tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post3327787585913404252..comments2024-03-28T06:32:24.557-04:00Comments on The Elephant Bar: Whit's Crystal BallDeuce ☂http://www.blogger.com/profile/13472858446242700869noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-55432458549109915342008-06-20T13:09:00.000-04:002008-06-20T13:09:00.000-04:00Definitely. There's nothing I hate more than air t...Definitely. <BR/><BR/>There's nothing I hate more than air travel. Having to sit down in an airplane chair for 2 or more hours, to me, is a form of torture.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11132252460964519368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-57907186157791028482008-06-20T11:25:00.000-04:002008-06-20T11:25:00.000-04:00I would think rail would be a prime investment - n...I would think rail would be a prime investment - not just for commercial freight but passenger service as well since who knows where the airline industry will end up. One thing that has been apparent for some time is the service reduction in certain flight routes. I expect the connectivity will be further reduced to cut costs. Flying from Big City to Big City is not bad but getting to the second and third and fifth tier places is attention-grabbing.Sladehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03267792770102471274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-74350328288213854882008-06-20T08:43:00.000-04:002008-06-20T08:43:00.000-04:00With Kunstler's famous words I say to you: The US ...With Kunstler's famous words I say to you: The US national rail system is one the Bulgarians would be ashamed of. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11132252460964519368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-29662206280334805012008-06-20T05:36:00.000-04:002008-06-20T05:36:00.000-04:00The same technology will not run the 18-wheelers w...<I>The same technology will not run the 18-wheelers which demand greater range."<BR/><BR/>So don't use them. Use trains. Electric trains.</I><BR/><BR/>Not enough rail capacity right now. The rail freight business is running at nearly full capacity.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-59871310918724378542008-06-20T03:40:00.000-04:002008-06-20T03:40:00.000-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11132252460964519368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-10039940945880522302008-06-20T02:58:00.000-04:002008-06-20T02:58:00.000-04:00… delay tactic lobbied by and for big oil. Let's n...<I> … delay tactic lobbied by and for big oil. Let's not kid ourselves.</I><BR/><BR/>I expect that is more correct than not.<BR/><BR/>I remember when the tobacco industry was pressured by public trials linking smoking with cancer. Lasted about a decade. During that time, the industry diversified their corporate portfolios. The writing was on the wall.<BR/><BR/>The writing has been on the wall for some time with carbon-based fuels. Unless I am to believe that the oil execs are stupid, I can only conclude that greed is the driver. And I am reaching that conclusion.<BR/><BR/>Market forces my @ss.<BR/><BR/>Sometimes. Sometimes not.Sladehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03267792770102471274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-83730640618903618332008-06-20T01:56:00.000-04:002008-06-20T01:56:00.000-04:00"I have trouble imagining a more receptive Congres..."I have trouble imagining a more receptive Congress than this one."<BR/><BR/>The cost of a nuke plant is 10x that of solar. It also takes 10x longer to build a nuke plant vs solar. The only reason I see for going with nuclear (which also has a 30% plant failure rate) is that it's a delay tactic lobbied by and for big oil. Let's not kid ourselves.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11132252460964519368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-32397724388778365452008-06-20T01:48:00.000-04:002008-06-20T01:48:00.000-04:00"The same technology will not run the 18-wheelers ..."The same technology will not run the 18-wheelers which demand greater range."<BR/><BR/>So don't use them. Use trains. Electric trains.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11132252460964519368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-38908238052252960952008-06-20T01:44:00.000-04:002008-06-20T01:44:00.000-04:00But what I think is most critical is the aggressiv...<I>But what I think is most critical is the aggressive transition of the transport infrastructure away from gasoline vehicles and towards plugin electric vehicles that can be charged at home.</I><BR/><BR/>I don’t disagree with that but note two things. Domestic versus commercial transport. The same technology will not run the 18-wheelers which demand greater range. Secondly, watch the environmentalists and the role they play. It is one thing to mandate technological safety measures, like double-hulled tanks, but it is quite another to stand on the Endangered Species hill. I expect that the level of environmental concern will rise in direct proportion to the level of carbon emissions. I consider this to be an inappropriate metric, in and of itself.<BR/><BR/>RE the loan guarantees, that is the responsibility of the industry to lobby their case in front of Congress. I have trouble imagining a more receptive Congress than this one.Sladehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03267792770102471274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-60335861377821268712008-06-20T01:28:00.000-04:002008-06-20T01:28:00.000-04:00why not just invest in alternative energy?This is ...<I>why not just invest in alternative energy?</I><BR/><BR/>This is speculation but it appears to me that the repeal of Glass-Steagall - the wall separating commercial from investment banking - is also responsible for the current sub-prime crisis. It is said that without the new investment vehicles presented by the sub-prime mortgages that recently collapsed - the financial services sector has no avenues for growing their profits. In other words, stuck with static profit margins - not growing. So the repeal of Glass-Steagall - under Clinton - can be seen as an attempt to allow the financial services sector to grow profits. Without that, they really don’t have any more new tricks to play.<BR/><BR/>Yet deregulation under Reagan remains the bogeyman.Sladehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03267792770102471274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-25136394645424706952008-06-20T01:24:00.000-04:002008-06-20T01:24:00.000-04:00Just highlighting the relevant parts.. :)Just highlighting the relevant parts.. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11132252460964519368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-8915037172093604052008-06-20T01:17:00.000-04:002008-06-20T01:17:00.000-04:00Shanghai at 431 km/h on an electric train: http://...Shanghai at 431 km/h on an electric train: <BR/><BR/>http://www.blinkx.com/video/shanghai-at-431-km-h/INmOSIwc4mqu8oEJFjlLBQAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11132252460964519368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-29340724554448322802008-06-20T01:11:00.000-04:002008-06-20T01:11:00.000-04:00(probly writin up that plan for the Jooish invasio...(probly writin up that plan for the Jooish invasion of I-Ran)Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16770268554450465514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-53160744077196106862008-06-20T01:07:00.000-04:002008-06-20T01:07:00.000-04:00Damn Dentist is startin to write like a lawyer.Damn Dentist is startin to write like a lawyer.Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16770268554450465514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-5867619839107528932008-06-20T00:50:00.000-04:002008-06-20T00:50:00.000-04:00Cross out 'proposed' and sub in 'provided' in rega...Cross out 'proposed' and sub in 'provided' in regards to those nuke loan guarantees.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11132252460964519368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-47433044779243865452008-06-20T00:44:00.000-04:002008-06-20T00:44:00.000-04:00..it would be ^nice if....it would be ^nice if..Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11132252460964519368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-47210259978720758012008-06-20T00:42:00.000-04:002008-06-20T00:42:00.000-04:00I agree about the natural gas as a backup for a fu...I agree about the natural gas as a backup for a full transition to renewables. And I'm all for drilling for more. <BR/><BR/>But what I think is most critical is the aggressive transition of the transport infrastructure away from gasoline vehicles and towards plugin electric vehicles that can be charged at home.<BR/><BR/>Btw, it would be if those same loan guarantees proposed for the nuke industry were also provided to Wind and Solar.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11132252460964519368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-12647570774377396372008-06-20T00:21:00.000-04:002008-06-20T00:21:00.000-04:00why not just invest in alternative energy?Robert R...<I>why not just invest in alternative energy?</I><BR/><BR/><BR/>Robert Reich was on Kudlow not too long ago arguing for some form of government energy program, like The Manhattan Project, to “jump start” the transition to alternative energy sources. The debate was as per usual - let the markets control the process versus bureaucratic stimulus. Reich’s position was that market forces could handle most of it but major transitions require some front-end encouragement. <BR/><BR/>I recall thinking that made some practical sense. It was not a long-term government subsidy but an initial kick-start. At least that’s the way he presented his case.<BR/><BR/>Kudlow’s Drill Drill Drill agenda seems to me to fit that bill - something to kick start the energy transition (and the domestic economy) - but Reich didn’t mention that today, which suggests to me that politics is playing a large role in Democratic energy policy.<BR/><BR/>Who knew?Sladehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03267792770102471274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-80159218108258054672008-06-19T23:56:00.000-04:002008-06-19T23:56:00.000-04:00The Ugly.The Ugly.samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11856051164644278989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-26677679794284452492008-06-19T23:27:00.000-04:002008-06-19T23:27:00.000-04:00hmmm--rare, till death do they part.hmmm--rare, till death do they part.Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04145155737835511824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-74982952300697796232008-06-19T23:15:00.000-04:002008-06-19T23:15:00.000-04:00Charisse was married to singer Tony Martin from 19...<A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyd_Charisse" REL="nofollow">Charisse was married to singer Tony Martin from 1948 until her death.</A> The marriage lasted almost 60 years, a notable length among Hollywood marriages, matched in 2008 amongst living American actors by only Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson (also married in 1948).Teresitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05528002521904908827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-17285173632719090132008-06-19T23:07:00.000-04:002008-06-19T23:07:00.000-04:00Don't know anything about the book. Just ran acro...Don't know anything about the book. Just ran across it then and skimmed the page. Look pretty far out, alright.samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11856051164644278989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-75443268160536812652008-06-19T23:01:00.000-04:002008-06-19T23:01:00.000-04:00why not just invest in alternative energy?OK. Her...<I>why not just invest in alternative energy?</I><BR/><BR/>OK. Here’s my take and I am not a resource economist.<BR/><BR/>1. The infrastructure to process and refine oil and gas is currently in place. This will impact the cost-benefit scenarios.<BR/><BR/>2. The storage and distribution networks for alternative energy are either not fully developed or not in place. Storage technology in particular is still evolving.<BR/><BR/>3. I personally am not buying this 2030 timeline. It reminds of the 200,000 new jobs under NAFTA that morphed into 2,000,000. In fact, I will go so far as to say that the number is about as bogus as the NAFTA jobs number. So we pay $4 gas for the next 20 years. <BR/><BR/>4. Natural Gas. Jim Cramer is recommending this sector. He interviewed a CEO today who agreed that the untapped natural gas reserves are huge. These will be on-line well before 2030. I don’t have the numbers. That is a research project so I am keeping it general. I have heard a 10-yr time frame. My guess is that it could be cut in half with relaxed environmental permitting.<BR/><BR/>5. The wildcatters are back in the field because the potential profits make the business cost-effective.<BR/><BR/>6. My concept of Drill! Drill! Drill! (including natural gas) is this - it will provide a cushion as this country transitions to alternative energy. I object to the “either-or” formulation as a political ploy to be leveraged by the Democrats. It will also reduce imports which should be factored into the cost-benefit analyses. It will also reverse the psychology of this market and serve to kick start growth in industry.<BR/><BR/>7. I will have to research this but my understanding is that Montana has some of the largest low-sulfur coal deposits in the country. The reserves have not been significantly depleted because the high-sulfur deposits back east were more cost-effective to develop due to environmental rebates given for installing scrubbers, which aren't required by Montana coal. [There is a CATO article on this but quite old by now.]Sladehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03267792770102471274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-480991074137981162008-06-19T22:58:00.001-04:002008-06-19T22:58:00.001-04:00Unless Sam talks me into buying it.Unless Sam talks me into buying it.Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04145155737835511824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-13963971062822143312008-06-19T22:58:00.000-04:002008-06-19T22:58:00.000-04:00OK then, I've made up my mind, I choose not to buy...OK then, I've made up my mind, I choose not to buy it.<BR/><BR/><I>She was married for 60 years. Wow. Most girls with legs like that, tequila makes their clothes fall off.</I> :)<BR/><BR/><BR/>But, to how many men was she married in those 60 years?Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04145155737835511824noreply@blogger.com