Comments on: Food prices rising? Some in government want them higher http://blogofbile.com/2008/05/05/food-prices-rising-some-in-government-want-them-higher/ from the bowels of the mind Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:14:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: bosco http://blogofbile.com/2008/05/05/food-prices-rising-some-in-government-want-them-higher/#comment-1775 bosco Tue, 06 May 2008 13:51:08 +0000 http://www.landofbile.com/blog/2008/05/05/food-prices-rising-some-in-government-want-them-higher/#comment-1775 Nano-technology is one of the worst terms ever.  What does it apply to?  Technology at the nanometer scale?  There are all kinds of things that, that could apply to.  Sun dials, cellular respiration as well as tiny mechanical parts.  The average law maker thinks nano-technology is little robots in your blood that fix things.  Hell they might think we already have that.  It almost pisses me off as much as the recent scare over "Biotechnology" [sic].  Biotechnology is thousands of years old!  So is cloning!  Arggggghhh!  SO MUCH ANGRY! Nano-technology is one of the worst terms ever.  What does it apply to?  Technology at the nanometer scale?  There are all kinds of things that, that could apply to.  Sun dials, cellular respiration as well as tiny mechanical parts.  The average law maker thinks nano-technology is little robots in your blood that fix things.  Hell they might think we already have that.  It almost pisses me off as much as the recent scare over "Biotechnology" [sic].  Biotechnology is thousands of years old!  So is cloning!  Arggggghhh!  SO MUCH ANGRY!

]]> By: invisipunk http://blogofbile.com/2008/05/05/food-prices-rising-some-in-government-want-them-higher/#comment-1774 invisipunk Tue, 06 May 2008 13:13:28 +0000 http://www.landofbile.com/blog/2008/05/05/food-prices-rising-some-in-government-want-them-higher/#comment-1774 Any bets on long before a congressional hearing on regulating nano-technology? Any bets on long before a congressional hearing on regulating nano-technology?

]]> By: bile http://blogofbile.com/2008/05/05/food-prices-rising-some-in-government-want-them-higher/#comment-1773 bile Tue, 06 May 2008 12:53:26 +0000 http://www.landofbile.com/blog/2008/05/05/food-prices-rising-some-in-government-want-them-higher/#comment-1773 There are plenty of people who understand how to deal with this <em>government induced </em>crunch. Government interference both retards development and testing along with restricting utilizing existing fuel sources. Battery tech is a huge R&D business right now because mobile gadgets with ever increasing power requirements demand it along with the green fad. In just the past year we've seen flexible solar panels, far higher efficiency solar panels, advances in nano tech with battery possibilities, safer lith-ion tech, fuel cell advances, etc. Those techs either will take time to figure out how to mass produce and/or is being held back by government regulation. We've only recently had the technology and the desire to search for new forms of energy production and storage. There are plenty of people who understand how to deal with this government induced crunch. Government interference both retards development and testing along with restricting utilizing existing fuel sources. Battery tech is a huge R&D business right now because mobile gadgets with ever increasing power requirements demand it along with the green fad. In just the past year we’ve seen flexible solar panels, far higher efficiency solar panels, advances in nano tech with battery possibilities, safer lith-ion tech, fuel cell advances, etc. Those techs either will take time to figure out how to mass produce and/or is being held back by government regulation. We’ve only recently had the technology and the desire to search for new forms of energy production and storage.

]]> By: bosco http://blogofbile.com/2008/05/05/food-prices-rising-some-in-government-want-them-higher/#comment-1772 bosco Tue, 06 May 2008 12:26:32 +0000 http://www.landofbile.com/blog/2008/05/05/food-prices-rising-some-in-government-want-them-higher/#comment-1772 Ethanol represents the death throws of Otto's internal combustion engine.  While the production of ethanol from almost anything other than corn is more efficient, the process of creating and burning hydrocarbons to release the energy they contain is not particularly efficient. It's interesting to note that a lot of people erroneously criticize the link between fossil fuel usage and ethanol production.  They should criticize the efficiency of the ethanol production process.  For example people often complain that it takes one gallon of fossil fuel to make 1.3 gallons of ethanol from corn.  What they should complain about is that fact that it takes one gallon of <em>any fuel</em>  to make 1.3 gallons of ethanol.  Criticize the efficiency of the process, not the substances currently used to create the energy because they can always change. The same applies to the people who complain about how initially coal would be used to power electric cars.  Storing electrical energy and using it to power a vehicle allows a more adaptive vehicle than relying on the ICE.  I would invest my time in developing better ways of storing electrical energy than refining ways of storing chemical energy. Unfortunately very few people in the world, including governments as well as private businesses, seem to have enough of an understanding of the underlying scientific concepts to solve the impending energy crunch. Ethanol represents the death throws of Otto’s internal combustion engine.  While the production of ethanol from almost anything other than corn is more efficient, the process of creating and burning hydrocarbons to release the energy they contain is not particularly efficient.

It’s interesting to note that a lot of people erroneously criticize the link between fossil fuel usage and ethanol production.  They should criticize the efficiency of the ethanol production process.  For example people often complain that it takes one gallon of fossil fuel to make 1.3 gallons of ethanol from corn.  What they should complain about is that fact that it takes one gallon of any fuel  to make 1.3 gallons of ethanol.  Criticize the efficiency of the process, not the substances currently used to create the energy because they can always change.

The same applies to the people who complain about how initially coal would be used to power electric cars.  Storing electrical energy and using it to power a vehicle allows a more adaptive vehicle than relying on the ICE.  I would invest my time in developing better ways of storing electrical energy than refining ways of storing chemical energy.

Unfortunately very few people in the world, including governments as well as private businesses, seem to have enough of an understanding of the underlying scientific concepts to solve the impending energy crunch.

]]> By: bile http://blogofbile.com/2008/05/05/food-prices-rising-some-in-government-want-them-higher/#comment-1771 bile Tue, 06 May 2008 12:09:04 +0000 http://www.landofbile.com/blog/2008/05/05/food-prices-rising-some-in-government-want-them-higher/#comment-1771 Ethanol is a questionable fuel regardless of subsides. Last I checked it provides less energy for the cost and leads to smog in colder climates. The increased cost of all things which contain sugar will out weigh any possible cost reduction in government mandated combo fuels. Ethanol is a questionable fuel regardless of subsides. Last I checked it provides less energy for the cost and leads to smog in colder climates. The increased cost of all things which contain sugar will out weigh any possible cost reduction in government mandated combo fuels.

]]> By: invisipunk http://blogofbile.com/2008/05/05/food-prices-rising-some-in-government-want-them-higher/#comment-1770 invisipunk Tue, 06 May 2008 11:37:08 +0000 http://www.landofbile.com/blog/2008/05/05/food-prices-rising-some-in-government-want-them-higher/#comment-1770 The almost silver lining in this extremely dark cloud is that sugar based ethanol production is very efficient in comparison to corn.  Brazil has had success with their sugar ethanol program for decades now.  Of course this goes along with the low sugar production labor cost they have.  However, as expected we have plenty of protectionist tariffs to keep out that sweet sugar.  In the end, some savings in fuel costs used to transport food should get passed down to the end consumer. I'm sure our intellectual betters in Washington will do good job of raising prices regardless. The almost silver lining in this extremely dark cloud is that sugar based ethanol production is very efficient in comparison to corn.  Brazil has had success with their sugar ethanol program for decades now.  Of course this goes along with the low sugar production labor cost they have.  However, as expected we have plenty of protectionist tariffs to keep out that sweet sugar.  In the end, some savings in fuel costs used to transport food should get passed down to the end consumer. I’m sure our intellectual betters in Washington will do good job of raising prices regardless.

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