If nuclear plants are sited near oil shale deposits, however, the spigot is open!

Thinking out loud, some more, it doesn’t really make any difference.

Because nothing changes.

Turtles all the way.

Que sera sera.

Be happy mon.

All roads lead to the oil patch, but briefly just for the record.

Too bad that we’re leaving Risk Management in the hands of the politicians. The oil shales in Colorado have an estimated yield of 3 to 5 times the size of the largest oil reserves in the world which are of course in Saudi Arabia. Based on government-subsidized research, it is complicated to extract – have to heat the deposits for several years and construct an ice wall to isolate groundwater from contamination.

The equivalent yield of the (low sulfur) coal deposits in Montana is similar order of magnitude. Coal has the advantage of not just being plentiful, but cheap, efficient, and capable of yielding electricity, liquid fuel, and hydrogen for future fuel cells. The latter requiring the expensive conversion machinery.

And I see that wildcatters came back when price reached $120.

So our government will vote on (1) known coal deposits with some attendant capital cost for infrastructure, versus (2) known oil shale deposits with similar cost of heating and containing miles of subsurface formations versus (3) the unknown deposits of domestic drilling – onshore or offshore, leased or unleased land, ANWR or closeby.

And that doesn’t even introduce the green elephant of carbon emissions and allegations of environmental deterioration.

The Internet began in this country as DARPA with government funding. The private equity derived from applications and “content providers.” Although I think the former is still outpacing the latter.

My point is that one can discern (1) the elements of a classic con game in the oil industry and (2) an industry that has lost the requisite appetite for even marginal risk – a dead appetite that cannot be rekindled even under threat of Islamic-inspired terrorism and tribal feudalism. I am not as a rabid an opponent as others, but I do support the move away from oil – not coal or natural gas – as much as I support dilution of the Saudi connection.

I am not shocked that there is drinking in this bar, but in my judgment it is time to get out of Dodge.

One of the problems in the energy industry is that the oil bust in the late 1980′s drove out the wildcatters. The energy industry is actually dependent upon government subsidies. There was a time when the majors hired oil prospectors to survey new places for oil. Nowadays, the majors watch for governments and universities to literally beg them to invest in this, that, or yonder patch, telling them exactly where the oil is so a major oil company can then invest in the local economy.

Nationalization, taxation, and fluctuations in the energy markets have taken their toll with the effect of making most energy corporations amazingly cautious. They will only invest their cash if they know for certain they will make a profit. Despite present market conditions, the energy industry is profoundly pessimistic about its long term prospects.

As for nuclear power, nuclear power plants may fill in the gap for the next thirty years, but nuclear energy is problematic because it guarantees nuclear proliferation. Somewhere down the road, the United States will probably need to promote an international treaty to ban nuclear energy precisely in order to stop the spread of nuclear weapons. For the time being, though, nuclear energy is better established and better organized than wind, solar, and geothermal energy. And in the energy industry, political clout is important.

The morning will come when the world is mine.
Tomorrow belongs to me.

The MSM has almost completely committed itself to B. Hussein’s victory in November.

Likewise, almost every famous moonbat and member of the liberal elite have made their public endorsement of the Chosen One’s run for President.

If McCain succeeds in beating the Messiah in November, it will be equivalent to the nation giving the MSM and all those fine moonbats the middle finger.

To witness that would be a very beautiful thing.

It is an issue of concern that a very young, very liberal, very political machine like Obama can advance so far so fast with an agenda that cannot be integrated into current financial accounts. And yet the race is a dead heat.

It is one thing to be confident of what the Boomer Generation will allow. It is another to give credence to polling that suggests otherwise.

At this point I have little clue how the American people will vote.

I’ve seen a lot of dead pigeons on the road lately but I’m guessing it’s just the time of year.

Or else the earth’s core is melting.

Pigeon drop is the name of a confidence trick in which a mark or “pigeon” is convinced to give up a sum of money in order to secure the rights to a larger sum of money, or more valuable object. In reality the scammers make off with the money and the mark is left with nothing.