Listening to the Public

Despite his personal respect for David, Thomas, a skeptic by nature, couldn't help but question some of David's strategies, tactics, and theories. Thomas protested that he didn't feel comfortable promoting something he really didn't know about. However, sensitive to the intimate connection between fossil fuels, slaughter, and the rape of the planet, David managed to convince him that CNES was something at least worth checking out. David said he had spoken to a DoE lawyer named Sylvia Monlyn, and gave her books and a videotape concerning what he called "Zero Point" technologies. He also snail-mailed Thomas some background information. Thomas briefly reviewed the material before attending the CNES public hearing.

Being the last, or possibly penultimate scheduled speaker, Thomas had an opportunity to listen to many speakers. The speakers fell into two distinct groups. The majority of speakers were, it seemed, "Supplicants," representing the interests of those vested with considerable capitol in fossil fuel. Essentially, the Supplicants felt the proposed CNES was pretty darn good, but could use a little fine tuning to make their vested interests more profitable. The "Whiners" came principally from the nuclear industry, with, perhaps, two representatives of solar technology, an advocate for biomass, and one for electric cars; all seemed to bemoan the fact that the government hadn't cut them a piece of the pie.

Then it was Thomas' turn to spout off: