London to Beijing in two days by rail

[Eephus Swift]

Originally Posted by axhandle

The U.S. businesses that contract with them don't care, lax specs or none no QC etc--sell sell sell greed starts at home.
Problems on both sides.

Case in point-- baby food with melamine.

More specifically, baby FORMULA with melamine.

The problem there is two fold too. Namely, what do folks think breasts are for?

[RozieDozie]

China isn't failing. China's just coming back into her own.

I have no doubt whatsoever that the speed rail can and will happen if the Chinese put their minds to it.

Sounds like a focused project that will provide jobs for their citizens and give their countrymen and the rest of the world something to look forward to. Maybe the US could take a lesson from them?

[axhandle]

Originally Posted by Eephus Swift

More specifically, baby FORMULA with melamine.

The problem there is two fold too. Namely, what do folks think breasts are for?

Formula is food melamine is toxic and was not accidental.
As for breasts-----

[axhandle]

Originally Posted by RozieDozie

China isn't failing. China's just coming back into her own.

I have no doubt whatsoever that the speed rail can and will happen if the Chinese put their minds to it.

Sounds like a focused project that will provide jobs for their citizens and give their countrymen and the rest of the world something to look forward to. Maybe the US could take a lesson from them?

Have no doubt China and India are on the rebound--U.S. better wake up the 40-50 year gap is closing fast.
Both are buying up gold by the boatloads.

[Eephus Swift]

Originally Posted by axhandle

Formula is food melamine is toxic and was not accidental.
As for breasts-----

Not my point, but nonetheless...

[axhandle]

Didn't Google pull out of China? and because?

[HillsideDigger]

Extreme cold is incompatible with high-speed rail-lines and there's no way to get from London to Beijing except thru either very high elevations in Central Asia or thru Siberia. Either route requires crossing the shifting sands of the Gobi desert. Ask Marco Polo what that was like.

So what's wrong with 80 mph trains? It would be fine to have an adequate system of 80 mph passenger trains in the United States possibly with higher-speed trains along selected routes like Bangor to Miami (note - a flat route).

[AcidRain23]

Originally Posted by Eephus Swift

Trying to predict large-scale historical changes has always been the business of despots and soothsayers.

It's good to see, no matter how well-written, that he's joined their ranks.

*That* being said, at least he does what many don't, and points us in the direction he sees as solvable, or at least resolvable. I applaud him for that.

I don't want to drag the topic off course too much, but if you look at the economics of the past 200 years, all major recessions/depressions, have been followed by economic booms (after a period of recovery, usually lasting around 5-6 years). http://21stcenturywaves.com/ They predict the next boom will hit around 2015 (its what they are calling a Maslow window). Interesting, no? (FYI, something I am taking with more than a grain of salt though)

[axhandle]

Originally Posted by HillsideDigger

Extreme cold is incompatible with high-speed rail-lines and there's no way to get from London to Beijing except thru either very high elevations in Central Asia or thru Siberia. Either route requires crossing the shifting sands of the Gobi desert. Ask Marco Polo what that was like.

So what's wrong with 80 mph trains? It would be fine to have an adequate system of 80 mph passenger trains in the United States possibly with higher-speed trains along selected routes like Boston to Miami (note - a flat route).

The Trans Siberian construction is good reading.Shifting permafrost layers etc--here today gone tomorrow.

[HillsideDigger]

Speaking of grand schemes:

During the 1930's, the Germans seriously considered the notion of damming the Straits of Gibraltar so allowing the Mediteranean Sea to dryout resulting in new land connecting Europe and Africa.