TOO MANY PEOPLE

I sort of cringe when someone says "too many people". but it's probably true. that the 2% elite ruling class owns and consumes 80%, that puts it in a different perspective. there's only one guy i know who says: "we're all going to die..." and in his mind the only question is how ? nukes, starvation, epidemic, social collapse......


Ran across this: although my gramps always claimed if they sent a train going around for free, most people would leave small towns and go to big cities.... but who knows, and how is exurbia defined ? are they part of the sprawling metropolis? or are they just the amerikan equivalent of upscale shanty towns.....

"In 1800 only 3% of the world's population lived in cities. By the 20th century's close, 47% did so. In 1950, there were 83 cities with populations exceeding one million; but by 2007, this had risen to 468 agglomerations of more than one million.[126] If the trend continues, the world's urban population will double every 38 years, say researchers. The UN forecasts that today's urban population of 3.2 billion will rise to nearly 5 billion by 2030, when three out of five people will live in cities."


"One billion people, one-sixth of the world's population, or one-third of urban population, now live in shanty towns,[129] which are seen as "breeding grounds" for social problems such as crime, drug addiction, alcoholism, poverty and unemployment. In many poor countries, slums exhibit high rates of disease due to unsanitary conditions, malnutrition, and lack of basic health care.[130]"

Let's see: shanty towns are a breeding place of poverty and unemployment. okay, i buy that, and the poor and unemployed don't end up in shanty towns except because their unemployed, criminals and drug addicts, plus they drink too much wine and scotch at night after a couple of rounds of golf.....


"UN Habitat states in its reports that urbanization may be the best compromise in the face of global population growth.[135] Cities concentrate human activity within limited areas, limiting the breadth of environmental damage. [136] But this mitigating influence can only be achieved if urban planning is significantly improved[137] and city services are properly maintained."

Okay that makes sense. we don't want any more communist agrarian land reformers taking land away from the rich and big corporations, because the poor will cause environmental damage but the corporat farms, mining and timber companies will protect the environment by clear cutting and strip mining......BTW, the mining cartels just eliminated the 500th mountain in the Appalachians.... that's right up their with 'cancer alley' in Mississippi. i think the Mississippi river pollution is killing more people than swine flu did.

And in other news, I see Hawaii is the eighth state to start a space port. I'm wondering if their going to issue space bonds to pay for them ??? Great, while the rest of us are biking down to the ration center for our cup of gruel; hairy read, blarney flunky and the board of the new improved brand new GM can take the space ship to work in the morning, check on their swiss bank accounts at lunch and pick up some good smack in Indonesia in the afternoon to get them thru the evening and night......

So we shall see how obammy does in the next 2 weeks with his health reform proposals... obviously, i only expect reform that's not just the same old shit, but even more expensive. so if something responsible happens I'll probably drop dead....