America Will Never Run Out of Energy?

[imported_I, fuzzbot.]

the research and writings of Peter W. Huber are quite bizzare, no?

http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/huber.htm

Basically, he means this: 'We will never run out of energy in regards to fueling our economy and every day life style. It's a metaphoric bottomless well. We won't run out of resources. the federal reserve wouldn't want a devaluation of its property. most of our energy comes from coal, and we have at least a century of that shit just laying around in surplus.'

Untrue. In fact, so untrue that electric companies are forced to purchase coal they don't use through a national contract. And then they sell the coal back to the companies at a discount.

But whatever. Sure, you have a national surplus of energy. Which you afford to yourselves by invading Middle Eastern countries. What are they but little American states, anyways?

[KevinTheOmnivore]

Every time somebody announces that the world will run out of oil in 50 years, it seems like another surplus is discovered in some former Soviet bloc state.

Whether or not the resources are there, and if we will have access to them, seems to be the wrong discussion, IMO. I like Thomas Friedman's perspective, that if we took a turn towards being "geo greens," if we encouraged the perfection and development of alternative energy resources, we could hurt these Islamo-fascist nations where it hurts.

[Helm]

Because that's the point of everything?

[KevinTheOmnivore]

Decreasing our dependancy on foreign oil from monarchiesc and military dictators? Forcing said individuals to turn to their own people and treat them as their resource, yes, that's the point.

Saving the environment should be a priority, but untangling ourselves from these regimes (which brings us grief and criticism), hurting them economically, is essential if we truly want to see a more democratic world that doesn't need to be reformed at the barrel of a gun.

[AChimp]

It's a globalution! :picklehat

I like Friedman's (I think it was Friedman or I read it in something by him, anyways) idea about how, as a civilization advances, it begins to demand cleaner and cleaner surroundings. Kinda like how we don't live in our own shit anymore as opposed to the Middle Ages.

It's only natural that eventually we will switch away from oil. To warp plasma.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

I like Friedman's (I think it was Friedman or I read it in something by him, anyways) idea about how, as a civilization advances, it begins to demand cleaner and cleaner surroundings. Kinda like how we don't live in our own shit anymore as opposed to the Middle Ages.

Yeah, they demand that they send their waste off to other conutries and pay them to take it. :)

Don't get me wrong, I like Friedman, but he has such a fuzzy, warm opinion on globalization that it's enough to make you ill. He does have some good ideas, though. And he's a nice man.

[AChimp]

Yeah, they demand that they send their waste off to other conutries and pay them to take it. :)

Coconut trees. :lol

[kellychaos]

California is about to impose usage taxes on it's highways because they know that hybrid cars are a comin' and that they won't be able to earn so much revenue from fuel taxation in the future. Warm and fuzzy?

[KevinTheOmnivore]

http://www.setamericafree.org/

[El Blanco]

They don't make hybrid SUVs. Theytdried, but they can't get suitable horsepower. A good soccer mom wouldn't be caught dead in a Civic Hybrid.

Anyway, once again, Kevin is on the same side as me (happening a lot lately). Even if we do have infinite sources of fossil fuels, alternative sources will get us away from making deals with MidEast dictators and make a nice, clean enviroment.

[derrida]

blanco: you can mate a hybrid system to any engine you want to

[ziggytrix]

They don't make hybrid SUVs. Theytdried, but they can't get suitable horsepower.

You hear that guys? The Ford Escape and Toyota Highlander hybrids are FIGMENTS OF YOUR IMAGINATION!!! :eek

[El Blanco]

The Escape is not a fucking SUV. Not a true one. People buy SUVs for the size. The Escape has all the room of a fucking VW Beetle.

Even if the hybrid does make it to the streets by the end of the year (good luck with that)

What kind of performance will I get from the Escape Hybrid?

The Escape Hybrid performs with V6-like acceleration yet consumes much less fuel.

Ooooo. It might go like a full V-6. Color me unimpressed. I can buy a V-8 Camry, why the fuck would I want a vehicle meant to carry heavy loads with anything less than a V-8?

And Toyota is offering very little info on the hybrid Highlander. The only actual performance statistic they have one their site is 0-60 in 8 seconds. Not impressive.[/quote]

[Anonymous]

I agree, there are times when I have to go from 0-60 in well under that figure, and it'll really hurt my interstate drag racing record if I don't do my part in destroying the planet.

Yeah, anyway, the last I checked the entire point of getting a hybrid wasn't to set world speed records.

[El Blanco]

the 0-60 thing is to demonstrate horse power and torque, two things a SUV should have plenty of.

[Anonymous]

Wait, why would you make an SUV a hybrid? Isn't that sorta an oxymoron?

[davinxtk]

You get all the size and comfort of a tour bus while saving your soul from eternal damnation, Choji.


Americans (you included, Blanco) really really gotta get over the whole "performance" thing with a vehicle. If you drive a V8 that's not regularly towing something, you might as well pour gasoline down the drain. Trust me, it's a more immediately effective (and local!) way to destroy the environment.
Performance should be about driving coast to coast on enough gas that you could drink it and live.

[El Blanco]

Considering how I do haul construction tools and material around on weekends, power is an issue for me.

And as for comfort and room, I prefer my folks' Oddessy to my brother's Explorer. And the Oddessy gets killer gas mileage.

[derrida]

blanco- Chevy sells hybrid silverados with 5.5 liter v8's.
there's also a hybrid version of the lexus rx400

[Archduke Tips]

There is a program at my college called "Challenge X" in which they are designing a hybrid SUV for GM.

And just as an interesting note, this is one of the technical goals:
• Maintain or exceed consumer acceptability in the areas of performance, utility, and safety.