Large Scale Central

T Boone Pickens comments on a talk show today

General Discussion
#1

While awaiting funding for his wind farms, T Boone is on the campaign trail stirring up consciences. From his mouth, America consumes 25% of the 85 million barrels of oil produced daily and yet accounts for only 4% of world population. He further states that in ten years time, America will be forced to import 75% of its daily oil consumption and predicted barrel prices will be in the region $200-300 per barrel. He also cited the case of natural gas supplies from Russia, this winter and Russians ‘toying’ with supplies to Europe, holding them to ransom.

His aim is to start a grass roots revolution amongst the populace, to get started on a renewable energy programme, including wind, solar and an increase in the use of natural gas for the trucking industry. This would then free up dependence on diesel oil imports. He further claims that after forty years, politicians have still not developed an energy policy. When questioned as to his use of a private jet for transport, he replied that his lifestyle saved far more carbon emissions than he output. He has a website, Pickensplan.com

My ‘research’ on the topic is that when American oil stocks fall below 3 months supplies, then oil-producing nations need to be on their toes. Would it not be cheaper, long term, to invest in alternate energy rather than equipping an army with obsolenscent fuel sources?

#2

I listened to and supported Pickens when he began pushing natural gas and wind energy as alternatives that might help reduce America’s dependence on imported petroleum (The Pickens Plan). I was an early member and still think those are valid concepts.

T. Boone Pickens turned me from supporter to detractor when he tried to rob the California treasury and taxpayers by financing a ballot initiative in the November 2008 election that would have forced the state to spend ~$10 billion to subsidize the replacement of Mr. Pickens’ trucks and equipment that wasn’t even registered or used in California. Fortunately the initiative lost by ~61% to 39%.

See the details of Pickens’ Proposition 10 here:

http://www.noonproposition10.org/

Pickens put this issue on the ballot by “. . . starting a grass roots revolution amongst the populace, to get started on a renewable energy programme, including wind, solar and an increase in the use of natural gas for the trucking industry.” No source of revenue to support his so-called grass roots initiative, and he, through his non-California gas companies and trucking equipment was going to get most of the money. NO THANKS!

Mr. Pickens might have some good ideas about how to deal with U.S. energy futures, but his actions are those of a plain old thief, just like the so-called money managers who have robbed the financial institutions and are currently being assisted by President Obama, the legislature and the tax evading U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner in robbing the U.S. Treasury.

I’ll support someone who is more honest and forthright when it comes to energy independence. That is assuming there are some honest folks left.

On edit: I note that you wrote that Pickens is waiting for funding for his wind farms. When others want to build a power plant, wind or otherwise, they raise the money from private sources rather than waiting for a government handout.

Happy RRing,

Jerry

#3

Jerry,
his turbines cannot be delivered by GE until 2011. He stated that the next two years will be fund raising. When asked of his ‘political connection’ he got a little close to the chest and protective. His very name alone, puts him in the entrepreneur/showman catetgory, much like a spruiker in a carnival.

#4

Entrepeneurs and showmen are just fine. Rich folks WORKING to get richer are just fine.

People (especially from another state) who come to California to make new laws that rob our treasury with nothing given in return are just THIEVES.

You can tell that I am still very angry over this. As an early Pickens Plan member and local organizer, I was going around to my friends, neighbors and community touting Pickens’ ideas. Then he came out with his plan to fleece California through Proposition 10, making me look like a fool among my peers.

I am still a Pickens Plan member, but I don’t do any organizing, and always warn folks who are interested that Pickens himself is tantamount to a pickpocket.

I do believe the concept he first put forward to wean our country from dependence on foreign energy has merit, just not with Pickens as the leader.

Happy RRing,

Jerry

#5

Jerry,
a seemingly ‘honest’ man goes to the Capitol, with good intentions and comes away rotten to the core. Is this not called politics?

#6

Deleted

#7
TonyWalsham said:
A good word that "seemingly"!!!
My goodness, Tony, we agree again! Is Heck* freezing over?

*“Heck is the place where people go who don’t believe in Gosh.” Jeremiah Featherkile at age 6 (now 29 and on his way to Afghanistan after 4 Persian Excursians.)

#8

T. Boone Pickens is a devout Republican. He financed the Swift boat campaign that helped sink John Kerry.
His idea is a sound idea.
To make it work will require public funding for the massive infrastructure. Most notably the natural gas fueling stations. Private financing of the fueling stations will never happen because there are very few vehicles that can use the stations.
There will be no vehicles built to use natural gas because there are no places to refuel them.
Before the economy dumped, Pickens was going to fund his wind farm with 30% of his own money and borrow 70%.
Now he has two problems. He has lost billions in oil and the stock market, so he no longer has the 30% he planned on funding. Credit has tightened, and he could probably not secure financing for the 70% even if he still had the funds for the 30%.
Hence the fund raising.
Ralph