Along with John's points, my question is what good will that do? Do you think the oil companies that have been profiteering on every little thing that happens with regard to oil are gonna lower the prices if we do? Come on now thats just not a realistic expectation.
No-don't start using reserves.Start by allowing more fuel efficient vehicles.Go to Europe-how much is gas/diesel over there-anywhere between $6-$9 U.S. dollars per gallon-and look at ALL the diesel vehicles you can get over there-pretty much EVERY car U.S.car manufacturer has diesel cars in every country BUT the U.S.-but we Americans have the EPA,and make that basically impossible.The drivers in U.S "have" to have the SUV's and big gas hungry vehicles,then piss and moan when gas gets to $4-$5 gallon. I have a vehicle that gets no LESS than 40 mpg,no matter when and how I drive it. The oil companies WILL make money hand over fist-and shock face here-they will report record profits when the next quarter ends and they announce their earnings. $4 is a given now,it's a matter of time when we hit $5.The ONLY people I feel sorry for when the fuel gets this high-are the truckers and farmers-which will eventually bite us in the ass,as all items we as consumers purchase will start to increase in price even more(it's already started).....
I like the idea of using the funds raised to kick start alternative energy ideas, and we could pay down some of our debt, every little bit helps just like adding an extra 10 bucks to your credit card payment. I also noted that we are not running short in the US, the price is going up because the Europeans are running short. Ain't globalism great?
John, there's 727 million barrels in reserve, if we sell 100 million at 100 bucks a barrel, that's 10 billion dollars,(I think) then we buy it back when the price falls. Or not, which would be my suggestion.
This issue, like most, is a two edged sword.
We can use the reserve with the understanding that it be replaced when the price goes down (fat chance of that happening anytime soon).
We can not use the reserve, but drill for shale oil, but the environmental problems with that are already well documented. Besides, it takes approximately 4 barrels of water to produce 1 barrel of oil. If you think the farmers will be hurt with the price of fuel, imagine what it will do to farmers who live in states where water is already at a premium and it is diverted to drill for oil?
We can, as suggested, stop being gas hogs. However, to replace every existing vehicle with a more fuel efficient model will take quite a bit of time.
There are alternative fuel vehicles on the market and in development. If the public will accept them as the wave of the future is still up in the air.
There is no clear yes or no answer to this. Politicians, from both sides of the aisle, weigh in and chose whichever side they find most convenient at the time.
In the meantime, while we fiddle and search for solutions, our fuel is burning and we are paying.
I believe there is a clear answer, Bea. We have to wean ourselves off of petro. Sure, it's going to take a while. Confucious say" "every journey begins with one small step" If they can make efficient vehicles affordable, more people will buy them (ie: sell oil reserves and use money for tax incentives) then consumption will decline, and oil prices will go down. I don't believe Amercans are gas hogs just because, I believe it's by design because alternatives are stifled.
Dave,
Let's take it a step further.
Develop a REAL passenger train system from one end of the country to the other.
Make it attractive and cost efficient to travel on high speed rail from major city to another and make it convenient to connect smaller cities with the high speed rail.
We ARE gas hogs by design.
The rail system was destroyed by the automotive industry.
Now it's time to bring it back.
Sometimes it is better to go backwards to push forward.
Bea,
Rail transportation is good, but most people will not really use it. Take our area as an example. You live in Batavia and work in Williamsville or Greece. Rail is just not going to help you with your day to day life. Rail is not going to get me to Oakfield or LeRoy
Smaller cars that are more fuel efficient will help. Electric sounds good, but the power grid needs to be expanded to really take advantage of that on a large scale, and how do you fuel the new power plants?
We seem to hate wind power around here, so there goes one alternative (and they are ugly).
And we know what happens when you suggest nuclear power plants, like they have in Europe and Asia.
And even if we did everything you suggest, the time lag is decades. What do you suggest in the interm?
ANWaR needs to be opened up. Allow Atlantic and Pacific coast drilling. Reinstate and expand drilling in the gulf. New drilling techniques being used in N. Dakota, California, Colorado, and Texas will be producing as much as the gulf by 2015. Reinvest in nuclear. Natural gas.
All are viable solutions to be used until technology is advanced to the point of being economically feasible.
Ethanol is a major bust. More energy goes into producing it than it saves, mileage goes down, and it is the single most contributing factor in skyrocketing food costs. The industry is not even viable without MAJOR underwriting with our tax dollars.
We've reached a point that our dependence on mid-east and other oil exporting nations run by nut cases that they could bring America to it's knees by simply shutting down our supply. Do you think that isn't the single greatest threat to our national security?
These ideas are controversial, granted. I personally believe them to be MUCH more viable than any of the government mandated "alternatives" being force fed to us to date. Even the curly fry light bulb is a farce. More efficient? Yes. Drop one and you have a HazMat situation!
I drive a gas guzzling Dodge Ram 4WD, and not just because I want to. I pull a horse trailer, haul hay, etc. Should we be forced to give up our horses out of environmental concerns? "Pursuit of happiness" comes to mind.
$5.00/ gallon gas is appalling, but inevitable as long as we remain blind to safely utilizing the resources we already have.
This guy was all the rage in 2008. I think he's right about Natural Gas, wind and solar power. Build the bridge, a step at a time.
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Bob, it is the farmers in N. Dakota (considered one of the most arid of the plain states) that are suffering the effects of the drilling there. That four barrels of water for every barrel of oil is causing a hardship for them.
Just as you don't want to give up your horses, they don't want to give up their farms for oil.
I'm not disputing any of the comments here.
We all can see the issue and we all know the obvious answers. How we arrive at that answer is the problem.
By the way, John, I love the big windmills and don't find them ugly at all.
Any alternative is going to take time.
High speed rail would certainly take time to develop. Connecting the smaller cities and towns would take time, but it can be done (it is already done further east where you can take a commuter from one small town to another).
Open up the reserves just long enough to stabilize the oil market, get the price down and start drilling domestically immediately so you can replace the strategic supply. Start issuing more offshore permits and get real about getting off imported oil
It really pains me to say the following words, but....I agree with "Liberal Bea" (it rhymes too) :)
The high speed rail thing i believe is a GREAT idea, and one that i believe would be supported as long as ticket prices arent crazy expensive. These already exist in other country's and are very well received by thier citizens. Even though i like flying, i would really like to see a real alternative that would give the airlines some competition. I dont like that they are the "only game in town" to get people from point A to point B in a very timely fashion.
There are many people who want to travel and see the states but are either scared to death of flying or dont want to get molested by airport security :)
Grab your sledgehammer Bea, and meet me on the outskirts of town, we should start laying down track ASAP.
Bea, i did some research on oil drilling in N. Dakota and its affects on farmers and the water table. There was an overwhelming amount of information from many resources in favor of the drilling including the North Dakota Farmers Union. The only descenting views I came across were from NY Times and left leaning websites. Even NPR published an article favorable to the economic boom without mentioning anything about a water crisis. Could this be a manufactured crisis?
The idea of Rail is a great one. As for the practicality of it....there is a program called carshare. When I moved from ithaca it was in it's 3rd year locally. very practical, for about 30/a month you had access to a common vehicle(s) parked at many locations around town. You could either pay a higher membership fee or pay about 30 to 90 cents a mile. Was very popular and prcatical as if you use it as a main means of transportation you would have no insurance to pay the gas is paid for on a card tied to the vehicle. google the carshare program. It's not as convenient as having your own vehicle but if combined with rail could really help with this.....
Oh also on the nuclear power issue (something I always scratched my head about) Even environmentalists have admitted they screwed up fighting it. Nuclear power has been proven to be safer than the paranoid people used to think. I mean come on they power ships and subs with them now..... very little accidents.
Also, Kyle since the Chernobyl accident in 1986(loosely regulated Soviet plant) there have been 2(two) fatalies at Nuclear plants worldwide in the 25 years since.
I have to disagree with you on allowing "more" oil drilling on the pacific coast.
I remember when I would go to seal beach, bolsa chica, huntington beach and sunset beach when I was growing up I can remember seeing maybe one or two oil rigs far off coast in the distance. The last time I was in so cal was back in 2008 and I remeber driving down the coast and this time there were oil platforms that were not very far off the coast anymore and their numbers had multiplied.
People think that wind power is ugly, well oil rigs off the coast make wind towers look like works of art.
If you vote yes, then what do
If you vote yes, then what do you do when the reserve is down and prices still go up?
The original intent of the reserve was as a back up in time of war, another embargo or things like that.
Along with John's points, my
Along with John's points, my question is what good will that do? Do you think the oil companies that have been profiteering on every little thing that happens with regard to oil are gonna lower the prices if we do? Come on now thats just not a realistic expectation.
No-don't start using
No-don't start using reserves.Start by allowing more fuel efficient vehicles.Go to Europe-how much is gas/diesel over there-anywhere between $6-$9 U.S. dollars per gallon-and look at ALL the diesel vehicles you can get over there-pretty much EVERY car U.S.car manufacturer has diesel cars in every country BUT the U.S.-but we Americans have the EPA,and make that basically impossible.The drivers in U.S "have" to have the SUV's and big gas hungry vehicles,then piss and moan when gas gets to $4-$5 gallon. I have a vehicle that gets no LESS than 40 mpg,no matter when and how I drive it. The oil companies WILL make money hand over fist-and shock face here-they will report record profits when the next quarter ends and they announce their earnings. $4 is a given now,it's a matter of time when we hit $5.The ONLY people I feel sorry for when the fuel gets this high-are the truckers and farmers-which will eventually bite us in the ass,as all items we as consumers purchase will start to increase in price even more(it's already started).....
I like the idea of using the
I like the idea of using the funds raised to kick start alternative energy ideas, and we could pay down some of our debt, every little bit helps just like adding an extra 10 bucks to your credit card payment. I also noted that we are not running short in the US, the price is going up because the Europeans are running short. Ain't globalism great?
John, there's 727 million barrels in reserve, if we sell 100 million at 100 bucks a barrel, that's 10 billion dollars,(I think) then we buy it back when the price falls. Or not, which would be my suggestion.
This issue, like most, is a
This issue, like most, is a two edged sword.
We can use the reserve with the understanding that it be replaced when the price goes down (fat chance of that happening anytime soon).
We can not use the reserve, but drill for shale oil, but the environmental problems with that are already well documented. Besides, it takes approximately 4 barrels of water to produce 1 barrel of oil. If you think the farmers will be hurt with the price of fuel, imagine what it will do to farmers who live in states where water is already at a premium and it is diverted to drill for oil?
We can, as suggested, stop being gas hogs. However, to replace every existing vehicle with a more fuel efficient model will take quite a bit of time.
There are alternative fuel vehicles on the market and in development. If the public will accept them as the wave of the future is still up in the air.
There is no clear yes or no answer to this. Politicians, from both sides of the aisle, weigh in and chose whichever side they find most convenient at the time.
In the meantime, while we fiddle and search for solutions, our fuel is burning and we are paying.
I believe there is a clear
I believe there is a clear answer, Bea. We have to wean ourselves off of petro. Sure, it's going to take a while. Confucious say" "every journey begins with one small step" If they can make efficient vehicles affordable, more people will buy them (ie: sell oil reserves and use money for tax incentives) then consumption will decline, and oil prices will go down. I don't believe Amercans are gas hogs just because, I believe it's by design because alternatives are stifled.
Dave, Let's take it a step
Dave,
Let's take it a step further.
Develop a REAL passenger train system from one end of the country to the other.
Make it attractive and cost efficient to travel on high speed rail from major city to another and make it convenient to connect smaller cities with the high speed rail.
We ARE gas hogs by design.
The rail system was destroyed by the automotive industry.
Now it's time to bring it back.
Sometimes it is better to go backwards to push forward.
Bea, Rail transportation is
Bea,
Rail transportation is good, but most people will not really use it. Take our area as an example. You live in Batavia and work in Williamsville or Greece. Rail is just not going to help you with your day to day life. Rail is not going to get me to Oakfield or LeRoy
Smaller cars that are more fuel efficient will help. Electric sounds good, but the power grid needs to be expanded to really take advantage of that on a large scale, and how do you fuel the new power plants?
We seem to hate wind power around here, so there goes one alternative (and they are ugly).
And we know what happens when you suggest nuclear power plants, like they have in Europe and Asia.
And even if we did everything you suggest, the time lag is decades. What do you suggest in the interm?
ANWaR needs to be opened up.
ANWaR needs to be opened up. Allow Atlantic and Pacific coast drilling. Reinstate and expand drilling in the gulf. New drilling techniques being used in N. Dakota, California, Colorado, and Texas will be producing as much as the gulf by 2015. Reinvest in nuclear. Natural gas.
All are viable solutions to be used until technology is advanced to the point of being economically feasible.
Ethanol is a major bust. More energy goes into producing it than it saves, mileage goes down, and it is the single most contributing factor in skyrocketing food costs. The industry is not even viable without MAJOR underwriting with our tax dollars.
We've reached a point that our dependence on mid-east and other oil exporting nations run by nut cases that they could bring America to it's knees by simply shutting down our supply. Do you think that isn't the single greatest threat to our national security?
These ideas are controversial, granted. I personally believe them to be MUCH more viable than any of the government mandated "alternatives" being force fed to us to date. Even the curly fry light bulb is a farce. More efficient? Yes. Drop one and you have a HazMat situation!
I drive a gas guzzling Dodge Ram 4WD, and not just because I want to. I pull a horse trailer, haul hay, etc. Should we be forced to give up our horses out of environmental concerns? "Pursuit of happiness" comes to mind.
$5.00/ gallon gas is appalling, but inevitable as long as we remain blind to safely utilizing the resources we already have.
This guy was all the rage in
This guy was all the rage in 2008. I think he's right about Natural Gas, wind and solar power. Build the bridge, a step at a time.
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Bob, it is the farmers in N.
Bob, it is the farmers in N. Dakota (considered one of the most arid of the plain states) that are suffering the effects of the drilling there. That four barrels of water for every barrel of oil is causing a hardship for them.
Just as you don't want to give up your horses, they don't want to give up their farms for oil.
I'm not disputing any of the comments here.
We all can see the issue and we all know the obvious answers. How we arrive at that answer is the problem.
By the way, John, I love the big windmills and don't find them ugly at all.
Any alternative is going to take time.
High speed rail would certainly take time to develop. Connecting the smaller cities and towns would take time, but it can be done (it is already done further east where you can take a commuter from one small town to another).
Open up the reserves just
Open up the reserves just long enough to stabilize the oil market, get the price down and start drilling domestically immediately so you can replace the strategic supply. Start issuing more offshore permits and get real about getting off imported oil
It really pains me to say the
It really pains me to say the following words, but....I agree with "Liberal Bea" (it rhymes too) :)
The high speed rail thing i believe is a GREAT idea, and one that i believe would be supported as long as ticket prices arent crazy expensive. These already exist in other country's and are very well received by thier citizens. Even though i like flying, i would really like to see a real alternative that would give the airlines some competition. I dont like that they are the "only game in town" to get people from point A to point B in a very timely fashion.
There are many people who want to travel and see the states but are either scared to death of flying or dont want to get molested by airport security :)
Grab your sledgehammer Bea, and meet me on the outskirts of town, we should start laying down track ASAP.
Drain it and buy a bicycle.
Drain it and buy a bicycle.
Bea, i did some research on
Bea, i did some research on oil drilling in N. Dakota and its affects on farmers and the water table. There was an overwhelming amount of information from many resources in favor of the drilling including the North Dakota Farmers Union. The only descenting views I came across were from NY Times and left leaning websites. Even NPR published an article favorable to the economic boom without mentioning anything about a water crisis. Could this be a manufactured crisis?
The idea of Rail is a great
The idea of Rail is a great one. As for the practicality of it....there is a program called carshare. When I moved from ithaca it was in it's 3rd year locally. very practical, for about 30/a month you had access to a common vehicle(s) parked at many locations around town. You could either pay a higher membership fee or pay about 30 to 90 cents a mile. Was very popular and prcatical as if you use it as a main means of transportation you would have no insurance to pay the gas is paid for on a card tied to the vehicle. google the carshare program. It's not as convenient as having your own vehicle but if combined with rail could really help with this.....
Oh also on the nuclear power
Oh also on the nuclear power issue (something I always scratched my head about) Even environmentalists have admitted they screwed up fighting it. Nuclear power has been proven to be safer than the paranoid people used to think. I mean come on they power ships and subs with them now..... very little accidents.
Also, Kyle since the
Also, Kyle since the Chernobyl accident in 1986(loosely regulated Soviet plant) there have been 2(two) fatalies at Nuclear plants worldwide in the 25 years since.
Bob, I have to disagree
Bob,
I have to disagree with you on allowing "more" oil drilling on the pacific coast.
I remember when I would go to seal beach, bolsa chica, huntington beach and sunset beach when I was growing up I can remember seeing maybe one or two oil rigs far off coast in the distance. The last time I was in so cal was back in 2008 and I remeber driving down the coast and this time there were oil platforms that were not very far off the coast anymore and their numbers had multiplied.
People think that wind power is ugly, well oil rigs off the coast make wind towers look like works of art.