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Now Venter Wants to Create Algae That Could Replace Fossil Fuels
Also, one more thing about nuclear vs. coal: It actually costs slightly more per MW to generate electricity from nuclear than from coal. But, if one wanted to pay the slightly more, it probably wouldn't be felt much, economically, as the difference isn't pronounced (perhaps 4%). So, you're left with deciding whether one is better than the other using other factors. For example, which is a worse scenario, a disaster in a coal-burning energy facility or a nuclear energy facility? Also, which is worse for the environment, the carbon waste or the nuclear waste? Either way, if you take a side you have to be willing to accept a negative aspect in current energy production. It makes Venter's idea attractive, but I have to reiterate that it won't be economically feasible for several decades or longer. And, there isn't any way to speculate if his proposed process will or will not become dangerous to people or the planet once set in motion.
— September 7, 2010 3:06 p.m.
Now Venter Wants to Create Algae That Could Replace Fossil Fuels
To #12: Good point. Also, while the U.S. is an importer of crude, they are an exporter of refined petroleum. Mexico, the #2 or #3 trading partner of the U.S. (depending on which week it is), is in the opposite position.
— September 7, 2010 1:42 p.m.
Spanos Really Wants L.A., Says Yahoo! Sports
Re #1: What I read about Roski's "piece" of the team is that it wasn't a majority. If you have information to the contrary, I'd love to read it, it would change my perspective concerning that site. I read that Roski wanted a minor stake in ownership, what I perceived to be around 10% minimum. That may have been inaccurate.
— September 7, 2010 1:08 p.m.
Now Venter Wants to Create Algae That Could Replace Fossil Fuels
Visduh, I didn't mean to suggest that you were in agreement with the investment aspect. The problem with fusion is that people are afraid of the waste. Germany is a great example. They refuse to build a reactor, and they currently burn tons of coal, it's the main energy source in Germany. Obviously, the trend world-wide is to get away from that fuel source, mostly everyone has jumped on that bandwagon. Of course, this has Russia drooling over the prospect that Germany will begin to have to rely on their vast reserves of natural gas. Biofuel plants similar to what Venter is proposing will have to be powered, by fossil fuels, of course. And synthesized biofuel will cost substanitally more than fossil fuel for a good while. It is possible that eventually there will be a price crossover, but in order to realize when it would occur one would have to discover the end of the fossil reserves, and no one has. There is still a lot of completely unknown and undiscovered coal and oil. In fact, it is quite possible that the greatest technological advancement in the near future could be the development of methods to discover and extract fossil fuels. In a nice, perfect world, we would all say, "Look, let's just bite the bullet and develop and use alternative energy sources even though they cost twice as much or more than what we currently use." That would be great, except in order to make it work economically, the whole world has to agree on it. China certainly won't. It's unlikely that any country that relies on their own reserves would be willing, either. And I don't think I have to go into what the oil companies would have to say about it. So, any country that voluntarily decided to change their energy source away from fossil fuels would be at a great disadvantage.
— September 7, 2010 12:29 p.m.
Now Venter Wants to Create Algae That Could Replace Fossil Fuels
Bacteria alone can't form fuel. Bacteria need to consume, and so, in a round-about way, one could say that bacteria created fossil fuels, but the bacteria had to feed on something in order to do that. It's probably symbiotic. Fossil fuels - oil and natural gas in particular, coal in general - will not be replaced by another fuel source until they are depleted. I say this not as a futurist, but as a pragmatist. There is no source of fuel currently known (including what we understand how to manufacture or fabricate) that is more economically attractive than "natural" hydrocarbons. In the form of fossil fuels, they are dirt cheap. What makes them expensive? The Countries and corporations that control the deposits. Venter is a very mad scientist, and those who invest are suckers. It would cost over ten times the amount to make synthetic hydrocarbons than it does for even the obviously inflated and controlled price that we currently pay for what we have yet to suck out of mother Earth.
— September 6, 2010 10:20 p.m.
Notes From A Second-Story Window
In Baja, everything is mostly uniform - same books even. The exception would be private schools and Federal schools, although the Federal schools are more bound by State guidelines than are private schools. A combination of excellent grades and passing an exam might get you in to a Federal school. Anna went to secondary in a Federal school, but whatever combination of slightly above average grades and the exam (they don't give you the results) shut her out of Federal prep school, so she attended 10th and 11th in a State prep.
— September 6, 2010 3:48 p.m.
Notes From A Second-Story Window
Re #8: It certainly is different. Middle school here is grades 7,8, and 9, and then prep is 10-12. The kids get a lot more math, much earlier than in the U.S., and a good dose of science. Everything else is Mexico-centered. In other words, very little in the way of World history. They also have a foreign language in there, usually English. And at some point, there are community service obligations. And while it is "free", it isn't "free", as you've probably found out. You pay for uniforms and other odds and ends along with a "voluntary" inscription fee. Everyone finds a way to afford it. Unlike in California, Baja schools do not get paid according to attendance. Therefore, they don't put up with bad behavior, they will kick a kid out of school in a hurry. They also don't put up with bad grades (5 and below is failing, 10 is the highest grade). If a kid fails a course, they will allow a make-up test, and if that fails, the kid is kicked out of school. And they give a lot more homework here than over there.
— September 6, 2010 1:41 p.m.
Downtown Tijuana Jail to Be Abandoned
Re #2: There already is a public park just a few blocks away. My guess is that eventually the building will be razed and the land sold to private ownership. There isn't enough tourism anymore for a museum to get any business.
— September 5, 2010 3:03 p.m.
Downtown Tijuana Jail to Be Abandoned
I'll miss it. Wait, no, I won't...
— September 5, 2010 1:38 a.m.
The Pill for Men, Human Cannonball
@ #1: Wow, dude, glad you found a place to vent, but whew! Something racial in this piece... looking... looking... looking... looking... nope, can't find it. Hey hubby1, I'm really happy for you, but Al Sharpton had one of the best racist rants of all time...
— September 5, 2010 1:22 a.m.
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Now Venter Wants to Create Algae That Could Replace Fossil Fuels
Also, one more thing about nuclear vs. coal: It actually costs slightly more per MW to generate electricity from nuclear than from coal. But, if one wanted to pay the slightly more, it probably wouldn't be felt much, economically, as the difference isn't pronounced (perhaps 4%). So, you're left with deciding whether one is better than the other using other factors. For example, which is a worse scenario, a disaster in a coal-burning energy facility or a nuclear energy facility? Also, which is worse for the environment, the carbon waste or the nuclear waste? Either way, if you take a side you have to be willing to accept a negative aspect in current energy production. It makes Venter's idea attractive, but I have to reiterate that it won't be economically feasible for several decades or longer. And, there isn't any way to speculate if his proposed process will or will not become dangerous to people or the planet once set in motion.— September 7, 2010 3:06 p.m.
Now Venter Wants to Create Algae That Could Replace Fossil Fuels
To #12: Good point. Also, while the U.S. is an importer of crude, they are an exporter of refined petroleum. Mexico, the #2 or #3 trading partner of the U.S. (depending on which week it is), is in the opposite position.— September 7, 2010 1:42 p.m.
Spanos Really Wants L.A., Says Yahoo! Sports
Re #1: What I read about Roski's "piece" of the team is that it wasn't a majority. If you have information to the contrary, I'd love to read it, it would change my perspective concerning that site. I read that Roski wanted a minor stake in ownership, what I perceived to be around 10% minimum. That may have been inaccurate.— September 7, 2010 1:08 p.m.
Now Venter Wants to Create Algae That Could Replace Fossil Fuels
Visduh, I didn't mean to suggest that you were in agreement with the investment aspect. The problem with fusion is that people are afraid of the waste. Germany is a great example. They refuse to build a reactor, and they currently burn tons of coal, it's the main energy source in Germany. Obviously, the trend world-wide is to get away from that fuel source, mostly everyone has jumped on that bandwagon. Of course, this has Russia drooling over the prospect that Germany will begin to have to rely on their vast reserves of natural gas. Biofuel plants similar to what Venter is proposing will have to be powered, by fossil fuels, of course. And synthesized biofuel will cost substanitally more than fossil fuel for a good while. It is possible that eventually there will be a price crossover, but in order to realize when it would occur one would have to discover the end of the fossil reserves, and no one has. There is still a lot of completely unknown and undiscovered coal and oil. In fact, it is quite possible that the greatest technological advancement in the near future could be the development of methods to discover and extract fossil fuels. In a nice, perfect world, we would all say, "Look, let's just bite the bullet and develop and use alternative energy sources even though they cost twice as much or more than what we currently use." That would be great, except in order to make it work economically, the whole world has to agree on it. China certainly won't. It's unlikely that any country that relies on their own reserves would be willing, either. And I don't think I have to go into what the oil companies would have to say about it. So, any country that voluntarily decided to change their energy source away from fossil fuels would be at a great disadvantage.— September 7, 2010 12:29 p.m.
Now Venter Wants to Create Algae That Could Replace Fossil Fuels
Bacteria alone can't form fuel. Bacteria need to consume, and so, in a round-about way, one could say that bacteria created fossil fuels, but the bacteria had to feed on something in order to do that. It's probably symbiotic. Fossil fuels - oil and natural gas in particular, coal in general - will not be replaced by another fuel source until they are depleted. I say this not as a futurist, but as a pragmatist. There is no source of fuel currently known (including what we understand how to manufacture or fabricate) that is more economically attractive than "natural" hydrocarbons. In the form of fossil fuels, they are dirt cheap. What makes them expensive? The Countries and corporations that control the deposits. Venter is a very mad scientist, and those who invest are suckers. It would cost over ten times the amount to make synthetic hydrocarbons than it does for even the obviously inflated and controlled price that we currently pay for what we have yet to suck out of mother Earth.— September 6, 2010 10:20 p.m.
Notes From A Second-Story Window
In Baja, everything is mostly uniform - same books even. The exception would be private schools and Federal schools, although the Federal schools are more bound by State guidelines than are private schools. A combination of excellent grades and passing an exam might get you in to a Federal school. Anna went to secondary in a Federal school, but whatever combination of slightly above average grades and the exam (they don't give you the results) shut her out of Federal prep school, so she attended 10th and 11th in a State prep.— September 6, 2010 3:48 p.m.
Notes From A Second-Story Window
Re #8: It certainly is different. Middle school here is grades 7,8, and 9, and then prep is 10-12. The kids get a lot more math, much earlier than in the U.S., and a good dose of science. Everything else is Mexico-centered. In other words, very little in the way of World history. They also have a foreign language in there, usually English. And at some point, there are community service obligations. And while it is "free", it isn't "free", as you've probably found out. You pay for uniforms and other odds and ends along with a "voluntary" inscription fee. Everyone finds a way to afford it. Unlike in California, Baja schools do not get paid according to attendance. Therefore, they don't put up with bad behavior, they will kick a kid out of school in a hurry. They also don't put up with bad grades (5 and below is failing, 10 is the highest grade). If a kid fails a course, they will allow a make-up test, and if that fails, the kid is kicked out of school. And they give a lot more homework here than over there.— September 6, 2010 1:41 p.m.
Downtown Tijuana Jail to Be Abandoned
Re #2: There already is a public park just a few blocks away. My guess is that eventually the building will be razed and the land sold to private ownership. There isn't enough tourism anymore for a museum to get any business.— September 5, 2010 3:03 p.m.
Downtown Tijuana Jail to Be Abandoned
I'll miss it. Wait, no, I won't...— September 5, 2010 1:38 a.m.
The Pill for Men, Human Cannonball
@ #1: Wow, dude, glad you found a place to vent, but whew! Something racial in this piece... looking... looking... looking... looking... nope, can't find it. Hey hubby1, I'm really happy for you, but Al Sharpton had one of the best racist rants of all time...— September 5, 2010 1:22 a.m.