>>Plus so much that we consume (clothes and other manufactured goods) are produced overseas. Yes we could *survive* without international trade but life would be very, very different.

Glad you said very different and not difficult, or impossible, the US is a good example in the sense that even within itself there are american producers who scream "buy american". This country produces what it needs. Oil is not a necessity, it is used primarily as a luxury item. Human beings can survive without out its more destructive uses (if we don't learn how to and apply it, this planet will indeed pay soon enough). The satellite idea was cool though.

The US was a bad example in the sense that this country's main drives are disgusting. Since everything is based on money, it's no wonder why clothes and other "luxuries" are produced overseas. That's where the profits come from, produce cheap sell high. So people will naturally have this community mentality without ever questioning whether its good or not. Some high school teacher will tell her students that the US is a global community, we have happy relations with everyone on the planet, but will not say the specifics about those relations. This country networks in order to exploit, then boasts this "global community" idea. The first premises should be on total automony if not at least in thought. Keeping this as the core will expose bad ideas and stray from them.

yes life would be very, very different, but i'm 100% positive that way would be more positive than what's happening now. Like i said before, i'm more of the idealist, Solarus is the realist. Cued points to a balance and his way actualizing my ideas. the process though is Thought, Word, Deed. this dialog is helping us start something though.

(((((PEACE)))))

"REAL RECOGNIZE REAL, and even more than that, the fake, they REALLY REALLY recognize REAL!" -BlackThought