This is very disturbing news: No ice at the North Pole Polar scientists reveal dramatic new evidence of climate change It seems unthinkable, but for the first time in human history, ice is on course to disappear entirely from the North Pole this year. The disappearance of the Arctic sea ice, making it possible to reach the Pole sailing in … Read More
But By All Means, Let’s Drill In ANWR
Stupid bureaucrats: Faced with a surge in the number of proposed solar power plants, the federal government has placed a moratorium on new solar projects on public land until it studies their environmental impact, which is expected to take about two years. The Bureau of Land Management says an extensive environmental study is needed to determine how large solar plants … Read More
“I Cant Heeeeear You”
The White House is full of children. In 2007, the Supreme Court ruled that the EPA must determine whether greenhouse gases represent a danger to health or the environment. The EPA, under Bush Administration influence, had been dragging its heels on the issue, saying that it was not part of its duties. The Supreme Court said, "Oh, yes it is". … Read More
Shorter McCain Energy Policy
It’s this: "Fuck if I know, but if someone can build a better mousetrap, I’ll give them lots of money." That’s not an energy policy; that’s a game show. First of all, giving a $300 million prize for the development of a battery package that has the size, capacity, cost and power to leapfrog the commercially available plug-in hybrids or … Read More
Bush Pusher
Tom Friedman is right: Two years ago, President Bush declared that America was “addicted to oil,” and, by gosh, he was going to do something about it. Well, now he has. Now we have the new Bush energy plan: “Get more addicted to oil.” Actually, it’s more sophisticated than that: Get Saudi Arabia, our chief oil pusher, to up our … Read More
Gas Information
As a public service, I’ve set up a separate page on this blog giving information about gas prices — including the cheapest gas prices in the Winston-Salem area within the past 24 hours. This link will be permanently available on the right hand column. Enjoy.
Really?
Al Gore’s "Inconvenient Truth" Becoming An Opera First it was the film and the book. Now the next stop for Al Gore’s "An Inconvenient Truth" is opera. La Scala officials say the Italian composer Giorgio Battistelli has been commissioned to produce an opera on the international multiformat hit for the 2011 season at the Milan opera house.
An Open Statement Opposing Proposals for a Gas Tax Holiday
Here: In recent weeks, there have been proposals in Congress and by some presidential candidates to suspend the gas tax for the summer. As economists who study issues of energy policy, taxation, public finance, and budgeting, we write to indicate our opposition to this policy. Put simply, suspending the federal tax on gasoline this summer is a bad idea and … Read More
Gas Tax Holiday Argument Not Being Bought By Public
Well, well, well. Who knew? McCain and Clinton thought they could pander and buy votes by proposing a gas tax holiday over the summer months. Doesn’t look like the winning side, as people kind of understand that it is a quick fix to a larger problem, that doesn’t put much many in people’s pockets anyway. [UPDATE: No economist agrees with … Read More
McCain’s Gas Tax Holiday Plan
As a clear campaign ploy, McCain has proposed a gasoline tax “holiday” during the summer driving season. Basically, it means that federal taxes will be cut from the cost at the pump, thus making gas cheaper. Senator Clinton has endorsed a similar plan. Good idea? Nope: But economists and energy analysts say it would have little impact on mitigating the … Read More
Wish I Lived Near Wilmington
N.C. Gas Station Sells Gas For 35 Cents A Gallon: Deshauna Canty is never in a good mood after filling up her Lincoln Navigator. But she was all smiles today when she swiped her Visa credit card to pay after gassing up her sport utility vehicle. Why wouldn’t she be? Gas was 35 cents a gallon. Canty was among hundreds … Read More
Chopsticks
I don’t use them because I can’t. They’re awkward and, well, kinda pretentious. Now there’s a better reason not to use them: they’re destroying the rainforests.
Oh, By The Way, It’s The End Of The World
The Washington Post: Climatic changes appear to be destabilizing vast ice sheets of western Antarctica that had previously seemed relatively protected from global warming, researchers reported yesterday, raising the prospect of faster sea-level rise than current estimates. While the overall loss is a tiny fraction of the miles-deep ice that covers much of Antarctica, scientists said the new finding is … Read More
Vampire Drain
You might not be aware of this, but many of your electrical appliances cost you electricity even if you don’t use them — even when they are "turned off". Often these "off" appliances are in "passive mode" (i.e., the clock on your microwave) or in "standby mode" (A VCR waiting to record a show). And being in those modes uses … Read More