dagblog - Comments for "America’s pathological denial of reality "

If these soon-to-be-depleted

PeraclesPlease — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 22:55:22 +0000

If these soon-to-be-depleted oil fields (where have we heard that before?) get us through the next 15-20 years, the electric car industry and the renewables (solar-wind-possibly liquid thorium, etc.) will have us well on our way to needed energy independence and lowered CO2 output.

Funny you can talk about dangers from relying on Mideast oil, but then electric cars are only for Liberals? ironic, eh? Or just counterintuitive?

Saudi Arabia keeps pumping out oil despite the US-led shale glut - perhaps out of spite for other Mideast producers, or to punish Russia. US shale-based production will slow until prices justify producing more - win-win.

In any case, electric vehicles are also much more efficient than internal combustion engines, the ability to scrub emissions at a power plant is greater than scrubbing individual cars, and the delivery of that electricity is less wasteful than tankers lugging gas around the world (especially as energy grids get next generation upgrades).

Expect 10 million/year electric sales by 2030 - that should shake up the oil market pretty well, no? The UK estimates 85% of its energy will be from renewables by 2030. 15 pretty short years.

Don't panic, be happy...

The number of electric

Peter — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 21:25:38 +0000

In reply to You're behind the times -

The number of electric vehicles in the US reached 1 Million this year and is growing but the US population depends on the other 244 Million liquid fueled vehicles for over 99% of our transportation needs. Today private electric vehicles are little more than Green status symbols for affluent Liberals many of them actually powered by coal or Nukes.

The dramatic increase in US oil production from tight-oil fields will be short lived they are depleted much more rapidly than conventional oil fields and the Saudis are still producing 10 Million barrels a day to fuel Western civilization and the rising Chinese demand.

You're behind the times -

PeraclesPlease — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 20:23:43 +0000

In reply to Interesting concept

You're behind the times - thanks to fracking especially, our oil imports dropped by 45% Y-on-Y, and Saudi Arabia's share dropped from 17% to 11%, or only $7 billion.

Steadily growing renewables & the ability to substitute any energy-base for electric cars over gas will continue to shift need for oil downward.

(No subject)

PeraclesPlease — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 20:08:20 +0000

In reply to PeraclesPlease, all this is

I think Trump and the GOP are more dangerous than any Muslim threat in America.

My kids are more likely to die or suffer from some bullshit policy of his - whether firing up more stupid massively-bloody wars, or simply the mass of shootings from dumb, overly-confident and deluded assholes like him who think easy access to and carrying around loaded weapons improves safety when we've known the exact opposite ever since Tombstone, and certainly have witnessed this year.

Interesting concept

Peter — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 18:35:52 +0000

In reply to Macho? It's probably a lot

Interesting concept 'upgrading our energy supply', what new techno wonder will replace the nearly 2 Billion barrels of crude oil we import every year, much of it from the KSA and Iraq, to supply our economy's liquid fuel needs?

Even the so called Green technologies will require massive amounts of oil and other fossil fuels to build and at the rapid rate they are being deployed they will only supply enough new power to meet the increase in demand for additional power over and above what we already use produced from coal, gas and other sources. None of these new sources of electricity will actually reduce the need for oil as a fuel for many many decades until electric vehicles become predominant.

The Islamic State conquering the MENA, establishing the caliphate and cutting off much of the West's supply of their oil is probably the only way to, mitigate the damages of Global Warming, but it may already be too late as the climate is changing much more rapidly than forecasted.

The best way to defend

rmrd0000 — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 16:25:09 +0000

In reply to PeraclesPlease, all this is

The best way to defend ourselves against fanatics is to identify the fanatics. Identifying what "radicalizes" the fanatics is what is needed. Dog-whistles that end up with arson at Mosques and attacks on random Muslims is dangerous. The GOP is offering dog-whistles and direct dog-barking that target Muslims. When we look for ways to address the small number of fanatics, Conservatives and Republicans have nothing to offer but fear.

Let's just replace the word

tmccarthy0 — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 15:09:42 +0000

In reply to PeraclesPlease, all this is

Let's just replace the word Muslim with Christian.

So wha if the vast majority of Christians are not involved in violent jihad. That still leaves tens of thousands who are. Do you expect us simply to ignore them?

Because the vast majority of violent acts in America are committed by people who refer to themselves as Christians. So what you wrote up there is just some idiotic bullshit. San Bernadino is the exception to the rule of mass murderers in America. Seriously, why on earth should I be scared of Islamic extremists when the real danger in America is my drunken next door neighbor with his arsenal? Seriously, prove me wrong.

PeraclesPlease, all this is

Lurker — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 14:50:02 +0000

In reply to I recall writing a Libyan

PeraclesPlease, all this is interesting and unobjectionable, but... so what? So what if the vast majority of Muslims are not involved in violent jihad? That still leaves tens of thousands who are. Do you expect us simply to ignore them?

Despite what militant feminists may think, most men are not rapists. Does that mean we should abandon security checks of men who apply to be teachers in girls' schools or guards in womens' prisons?

Most gun owners are not murderers. Yet how many Dagbloggers would favour unrestricted access to firearms?

Noone (except, perhaps, Trump) thinks all Muslims are dangerous. But some certainly are, and we need to defend ourselves against them.

Slipping in the bathtub is

PeraclesPlease — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 08:33:05 +0000

In reply to I guess we can quibble over

Slipping in the bathtub is largely under your control.

Getting shot at an event or cafe by a crazy with a gun is largely unpredictable to you.

Yes, I changed "that we over

ocean-kat — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 04:20:53 +0000

In reply to While I agree with your

Yes, I changed "that we over react" because I meant "If we over react" since we have not yet seriously over reacted during Obama's presidency. He really is even minded and steady as a president. It's one of his strengths imo. Sorry, I'm usually careful about that but I did it immediately and didn't expect a reply so quickly.

I agree it's much more complicated. I have many of the same questions. I'm more of an observer of government's actions rather than one who comes up with detailed plans that I think might have better outcomes. I critique around the edges and suggest minor changes. No one with power would make the radical changes I'd propose anyway so I avoid getting too hypothetical and writing fiction.