On 20 Mar 2005 13:05:13 GMT, "-=jd=-"
wrote:

On Sat 19 Mar 2005 11:37:42p, m II wrote in message
news:q67%d.74708$gJ3.70371@clgrps13:

Dan wrote:
01:35
Alan Wiener Worldwide.

Long rant on Windpower

" If we put up Wind Turbines across America,
we could generate all the power we need, produce Hydrogen,
oil,and tell those %#%#%#% Terrorists in the Middle East to Go shove
it"


Hydrogen production by windpower is very inefficient. It costs you WAY
more in energy to make and transport it than you get out. Another
thing..those Arabs aren't the ones forcing to you live beyond your
energy means. Ever thought about reducing your power consumption? Can
you get the wife to give up her SUV? Will you give up your Hummer?


I think there are far more people than anyone realizes that would love
nothing more than to tell the arabs to *eat* their oil.

The environment is a noble cause and it's "kewl" to be seen championing it,
but reality will always rear it's ugly head and remind you that it's a simple
case of supply and demand. When there's enough money to be made (or saved) in
alternative fuel technology to make it cheaper than oil, more folks will
switch to it, but not until then. Decades after the U.S. transitions to some
form of an alternative fuel, you'll still have the rest of the entire world
driving old, decrepit POS diesels & four-bangers -AND- the power generated to
operate their shortwave radios will continue to come from oil/coal fired
generating stations. And they will most assuredly not have the slightest
interest in anything green-peace has to say about it.

So, I believe you will definitely see the US off of oil *some* day - that
will be a somewhat hollow victory because it was one country that already
legislated & enforced emmissions levels & limits to regulate it's pollution
levels. What you will be left with is the majority of the globe still
belching the pollutants you worked so hard to eliminate without *any*
regulation or emmissions levels/limits that can be enforced. If you can come
up with some way to *shame* China into cleaning up their act, then the rest
of the globe should be a cake-walk...

-=jd=-

Here's another side to the environmentally sound wind power option.
California has several wind power 'farms' that contribute to our power
grid; recently these were attacked by animal lovers as they 'pose a
hazard to birds'! That's right, a group of avian rights crusaders
(can't remember which fringe element this was - we seem to have so
many fringe elements in California it would be a full time job to
maintain the list) decided to not only stand in the way of new
wind-farms but to challenge those that exist as endangered birds could
fly into the blades and meet an untimely death. This might be funny -
if it weren't true.

Howard