EJ on BNN today

[FRED]

Interviewed on BNN today: the book, gold, and government.

[LargoWinch]

Re: EJ on BNN today

Interviewed on BNN today: the book, gold, and government.

And yet another great interview. Well done.

EJ is again quite polite/humble when blaming "FIRE" on the US Economy alone, while it is certainly a Western (including Canada's - BNN's home base) - even global - problem.

[sishya]

Re: EJ on BNN today

When EJ says, Telecom/Tech companies failed they were dissolved, stocks went to 0, but al teast we had all those optic fiber buildouts/Router gears, which are helping the
iphone/vonage changes and companies and people profiting from that. But for houses, the extra buildout and paying still the old debt is draining.

[cjppjc]

Re: EJ on BNN today

I loved the interview. Just how exactly does a reduction of mortgage debt to "pre bubble days" work. Cash buyers out of luck? New construction? refis?

[DRumsfeld2000]

Re: EJ on BNN today

Thanks. He seems to avoid answering directly the question on gold, but appears to remain positive as he sees currency problems increasing. Does anyone know if EJ has forecast a forthcoming gold price?

[we_are_toast]

Re: EJ on BNN today

Hybrid diesels?!

I have this argument with my environmental friends all the time. They push very hard for energy conservation as the solution for our energy problems. I argue that conservation, whether it is more efficient gasoline, more efficient light bulbs, or hybrid diesels, is only a stop gap measure that buys you time for a solution that does not involve rapidly depleting resources such as oil, NG, Coal, nuclear. So, unless one proposes a solution based on renewable, or long term economically available resources, while proposing efficiency and conservation as the transitional method to get us to the sustainable solution, one has not proposed a solution to our energy problems at all. In fact the energy writing has been on the wall for 40 years, and great strides in efficiency and conservation were made in the 70's and 80's. But conservation and efficiency were viewed as the solution and we've squandered 40 critical years where we could have been building a sustainable energy source for a sustainable economy.

Hybrid diesels are not a solution.

[thriftyandboringinohio]

Re: EJ on BNN today

...I argue that conservation, whether it is more efficient gasoline, more efficient light bulbs, or hybrid diesels, is only a stop gap measure that buys you time for a solution ....

Excellent, I'll take it.
Time bought is very useful on it's own. Secondly, once we transition to some future energy that will likely be more expensive than petroleum, we will have lower per capita energy use and per capita costs.
Conservation is therefore good.

In hindsight we should have been seriously conserving since we first discussed it nationally in the mid 1970s; we'd be better off today if we had done so 35 years ago.

[ASH]

Re: EJ on BNN today

Hybrid diesels?!

I have this argument with my environmental friends all the time. They push very hard for energy conservation as the solution for our energy problems. I argue that conservation, whether it is more efficient gasoline, more efficient light bulbs, or hybrid diesels, is only a stop gap measure that buys you time for a solution that does not involve rapidly depleting resources such as oil, NG, Coal, nuclear. So, unless one proposes a solution based on renewable, or long term economically available resources, while proposing efficiency and conservation as the transitional method to get us to the sustainable solution, one has not proposed a solution to our energy problems at all. In fact the energy writing has been on the wall for 40 years, and great strides in efficiency and conservation were made in the 70's and 80's. But conservation and efficiency were viewed as the solution and we've squandered 40 critical years where we could have been building a sustainable energy source for a sustainable economy.

Hybrid diesels are not a solution.

Excellent, I'll take it.
Time bought is very useful on it's own. Secondly, once we transition to some future energy that will likely be more expensive than petroleum, we will have lower per capita energy use and per capita costs.
Conservation is therefore good.

In hindsight we should have been seriously conserving since we first discussed it nationally in the mid 1970s; we'd be better off today if we had done so 35 years ago.

Another problem is that transportation fuel efficiency improvements often get squandered on higher performance/heavier vehicles. My understanding is that fuel use is regulated more by cost than by efficiency. Improved efficiency only buys us time if we actually reduce energy consumption as a result, rather than continuing to use as much energy as we can afford.

[jk]

Re: EJ on BNN today

Another problem is that transportation fuel efficiency improvements often get squandered on higher performance/heavier vehicles. My understanding is that fuel use is regulated more by cost than by efficiency. Improved efficiency only buys us time if we actually reduce energy consumption as a result, rather than continuing to use as much energy as we can afford.

energy taxes might take care of that problem, if only we had the nerve.

[GRG55]

Re: EJ on BNN today

Hybrid diesels?!

I have this argument with my environmental friends all the time. They push very hard for energy conservation as the solution for our energy problems. I argue that conservation, whether it is more efficient gasoline, more efficient light bulbs, or hybrid diesels, is only a stop gap measure that buys you time for a solution that does not involve rapidly depleting resources such as oil, NG, Coal, nuclear. So, unless one proposes a solution based on renewable, or long term economically available resources, while proposing efficiency and conservation as the transitional method to get us to the sustainable solution, one has not proposed a solution to our energy problems at all. In fact the energy writing has been on the wall for 40 years, and great strides in efficiency and conservation were made in the 70's and 80's. But conservation and efficiency were viewed as the solution and we've squandered 40 critical years where we could have been building a sustainable energy source for a sustainable economy.

Hybrid diesels are not a solution.

Wherever did you get the idea that oil, natgas, coal and nuclear are NOT long term economically viable resources? It's all a matter of the value of what they are used for. And if you can use less of that stuff on the low value consumptions by conservation methods it is most definitely a solution. At the risk of sounding like Starving Steve, it's the idea that "renewables" are going to displace these that is not the [realistic] solution.

[Chris Coles]

Re: EJ on BNN today

Excellent interview. EJ comes across well. Here in the UK we have had new forms of diesel engine for many years and they really are THAT efficient and nowadays run like a petrol engine. You will not be able to hear or feel any difference while sitting in the car, or, for that matter, while standing alongside.

No, in some ways, I do not wholly agree with EJ. Particularly about Public Private funding. Our experience here is very mixed.

But as a sane voice with credibility, he carries the hopes of many of us and I for one am a firm believer in his concept of a return to technology and inspired thinking.

[we_are_toast]

Re: EJ on BNN today

Wherever did you get the idea that oil, natgas, coal and nuclear are NOT long term economically viable resources? It's all a matter of the value of what they are used for. And if you can use less of that stuff on the low value consumptions by conservation methods it is most definitely a solution. At the risk of sounding like Starving Steve, it's the idea that "renewables" are going to displace these that is not the [realistic] solution.

GRG55, do you subscribe to the Peak Cheap Oil thesis, which is pretty much the basis of iTulips forward looking economic projections? Unless you believe there is an endless supply, or even a long term supply that is available at a reasonable price, conservation only delays the day of reckoning and makes matters much worse, IF you don't have a plan to move away from these limited resources.

[Chris Coles]

Re: EJ on BNN today

Well, to place the cat amongst the pigeons; I do not wholly agree with either side of this debate. From where I stand, the solution will come from completely new technology. From thinking that takes technology into a new paradigm. When that does occur, you will discover, as always with such matters; the ideas have been on the ground for decades, but laughed at, demeaned as impossible. Or even more likely, because they were of no interest to the major players for the very simple reason; they would, will, close down their existing operations from the delivery of competing solutions.

[doom&gloom]

Re: EJ on BNN today

Interviewed on BNN today: the book, gold, and government.

Fred, you need to get Medved to supply his show w/EJ for everyone. That was a particularly good one.

[Chomsky]

Re: EJ on BNN today

Fred, you need to get Medved to supply his show w/EJ for everyone. That was a particularly good one.

Huh? link?