Category Archives: Energy

Oil Spill: Helping or Hurting

As I’ve said before, I know a little something about managing a “break/fix” situation.  And from where I’m sittin’ BP ain’t doin’ a very good job.  Now I’m not plugged into the information like I would be if this occurred on my watch at work, but there seem to be key components missing in this effort.

I’m not getting the feeling that information is being communicated effectively.  For example, we still don’t know how much oil is entering the gulf each day, in short, we don’t know how big or small the leak is.  Unacceptable.

Next, it feels that we’re working in serial.  We have one solution that is dreamed up, prepped, deployed and then monitored.  When that doesn’t work, we go back to the beginning and start over.  Fresh.

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Who Would'a Known?

I don’t think there’s anyone alive who would dispute the damage that’s gonna be inflicted on the Gulf Coast.  It really is gonna mess things up down there for quite some time.  I remain convinced that the costs of drilling are no where near the benefits of drilling.

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Where Brad and Britt Are Wrong: Version II

This morning I was driving to work and had the radio tuned to WZTKBrad and Britt are the morning talent.  The discussion during the segment I caught was “Cash for Appliance Clunkers”.  Apparently I missed the lead up ’cause Brad was all worked up over the fact that folks were callin’ him out for taking advantage of the program.  I kinda resonate with that fact, I mean serious, if you have a 20-year-old freezer and you claim to be concerned about the environment, why is it you will only replace your nasty old hardware when I pay for it?

Anyway, the conversation turned to the other “Cash for…” program, the infamous “Cash for Clunkers”.

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If You Really Thought "Thing A" Was Bad Would You Contribute to "Thing A"?

I see this all the time.  People scream that we need to conserve our resources.  That we need to “Go Green”.  That we need to pass massive legislation that forces us to use less energy.

Then they go and not conserve our resources, they don’t go green and use a TON of energy.

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General Motor's Next Best Hope

GM seems to be tryin’.  I really think that they’re working at getting better.  I just don’t think they can.

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Going Green: Solar Update III

Alright, last update on household appliances.  I measured my laptop and found that it uses less energy than a 60 W light bulb.  In short, the pay back time for a laptop is 5.67 years.

But, if I plug in the fish tank, the lamp and the laptop the pay back time comes in at 1.65 years.  Not bad, not bad at all.

Going Green: Solar Update II

So I left the Kill a Watt meter in place for 50..56 hours.  The tank consumed 1.33 kWH for a total of .0263 kWH per hour.  At that rate, the system would pay itself off in 7.65 years.  That’s a little bit of improvement on the tank.  I think it’s due to the fact that most of the last measurement was taken with the lights off.  Still, with that 60w bulb, the payback is coming in under 2.42.

Next measurement will be the computer.

Going Green: Solar Update

I am still playing with that Kill a Watt meter.  Currently I have it plugged into my fish tank.  Power for two lights and the water pump is at .33 kWH for a run of 14.21 hours.  At that rate the payback for the system is 8.75 years.

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Going Green

So, a friend of mine recently purchased a small solar panel for about a hundred bucks.  He then connected it to a deep cycle battery.  And he connected THAT to an inverter.  After only a little bit of sunshine he is able to power his radio, some lights and even some power tools.  All for under $300.

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It Can't Be Hottest Ever if it Was Ever Hotter

We have to go green!  We have to see $7 gas.  We HAVE to tax the snot out companies that contribute to global warming by pouring CO2 into the air.

Why?  “‘Cause it’s the hottest ever.”

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