?

 

[DeathMagus]

Facepalm all you want. He's had a reasonable discussion about what he feels America's shortcomings are. At no point in this thread has he expressed any sort of hatred for America.

 

[Veritas]

Facepalm all you want. He's had a reasonable discussion about what he feels America's shortcomings are. At no point in this thread has he expressed any sort of hatred for America.

Every thread he starts is anti-American. He has nothing good to say about the country.

 

[DeathMagus]

Every thread he starts is anti-American. He has nothing good to say about the country.

I know that you guys build very good planes but thats no option for us. EADS (Airbus) is also german owned company ad we cant buy planes anywhere else because of that. Another thing would be an aircraft carrier. We build the best submarines but we have 0 experience with aircraft carriers. Our navy operates worldwide and we feel, that it would be better if we have one. The question is, if USA would help us with that?!

...

 

[seashale76]

Every thread he starts is anti-American. He has nothing good to say about the country.

I think he just loves his country more than ours and wants it to succeed at our expense. He does agree with his country attempting to make the US more of a failure in comparison to themselves though. I'm getting that vibe from all his threads. He's very much a nationalist. He'll disagree with the US insofar as we don't jive with the German way. It's not personal.

Just remember: World citizenry is a farce. Keep repeating it to yourself when others try to make you feel bad for being an American nationalist. They do exactly the same- except when it is in their interests to say otherwise.

 

[Pommer]

Doubt it. The cost-benefit curves will converge at some point and alternatives will be developed. I really doubt it will be a sudden collapse of deposits. As the supply decreases, the cost will rise. It won't happen over night.

Right.
There will be a huge drop off in petroleum futures once it is clear that the new technologies have the capacity to do at least as half as good as oil did.
Gasoline will be cheap again, just like Beta video systems got cheap after VHS crushed it in the market, (though that was a man-made problem, [greed] inasmuch as Sony wanted it ALL).

Then gasoline will become expensive as the last of the refineries shuts down: but there will always be a petrochemical industry, someone's got to make the grease that the electrics will need.

 

[jgarden]

USA want build a highspeed train system and it looks like we got the contract.. Thats a billion $ contract. German corporations like Siemens, Krupp and the Deutsche Bahn will build up the entire railway system including several ICE trains. The ICE will be modified for our US customer.
It will be a modified version of our ICE 3 system.

Thats good news. Both of us will profit.

We earn a good contract and you guys get the best product you can get.

Germany should kick out the american ambassador - Isn't this the same OP who wants his government to "kick out" the American ambassador in protest for information made public by "Wikileaks?"

How long do you think German companies would keep this American "highspeed train" contract once you "kicked out" their ambassador?

 

[RETS]

you can regulate that with taxes.

Yet another reason such an alternative would NOT gain support. United States Citizen lesson 101: US Citizens hate to pay more taxes- And most will refuse to after a certain point.

You catch more bees with honey rather than vinegar.

But the US at least at this point, is not a socialist country like Germany. Your cradle-to-grave system is bankrupt forcing massive austerity measures to try and salvage your economies.

Pretty sure he's not seeing it that way.

And it all comes from taxpayers. Once again, the non-users will subsidize the users.

Of course. Didn't you know that's what progress is?

And your refusal to tax the rich an appropriate amount has left your country in not much better of a state

Can't fault you there- The US tax code needs a lot less air conditioning.

Provided you're born to the right parents. I wouldn't value the freedom to die on the street if you're uninsured too highly...

And yet I see pictures and hear stories, some first hand, of those same conditions in countries that have socialized medicine. So, what's your point?

...or the freedom to attend inferior and underfunded schools if your parents can't afford to give you a better opportunity.

And yet the elite of the world come here to get a higher education...

Facepalm all you want. He's had a reasonable discussion about what he feels America's shortcomings are. At no point in this thread has he expressed any sort of hatred for America.

DM? This quote right here?

Every thread he starts is anti-American. He has nothing good to say about the country.

That's directed at Ibrim, or whatever the heck his name is. The guy LordBT shut down. The guy who wanted to beef with me until I called his bluff; and who then turned around to claim victory. That dude.

Not Erik.

Germany should kick out the american ambassador - Isn't this the same OP who wants his government to "kick out" the American ambassador in protest for information made public by "Wikileaks?"

How long do you think German companies would keep this American "highspeed train" contract once you "kicked out" their ambassador?

Yes, it's the same kid.

 

[DeathMagus]

DM? This quote right here?


That's directed at Ibrim, or whatever the heck his name is. The guy LordBT shut down. The guy who wanted to beef with me until I called his bluff; and who then turned around to claim victory. That dude.

Not Erik.

Damn. My bad.

My apologies, Veritas. Facepalm all you want - apparently I'm not reading well today.

 

[RETS]

Damn. My bad.

Totally cool, amigo. Everyone has those days. I'm on a computer a lot between my job and personal interests, so I know how words will start swimming on you!

 

[Veritas]

...

I think he just loves his country more than ours and wants it to succeed at our expense. He does agree with his country attempting to make the US more of a failure in comparison to themselves though. I'm getting that vibe from all his threads. He's very much a nationalist. He'll disagree with the US insofar as we don't jive with the German way. It's not personal.

Just remember: World citizenry is a farce. Keep repeating it to yourself when others try to make you feel bad for being an American nationalist. They do exactly the same- except when it is in their interests to say otherwise.

You guys are both confused. I was NOT referring to Steiner, but rather Fahim.

 

[ErikSteiner]

Germany should kick out the american ambassador - Isn't this the same OP who wants his government to "kick out" the American ambassador in protest for information made public by "Wikileaks?"

How long do you think German companies would keep this American "highspeed train" contract once you "kicked out" their ambassador?

its already signed. So i guess they keep it till it is build and paid.

 

[ErikSteiner]

I must laugh about Veritas "bancrupt comment". She is from USA, a nation that is bancrupt. USA with heavily economic problems.

Germany on the other side has a booming economy with 3% annual growth. Our unemployment rate is going near zero.

 

[Goodtry]

The difference being one does it artificially and immediately whereas the other allows time for workable alternative technology to be developed and deployed.

It wouldn't be feasible to simply jack up the tax-rate on fuel to a prohibitively high cost until alternative technologies start becoming available either. I think the strategy should be a gradual increase in fuel taxes which would first and foremost encourage consumers to adopt energy saving technology over time.

That way consumers would put pressure on business to develop more efficient automobiles, trains, planes, trucks, ships, etc. Now, transportation is only part of the equation. Electric cars, hydrogen-powered jets and zero-emission Maglev trains are all well and good but pointless if they're charged up by power-plants running on finite fossil fuel sources anyway.

The revenue generated from higher fuel taxes should be funneled into alternative energy Research and Development as well as funding improvements in the electrical grid. Money should also set aside for the construction of Nuclear, solar, wind-turbine power plants and other non-fossil fuel based methods of generating electricity. AND of course construction of new rail lines.

 

[RETS]

I must laugh about Veritas "bancrupt comment". She is from USA, a nation that is bancrupt. USA with heavily economic problems.

Germany on the other side has a booming economy with 3% annual growth. Our unemployment rate is going near zero.

You just stated earlier that your country laid off thousands of people to shut down a mine. I happen to know that's merely one example of several where the German people are losing, not gaining, their jobs- and in large part credited to the government.

Which is it? Near zero, or layoffs and firings galore?

On the other hand, I will say this for Germany- At least they are seriously addressing their problems. That is the only plus to a socialistic government... Not as much political posturing. heh

 

[ErikSteiner]

we currently have the lowest unemployment rate in the last 20 years. We have problems to fill free jobs with workers. Thats our problem at the moment, that we need workers, but can´t find them anymore. They even plan a law that you must work 40h per week (with more money of course)