Martin wrote:
And to repeat my point: because they do it, we SHOULD do it too? They
are our models? No further questions asked? No! "Keeping up with
other nations" is a large part of the reason why we have started upon
the approachto global catastrophe.
Rubbish

It may sound incredible to you, Martin, but I assure you it is not
nonsense. Take a while to look deeply at recent New Zealand, for
example. Go to:
http://www.lumiere.net.nz/reader/item/1161
http://filmshop.co.nz/dev/products-page/?product_id=22
http://www.cutcutcut.com
and follow links to read about (and buy!) the four documentaries
detailing how the attempts of successive NZ governments in the last
three decades to "keep up with other nations" has ripped the soul out of
NZ and caused the greatest demonstrations in NZ's major cities that have
ever been seen. See also
http://canterbury.cyberplace.org.nz/community/CAFCA/

Once you've got your head around the isolated NZ situation, you should
be able to see how it's going on everywhere else too.

Eddy.