How Obama spread your $$ around to his "Green" buddies, in a convenient poster...
[h/t - Doug Ross]
Showing posts with label Energy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Energy. Show all posts
2/15/2012
1/17/2012
For Whom the Bulb Tolls
As Instapundit is more than happy to point out, you can still get old-fashioned incandescent light bulbs over on Amazon...
But if you want to find them, don't try looking in new childrens books. In a perfectly unoffensive book that I recently purchased, we find a main character who suddenly has an idea. What appears above her head? This?
No....this:
For over a century the incandescent light bulb has been the symbol of ideas that have come instantly to mind. Now I guess this "new & improved" politically correct image will be the symbol of ideas that take a few minutes to actually reach their full brightness....
But this is what we should expect in our future lives in a European-style social democracy. Things that are not quite as quick, efficient, or enjoyable as they used to be...but it will all be for the common good.
1/13/2010
Doomsday Clock Confusion
Apparently the 'Doomsday Clock' will be getting an update tomorrow...
However, given the immediate calming presence of President Obama on all things bad in the world, I am sure it will be moving backward towards nirvana.
However I am confused about one small thing. The 'time' on the clock of doom is determined by several things, including the recent addition, Global Warming.
To be fair, BAS looks at the civilian nuclear power as an illicit source for nuclear weapons production.
But with the world's "immense and growing demand for electricity", if the BAS is serious about climate change, they would support the 'expansion of civilian nuclear power'. Especially when that expansion doesn't have to mean the proliferation of the bad things they seek to combat.
The expansion of new civilian nuclear technology can help save the planet! But it is hard to convince the devout that they need to adjust their religious beliefs.....
[Hat Tip on Green Nukes: Instapundit]
The timepiece in New York conveys how close humanity is to catastrophic destruction, which is represented by midnight.In order to keep the suspense going, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists is not telling which direction the clock will move.....closer to midnight (Doomsday) or further away (Utopia?).
However, given the immediate calming presence of President Obama on all things bad in the world, I am sure it will be moving backward towards nirvana.
However I am confused about one small thing. The 'time' on the clock of doom is determined by several things, including the recent addition, Global Warming.
A spokesman said: 'Factors influencing the latest Doomsday Clock change include international negotiations on nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, expansion of civilian nuclear power, the possibilities of nuclear terrorism, and climate change.'So, the 'expansion of civilian nuclear power' and 'climate change' are both a negative? I thought one was supposed to help solve the other?
To be fair, BAS looks at the civilian nuclear power as an illicit source for nuclear weapons production.
But with the world's "immense and growing demand for electricity", if the BAS is serious about climate change, they would support the 'expansion of civilian nuclear power'. Especially when that expansion doesn't have to mean the proliferation of the bad things they seek to combat.
The expansion of new civilian nuclear technology can help save the planet! But it is hard to convince the devout that they need to adjust their religious beliefs.....
[Hat Tip on Green Nukes: Instapundit]
1/30/2009
Quarterly Exxon Obscene Profit Reality Check
People! Pay attention! We have covered this topic before....
Yes...Exxon made a profit of $45 billion. Feign shock/disgust/outrage at the "obscene" profits if you want. But know this...your rage is aimed in the wrong direction.
While Exxon was earning a $45 billion profit out of $477 billion of revenue...governments around the world were squeezing a profit of $116 billion out of that same revenue.
Yes, that is right. According to the numbers, Exxon paid $116 billion is total taxes in 2008. That is a profit 2.5x the one that Exxon is supposedly guilty of earning.
So if you think we need a 'Windfall Profit Tax" when it comes to oil profits, perhaps we should levy it on government, because no one made a bigger windfall than them.....
Yes...Exxon made a profit of $45 billion. Feign shock/disgust/outrage at the "obscene" profits if you want. But know this...your rage is aimed in the wrong direction.
While Exxon was earning a $45 billion profit out of $477 billion of revenue...governments around the world were squeezing a profit of $116 billion out of that same revenue.
Yes, that is right. According to the numbers, Exxon paid $116 billion is total taxes in 2008. That is a profit 2.5x the one that Exxon is supposedly guilty of earning.
So if you think we need a 'Windfall Profit Tax" when it comes to oil profits, perhaps we should levy it on government, because no one made a bigger windfall than them.....
12/24/2008
Hugo's Big Mess
Now that I am back to driving on a daily basis, I have been taking note of the prices at gas stations along my routes.
On interesting thing that I have noticed is that the prices at CITGO are significatnly higher than at other stations (by several to 15 cents). Why might that be? Perhaps it could be due to the ultimate benefactor of CITGO profits?
For those of you who don't know, CITGO is a "wholly owned subsidiary of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela."
In other words, it belongs to Hugo Chavez.
Given the rapid decline in the price of oil, Hugo's little dictatorship is in desperate need of capital to prop up its tottering leadership and infrastructure.
Perhaps he wants to keep prices a little bit higher than everyone else to squeeze every last cent he can out of his most precious lifeline?
Who knows, but its just my observation....
UPDATE: Instapundit also posts concerning Hugo's massive revenue problems. Glenn had best be careful, or Hugo might nationalize Instapundit too....
On interesting thing that I have noticed is that the prices at CITGO are significatnly higher than at other stations (by several to 15 cents). Why might that be? Perhaps it could be due to the ultimate benefactor of CITGO profits?
For those of you who don't know, CITGO is a "wholly owned subsidiary of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela."
In other words, it belongs to Hugo Chavez.
Given the rapid decline in the price of oil, Hugo's little dictatorship is in desperate need of capital to prop up its tottering leadership and infrastructure.
Perhaps he wants to keep prices a little bit higher than everyone else to squeeze every last cent he can out of his most precious lifeline?
Who knows, but its just my observation....
UPDATE: Instapundit also posts concerning Hugo's massive revenue problems. Glenn had best be careful, or Hugo might nationalize Instapundit too....
12/20/2008
We Get What We Vote For - Part IV
Now, what was the biggest economic story of the year (besides that Mortgage thingy)? Why, the extra high price of Gas of course, and the resulting detrimental effects on the economy.
Every person and every segment of the economy felt the effects as Gas edged north of $4 per gallon. Everyone was hoping for a big change to help them out. So you would think that a politician that won with a campaign of Hope & Change would want his administration to help continue the current trend of dropping gas prices.
Unfortunately, as pointed out by The Foundry blog over at Heritage Foundation, Mr. Obama's selections for Secretary of Energy actually wouldn't mind seeing Gas priced much higher than it was this summer.
So, what do Europe's Gas prices look like?
Well, in July, when average U.S. prices were topping off at $4.34, Gas in the Netherlands was $10.64. The cheapest of the big European countries cost almost $9 per gallon. Right now the average prices in the U.S. stand at $1.97, whereas the average across Europe is about $5.50. For the math impaired, that is nearly 3 times the cost that we pay. The funny thing is, the actual base cost of the gasoline isn't that much different in Europe than it is in the U.S. It is just that European countries tack on taxes such that taxes make up 65-70+% of the price.
(Source: DOE)
Thus, the incoming senior federal bureaucrat for energy issues wants us all to pay double the painful prices we were paying this summer, or triple what we pay now? In the normal touchy-feely liberal parlance, How does that make you feel, America?
But hey...you got the Hope and Change you voted for, right? Too bad you didn't read the fine print....
Every person and every segment of the economy felt the effects as Gas edged north of $4 per gallon. Everyone was hoping for a big change to help them out. So you would think that a politician that won with a campaign of Hope & Change would want his administration to help continue the current trend of dropping gas prices.
Unfortunately, as pointed out by The Foundry blog over at Heritage Foundation, Mr. Obama's selections for Secretary of Energy actually wouldn't mind seeing Gas priced much higher than it was this summer.
"Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe.”So says Dr Steven Chu, Obama's selection for the Energy post.
So, what do Europe's Gas prices look like?
Well, in July, when average U.S. prices were topping off at $4.34, Gas in the Netherlands was $10.64. The cheapest of the big European countries cost almost $9 per gallon. Right now the average prices in the U.S. stand at $1.97, whereas the average across Europe is about $5.50. For the math impaired, that is nearly 3 times the cost that we pay. The funny thing is, the actual base cost of the gasoline isn't that much different in Europe than it is in the U.S. It is just that European countries tack on taxes such that taxes make up 65-70+% of the price.
(Source: DOE)
Thus, the incoming senior federal bureaucrat for energy issues wants us all to pay double the painful prices we were paying this summer, or triple what we pay now? In the normal touchy-feely liberal parlance, How does that make you feel, America?
But hey...you got the Hope and Change you voted for, right? Too bad you didn't read the fine print....
11/28/2008
Black Gold Friday?
It is 'Black Friday'. Since I am still in Afghanistan, I will have to order from what Glenn Reynolds calls 'Old Reliable'.
Anyhow, the media has been bemoaning he conventional wisdom that since there has been dire economic new, that we will see poor retail sales this holiday season.
However, I think that this will end up being fairly wrong. Why would I think this, especially since "everyone knows" that we are in a recession and people are hurting? I think this for one reason. And that reason is graphically depicted by this image:
Six or even three months ago, people may have forgone Christmas spending because they knew they had to buy gas at historically high prices. But now that we are seeing prices that we haven't had in 2-3 years, people will be more willing to put those $$ to use for Christmas cheer.
Gas prices have the most direct correlation of any economic measure on how people view their personal economic situation. With prices low and dropping, I am betting thaat people will feel ok to buy more for Christmas.
I am sure that Paul Krugman will label it the 'Obama Effect', but I think I would rather term it 'Black Gold Friday'.
Anyhow, the media has been bemoaning he conventional wisdom that since there has been dire economic new, that we will see poor retail sales this holiday season.
However, I think that this will end up being fairly wrong. Why would I think this, especially since "everyone knows" that we are in a recession and people are hurting? I think this for one reason. And that reason is graphically depicted by this image:
Six or even three months ago, people may have forgone Christmas spending because they knew they had to buy gas at historically high prices. But now that we are seeing prices that we haven't had in 2-3 years, people will be more willing to put those $$ to use for Christmas cheer.
Gas prices have the most direct correlation of any economic measure on how people view their personal economic situation. With prices low and dropping, I am betting thaat people will feel ok to buy more for Christmas.
I am sure that Paul Krugman will label it the 'Obama Effect', but I think I would rather term it 'Black Gold Friday'.
7/18/2008
Energizer Al
You have to give Al Gore some credit....he doesn't quit. And he always ups the ante.
In as much as it is a good idea, reaching this goal by 2018 has an even chance with mankind achieving the goal of traveling at the speed of light within that same time period. It is the height of folly. Even Time Magazine is skeptical, calling it an "unrealistic plan" and "... it's hard to see how Gore's target is remotely attainable. This isn't negative thinking, or fiction put out by the oil industry. This is reality."
Al, buddy, I am all for a plan than provides clean renewable power...but let's be realistic. If you want to achieve this goal, while at the same time not ruining the U.S. economy and lowering people's standard of living, then you have to think in the longer term. Lets say 2050. You and I may not be alive by then, but that is certainly a more achievable timeframe than by the middle of Bobby Jindal's second Presidential term.
Don't ruin a fairly good idea by placing impossible deadlines on it....
Gore called on Americans to completely abandon electricity generated by fossil fuels within 10 years, and replace them with carbon-free renewables like solar, wind and geothermal.Now don't get me wrong, I actually think that such a goal is commendable, and even as a conservative would love to have an energy grid based on renewables, that would eliminate airborne pollution. But 10 years is a pipe dream. Especially if you don't even consider using Nuclear as the primary backbone for that energy grid.
In as much as it is a good idea, reaching this goal by 2018 has an even chance with mankind achieving the goal of traveling at the speed of light within that same time period. It is the height of folly. Even Time Magazine is skeptical, calling it an "unrealistic plan" and "... it's hard to see how Gore's target is remotely attainable. This isn't negative thinking, or fiction put out by the oil industry. This is reality."
Al, buddy, I am all for a plan than provides clean renewable power...but let's be realistic. If you want to achieve this goal, while at the same time not ruining the U.S. economy and lowering people's standard of living, then you have to think in the longer term. Lets say 2050. You and I may not be alive by then, but that is certainly a more achievable timeframe than by the middle of Bobby Jindal's second Presidential term.
Don't ruin a fairly good idea by placing impossible deadlines on it....
5/17/2008
Polar Bear Party Poopers
Instapundit talks about some good economic news on the Tennessee front:
"National Coal Corp's plans to expand coal production have been put on hold after the National Resources Defense Council and the Sierra Club filed suit in Federal Court to block the mining. They argue that mining for coal has a direct contribution to Global Warming, and thus has a direct negative effect on the Polar Bear which was recently placed on the endangered species list by the U.S. Interior Department."
Welcome to our future folks!
UPDATE: For some good background on this issue, go read Hugh Hewitt's punditry:
- PBIP: The Approach and Outbreak of Polar Bear-Induced Paralysis
- The Polar Bear Tractor Beam
- Polar Bear Pushback
In the face of rising demand for coal, Knoxville-based National Coal Corp. plans to expand production by re-opening some idle mines in Tennessee and Alabama and by digging one new underground mine in Tennessee.Unfortunately he does not consider the sure-to-be-follow-up-story that we all know is coming. It will read something like this.....
"National Coal Corp's plans to expand coal production have been put on hold after the National Resources Defense Council and the Sierra Club filed suit in Federal Court to block the mining. They argue that mining for coal has a direct contribution to Global Warming, and thus has a direct negative effect on the Polar Bear which was recently placed on the endangered species list by the U.S. Interior Department."
Welcome to our future folks!
UPDATE: For some good background on this issue, go read Hugh Hewitt's punditry:
- PBIP: The Approach and Outbreak of Polar Bear-Induced Paralysis
- The Polar Bear Tractor Beam
- Polar Bear Pushback
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