[DonQuigleone]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Actually.. .yeah. There are areas in the US that explicitly go out and create "zones of innovation" like this - Research Triangle in North Carolina, the "Green Forest" in Oregon, the Nano-tech zones scattered about in the US are historic examples. Areas that got tax breaks or special rules to attract talent, money, etc in new fields.

The "problem" (for the US) is that the Chinese haven't been half-ass going at this sort of thing. The US had a window of opportunity to be foremost in green tech and they've already lost the head start, Same for biogenics, nano-tech, etc. The US seems to be unable to align/synchronize its will like it did for the space race, the cold war, the Internet, etc.
Frankly, its why I'm making sure both my sons have *options* to go elsewhere.

US didn't get their ass into the space race until Sputnik went BIP BIP BIP around the world. I imagine an event of similiar magnitude will be required for the US to gets it's act together.