William Shatner’s $30 Billion Kickstarter Campaign to Save California

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CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

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William Shatner is the Renaissance man incarnate, playing roles from Shakespeare to Star Trek Captain and everything in-between. He is taking on a new role now as the Savior of California. :D Shatner is proposing a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for his proposed water pipeline running from Washington State to California.

“So I’m starting a Kickstarter campaign. I want $30 billion … to build a pipeline like the Alaska pipeline. Say, from Seattle — a place where there’s a lot of water. There’s too much water. How bad would it be to get a large, 4-foot pipeline, keep it above ground — because if it leaks, you’re irrigating!”
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Do the people of WA want to sell the water? If not, then CA will need to get it elsewhere, or just make due with what they have.
 
this is about as cheesy as it gets. How about they make a desalination plant instead? but oh no, That makes too much sense.
 
Hey, give Shatner some credit here. He's 84 years old and all he's thinking about is laying some pipe. :D
 
I know that desalination has its own environmental risks but it seems that it would cheaper to pursue a combination of more efficient conservation, more efficient recycling, in state capture of rain water and snows, and deals with closer states like Oregon, Arizona, and Nevada for some of their water, in addition to some limited desalination in areas where the environmental impact will be less

Bottom line is that water is a limited resource and everybody (including California) needs to find ways to use it more effectively and not just keep looking for new supplies ... since the poles are breaking off more and more ice due to climate change perhaps they could examine ways of moving some of the polar icebergs closer to the ocean states so they could harvest the water rather than letting it just melt back into the ocean (which might have even worse environmental consequences)
 
GORANKAR said:
Do the people of WA want to sell the water? If not, then CA will need to get it elsewhere, or just make due with what they have.
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They won't get a choice in the new world view everything is everyone's doesn't matter if those people keep constantly moving into CA even though they know there isn't enough water. There have been disputes over water on a lot of levels especially where water flows from one country to another and the end result has been that developed or civilized societies have to reserve or give some of that water to the players down stream. Of course if it was Russia or China they would simply flip you the bird.

CA is hilarious on so many levels, they don't have water its been a problem my whole life but that doesn't stop them from subsidizing agriculture, and constantly trying to find new plants and animals they can grow in CA they couldn't before or do so competitively. They don't really have land either tons of mountains all over making it difficult to develop or farm. Same with people there is literally nothing in the entire of state of CA natural resource wise that exists that lends any advantage to housing a massive computing industry there yet they keep piling in and startups like to go there for what? No one knows, the massively over priced property and inflated wages, the lack of water, the earth quake risks? When the outsourcing of programmers hits I think it will hit CA really hard.

Why is it so hard for the brilliant minds of CA to realize that CA just isn't the place for half the crap they do there? A way better plan Mr. Shatner would be to take 30 billion and move Silicon Valley to somewhere that makes a lot more sense.
 
Maybe it is time to start investing in this technology ... the stillsuits of Dune might be a necessity if we keep going the way we are going :cool:

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Man! Build a pipe to MA and have have all the water you could ever want! Get it the fuck outta here!
 
rudy said:
They won't get a choice in the new world view everything is everyone's doesn't matter if those people keep constantly moving into CA even though they know there isn't enough water.

CA is hilarious on so many levels, they don't have water its been a problem my whole life but that doesn't stop them from subsidizing agriculture, and constantly trying to find new plants and animals they can grow in CA they couldn't before or do so competitively.
Why is it so hard for the brilliant minds of CA to realize that CA just isn't the place for half the crap they do there? A way better plan Mr. Shatner would be to take 30 billion and move Silicon Valley to somewhere that makes a lot more sense.
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I live in California so I have the right to criticize :)
We are out of water, so they are telling people to let their lawns go brown, not to build any new pools, etc.

However, the politicians are setting out the welcome mat for more illegal immigrants, with more welfare, free health care, driver licenses, etc. They also keep approving new large housing developments (where’s that water coming from)? And continue to dump millions of gallons into the pacific to save a small bait fish.

And if everyone uses less water, they’ll just jack the prices up even more, as the corrupt water districts need the money to pay all their crazy high salaries and pensions.

It would be hilarious if it wasn’t so sad how this state is being destroyed by the leftist that are running it.
 
All the millions of gallons of fresh river water that flows out of the Delta into the SF Bay every single day... maybe they should build a pipe from there first...
 
just let CA dry up....it needs to go away. it is the bane of this country for stupid laws and regulations that spill over on to everyone.
 
I think Mr. Shatner hasn't done some of the basic math here. A 4-foot pipeline would barely make the smallest dent in California's water problem. Something more like a 40-foot pipeline would just be the starting point. And the cost/complexity/engineering required to go from 4-foot to 40 is much more than just 10x.
 
MajorDomo said:
Hey, give Shatner some credit here. He's 84 years old and all he's thinking about is laying some pipe. :D
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Pretty much this. Shat has laid every kind of creature on the big screen. Personally I have to give him probs for the green chick.
 
PigLover said:
I think Mr. Shatner hasn't done some of the basic math here. A 4-foot pipeline would barely make the smallest dent in California's water problem. Something more like a 40-foot pipeline would just be the starting point. And the cost/complexity/engineering required to go from 4-foot to 40 is much more than just 10x.
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Yeah, a puny pipeline not much larger than a typical oil pipeline isn't going to cut it. California needs something on the scale of a river, a project like China's South-North Water Transfer Project.
 
I'm tired of coastal states complaining about water resources. Build desalinization plants. People like to complain but never want to spend the money to fix the problem. Yes it's more expensive but sea levels are rising, so get to work.
 
SparkedFire said:
I'm tired of coastal states complaining about water resources. Build desalinization plants. People like to complain but never want to spend the money to fix the problem. Yes it's more expensive but sea levels are rising, so get to work.
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Desalination isn't without problems either (environmental impact, power consumption, etc) and we have already been abusing the oceans and destroying them environmentally ... the only long term solution is to figure out how to use less water and not to just find more creative ways to consume the little water we have left ... besides, if we don't figure out this water problem globally our next major wars won't be over land but over water ;)
 
kbrickley said:
Desalination isn't without problems either (environmental impact, power consumption, etc) and we have already been abusing the oceans and destroying them environmentally ... the only long term solution is to figure out how to use less water and not to just find more creative ways to consume the little water we have left ... besides, if we don't figure out this water problem globally our next major wars won't be over land but over water ;)
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Yes, but it is a good solution. In Florida, we get most water from underground. This can't continue. We could wind up with saltwater intrusion from the Gulf and Atlantic if we aren't careful. Tampa has a nice system that works with it's neighboring power plant. http://www.tampabaywater.org/tampa-bay-seawater-desalination-plant/index.aspx

I have low flow toilets, drip irrigation and use hardy plants where possible in my yard. I try to help out where possible.
 
kbrickley said:
Desalination isn't without problems either (environmental impact, power consumption, etc) and we have already been abusing the oceans and destroying them environmentally ... the only long term solution is to figure out how to use less water and not to just find more creative ways to consume the little water we have left ... besides, if we don't figure out this water problem globally our next major wars won't be over land but over water ;)
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The little water we have left? Our planet is 2/3 covered in water. De-salination's only problem is that people expect it to be profitable for some stupid reason. Water is life, and a priority. We should be dumping BUCKETS of cash at this problem.
 
For $30B, you could build a LOT of desalinization plants. After all, there is a vast ocean. This drought is not anything new as California has historically been hit with droughts like this before. The difference is that they didn't have anywhere near the population they have now the last time it happened.
 
Spire3660 said:
The little water we have left? Our planet is 2/3 covered in water. De-salination's only problem is that people expect it to be profitable for some stupid reason. Water is life, and a priority. We should be dumping BUCKETS of cash at this problem.
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Yes, we have lots of surface water in our oceans ... that water also provides a substantial portion of our world's food supply and fuels much of the weather in the world (which generates the rains to replenish our rivers and ground water) ... I am not saying that we can't use technologies like desalination to supplement our supplies, but much of the world (especially the developed world) wastes water in droves ... we already have pollution levels in the ocean that have risen and are starting to affect the ecosystems and I worry where the tipping point is

I would rather see improvements in the consumption of water used in agriculture, reductions in unnecessary water usage by households, and other techniques used in conjunction with new supplies ... otherwise we just seem to consume larger and larger amounts ... also, I worry what kind of world we are leaving for Keith Richards (since he will likely outlive us all) :cool:
 
Also to add a bit of irony to this story. WA is currently at record lows for snow pack this year. Our two main ski resorts were open for like 1-2 weeks total MAYBE. Its been a very odd year here weather wise. So we will likely have another sever fire season like we did last year. Kinda funny the the rest of the country is oblivious of what the Weather "facts" are actually like in Wa ;).
 
California is its own worst enemy. By subsidizing agriculture with reduced water cost, it lead to big factory farms that grow the most water intensive crops and vegetables in an arid climate. If water cost actually reflected the supply and demand in a free market, this severe water shortage problem wouldn't have occurred. Farmers would have grown more suitable crops for dry climate and people would naturally be less willing to build open pools and have water intensive green grass lawns.
 
To make matters worse in California if you collect your own rainwater to use, the state will fine you up to $1000.
 
I never thought the day would come when I would be forced to say this, but:

William Shatner, go die in a fire.

It'll be a cold day in Hell before we let California steal the Columbia from us.
 
bsbllclown said:
Also to add a bit of irony to this story. WA is currently at record lows for snow pack this year. Our two main ski resorts were open for like 1-2 weeks total MAYBE. Its been a very odd year here weather wise. So we will likely have another sever fire season like we did last year. Kinda funny the the rest of the country is oblivious of what the Weather "facts" are actually like in Wa ;).
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All I know about washington state is from my visit to Seattle over a decade ago. The sun never broke through, because that entire state only gets about 3 days of sunlight every decade. But the air was clear, crystal clear, because no dust particles can form in the land of constant overcast and drizzle and despair.
 
OlIv0rIolI said:
California is its own worst enemy. By subsidizing agriculture with reduced water cost, it lead to big factory farms that grow the most water intensive crops and vegetables in an arid climate. If water cost actually reflected the supply and demand in a free market, this severe water shortage problem wouldn't have occurred. Farmers would have grown more suitable crops for dry climate and people would naturally be less willing to build open pools and have water intensive green grass lawns.
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Its called "water rights," a lot of the farmers have rights to x amount of water, it isn't sold to them.
 
kbrickley said:
Bottom line is that water is a limited resource and everybody (including California) needs to find ways to use it more effectively and not just keep looking for new supplies ...
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The fact is, 80% of the water used in California is for agriculture. California grows 50% of the nations fruits and vegetables.

100 billion gallons of water a year is used to grow alfalfa and hay that is exported to China and other countries. This is where I'd draw the line. Feed America first, that's what California should do. The restrictions they're placing on residents is a drop in the bucket in comparison.

kbrickley said:
I would rather see improvements in the consumption of water used in agriculture, reductions in unnecessary water usage by households, and other techniques used in conjunction with new supplies ... otherwise we just seem to consume larger and larger amounts ... also, I worry what kind of world we are leaving for Keith Richards (since he will likely outlive us all) :cool:
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Keith Richards once compared himself to a cockroach and said he'd outlive us all. :)

There is lots of waste, but some of us have already cut back about as far as we can. My latest water bill says I'm using 49 gallons a day, a fraction of the target usage.
 
PigLover said:
I think Mr. Shatner hasn't done some of the basic math here. A 4-foot pipeline would barely make the smallest dent in California's water problem. Something more like a 40-foot pipeline would just be the starting point. And the cost/complexity/engineering required to go from 4-foot to 40 is much more than just 10x.
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Yeah just did the calculations and going from Seattle to San Francisco, and just for kicks and giggles say that's where all the water is stored, the water would need to travel through a 4 foot pipe at roughly 4 times the speed of sound to quench California's thirst for water.

Just reading what is said it really just sounds like an old man rambling on... oh wait it is. "Bring it down to one of our lakes... Lake Mead"... right on the border of Arizona and Nevada dumbass.

This is quite appropriate here on so many levels
jiFfM.jpg
 
nutzo said:
However, the politicians are setting out the welcome mat for more illegal immigrants, with more welfare, free health care, driver licenses, etc. They also keep approving new large housing developments (where’s that water coming from)? And continue to dump millions of gallons into the pacific to save a small bait fish.

And if everyone uses less water, they’ll just jack the prices up even more, as the corrupt water districts need the money to pay all their crazy high salaries and pensions.

It would be hilarious if it wasn’t so sad how this state is being destroyed by the leftist that are running it.
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Yes, let's blame illegal immigrants instead of the lack of planning for a sustainable solution for water supplies. What a great idea, to go for the easy, low-hanging fruit for scapegoating instead of looking at the bigger solutions.

The problem isn't money, it's conservation. California's problem is that it would have more than enough water to fill everyone's needs (yes, including farming) if there was a way to conserve all the water you get during rain season. Which there isn't. You get a *lot* of water in short bursts, and most of that water ends up back in the ocean. Desalination plants would help, but they require an unthinkable amount of energy to run. You would be solving one problem while exacerbating another.

All of this doesn't matter though. California's politicians and their citizens decided to drag their feet and do nothing until it's too late. You guys had a looooong time to try to think long term and start working on something, but instead the buck kept being passed around.

Don't blame illegal immigrants -- blame your own damned selves.
 
viscountalpha said:
this is about as cheesy as it gets. How about they make a desalination plant instead? but oh no, That makes too much sense.
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Because California is big on being environmentally friendly, and desalination plants aren't:
http://www.dw.de/the-environmental-downside-to-desalinated-water/a-15335132

The real solution, which no one wants to hear, is to deport all the illegal aliens (estimated population 12.5 MILLION people, so if you get even 75%, that's a huge number), drastically reduce legal immigration, change the tax code to discourage having more than one child (China style) rather than currently we encourage you with great tax incentives to have as many children as possible, and setup family planning centers around the nation and make subsidized condom dispensers as common as soda vending machines where they'll be at school, at hotels, everywhere.

The best solution to reduce water consumption, food consumption, reduce waste, reduce urban sprawl, reduce poverty, reduce traffic, reduce pollution, and just about every negativism you can think of is to simply reduce the size of the human population.

Its not rocket science.
 
Pipes. Pipes. And more pipes. This is effing crazy. We have some really crazy people in America that thinks bridges to nowhere and an oil pipeline from Canada all the way to Mexico is a good idea. When it comes to money, all ethics, morality, and common sense just go out the window.
 
Lethal said:
The fact is, 80% of the water used in California is for agriculture. California grows 50% of the nations fruits and vegetables.
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An interesting read, dated Oct 2013, this was in no way a surprise
http://westernfarmpress.com/tree-nuts/what-happens-if-us-loses-california-food-production

A snippet
This is because our state produces a sizable majority of American fruits, vegetables and nuts; 99 percent of walnuts, 97 percent of kiwis, 97 percent of plums, 95 percent of celery, 95 percent of garlic, 89 percent of cauliflower, 71 percent of spinach, and 69 percent of carrots and the list goes on and on. A lot of this is due to our soil and climate. No other state, or even a combination of states, can match California’s output per acre.
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100 billion gallons of water a year is used to grow alfalfa and hay that is exported to China and other countries. This is where I'd draw the line. Feed America first, that's what California should do. The restrictions they're placing on residents is a drop in the bucket in comparison.
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It's fun you say restrictions on residents are a drop in the bucket, 100 billion gallons of water of year translates to less than 1% of the total yearly water used in California, and a 20% reduction on the residential side (which is one number that is being floated around) would be over 5 times that in water. People wanting green grassy lawns in their house uses an absolutely shit ton of water, some numbers I found put it at about half of the total residential usage. At least the alfalfa farmers are making a living with his water usage, what's the average resident doing with that green lawn?
 
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