Give BP a swift kick in the courtroom to show we care.

As I watched with the rest of the world as oil slowly covers my beloved Gulf of Mexico, I suffered with sadness and a festering disgust. Living on the gulf coast of Florida, this issue takes center stage. So, I assume that everybody feels the same way. However, today I read an article that suggested a general apathy in America about this catastrophe. Filled with anger and an immediate desire to speak up; here is what I know must be said.

The spill and the behavior that led up to this disaster is despicable. BP knew that it was drilling at a depth where their known safety abilities and countermeasures were not viable. Still, they drilled to that depth anyway. Why? Greed - plain and simple greed. Many news reports cited that there is a safety valve that many European drillers consider mandatory for this type of ocean floor drilling. BP is fully aware of this technology and chose not to use it because it would reduce their profits. Somebody at BP actually made the decision that this type of catastrophe was an acceptable risk for the profit at stake.

We cannot allow our politicians to let BP off the hook like they later did with Exxon years after the Valdez wreck. If you recall, Exxon was slapped with heavy fines and reparations after the Valdez disaster only to have their penalties reduced years later once the public's attention faded.

Now that the rig failure has happened, two actions must be taken without question. 1. BP must suffer such severe expenses and penalties that will discourage any company from taking this type of reckless chance with our environment ever again. And, 2. We must to pass new laws and regulations not just on the oil drilling industry, but on the relationships that our politicians and political organizations have with these mega rich corporations.

Write the President and your representatives in Congress. Tell them you want serious action. Tell them, in no uncertain terms, that if they don't create more strict regulations and pass strong punitive laws to discourage any such reckless corporate behavior, you will elect somebody who will. Take this step, and the world will know how much Americans care.

Liberals vs. Conservative is Completely Backwards

One of the most astonishing things in modern American politics is how we have redefined the meaning of words. The most notable for me is the terms "liberal" and "conservative". As I drive around during my work day, I see large gas guzzling SUVs with Mc Cain/Palin and "drill baby drill' stickers so consistently that it invites stereotype. Conversely, you also see modest fuel efficient vehicles like Priuses and Civics typically papered with Obama stickers. And, as I read real conservation blogs and articles about renewable energy like solar & wind power, these people almost unanimously support Obama and/or the Democratic party.

Next is the Republican charge that democrats are "tax and spend" liberals. Suggesting that they want to talk you into a tax and then spend your money. While this may sound scary, any reasonable person will admit that getting money before you spend it is a conservative value. We have all seen the tremendous increase in debt over the last 8 years of the Bush spending spree. Yet, this was all done without new taxes to pay for this spending. Do people think that because we did not get the money via a specific tax that we don't have to pay? It is like saying that maxing out your credit cards is a more conservative behavior than earning the money before you spend it.

Everybody knows that we printed more money to pay for the war. We have been printing money whenever there is no money in the coffers to pay for our spending. The sad part is, that most Americans have no idea what effect this has on them individually. In short, it means that every time more money is printed, the value of the money that you have in your pocket is reduced via inflation. So, while you don't see the tax, you are still paying it. How sneaky is that?

So, who really has conservative values? The fact is, the root value of the word conservative is "conserve". I think we can all agree that big gas guzzling SUVs conserve nothing. I think it is obvious that earning before you spend is definitely a conservative value and causes conservation by necessity. Yet here we are. The Republican-Right is claiming to be the conservatives.

This political redefinition is comical to the point tragedy. We have a Republican party running on a so-called conservative platform yet they are spending like no tomorrow. All the while, naive Americans think they are not paying for this because there is no visible tax associated with it. Even if you aren't aware of how printing extra money causes inflation in the fractional reserve system, somewhere deep inside, even the simplest people must know that when you spend what you don't earn, there will eventually be big trouble.

So, let's get real here. The Republican-Right is far from conservative. They are simply attempting to redefine the term. But when you spin something this far from reality, it is no longer spin. It is just a fraud. But hey, no problem. Next time the republicans try to sell you this pack of lies, hand them a dictionary and ask them to explain the last 8 years.

Debunking the electric car will never catch on argument.

Many times I hear the statement that electric cars won't catch on because you cannot jump in and drive across the country. People who follow electric car development have heard this argument time and again. The reason this position is not valid is that it is not an either-or situation.

Unanimous agreement and implementation is not necessary for the product to be a success. That is like arguing peanut butter and jelly vs. tuna fish as if whatever conclusion you draw will be the only thing you and your neighbors will be able to eat for the rest of your lives. Each consumer has an individual need and other choices will still remain.

I can tell you right now, my next car will be electric or, at the very least, a plug in hybrid. And when I make that purchase, I will have no fear about long trips either because I know that I can easily rent a gas burning car for those trips with minimal hassle. Better yet, I can take a bus, train or plane and then rent another electric car or hybrid when I get there. With the money I will save on fuel and maintenance over a gas burning car, the rental fee will be a drop in the bucket.

There is an old saying: "nobody likes change, except for a wet baby". This explains the large divide between people who think in terms of what is possible versus the people who think in terms of giving up what is familiar. Whichever of these people you are, I can assure you of one thing. Change is coming. And, with the fuel prices skyrocketing, we all have to decide just how much we will pay to resist the future.

The Ugly Ugly truth about Bio-Fuels and Hydrogen

As promised in my opening post, I intend to speak the truth no matter how controversial and painful it may be. And occasionally I find someone else who is willing to do the same. I was planning to write about the tragic consequences of the bio-fuel initiative in depth. However, I found an article that almost says it all about as accurately and direct as it can be said. The Bio-fuels Scam by Mike Adams. Mike covers everything from the rush to jump on the bandwagon to the not so sincere political motives. However, what Mike doesn't talk about is the dirty little secret that really drives the move to bio-fuel. That ommission motivated me to write this post now.

The reason bio-fuels are so prevalent is the same reason that hydrogen fueled vehicles are being thrust upon us. Commoditization. You see, it is quite simple. The richest people in the world that run the most profitable companies in the world sell commodities. Items like fuel, food, paper and other consumables are the most profitable things in the world. You need food and fuel everyday no matter what.

Well, what if you didn't need gas everyday? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know what that would mean for oil companies like Exxon and Citgo. You also don't have to be too incredibly worldly to know that the richest most powerful people in the world aren't about to walk away from the greatest source of power and wealth the world has ever known. So, with experts predicting that the oil is running out at an alarming pace, they need a backup plan and fast.

So, here is the deal. If you are Big Oil USA, you have billions and billions tied up in refineries, transportation, distribution and retail outlets. You also have an entire global community that is predisposed to coming to you for their fuel needs. There is only one solution. If you can't sell oil, you need something real similar. If you can't do that, you need to at least keep control of the fuel supply market and protect your hold on market sector.

Bio-fuels like corn ethanol are the perfect scenario. You can use your refinery, distribution, transportation and retail assets to deliver the product to the consumers in the same fashion as oil. Sure, the profits will be less initially, but you have maintained control of the cash cow and the golden goose is back online. This is also a great alternative for the auto manufacturers. They can keep building cars almost identical to their current models with very little pain and expense.

Hydrogen is a distant second choice for Big Oil USA but still feasible for the oil companies. The expense of this conversion for them will be very costly. However, regardless of the expense involved, they will still maintain control of the market sector. The good news for Big Oil USA is that they can jack up prices now so that the consumer pays for their future expenses in advance. If you don't think they would do that, check you local gas station prices (or your last fill-up receipt).

Okay okay, so you are not all that offended by their motives. Honestly, if that was all there was to this deal, I wouldn't be offended either. Unfortunately, the ugly truth is that there is more to it. And, it is a morality issue that is very very ugly. What makes the Big Oil USA's agenda disgusting and immoral is that they are lying to and tricking the world community. And it is completely intentional and strategic.

Here is the lie and the trick. The lie is that electric vehicles are not the solution. They tell us that electric vehicles can't replace fuel powered vehicles. They tell us we need bio-fuel and hydrogen powered vehicles. This is tragically immoral because it is trashing our environment and creating a tremendous financial burden for future generation to come. The trick is the tremendous amount of misinformation and false research that they fund to convince consumers that electric vehicles aren't the ultimate solution. The the amazing efficiency of electric vehicles is a whole topic in itself. However, this topic is crucial to the point of this article. So I will point you to two very important resources: Who Killed the Electric Car and Plug in America. If this isn't ugly enough for you, wait till you learn about how the auto manufacturers and your very own American government are helping them stick it to us and our future generations.

The auto manufacturers reasons for playing along is very similar to Big Oil USA's. They have billions of dollars in research and development, tooling and infrastructure invested in making cars that burn gasoline. Making the adjustment to ethanol bio-fuels is not that expensive and a great alternative for them. Hydrogen is far more expensive, but still uses the same basic automotive designs. However, converting to Electric vehicles requires a complete redesign. This would cost billions and billions. And, there is more. Electric vehicle need next to no maintenance. No tune-ups, no filters, no oil changes or any of those other things that keep auto dealership's service departments making money.

Your government participates for the most pure of all basic reasons. Money. Good old fashion simple corruption. These big companies finance campaigns, committees and plush retirements. Rather you like it or not, this kind of corruption permeates every level of federal and state government. So what ever Big Oil USA wants Big Oil USA gets.

I have said a lot in this post. But, the bottom line is that Big Oil USA needs you to buy into bio-fuels and hydrogen. They are willing to lie, cheat and steal to make sure you do. The automakers are helping them lie, cheat and steal because it is in their financial interest to do so also. Your government is helping them because it is filled with corrupt crooks that are in it for themselves and only give a damn about this country in their speeches.

Well, is that controversial enough for you? Does big corporations doing irreparable damage to the environment and your financial future qualify as a dirty little secret? I can only hope you answer yes. In fact, I would be thrilled if the ugly truth made you stomping mad. So mad that when it is time for you to buy your next new vehicle, your choice is determined by your convictions rather than status or image.

It really is us against them.

In the world of energy supply and demand, it is us against them. Who is us and who is them? Well, us is made up of consumers and the general population. And, as you may have guessed, them would be the oil producing and energy supply companies that are currently feeding our needs.

I am not ignorant of the fact that the last paragraph implies that big energy companies do not have our best interest in mind. I am also aware that this blog smacks of accusation. No problem. Let me say it outright. Big energy has us over a barrel and you better believe they intend to keep it that way.

This blog will be dedicated to the topic of renewable energy, alternative fuel and high effiiciency-new technology development. I intend to talk about things like why corn ethanol and hydrogen are well organized scams. I will talk about how big energy continues to make efforts to suppress renewable energy sources like solar power and advanced battery technology while quietly buying up fledgeling renewable energy technology companies. Oh, and dont worry, we will cover the government corruption that allows it to happen.

Does this sound like fun? Well, I know how you feel. In fact, if you really look around at the facts, it will probably make you mad as hell. It certainly makes me mad, but people have to wake up to this. So, lets talk about it.

The environmental philosopher

http://www.solartampabay.com/