“FirstEnergy closing 6 plants due to new EPA rules.” Result? Higher energy costs, a loss of real local jobs, a further diminution of domestic energy independence, and, inasmuch as the cost of electricity impacts the cost of doing business, higher prices on products and services that at some stage require the use of electricity.
None of which matters, really. Because Obama read some William Blake once, and coal, it turns out, is like, totally sooty and such. Flat out filthy, in fact. Plus, to get at it, you need lots of mostly white slack-jawed hill people in funny miner’s helmets and grubby jumpsuits riding big dirty freight elevators and carrying those pick ax thingies. Which, that’s not the vision for domestic energy Obama holds in his mind’s glorious eye.
Energy needs to be clean — harnessed by way of the sun’s cleansing rays, its packaging completed by by Disney-ready robots, its implementation on a national scale overseen by well-paid geekish bureaucrats with great health plans, great retirement plans, and the Best Intentions for Saving the Earth.
And we can’t ever reach that Utopian vision if we’re still shaking coal dust off our boots.
I mean, shit. What is this? The 19th century?
Barry’s glorious mind’s eye failed to see that all energy is solar?
Well, in fairness, Barry is not an expert on the details. But it’s the scope and boldness of the vision that matters. And on that scale, Barry has blueprints!
By the way, those electric cars we’re all supposed to drive? I suppose we can simply cut holes in the floor and Fred Flintstone the fuckers down the road, once all the coal that gives us electricity is left safely and cleanly in the ground.
With those new delusional CAFE standards on the horizon, cars shouldn’t weight more than 50 lbs or so soon, anyway.
Ah, fuck it. I’ll just get a Big Wheel and trick it out with a usb port and some speakers. I’ve always liked those hand brakes anyhow.
“Barack knows that we are going to have to make sacrifices; we are going to have to change our conversation; we’re going to have to change our traditions, our history; we’re going to have to move into a different place as a nation.”
Now back on your head.
Wait, aren’t those powered by spontaneous combustion?
I always wanted the “Green Machine”.
Our sponsor this half-hour is Collar Battery Co., a subsidiary of Cervical Charge Global Inc., for those remotely operated man-movers good government needs: light weight, durable and long lasting, with simple yet secure recharge change-out locks. Why blab with ’em? Zap ’em!
Electric cars are no panacea anyway, at least and until a few things happen; until many new nuclear power plants are constructed, the grid upgraded by orders of magnitude to conduct all of the current required, battery technology makes a quantum leap in energy density storage(or fuel cells become a viable safe alternative-which, the most efficient ones are dangerous), or solar panels become 100% efficient overnight…
Which, there might still be a problem then since it requires approximately 730 watts per horsepower, and ol’ sol only delivers around 630 watts per square meter to the surface of the Earth-owing to that pesky atmosphere that only happens to sustain life here, and that the AGW fetishists believe to be an accessory to man-made climate change.
Maybe his luminence and the congress can pass legislation forcing the sun to increase its output :)
You know, for the fairness…
What is this? The 19th century?
For now.
I haven’t done the math, but off the top of my head if everyone had an electric car, I’m pretty sure the grid couldn’t handle it.
And that doesn’t even count, as noted above that there isn’t the capacity to generate the necessary power to run them anyway.
19th century? Dude, we’re going back earlier than that. Of course, there are a whole lot of people who are going to have to die because we cannot sustain this level of population with 18th century technology.
18th-century? You mean my electric car is going to have to be powered by Ben Franklin’s kite?
I think Obama not only doesn’t have a blueprint, he doesn’t even know what a blueprint is.
Somebody, somewhere told him that a blueprint means some notional, vague concept of how to start making something better, as opposed to what it really is: an exact specification of how to build something.
heh. Obama wants the air polluted with AMMONIA!
For what it’s worth: there’s good money to be made in utility consulting this year. Lots of studies to determine whether it makes more sense to invest in retrofitting versus new “clean” generation.
Prolly goes without saying that none of these options will result in utility rates going down…
Power plant here had a 2-year project to implement “carbon sequestration” that was killed in 2008 because they ran out of cash. It started back up last year, only now it’s called “sulfur scrubbing”. According to those in the know, the “carbon” stuff was horseshit and the thing was designed to be what it is now from the very beginning. At least that’s what’s been going around the barbershop (and the Christmas parties, scout meetings, KofC bingo, Moose, Kroger, Wal-Mart and Tractor Supply). ooooooh conspiracy
I’m thinking our new President should announce that the last thing done by the Department of Energy before it’s shut down is to fast-track 500 nuclear plants. Also, the nation’s new nuclear waste repository will be located at Dupont Circle.
At least they knew what do about an overwhelming state in the 18th century.
By pure coincidence, I serviced and cleaned my kerosene heater yesterday, just in case.
I’m a freakin’ visionary. Maybe I should run for office.
It must be in the collective unconscious, di.
We have kerosene lamps with freshly trimmed wicks at the ready and a wood-burning fireplace.
Of course, we’re going to prison for having “too much” canned food and ammo.