Signing Out

Okay, only temporarily. I'm moving to Fort Polk, effective 4 hours from now. First I'll be in transit, then I'll be offline. I expect to be out of connection until around mid-June. Of course, I'll still have my cell, so I'll be in touch with many of you.

This sucks. There are so many variables right now that my life is a calculus problem. I requested a deferment until August so we would have time to sell the house and Jess and I could move down together. As it is, my deferment sat on the Bde Cdr's desk for over two weeks, after it was lost the first time. I didn't get a signed evaluation from the company until yesterday. And my award mysteriously disappeared, again. I walked it to S1 myself, yesterday. I'll probably never see it, given my disposition with the Company 1SG. Ni modo.

The house hasn't had any real interest because of the market. Jess has to stay here for a month, that I should be spending with her. Believe it or not, though I sound disgruntled, I'm really very happy. I can't think of a single reason why I would go beyond 20. Not promotion. Not assignment of choice. Not anything. I'm actually smiling right now. Have a good night. See you in a month.

LotR Quote

I fear neither death nor pain, [I fear a] cage: to stay behind bars until use and old age accept them and all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire.

Articles on BioFuels

Notes from Time, April 7, 08

Article on Biofuels

Brazil produces 5 billion gallons of sugarcane ethanol, but that is only enough to supply 45% of its transportation-fuel demands.  The country is also touted as being independent of external petroleum demands. (More research required on this notion.) If 100% of US corn and soybean crops were turned to fuel production, it would only offset our need for petroleum by 20%. The significance here is that these green fuels, while producing twice as much carbon in production, remain in deficit in their goal to replace petroleum. By the percentage listed, Brazil still consumes 55% of some other fuel source; America will still need 80% of additional fuel sources (at maximum production).

I am all for green fuels. I have often spoke in their favor, given that we need to research these alternatives. Only through further research will we master the technology necessary to realize the benefits. However, the premature utilization of these technologies has been detrimental to their public favor.

The answer is a complex combination of green fuel technologies, hydrogen cell technologies, electric car technologies (including hybrid), and public transportation services. Fuel technologies are the obvious replacement, given that we can barely consider the fuel conglomerates might invest in technologies that would cost them their $40 Billion a year (profit) business. If they invest in green fuels and hydrogen cells, they can maintain their profit margin until the next crisis.

For my own part, as I think I've commented earlier, I plan on converting my 3000GT into an electric car. Currently the price tag sits around $9,000. I won't do the research necessary, but I'm wondering if someone is already looking at combining the electric car with Prius technology and solar technology to extend the range of the car. In Who Killed the Electric Car, they discuss a battery, (I think NiMH) that would have extended the range of the EV1 out to 300 miles. I have thought about adding Prius battery charging technologies, magnets on the brake system, etc, to further charge the batteries while in transit. Additionally, perhaps a solar panel on the hood, the roof, or the trunk might further the range.

The Tesla Roadster, $98k electric sports car

Plug-In Cars could increase Air Pollution

Smithsonian dumps electric car exhibit

Electric Car Conversion Kits

Who's Resurrecting the Electric Car

Left Coast Electric

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Notes from Time, April 7, 08

Articles on Martin Luther King, Jr.

Rev. Billy Kyles, "[King] would be terribly disappointed with the behavior of the children of the black nation and all this anger they feel."

Rev. Jesse Jackson, "We're free, not equal... we must focus on the economic investments to close the gaps."

Andrew Young, "But very few people have been able to deal with the poorest of the poor, which is what Martin was doing at the time of his death."

"The scars of [King's] humanity are what make his glorious achievements all the more remarkable... In the end, King used the inevitability of a premature death to argue for social change and measure our commitment to truth."

Florida's Energy Bill

On 30 April, I found an article from the Miami Herald detailing their plan to reduce emissions by 30 percent by 2016. Apparently, environmentalists are okay with it, but as is always the case in these matters, it depends on who employs the environmentalists. I think this is close to the Kyoto agreement, though the US never ratified it. I'll have to look it up and see.

There were several ideas mentioned that I would not have thought about and at least one - nuclear power lines - that I don't understand. (Maybe they meant more power plants?) The ideas mentioned in the article include (1) energy efficient building kids, (2) renewable fuel standards, (3) adopting California's emission standards, (4) 30 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2016, (5) telecommuting by state employees, and (6) allowing the utility company to recover costs from efficiency upgrades, nuclear power lines and plants, and investment in renewable fuel sources.

Something I don't see, though I have not seen the entire report, is a rise in public transportation, including electric cars and trains. Jessica and I were going to take the Frex up to Denver this weekend. However, after researching the cost of the tickets - $9 for an adult, 1-way ticket - we concluded that it would be better to just drive our Prius up there. $36 for a family trip to Denver... for starters. It takes $30 to fill the Prius. Simple economics. And a shame. The Frex is a good idea, but under utilized by my estimates. 

Were the price say, $2-3 for a one-way ticket, more people might use the service. The bus holds an estimated 20-30 people (I don't know for sure); so, $60-90 per trip. That probably wouldn't be sufficient for profit. I wonder how much the service would need? 

• The driver, $8 an hour.
  
• The cost of fuel, $4 a gallon. In a bus, possibly 8-10 miles per gallon at 70 miles: $28-$36 per trip.
• Free WiFi for commuters. No clue, maybe $50 per hour as an acceptable rate?

$100 per trip, lets say $150 for expenses that I haven't thought of and for enough profit to reinvest into the project. $150 divided by 20 is $7.50 per person; by 30 is $5 per person.