WarrenJ Posted July 18, 2008 Report Share Posted July 18, 2008 By now, I'm guessing most of you have seen the T. Boone Pickens' TV ad that suggests he will present a program for digging ourselves out of this energy problem: . I would dispute his figure of $700B/year, but that's just math. Doesn't matter a whole lot for the purposes of this discussion. He appears to suggest wind and solar power will allow us to work our way out of this fix. I'm doubtful. Our friends in New Mexico and Nevada likely stand a good shot at the solar thing; the rest of us, not so good. I'm especially wary of the wind power thing. I see a few problems there: 1] Wind power, at best, is available 30% of the time. Not even at the top of Mt. Everest is it available all of the time. 2] Given winds unpredictability, backup power generation sources must be constantly available. 3] The nuclear, coal, natural gas etc. backup sources cannot immediately be brought online at the flick of a switch. 4] They need to be "ramped up" as they are brought online. 5] Ergo, they must be constantly running; 100% of the time; probably providing 90% of the power. 6] Wind generated power is an adjunct to conventionally generated power, NOT A REPLACEMENT. If anyone has info on a reliable wind power resource closed system I'd really like to hear about it. Solar power seems to be advancing, so I'm not quite so skeptical about that (okay, a little). Assuming Pickens plans on keeping the heat on, and publishing further ads, this could be interesting. Not to mention just a huge bit patriotic. I'll be watching. You? Regards, Warren There is no means of avoiding the final collapse of a boom brought about by credit expansion. The alternative is only whether the crisis should come sooner as the result of a voluntary abandonment of further credit expansion, or later as a final and total catastrophe of the currency system involved. - Ludwig von Mises Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted July 18, 2008 Report Share Posted July 18, 2008 I am glad he stood up, but I am not happy he said we can't drill our way out, check him out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._Boone_Pickens Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrenJ Posted July 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2008 Some easy to understand politics regarding why you'll not see an election year summer gas tax holiday. http://www.optimum.net/News/AP/Article?art...p;categoryId=17 Regards, Warren There is no means of avoiding the final collapse of a boom brought about by credit expansion. The alternative is only whether the crisis should come sooner as the result of a voluntary abandonment of further credit expansion, or later as a final and total catastrophe of the currency system involved. - Ludwig von Mises Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Nunnally Posted July 20, 2008 Report Share Posted July 20, 2008 Texas $4.9B Wind infrastructure project approved: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/19/business...tml?ref=science The thing I like about this topic is people are DOING stuff, not just talking about what can or can't be done. Building more energy sources, expanding the grid to allow delivery from the energy producing regions to the cities. Wind now accounts for 1 percent of the nation’s electricity generation but could rise to 20 percent by 2030, according to a recent Department of Energy report, if transmission lines are built and other challenges met. Bruce 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Follow me on: Twitter Instagram Youtube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted July 20, 2008 Report Share Posted July 20, 2008 In the vein of doing things to help, I think GM should advertize this on TV. We have had this discussion many times. In California alone there are 2.5 million GM cars with the OLM! FOR RELEASE: 2008-06-10 CONTACTS California EPA and General Motors Team up to Help Drivers Reduce Motor Oil Consumption GM joins campaign to educate Californians about oil changes, helping reduce their environmental impact GM Oil Life System SACRAMENTO, Calif. - General Motors, the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) and the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) announced today that they are joining forces to encourage drivers to follow their vehicle manufacturer's recommendations on oil changes, which for millions of GM vehicles could be much longer than the decades-old standard of 3,000 miles between changes. This summer, General Motors will support public outreach efforts by the Cal/EPA and the CIWMB to help motorists understand how frequently they need to change their engine oil, and the proper methods of doing so. The traditional 3,000-mile oil change recommendation was based on engine and oil technologies of the past. Today's engines are built to stricter tolerances using advanced technology that reduces or eliminates contaminants that might enter the engine. In-vehicle technologies such as the GM Oil Life System can also reduce the frequency between oil changes by determining each engine's oil "life." "Driving conditions vary from one driver to another," said Peter Lord, executive director of GM Service Operations. "The GM Oil Life System is a sophisticated technology that determines the ideal time to change your oil. A driver whose fuel tank is still half full wouldn't empty the tank just to refill it. This same logic applies to oil. We should not waste motor oil that still has life." According to the American Petroleum Institute, more than 1 billion gallons of motor oil are sold each year in the U.S. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that about 185 million gallons of used motor oil are improperly disposed of each year - dumped onto the ground, tossed into the trash or poured down the drain. According to research conducted for the state of California, the need to reduce waste oil is significant. "Today, California generates more than 150 million gallons of used oil. If that oil isn't recycled it can find its way into our lakes, streams and oceans," said CIWMB Chair Margo Reid Brown. "And just one gallon of oil can contaminate a million gallons of drinking water." The GM Oil Life System Motorists can help prevent the unnecessary use of motor oil by following their automaker's recommendations for oil change intervals. For drivers of GM vehicles equipped with the GM Oil Life System, your car or truck can "tell" you when it's time to change the oil. The GM Oil Life System can extend oil change intervals significantly compared to the former 3,000-mile recommendation, depending on the vehicle/engine combination and other factors. The system is based on a sophisticated algorithm that measures key engine functions to determine the ideal time for an oil change. Because people drive differently, and under different operating conditions, the rate of oil breakdown varies from vehicle to vehicle. "In California alone, more than 2.5 million GM vehicles are equipped with the GM Oil Life System," said Ron Strayhorn, regional service manager, GM's Western Region. "Owners of these vehicles can reduce the amount of oil they consume simply by following their GM Oil Life System, which for many drivers can be thousands of miles between changes as opposed to the old standard recommendation." The average GM vehicle equipped with the GM Oil Life System typically needs oil changes half as often as the 3,000-mile recommendation. Based on driving 15,000 miles per year, this could mean between two and three fewer oil changes annually. If used as intended by all drivers of GM vehicles equipped with the system in the state of California, more than 8 million fewer gallons of motor oil would be consumed annually, compared to a 3,000-mile interval. That would help reduce the environmental impact and save motorists money. All 2007 model year and newer GM vehicles, as well as certain qualified 2003 model year and newer GM Certified Used Vehicles, are backed by GM's five-year/100,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty. So, GM customers who follow their GM Oil Life System recommendation can have peace of mind of knowing that their vehicle is being well maintained. It is possible that under the best conditions, the GM Oil Life System might not indicate that an oil change is necessary for more than a year. However, the engine oil and filter must be changed at least every 12 months and at this time, the system must be reset. For vehicles not equipped with the GM Oil Life System, owners should follow the recommended maintenance schedules in their owner's manual. For more information on the GM Oil Life System, go to www.gm.com. Motorists should check their owner's manual for their specific oil change and waste oil recycling recommendations. General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest automaker, has been the annual global industry sales leader for 77 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 266,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 35 countries. In 2007, nearly 9.37 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com. # # # View this release in Spanish CONTACT(S): Tom Henderson GM Communications E-mail: tom.e.henderson@gm.com Phone: 810-241-6470 Shad Balch GM Communications E-mail: Shad.Balch@gm.com Phone: 310- 463-4757 Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrenJ Posted July 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2008 I've still not found any info to make me enthusiastic about wind power. Even coast-to-coast towers will only provide a small part of our needed energy. My hope is that Mr. Pickens has something up one of his sleeves. I'm left to wonder what will happen when the Spotted Owl folk come to realize that tens or even hundreds of thousands of Golden Eagles, Red Tailed Hawks and other Raptors will be cuisinarted by these turbines. Regards, Warren There is no means of avoiding the final collapse of a boom brought about by credit expansion. The alternative is only whether the crisis should come sooner as the result of a voluntary abandonment of further credit expansion, or later as a final and total catastrophe of the currency system involved. - Ludwig von Mises Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Nunnally Posted July 21, 2008 Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 I think our solution will be a combination of nuclear, wind, geo-thermal, and new technologies. Bruce 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Follow me on: Twitter Instagram Youtube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimD Posted July 21, 2008 Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 Plus bicycles, rickshaws, horses, and a breakthrough in battery chemistry. Ok, forget the horses. Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrenJ Posted July 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 I think our solution will be a combination of nuclear, wind, geo-thermal, and new technologies. Bruce, YES, that is where my hope lies. I don't really see too much hope beyond nuclear power for the time being; everything else is simply "stopgap" and, worse, wishful thinking. I realize I'm torturing that dead equine, but unless Mr. Pickens has a real "wind" surprise lined up for us, I just can't see the wind power thing getting a significant part of the job done. I would dearly like to be surprised. Geo-thermal holds promise; I'm hopeful. Given our extraordinary reserves in natural gas, shale oil, offshore oil and such I'm left to wonder if we might not stand a better chance in using those resources while controlling combustion products (if possible) as opposed to reaching for unattainable goals like hydrogen power. You know I think hydrogen power is "fools gold." I've always been keenly interested in "wave power." It doesn't seem to have gone anyplace though. It seems to me it holds promise. Regards, Warren There is no means of avoiding the final collapse of a boom brought about by credit expansion. The alternative is only whether the crisis should come sooner as the result of a voluntary abandonment of further credit expansion, or later as a final and total catastrophe of the currency system involved. - Ludwig von Mises Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted July 21, 2008 Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 And on the bright side, rickshaws will create new job opportunities and thus help ease the jobless rate and boost the economy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrenJ Posted July 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 Texas $4.9B Wind infrastructure project approved: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/19/business...tml?ref=science" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/19/business...tml?ref=science</a> Requires a login There is no means of avoiding the final collapse of a boom brought about by credit expansion. The alternative is only whether the crisis should come sooner as the result of a voluntary abandonment of further credit expansion, or later as a final and total catastrophe of the currency system involved. - Ludwig von Mises Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Jim Posted July 21, 2008 Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 Requires a login Warren, Try this http://www.star-telegram.com/461/story/765212.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrenJ Posted July 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 Requires a login Warren, Try this <a href="http://www.star-telegram.com/461/story/765212.html" target="_blank">http://www.star-telegram.com/461/story/765212.html</a> Thanks Jim. Regards, Warren There is no means of avoiding the final collapse of a boom brought about by credit expansion. The alternative is only whether the crisis should come sooner as the result of a voluntary abandonment of further credit expansion, or later as a final and total catastrophe of the currency system involved. - Ludwig von Mises Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted July 28, 2008 Report Share Posted July 28, 2008 T. Boone Pickens is on Hannity (radio) today Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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