Category Archives: GOVERNMENT

government, politicians, military, political issues, U.S. congressional record and so on

Will California’s high-speed rail go off the tracks? Challenges facing California’s high-speed rail. House Hearing 2014.

Posted on May 9, 2019 by

Preface.  In 2019, Gov. Gavin Newsom said “there simply isn’t a path” for completing the project “from Sacramento to San Diego, let alone from San Francisco to L.A”. Originally the project was going to cost $33 billion, by 2014 when the … Continue reading →

Posted in Railroads, Transportation | Tagged | 3 Comments

Saving fuel: making combat vehicles lighter

Posted on February 26, 2019 by

Preface. The military would like to lightweight equipment to save on fuel. Although Peak Oil isn’t mentioned, no other department of the U.S. government is more aware of future energy shortages, and the implications that has for their ability to … Continue reading →

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Earthquakes in California could cost over $200 billion dollars

Posted on February 14, 2019 by

Preface. The figures below don’t do justice to the harm an earthquake would do.  There is $1.9 trillion dollars of property at risk from earthquakes in the San Francisco Bay Area, where a catastrophic earthquake on the Hayward Fault would … Continue reading →

Posted in Earthquakes, Infrastructure | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

The U.S. Military on Peak Oil and Climate Change

Posted on February 11, 2019 by

Preface. I find that of all the government branches, the military is the most realistic about the implications of Peak Oil and Climate Change.  The Department of Defense is also the largest consumer of energy in the federal government, spending … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Energy, Military | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Part 3 Raven Rock. The government’s plans for after a nuclear holocaust

Posted on October 6, 2018 by

This is the third part of my book review of: Graff, G.M. 2018. Raven Rock. The Story of the U.S. Governments Secret Plan to Save Itself–While the Rest of Us Die. Simon and Schuster. This book stresses that a full … Continue reading →

Posted in GOVERNMENT, Nuclear, Nuclear, Politics, Where to Be or Not to Be | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Richard Heinberg: Energy and Authoritarianism

Posted on July 28, 2018 by

Preface. Heinberg wrote this a year ago. Brilliant and well structured, he conveys as much in this article as many books, and consolidates what must be many years of research. But Heinberg is not the only one to wonder if … Continue reading →

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Challenges & opportunities for alternative transportation fuels and vehicles. U.S. House hearing, 2011

Posted on June 10, 2018 by

Congress is aware that an energy crisis looms, though they seldom acknowledge or deal with it.  Here are a few excerpts from this hearing: Michael F. Doyle, Pennsylvania.   It seems like we repeat this cycle in this country decade after … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Energy, Energy Dependence, Energy Policy, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The growth of incarceration in the U.S. Causes and consequences. National Research Council 2014

Posted on May 10, 2018 by

Preface. This National Research Council 465-page report may be the most comprehensive study of the U.S. prison system there is.  It will make you cry. I’ve excerpted about one-sixth of it below.  It is shocking that the “U.S. penal population … Continue reading →

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America’s energy security, jobs and climate challenges 2010 House of representatives hearing

Posted on May 4, 2018 by

Preface. In this 2010 House of Representatives hearing, General Wesley Clark foresaw in 1973 “that US military forces might have to become engaged to defend or protect oil-producer governments”.  Today “we can look back on the continuing failures of American … Continue reading →

Posted in Caused by Scarce Resources, Climate Change, Energy Dependence, Military | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Can the lights be kept on with distributed generation? 2015 U.S. House hearing on a reliable electric system

Posted on April 20, 2018 by

[ Corporate speakers testify – could they have any self-interest, hope for government grants?  Since Congress often asks the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to write unbiased papers on topics,  why didn’t NAS and National Laboratory scientists speak? Corporations are … Continue reading →

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