who owns the world?

[hippifried]

the great water heist: The next logical step after this is to calim all the water in our bodies. Sounds a bit totalitarian to me. I could be wrong though.

The video starts right off with an incorrect premise. Water has never been considered private property. It creates a natural easement. A property owner gets to use water that crosses their land, but they don't get to pollute it or deny its use to those downstream. Water isn't static. It's always moving & crossing boundaries. Claiming water as private property has never led to anything but trouble. Historically? Think range wars. Look at the piecemeal levee systems that have exacerbated flooding throughout the Mississippi - Missouri - Ohio complex. It's not just navigation.

[thx1138]

Well then, why the need for this legislation? It looks like property owners will not be allowed to siphon off some of the water without asking government's permission. Is that's what's happening now?

[hippifried]

Because there's still jokers, like whoever made that lame video, who don't get it. It ain't their water! When stupid people continue to do stupid things, the government usually ends up stepping in. If these yokels don't want government interference, all they have to do is stop being stupid.

[thx1138]

Well, if oil is discovered on your land does it belong to you? What about stationary water in an aquifer?

[trish]

Gee, thx, do you own that portion of the Earth's mantle that's between the Earth's center and your private property? Does everyone or no one own the point at the very center of the Earth?

Ever hear of mineral rights. Some property titles do not include them.

Given that aquifers are usually larger then just one person's property and that disease agents and toxins may spread throughout an aquifer (even if we assume the water is stationary) through the phenomenon of diffusion, I certainly would be in favor of laws that appropriately restrain the abuse of wells and aquifers by individuals and corporations that have private ownership of various wells and other access points.

[NYBURBS]

When stupid people continue to do stupid things, the government usually ends up stepping in.

The government steps in for a wide variety of reasons, and to prevent stupidity is not high on the list. More often than not it's about ensuring that certain people get to keep a say in what does or does not happen.

With that said, you are correct that as a general rule water that falls under special rules and privileges. Riparian rights is the actual term, and it's designed to keep one person from fucking with another person's access to the same water source.

[thx1138]

Yes, I own everthing below my property unless gov't comes along, passes legislation to the contrary which is what they are doing with this legislation. (closing a loophole)

[trish]

You will recall that under the latest Bush administration the term “navigable” was reinterpreted so that certain private concerns could circumvent the clean water act with impunity. My guess is the new legislation is an attempt to reinstate the understanding that existed prior to 2002.

BTW, I certainly would support any legislation that prevented private concerns from tampering with the Earth's mantle.

[hippifried]

Well, if oil is discovered on your land does it belong to you? What about stationary water in an aquifer?

You'll have to run a title search to see if you own the mineral rights. Actually, unless you're really stupid, there was a search done before closing. Check your paperwork. If oil is discovered under you, & everything checks, you can drill if you have the money to hire the rig & crew, & you can get the permits. Normally, you just cut a deal with the oil company & get a piece of the action. I you can't come to an amicable agreement, they'll just cut a deal with your next door neighbor & suck it out from under you. It's not like there's a little pocket of oil under your back yard. Hope you're not overly attached to your lawn.

You can't own the aquifer. The only stationary water is ice, & that's just moving slow. Claiming ownership of the aquifer is like claiming you own Lake Michigan because you have a beachfront condo. Water moves underground too. You're not allowed to pollute the ground because it seeps into the aquifer & poisons wells 50 or 100 miles downstream. Wells are drilled by permit, & you're only allowed so many acre feet from the public reserve.

There are no "property rights" to water at all. You don't even own the flowing stream if your land completely surrounds the spring. "Navigable" only applies to waterways that are patroled under jurisdiction of the coast guard. Any kook can make a Youtube video.

[russtafa]

i think china will end up owning the world or dominating the world though its economic muscle