On Oil
Christopher Taylor, whose comments We appreciate, has a very informative post on oil and oil prices. We learned many things, and We suggest it be read. We most heartily agree with the reduction of taxes on oil so that gas prices can be reduced.
inna naHnu-l-a’lam.
Muslihoon 
Wickedpinto said,
April 23, 2006 at 3:39 pm
The taxation of oil is historic. It’s been written into the cost of oil for some time. I have no problem with that. Gasoline, as it is now, is not that big a deal, I paid a LOT more while I lived in Japan, and us bitching about these hikes shows our pettiness.
Also, I think that in fact INCREASING the tax on oil would put the pussyfoot anti-oil edenists in the worst light. Gasoline is cheap enough to tax, but too expensive to trust republicans with being in power?
How about we develop internal fuel sources and are no longer beholden to the lunatic RoP when they decide they want to hoist us by our own petard (spelling, and btw, what is a petard?) of selfishness and greed?
If “oil” is too expensive at the pumps, why is it that Northeasterners, wealthy-ish Northeasterners with historical homes, still use oil as a HOME HEATING OPTION!?!?! thats just retarded.
The question of ENERGY! is important, but to phrase all energy as oil is BAD!
We have sub’s and ACC’s that are still on their FIRST! fueltank of nuclear fuel. We have the majority of homes heated, and powered by natural gas, we have one of the most, in fact I think the most, but I’m not sure, dense supply of coal, which is actually cleaner than natural gas, without the storage problems of nuclear, but we are still burning oil to heat houses, and excessively hungry (though powerful) naval diesels?
Energy is a BIG! question that isn’t answered by a single statement. I don’t LIKE! the tax burden on gasoline, but most of it is actually state taxation, not federal, and if you don’t like the cost of gas? live closer to work. or buy a smaller car as a “work car” Neither of those options was uncommon in the 80’s.
and I don’t wanna hear “hybrid” or “electric” I would rather hear “12 speed variable transmission” giving an MA of greater than 3.
Iblis said,
April 23, 2006 at 5:39 pm
CNET News had a very interesting series of articles on power from animal waste
http://news.com.com/Manufacturing+power+from+manure/2009-11395_3-6057795.html
That coincided with the diesel from pig shit story Ace ran a few weeks back.
There have been alternatives to gas for quite some time, the problem being that the cost of gas was too low to make them viable. Now that gas is getting more expensive, the cost of these alternatives is becoming viable.
One of the things we have to be on the watch for in this energy crunch, is the penchant for our social engineering friends to start to mess around. The car has been the symbol of American freedom for a century now. The car gives Americans the ultimate freedom to vote with their feet, and thus escape onerous governments (and transportation unions). The lefties want to curtail that freedom. So they’ll resist efforts to repeal gas taxes, AND efforts to open new sources of oil. Its more than just “protecting the environment” its really about controlling you, because you’re too stupid to know whats best for you.
As for us NorthEasterners using oil to heat our houses, well that’s changing. First, in Westchester (NY) and I believe throuhout the state, they’re forcing homeowners to remove their in-ground oil tanks. Oil tank leaks are ridiculously expensive to clean up and most home owner’s insurance policies don’t cover them anymore. (The Mrs. and I passed on a nice house becaue our inspection found a leaking tank.)
Above ground tanks are too small for efficency, and prone to corrosion, so people have to switch to gas, if their area has been plumbed for it.
If the Republicans don’t use this issue to force through ANWR, refineries and more Nuclear power as part of a comprehensive energy reform package, to say nothing about putting up that wind farm in front of Teddy’s house, they’ll deserve to loose in November.
Wickedpinto said,
April 23, 2006 at 7:29 pm
The diesel from pig shit, is a paraphrase from “Mad Max: Beyond ThunderDome” “energy comes from methane, methan cumma from pig shit, Pigshit is the. . .” I forget the name of the subcity where master/blaster was king.
Diesel from pig shit, is actuall, diesel from methane, and to do that you need to introduce more energy than will be removed during the locomotive forces of a diesel engine. It’s more practical than hydrogen hydrolyzation ( I think is the term) but it is not nearly as practical as gasoline, or kerosene, or any other LIQUID form of fuel.
All ICE fuels MUST be liquid for 2 reasons. 1 is volume. There is a greater amount of energetic energy stored in liquids, because liquids are more dense than gasses, and are more interchangeable, allowing for varrying fuel levels, which cannot be accomplished with solids.
The second is safety. Solid fuels that have enough instability to fuel a vehicle can easily burst into flames or just burst into aerosol compounds, that is also called “Blowing the fuck up.” and gas fuels, must be compressed, and contained to supply enough energy to drive a vehicle. While in the service I drove a truck, a Ford Ranger, that was fueled by Methane, the tank was HUGE! and it had to sit right behind the passenger compartment to protect the TANK! from collisions. Well, WHAT ABOUT THE FRIGGEN PASSENGERS! if the damn tank ruptured? Not to mention I got maybe an hour and a half of drive time with that tank, and the damn thing drove like a golf cart.
At this moment, we have no realistic fuel alternative to gasoline. Even if we went to any of the various alchohol mixes, the alcohol burns more rapidly and hotter, but also with less efficiency.
Does anyone want a 100% alcohol car, that only gets 85% efficiences per gallon compared to gasoline, and a price tag of PLUS 40%?
NO.
Gasoline and maybe kerosene are the only options right now, at least as far as supply. Bio-diesel Additives to petroleum diesel would be a good start, but you will end up with the same connundrum as with ethanol additives.
Soon, the bio-diesel, will be more expensive than the petroleum diesel.
Right now? Use what we have, find what we can, and work NOW towards an option in the future.
Christopher Taylor said,
April 23, 2006 at 11:25 pm
I like Ethanol, its a nice American farmer-helping alternative to oil and seems like a good product.
But seriously, we’ve been using the same internal combustion engine for over 100 years now with some refinements. It’s time for a new engine.
And flying cars.
Wickedpinto said,
April 24, 2006 at 10:30 am
Can’t agree more Mr Taylor. Stop playing with hypothetical nano-engines, or rather, keep tinkering with them, but find something else. Stop focusing on the ICE, or the rotary ICE, or the common electric motor. Find a new way, convert heat (energy as it is) into a locomotive force.
Concerning the politics of energy, I like the American Thinker site.
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles.php?article_id=5437
I forget the href thing, so I’m posting big. I’m lazy like that 🙂
Christopher Taylor said,
April 24, 2006 at 11:12 am
By the way, thank you for the link, this is one blog I check every day and it always has something interesting and informative to offer, you are an asset to the blogosphere, Muslihoon.
Wickedpinto said,
April 24, 2006 at 2:53 pm
Mr Taylor? you should adjust your Blogger Profile, so that your personal blog is hotlinked.
Just a suggestion.
Christopher Taylor said,
April 24, 2006 at 4:20 pm
Odd, I thought it was! Thanks for pointing that out 🙂
reverse_vampyr said,
April 24, 2006 at 5:52 pm
I just discovered your blog today and enjoyed this post. Tried to link to it but couldn’t find a trackback URL, so I just wanted to let you know I linked to you.
Wickedpinto said,
April 24, 2006 at 6:29 pm
I’ve been a “fixer” of some sort my whole adult life.
I’m not a genius, but I find a way to be just enough right to piss off those who think they should know everything.
Thanks for the honest response Mr. Taylor.