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"there are alternatives Mike (for energy). Just no one wants to use them anymore, and we need something to produce electricity."
I don't disagree, stick! We need to produce electricity but the coal industry has all but been destroyed by the policies of the current administration. The cheapest way to produce electricity is to burn coal - but it isn't very clean. Then there's the pipeline from Canada, but that's been stalled by the current administration.
So we are forced to mar the beauty of our environment with wind turbines (which produce very little electricity for the huge investments required) and to further technology - we build these towers every 2 or 3 miles of each other - but the communications companies each want their own towers thus quadrupling the towers unnecessarily.
I thank the Lord I won't be around in 20 years to see the mess we have created for our children - especially financially for our children and grandchildren. But no one seems to care in Congress or in the White House.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
The best would have been nuclear energy plants all built to the same safety standards and design which I understand France did.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
That's true. Road kill statistics are akin to massive carnage.
"Wind turbines kill more than 573,000 birds each year in the United States, according to The Associated Press, including federally protected species like bald eagles and golden eagles. [In Photos: Birds of Prey]
Even bats are falling victim to wind-turbine blades: The Pennsylvania Game Commission estimates that more than 10,000 bats are killed in the state each year by wind turbines, the Wall Street Journal reports."
No doubt road kill is more lethal, but wind turbines are being built in droves and it won't be long before millions more will perish in the blades of the turbines.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
I often wonder how long it would be before the wind turbines stopped turning if the gov took away all of the incentives and grants? I'm thinking in another decade or so there will a bunch of blighted ones because of rust and maintenance costs eating into the financial returns. I also wonder if by forcing utilities to buy energy from this source, it doesn't actually drive up utility company costs and therefore our utility bills? Gotta be a lot of paperwork and overhead involved in all of this.
" I'm thinking in another decade or so there will a bunch of blighted ones because of rust and maintenance costs eating into the financial returns. "
That is already happening. Outside Palm Springs, there are old abandoned turbines in disrepair. It 'a like a blight!
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
but scrap dealers will be dancing in the streets---thus are all things made beautiful....
...do scrap dealers want carbon fiber?
"...do scrap dealers want carbon fiber?"
The old turbines and pedestals I was talking about were rusting and technologically useless compared to the newer ones. They were much smaller and the ones rotting out there were not carbon fiber.
I believe the new propellers they are producing are carbon fiber. I saw a "How It's Made" a few months back that showed how they are produced and trucked and assembled at the site. The new ones are much more efficient, but also much deadlier to migrating and predatory birds.
I researched how the birds are killed - the predatory birds can't see the spinning propellers when soaring high above the desert floor (eagles, crows, vulchers, falcons) and the migratory birds fly right into the propellers. As the predatory birds dive for the prey, they too get chopped up by the propellers.
I googled the topic and the results were quite interesting.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
BTDT- as the attorney for the planning commission and later as private counsel pursuing and fighting zoning changes. Find someone who knows the system- the local politics as well as the law.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Although 573K bird deaths due to wind turbines sounds bad, numbers I found show that 100 million+ birds are killed every year running into windows. Communication towers kill 4 million a year. In 2012, 10K birds were killed by JFK airport personnel. Why aren't we up in arms? We should ban windows, telecommunication lines and airplanes. Let's not even talk about the millions of birds killed by cats every year.
No technology is perfect. My understanding is that the newer tower and blade designs reduce bird kills because the blade move slower. Yes the Altamonte Pass wind farm does have a higher rate of bird kills but it is a 30 year old facility and the old turbines are being replaced with newer more efficient and bird friendly design.
As for the XL pipeline, I wonder why Canada wouldn't allow one to be built from the tar sands fields of Alberta to the Pacific Ocean??
"Find someone who knows the system- the local politics as well as the law."
Exactly! Politics is as powerful as the law - twisting the arms of elected officials can often do more than anything else.
Who appoints members of the zoning board? The Planning Commission? Usually it's the mayor unless a municipality elects these commissioners, which is doubtful. Find out who wields the most power and influence in the municipality and county and you will find they are elected officials. Since they are elected, they eventually have to run again for office. That's their Achilles Heel.
Use that to put pressure on those you need to vote against the construction of towers. Same thing at the county and state levels.
But getting the right attorney simultaneously is just as essential! It will take money and lots of time - but is it worth it? Only you and your neighbors can determine that.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
"As for the XL pipeline, I wonder why Canada wouldn't allow one to be built from the tar sands fields of Alberta to the Pacific Ocean??"
I wonder if it had something to do with the Canadian Rockies and the costs associated with scaling the Rockies? The XL pipeline would be less expensive, in my opinion, and Canada probably would like someone else to foot the bill for the pipeline? What do you think about this hypothesis robr?
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
None of us know for sure, but, I think you are on the right track Mike. The easiest and fastest plan is to get the oil to the refineries that are already built in the USA. Plan B, and the Prime Minister has said, if that doesn't work out, the pipeline will be built to the Pacific and will be shipped to another place, probably China. The fastest route and the one that will get financing the easiest is XL to the oil refineries that are already built and can handle the product. The US is the largest potential customer of tar sand oil.....why ship it back and forth?
I have a feeling getting investment money in refineries is not easy these days, there could be new and different sources of energy at any time.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Keep in mind that the two projects (Enbridge Northern Gateway vs Trans Canada Excel) are proposed by two different pipeline operators. The cost for NG across the Rockies is is $7 billion vs $5 billion for XL through the United States. Both are funded by private companies and neither Canada nor the US governments would be footing the bill.
Scaling the Rockies definitely makes it more expensive. But there is already a pipeline (Trans Mountain owned by Kinder Morgan) across the Rockies that is under review to be upgraded to carry 30% more tar sands oils than either NG or XL for about $5 billion.
The greatest issue I have with the XL pipeline other than the potential environmental issues is that most of the oil sent through it will be exported. The need for of any of these pipelines is because tar sands exports from Canada are expected to double by 2022. The oil transported through the XL pipeline will do little to replace US imports from other nations. Why should the US bear the brunt for little economic value?
Fuel is already America's largest export. I think a pipeline will just send it to China and other parts of Asia no matter where it is built.
Political pandering over what's best for the entire country. Imagine that.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Tar sand oil is no easy grab either. You think all those costs won't be added on to a gallon? Think again. And if you won't buy it, someone overseas will, thank you very much for your inquiry.
America has a junkie mentality about oil. She's hooked on it and she'll do whatever is necessary to get it, and you'd better not stand between the addict and her supply.
it's not a stable posture, nor an enduring one, and possibly not even a survivable one. Lots of junkies ride it right into the ground.
America needs to get a new high from diet and cranial exercise.
"nukes like France..."
Not sure how the French designs differ from US light water reactors but there are some interesting new developments like mini reactors based on the technology used in US Navy ship nuke power plants. From the little I've read they are virtually melt down proof.
Now if we can only get one of those in a Mustang.....
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Some of my tennis buddies (in Florida) here were talking about their boats...one guy gets 3 mpg, another guy went out and got 2.7 mpg. Cost him $200 to take the family and some relatives around the lake.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I've never gotten the appeal of boats but if someone loves them, who am I to stand in their way?
Warren Buffett was talking about writing a book called "How To Live on $500,000 a year". He said he thought it would be a best-seller, since some Americans are having a hard time with how to do it---LOL!
Talk about gas and oil. I was just reading in today's paper, Tampa Bay Times, that it is better to use the electronics in the car to check gas mileage. I have always done it manually, number of miles travelled, divided by gallons. Apparently, that's not too accurate, refills can vary, time of year affects the amount of actual gas, etc. The car expert says the cars sensors are extremely accurate.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
"Some of my tennis buddies (in Florida) here were talking about their boats...one guy gets 3 mpg, another guy went out and got 2.7 mpg. Cost him $200 to take the family and some relatives around the lake."
Boating is an extremely expensive activity. My twin brother owns a 42' cruiser with 2-300 hp inboard engines an one 275 hp inboard engine (3 engines in all). It costs him over $1000 to take his boat out for 10-12 hours up near St. Augustine and if he goes out into the gulf stream as opposed to the intracoastal waterway, even more due to the currents an wave activity.
I don 't even think he gets 3 mpg - closer to 1.5 mpg. His boat sleeps 8 and has 3 cabins - he takes his grandchildren out whenever they fly in. He lives up in Ponte Vedra Beach.
Then, to dock his boat costs thousands every month. And if there is a tropical storm approaching, he has to have the boat taken out of the water and stored in the marina. Very costly hobby, to be sure. But he truly enjoys it and I guess if you've got it - flaunt it!
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
I don 't even think he gets 3 mpg - closer to 1.5 mpg.
I don't know how someone can enjoy themselves while burning through gas at the rate of 1.5 or even 3 mpg. It would be nice if they could get pleasure boats to run on solar energy or battery power. Sailing uses nice and economical energy.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
"Some other sayings come to mind.......more money than brains maybe, or I couldn't care less about anyone else, as long as I can play with my toys."
That sounds about what he might say. When you have millions, they don't care about anyone else. I agree driver, people like my brother have so much (and have had do much for years) they have become totally insensitive of others.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
Sales Story
Took my Prius in to have the computer monkey shocked on recall and an oil change. Ran into a sales guy I recognized back when I was shopping VW's. He was doing better selling Toyotas so I asked him as a new guy if he could survive selling to walk-ins. While we were chatting, his cellphone buzzed 4 times. He said he sells mostly on the internet -- 22 cars last month. Those buzzes were calls. He said he was the best in the store because he never sent form responses and made the contacts personal. He said he asked 4 questions [ forget what they were] and if he got one yes he had a chance to move forward and get a deal done. He does send price quotes and I asked him if that doesn't encourage people to shop his price and he said of course, but if he didn't give them numbers, he would never hear from them again. I asked him, if his methods were so successful online, why weren't the other folks doing the same thing? He said they were lazy for one and it wasn't his job to teach them how to be better online salesmen. Had a great time -- the floor was empty and he would disappear into the internet suite to keep in touch with contacts. They had a room dedicated to online sales with 10 computer stations.
Exactly. When I first started looking at the Mazdaspeed 3 in June 2007 I filled out the online form at Oxmoor(ons) in Louisville and Kings in Cincinnati. Oxmoor sends me a message asking me to come in and look at the Mazdaspeed Protege(?)- and keeps sending follow-ups. Kings' sales guy called me and knew the product without putting on a hard sell(at that time calling was the only option..
OTOH... I tried Edmunds' "Get a Quote" feature a couple of years ago when we lapsed into a fit of practicality and considered buying a Nissan Rogue(shudder). Not a single dealer provided a quote- and ALL of them called me even though I listed e-mail as my contact preference.
Every dealer wanted me to come in so that they could "find a vehicle that meets your needs"- even though I had requested a specific model, trim level, and option package.Very irritating, although I guess I really should thank them since we eventually ended up with a CPO E90 328i...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Why so tough on us oil junkies? Aren't you one of the oil junkies also? It seems to be our only choice right now and I have a little more faith that we will survive our dependence on oil until something better comes along.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
Just a friendly reminder:
Daylight Saving Time
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Re: oil junkies.
It would be great if we could develop a cheap sustainable substitute for hydrocarbons but the fact is that alternatives are not cheap. People forget that at the beginning of the auto age cars were only available to the wealthy. If we require everyone to drive a Tesla most of us would have our lives disrupted if not outright ruined.
ALL forms of energy have negative consequences. For myself, I'd rather not go back to preindustrial days when people died at 30.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I am going to go out on a limb and say we are going to find a cheaper fuel or a better way to use the fuels we do have. Man always comes through when there is a crunch, and besides, if there is a buck to be made, someone will find a way to do it. Many of the greatest inventions over the last few years are things no one even imagined only a few years earlier, cell phones (modern day), GPS, personal computer, tablet, ebook, video on demand, flat screen TVs, lane warning device, rear camera, USB ports in cars, satellite radio, shopping on the internet, etc.
We don't know what this new invention will be....but it is coming.
Some people think of the glass as half full. Some people think of the glass as half empty. I think of the glass as too big.” (George Carlin)
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Yeah but those gadgets don't profoundly change the world--we could take away cell phones certainly and gadgets in cars and ebooks and flat screens and you'd adjust in a couple of days. But take away your energy source? A totally different story. It's like the different between taking away your gourmet coffee or your oxygen supply.
My guess? Hydrogen power.
From what I'm reading here, sounds like boating has gone up....A LOT! My dock fees were $170/mo in Spring and Summer. Less in Fall and Winter because I didn't use nearly as much electricity since I wasn't at the dock all that often except to check on the boat every month. I had dual 350s on my Coastal Cruiser. For the entire weekend, fuel ran between $200-$300. That was mitigated by those who acme aboard on a weekend putting a $10-$20 bill in the "gas jar". I didn't ask for it, but it was in plain site and marked as such. Granted, we stayed mostly at trolling speed because opening up a 42' boat throws a pretty big wake capable of capsizing a smaller 18' boat. I would say those dual 350s probably got 5-7 MPG...again, just trolling for the most part.
Now, to blow off some steam. GF and I went out with some friends last night for a casual dinner at a place near one of the tonier Cincinnati neighborhoods (Hyde Park so you locals know where I am). Busy night as I think everyone had cabin fever, the sun had been out all day, and the temps finally got over 60ºF. As such, not a lot of places to park.
I found a slot in a small parking lot of a business that was closed for the evening. When I park in these places, I look for a couple of things. First, am I taking up one of their customer's parking slots? In this case, "NO", because they were closed. And, I always look for a conspicuous sign stating "we tow cars who are not parked as part of our business". No sign around that was conspicuous to me.
Two hours later, we come out to me car to find it gone. First thing I do is to call the police. I get half way through telling the dispatcher where I am, so they can send a policeman out, and a person who over hears my phone call interrupts me. Apparently, this person live in the area and was out walking..."do you have a black Acura?" "Yes, why?" Well, it was towed about 20 minutes ago.
Cut to the chase, there was a "tow" sign posted in the parking lot. But, it's so inconspicuous as you would have to search hard to find it. After talking to some of the people in the restaurant, I guess there's a tow company who asks business owners if they can put a sign up in their parking lot (hiding it is more descriptive). Then the tow company trolls the lots after hours, knowing when the businesses are closed, no customers are in their lot. BOOM, $108/tow, probably busy from dinner time until the PUB closes. My guess they net about $1,500/night.
We had 6 people in our group. While it was not the restaurant's fault, we won't be back. My guess? they're out $500/visit from just our group alone.
I really think that the new CAFE targets are what will drive us away for reliance on hydrocarbons. Isn't it amazing that when the targets are raised, the industry figures out a way to reach them? EcoBoost has had a profound effect - who would've thunk a 6 cylinder turbo would be the top choice engine in the F150?
I'd think of going after the business and the tow company. Does the city have a requirement that signs be posted in readily visible places? I'd do some photographing to document locations with and without cars in the lot for visibility and then I'd contact the local I-Team investigation people. I'd also look at postings in other lots around the restaurant for similarly-placed signs in not-so-obvious areas. The local 19 team could give the restaurant some unwanted publicity for the problems too.
Most places post at the entrance if they don't want after hours parking and will tow. Can't miss them. This sounds like fun. I can see the business asking the neighbors to post better signage after some "sunshine" on their area.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
In the late 80s my Grandfathers boat with twin Chevy 350s would use over $200 for a fishing trip. I was a kid, but remember it was at least an hour from the marina where we would fish (a wreck that we had good luck at). My memory is sketchy but I seem to remember the gas was $1.50 ish a gallon at the marina. My grandfather would always comment that it was much more than at the regular car stations. Captive audience I guess.
@gg.. What BS. Gotta love people who make money ripping people off. No damage to the car I hope.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
a 6 cylinder turbo would be the top engine in the F150?
robr2, They're not selling well here. People want the 5.0 in their trucks. Magic City Ford has a bunch of leftover 2013s with the 3.5 turbo sitting while all the V-8s are gone. 4 years in and folks still don't trust the turbos.
2013 Mustang GT, 2001 GMC Yukon Denali
GG, sorry to hear your new TL got towed. Living rural, we don't have that problem, but when I go to the "Big City" I always pay to park. A few bucks for parking is much better that that awful feeling you get when an empty space is where your car was.
2013 Mustang GT, 2001 GMC Yukon Denali
There was a shady towing company in Louisville playing a similar game; they attracted some negative attention from the local media and i believe some victims of their scam got refunds...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
As with most things on the internet one must research this carefully. I have looked into this and have found estimates as low as 10-40K per year to well over a million a year. The greater the estimate the more likely the group is against wind farms for other reasons. Aside from having someone at each wind farm and counting the birds falling out of the ski all you will get are wildly differing estimates. National Geographic did a study on many of these estimates and using them all came up with I believe 375,000 per year. However I would think that figure would drop significantly if you remove the obviously over inflated claims by some groups.
In any case wind farms account for a very small percentage of bird deaths each year.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
That car expert isn't Edmunds.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
It has been said that a boat is a hole in the water you put money into.
It has also been said that the two happiest days in a boat owners life is the day he buys the boat and the day he sells it.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Yep starting tomorrow the clock in my car will be right.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Nope to many issues with hydrogen for it to be a major power source.
First off is that hydrogen isn't a fuel it is a source of storing power. So something else has to produce the energy and then store it in hydrogen. So you are basically adding another step between the power source and its use making it more expensive and more complicated.
Secondly it requires a lot of energy to isolate and it is difficult to hold and control.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I edited my post to top engine choice....
The national average is 38% for the Ecoboost in the F150. In the PNW, it's 45%. INHO, that's pretty good.
Looking at the stock of one dealer doesn't tell the story IMHO.
Thanks for letting me vent. The lot my car was towed to was in a "not so nice" area of Cincinnati....a fenced 1/3 of an acre lot. Apparently going after higher end brands is this guy's forte. THere was my car, an Infiniti M, a couple of Range Rovers, and I think an older Benz parked in the lot. No "hoopties" anywhere around.
This guy has a little scam business going. No cops were called. I'm uncertain what any rights a tow company has to tow a car without police intervention. RB, do you have anh insight?
As best I can tell, there is no damage to my car. He said he towed it with all 4 wheels off the ground. Then again, a year from now, will something show up as a failure caused by this guy's tow job?
Well we were talking about future energy sources, so I went "out there" and took a stretch. I think those issues are solvable.
However hydrogen is not an energy source that's a law of physics that cannot be "solved". You have to put energy into hydrogen to get energy out of hydrogen, so where is that energy going to come from? Some estimates have it as you get out of hydrogen only as low as 25% of the energy put into it. It is a wasteful way to store energy and will always be wasteful, laws of physics cannot be changed.
Right now the best way to get this hydrogen is through electrolysis separating the hydrogen from the oxygen in water. This requires a lot of electricity and water. It would be far more efficient (at least 4 times as efficient) to run cars on that electricity then to create the hydrogen and run the cars.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I'm not sure I'd let the restaurant off the hook either, no pun intended, because I've been in places where the business puts up signs, "If you parked in such and such, move your car. You may be towed." to warn folks about such scams.
This reminds me of Ohio State University's off campus housing area on a football game day. My son lives a block east of the student center off High Street. This area has some frat and sorority houses scattered as well. The hookers (tow trucks) were out one day when we were there on a home game day and the police were scurrying about to tag cars who had parked past the sign demarcating the end of parking for that block. The tow trucks were hooking them up and dragging them off. The students were being victimized just because it's a home game and parking it tight with much of the street parking by decal only (that may only be weekdays).
Not to mention those same police have trouble finding the locals who prey on students for robbing them or for mischief on their cars. But those boys of blue sure can spot a parking violation. They also are good about street cleaning days and giving tickets. Seems Columbus wants to do more street cleaning in the area where it's hardest for folks to move their cars due to the number of cars with permits being 130% of the number of street parking spaces.
Also there's a maximum of $90 for towing by state law and $12 for storage. Legislation has been in the works.
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/01/21/tow-truck-ruling.html
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,