Hot Damn! It's a big dam.

richlevy · 06-07-2003, 12:27 PM

China just completed the construction of the world's largest dam at Three Gorges. Considering the trouble the Bush administration has getting permission to drill in ANWAR, it's interesting to see what a country with a different political structure can do.

Of course, if Bush were able to forcibly relocate 1.3 million people, flood an area with historic sites, and borrow tens of billions of dollars, who knows what he might be able to accomplish. We might even find out.

It would be interesting to compare the process in Three Gorges with the Tennessee Valley Authority program in the 1930;s. TVA had it a lot easier since they did not have to deal with the population density in China.

This ties in with UnderToad's Natural Rights thread.

Cellar Natural Rights thread

China Embassy Press Release

Editorial Opposed to the Three Gorges Project

Short Historical Overview of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

Interesting pro-TVA article from the New Deal Library

TVA Cemetary Relocation for Holston Reservoir

xoxoxoBruce · 06-08-2003, 10:49 AM

I hope the Chinese do as well as the TVA. One of the prime reasons for the TVA's sucess was the program to teach people how to slow if not stop soil erosion. A benefit to the farmer as well as the dams.

Griff · 06-08-2003, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by xoxoxoBruce
I hope the Chinese do as well as the TVA. One of the prime reasons for the TVA's sucess was the program to teach people how to slow if not stop soil erosion. A benefit to the farmer as well as the dams.

As a side benefit, it also purged a mess of recalcitrant hillbillies who thought they could live their lives free of all contact with government do-gooders. I assume the rural chinese labor under no such illusions.

slang · 06-08-2003, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Griff
..... recalcitrant hillbillies who thought they could live their lives free of all contact with government do-gooders.

Man, those were the days! No gubbermint do-gooders

Uryoces · 06-10-2003, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by slang
Man, those were the days! No gubbermint do-gooders

They were just after yer still! Bo, Luke; c'mere! Got some moonshine fer ya to run!

xoxoxoBruce · 06-10-2003, 04:55 PM

You know there was a time when the gummint did good stuff. Back when I used to walk to school, uphill, both ways, and before, there was a gummint man called the County Agent. I think he was actually the Agricultural Agent but he and his staff had the inside dope on everything you needed to know. library books were rarely current if you had a library...and could read. If the cows aren't giving enough milk or the chickens enough eggs or the field enough corn. If you wanted to sew button holes or smoke meat or get a gummint loan or fix your car or reload shells. The County Agent was the internet of his day, with connection to tremendous amounts of info the state an fed gummints could provide. A free (yeah, yeah, I know) service to anyone that needed it. This is what government should be about. Service to/of the people.

warch · 06-11-2003, 11:03 AM

Quite unfashionably, I still believe that the government can do good for its citizens and that is its role.

Griff · 06-11-2003, 01:07 PM

The county agent is still around despite the internet. If I had to choose between him and the 101st Airbourne, I'll take the county agent even if he is sometimes the tool of agribusiness. These small things the government does for us while harmless or even helpful in and of themselves help create the mindset that we turn to government first, not last. While many of my sensibilities lie with the left, I can't get on board with nationalizing and standardizing large parts of our social interaction. I think this standardization is harmful to the very diversity the left cherishes. That said, if I have to choose between the destruction of private agriculture and the destruction of some village in Afghanistan, I take the destruction at home, because a black market can do something about that. When governments decide to standardize other governments we have little recourse.

Of course it could just be the weather talking.

xoxoxoBruce · 06-11-2003, 06:20 PM

Quote:

The county agent is still around despite the internet.

I'm glad to hear that. MA has eliminated them.
Between the County Agent and Walmart I can live happily ever after.

Dr. Zaius · 06-13-2003, 07:42 PM

Wonder if the filling of the Chinese dam's reservior will be as fun as the dam flooding scene in O Brother where art thou?

xoxoxoBruce · 06-13-2003, 09:22 PM

You think they'll measure the water level with floating dissidents?

That Guy · 06-14-2003, 08:18 AM

So will I still have to boil my rice?

06-07-2003, 12:27 PM	#1
richlevy King Of Wishful Thinking Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Philadelphia Suburbs Posts: 6,669	Hot Damn! It's a big dam. China just completed the construction of the world's largest dam at Three Gorges. Considering the trouble the Bush administration has getting permission to drill in ANWAR, it's interesting to see what a country with a different political structure can do. Of course, if Bush were able to forcibly relocate 1.3 million people, flood an area with historic sites, and borrow tens of billions of dollars, who knows what he might be able to accomplish. We might even find out. It would be interesting to compare the process in Three Gorges with the Tennessee Valley Authority program in the 1930;s. TVA had it a lot easier since they did not have to deal with the population density in China. This ties in with UnderToad's Natural Rights thread. Cellar Natural Rights thread China Embassy Press Release Editorial Opposed to the Three Gorges Project Short Historical Overview of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Interesting pro-TVA article from the New Deal Library TVA Cemetary Relocation for Holston Reservoir __________________ Exercise your rights and remember your obligations - VOTE! I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting. -- Barack Hussein Obama

06-08-2003, 10:49 AM	#2
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	I hope the Chinese do as well as the TVA. One of the prime reasons for the TVA's sucess was the program to teach people how to slow if not stop soil erosion. A benefit to the farmer as well as the dams. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

06-10-2003, 04:55 PM	#6
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	You know there was a time when the gummint did good stuff. Back when I used to walk to school, uphill, both ways, and before, there was a gummint man called the County Agent. I think he was actually the Agricultural Agent but he and his staff had the inside dope on everything you needed to know. library books were rarely current if you had a library...and could read. If the cows aren't giving enough milk or the chickens enough eggs or the field enough corn. If you wanted to sew button holes or smoke meat or get a gummint loan or fix your car or reload shells. The County Agent was the internet of his day, with connection to tremendous amounts of info the state an fed gummints could provide. A free (yeah, yeah, I know) service to anyone that needed it. This is what government should be about. Service to/of the people. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

06-11-2003, 01:07 PM	#8
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	The county agent is still around despite the internet. If I had to choose between him and the 101st Airbourne, I'll take the county agent even if he is sometimes the tool of agribusiness. These small things the government does for us while harmless or even helpful in and of themselves help create the mindset that we turn to government first, not last. While many of my sensibilities lie with the left, I can't get on board with nationalizing and standardizing large parts of our social interaction. I think this standardization is harmful to the very diversity the left cherishes. That said, if I have to choose between the destruction of private agriculture and the destruction of some village in Afghanistan, I take the destruction at home, because a black market can do something about that. When governments decide to standardize other governments we have little recourse. Of course it could just be the weather talking. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

06-13-2003, 09:22 PM	#11
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	You think they'll measure the water level with floating dissidents? __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

06-11-2003, 11:03 AM	#7
warch lurkin old school Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,796	Quite unfashionably, I still believe that the government can do good for its citizens and that is its role.

06-13-2003, 07:42 PM	#10
Dr. Zaius Superior Inhabitant Join Date: May 2003 Location: Ape City Posts: 73	Wonder if the filling of the Chinese dam's reservior will be as fun as the dam flooding scene in O Brother where art thou?

06-14-2003, 08:18 AM	#12
That Guy He who reads, sometimes writes. Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: at the keyboard Posts: 791	So will I still have to boil my rice?

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