Dave Heil wrote:
wrote:
K4YZ wrote:
wrote:
K4YZ wrote:
"THOSE" cars have been pretty much standard for 20 years now...
Yet they still burn gasoline and other petroleum based fuels. The fleet
mileage standards are not improving. The USA imports much more energy
(almost all of it in the form of oil and natural gas) than in the
1970s.
My mileage standards are doing fine. I'm on my third Dodge Neon. The 2
liter engine delivers about 33 mpg on the highway. I'm tall but I have
4 or 5 inches of space between the top of my head and the roof of the car.
Yes, the U.S.A. imports more oil than it produces. It looks as if we
*do* have an energy policy and part of it seems to be, "Let's use theirs
before we use ours".
Well, if that is our game plan, we better have enough reserves to fight
most of the world off. Otherwise it is dangerous brinkmanship.
Why isn't there a massive program to solve our energy problems? The
White House has been in the hands of a former oilman for more than half
a decade now. You'd think there's be some understanding of what needs
to be done for the future, but where's the leadership?
Well, we aren't going to be driving electrics because of limited range.
The hybrids are quite expensive. The hydrogen-powered car won't be
viable until we can produce hydrogen cheaply.
I really doubt that H is going to ever be a valid fuel.
What kind of leadership
would you like to see?
I would like to see some leadership realizing that driving single digit
fuel millage SUV's is an unpatriotic act, that building under insulated
McMansions that take immense amounts of energy to heat is an unpatriotic
act. The way we are with oil and gas in recent times reminds me of the
legendary lighting of cigars with 100 dollar bills. In yo' face
consumption...
I think that one critical lesson that should be gleaned from these two
hurricanes this summer is that we are incredibly vulnerable in a few
important areas. under the right circumstances, losing that much oil and
gas production could be a near fatal blow.
I say the best thing to do now is to *not* rebuild the parts of NO that
are below sea level. Salvage what can be saved, and move away.
Will Our President exhibit leadership and say that's what should be
done? Or will he make exorbitant promises, pouring much more money into
rebuilding than it would take to relocate?
Do you really think that the POTUS has the clout to declare that NOLA
won't be rebuilt?
Nope. New Orleans will be rebuilt, and will be rebuilt again, and
perhaps a third or forth time, until it slips beneath the waves for good.
- Mike KB3EIA -