Government Investment in Alternative Energies

On average, the Sun shines 341 watts of energy per square meter on Earth. The Sun beams more energy to our planet every hour than humanity uses in a whole year.

In the current fiscal year, the Energy Department plans to spend:

$159 million on solar research and development.

$303 million on nuclear energy research and development.

$427 million on coal.

$167 million on other fossil fuel research and development.

Most technological developments require monetary investments. We would assume the need for clean alternative energy sources would promote investment in wind, solar, or nuclear power over coal and oil, but that is not the case. Even into the year 2030 the United States government is projecting more investment in coal burning technology than solar. The private sector is also holding off investing in solar technology. If the old timers have it their way, we are going to be using fossil fuels for a long time.

The government has promoted the use and development of alternative energies through tax breaks, but they have been taken advantage of by the likes of prominent tax lobbyist Kenneth Kies. Kies pushed for a “synfuel” tax break and then dubbed a diesel + coal combination “synthetic fuel” and Stole millions of dollars in tax breaks for some of this nation’s wealthiest corporations (diesel sprayed on coal is not good for the environment).

Why is investing in Solar Technology not a high priority?

There are many factors, some of which are mentioned here, but summarizing:

1) Storing the energy is a much bigger problem than you would think

2) Current solar panels just do not produce enough energy for the dollar

3) The nuclear and coal camps have much more lobbying power

4) The money intended to promote alternative energies does not necessarily end up in the right place

The bottom line is unless there are breakthroughs in solar technology it is not going to be worthwhile to invest in solar technology… sound like the chicken and the egg?

Maybe we should be investing more into solar power?

Say it Aint So: Senator Ted Stevens (R-Ak)

Unfortunately, I was not surprised when I read that Ted was under investigation by not only the Internal Revenue Service, but also the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Because it is the IRS we know it has to do with money… your first guess is probably right: he took a bribe. But what kind of bribe?

Did he get a new car? Did he receive $90,000 which he then stuffed in a freezer? Did he get a vacation to Barbados?

Mr. Allen who was an important figure for Veco, the biggest oil service company in Alaska, oversaw construction on Ted’s house. So my guess is that Mr. Allen doubled the size of Ted’s house to gain support for some sort of oil drilling.

Mr. Allen has admitted to bribing Alaskan legislatures. He has already been sentenced.

Ted has been a senator since 1968, making him the longest tenured currently in office… and I suspect through his hiring of Brendan Sullivan Jr., Washington’s Johnny Cochran, he will continue to hold that “honor.”

Politicians should be a beacon of honesty, integrity, and morality. Instead we associate politicians with greed, corruption and lies.

Ted is known for a lot of things. He is the one who called the internet “not a big truck,” but a “series of tubes,” and opposed net neutrality (and still does). He introduced a bill that would have limited the access to social networking websites (facebook, myspace, friendster, etc.).

He is also responsible for the “bridge to nowhere.” The government was considering diverting funds from the “bridge to nowhere” to repair Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina… until Teddy pounded his feet, through a fit, and threatened to resign his seat on the senate.

I would have said good riddens. It is scary when you have people like this making decisions… especially about things they don’t understand.

Oh yah, I forgot about his house remodeling project. He says he wants to wait until the investigation is completed before he makes any comments.

I am guessing that would be enough time to buy himself out of trouble, as all politicians do when they get caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

Have you seen the movie Shooter? Conspiracy movie involving Mark Wahlberg and a corrupt senator from Alaska. The fake senator dies in the end. I am not trying to say anything, I just liked the movie.

Ted is up for reelection in 2008. Alaska is a republican state. He will likely be reelected… unless he goes to jail.

Democracy does not work unless you vote for the candidate who you think will do the best job. Does not matter if you think you are “wasting a vote” or if you are voting for an opposing party.

Democracy does not like partisanship. Partisanship has helped make democracy a tool for those with money, power, and media ties.

A tool that helps those same people get away with… a bridge to nowhere.

$63 Billion in Aid to Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Others

Take a guess at what the money is going to be spent on… go ahead.

Fighting hunger? Providing medical care? Improvements in education?

Of Course Not.

It is a US-Middle East arms deal.

A deal usually means we get something in return. Let me read this article and see what we are getting in return…

We are giving Israel $30 Billion over the next 10 years, Egypt $13 Billion, and Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and the UAE are to share $20 Billion… hmmm, doesn’t look like we are getting anything in return.

Oh! Here it is: “The tour is aimed at uniting US allies against Iran, Syria and Hezbollah.”

I get it, the United States is buying allies. Saved by the Bell reminds me that it usually doesn’t turn out well.

Condi’s second goal for this Middle Eastern tour is to “win support for a Mid-East peace conference.” By giving away missiles. Genius! I never realized that giving everyone money to buy weapons from us would build peace… no wonder these guys are in charge.

That seems to be the gist of it, we are giving them money… SO they can buy weapons from us, please correct me.

Condi told reporters: “There isn’t a doubt, I think, that Iran constitutes the single most important, single-country, challenge to… US interests in the Middle East and to the kind of Middle East that we want to see.”

Please tell me that looks horrible to you too. She actually paused (…) before she said that second part. What kind of Middle East DO you want see? Cheap oil? Complacent leaders who don’t question US motives? Destroyed countries that make it easy to impose American will?

Why can’t we see an independent Middle East?

American foreign policy continues to try and shape parts of the world that we should have no say in.

Masked by Fear, fear promoted by policy makers, the people of the United States of American are complacent with an imperialistic government because it improves the standard of living.