Chu comes off well when nobody asks questions, like how did we get so much oil in Alaska if that place wasn't a lot warmer at one time or another. A Congressman asked him that question last year and it completely stumped Chu.

"there is no longer any doubt that climate change is occurring."

Well, of course, because climate is always changing. However, there is much doubt that global warming is occuring on a scale large enough to be concerned. That is why they no longer call it global warming. It also helps to explain the climategate coverup.

This is the type of lecture that goes over well at Stanford, where Paul Ehrlich thrived with his scare talk about massive famines due to overpopulation. The bottom line is always the same: Give us more money, so that we can save the earth.

This whole Administration is a flaming embarrassment to our nation. The world is laughing its tail off, while filling the gaps in consurmer need driven innovation and capitalism that we used to drive.

Great timing..here is an article (just published in England, of course, by Reuters..) talking about the job LOSSES in California from the "green jobs" pushes here..

Spain lost jobs from its "green jobs' pushing..and now California. The rest of the USA to follow...( note the whole "Cap and Trade" debate is on the back burner now)

Web Link

Gee, they've discovered the heat content of the oceans - the same heat content neglected in that earlier "Scientists lying for the public good" hoax, Nuclear Winter. Chu has to learn to dress more scientisty, so when he does those "4 out of 5 scientists are Warmies" commercials he will seem sincere.
My challenge is still unanswered - plug in each sacrifice we are asked to make into their own program and demonstrate the change in end conditions. If there is no significant change in output, then why bother?
Change is inevitable, and those who adapt best to change are those who have not wasted capital on feel good voodoo science.

"This whole Administration is a flaming embarrassment to our nation. The world is laughing its tail off, while filling the gaps in consurmer need driven innovation and capitalism that we used to drive."

You are roughly 30 years late with that observation. American energy innovation stopped during the Reagan drill and import policy. But it was the Bush administration that gave our competitors the real boost, wasting our financial credit lines on a mismanaged useless war instead of investing in innovation, while they pushed ahead.

The US is only interested in making money, not the environment.

Even more than money, endless pointless wars. With ample cheerleading.

The Roman elite famously used bread and circuses to keep their populace fat, dumb, and happy. Their modern counterparts have discovered that circuses suffice.

Steve Chu is one of the smartest people in the world, and I recommend listening very carefully to what he says. Even if you don't believe the science and don't like his policy proposals, pay attention to what he points out that China is doing. We are going to get left in the dust if we continue on our present course. China will indeed be laughing at us...all the way to the bank.

"pay attention to what he points out that China is doing. We are going to get left in the dust if we continue on our present course. China will indeed be laughing at us...all the way to the bank"

Are you saying that we should be building a number of new nuclear plants, like China?

Actually China is an environmental disaster much worse than anything seen in the "Dark Satanic Mills" of the UK Industrial Revolution.
China has every intention of build more and more dirty coal power plants with minimal pollution controls for the foreseeable future.

China is spending a fortune on Public Relation campaigns to hide the truth, but anyone who travells there on business and gets around knows the truth.

China has failed to migrate from an industrial economy to a service /IP economy-- as India has.

Unfortunately most of the mercury pollution and other heavy metal particals in our air come from China, not to mention the contaminated food, toys, drugs, dry wall etc.

Sharon,
Nobody is denying that China is a massive polluter, but they are investing in clean energy for the future in a massive way that is more than a PR campaign. They will soon be the largest producer of wind power in the world. Using their current pollution levels as an excuse for inaction on our part, as many people do, is shortsighted and foolish.

Wind power in China will provide .0005% of their energy by optimistic estimates, it will also kill 90% of the birds, they will evolve to be flightless -- but what about the rats and the cats that will eat them?

China has no interest in clean energy, it has an interest in cheap energy-- which for them is coal

"Are you saying that we should be building a number of new nuclear plants, like China?"

Like China or not, that is what the present administration is doing, reversing the nuclear drought that began during the Reagan administration.

The nuclear drought was one aspect of Jerry Brown's Era of Limits, an era that saw Federal highway money surrendered to other states because we were never going to build another freeway; never building another nuclear plant until there was an approved nuclear waste permanent storage facility; and thanks to Rose Bird never going to be another execution.






,

Paradoxical, ain't it? It takes a Democrat like Obama to actually do something, like reviving nukes, that "conservatives" can only whine about and blame Democrats for their own impotence.

It was/is the democrats who shut down the Nation's only permanent nuclear waste storage facility.

Do you mean the recent respect shown for Nevada's states' rights at the Yucca Mountain facility? Dems appear to be the sole real respecters of states' rights, while "conservatives" give the principle lip service for political purposes only.

What's the fuss anyway? Why shouldn't those who benefit from creating the waste have to live with it afterward? You yourself once said in this forum that you'd accept a cask or two in your back yard. Welching already?

While we're on this topic, maybe you can explain the contempt for basic capitalist principles in this thread. Why shouldn't the US develop and build clean technology, and sell it at a profit to the proven international market for it?

"Like China or not, that is what the present administration is doing, reversing the nuclear drought that began during the Reagan administration"

Paul, so you now support the blooming of nuclear power, right?

Did I say that? My intent was to point out the paradox that the proponents' heroes consistently fail to do what the proponents want, while their, um, less than heroes actually accomplish what the proponents claim they want accomplished. False gods, feet of clay, you know. Their flimsy excuses (generally blaming "liberals") are hilariously entertaining.

For the record, I have never stated my opinion on nuke power in this forum. But the half-baked, uninformed, and misinformed opinions held by the majority of nuke power proponents are irresistable targets.

[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]

Get real. "domestic oil drilling" won't solve anything. Domestic oil production, which gets oil, cannot possibly ramp up to the necessary levels to make a difference - it is physically impossible for a country that consumes 25% of world oil production to fulfill its own needs when it has only 3% of oil reserves. We did the Drain America First thing in the last century, and now we gotta be nice to the sheiks and Mr. Chavez, or else.

We need real, novel energy solutions, not more silly fantasy like domestic oil drilling. This country used to be very good at innovations, genuine Connecticut Yankees, but in its latter effete days it's been mostly a sucker for politicians' fairy tales.

Paul, your posts are dizzying in paradoxical circles, but I will take one sample and answer it..

"While we're on this topic, maybe you can explain the contempt for basic capitalist principles in this thread. Why shouldn't the US develop and build clean technology, and sell it at a profit to the proven international market for it?"

We capitalists are ALL FOR doing exactly that..with private investors' money, not tax money. It is not "THE US" ( ie govt use of our tax dollars) that should do this, but individuals.

If you create or find a company you think will be profitable in clean tech, by all means, be our guest, invest in it and more power to you! May you earn millions in your company or investment!

Just stop trying to force ME to invest in what I think is a failed idea before it even gets out the door.

In other words, leave each of us free to invest in what we wish, and stop being a tyrant ( oppressive dictator)

Revolutionary new energy technologies are under development.

See the short articles at: http://www.aesopinstitute.org for an overview.

Although anyone with scientific background will not believe it, ordinary water is likely to replace oil. One barrel of water can release energy equivalent to 200 barrels of oil.

See the story about hydrinos at american-reporter.com

This is really about fractional Hydrogen. It opens the door to cost-competitive alternatives to nuclear and coal plants.

It appears likely that future cars and trucks can become power plants.
They may earn enough using wireless Vehicle to Grid technology to pay their way.

Nuclear waste may prove to provide excellent fuel for generating electricity at lower cost than the nuclear plant, with no need to relocate the fuel rods, and with no weapons overtones.

Mark, I hope you are right, and I wish you every bit of luck in your investment..

You're never going to see a wind power turbine or a solar panel spill billions of gallons of crude oil onto our shorelines.

And which company are you inventing or investing in that will see wind power turbine or solar panels drive the engines of transportation in our nation?

You will never see wind powered gliders carrying 400 passengers to their deaths into the sides of tall buildings either.

So, I think we should ban all planes.