[fizzissist]

they don't call yo'all "The Ugly Americans" also for nothing..............

Nature did not intend Efficiency to be part of the equation, so when someone states that a wind generator, photo voltaic cell or any other device is inefficient because it produces so little energy for the effort, think of Nature and be humble, even a candle is high tech to a stone age cave man.

Ian.

The incessant bashing of the U.S.....by an opportunist, no less..

I've seen first hand the "ugly American" behaviour and have been terribly embarrassed by it. I'm particularly sensitive to how I'm perceived by a foreign host..survival instinct perhaps..

But I got a real eye-opener on my last trip to an asian country, where I found out that Americans are actually preferred. Their least favorites were russians, followed by australians.

Both were considered to be loud, drunk, and obnoxious. The russians were in the lead because of their proclivity for endlessly trying to cheat vendors and cab drivers, so the aussies are stuck with 2nd place. But it's a close second, because they've got the edge with their arrogance.

An associate here has many close friends from that country, one of them a former police officer, and the general feeling above is echoed by these friends.

So, before you go throwing stones, you might do well to remember who went along for the ride into Afghanistan and Iraq.....

And "fragile" world economy?? Like the U.S. is the controlling force? I wish.

But that's political and social...let's talk about your other statement.."Nature did not intend Efficiency to be part of the equation" Boy, if that isn't prima facie proof you've got no clue when it comes to nature, much less science in general, I'll turn in my Buckaroo Banzai badge.

Efficiency is the quintessential goal of evolution. Adaptation is efficiency as the end result. I can't see how much more clear the relationship between nature and efficiency could be. Efficiency isn't IN the equation, it IS the equation.