Alt fuels was Re: [AT] Gasoline $

[John Wilkens]

Well, with Pres. Bush pushing for nuclear maybe some of those roadblocks 
and lawsuits will disappear.  I hear France gets over 75% of its electrical 
energy from uranium now...with the Chinese making big plans for many new 
reactors.  We'd better be getting on the bandwagon!   John



At 07:31 AM 08/11/2005, you wrote:
>         There is a lot more to this energy business than you see
>at first glance. Personally, I think the answer is that there is
>no answer to it.
>
>         In the world, we are burning oil now almost as fast as we
>can get it out of the ground and refine it. More and larger refineries
>are not the answer because we will be out of fuel before they can be
>built. Conservation is not the answer because there are too many
>countries involved and no one wants to be the one who stops using so
>much fuel. We all want more and more. Drilling is one way but not the
>answer because supplies are getting to be more and more limited and
>this situation will be worse instead of better. Coal is not the answer
>because burning coal will raise the emission levels out of sight and
>there will be hell to pay. Same for burning wood. Windmills and solar
>power are only good in certain areas and are not the answer either.
>Nuclear energy is a possible but the process to get the permits
>and permissions is so complicated and fraught with lawsuits and
>roadblocks that we will be out of fuel before nuclear power plants
>can be built. Growing some corn to make alcohol fuel is only a partial
>answer as we could not possibly grow enough corn to do more than make
>a dent in the supply chain unless we quit growing corn for human and
>animal food altogether which is a joke.
>
>         One thing is such a shame that it has bothered me for years.
>At one time we had the finest railroad system in the world and we have
>allowed it to be almost totally dismantled except for mainline freight
>and high speed rail commuter networks. Instead of one or two locomotives
>pulling 150 cars of freight, we now have 150 trucks, each with it's own
>diesel engine, pulling one truck apiece. INHO, a needless and senseless
>waste of fuel. Yes, we need trucks for local delivery but not the large
>over the road trucks we have today on our Interstate highways. Much of
>our fuel cost is in the form of taxes to pay for repair and maintenance
>of the superhighways necessary to support all these trucks. Yes, I know
>they also pay extra taxes but I am basically talking about using fuel
>here and not about cost.
>
>         We have gone from a nation that was populated with people who
>went ahead and built the greatest free nation in the world to one full
>of people who protest anything anyone else wants to do. We cannot agree
>on anything these days, it seems. One nice thing about it, all those
>who fight any effort to fix the problem will be in it up to their necks
>along with the rest of us. When that time comes, all you will hear is
>whining and complaining that none of us did anything about it. I say
>get ready for it because is is coming. It is not a prediction of doom
>and gloom but a realistic look into the future.
>
>         Do whatever you can to make yourselves self sufficient and not
>dependent on others for things that you need. Especially food and fuel
>if you can. Just remember that when the tanks run dry and the diesel
>fuel is not there for all those big trucks, millions of people will not
>be able to find food to feed themselves at the corner stores. They will
>also not be able to get warm in the winter or cool in the summer. For
>some it may be as minor a matter as not being able to go to Disney on
>vacation that year but for others a matter of life or death.
>
>         As to fuel prices, I think the rise in price is just starting.
>China is building cars and trucks faster than we are at the moment and
>needs them. They are going to be one of the largest consumers of fuel
>in the world, if not the largest by far - but only for as long as it
>lasts. China will go back to walking where they want to go and carrying
>produce on their heads in baskets if necessary but I doubt it would ever
>work out for us. Prices will rise considerably according to supply and
>demand which is the system we use in the world today. I don't look for
>them to come down at all as there is no extra supply to cut prices on.
>So, they can only go up and that is what will happen. Maybe rationing
>will help, and you can be sure it will be on the agenda before too long,
>but I doubt it.
>
>         Who knows, maybe small one family farms will make a comeback
>some day........
>
>Cecil
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                    In the wide-open spaces of NE Oregon