The Off Topic Topic

[The Minsky Moment]

That may happen in the US, Canada, and Europe in the not to distant future, but I think we are still going to have a shitload of gasoline powered cars operating in the world in 40-50 years. To keep things in perspective, I think that most people live in countries where significant parts of them don't have reliable power sources right now.

But those countries don't have very high levels of automobile penetration, except Brazil.

With one exception the bulk of car sales are still to US, Europe and Japan.  The exception is China, which is building out a very nice generation infrastructure and is making electric car production and usage a national priority.

[alfred russel]

You can imagine something similar happening for electric cars.  With fast and efficient recharge stations you don't need a widespread power network.

I have a tough time imagining that in the next 40-50 years. It is one thing to put up a cell phone tower. It is quite another to develop a fast and efficient network of recharge stations. In many cases, an unreliable power system is already in place, with businesses relying on generators as backup. Do you construct a parallel power system, or fix what is in place already?

I'm also not sure where the political will and ability will come from to achieve this.

[alfred russel]

The exception is China, which is building out a very nice generation infrastructure

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

Oil is still an energy source even if all the whole world goes to electric cars.  There's nothing that says it has to be burned in cars instead of more efficient (and less polluting) oil plants.

It's not just energy.  People seem to forget that oil feeds a plethora of industrial products.  If we removed every oil-consuming energy source, there would still be more than enough demand to pump it out of the ground in large quantities.  Of course, this is an inconvenient fact for those who wish to pin the failures of alternative energy on Big Oil.

[crazy canuck]

Oil is still an energy source even if all the whole world goes to electric cars.  There's nothing that says it has to be burned in cars instead of more efficient (and less polluting) oil plants.

It's not just energy.  People seem to forget that oil feeds a plethora of industrial products.  If we removed every oil-consuming energy source, there would still be more than enough demand to pump it out of the ground in large quantities.  Of course, this is an inconvenient fact for those who wish to pin the failures of alternative energy on Big Oil.

If by "large quantities" you mean about 60% less than now then you are correct.

Petroleum products and their relative share of total U.S. petroleum consumption in 2013:

•Gasoline 46%
•Heating Oil/Diesel Fuel 20%
•Jet Fuel (Kerosene) 8%
•Propane/Propylene 7%
•NGL & LRG1 6%
•Still Gas 4%
•Petrochemical Feedstocks 2%
•Petroleum Coke 2%
•Residual/Heavy Fuel Oil 2%
•Asphalt and Road Oil 2%
•Lubricants 1%
•Miscellaneous Products/Special Naphthas 0.4%
•Other Liquids 1%
•Aviation Gasoline 0.1%
•Waxes 0.04%
•Kerosene 0.02%

http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=41&t=6

[derspiess]

You can imagine something similar happening for electric cars.  With fast and efficient recharge stations you don't need a widespread power network.

I have a tough time imagining that in the next 40-50 years. It is one thing to put up a cell phone tower. It is quite another to develop a fast and efficient network of recharge stations. In many cases, an unreliable power system is already in place, with businesses relying on generators as backup. Do you construct a parallel power system, or fix what is in place already?

I'm also not sure where the political will and ability will come from to achieve this.

More green jobs

[CountDeMoney]

More green jobs

We spent over $1.5B over several years on state of the art scrubbers and other pollution controls at our coal-fired plants.  Shame you weren't there to stop all those welders, concrete workers and other skilled industrial laborers from earning a paycheck.  Douchebag.

[derspiess]

More green jobs

We spent over $1.5B over several years on state of the art scrubbers and other pollution controls at our coal-fired plants.  Shame you weren't there to stop all those welders, concrete workers and other skilled industrial laborers from earning a paycheck.  Douchebag.

That's not enough.  We need MORE green jobs. 

I'm thinking along the lines of generous funding and guaranteed loans provided to solar energy startups. 

[Valmy]

We have been over this: solar energy is not that green.

[derspiess]

We have been over this: solar energy is not that green.

It uses the sun!!

[Ed Anger]

I picked a primary care physician today.

Took the chick from Princeton and Dartmouth Med School over the Indian dude with the MBBS from Ganges University.  I regret nothing.

Time for a prostrate exam

[MadImmortalMan]

I would have gone with the Indian dude. 

[The Brain]

I picked a primary care physician today.

Took the chick from Princeton and Dartmouth Med School over the Indian dude with the MBBS from Ganges University.  I regret nothing.

Time for a prostrate exam

[Syt]

Went shopping today, as my cleaning lady was in today, and I don't like having someone clean around me while I play on the computer.

Most disturbing conversational snippet without context:
Girl, maybe 4 or 5: "So what happened, where is he now?"
Mom: "He was murdered."
End of conversation.



Teen summer fashion this season: hot pants with tank tops.  It does not look so good on 50-somethings with tanned, leathery, loose skin where less than half the buttock is covered.


A pale old woman on the subway had put cream on her skin that she looked like she was made from mother of pearl.

And there was a cute young woman, decently dressed, petite, who had her not small tatas squeezed into a much too small bra and pushed up so high she looked like a caricature.

[CountDeMoney]

I miss my cleaning lady.