quote:

ORIGINAL: farglebargle

Uh.. You don't need hybrids OR Solar panels.

It takes 1970's/1980's technology and LESS MONEY than we've spent in Iraq these past 4 years.

And putting the fucking Oil companies and their traitorous supporters out of the equation.

quote:

ORIGINAL: sublimelysensual

I saw this in the paper today, and have to admit my first thought was..great..give them one more reason to raise gas prices. I am not a fan of the oil companies, but damm. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for renewable energy sources, etc, but realistically, how much of the working middle class can afford things like hybrid vehicles, solar panels, etc. Something is going to have to give.
 
-a

quote:

ORIGINAL: farglebargle

Fuck climate change, that's just bullshit to create the carbon-credit exchange market.

This is about, no less, the United States' total energy independence, AND the ability to provide limitless electricity to our strategic partners as a primary component to Foreign Policy. ( As well as dominance of access to Space, but that's not the point here... Maybe it should be. The oil companies are preventing OUR KIDS from colonizing the Universe.

You *know* the Chinese are going to get there first, and then our kids will just be more indentured labor.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Owner59

Hey a,

I feel you and agree that we can`t afford higher prices.We have been subsidizing oil companies,though, to the tune of billions of dollars.They`ve been making money, hand over fist.They`re only interested is taking as much as they can,and fuck the US economy.The solution to higher prices ,is enforcing the regulations that have been going un-enforced.And developing clean,renewable ,multiple sources of energy.We will always use oil and petroleum products.But we can do much better.

Right now, Brazil is energy independent, and they export oil and finished petroleum products.They started years ago towards energy independence and got there,so can we.The technology is already here and working.With a little effort and leadership,we could do get there and do even better.

With the way things are going,can we afford "not" to do something about global climate change?

quote:

ORIGINAL: farglebargle

Ok. I want to hear this development of renewable resources shit ended.

Here is the PLAN FOR THE FUTURE ACCORDING TO ME.

1) Develop heavy lifting to GEO. We're sending mechanical and communications engineers, this time, not navy pilots. The target price is, IIRC OTTOMY, 80 bucks/kg. Figure 200 Billion for that.

2) Solar Power Satellites. These fuckers have a few square km of solar panels, and convert their energy to microwaves. 100 Billion

3) Groundstations/Rectenna Farms --- See them obsolete generating stations, we're covering them with antenna dipoles.
50 Billion.

4) Grease. There's 50 Billion in Grease left over.

Here's how it works..

SUNLIGHT -> SOLAR CELLS IN ORBIT -> MICROWAVES ( think "Cellphone" ) -> GROUNDSTATION -> Your Plug In Car.

Now all we gotta do is get it appropriated.

( There's a suggestion to do it as a series of X-Prizes... First US Company to deliver something not a missile which can get the bulk cargo to the specified orbit, and then turn around and do it again, gets the $200 Billion and the patent, or something... )

Oh, btw, once you're WORKING M-F in Geosync Orbit building antenna grids, you go to the moon for the weekend.

THEN we need Chinese food, Whores, Casinos, Coke, Pitbulls and Booze.

What happens on Luna STAYS ON LUNA!

From there, our conquest of the universe is assured.

quote:

ORIGINAL: sublimelysensual

quote:

ORIGINAL: Owner59

Hey a,

I feel you and agree that we can`t afford higher prices.We have been subsidizing oil companies,though, to the tune of billions of dollars.They`ve been making money, hand over fist.They`re only interested is taking as much as they can,and fuck the US economy.The solution to higher prices ,is enforcing the regulations that have been going un-enforced.And developing clean,renewable ,multiple sources of energy.We will always use oil and petroleum products.But we can do much better.

Right now, Brazil is energy independent, and they export oil and finished petroleum products.They started years ago towards energy independence and got there,so can we.The technology is already here and working.With a little effort and leadership,we could do get there and do even better.

With the way things are going,can we afford "not" to do something about global climate change?

I agree with You that we can do better, I just don't think the tax increase was necessarily the smartest way to go about it, or start to. I simply see that being passed along to consumers via higher prices. Now, if the gov't would guarantee that the $16 billion would go into development of renewable resources, it might irritate me a bit less, but somehow I don't see that happening.
 
-a

quote:

ORIGINAL: sublimelysensual

I agree with You that we can do better, I just don't think the tax increase was necessarily the smartest way to go about it, or start to. I simply see that being passed along to consumers via higher prices. Now, if the gov't would guarantee that the $16 billion would go into development of renewable resources, it might irritate me a bit less, but somehow I don't see that happening.