Monthly Archives: April 2016

Most energy efficient: passenger bus, rail, or auto?

Preface. Weight reduces energy efficiency, so one way to make transportation more efficient is to light-weight rail cars, buses, trucks, and cars. For every 10% reduction in weight, up to 7.6% more fuel efficiency can be gained (Joost 2012). While … Continue reading

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Oil Dependence and what to do about it. Senate hearing 2007

[ In recent years there have been so many hearings proclaiming energy independence that I thought I should publish more sessions where Congress admits to a dependency on oil. The same old solutions and ideas appear: drill baby drill, ethanol, … Continue reading

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Is the U.S. so energy independent we should export crude oil?

[ This is one of several House of Representative sessions discussing energy independence and whether to revoke the energy policy and conservation act of 1975 ban on crude oil export. The only time so far I have ever seen a … Continue reading

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Why aren’t net energy and Energy Returned on Invested the basis of U.S. energy policy?

[ David Murphy doesn’t answer this question, but does give the history of EROI and more importantly, what this means for oil production and society.  If we are going to spend money on fossil alternatives, wouldn’t it make sense to … Continue reading

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Let’s get rid of invasive species ASAP

              Preface. Breaking news: if you can’t beat them, eat them! Wildlife officials are encouraging people to eat invasive bullfrogs (Eggett 2019). No limits and no license required. They can get up to 1.5 … Continue reading

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U.S. Senate hearing on our aging water infrastructure

[ Even though conventional oil production has been on a plateau since 2005, there is no sense of alarm or urgency to try to fix infrastructure before oil is rationed and not enough exists to replace or repair it. Some … Continue reading

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The dark side of religion: how ritual human sacrifice helped create unequal societies

April 5, 2016. The dark side of religion: how ritual human sacrifice helped create unequal societies. University of Auckland, New Zealand. Journal article: Watts, J., et al. April 14, 2016. Ritual human sacrifice promoted and sustained the evolution of stratified … Continue reading

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Shale Euphoria: The Boom and Bust of Sub Prime Oil and Natural Gas

[ U.S. house hearings have stated that the U.S. is energy independent, that shale oil and gas will give us a century of energy independence: House 112-176 in 2012, House 113-1 2013, and several others.  In fact we have so … Continue reading

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House hearing 2014: Should the U.S. export oil and natural gas?

[Of course selling off our gas and oil is a crazy stupid idea as this excellent article Shale Euphoria: The Boom and Bust of Sub Prime Oil and Natural Gas explains.  Alice Friedemann   www.energyskeptic.com ] House 113–131. April 2, 2014. The … Continue reading

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Yet another 2013 house hearing about U.S. energy independence

House 113-1. February 5, 2013. American energy security & innovation: an assessment of North America’s energy resources. House of Representatives. 202 pages. [Excerpts from the 202 page transcript of this hearing] Representatives and speakers declaring the U.S. energy independent: Ed … Continue reading

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