Rikiki's Comments

IEA trims its global oil demand outlook to 105M b/d in 2030, down from 106M a year ago - but still 40% growth between now and then. Satisfying that projection puts the world on track for a worldwide temperature rise of up to 6°C, IEA says.

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:17:01 -0500

WOW!!!
a 6(c) degree rise.... Awesome...... It is a CRISIS... CRISIS.... CRISIS... Florida will surely be 8 feet under water. A new Venice forming. Start building gondolas. Fishing from second floor condos in South Beach! WHEN?

Obama!! did you hear that.... a new CRISIS. You have got to stike before the masses discover the Goreacle kooks. ROFL.

What Will Drive Auto Stocks After Cash for Clunkers?

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:44:38 -0500

Maybe you shouldn't drive "investments". For investment try buying a older BMW Bavaria or an early Benz 280SL or even a muscle care like Mopar Dodge/ Plymouth early 70's..... Then park those investments in climate controlled garage.

On Nov 09 01:42 PM Nettligent wrote:

> Chrysler, Mercedes, and BMW are waste of time and money. It was a
> bad investment to own these cars. Spend money wisely and save your
> money for raining days ahead.

With Novatel Wireless' (NVTL) MiFi hotspot, users can get wireless internet access anywhere. Sleek, simple to use, and better than the cellular modems from the likes of Verizon (VZ) and Sprint (S), the device could be a game changer.

Fri, 08 May 2009 10:15:11 -0400

WOW. I want one!

I just paid 15$ for broadband hookup at upscale Reno hotel.
Last Month I paid $10.00 at Lake Charles' L'Auberge hotel.
I paid $4.00 each at two airports during layover.

For travelers, this is a no brainer!

Possible home use, multiple users, continuous logins, 1.0+ Mb/sec downloads at $60/month..... not yet.

ATT, eat your heart out!

Rikiki

Jeff Bezos (AMZN) unveils Kindle DX. Display is two and a half times the size of Kindle, and it features a built-in PDF reader. Kindle sales are now 35% of all book sales. Engadget, TechCrunch, and Digits are all liveblogging. AMZN -1.8%.

Wed, 06 May 2009 11:33:07 -0400

Still Pricey for any volume movement. Needs competitors like Apple, Dell, Sony, and maybe Barnes & Noble and such. Some fully functioning laptops will be coming into this price range if not there already.

Wife claims she will never give up hard copy books, magazines and such...... but then, she said she didn't want a laptop either. Now she treats it as hers and not ours.... except if she has a problem with something. But then she also reads dozens of "newspapers" and blogs also.

I think dam breaks at <$250.00/unit and software (downloaded media) stays at 25% or less of printed paper media.

Gad Zooks! just think of what this could do the the ripoff college text book operations. And, just think of saving all that paper and ink... and recycling problems. and........and....
Rikiki

Ford (F) Chairman calls for higher gas prices: "We clearly need - whether it's a gasoline tax or cap and trade, it's something we do need because with gasoline at $2 [a gallon], customer behaviour is not driving in the direction that the government would like." Weird, but nothing new.

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:58:21 -0400

Vehicle fuel consumption is tightly coupled with the weight of the vehicle. While simply taxing the fuel is onerous, especially to our comfortable political re-electable representatives, we still need to reduce fuel consumption per Kg of vehicle (+load). Since we can depend that our US representative will not follow the Europeans with the heavy taxes on fuel, the more palatable option is to tax heavy vehicles more that lighter ones. Or, tax more for vehicle with more horsepower, larger number of cylinders, more cubic inches,.. etc...
If one (not me) believes in Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW), the logic is infallible... Moving more weight uses more energy, using more energy with today's technology means more carbon based fuel being burned which in turn caused the dastardly carbon dioxide molecules to be liberated back into the air!

Consider a small single gasoline engine Cessna aircraft with four 250 pound people on board. That requires far more throttle and thereby FUEL to get and stay aloft. (If indeed any sane pilot would push the envelope). Likewise many airlines would like to charge ticket prices based upon weight ... just like freight. Fuel is the airlines number one cost and every manufacturer who makes heavier than air craft.
Weight based methods of taxation make both scientific and economic sense.
Rikiki

Not ready to roll: "GM (GM) wouldn’t be in quite so deep a hole if it had not sunk a billion dollars, and much of its corporate reputation, into a not-very-realistic plug-in electric hybrid vehicle known as the Chevrolet Volt."

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:27:21 -0400

Maybe GM should reinvent the Stanley Steamer! Buy NO!

The pollutiion problems (from WP article)"global warming not least among them" Even burning NatGas (the same stuff I burn in the kitchen to cook food) is a pollutant! But in my case kitchen warming is welcomed in January! LOL And if I havn't used enough polluting NatGas to cook the beans properly the world will still pay.

Oh, I see, use NatGas to generate electricity for your cars. Huh? Gee Dad, where does electricity come from? I thought it all came from the dams on the rivers. Isn't is almost like...free?

Maybe, dad, you should just get rid of your riding mower to save the planet! You only have two acres to mow! Also, dad, and get rid of the 6 horsepower polluting snow thrower that you use on you 300 foot driveway.
And what about your stinky speed boat at the lake.... you should be rowing anyway.
Someday, son, you will realize that one of the many college courses I paid for should have been ECONOMICS.
Rikiki

William Bernstein: Don't Panic and Sell into a Crash

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 12:34:13 -0500

3 feet...

Shhhhh! Don't talk so loud. Obama might find a way to turn this into a crisis as well.

Here is how I think Obama might play it .. Yes, we may have seen a very small ray of hope, but we are far from being out of the woods. We could still fall into the abyss if my XXXXXX progarm is not put into effect immediately!....

To Obama.... " We have nothing to fear but fear itself" If FDR is really your mentor.... PAY ATTENTION!

Rikiki

Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:09:36 -0500

Herr Klaus,

You are on a slippery slope Freund. Do you remember the AMT...Alternative Minimum Tax... meant to snare a few hundred non tax payers. The folly is that raw numbers, as opposted to percentage based calculated numbers, do not allow for INFLATION. And once congress has tasted blood with this program they will be just as loathe to fix it as the have the AMT.

However, I totaly agree that the NY financial instutions are totally out of whack with the rest of the world in that peple get paid way more than virtually all other industries. Better just tax income and not distinguish the source.

Rikiki

On Feb 11 10:37 AM klaus914@yahoo.com wrote:

> I think they should relegislate the 91% Fedral Income Tax on all
> bonuses exceeding $1mil, no exceptions, no deductions and no exemptions
> - stick that up their craw - take the incentive out of these items
> of corporate squalor

Odds of Another Swing to Despair Seem High

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 14:22:55 -0500

>dcb, maybe you should hear more of what F.D.R. had to say in opening of first inauguration speech..

" This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days."

you can do a wiki on words to see and hear entire speech. This dem pres inspired hope and faith in american people from day 1.

Odds of Another Swing to Despair Seem High

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 18:32:14 -0500

"I see no reason to think the hope/despair pendulum has hung up on the hope side. "

When you get the Pres and Vpres constantly telling people that it is going to get much worse, does that inspire hope and change? Or, does ot inspire more FEAR(FDR) which we have to FEAR for its effect on prolonging the recession?

Maybe the new Dem leadership should think of another tactic to get the slushy bill to pass quickly instead of scaring the population into hunkering down and spending less. How about inspiration and accenuating the positives more.

Marc Faber on the Economy, Gold, WWIII

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 20:50:58 -0500

I no longer "watch or listen" to CNBC (also MSNBC &NBC). My wife got tired of me B*i*t*c* hing about the "financial channel" . I always had the channel on "mute" until I caught a banner teaser which made me "unmute". She knows that I watch the top and bottom tickers all the time. She took and cut a piece of cardboard to cover the central part of the tv screen leaving the upper and lower tickers visable. Thank you CNBC for my "free tickers" with out all the B.....S.... and hype. I have a ticker on my investment software but not nearly as encompassing as theirs.

Thanks again CNBC for the grreat tickers!
Rikiki

Federal Gas Tax Increase a Definite Possibility

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:04:53 -0500

Great ideas! I believe petroleum vulerable Europe has the general answer.... Tax motor fuels AND tax big cars by weight or engine size. Talk about demand destruction. In USA because of large geography, I don't think motor fuel should be taxed as heavily.... but still taxed more than now.
ASIDE: I never saw a Ford F150 sized pickup in Ireland where fuel is/was nearly $8.00/USG.

>> J. Wills.. When I lived in Texas, I had almost exactly the same daily (45) commute miles as yours. My Mercedes diesel routinely gets 30+ MPG and during the spike fuel averaged about $3.90/USG. For 21 work days/month plus approx 400 "leisure" miles, my ~80 gallons of diesel cost about $320/month. Your numbers don't compute.
Your ideas are quite credible.

Rikiki

PS. My brother's Jetta VW TDI (diesel) has given >50 mpg on road trips.

Rikiki

Obama's Plan to Double Energy Production

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 21:52:24 -0500

No schmuck, he spends it in Hawaii. You mean spirited Klutz. I Stopped reading at your first blather.
Rikiki

Let's Hope the Auto Bailout Has Failed for Good

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 14:03:45 -0500

>>ChuckL
RE: "Those UAW workers you whine about have doubled their productivity over the last 15 years, have you doubled yours?"

Chuckie, young man, the productivity gains in the last 100 years or so have come from automation and robotics. Humans can only do a certain amount without tools... the better the tools (in quality, quantity and design), the more product a singular human can create. Humans cannot physically work 20% faster!!!! Especially with the union stewards looking over their shoulders.

Not only the UAW, but many other unions are loathe to adopt automation and robotics because it reduces the need for so a large number of workers. They have generally fought to keep the productivity of workers from rising in order to keep the status quo of the production process. Production companies, particularly the Japanese and less so the Germans are keen on automation and robotics.

So Chuckie, laddie, Eat your words!

Rikiki

Is There Life After the Incandescent Bulb?

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:13:46 -0500

LED vs. CFL

Real costs should include cost/lumen calculated for the estimated life of the device. I believe the LED lifespan is many times the life of a 4,000 hour CFL. The costs of LED, like CFL, will come down as more manufacturers get into production.

Rikiki

The Future of Ethanol

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:08:11 -0500

>Redbaron

I believe that the following link is where author got most of info on "sweet" sorghum. Milo is a short, seed variety popular in central and southern US grown mainly for the feed you are already familiar with.

www.agribusinessweek.c.../

Rikiki

To What Extent Is Alternative Energy Performance Linked to Fossil Energy Prices?

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 11:26:05 -0500

>The Hand

I totaly concur with your points above.

As long as the congress and president act again as if the oil spike is an aberration, we are condemned to the repeat of history as you suggested. Congress and President have never had the guts to put forth a true "alternative energy" program. They have repeatedly reneged on CAFE (especially for light trucks) standards and buried heads in sand as to an increase in federal tax on gasoline and diesel fuels which would make european size vehicles the norm here. Heavens, they stand the chance of not getting reelected by the mindless mobs who want cheap now and the hell with the future. We americans are guilty of "more for us now" and less for our kids and grandkids. Almost sounds unionesque.

We have F150 and F250 pickups getting an average of 12 MPG. Who really needs that big of a truck .... I know .. Dallas, TX commuters. Right... I pick on Ford because the F150 is the most popular vehicle throughout the US (especially Texas, my former abode) . Yes, I had a F150 for my business 10 years ago. And, I got at best 16 MPG on the highway.

Another area where the government is way behind on is the new clean diesel cars and trucks. Diesel vehicles get at least 20% better mileage than injected gasoline options. My F150 only got 16 at best... my neighbor's F250 (bigger truck) claims as much as 24 on the highway. Why is it that VW, Mercedes and other imports meet our stiff standards for emissions and there is no american car that can?

The congress and the mob that continually reelects them apparently do not believe in long term solutions. I guess that we here are all victims of our culture of " I want now". Is there hope? People tend to believe their elected officials who depend on the lobby wonks to provide them with information on our votes... their way, of course.

To move to alternatives to liquid fuels, a very long, high price spike in petroleum is needed to get the attention of the mobs an the elected "servants". A gasoline and diesel tax increase could do a lot, in the mean time, to forestall the inevitable disaster of extreem fuel shortages and the crippling effect on the economy of the US.

Rikiki
.

Paul Krugman + Al Gore = The Way Forward

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 09:36:35 -0500

Folks, this is just plain silliness spilling over into a formerly great "Seeking Alpha". Just like the cable news, they have to keep something "interesting", "provacative", "polarizing" to keep the eyeballs on this site. Getting to be like the "Yahoo" sites' caustic slug fests... except without the filthy descriptors.
Many people on this site now just shout palaver from the right and left over and over. No basis in fact... just assertions and shoutdowns.

AGW is a theory debated by the EARTH SCIENTISTS, a relatively small and select group of MSs and Phds. Let them collectively debate the issues without interference form polititians and writers. I venture that if there were as much interest in the "Theory of Relativity" as there is in the "Theory of Anthropogenic Global Warming" we might be less distracted by "SCIENTIFIC THEORIES".
Maybe we could concentrate on human basic needs right now..... like getting rid of air pollution, assuring a minimal level of medical care for those who are in greatest need, caring for the young disowned street kids and unowned orphans, here and around the world.

Such displaced energy. What a waste of human resource.

Rikiki

Oil: Long-Term Bull Still Intact; Short-Term Weakness Should Persist

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 19:19:05 -0400

Shiv,

Excellent article. You background in Petro shows .

Rikiki

Oil: Long-Term Bull Still Intact; Short-Term Weakness Should Persist

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 19:17:45 -0400

CHL et. al.

The oil production countries are not exactly the most stable in this world. Any conflagration, assination, revolution, or inter-tribal wars can easily spike oil by huge amonts in a very short time.

In short, oil, oil futures and oil stocks are mega risky. Suggest you consider puts on all your long stocks and calls on all your short stocks.

Consider the following risky oil producers as my case in point:

Iraq, Iran, Saudi, Nigeria, Venezuela, Russia and China.

If you are bullish consider Longer term call spreads on DIG; If bearish use the DUG call spreads. Limit your losses (and gains).... but predictable max and min $ for positions.

RIkiki

How Does the Financial Crisis Affect the Peak Oil Thesis?

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 18:52:58 -0400

RichJoy,

I noted in your comment that you believe "Peak Oil" is just a theory. I admit that the "Peak Oil" production position for this planet is not currently knowable (only educated guesses at best) and therefore not really germane to shorter term price (supply and demand) discussions. So I do believe the insertion of "Peak Oil" into this headline leadin is just a teaser with little regard for the actual content.

I posted this earlier on another article on oil and it addresses "Peak any non-renewable commodity.

>>"How can you persist in calling "Peak Oil" a theory. When there is a finite quantity of ANY product or resource that is being consumed grand scale, you will have a "Peak XXXXXX" There are capped oil wells in both east and west Texas that reached their peak production prior to 1962. There are entire oil fields in California that reached peak production at mid century. There are regions such as the Permian Basin in west Texas and east New Mexico and Catarell in Mexico which have been in decline for over a decade. And, indeed, there are countries that are pumping less every year. The pool is being sucked dry worldwide. While some field's production is questionable ( i.e. Saudi), others are yet being discovered. Yes, Russia is pumping more and may not peak for some time but Norway and UK have to look forward to a lot less from the North sea platforms.

The point is that you (all countries) have proof that harvesting non-renewable, non-recyclable "stuff" is in decline. There is no argument here, scientific or otherwise, to dispute this "law of use and depletion of non-renewable resources". So it is not a theory. It is provable! <<

Rikiki

OPEC Embarks on a Fool's Mission

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 09:09:34 -0400

Michael,

How can you persist in calling "Peak Oil" a theory. When there is a finite quantity of ANY product or resource that is being consumed grand scale, you will have a "Peak XXXXXX" There are capped oil wells in both east and west Texas that reached their peak production prior to 1962. There are entire oil fields in California that reached peak production at mid century. There are regions such as the Permian Basin in west Texas and east New Mexico and Catarell in Mexico which have been in decline for over a decade. And, indeed, there are countries that are pumping less every year. The pool is being sucked dry worldwide. While some field's production is questionable ( i.e. Saudi), others are yet being discovered. Yes, Russia is pumping more and may not peak for some time but Norway and UK have to look forward to a lot less from the North sea platforms.

The point is that you (all countries) have proof that harvesting non-renewable, non-recyclable "stuff" is in decline. There is no argument here, scientific or otherwise, to dispute this "law of use and depletion of non-renewable resources". So it is not a theory. It is provable!

AGW, on the other hand, has hundreds of variables, modeling and outright guessing based upon short historical patterns of climate. There is no "proof" one way or the other that global warming is anthropogenic. I believe most in the field of climatology simply say there is no proof. Therefore, like Einsteins Theory of Relativity, AGW will remain a theory.

Proof, Michael.

Rikiki

Using History to Plan Near-Term Investing

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 19:43:21 -0400

Smartstops;

I like your timely ads... Er, I mean comments.
Rikiki

5 Reasons Stocks Will Keep Falling

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 19:05:42 -0400

1. What is nonsense is that you are too clueless about doing research. Suggest you read the chronology in Monday Investors Business Daily for a start.

2. MBS Creation
"MBS are issued by Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA or Ginnie Mae), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC or Freddie Mac), and Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA or Fannie Mae). Mortgage-backed securities typically carry some of the highest yields of any government or agency security" Look it up,VB!

3. Vote for what you think is best for your grand kids... not because you happen to Pi$$ed at nearly everyone off today. Both sides are equally evil in lectioneering. Has pretty well always been so... likely to always be. Hard to believe you are in your 60s.

(: > ))

Rikiki (Democrat, Republican and now Libertarian)

5 Reasons Stocks Will Keep Falling

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 01:41:56 -0400

Accountant:
George H. W. Bush was completely flummoxed during his reelection campaign by "It's the economy, stupid". In actuality the economy was showing improvement by summer of his final year. Economists and financial types knew this. But, the "great unwashed" (including th liberal press) are easily bamboozled by trite cliches and swallowed in Goebbels fashion.
Clinton inherited a growing economy and luckily did nothing major to derail it.

Most people today would agree that at the very base of the credit meltdown is Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS) which was inherent in the rush to create "Homeowners" at any cost. This has been a largely DEMOCRATIC progam for decades. And indeed, home ownership has increased... with little regard for the ability of the buyers to repay the loans.

If you are really honest with yourself you will arrive at the conclusion that I did decades ago running my nascent business..... Make sure your debtors have the ability to pay for your gods and services you provided to them.

Unfortunately, political agendas trump common sense and good business practices. Polititians alway deny their mistakes which are dumped onto the future generations.

( ;<( )
Rikiki
c

Grand Energy Debate Warms Up in Washington

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:51:07 -0400

>>Paulk8756

It is nice to know that someone can still read and analyze. Thanks for your comments.

Clarifications:
1-- As you surmised, my point was about raising the price of fuels. Whatever the political systems exist in Europe and for whatever intent they had in taxing fuel, the (perhaps unsought) consequence of reduced consumption and higher efficiency resulted. I have great negative feelings about socialism. I am foremost a Libertarian by philosophy and a Republican by party. I am a native American citizen who grew up in a family where "waste not... want not" and "eat all you put on your plate" were rules of the day.

2--My parents were immigrants from Germany in the 20s. I was born in the Midwest, completed most of my graduate studies in CA and served my country for 6 years in the Navy. I earned the right to b*&^ch about conditions caused by the current "dumbed down" voters and political "leaders". For nearly 40 years since I became a Republican in college years, I have observed my fellow Americans slip into the morass of more government.

3--I concur that we have tried to support a more stable world and tried to keep the inter-country slaughter to a "minimum"... to our loss of precious young men and women in the military and to our financial detriment caused by hijacking a large portion of our GNP. We still have troops in Germany, Korea, and the Middle East. It is expensive to be the last line defenders of the free world. Because of our "Protector of the Free World" syndrome, we do not have the resources to spend on our own population.

4-- Having lived in MN, CA, HI, WA, TN and TX, I can assure you my observation of not only government waste but also of individual's waste is valid. . And, I was speaking about mainly scarce resource waste
----------------------...
>>JHM47
If you could not READ my post try this.

1--I did not condone any sort of European governance. If you were an economist, you would immediately note that Europeans who raised taxes on fuels for whatever reason garnered a welcomed collateral effect of reducing consumption. If you are not familiar with that language, then try this.... Reducing consumption and raising efficiencies was a side effect of whatever their intent was. I simply do not care what European intent was, as one who has had scads of college courses in economics, only the consequence matters.

2-- So Europe is becoming a "third world country. Who cares? I never took a pro-European stance in my position.... merely an economic observer of facts. Emulate?? Read with your mind and don't presume to be able to vet my stands on economic issues or political systems.

3--DA you are probably too young to remember what people burned in furnaces during winter for millennia. Wood, then coal, then heavy petro and now natgas. As a matter of fact many people do buy wood or harvest wood each year for the winter months. In many parts of this country wood pellet stoves are gaining popularity, as are high efficiency wood stoves. When the folks in Boston are paying $1,000 per month for winter fuel oil., those folks in Wisconsin, Maine, Washington, Idaho, Montana and New Hampshire. will be better off.

4-- I have been a proponent of Nuclear powered everything since my first college course in physics that dealt with the matter. I have followed the Nuclear Navy since the USS Nautilus was launched. We Americans have acted like a bunch of sheeple with regards to nuclear energy generation. The US Navy has had well over 100 nuclear reactors in ships since the USS Nautilus. Nuclear Works.

5-- I have a long-standing proclivity for diesel vehicles not electric. Next car,, I think CNG and maybe in a few decades a truly satisfactory hybrid diesel/electric. Electric... maybe like the early 1900s electric trucks... only in cities, I don not foresee an electric traveling from Austin to El Paso on one charge any time in my lifetime.

READ, THINK, THEN REACT.
Rikiki

PS I support certain government projects especially the Interstate highway infrastructure, the TVA, BPA, and certainly government power infrastructure for power transmission lines. T. Boone has it mostly right in my opinion.

Grand Energy Debate Warms Up in Washington

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:51:07 -0400

Grand Energy Debate Warms Up in Washington

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 11:57:38 -0400

Folks, it is not just congress that impedes progress on the energy front by its foibles. Specifically, the congress wants above all to be reelected.. viewed as a great job by those there.

The voters, who constantly reelect these career politicians, want low prices for petro-fuel.... their immediate gratification requirements and hedonistic and profligate lifestyles demand it. (aside... what is the savings rate in the USA?...What is the average credit card and non mortgage debt per household/)

Clearly, to most knowledgeable economists and thinkers, the price of fuel must rise, either by shortages( natural or contrived) or by government intervention. Europe has adopted a high fuel tax (originally to support massive socialistic programmes) which has the additional effect of reducing consumption by causing the consumer to seek ways to maximize the fuel efficiency of vehicles and moderate petro based lifestyles (jet skis, riding lawnmowers, ATVs, long auto trips, truck frame based SUVs, second or third cars, etc...). Americans from government down to states, counties, cities are downright WASTEFUL of energy resources, particularly gasoline and diesel fuels and even electricity. It is the way we grew up in an era of cheap energy. People want to continue this wasteful lifestyle even knowing the longer term consequences are quite undesirable. American consumers by stubbornly demanding lower prices to support their accustomed lifestyles act like temperamental spoiled pre-teens.

Americans have got to look to more than their current consumption habits and think about what they will be leaving on this planet for their children and more future generation. The current generationS are clearly the "ME" generationS. They are selfishly hedonistic to the detriment of those who will follow. Until Americans have the will to vote for representatives who will look to the future and who will institute the necessary programmes providing realistic sources of new energy and for conservation of existing resources, we will be in a constant crisis mode with respect to energy and maybe even eating.

I cannot believe that most religions in the USA promote "helping your fellow man" (in church that is) and then proceed to squander their "God given" resources to the detriment of their children and future generations.

Get real people. People are selfish. Government must take action to
I. conserve energy resources (by raise the prices via taxation of petro-fuels relative to hydro, solar, wind, and geothermal)
II. Promote heavily the conservation of all energy resources by reducing waste. E.G. Penalize the big rig driver with big $ ticket if he lets his 2 gallon/hour run in the parking lot. Penalize all entities which read neighborhood meters from narrow ranging non-electric vehicles. There are literally thousands of little things that can radically reduce the use of petroleum and all resources.
III. Promote and build an infrastructure nationwide for recycling waste of all sorts. Many progressive cities and counties already have this is place.

Will today's generations vote for the type of individual who works for the future of America and not just for the current registered voter? Probably not. It will take a major war or 1973 style petroleum supply disruptions to even get serious about the programmes needed. Maybe when Americans must have a "victory garden" producing food to survive, the reality of conservation and alternative energies will find a "Mr. Smith goes to Washington" class of "public servant".

I have hope.Rikiki

No Matter Who's Elected, Alternative Energy Wins

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 10:22:33 -0400

Uncle Fred needs a longer memory. Both Republican and Democrat administrations have ignored energy sources since President Carter was blindsided by the huge petroleum spike (caused by some OPEC countries). All presidents and congresses since that time have elected to do nothing but bury heads in the sand. The current impetus vis a vis petroleum policy in Republican circles is "ENERGY INDEPENDENCE" and "DRILL, DRILL, DRILL,,,, here!" Democrat policy is still mired in a democrat controlled congress which has accomplished very little while it has the upper hand. All elected officials seem to loathe the only policy that has been proven to work. Raise the price of gasoline by adding more taxes to it. If the price resulting is high enough, there will be a mass exodus from large pickup trucks, SUVs and older fuel inefficient vehicles. The new petroleum stingy vehicles will be adopted.... We have 40+ years of European experience to prove it.
Liquid petroleum fuels are inelastic to a certain price point and starts to become more elastic above that. All we need is a congress with GUTS to do the right thing for the future of this country.
Rikiki

Is Steve Jobs Sick Again, or Just Thin?

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:49:09 -0400

Thin (lean) is better than (fat) obese. Has our FAT people culture changed how we think of thinner as abnormal? Fat people tend to get more bad illnesses and live shorter lives. Author should do some work on the treadmill and look in the mirror more often.

As any team manager, Jobs would be replaced with a likely surrogate from his team. NOTICE that I, as a former business owner, said TEAM. A sane business owner or leader is always is training (grooming)his successor(s). This grooming of the team also has a good side effect is that one can take a vacation now and then and leave the "trainee(s)" in charge of the operation.
Rikiki