RollingStone has a great article called Ethanol Scam: Ethanol Hurts the Environment And Is One of America’s Biggest Political Boondoggles. If you aren’t familiar with the subject, this article is a great introduction. This is not just hype — it’s dangerous, delusional bullshit. Ethanol doesn’t burn cleaner than gasoline, nor is it cheaper. Our current …
Tag Archives: economics
Messed up priorities
The USA is facing higher bills, and potential shortfalls for our energy use. Bush has committed a lot of our tax dollars towards ‘alternative’ energy sources – mostly coal [stop-gap and dirty], hydrogen [not really a source], and nuclear [expensive]. But there are two things that can have a huge impact on energy prices. These …
It seems giant balloons didn’t do the trick
Anna and I have received several invitations to parties with free booze and food. Phone calls, emails, coupons, and trinkets in the mail. We are being courted. The gravy train that was so enviable these last 5 years is starting to grind to a halt. Fighting over scraps, cards are offered at the slightest provocation. …
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Packet caste system
Last year there was some debate over the possibility of two-tier internet, as a number of different ISPs wanted to charge sites for performance. This was more than a foolish money grab. It was the first shot in an attack on the very neutrality that has made the internet so successful. Fast forward to today. …
Energy concerns
So Bush has finally admitted the US is addicted to cheap oil. He made some statements in his address to the nation: – Coal. $281 million to develop clean coal technologies “to generate electricity while meeting environmental regulations at low cost.” And $54 million for a “FutureGen” project with the private sector to seek “an …