I appreciated thatinterview and appreciated your giving RP a chance to present his case. I am a little apprehensive about removing much of the governmental control over certain aspects of our lives, but his case for the individual is very good. Sure enough, if someone today wanted to personally sue some big corp they'd be wasting their time but if the constitution were to be adhered to, then the criminal would fear the individual and whether it's joe blow or GE, it would be just and transparent. So I don't believe that having no FEDERAL oversight equates to no protection...and as was said above; if you think Alaskans would be all that in favor of drilling, you don't know Alaskans and especially now with the corruption cases emerging...another case of big money and big beaurocracy getting together over what? Something the people of Alaska have no controll over...just the targets of big lobby groups who probably don't know dick about the conditions in the state they're regulating.

For a long time being a libertarian was the antithesis of beingin favor of protecting the environment, but as the world turns and so changes our perspective and it is becomming apparent that the broad strokes of an empowered international beaurocracy is not likely to be nimble enough physically, economically nor scientifically to handle the pace of the world's ever-changing requirements. we need a new model and I'm as surprised as any newly awakened at RP's refreshing perspective and I am more cautious than ever that big organizations will do the right thing...in fact the history shows they don't. One might say it plays into the hands of big corporations but it is worth keeping in mind that they get that big and greedy by feeding at a enormous trough of unimaginable depth that is filled with the wealth that is the product of our hands and minds and the earth itself. Limiting access to it by people who've demonstrated responsible behavior and are subject to the law is less likely to create the problems we're seeing now. I'd like to sue the bastards that are polluting but in its infinite wisdom our leaders are taking those options away from us and there will be hobb to pay.

The implied neglect for the soldiers and their families; a betrayal of the understanding and respect we've agreed upon is tied in its loathsomeness with the fact that this bit of news about corruption doesn't even surprise us. Of course! Some lifelong jerk, obsessed with power and possession...how could he not take advantage...it's only human behavior.

Consider that when the next big opportunity to feed at the public trough is suggested as a way to "save money" or "improve lives of others"...big money draws big creeps and distorts the lenses through which we identify the problems and solutions.

...call it soysauce, spice, curry, grated cheese, anchovies, dough conditioner...whaterver, the secret ingredient is almost always more salt. People respond to more salt the way prospective brides guage love by the size of the diamond and the amount of glitter within, the more the better.

Thomas Keller's wish for a book solely based on technique is one I too share and in fact is the main attraction to a lot of books already out there, if you know how to look beyond the recipe section...most don't...too complex...just gimme a set of instructions...achtung.

In the mean time, hypertension is epidemic and is being treated with high tech drugs instead of simply getting used to using less salt. A unidirectional ratchet geared to push the entire mess off a cliff until someone starts over again...cheers.

Who'd a thought you could teach a chimp to read in such short time.

Great piece. Thanks for that. And if Greg is an example of megalomania gone wild, all I can say is give us more of that and please please please take away the kind that is currently inhabiting the bodies and minds of our world's leaders, especially our own oval office...on the other hand, why not coninue to let our leaders stew in their own juices while we wait for technology to make our current forms of government look like the parasitic vestigal organs they've become, atrophied and withered from lack of exercise, initiative and vision.

Here's to a world beyond greed.

I appreciated the interview. I've read any number that are similar. He's a very consistent spokesperson and leader for a direction that I generally favor...but...

His insistence that we phase out nuclear energy is simple minded. He fails to mention non-radioactive nuclear technology that is being researched and is showing promise. He fails to mention space technology...and while it's noble to suggest we keep the coal and oil in the ground...an idea I generally support since burning that amazing stuff just to get to the grocery store or so we can have electric hair driers is dumb...but I'm all about understanding the transition. Our current situation, whether we like it or not, is delicate and fragile and interconnected just like any ecology and shifting it in un-supportable ways leads to massive dislocations which ultimately result in misery for humans...

And Dennis...how about population. I applaud you and your wife's channelling your productivity into civic goals, but we do need a good public forum on that too. Maybe the nation should pick one day, say April first to all sit down and watch Mike Judges "idocracy" and have a critique about it starting with the reason why Disney seemed to not want this amazingly funny piece of very poingnant satire adding to the national discussion.