President Obama's Speech to Students

B

bombarde32

Audioholic
Obama is right about jumping on alternative energy as it will be the next great economic boom
I'm sorry - but that is absolutely incorrect. All predictions show fossil fuel usage (petroleum in particular) increasing for at least the next 20 years. The only question is whether or not we will continue efforts to clean it up.

Alternative energies (wind/solar/geothermal) will never become overly useful until the electrical grid is modified. You simply can't generate large volumes of power in one area and transmit it over the grid using existing technology.

The alternatives that will make some headway are nuclear power and fuel supply extenders like ethanol and biodiesel.
 
Rickster71

Rickster71

Audioholic Spartan
Let us remember, the republicans controlled all three branches from 2001-2006. They had an opportunity to really address and change many things, but instead they ended up taking a big ol' dump. Now they're having to live with it.
Since there's very little 'real' difference between Repubs & Dems.
The only people that "Have to live with it" (as you say.) are the 63% of the population that are paying the taxes.
Politicians of both stripes just sit back in total disbelief; at how easy it is to Fool Most of the People All of the Time.
 
R

redass

Junior Audioholic
Nice job of completely missing my point.

School isn't where people want their kids to learn core values- that's the parents' job. School is, theoretically, for teaching kids to think (hopefully critically), reason, socialize and the three Rs, among others.

If you go back and read it again, I was referring to the youngest kids, not the ones who can think a bit for themselves.
I didn't miss the point at all. In fact, I directly addressed the point by pointing out that you use the same reasoning some people use when they don't want their kids reading "evil" things like The Catcher in The Rye or Huck Finn. Don't want kids learning their core values from those types; it's the same exact mindset where anything anybody is exposed to turns into a "core value" learning session, especially when it doesn't fit in the teeny tiny acceptability box.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
I didn't miss the point at all. In fact, I directly addressed the point by pointing out that you use the same reasoning some people use when they don't want their kids reading "evil" things like The Catcher in The Rye or Huck Finn. Don't want kids learning their core values from those types; it's the same exact mindset where anything anybody is exposed to turns into a "core value" learning session, especially when it doesn't fit in the teeny tiny acceptability box.
My point was that not all people will see any teaching method as what they want for their kids. Extreme liberals often don't want anything to do with God in public buildings. They act as if it was put there specifically to offend them. Extreme conservatives don't want to give handouts to people who could be working, but won't. Parents have the right to teach the core values they see fit, to their kids. It's not up to the school systems to try to teach one set of values, but depending on where you look, you won't usually see an unbiased curriculum. Public schools tend to be on the liberal side and with the teacher's union being as strong as it is, that's not surprising.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
I'm sorry - but that is absolutely incorrect. All predictions show fossil fuel usage (petroleum in particular) increasing for at least the next 20 years. The only question is whether or not we will continue efforts to clean it up.

Alternative energies (wind/solar/geothermal) will never become overly useful until the electrical grid is modified. You simply can't generate large volumes of power in one area and transmit it over the grid using existing technology.

The alternatives that will make some headway are nuclear power and fuel supply extenders like ethanol and biodiesel.
As a gasoline additive, ethanol is a losing proposition. It costs more to produce than its selling price, it drives the price of feed corn up and in some applications, it causes major problems with fuel quality because in a vented tank, it absorbs water from the air. Some fuel filters won't pass water molecules and when the filter is clogged, the pump dies. This is a huge problem in the marine industry and has been for about 10 years. Also, gas is still the better when it comes to BTU/lb, although ethanol has a higher octane rating than gas, so it's often used to boost the rating of the blend.
 
J

just listening

Audioholic
I'm sorry - but that is absolutely incorrect. All predictions show fossil fuel usage (petroleum in particular) increasing for at least the next 20 years. The only question is whether or not we will continue efforts to clean it up.

Alternative energies (wind/solar/geothermal) will never become overly useful until the electrical grid is modified. You simply can't generate large volumes of power in one area and transmit it over the grid using existing technology.

The alternatives that will make some headway are nuclear power and fuel supply extenders like ethanol and biodiesel.
You've respectfully way overstepped. Fossil fuel usage will go up, but the reason why is the geometric increase by China and India. The fear of oil as an economic weapon capable of destroying economies is forcing post-industrial and industrial countries that import oil to move quickly into alternative choices.

Here in the USA, natural gas usage is climbing upward due to new power plants using it as a "clean" energy alternative. The downside is that these plants eat up huge sums of NG, forcing prices up on homeowners who heat with NG. I, personally, would like to see clean coal, nuclear, or a wide variety of alternative energy instead of NG. lets leave that gas for heating our homes and powering certain specific industries.

You mention ethanol, which is, in fact horribly inefficient, requiring more energy to make than what it saves. Its usage increases costs of food products that use its crops. the oil price run up last year caused food shortages in third-world countries as farmers took the higher sales price of selling to ethanol makers than food wholesalers.

I'll agree that an upgrade to a smart grid would improve the efficiency of alternative energy. But the fact is that various forms of alternative energy are being used in large scale energy generation projects. Take a drive across Interstate 80 from Wyoming west and you will see several successful/profitable wind farms. In addition, new farms are being built on the east side of the Columbia Gorge in both Washington and Oregon. It also should be noted that many farmers who sit close to a major electrical grid on the Great Plains, have set up large windmills to generate additional income.

Obviously, wind has its shortcomings. It's reliant on nature and daylight (most of the time) to generate energy. But as a secondary or tertiary energy source it's a very worthy investment. Just ask XCel or read their investors reports.

Tidal wave energy has a huge upside. The Netherlands and Sweden are investing heavily in its potential. In the USA, Oregon St. University is leading the study in various energy collection methods.

Solar energy as seen by by the energy industry has always struggled to get off the ground. I am in the camp that believes the industry has been barking up the wrong tree. They should be partnering with commercial property owners to develop rooftop farms in large and small industrial properties. No environmental impact statements, massive legal fees, and years of delay. These mini to mid size solar farms have an excellent chance of being a financial windfall. The jobs generated by such large-scale deployment are permanent. Of course the technology is off-the-shelf.

On the residential side, solar shingles (1.03 million Google hits) could become part of new building opportunities. They are currently being tried out with positive results in various parts of the country in new green housing developments.

The point to be made is that our electrical needs will continue to grow. By smart investment this country can create hundreds of thousands of jobs around alternative energy, even while we increase nuclear power (the trick is getting Yucca Mountain open).

Finally, algae has huge potential, especially since it can be grown vertically indoors in tubes. Think of all the empty factories in the rust belt that could be converted. Not to mention the ample water supplies. Studies have already found a handful of strains that have viable capability of producing refinery quality oil. I'm all for getting anything that gets us off of arab oil.
 
mtrycrafts

mtrycrafts

Seriously, I have no life.
B

bombarde32

Audioholic
As a gasoline additive, ethanol is a losing proposition. It costs more to produce than its selling price, it drives the price of feed corn up and in some applications, it causes major problems with fuel quality because in a vented tank, it absorbs water from the air. Some fuel filters won't pass water molecules and when the filter is clogged, the pump dies. This is a huge problem in the marine industry and has been for about 10 years. Also, gas is still the better when it comes to BTU/lb, although ethanol has a higher octane rating than gas, so it's often used to boost the rating of the blend.
Amen to all of that! Of course those inconvenient truths haven't - and won't - stop Congress from using it. And in a couple years their mandated blending volumes will actually push the blend past what non E-85 cars are able to handle. Kind of hope they fix that one before my engine goes bye-bye!
 

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