Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew America

This author's ideas are extremely over rated. First he writes about how wonderful it is that we're outsourcing everything to India, even though it is hurting American programmers, who are the best and brightest in the world, and driving down their pay ridiculously. Then he writes about how the government needs to drastically raise gas taxes to persuade *the masses* to push for alternative fuels. We should push for alternative fuels because it is good for the planet and for the country. Not because we're being punished by little Nazis who preach environmentalism and fly around in private jets ala Al Gore and living in huge homes built with Brazilian Cherry cabinets and floors. (this in itself is a crime against nature) A very successful business person myself, I live in a *green* 3000 square foot home that will be selling electricity back to the grid within 2 years.

After seeing good people hurt by the implementation of some of the short sighted 'garbage-in' ideas in this book, all I can say about this guy is I smell Limousine Liberal, a putrid odor. He must be the type that want to sit back and tell everybody else how to live. They have there monetary success, so screw everyone else they think. These types think they are elite and above other people. Take it from someone that has gone from nothing to great success, I say that they are not.

I think it's time to outsource the jobs of over rated writers and phony environmentalists.

First let me say that its a very good book and readable too. Most of the places, Friedman has hit the target. To begin, he is right about every country trying to ape America. But isn't that one of the biggest exports from the developed countries including America. So, american corporations were exporting the same to double or triple their profits. So, it will be a loosing game for anyone trying to stop or reverse it.
Lets get down to other stuff. I like the piece on Petropolitics. You may not agree with the graph etc, but there is some truth in there. They not only screw up their own country but export a large amount of convulated ideology as well.
Then Friedman dives into renewable energy and power grid modifications. Good idea, not sure about feasibility. Also, his take on solutions needing thousands of Noahs is good. Though the problem is global, the solutions can be localised.
Now comes the bad part... "China for a day". Oh sure.. try it. The decisions which are not democratic are thrown out today or tomorrow.
Other parts which are totally missing is that to be Green, we need to change our lifestyle. We cannot continue to consume vast amounts of energy and resources. We need to grow up as a society, and do things differently. For example, Friedman talks about Dishwasher working at night, my take is that we need to see whether we need to fire up that at all or not. Let america show the world that they have re-invented themselves. And surely world will follow.
The point is road is tough and lets get started now.

While I agree with some of the renewable energy issue, as an American, I have little trust of an individual that sees taking our personal liberties away for a day, see China for a Day chapter. This in an effort to "protect us" from ourselves. The last thing I need is the government, who can't even balance their own check book, tell me how to live or take my freedoms away for a day so they can push some agenda. While I'm not comparing the two, facisim starts with such beliefs. I'd read this book with a helpful spoon full of concern. Interesting book but not worth the read.

I can't get as excited about global warming as Friedman has. First half of book paints worse-case scenarios in my opinion and is very tiresome reading - very repetetive and overdone with metaphors. Solutions in latter half of book are interesting, but are they all possible or necessary? Am usually a big fan of Friedman's recent op-eds, so a bit disappointed with the book.

Haven't read more than the synopsis yet, but are we to believe Friedman's call for a "green revolution" when it's published on 70% new paper, and only 30% recycled material?

That's a revolution?

When Friedman apologizes for his part in cheerleading for the waste of over a trillion dollars in Iraq, money which would be enough to make all the renewable fuel we would ever need, then he can say he's serious.

Sorry, Tom, some of your ideas are good, but they're coming from someone living in a credibility canyon. You showed us all what an ugly person you were when you endorsed the use of false pretense to attack a country which never threatened us:

"The ''real reason'' for this war, which was never stated, was that after 9/11 America needed to hit someone in the Arab-Muslim world. Afghanistan wasn't enough."

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