Tom Friedman nails the "drill, drill, drill" mentality

[oddsmaven]

Tom Friedman on Meet The Press yesterday made a fine point about the GOP going gaga at their convention with drilling as their focal point of dealing with energy.

He said it was as if during the IT - Computer Revolution these folks were shouting. "IBM SELECTRIC TYPEWRITERS...IBM SELECTRIC TYPEWRITERS...IBM SELECTRIC TYPEWRITERS!!!!!!! ;)

[Tom]

When we switched from typewritters to word processers, we did not stop making typewritters until the WPs were plentiful, cost effective, and proven.

Stopping drilling before alternatives are in place, affordable, and proven is just plain stupid. This problem of energy is far deeper than cutesy sayings, but apparnetly Tommy doens't understand that.

Drilling our own oil makes 100% perfect sense. It is not the only way out, but without it, there in no way out in the immediate future.

OK, say natural gas for cars is a great idea. When will it be able to be up and running and able to service everyone in the country? Until that date, we need oil.

Oil
Wind
Water
Nuclear
Nat Gas
?????????

[oddsmaven]

When we switched from typewritters to word processers, we did not stop making typewritters until the WPs were plentiful, cost effective, and proven.

Stopping drilling before alternatives are in place, affordable, and proven is just plain stupid. This problem of energy is far deeper than cutesy sayings, but apparnetly Tommy doens't understand that.
......................


Fair enough Tom, but he's saying don't make it the focal point while not putting a good deal of effort into future planning...he said that the Saudis etal must have been cheering with them and glad that they weren't shouting, "invent, invent, invent."

[witchdoctor]

"Big Oil" needs to understand they are not in the oil bsuiness but are in the energy business. The railroad of yesteryear thought they were in the railroad industry when actually they were in the transportation industry. Will Big Oil make the same mistake?

[boxcar]

Meanwhile, though, let's be sure to follow the whacko Left's recommendations for saving mucho energy: check tire inflation twice a day (at least) and buy those pricey, environmentally-unfriendly, mercury-filled curly bulbs.

Other suggestions for conserving energy because we can reach out to Left to show them that we, too, care:

Ban all air conditioners.
Ban the use of all combustible engines.
Ban all commercial trucks from the highways.
Ban all air travel from Anywhere from Anywhere forever!
Ban steamship travel.
Ban the manufacture of all plastics.
Ban the use of gasoline-driven devices, e.g. lawnmowers, trimmers, etc.
Ban all roofing materials made from petroleum-based products.
Ban the manufacture of any petroleum-based products.


Let's save the Planet, Everyone! You're either with us or agin' us. Don't forget: Ignore the short-term pain these bans will cause. We're all in this together and we must act selflessly for the long-term good of All.

Boxcar

[DJofSD]

Boxcar, your reply reminds me of the latest MAC v. PC commercial: I banish you. Your are banished.

In general, I agree, the all or nothing approach gets us no where. If there's one group IMO that needs to be reminded the "drill, drill, drill" mantra is just the first step, it is the politicans not the consumers.

[ElKabong]

I agree w/ much of what Tom Friedman said, usually do on this subject. We need to get off our dependancy to OPEC et al. I just don't want the gov't involved. Instead of looking at the gov't to show the way, I'd rather an entrpreneur do so. Pickens has taken a step, hopefully he can move forward and bring in some bright competition in the process.

His comments about what GWB s/h said on the 9-11 rubble was correct, but we need the free enterprise system to run with the ball. Not DC.

[boxcar]

"Big Oil" needs to understand they are not in the oil bsuiness but are in the energy business. The railroad of yesteryear thought they were in the railroad industry when actually they were in the transportation industry. Will Big Oil make the same mistake?

So, once the railroads woke up and discovered they weren't the only transporting goods and people, did they cease shipping same over the rails?

Boxcar

[prospector]

Meanwhile, though, let's be sure to follow the whacko Left's recommendations for saving mucho energy: check tire inflation twice a day (at least) and buy those pricey, environmentally-unfriendly, mercury-filled curly bulbs.

Other suggestions for conserving energy because we can reach out to Left to show them that we, too, care:

Ban all air conditioners.
Ban the use of all combustible engines.
Ban all commercial trucks from the highways.
Ban all air travel from Anywhere from Anywhere forever!
Ban steamship travel.
Ban the manufacture of all plastics.
Ban the use of gasoline-driven devices, e.g. lawnmowers, trimmers, etc.
Ban all roofing materials made from petroleum-based products.
Ban the manufacture of any petroleum-based products.


Let's save the Planet, Everyone! You're either with us or agin' us. Don't forget: Ignore the short-term pain these bans will cause. We're all in this together and we must act selflessly for the long-term good of All.

Boxcar
i'm keeping my RV:)

[equicom]

You're already drilling your own oil. Have Texas and Oklahoma quietly seceded or something?

[boxcar]

You're already drilling your own oil. Have Texas and Oklahoma quietly seceded or something?

Methinks this is a production question -- as in, if we were to produce more and put our oil on the market along with the rest of the world's producers, it would lower the prices. Ever learn about supply and demand? :rolleyes:

Boxcar

[46zilzal]

"As a shareholder I also know that of all the oil ever known to exist in the Texas and Oklahoma oil fields, only one-third has been removed from the ground, with the remaining two-thirds still in the ground. Why? Because it is cheaper to buy Saudi Arabian oil. When the world price of oil goes up, the oil industry will bring their Texas/Oklahoma oil out of the ground. So again, we do not need more oil in America. All we need is already here in capped oil wells." --Sam Booher, a shareholder in ExxonMobil, Phillips Petroleum Company

[boxcar]

i'm keeping my RV:)

See! This is what I mean. That's a selfish attitude! Collectivism is the answer. Forget about Individualism and individual rights and needs and all that garbage. Gotta think progressive! You gotta put the planet ahead of yourself.

Boxcar

[JustRalph]

if anybody, including the great Tom Friedman thinks we are getting away from oil in the near future, they are nuts. I would say at least 20 years and probably 30. Unless somebody does something off the charts with nuke energy etc. To think otherwise reveals a weakness of knowledge in basic physics. If it could have been done easily, it would have been done by now.
T.Boone can talk all the crap he wants, we need to do it all. Nat. Gas, Drill, Nuke Power plants etc.

If Bill Clinton would have been behind drilling in AnWR we wouldn't be having this conversation. So what if it takes ten years.......... we need it all. If there were 3 million barrels a day coming down from Alaska right now, we would be much better off.

[prospector]

See! This is what I mean. That's a selfish attitude! Collectivism is the answer. Forget about Individualism and individual rights and needs and all that garbage. Gotta think progressive! You gotta put the planet ahead of yourself.

Boxcar
i see the planet thru my rear view mirrow :)

[JustRalph]

i see the planet thru my rear view mirrow :)

unless you have a convertible and a seriously cock eyed mirror...........everybody views the planet thru their rear view mirror :lol:

[dav4463]

I sat in my running car today with the a/c on, window down, and drinking from a plastic bottle. Tomorrow, I'm going to roll the window up to save some energy. See, I care.

[DJofSD]

Make sure you check the air pressure in your tires.

[boxcar]

I sat in my running car today with the a/c on, window down, and drinking from a plastic bottle. Tomorrow, I'm going to roll the window up to save some energy. See, I care.

Don't forget to ditch the plastic bottle, too. :D

Boxcar

[equicom]

Here's another thing... If you drill in Alaska, you still have to "import" the oil, because Alaska is physically separated from the rest of the US by Canada, meaning that you'd still have high transport costs to get the oil to the rest of the country.

The main benefactors could be Alaska if they're allowed to actually get their mitts on any of that oil for themselves, since they wouldn't have the high transport costs that other states would face.

Overall, though, considering the harm it would do to one of the most pristine states that you have, Alaska would be a loser in every other way except financially.

And then there is the potential crisis that oil suddenly becomes a whole lot less important if somebody makes a breakthrough invention. Nanosolar is a huge possibility, with cars being potentially powered by sunlight hitting the paint in the future. Joe cells, also, if anyone figures out how to make them stable and reliable.

[JustRalph]

Overall, though, considering the harm it would do to one of the most pristine states that you have, Alaska would be a loser in every other way except financially.

And then there is the potential crisis that oil suddenly becomes a whole lot less important if somebody makes a breakthrough invention. Nanosolar is a huge possibility, with cars being potentially powered by sunlight hitting the paint in the future. Joe cells, also, if anyone figures out how to make them stable and reliable.


Why is it that the whole damn State of Alaska is for drilling and we have 30 years of experience drilling in Alaska, and there has been no damage to the environment at all, yet people in the lower 48 say they know what's good for Alaska?

Take a look at this video, It is a little hyperbolic, but accurate ......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xYGED1j65Y

I can't believe that you think we should not drill because some miracle invention is going to wean us off oil? If some miracle invention does happen, there will still be uses for oil. There are so many other uses for oil in our lives that it will never go away. Fire up that electric car that gets 100 miles per gallon and there will still be a gazillion uses for oil. It is everywhere. Btw, what about the countries that can't afford to upgrade to your miracle invention? Cheaper oil from Alaska would be a great benefit to them. Do you want to deny them a better life?

To imply that we won't need oil because some miracle is going to change things, is stupid. You obviously aren't familiar with where oil goes. Where it is used in our everyday life. It is all around us. It isn't just transportation. It is the most used product in our life. Ever heard the famous line from the Graduate? Plastics? Oil provides us with every plastic we have in our lives.

Check this link for info on petrochemistry

Petrochemistry in everyday life

http://www.petrochemistry.net/petrochemistry-in-everyday-life.html

You are probably wearing an oil based shirt as you sit and read this? Ever heard of nylon? Polyester?

I wouldn't worry about the caribou, looks like they don't mind the drilling.

[boxcar]

Oh, JR, you're going to confuse these Libs with too many facts. The fact that they believe in their heart of hearts that oil production will become obsolete once its replaced by magical, cheap, super duper energy alternative betrays the extent of their naivete -- just how out of touch they are with the real world and how it works.

Boxcar

[wonatthewire1]

Don't forget to ditch the plastic bottle, too. :D

Boxcar


and pay with cash - no need to have plastic money in your wallet

[Tom]

Overall, though, considering the harm it would do to one of the most pristine states that you have, Alaska would be a loser in every other way except financially.



Urban legend. The libs and tree huggers keep repeating this BS hoping people will buy it. Fact is, there is very little enviro-impact from drilling. And this nonsense about pristine.....show me any study that ranks "pristine-ness of states. You whole speil here is nonsense. Why do you spread crap that is untrue?

BTW, since you are an expert on our states, please list the top 10 pristine states for us. And list the criteria used to decide. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[chrisl]

Living my life in Alaska: Yes Oil can be brought out of the ground in a very safe way. I spent the last 22 years on enviromental concrete oil containments projects in the state of Alaska. I had the pleasure of flying over ANWR in the late 90's.
It is very pristine, but the whole state is. Alaskan's only have one problem.. Where the oil is refined. Like in the Southwest region of Alaska, our government
OK'd the right of whole logs being cut down and rafted to other country's to be milled, and then sold back to America. Shutting downs mills, and alot of family's lifes.. Drill in Alaska, but the oil can only be refined in our refinery's.Be For America.....Chrisl

[46zilzal]

Urban legend. The libs and tree huggers keep repeating this BS hoping people will buy it. Fact is, there is very little enviro-impact from drilling. And this nonsense about pristine.....show me any study that ranks "pristine-ness of states. You whole speil here is nonsense. Why do you spread crap that is untrue?


Ah Tom knows about as much about ecological balance and the slight pressures that upset it as he knows about Venezuelan horticultural history.

[Tom]

Then state some fact, 46, insted of your usual snipes.