A bad day for the world?

kerf

kerf

New Member
The situation in Japan is truly awful, with the earthquake and subsequent tsunami. I fear, however, the worst is just beginning to unfold, a tragedy that could kill millions, it could even be lethal here in America. They apparently have five nuclear reactors that have lost coolant capability, these reactors automatically shut down when the earthquake occurred but are still generating heat. One of them has apparently exploded, either from a hydrogen / oxygen detonation or steam. It is venting radioactivity and is only 150 miles from three million people in Tokyo.

This is unacceptable under any conditions, a nuclear power plant can never, no matter what the reason, loose coolant capability. The core will melt and total loss of control of the fuel pellets will occur. They will fuse into a hot radioactive mass that will literally melt into the ground and release enough radiation to do untold damage. It doesn't matter if you have to design a 100 layers of redundancy into the cooling system, this can't be allowed to happen.

Just when we need more nuclear power generation in this country, this event will kill that idea forever. Our government is actively trying to kill oil and coal as a source of power and with this tragedy they may kill our Republic as well. Oh well, I never intended to live forever.
 
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They built them in an earthquake prone area. It is scary.

I watched the president yesterday and he did shout out to T. Boone.

We have plenty of natural gas in the USA. I ran a Ford Ranger on propane for years in the 90's and it ran good.

Bicycles can help our country get off the oil too.

This forum is important and part of the answer.
 
motorbiker said:
Bicycles can help our country get off the oil too.

This forum is important and part of the answer.
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Ya I feel the same way about this forum. Iam getting together some parts to build a browns gas gen for my bike. I could get over 250 miles (or more?) a gal. Might be a good way to go?
 
motorbiker said:
They built them in an earthquake prone area. It is scary.

I watched the president yesterday and he did shout out to T. Boone.

We have plenty of natural gas in the USA. I ran a Ford Ranger on propane for years in the 90's and it ran good.

Bicycles can help our country get off the oil too.

This forum is important and part of the answer.
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I don't agree with your premise. First off Pickens is a joke, rich or not he's a joke. He was all hot to trot about off shore wind farms until somebody explained the problems. Bicycles are toys, I like to play with mine but I burn more gas because I'm riding for the fun of riding not transportation. This country runs on petroleum and coal, changing the infrastructure to accommodate alternative energy sources will take many decades. It ain't gonna happen before our economy collapses unless we use what we have and what we have is oil and coal.

Even if someone succeeds at using an MB for transportation, everything that they use to support life will still require oil. Groceries, clothing, building material, bicycles and even the cheap Chinese engines you use all come to you courtesy of Exxon Mobil.
 
oldtimer54 said:
Ya I feel the same way about this forum. Iam getting together some parts to build a browns gas gen for my bike. I could get over 250 miles (or more?) a gal. Might be a good way to go?
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Brown's gas will work except for the laws of thermodynamics, making the gas requires more energy than it will produce. Electric power is cheaper per mile than oil but probably not cleaner because most of it comes from coal. Still it's cheaper but limited range can be an issue. Also the cost of high tech batteries like LIB will send you into cardiac arrest.
 
kerf said:
I don't agree with your premise. First off Pickens is a joke, rich or not he's a joke. He was all hot to trot about off shore wind farms until somebody explained the problems. Bicycles are toys, I like to play with mine but I burn more gas because I'm riding for the fun of riding not transportation. This country runs on petroleum and coal, changing the infrastructure to accommodate alternative energy sources will take many decades. It ain't gonna happen before our economy collapses unless we use what we have and what we have is oil and coal.

Even if someone succeeds at using an MB for transportation, everything that they use to support life will still require oil. Groceries, clothing, building material, bicycles and even the cheap Chinese engines you use all come to you courtesy of Exxon Mobil.
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Well said.
 
kerf said:
Brown's gas will work except for the laws of thermodynamics, making the gas requires more energy than it will produce. Electric power is cheaper per mile than oil but probably not cleaner because most of it comes from coal. Still it's cheaper but limited range can be an issue. Also the cost of high tech batteries like LIB will send you into cardiac arrest.
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Ya I hear that all the time but from people who have never build one lol laff
 
oldtimer54 said:
Ya I hear that all the time but from people who have never build one lol laff
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Don't get me wrong, go for it, if it works I'm 100% behind you. I'm just saying, if it's gonna involve batteries, run them straight to the wheel and skip the middle man.
 
Kerf, my premise is to use as little oil as I can.

I like being conservative.

What works for me is trying to buy as little gas as I can.

I drive a pickup sometimes but I try to be easy with the right foot.

My car runs on biodiesel that I make from oil that people give me.

I am conservative to the core !
 
Kerf, If I am going to throw money away I will do it at the shooting range.

Blowing it on gas makes me feel like a chump.

edit.

I ride my trike to the store a lot to get stuff too. Alot.

And yeah it's my toy but it gets er done without making me stop at the gas station.

That's one of the reasons I love her so much ! :)
 
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Other reasons.

Helped me lower the number of blood pressure pills I take.

Helped me lose 30+ lbs.

Self esteem, way up. Feel like a kid again ! :)

Some toy huh ? I call it the fountain of youth ! :)
 
Spending money on foreign gas makes me feel like a chump.

If I knew the oil was coming from Alaska and my $4/gal was going to help create american jobs in an area rampant with unemployment ... It wouldn't bother me as much.
 
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I like wind power, I like solar power, I like bio diesel, I like riding my bike, I like $0.93 gas, heck I like lots of stuff. What I don't like is Federal subsidizes for anything, including me. We need to harness every conceivable energy source but do it in a way that "Neither breaks my leg nor picks my pocket".

Jefferson sends a "tingle" up my leg.
 
give me vtec said:
without the subsidies wind and solar would fail....
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Maybe but that just indicates the technology isn't mature enough to compete in the market place. The problem with subsides is, they keep the technology FROM maturing. If wind and solar are ever to become a viable energy source, they must have market pressures to find their niche.

Pressure drives evolution, one must embrace it not run from it. Not always fun but always necessary.
 
motorbiker said:
Fossil Fuel Subsidies Are Twelve Times Renewables Support - Bloomberg

I am not sure how well oil would work without govt help.
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Like I said, all subsides must go. Education is at the top of the list, close the U.S. Department of Ed, turn out the lights and go back to the "limited and enumerated powers". There is nothing about subsidies in our Constitution! This is a shell game politicians are pulling with OUR money, in order to BUY political power. The fact that "We the People" have allowed this to happen to our Republic is nothing short of SHAMEFUL!!!
 
the thing i find most interesting about the disaster in japan is the way the people of japan are handling it. all in a well coordinated and professional manor. if this was in the U.S. there would be riots and looting and people killing each other. just look at how we handled N.O.
 
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