Food Price Riots Popping Up Around The World

[Doug50]

True. And it also tries to deflect the argument: “You’ll never convince the Muslims to have small families, so we should forget about the problem.”

Although I speak sanguinely about the Horsemen of the Apocalypse “trimming” the population that exceeds carrying capacity, consider this as black humour. I am acutely aware of how horrific this will be, and I really feel for my children. What keeps you cheerful, Doug?

hmm good question. I tend to look at it from a risk managment POV. So what frustrates me is not dealing or making plans for a coming problem. If I see a global problem that affects others I want to get them to plan for themselves too. That’s why argue to this topic. If I didn’t care for others I wouldn’t be here. Other than that,personally, I take the world as it comes. I’ve got a good income and nice home but I’m the type who could just as easily live out of tent. In fact I’d live out of tent before I’d live in some of the run down homes I’ve seen people live in.

Or maybe I’m the kind of person who likes watching a train wreck? Nah. I have no interest in watching NASCAR car wrecks

 

[Doug50]

It is certainly possible that the cost of oil right now is related more to the value of the dollar than anything else. Hard to get the value of the dollar up while the Fed is trying to avoid bank and “alternative institution” failure which would likely spread to insurance companies, brokerages, peoples’ retirement plans and doubtless more things than I even know. Certainly many more foreclosures than are now happening, with consequent, even greater, deflation in the real estate market.

The Fed could bring down oil consumption as well as prices in a hurry if it chose to do so. It apparently thinks the downside would be worse than high commodity prices.

Not being an expert, and having nothing to say about it anyway, I couldn’t argue with the Fed’s policy (softening but prolonging the landing) effectively. But it’s a choice that was made.

The U.S., at least, precludes itself from drilling in promising fields for aesthetic reasons. That’s a choice too, and, at least for now, it has been made.

The world’s population is projected to peak soon, then decline sharply, because of choices already made, not because of starvation.

So, why is population the overriding concern?

Supply and demand is not the only thing driving oil prices. Every time the dollar devalues import costs of oil increase. Plus speculation is way up too. bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=apqtjHwyrwjU&refer=home

 

[Doug50]

Understood, but I am not relying on lab work or professors. My principle is a commercial company producing nanomaterials and working with manufacturers of actual consumer applications, in addition to working with and funding university studies. They already have a way to produce hydrogen relatively (to oil) cheaply.

I’d like to hear more about this. The cheapest way of making hydogen, that I’m aware, is for natural gas. But it is still a net energy loss where gasoline is a net energy gain.

I started to look at Prof. Smalley’s presentation, but it is from 2003. No offense, but there have been some advances in nanotechnology and energy in the last five years. His assumptions may need some updating.

I think you’ll find Smalley’s argument pretty soberring becuse hydrogen still requires energy (name removed by moderator)ut to make. Hydrogen is an energy carrier, not a resources.

 

[drpmjhess]

Or maybe I’m the kind of person who likes watching a train wreck? Nah. I have no interest in watching NASCAR car wrecks

Doug, have you seen the utterly fantastic 90 second train wreck in The Fugitive (1993)? Awesome (except for the implied death).

I agree with you – I like to plan in advance for contingencies. That’s why I’m in the education business. In fact, I’m finishing my PowerPoint for a public lecture this afternoon on "Religion and the end of affordable oil.’

Petrus

 

[vern_humphrey]

Doug, have you seen the utterly fantastic 90 second train wreck in The Fugitive (1993)? Awesome (except for the implied death).

I agree with you – I like to plan in advance for contingencies. That’s why I’m in the education business. In fact, I’m finishing my PowerPoint for a public lecture this afternoon on "Religion and the end of affordable oil.’

Petrus

I am reminded of the story of the doctoral candidates at the International University. They had to write their dissertations on elephants.

The American wrote, “How To Breed Bigger and Better Elephants.”

The English candidate wrote, “The Elephant and How to Hunt Him.”

The German wrote, “An Introduction to the Study of the Elephant” – in 12 volumes.

And the Irishman wrote, “The Elephant and Irish Freedom.”

 

[drpmjhess]

I am reminded of the story of the doctoral candidates at the International University. They had to write their dissertations on elephants.
The American wrote, “How To Breed Bigger and Better Elephants.”
The English candidate wrote, “The Elephant and How to Hunt Him.”
The German wrote, “An Introduction to the Study of the Elephant” – in 12 volumes.
And the Irishman wrote, “The Elephant and Irish Freedom.”

Vern, don’t forget the French: “The eating habits and love life of the African elephant.”

 

[vern_humphrey]

Vern, don’t forget the French: “The eating habits and love life of the African elephant.”

Good one!

 

[Doug50]

Vern, don’t forget the French: “The eating habits and love life of the African elephant.”

I know peopel who trap ferrell hogs and then sell them at acution. I’m told the tough things get shipped to France for their resturants

BTW the Wall Street Journal is reporting this on Russian petroleum
Peak Oil: “Da” Say Russian Oil Execs
blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2008/04/15/peak-oil-da-say-russian-oil-execs/?mod=WSJBlog

 

[ricmat]

ricmat, these are your words, not mine. You’re the one who keeps harping on abortion, sterilization, and euthanasia – I’ve never breathed a hint about this. I recommend abstention and self-control, and you sneer at it. What do you think the Roman Catholic teachers?

Yes, my words are “Many of those who agree with you on the need for ZPG…”

I don’t sneer at abstention and self-control, as I ALSO said, I teach these things in my CCD classes. I asked you if you did the same, and you didn’t answer. You mentioned several times the need to take drastic action or some totalitarian dictators would do worse (my paraphrase of your words). If by “drastic action” you mean teaching more abstention and self-control, then I absolutely agree with you that this should be done.

I also recommended praying, which I also see you didn’t respond to.

The reason I “harp” on pro-life positions is because they ARE the teaching of the Catholic Church.

 

[rlg94086]

I’d like to hear more about this. The cheapest way of making hydogen, that I’m aware, is for natural gas. But it is still a net energy loss where gasoline is a net energy gain.

I think you’ll find Smalley’s argument pretty soberring becuse hydrogen still requires energy (name removed by moderator)ut to make. Hydrogen is an energy carrier, not a resources.

Here you go…
qsinano.com/news/newsletters/2008_02/f1.php

The process by which electricity is used to generate hydrogen and oxygen from water is called electrolysis. Through the use of a new proprietary nano catalyst formulation, QuantumSphere has demonstrated production of hydrogen and oxygen in an alkaline electrolyzer with 85 percent efficiency under ambient conditions, making it a commercially viable replacement for fossil fuel-based production methods.

Although identified as a candidate with the potential to lower dependency on petroleum, today’s current large-scale hydrogen production techniques also produce an inordinate amount of greenhouse gases such as carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. For example, the steam-reformation process - which accounts for roughly 85% of hydrogen production using natural gas - produces four pounds of greenhouse gases for every one pound of hydrogen produced. “While hydrogen has long been promoted for its clean energy potential, the most common method of production of the gas has been a dirty little secret in terms of the amount of fossil fuels used and the greenhouse gasses generated,” said Kevin Maloney, president and CEO, QuantumSphere, Inc. “Now with the use of QSI-Nano NiFe™, we are literally splitting the water more efficiently and turning heads in the scientific, industrial, and transportation communities. Our nano scale nickel and iron particles improve this process by dramatically increasing the surface area available for the catalytic reaction to generate hydrogen on commercial electrodes.” Before the use of QSI-Nano® catalysts, production of hydrogen through electrolysis had been hindered by high-cost catalysts and low efficiency. The use of nanoparticles now makes it possible to produce hydrogen with an efficiency exceeding a key U.S. Department of Energy benchmark.

 

[Abitreckless]

You’ll have to ask your Congressman that. But I believe that when people start having to wait in line at the pumps like I had to in the 70’s, those places will be opened up…but realize with the volumes of flow needed into the market those will only buy a little time or flatten out the decline into the predicted undulating plateau that some are predicting. Anyway, it takes years just to bring those types of projects to the drilling stage.

I’m always bugging my reps, but it will take a lot of us to get them to change their minds. I hope many others will join me before some of us freeze to death in our own homes, as well as the increase in gas prices.

 

[Abitreckless]

"Fuel or folly?
Ethanol and the law of unintended consequences

“In the pantheon of well-intentioned governmental policies gone awry, massive ethanol biofuel production may go down as one of the biggest blunders in history. An unholy alliance of environmentalists, agribusiness, biofuel corporations and politicians has been touting ethanol as the cure to all our environmental ills, when in fact it may be doing more harm than good. An array of unintended consequences is wreaking havoc on the economy, food production and, perhaps most ironically, the ENVIRONMENT (emphasis mine).”

snip

At the same time, corn is the main ingredient in livestock feed and its dearth is causing prices of those products to rise as well. Farmers have had to scramble to find alternative sources of feed for their livestock and, in some cases, have had to sell off animals they can no longer afford to feed. This, in turn, has led to an increase in the price of meat and dairy products for consumers.

snip

Another adverse impact of ethanol production is potential water shortage. One gallon of ethanol requires four gallons of water to produce.

snip

As the looming ethanol disaster has demonstrated, yet again, the road to hell is paved with good intentions"

excerpt sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2008/04/02/cstillwell.DTL

To me, it seems possibly immoral to use food for fuel, especially when we HAVE fuel.

 

[ribozyme]

We have not built a nuclear reactor in more than 30 years – nor have we built a new oil refinery in that time.

In the case of nuclear power, the Federal Regulatory Commission has stated they will not issue licenses for new plants until a safe storage site for nuclear waste is available. The chosen site is Yucca Mountain in Nevada, but politicians and “environmentalists” have keept it from opening with a blizzard of lawsuits and political maneuvering (Harry Reid, the Senior Senator from Nevada, has declared it will never open.)

We have plenty of oil – in the Arctic, off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and off the coast of Florida – and can’t drill in any of those places (although ironically, the Chinese can drill off the coast of Florida – with a license from Cuba.)

From Randall Parker’s blog:

It is not so much the stupidity of the elites, but the lobbies of big oil companies, who made sure that they get subsidies, while sabotaging alternative energy sources. The integral fast neutron reactor was an good invention, but as soon as its feasibility was demonstrated, its financing was immediately canceled because the anti-nuclear groups worried that this might encourage new interest in nuclear energy. The anti-nuclear groups are not the only simply the environmentalists: the oil companies are also included, and paradoxically, the uranium mining industry also does not like the fast neutron breeders like the molten salt reactor, because this would mean that since the long term byproducts of the fission are burned as extra fuel, only 1 % to 1.5 % of the usual uranium fuel would be needed (this is more than 60 times more fuel efficient.) This would be a disaster for uranium miners. The coal miners also don’t like it for obvious reasons. So it is not the stupidity of politicians, but actually the special interest groups their lobbies who own the politicians.

futurepundit.com/mt/mt-altcomments.cgi?entry_id=5136

Randall Parker also said drilling in ANWR isn’t a smart choice now:

In fact ANWR’s estimated reserves are unproven.

Also, putting ANWR into production now is probably a bad idea. I figure we’ll need that oil in the late 2010s and 2020s.

 

[drpmjhess]

I hope many others will join me before some of us freeze to death in our own homes, as well as the increase in gas prices.

Good insulation works wonders.

 

[vern_humphrey]

I recomend the Water Furnace ™. I have 5 “wells,” each 150 feet deep, and water circulates through them. This keeps this water at 55-56 degrees, year 'round. The water is used in conjunction with a heat pump. In winter, the air to be compressed is warmed to 55-56 degrees before compression, and in summer the compressed air is cooled to 55-56 degrees before being released.

When they installed it, they didn’t hook up the emergency heating strips, and we went through a cold winter and never noticed it!

 

[Doug50]

From Randall Parker’s blog:

/QUOTE]

And [Chesapeake Energy Corp](chesapeake Energy Corp.). is fighting for their natural gas interests by supporting cap and trade. from their website: “Chesapeake Energy Corporation is the largest independent producer and third-largest overall producer of natural gas in the United States.”
chk.com/p/522/Default.aspx
Chesapeake’s commitment to environmental stewardship is evident not only in the drilling and operating of our oil and natural gas assets but also in the composition of these assets, approximately 93% of which are the most environmentally friendly hydrocarbon energy source – natural gas. Natural gas burns more cleanly than any other hydrocarbon and its impact on the environment when extracted and consumed is minimal when compared to the impact of coal and imported oil.

Climate Change
While scientists are still debating and researching the causes of climate change, we believe that the reduction of greenhouse emissions is necessary and beneficial whether or not these emissions are determined to be the cause of increased temperatures worldwide. The vast majority of greenhouse gas emissions are caused by the use of gasoline, diesel and coal to produce energy. While viable fuel alternatives, such as wind, solar, biofuels and nuclear, exist, these fuels are not currently abundantly available at prices reasonable enough to provide for the world’s current energy needs. As the burning of natural gas reduces greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 50% when used instead of gasoline, diesel or coal, we believe that natural gas is the most practical solution to the problem – it’s abundant, affordable, reliable, clean burning and domestically produced

 

[Doug50]

Here you go…
qsinano.com/news/newsletters/2008_02/f1.php

Interesting but this is more to what I would want to look at, what is the generating costs estimates? Looking from an investor POV: qsinano.com/white_papers/Water%20Electrolysis%20April%2007.pdf So down on page 11 we get an electric cost range from $2 to $10 - assuming $.05/kwh to $.25/kwh electrical (name removed by moderator)ut. Assuming prower generation charges don’t change that’s workable. Now we just have to double up the current power generation for electricity to meet would will be the power demand as such a fuel system got instituted. A cost factor I ddn’t see is compression costs to compress the hydogen to the est 10,000psi ranges needed to get similar milage range to gasoline. Rice University discovered it could pack enough hydrogen density into fullerenes Fuel cells aren’t a must since hydrogen can use combustion engines. I was a little disapointed by the 1000 hour life of the nanos, though.

I noticed this company plans to manufacture a battery system based on its nano process. I saw on the Science/Discovery channel a powered batter system that could both charged and discharged at fast rates. On the program the batter system was used to test an electric moter powerd motorcycle in a 1/4 mile run. The discharged burned up the moter. Do you know if this is the same company/system?

 

[drpmjhess]

I recomend the Water Furnace ™. I have 5 “wells,” each 150 feet deep, and water circulates through them. This keeps this water at 55-56 degrees, year 'round. The water is used in conjunction with a heat pump. In winter, the air to be compressed is warmed to 55-56 degrees before compression, and in summer the compressed air is cooled to 55-56 degrees before being released.

When they installed it, they didn’t hook up the emergency heating strips, and we went through a cold winter and never noticed it!

Fascinating, Vern. I know about this technology, but haven’t really investigated it, as I live in a climate where we could survive (if not comfortably) without central heating. What are the service needs of these heat wells? How long do they last? Do the wells penetrate below permafrost?

 

[vern_humphrey]

Fascinating, Vern. I know about this technology, but haven’t really investigated it, as I live in a climate where we could survive (if not comfortably) without central heating. What are the service needs of these heat wells? How long do they last? Do the wells penetrate below permafrost?

I get a service call twice a year – costs about $100. But that’s not more than any other system – basically, it’s a heat pump. The wells need no service at all – but the HVAC system needs occasional small parts replaced, filters, and so on.

I’ve had mine now for over 9 years, with no problems at all. My electric bill is lower than people I know who live in mobile homes – and my house is two stories with a basement.

I don’t know about permafrost – we don’t have that in the Ozarks.

 

[drpmjhess]

I’ve had mine now for over 9 years, with no problems at all. My electric bill is lower than people I know who live in mobile homes – and my house is two stories with a basement.I don’t know about permafrost – we don’t have that in the Ozarks.

That sounds great!