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Blog Entry 180 of 368 I'm Brian Olson and I approved this Blog.
Politics to life in general, a view from a slightly right of center/off-kilter guy.

Blog Url: http://denver.yourhub.com/~BrianBlog

Either/Or. Why can't we do both?

Contributed by: Brian Olson   on 6/19/2008

Yesterday President Bush called for lifting the existing bans on off-shore drilling off the U-S coast. Ironically it was his Dad who instituted that ban. He's also asking for drilling in Alaska, oil shale development.

Liberals have been quick to line-up against the plan, saying we need to develop alternative energy sources. They say if we took the President up on his plan it would be years before we'd see any benefits.

They're right. And it will take the same number of years if not more, to develop alternative energy sources.

We've heard both sides talk the talk since the Arab Oil Embargo of the 1970's. Both sides are talking crap. And they're crapping on us in the process.

But both sides are right, if we start today with a plan. That calls for both sides to actually work together.

Fact: Chinese crews are drilling for oil 60 miles of the coast of Florida on behalf of the Cubans.

Fact: Norway allows drilling off 80% of its coastline. How do you think they pay for healthcare?

Fact: France generates 80% of its power needs through nuclear power. French wine may make you glow, but the wine itself doesn't.

Fact: Al Gore, the self-elected Grand Exalted Poo-Bah of global warming has a house in Tennessee that uses enough energy each year as 232 of the types of homes people like you and me live in. And his energy use went up 10% since last year. Let them eat killowatts.

Fact: We import more oil from Canada and Mexico than we do the middle east. Yet both Obama and Clinton were quick to hammer both countries because of NAFTA. Good way to p*ss of our friends.

Fact: We have billions of barrels sitting off shore, in the Dakotas and Alaska. It's there just waiting for us.

Fact: Alternative energy does work. Honda just rolled out its new hydrogen fuel cell car. A grand total of 5 cars are coming to California only, and they're going to movie stars in Hollywood like Jamie Lee Curtis. Hydrogen fill-up stations are as rare as OU fans in Austin, TX. (Hook-em) So it's going to be a while folks.

Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans have anyone remotely resembling a leader who can muster the nation to take on an Apollo or Manhattan Project style iniative to truely galvanize a nation.

That's our loss.

But for heaven's sake, and our's as well, let's start drilling today. Let's start truely developing practical alternative fuel resources. If not for us, for our kids and grand kids.

But we have to start TODAY.

Fuel Mileage Update aka Life in the Right Lane.

If you've been reading my blog this week, I'm trying toget the best mileage I can get from my Volvo XC-70 Turbo Wagon. The results thus far:

Monday:
Highlands Ranch to Lakewood: 26.9 MPG
Lakewood to Highlands Ranch: 29.2 MPG

Tuesday:
Highlands Ranch to Lakewood: 28.9 MPG
Lakewood to Highlands Ranch: 28.8 MPG (With AC)

Wednesday:
Highlands Ranch to Lakewood: 28.3 MPG
Lakewood to Highlands Ranch: 29.0 MPG (Although it was 82 degrees I opted not to use AC for the trip home. If it's around 80 or less, no AC for me.

Thursday:
Highlands Ranch to Lakewood: 28.0 MPG.

Final average for the week will be posted tomorrow. But I've roughly picked up about 4-5 miles per gallon using techniques we can all use. More on that tomorrow as well.



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Showing 1-4 of 4 comments
Submitted By: Gail Kirkegaard
posted on 6/20/2008 @ 4:45:43 PM
Rated Blog Entry
Just a little brag here, my daughter's little Escort gets 36.222 mpg!!
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Submitted By: Stan Dyer
posted on 6/19/2008 @ 12:48:32 PM
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By the way, the electric car can go 480 miles on $11 worth of electricity. Once my panels are installed, the electricity comes free via the Sun. Right now, all my electricity comes from the Wind Farm.
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Submitted By: Stan Dyer
posted on 6/19/2008 @ 12:47:04 PM
Rated Blog Entry
I disagree with you that it would take as long to develop alternative energy sources as it would to develop off-shore oil deposits. What takes all the time is getting people to think differently. The technology for alternative energy sources has existed almost as long as the internal combustion engine. It is electricity and it can be produced using the Sun. I have first hand knowledge. I have been using solar power effectively for years, I own an electric car and I am installing $22,000 worth of more solar panels on my house this summer to supply my energy needs and those of my neighbors.
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Submitted By: Tom Treloar
posted on 6/19/2008 @ 8:37:26 AM
Rated Blog Entry
Since the 1973 oil embargo this country has done very little to become energy independent. What is it going to take to wake us up.
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Showing 1-4 of 4 comments
CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Brian Olson

Highlands Ranch , CO

Brian Olson has posted 368 blog entries and 17 comments since joining on 11/30/2007. Brian Olson 's average blog rating is 4.74.
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