COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Happy Easter from The Chinese Communists

Since Nixon and Kissinger toasted the Red Chinese, I have never understood how that was to benefit the US. I understand how it helped the big retailers become bigger,but aways at the expense of the small retail operators. I understand how it helped the banks and Wall Street who benefitted mightily from un-fair trade at the expense of American manufacturing jobs.I get how it helped the Chinese Communist Party and the Red Army.

Today, forty years after the China opening, a few dozen Christians cannot celebrate their faith on Easter. 1.5 billion Chinese and there is no room for a few dozen Chinese Christians to Celebrate Easter.

This video clip is in Spanish, but you will understand the Chinese police thugs rounding up men, woman, and children from a Public street and taking them away in busses.






China arrests Protestant Shouwang devotees

The worshippers, from the Shouwang church, were trying to hold an outdoor service because they own no premises.
In recent weeks, the police have arrested dozens of people from the church, which has about 1,000 members.
The authorities have also been carrying out a wider suppression of dissent - harassing foreign reporters and detaining lawyers and activists.
The most high-profile detainee, artist Ai Weiwei, was taken by police as he tried to board a flight earlier this month.
His family say they do not know where he is, whether he has been charged with an offence, or even whether he has been formally arrested.
Round-ups
China's constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but the Communist Party tries to control where people worship.
There are an estimated 70 million Christians in the country, about 20 million of whom attend government-approved churches.
The rest worship with unregistered groups known as "house" churches.
Such groups are broadly tolerated, but Shouwang leaders have annoyed the authorities in recent weeks by insisting on trying to hold services in the open.
The BBC's Damian Grammaticas in Beijing says police personnel were on every street corner in the area where the worshippers were due to meet on Sunday morning.
He says the authorities rounded up anyone suspected of being a member of the Shouwang church and loaded them on to buses to be driven to police stations.
One of the church's leaders Jin Tianming, who is under house arrest, told AFP news agency that between 20 and 30 members had been detained.
He said they had been taken to several different police stations.
About 100 Shouwang members were held earlier this month, and 12 of its leaders are under house arrest.
Bob Fu, of the US-based Christian China Aid Association, says the crackdown on Christian worship is wider than Beijing.
He says churchgoers in the southern city of Guangzhou have been refused permission to hold Easter services, and Christians in the northern city of Hohhot are facing repression.
"There is a very large house church in Hohhot. They were also under crackdown. More than a dozen of the leaders are now under criminal detention," said Mr Fu, who is a critic of Beijing's religious policies.
The authorities have not yet commented on the latest arrests.

133 comments:

  1. Rufus II said...

    Here's what's not immediately obvious to someone who hasn't studied it pretty closely. We had a lousy corn harvest last year, and China, the second largest producer, had a Disastrous corn harvest.

    That, plus strong demand from the emerging markets, has pushed corn up to a very high price (around $7.50 bu.)

    Barring another very bad weather-year, we should see corn closer to $4.50/bu by the Fall (still, historically, a very good price.) That will put wholesale ethanol down to around $1.80, or thereabouts.

    That will give you a pump price for E85 less than $2.00/gal. At a time when E10 is selling for well over $4.00/gal.

    Possibly, along about that time, someone will up and say, "hey, guess what, my 2012 Regal gets the same mileage on E85 as it does E10.

    Explosion.

    ReplyDelete
  2. For states with an EROI below 1.0 (Texas and Missouri), the production of ethanol is acting as a drain on the energy system, requiring more energy to produce ethanol than the energy contained in the ethanol product.


    New perspectives on the energy return on (energy) investment (EROI) of corn ethanol: Part 1 of 2


    "We calculated that 65% of the costs of producing ethanol from corn originated in the biorefinery phase (Fig. 5). "

    Equation 2. Gross amount of energy required to deliver one unit of net energy = EROI/(EROI-1)

    "According to Eq. 2, to deliver one liter of ethanol as net energy at an EROI of 1.18 (max found in the spatial analysis), 7.5 liter of ethanol must be produced; 1 liter as net energy and 6.5 liter (or its energy equivalent) to be reinvested to produce more ethanol. If we assume that the average we calculated across all counties (1.01) was the actual value for EROI, then producing ethanol is virtually a zero sum game; i.e. energy produced equals energy consumed.

    Equation 2. Gross amount of energy required to deliver one unit of net energy = EROI/(EROI-1)

    Applying Eq. 2 to our spatial analysis reveals other interesting results. Eight liters of ethanol must be produced to deliver one unit of net energy in Minnesota, using an EROI of 1.14. Another way, only 13% of the ethanol produced in Minnesota is net energy because the energy equivalent of 87% of the ethanol produced must be reinvested to produce more ethanol. The energy reinvested is in many forms, including, but not limited to, the fossil energy required to generate corn, fertilizer, lime, gasoline, natural gas, diesel, etc. For states with an EROI below 1.0 (Texas and Missouri), the production of ethanol is acting as a drain on the energy system, requiring more energy to produce ethanol than the energy contained in the ethanol product.

    The EROI values for counties with biorefineries ranged from 0.64 in Stark, North Dakota, to 1.18 in Phillips, Kansas.

    Our analysis of 127 biorefineries indicated that of 31.6 billion liters of ethanol produced in the United States, only 1.6 billion liters were net energy (roughly 5%)."

    ReplyDelete
  3. "If we assume that the average we calculated across all counties (1.01)

    was the actual value for EROI, then producing ethanol is virtually a zero sum game;

    i.e. energy produced equals energy consumed.
    "

    ReplyDelete
  4. We should definitely invest 800 billion tax dollars to satisfy the Ethanol Birthers.

    That, and another 800 billion on them fast railroads The Won knows so much about.

    Vote Obama 2012!

    Only a Low Level Socialist Agitator can save us.

    ReplyDelete
  5. CapnDaddy said...

    And even if the EROEI were 3-1, corn ethanol would not be worth the energy and resource investment.

    Corn ethanol is a political boondoggle that diverts our attention away from better ways to begin dealing with our massive automobile conundrum.

    Cap'n Daddy

    ---

    jinn said...

    But energy and resource development isn't what is driving the ethanol industry. It is economics and not much else.

    And I mean real economics not academic economics. US Farmers have been growing lots of corn for many many years. Most of those years without much profit. Now that farmers can grow corn profitably you are going to have a hard time making them stop.

    Also, farmers have invested heavily in ethanol plants you are going to have a hard time convincing them they should throw their investment away and go back to farming unprofitable crops.

    Similarly the oil companies have become heavily invested in producing gasoline designed to be blended with ethanol.

    You are going to have a hard time convincing them to turn to less profitable endeavors also.

    http://netenergy.theoildrum.com/node/6760

    ReplyDelete
  6. Happy Easter!

    ...even to the Silly Guy
    high on Ethanol.

    ReplyDelete
  7. ...a zero sum game consuming vast swaths of prime land, farmers, farm equipment, fertilizer, and etc.

    Brilliant

    ReplyDelete
  8. Rufus II said...

    As for Switchgrass: Genera Energy in Vonore, Tn is producing their cellulosic ethanol (same enzymatic process as cornstalks/cobs) from switchgrass.

    The only difference between switchgrass, and corn stover is Availability of the feedstock. Farmers are, Already, growing corn. They Understand That business.

    Trying to get a farmer to invest the time, acreage, and money on a brand new crop is Not easy. He's playing with Real money, and paying Real bills.

    ReplyDelete
  9. "The only difference between switchgrass, and corn stover is Availability of the feedstock.

    Farmers are, Already, growing corn.
    They Understand That business.
    "

    ---

    Totally missing my point that the big difference is that cobs and stover are already there as waste/byproduct of Corn production.

    ...making the production of ethanol from said waste a no brainer.

    Not too many switchgrass farms currently selling to Safeway, et al, however.

    ReplyDelete
  10. (re: Sat Apr 23, 05:46:00 PM

    Doug said...

    btw:

    "If the corn cob plant proves viable, that in no way will be proof that switchgrass can be economically converted to fuel YET.

    It's an enlightened use of an already available free byproduct of corn production.
    ")

    ReplyDelete
  11. What are you people paying for regular unleaded in that state, Doug? About $4.60 Gallon?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Doug, I'll destroy their EROEI numbers later - after a couple of cups of coffee; let me just say now, I stated in 2008 that the EROEI for corn ethanol is in the 2.3 to 1 range. This year the USDA, and DOE caught up with me, and announced the new number is 2.3:1

    Murphy is a joke. He used number from Ted Patzed (founder and director of the S. Cal. Oil Consortium,) among others. The assumptions they used were many times ridiculous.

    An ex: Patzek wrote a scholarly article in 2003 which he re-released in 2007 in which he stated, unequivically that it was biologically/physically/chemically impossible to get more than 2.7 gallons of ethanol from a bushel of corn.

    At the time Poet was getting 3.0 gallons of ethanol from a bushel of corn.

    Another one of his assumptions was that a farmer bought a small farm, and a bunch of VERY LARGE Equipment to farm it. Nutty. Then that the farmer went out and built a special shed for the equipment. Then that most of his corn was irrigated (only about 4% of the corn used for ethanol is irrigated.)

    Then he went on to completely misfigure the contribution of the DDGS. I believe at one time he even tried to include the solar energy that fell on the field.

    Anyway, in the real world, a gallon of ethanol (76,000 btus) that can be used in transportation is embedded with a little over 30,000 btus of nat gas, and electricity which cannot be used very effectively in transportation at this time.

    ReplyDelete
  13. BTW, I made the same arguments on the Oil Drum (where you're getting your information) before they Banned me.

    The name of the website is "The Oil Drum," Doug.

    ReplyDelete
  14. You cite an individual farmer.
    The article cites figures from most of the corn growing states.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I want a girl with a short skirt and a lonnnng jacket......

    I want a girl who gets up early
    I want a girl who stays up late
    I want a girl with uninterrupted prosperity
    Who uses a machete to cut through red tape
    With fingernails that shine like justice
    And a voice that is dark like tinted glass

    She is fast and thorough
    And sharp as a tack
    She's touring the facility
    And picking up slack

    I want a girl with a short skirt and a lonnnnng.... lonnng jacket

    I want a girl with a smooth liquidation
    I want a girl with good dividends
    At Citibank we will meet accidentally
    We'll start to talk when she borrows my pen

    She wants a car with a cupholder arm rest
    She wants a car that will get her there
    She's changing her name from Kitty to Karen
    She's trading her MG for a white Chrysler La Baron

    I want a girl with a short skirt and a lonnnnggggggggg jacket

    ReplyDelete
  16. Rufus II said...
    What are you people paying for regular unleaded in that state, Doug? About $4.60 Gallon?

    ---

    I'm planning on contacting Sam Slom, our only Republican State Senator, about Cane-based ethanol.

    ...one feedstock that makes sense.

    Sam, an old cohort of my best friend here, Tony Mondello.
    RIP, Tony

    ReplyDelete
  17. But, there might be more than One feedstock that makes sense for Havaii. My understanding is that the "Unholy Alliance" of Oil Co. Pubs, and "Eco-Crazy" Dems have managed to fight off sugarcane ethanol in Hawaii on "water" concerns.

    ReplyDelete
  18. This BUILDING GREEN person is no doubt another dumbfuck Oil Zombie.
    ...in RufusWorld

    Energy Return on Investment

    When we have to invest almost as much fossil fuel in an energy source as that energy source provides, we have to rethink the wisdom of investing in it.

    That's the case with corn-ethanol today, which--depending on whose estimates you believe--has an EROI between 0.8:1 and 1.5:1.

    In other words, for every one unit of fossil fuel energy invested (growing corn and converting it into ethanol) you end up with between 0.8 and 1.5 units of ethanol produced; at the worst-case estimate, we invest more energy in producing ethanol than the finished product contains.

    This is why a lot of experts--not only environmentalists but also economists--are questioning the wisdom of spending billions of taxpayer money each year to prop up the corn-ethanol industry.

    ReplyDelete
  19. If I were "King of Havaii" I would probably start off by looking at something like Agave Cactus. But, that's just me.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Doug, the EROEI on corn ethanol is 2.3:1. Period.

    However, when Poet, and Dupont add their cellulosic processes to existing corn ethanol plants there will be No Fossil Fuel, or Electricity Inputs.

    Everyone has an agenda, Doug.

    The "Super-Greens" want everyone to drive an Electric (produced by Windmills) Car, and the Oil Companies want to ride the "crude" tit as long as they can.

    WE are the "elders." We're supposed to see through the nonsense, and give sage advice. MY advice is, "only one solution is rational, and we need to get on it now."

    ReplyDelete
  21. This is an absolutely Outstanding Video. A little gal from the American Wind Energy Assoc. just KICKS Stuart Varney's Ass.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Homeless Woman Prosecuted for Enrolling her Son in Better School.

    They charged her with "Theft."

    She could get 20 Years.

    And, Republicans wonder why they lose elections.

    Happy Easter to all those Christian folks in That school district.

    ReplyDelete
  23. And, yes, I'm aware that a Conn. school board is, quite likely, mostly made up of Dems.

    Doesn't matter.

    In the "Public's" eye it will redound against the Pubs (they're the ones that are always fighting education funding, right?)

    ReplyDelete
  24. The "Media" will find the one Repub on the school board, and interview him/her. Bet on it.

    ReplyDelete
  25. According to the above video, Iowa gets 20% of its electricity from Wind. And, they're still building.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Add in the Wind with the Ethanol, and Iowa is, probably, a "Net Energy Exporter."

    Iowa, also, has the no. 1 rated k-12 system in the Nation. (Good things happen when you're a food, AND "Energy" Exporter.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Last February, with great fanfare, Saudi Arabia pledged to increase production -- making up lost Libyan exports. Now, we hear March production was actually down big time. Why the lack of follow through?

    You can take Thursday's news two ways. The announcement may mean Saudi Arabia has decided oil is in surplus and it does not need to increase production after all (This is the official Saudi position.) Or, for whatever reason, the kingdom was simply unable to increase production after an initial February boost. Intuitively, you would think they would go all out, capitalizing on record high prices.


    It's a good article. He goes on to shed a little light on Ghawar (the world's largest oil field, and why it might be declining pretty fast. Worth the read. (Short.)

    Seeking Alpha

    ReplyDelete
  28. With a hearty $5640 per theater in its opening weekend, “Atlas Shrugged,” based on the influential Ayn Rand best-seller, has left Hollywood insiders dumbstruck to explain its success.

    ReplyDelete
  29. After years of urging residents to buy fuel-efficient cars and giving them tax breaks to do it, Washington state lawmakers are considering a measure to charge them a $100 annual fee — what would be the nation’s first electric car fee.

    ReplyDelete
  30. "Doug, the EROEI on corn ethanol is 2.3:1. Period."

    ---

    God has spoken, Quirk.
    And God applies whether in Iowa, Alaska, Hawaii or Texas.

    Speaking of Texas...
    Pay your Taxes!

    ...and shut the fuck up.

    ReplyDelete
  31. That's why socialized medicine is such a good deal:

    Some guys that know it all in DC make the rules for all the rest of us throughout the land.

    No more messy markets or variation.

    Central Control Rules!

    "Doug, the optimal EROEI cutoff age on angioplasty is 69. Period."

    ReplyDelete
  32. Palin announces Candidacy,

    Will run on making Alaska Energy Independent via Corn Ethanol in 7 years!

    Her Slogan?

    "2.3:1 or Bust!"

    ReplyDelete
  33. Wow, haven't seen that login (Lilith) for a while.

    ReplyDelete
  34. .

    IMO watching FOX (other than it's stright news or sports channels) is a complete waste of time.

    The commentators are clueless especially the blond they show in the beginning of the video. The Soup can't help themselves. They constantly make fun of her. She is a right-wing shill and a nitwit.

    It's always fun seeing intelligent people standing up to these morons. Same applies to channels like CNBC that project a distinct agenda. I loved watching Elizabeth Warren take on five of the CNBC regulars at once and make them all look pretty silly.

    That being said, as someone pointed out, everyone has an agenda.

    The best line the lady in the video had was "Give us a level playing field. If you want to cut our subsidies, cut all subsidies including those to the oil industry."

    It's a compelling argument and a proposal I would love to see inacted. However, it is also one that contains no risk and is thus easy for the lady to make since she knows very well it will never happen.

    For anyone interested, the following article shows some of what is involved in the subsidies racket. Typical? Who knows, but one can assume everyone is out to maximize profits.

    The Subsidy Game

    .

    ReplyDelete
  35. "It would take about a gallon of gas per acre of Switchgrass, Doug."
    (period)

    University of Iowa field research labs:
    13 gallons.

    ReplyDelete
  36. I don't get it, Doug. I posted something good about Texas, and you seem to have gotten angry.


    And, Doug, even if your oil-funded critic is right, and ethanol was a 1:1 proposition, it would still be a matter of converting a btu that I couldn't put in my car to a btu that I could.

    ReplyDelete
  37. University of Iowa field research labs:
    13 gallons.


    Not a Chance, Bubba; show your work.

    ReplyDelete
  38. You pick one of Quirk's points, and one of mine, erect your straw men and blow us away, and consider your work done.

    ...leaving dozens of other factors we bring up untouched.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Give me your "best," most salient point. Don't hide amongst a bunch of chaff.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Rufus said...
    "Not a Chance, Bubba; show your work."

    I did, Rufus, but you ignored it.
    (been long enough ago now that it might not have been Iowa, but it was 13.)

    Like I just said you ignored most of our stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Rufus II said...
    Give me your "best," most salient point. Don't hide amongst a bunch of chaff.

    Fuck you, jerk.

    Your shit is pure Gold.
    Ours is chaff.

    In your mind.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Well, there you go; now you've convinced me.



    You probably overlooked a decimal, since you, obviously, missed it by a factor of about ten. Look Doug, it only takes about 4.5 gallons of fuel to raise and harvest an acre of corn; and that requires four, or five passes with a tractor. Switchgrass requires One (to harvest.)

    ReplyDelete
  43. .

    You pick one of Quirk's points, and one of mine, erect your straw men and blow us away, and consider your work done.

    Speak for yourself Doug.

    I'm still waiting to be "blown away" by Rufus.

    .

    ReplyDelete
  44. I would never "blow you away," Q.

    ReplyDelete
  45. The Lord Has Risen and
    So May You


    Happy Easter. Borg is our current ELCA big cheese thinker. He and a guy named N.T.Wright gave a series of lectures around the country made into a couple of books. "Two Visions..." is the one I'm thinking of I believe.

    Anyway there are two competing understandings of the Resurrection there, more or less a conservative and a liberal understanding, to use to overused words, I don't know, but very interesting discussions. The Resurrection was a real event in my humble opionion. I take Borg's view. Or, rather I found him agreeing with what slapped together concerning it. His friends really saw the Lord, in vision. My old girlfriend really saw her dead mother, in vision. Happens all the time. And that type of visionary experience is real, IMHO.



    dwr

    ReplyDelete
  46. And here I thought the gas stations were closed on this high holy day!

    dwr

    ReplyDelete
  47. ETHANOL PRODUCER MAGAZINE

    Sugarcane efficiently turns sunlight and chemical inputs into energy and requires a minimal amount of fertilizer, compared with other ethanol feedstocks. "Your total input costs are less [with sugarcane] than with corn or some of the other crops that are used for ethanol production," Richard says.

    The energy balance is also greater.

    While corn generally produces about 1.5 units of energy for each unit of energy it consumes

    the energy balance of sugarcane is approximately eight to one, Legendre says.


    ---

    EVERYBODY but Rufus is a "dumbfuck"
    period

    ReplyDelete
  48. ...and Rufus acts like the resources, Capital, and human effort involved in a less than 3 to 1 ratio situation is cool.

    Resources, Capital, and human effort being limitless, ya know.

    ReplyDelete
  49. We could pick up twigs and waste by hand for steam generation and produce more energy than we consumned, Rufus!

    Any takers here?

    Dumbfuck!

    ReplyDelete
  50. Your article is from a "Sugarcane Promoter," and was written in Feb, 2009.

    The USDA has stated, within the last couple of months that the number is 2.3:1

    ReplyDelete
  51. You might want to ask yourself, "Why are we EXPORTING Ethanol into Brazil?"

    ReplyDelete
  52. "With the current economics, ethanol producers in most areas simply wouldn't be able to afford it.

    Pockets of Potential
    There are, however, specific pockets of the U.S. where sugarcane ethanol production could be feasible. Pacific West Energy LLC is currently moving ahead with sugarcane ethanol production on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. According to William Maloney, the company's president and chief executive officer, Hawaii's unique economy holds opportunities that will allow this project to thrive.

    Pacific West Energy's ethanol production project involves converting an existing sugar mill on Kauai. To make the facility competitive, it will be capable of producing sugar and/or ethanol. This should provide the company with a safety net if the price of ethanol dramatically drops or the price of sugar sharply increases. Other elements of the project include doubling the land currently dedicated to sugarcane production, and modernizing harvesting methods.

    The key to sugarcane ethanol economics today is to take advantage of the byproduct value of electrical generation, Maloney says. In addition to producing ethanol, Pacific West Energy's proposed plant will also burn bagasse to produce electricity through a combined heat-and-power system. "Not only will we provide all of our own energy for our process, but we will also export a significant amount of energy to the utility," Maloney says.

    A variety of factors make Hawaii's island economy uniquely suited to sugarcane ethanol production, according to Maloney"

    Probly and evil Republican Capitalist.

    ReplyDelete
  53. The USDA has stated, within the last couple of months that the number is 2.3:1

    ---

    Show me the link!

    And how does one size fit all from AK to HI to Mississippi?

    ReplyDelete
  54. 2009 is ancient history Quirk:


    You just don't think in ethanol years.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Big Sugarcane Promoters, Big Pharma, Big Oil, and etc.

    Any disagreement automatically is classified as an evil conspiracy by the bigs.

    ReplyDelete
  56. Simple as that, Quirk.

    You better believe it.

    Period

    ReplyDelete
  57. "At the same time, USDA ARS's Sugarcane Research Unit is developing a sugarcane-based dedicated biomass feedstock called energy cane. The fiber content of energy cane is much higher than sugarcane, which has a fiber content of about 12 percent. "Every year we plant about 80,000 to 100,000 new varieties of seedlings to evaluate," Richard says. "About 10 percent of [these varieties] are dedicated energy canes that we know are not going to be suitable sugarcane varieties, but they could be suitable as energy cane varieties."

    One benefit of an energy cane over sugarcane is that the crop can be grown under drier conditions. As part of the research, domestic sugar varieties are currently being crossed with wild material from areas in India and China, where the plants grow naturally in colder temperatures. Richard says energy cane production trials have been started in some areas of the country, but it will likely be 2010 before the results of those trials are available.

    One major hurdle must be cleared, however, before these cellulsoic ethanol projects can move forward. The technology has to be commercially viable.

    "We keep hearing that cellulsoic technologies will be profitable in the next five years," Richard says.

    "But, we've been hearing that for a long time.
    "

    ReplyDelete
  58. But that is prehistoric history.

    2009

    Only RufusWorldtm has prehistoric history.

    ReplyDelete
  59. ...just can't imagine our Rufie being kicked off a forum...

    why, Why, WHY???

    ...big oil conspiracy.

    ReplyDelete
  60. Here's an analysis from all the way back in 2008.

    Yep, it's 2.3 to 1

    ReplyDelete
  61. The Evil Oil Drum, Part 2:

    The EROI values for counties with biorefineries ranged from 0.64 in Stark, North Dakota, to 1.18 in Phillips, Kansas.

    Our analysis of 127 biorefineries indicated that of 31.6 billion liters of ethanol produced in the United States, only 1.6 billion liters were net energy (roughly 5%).

    Fuels that have an EROI below 3:1 require subsidies from other energy sources to pay for all of the infrastructure associated with the transportation system of the US. The EROI of corn ethanol that we calculated is lower than the 3:1 threshold, indicating that corn ethanol requires large subsidies from the general fossil fuel economy, and as a result, drains energy from the US transportation system

    ReplyDelete
  62. Is that what this is all about? You've fallen in love with Sugar Cane ethanol?

    Well, hell, Bubba, many happy returns. Sugar Cane ethanol should work fine for Havaii.


    As for your link, it crashed my computer Twice. I don't think I'll go for the Charm.

    Biomass is "Transported" by Semis, Doug. I referenced "harvesting." A Big tractor would be a waste for that (at least, with "today's" equipment.)

    ReplyDelete
  63. Rufus's link has a formula they use to estimate byproduct contributions...

    "Together, the recent energy use estimates show that
    the ratio of energy in ethanol to the external energy used to produce ethanol is about 1.4,
    even
    without allowing for the processing component of the byproduct credit.

    After fully allowing for
    heat used to produce byproducts, the energy ratio is between 1.9 and 2.3
    "

    Yep, 2.3
    Period

    ReplyDelete
  64. ...but fertilizer just keeps getting cheaper in post peak oil America.

    Since 2008, at least.

    ReplyDelete
  65. Fertilizer made by...

    GASP!

    BIG OIL!

    (and gas)

    ReplyDelete
  66. Don't confuse price with energy. Actually, fertilizer use per bushel of corn produced has fallen substantially over the years.

    Doug, you keep referencing a guy that wouldn't know a bushel of corn fromm his butt. And, he's taking figures from a lot of other guys that, likewise, have never picked a bushel of corn.

    ReplyDelete
  67. Them figures Rufus has is from the US Government.

    The Gold Standard in unbiased transparency and truth.

    Amen

    ReplyDelete
  68. ...Corn Belt Division,
    of course.

    ReplyDelete
  69. ...and once again Rufus ignores everything else but his one point.

    Even, including, pictures of "Tractors"

    ReplyDelete
  70. The one point is the top of his pin head.

    ReplyDelete
  71. This pdf has a picture on Page 2 of one of them "small tractors" used to transport BioMASS

    I see you overcome your pdf-o-phobia, Doug.

    ReplyDelete
  72. And, That, btw, is a big advantage of Switchgrass. You, normally, ferttilize it a bit the first year, maybe the second, and that's it. Seven years of NO ferilizing.

    Doug, you're lost in the weeds, here. You're quoting guys that were horribly inaccurate, even at the time of their publishing. Today, they only look "quaint."

    I told you how one of their guys, Patzek, pulished, in a scholarly journal, how it was physically impossible for a refinery to ever get more than 2.7 gal of ethanol from a bushel of corn. He republished it in 2007 at the same time that Poet was getting 3.0 gallons of ethanol from a bushel of corn.

    One could be kind, and say that he hadn't taken into account the advancements that companies like Dupont, and Monsanto were making with their hybrid seeds. Or, you could say, "well, that seems unlikely; I think he was just publishing what his sponsors, Exxon, Shell, etc wanted to hear."

    And, yes, it is on record that through his SC Oil Consortium he was getting about $170,000.00/yr from those companies.

    I'll leave you to guess what I think.

    ReplyDelete
  73. There was another well-known poseur (PHD, and all) that wrote under the name "Sparkles, Spartacus, some such :)" that bragged that he was presenting a 'white paper' to CARB (Ca Air Resources Board) that proved beyond a doubt that switchgrass would not yield enough lignin to provide energy for the distillation process.

    Now, we know that switchgrass not only yields enough lignin to provide for its own processing, it throws off an abundance of electricity that can be sold onto the Grid.

    These people ALL have "Sponsors," Doug. Except for me. I'm just an old retired fart that likes to read (and think.)

    ReplyDelete
  74. .

    Geez, Dougo.

    Get your shit together. You should be getting your info only from legitimate sources just like Ruf.

    You notice he referenced a study designed by the USDA, aka the Corn Lobby.

    :)

    .

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  75. .

    These people ALL have "Sponsors," Doug. Except for me. I'm just an old retired fart that likes to read (and think.)

    One wonders who the USDA 'sponsors'.

    .

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  76. .

    Well I'll buy the old retired fart part.

    :)

    .

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  77. The USDA is "Sponsored."

    By you, mostly.

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  78. What is the most effective thing you can do to reduce your carbon footprint?


    A. Drive less or choose a hybrid car
    B. Unplug your electronics
    C. Eat a vegan diet

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  79. We have had one damned pretty day here in NW Ms, today.

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  80. My guess would be "eat a vegan diet," Melody, although I could care less.

    I think we need MORE CO2 in the atmosphere, not less.

    I'm Not a fan of CAGW theory.

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  81. Well, gosh darn, if you answered C then you got it right.

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  82. That right folks eating meat is the leading cause of greenhouse gases and according the University of Chicago eating vegan is 50% more effective than buying a hybrid car.

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  83. Eating a meat based diet uses up 1/3 of our fossil fuel resources.

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  84. If every person in the U.S. traded in one chicken meal for a vegetarian meal each week, it’s the equivalent to taking 5 million cars off our roads

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  85. I didn't mean to pin point you out but since you were the last one to comment I just asked.

    I thought it was interesting.

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  86. See, there ya go. Corn for ethanol; not cows. :)

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  87. Rising energy costs, rising food costs, gazillion dollar deficits,high unemployment, worldwide unrest.

    There's going to much wailing and gnashing of teeth. A lot of pain.

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  88. I think we'll all be driving a lot less and eating a lot less beef, chicken and dairy. Not necessarily because of health or environmental concerns.

    I said a year or two ago that the new normal might look a lot more austere than what we have been accustomed to.

    So far, few US politicians are ready to prescribe the strong medicine. If the pols don't get serious about a realistic budget, reality will force the issue.

    We could all do with a little less materialism but when it's forced on us along with a bigger tax burden, that's a hard pill to swallow.

    As far as the energy issue goes, is it any wonder that we can't formulate a National Energy Policy? Aside from the fact that "Central Planning" usually ends badly, how can one plan anything when there are so many facts competing for the title of truth?

    One groups say "X", another says you lie, it's "Y". Take any issue of national importance and try to find the truth. You need the wisdom of Solomon.
    -----------------------------------

    There was an article in my local paper today about a local man living on Medicaid. He's quadriplegic, requires three attendants, owns his home and really, really does not want to go back to a group home. He is one of 5,000 Florida residents who receive up to $150K per year. In addition, 30K other Floridians receive assistance in order to stay in their homes and communities.

    What are we going to do?

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  89. Engineering researchers the University of Southern California have made a significant breakthrough in the use of nanotechnologies for the construction of a synthetic brain. They have built a carbon nanotube synapse circuit whose behavior in tests reproduces the function of a neuron, the building block of the brain...


    A synthetic brain would do wonders for some of the people here.

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  90. Cuts are hard. In Florida, you would think that the world is coming to an end. At the end of the current legislative session next year we're still going to have a budget which calls for spending about $3800 per capita. (BTW - Florida's pop is abt 18.5 million) That sounds like a lot of money to me and that doesn't include local and Federal spending.

    Does this sound sustainable or we all living in lala land where money grows on trees?

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  91. You've got that "homestead law" down there, right?

    In most states a person on Medicaid would be forced to divest any "real" property, I think.

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  92. Does Fl have a state income tax?

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  93. No state income tax in Florida and not likely to have one.

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  94. Actually, Whit, $3,800.00 per capita doesn't sound unrealistically high. It takes a lot of money to keep those roads repaired, hire the police, firemen, etc.

    Okay, maybe that is pretty high. :)

    What is your "sales tax rate," down there?

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  95. Our revenue comes from sales tax, fuel taxes, property taxes, doc stamps, and assorted fees and licenses.

    We're facing about a $3b shortfall and this is the reason for all the angst.

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  96. Six percent but locals can tack on up to about 2 cents more.

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  97. Property taxes have taken a horrible hit, I'm sure. Unemployment, and food stamp/medicaid payments are probably up, big-time.

    I imagine Tourism is down.

    And, still, you don't have any problems that a 2% State Income Tax couldn't fix. (not saying you should have one, just saying that would be one "fix.")

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  98. Double check me but it looks like the Feds spend abt $20,500 per capita.

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  99. I believe that the Feds have advance Florida abt two billion dollars for unemployment compensation.

    Here's some numbers:
    EconomicPolicyJournal.com has learned that 32 states have run out funds to make unemployment benefit payments and that the federal government has been supplying these states with funds so that they can make their payments to the unemployed. In some cases, states have borrowed billions. As of May 20, the total balance outstanding by 32 states (and the Virgin Islands) is $37.8 billion.

    The state of California has borrowed $6.9 billion. Michigan has borrowed $3.9 billion, Illinois $2.2 billion.

    Below is the full list of the 32 states (and the Virgin Islands) that have borrowed from the federal government to make unemployment payments, and the amounts that remain borrowed as of May 20 . (Numbers in red are billions)


    Alabama $ 283 million
    Arkansas 330 million
    California 6.9 billion
    Colorado 253 million
    Connecticut 498 million
    Delaware 12 million
    Florida 1.6 billion
    Georgia 416 million
    Idaho 202 million
    Illinois 2.2 billion
    Indiana 1.7 billion
    Kansas 88 million
    Kentucky 795 million
    Maryland 133 million
    Mass. 387 million
    Michigan 3.9 billion
    Minnesota 477 million
    Missouri 722 million
    Nevada 397 million
    New Jersey 1.7 billion
    New York 3.2 billion
    N.C. 2.1 billion
    Ohio 2.3 billion
    Penn. 3.0 billion
    R.I. 225 million
    S.C. 886 million
    S.D. 24 million
    Tennessee 21 million
    Texas 1.0 billion
    Vermont 33 million
    Virginia 346 million
    Virgin Islands 13 million
    Wisconsin 1.4 billion
    Total $37.8 billion

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  100. Well, lessee, $3.8 Trillion (spending) / 310 Million people = It looks like $12,258.00 per person.

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  101. Oh, my number was based on $4+ trillion and 300 million people.

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  102. A synthetic brain would do wonders for some of the people here.

    OMG, Sun Sue...has become...Trish!

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  103. Plus about $50K per capita for our share of the national debt, as we pass through those loans to China.

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  104. OMG, Sun Sue...has become...Trish!

    Um.......no.

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  105. Yeah, well, don't worry, Whit. You weren't wrong, just "early."

    And, probably not by much.

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  106. Not Trish, but briefly lapsed into Lilith....

    :)

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  107. Inquiring minds would like to know.

    Who is Ft. Benning????

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  108. hehebwahahaha

    I always know a good movie cause of the slight boho at the end from the person next to me. Has happened five times in my life.

    Get Low

    There's a funeral director that reminds me distinctly of someone here.
    Few other folks too. Find yourself. Listen closely. Visionary experience right at the end.

    Good lines.

    the first 38 years are the hardest

    you like rabbit

    you always know where you stand with a dog

    etc.

    PETA wouldn't like it though.

    a tisket
    a tasket
    an engine gasket
    the money's in
    the sea grass casket


    bwahahahaha

    dwr

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  109. What a hell of a day to become Little Lil.

    dwr

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  110. Oh bullshit, Melody, you've gone around the bend. You've other talents.


    I did my good deed today. Jason has been with us for forever, has a new wife and her kid. They want a three bedroom which we have coming at the right time. They'll take it I'm sure.I got Jason into Idaho Housing. He gave me his share of the payment for two months today - $6.00. If my calculator is correct, that's 10 cents per day, his share. I'm, a genius.

    Then I got to thinking who exactlly is paying Idaho Housing to fund these po' folk?

    Why me, of course.

    Further, Ferren the felon - a felon, and drug felon too you ask, with a straight laced wife like yours?--why yes a Methodist of the old sort, she knows a man on the way to redemtion when she sees one. Divorced, his ex is a Cd'Alene Tribe Indian princess, and the little boy wants to live dad. Dad is going to the U. We've taken him under our wing, he couldn't find anyone else who would. He's going to CdA for the summer, we're working a deal with the van company to take his shit up and bring daughters shit down, though he needs 70 dollars for a storage locker. I'll try to find a place for him when he comes back. He is a nice fellow, no tatoos either. His boy will have some choice in where to live when he turns 14 in a year. He'd be best off the reservation. I'll tell the judge what a fine fellow Ferren the felon is.

    Further my Hindus have found another couple that want a place. At this rate I'm running out of space.

    What have you done to solve social problems.
    Talked ethenol to death I bet. heh


    :)

    dwr

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  111. Last item of busines I forgot to include Sam, Linear, Gag, Trish and anybody else I forgot in my proxies. I do now. Finally, if Cedarfart ever gets in trouble here my proxie on that vote goes to WiO of course.
    Why am I doing all this bs? Just for my own humor. It's look like I only really dislike one person, however you feel about me.


    dwr

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  112. Not Trish, but briefly lapsed into Lilith....

    I don't know why it did that, Whit. There was a reboot involved.

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  113. Goya's Nude Maja

    Back in the day if you were thin and sickly looking, like Twiggy perhaps, parady of current culture, you were condisered poor and not worth shit.

    Honestly Miss T what a hell of a day to flip.

    dwr

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  114. whit said...
    Inquiring minds would like to know.

    Who is Ft. Benning????
    ---------

    "Light, Swift and Accurate", a fine example of American exceptionalism…I can do no wrong and EVERYONE ELSE is incompetent or of substandard performance. I don't ask and I don't tell. I don't cross dress. My overriding mission is to advance national security policy with a fine salute and a smile. I don't make the rules, I think Jack Daniels or it may be Jack Shit, I am uncertain but thanks for asking.

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  115. Cats Caterwailling godalmighty

    I got it, finally. From the Mount of Nebo, the Heights of Pisgah, I had trouble, till I figured out I needed a time frame change, so I brought him back years later and he entered the Promised Land, a fall in Northrupe Frye's reading of the myth, and there he dealt with the Canaanites. And he escapes after some adventures. Then passing through again some many years later driving home in a jeep he stops by a dry lake bed and begins his climb up a mountain side towards a ledge on a bluff, his dog with him. Up there, two steps forward, one back, many times, many times, he attains his goal of the bluff and watches the sun asetting followed by the evening star of understing and the rising moon of ever returning cycles draws a circle round his sleeping spots, suck on a pinyon pine nut, and exhausted sleeps the sleep of the dead. And I incorporated a hell of a lot of stuff into it. And it's good but what do I do with it now?

    I wonder if Quirk's poem was any good cause I didn't read it.

    dwr

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  116. I go to sleep the sleep of the dead. Had a hell of an active Easter at least. Special Happy Easter to you Melody, all is made new, death's a leap upwards.

    dwr

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  117. Trish is a wonderful person, mistreated miserably here and I'm not a vet.

    dwr

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  118. Thank you, barless and stripeless bard of the bar.

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  119. Rufus II said...
    My guess would be "eat a vegan diet," Melody, although I could care less.

    I think we need MORE CO2 in the atmosphere, not less.

    I'm Not a fan of CAGW theory.

    ---

    Yay!
    Rufus finally wrote something I can agree with!

    The correct answer is...

    Eat a Virgin

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  120. This comment has been removed by the author.

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