Interviews and Worldwide Energy Numbers

Added June 5-Rec'd call from Cam Brown this morning and I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt since I have known Cam for a long time and it was very strange that he wasn't responding to me. Emails have been known to fall through the cracks and I am careful about not "talking campaigns" on work phone numbers. So, I ask that you read the next paragraph with this in mind. Give a hard-working guy a break (my words, not his. lp)

First I need to tell you that there appears to be little interest from State Senator Cameron Brown in an interview for this blog. Therefore, I will start on Wednesday to compare the two who appear to be working the hardest: McManus and Norlander.

Then let's get to the numbers in the recent "Michigan Science" publication put out by the Mackinac Center. And if you're like me, you'll have no trouble envisioning the hypocrisy of the Al Gore and Michael Moore preachers who want to tell us how to live.

We all know that it has been around 30 years since any permits have been issued in the United States for nuclear power, but let's look at the rest of the world.

China is the largest carbon dioxide emitter in the world and is working to slow down their rate of growth by using more efficient coal-burning equipment, co-generation, coal liquefaction, etc. In the last two years they have moved toward nuclear energy.

Japan is increasing its use of nuclear power from 30% to 41% over the next 10 years while limiting renewables to 3% in 2010.
California currently produces only 0.2 of its energy needs from the sun.
Germany generates 15% of its energy from solar and wind power exceeding the European Union's 12.5% target for 2010. However, their costs for electricity have increased 38% from 2006 to 2007 since solar panels and wind are less efficient (my word, not theirs.)
Italy and Sweden have rescinded their nuclear energy moratoriums adopted in the 1980s. Italy is scheduled to get 25% of their needs from 8 new nuclear plants.
England has plans to upgrade 8 nuclear reactors and build 10 new plants.
France already derives 80% of its electricity from 58 reactors and is into what they term their third generation reactors at home and abroad.
Ukraine announced plans for 11 new reactors over the next 20 years while India plans to build 40 new reactors over the next 22 years to increase its energy yield from its current 3% to 45%.

And all Obama and his crew of liberals can do is talk about cap and trade and carbon taxes. Those $10,000 home turbines which take 30+ years to break even at best sure don't have many takers yet. I don't know how Cascades Engineering can advertise their expertise with a straight face.

The professor at Spring Arbor University said something about the need to figure the abstract benefits into the equation, but if you don't have the money, you just don't have the money. Right now some folks make choices between food and comfort or between healthcare and Christmas and birthday gifts for their kids and grandkids. It's not just an opportunity cost, it's the true cost of not just living, but staying alive.

Let's hope some of the powers that be can open their eyes and hearts to those of more modest means than their own. And let's hope that some of the bureaucrats who cheat on their taxes don't think that just because they do it that "everybody does it." That's just not true for us average income, God-fearing (even though the President says we are not religious) citizens. We can only hope and pray that everybody does the right thing because it's the right thing to do.

God bless...........