Official Off Topic Thread
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ABQShredHead
©1970
Good stuff, Steve. I liked your quote about your profession the most. 
There are some real good bargains on Wall Street, you know?
I still want a new Z. I don't know that I'll be able to float the $42k for my "dream" SS with the 426 hp, but I'd darn sure try. My effort to save GM. haha
My point about the military is the spending part, not the military itself. Gates called for a termination of the F-22 contract at 187 planes. Yes, the cost $140M per jet, but they keep our country superior in the air. And Lockheed Martin stated dropping the contract now (currently 184 of those planes have already been delivered) will cost 90,000 jobs across the country. Senator Dodd (D-CT) took a huge amount of heat from the machinists union since Pratt & Whitney makes the turbines for the plane, and their jet assembly plant is in CT, which would drop 2500 jobs in the state and 25,000 machinist union jobs across the country. Dodd is now talking like a Republican, calling for increased military spending and no early termination for the contract. Should be interesting to see how that plays out. Dodds' numbers are way down in CT and he's up for election in '10. He'll need to make a big play there to keep his seat.
But military spending also helps develop new technologies. The majority of developments in our country have come through military research. Dropping the spending now will, in my opinion, cause dire consequences in the coming years. Not only will we lose out on technology development, but other nations (read: China, Russia) stand to catch up to our military and that will create issues for our national defense, particularly in light of the bond between these two countries and the "rogue" nations in the Middle East. We must remain superior in our military.
There are some real good bargains on Wall Street, you know?I still want a new Z. I don't know that I'll be able to float the $42k for my "dream" SS with the 426 hp, but I'd darn sure try. My effort to save GM. haha
My point about the military is the spending part, not the military itself. Gates called for a termination of the F-22 contract at 187 planes. Yes, the cost $140M per jet, but they keep our country superior in the air. And Lockheed Martin stated dropping the contract now (currently 184 of those planes have already been delivered) will cost 90,000 jobs across the country. Senator Dodd (D-CT) took a huge amount of heat from the machinists union since Pratt & Whitney makes the turbines for the plane, and their jet assembly plant is in CT, which would drop 2500 jobs in the state and 25,000 machinist union jobs across the country. Dodd is now talking like a Republican, calling for increased military spending and no early termination for the contract. Should be interesting to see how that plays out. Dodds' numbers are way down in CT and he's up for election in '10. He'll need to make a big play there to keep his seat.
But military spending also helps develop new technologies. The majority of developments in our country have come through military research. Dropping the spending now will, in my opinion, cause dire consequences in the coming years. Not only will we lose out on technology development, but other nations (read: China, Russia) stand to catch up to our military and that will create issues for our national defense, particularly in light of the bond between these two countries and the "rogue" nations in the Middle East. We must remain superior in our military.
DoomsdayZach
The Professor was right
ABQShredHead
©1970
ABQShredHead
©1970
I've seen nothing yet to convince me this is viable other than it produces faster than corn without the soil depleation and erosion issues with corn. Corn is flat out impossible and was nothing more than a gesture that we could "go green".
What gets me is no one has put before anyone hard figures about how much energy is used during the conversion process. If it was going to take half as much oil to produce the ethanol that produced, or if ethanol produced was going to be used for the process and still have a surplus of product that could be utilized. I dont trust any of it as being anything more than a smoke screen to start new wool pulling industries that are little more than boondoggles a small handful can get rich on before they crumble to their inefficiencies
Its like the electric car, something I have always been in favor of if it can be charged without burning oil. As it stands now they are headed for a sales pitch of oil independence and evironmental green bullshit. But the truth is when someone gets their car home and plugs into the outlet for a recharge they are burning oil. Steam generation plants require massive heat to boil the steam out of water.... gee I wonder where that comes from.... Jasper
So with the ethanol I want to know what perentage of a gallon in energy it takes to make a gallon. If their anything like the figures for maple syrup Im not sure whether to laugh or scream
Until I see solar converters covering the entire roof of every building in every city... which are nothing more than giant solar heat sink eye sores in the first place, they are doing nothing but blowing smoke up our asses as far as Im concerned.
In the end the world will have to go nuclear but its just such a messy operation with dredful byproduct plus the human element
As for the political thing, nothing boils my blood more than some idjut saying "we are all in this together".... bullfucking shit. Shut down a papermill in S.America and put a new high tech Spruce mill back in NY State and the S.Americans can find out what its like "to be in this together". Get the blue collar wages that have been frozen for 20 years due to cheap immigrant help and back on par with the suits and I might begin to believe "we are all in on this together"... until then I'll be blowing smoke farts right back at those trying to blow it up my ass
just sayin
Kenneth R.
Cináed
Oh no, that's no lie. I've seen that stuff maybe 4-6 months ago in the early stages. It seems VERY promising. But like Steve says... we need to overhaul our electrical grid too or we're still burning coal and oil.
Iced Dog
The Stormrider's Pooch
Yeah, it's good to see that the stimulus bill puts so much $ into revamping the energy grid...about $11 billion to create a smart grid...I like "smart" 
Yeah, it's good to see that the stimulus bill puts so much $ into revamping the energy grid...about $11 billion to create a smart grid...I like "smart"
That is pretty interesting, Im not so sure about the stagering cost however, sounds like another tech industry money grab to me. 11 billion would go along ways in solar cell R&D... not that Im current on where that stands, if its a dead end street or not. The last I knew they were very ineffective for the size required. Seems this is a problem with windmills as well. My buddy and I drove through a vast area of windmills just a few months ago. Very twilight zone-ish, like being on another planet. They were as far as the eye could see, huge towering giants slowly rotating, steady and relentless... very intimidating, very trippy.
I wonder if anyone has ever tried creation of steam through magnifacation to propel turbines. But again as with all forms of natural energy beside the tides it only has intermitten capabilities.... but why waste it when its there ?
Kenneth R.
Cináed
An artist once told me that we irrationally question the 'weirdness' of wind turbines. We just don't live in a world where they are so commonplace as say, telephone poles. We ignore those completely, but they're just as weird - we've just adapted to their presence.
The best forms of renewable resources? Solar & geothermal. The trick with solar, however, is to design effective transport of batteries from the charging satellite.
The best forms of renewable resources? Solar & geothermal. The trick with solar, however, is to design effective transport of batteries from the charging satellite.
ABQShredHead
©1970
As for the political thing, nothing boils my blood more than some idjut saying "we are all in this together".... bullfucking shit. Shut down a papermill in S.America and put a new high tech Spruce mill back in NY State and the S.Americans can find out what its like "to be in this together". Get the blue collar wages that have been frozen for 20 years due to cheap immigrant help and back on par with the suits and I might begin to believe "we are all in on this together"... until then I'll be blowing smoke farts right back at those trying to blow it up my ass
just sayin
Exactly why we must lower corporate taxes and remove capital gains taxes. We have the highest corporate taxes in the world. Why would any smart business person want to operate in such an environment?
And the Dems want to give all the illegals amnesty - there will be no reduction of "cheap immigrant help" to unfreeze wages, Steve. In fact, more people will be competing for these jobs at lower rates without the fear of hiding from Imigre.
Iced Dog
The Stormrider's Pooch
Heh, it's an interesting thought. The windmill thing reminds me of the T. Boone Pickens plan, of which harnessing the wind corridor in the plains states is a huge part...I wonder how much effort is being put into that by the administration.
The two companies I dealt with showed record profits prior to the big move. this is where the money came from to build new modern mills in S.America... So ? Im sure they cant match the record profits from cheap help, no environmental restrictions and what ever the corporate tax difference is though.... but why is their product still allowed to sit on American shelves ? What happened to the concept that if you walk out the door you aint coming back ? Its a reality in all other walks of life.
Now should we remove these capital gains tax and corporate taxes where is the government supposed to get the money to build this strong military ???? Cigarettes and alcohol........... Naw, I have a better idea, lets borrow it from China, Soviet Union and a handful of thriving middle east countries ? Perhaps Mexico and Brazil would like to chip in to the owning of stakes in aMerica. So when are we going to adapt the one flag "planet earth" and have global elections to determine who is going to run this happy go lucky planet ? I'm getting wood just thinking about it.... oh lord... I think Im going to faint
The hyprocracy of all these theories and tactics just baffles me, its like the entire population has been sold this rusty bucket of bolts by a bunch of shoddy used car salesmen.
No one is strong enough to draw the line in the sand and the population would be divided by it. We'd all rather dance around the fire than stomp it out. So as I said earlier like so many other things in this country its over, we can never pay off our debt and I question if we can honestly even keep up with the interest.
Ironic.... Pull Me Under just came on.... greatest progressive metal song ever written
Now should we remove these capital gains tax and corporate taxes where is the government supposed to get the money to build this strong military ???? Cigarettes and alcohol...........
Naw, I have a better idea, lets borrow it from China, Soviet Union and a handful of thriving middle east countries ? Perhaps Mexico and Brazil would like to chip in to the owning of stakes in aMerica. So when are we going to adapt the one flag "planet earth" and have global elections to determine who is going to run this happy go lucky planet ? I'm getting wood just thinking about it.... oh lord... I think Im going to faintThe hyprocracy of all these theories and tactics just baffles me, its like the entire population has been sold this rusty bucket of bolts by a bunch of shoddy used car salesmen.
No one is strong enough to draw the line in the sand and the population would be divided by it. We'd all rather dance around the fire than stomp it out. So as I said earlier like so many other things in this country its over, we can never pay off our debt and I question if we can honestly even keep up with the interest.
Ironic.... Pull Me Under just came on.... greatest progressive metal song ever written
Have you been in an area where they are as far as the eye can see in all directions, hundreds of them ? Its downright freaky. Im not against them at all but the area involved seems might not be available for all the AC needed in office buildings and houses today. Amazing how man ever survived. Anyhow the windmills in that particular ever present area almost had a sea sickness effect. Im sure its somewhat adaptable but I wouldnt be so bold as to say they dont stand out more than powerpoles, these things dwarfed highline towers and they rotate.
Kenneth R.
Cináed
Oh sure, it is freaky. There's a big farm in east central NY state. I'd prefer to see those guys though than a nuclear stack.
However, area needed to meet usage requirements forbid little more than a dent in demand. So more dents need to be found. The more I think about solar magnification to suppliment current fossil fired turbines, especially in the sun belt areas, Im wondering why this hasnt been R&D'd, passive solar itself is proof of heat potential.
Another thing to remember is demand is not likely to go down but rather increase fairly rapidly as it has been. This is why so many are trying to come to grips with the cold reality of nuclear power. Responsible nuclear has proven to be far more safe than origional paranoia, believe me I was right in the middle of the anti nuclear and scared generation, now Im beginning to wonder what the alternative is. Still there is the byproduct of nuclear waste, whats not to love.
Peeps are just going to have to shut down the AC, the internet and trade their Marshal stacks for Martins
I've been watching the creek roar down less than 50 ft. from my house for over two decades now wishing I could harness it for electric during its prime seasons, but alas... no funding. There was a plant not far from here on the mighty Schoharie along time back, I know nothing much about it buts its been long gone. Problem with all of these alternatives is they are intermiten and but a drop in the bucket of usage.
Perhaps we should be hanging large props off all the highrises in the cities, then city folk can deal with the giant sweeping monsters... that will still barely dent their demand. Should also be mandatory in any industrial area, what few will be left.
Another thing to remember is demand is not likely to go down but rather increase fairly rapidly as it has been. This is why so many are trying to come to grips with the cold reality of nuclear power. Responsible nuclear has proven to be far more safe than origional paranoia, believe me I was right in the middle of the anti nuclear and scared generation, now Im beginning to wonder what the alternative is. Still there is the byproduct of nuclear waste, whats not to love.
Peeps are just going to have to shut down the AC, the internet and trade their Marshal stacks for Martins
I've been watching the creek roar down less than 50 ft. from my house for over two decades now wishing I could harness it for electric during its prime seasons, but alas... no funding. There was a plant not far from here on the mighty Schoharie along time back, I know nothing much about it buts its been long gone. Problem with all of these alternatives is they are intermiten and but a drop in the bucket of usage.
Perhaps we should be hanging large props off all the highrises in the cities, then city folk can deal with the giant sweeping monsters... that will still barely dent their demand. Should also be mandatory in any industrial area, what few will be left.
ABQShredHead
©1970
No, Steve, I didn't say remove coporate taxes. Remove capital gains taxes to promote investment in companies, particularly younger companies with room to grow. Reduce the corporate taxes and allow that money to go back into the operations of the company, which would then allow companies to again look at locating their work here in America rather than farming it off to other countries (where the corporate taxes are much lower [leave the wage issue to another discussion]). The tax base would actually increase under this plan rather than contract.
And, yay, New Mexico has huge wind farms all over the state, particularly on the caprock over by Tucumcari. They're f'in cool in my book.
And, yay, New Mexico has huge wind farms all over the state, particularly on the caprock over by Tucumcari. They're f'in cool in my book.
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