Gas Prices

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

The space race disagrees with your assessment.

Absolutely...

---Most people have no clue what the space race really did and what the real benefits were. They weren't the Moon rocks are even anything even close to it.

---First it forced the development of microchips, integrated circuits etc. because of the need for less weight to send up..... Because of those electronic, computers, calculators, and all sort of medical instruments, and many others items (anything that has digital readouts) developed more quickly than they would have otherwise. Every car is full of "chips" (even in the ABS braking system) plus even refrigerators have chips to regulate them. TVs that once had tubes don't now are are much better and more reliable. (circuits board and chips forced by space exploration caused it sooner).... space exploration caused much cheaper commucation by satelites (including live TV from anywhere) and made cells phones possible earlier. While developing heat shields that forced materials to be developed that became dishes that will not expand and can be used in microwaves... and space-type insulation is now used and even refrigerator walls are much thinner because of these materials. Cars get better milage than they did pre-mircocircuits again because of computers in cars that regulate gas flow and ignition. Anything that is electronic is much cheaper now than in the 1950's (if it even existed then, don't remember I-pods and video games).

Whatever we have spent on space exploration has been worth every penny.... because of the new and improved products that came from it. This was all caused by a government/military program and not so much by private industry created by the marketplace. Again the value of the space program was not the rocks or the bragging rights but the products that resulted because of these programs and the way they were applied to everyone's lives.

---Re: another post (HoustonEagle): He is telling it like it is..... all American cheap oil is completely gone, oil will not be dropping much, and Asia is using more. The cheapest oil out there now in the Middle East and they know it and aren't going to just give it away. There is oil in the Dakotas, Canada, and Alaska, but it will be very expensive to produce. --Might as well get used to it... this is the way the world is now....

--We also have politicians that claim the world isn't warming up either.... they need to get there head out of the sand and face realiity... No one is absolutely sure why it is (our fault or just natural variation--we did not cause or stop those ice ages) but it is. Things just aren't always as people want them to be. A very few degrees will melt a lot ice and cause problems with the weather and the coastlines.

The most important invention of the last-half of the 20th century was the microchip.... We all own 100's them and never really think of them because we don't really see them.

Edited May 1, 2008 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[KingDL1]

--We also have politicians that claim the world isn't warming up either.... they need to get there head out of the sand and face realiity... No one is absolutely sure why it is (our fault or just natural variation--we did not cause or stop those ice ages) but it is. Things just aren't always as people want them to be. A very few degrees will melt a lot ice and cause problems with the weather and the coastlines.

Funny because I keep reading how the earth has dropped temperature over the last decade.

Not to slow down the Global warming nuts, they make lots of money on it!

Globe may be cooling on Global Warming

"Disconcerting as it may be to true believers in global warming, the average temperature on Earth has remained steady or slowly declined during the past decade, despite the continued increase in the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide, and now the global temperature is falling precipitously." Dr. Phil Chapman wrote in The Australian on April 23. "All those urging action to curb global warming need to take off the blinkers and give some thought to what we should do if we are facing global cooling instead."

[DeepGreen]

The most important invention of the last-half of the 20th century was the microchip.... We all own 100's them and never really think of them because we don't really see them.

And all we do is GIVE our inventions to China "free of charge".

[UNTflyer]

Funny because I keep reading how the earth has dropped temperature over the last decade.

100 Years of global warming wiped out in last 12 months

I think the climate change hysteria is more about trying to knock the U.S. off the economic mountain.

There really is no good evidence of "global warming" caused by humans. And when challenged on their theories, climate change zealots are worse than religious zealots. When extremists claim "The debate is over", that's when we all need to start asking the tough questions.

[meangreendork]

Funny because I keep reading how the earth has dropped temperature over the last decade.

I'm not too sure on global warming either, but it's still probably a smart idea to make changes to at least protect or reduce damage on the environment. I figure that the Earth will eventually take too much damage.

[FirefightnRick]

Inventors of the Modern Computer

The History of the Integrated Circuit (IC) - Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce

illustration from Jack Kilby's inventor's journal

Inventors of the Modern Computer Series

• Table of Contents

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Steve Russell and

Spacewar - the First Computer Game

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More on Intergrated Circuit - Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce

• Further Reading:

The history of integrated circuits, patent drawings, photos, biographies of Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce.

By Mary Bellis

"What we didn't realize then was that the integrated circuit would reduce the cost of electronic functions by a factor of a million to one, nothing had ever done that for anything before" - Jack Kilby

It seems that the integrated circuit was destined to be invented. Two separate inventors, unaware of each other's activities, invented almost identical integrated circuits or ICs at nearly the same time.

Jack Kilby, an engineer with a background in ceramic-based silk screen circuit boards and transistor-based hearing aids, started working for Texas Instruments in 1958. A year earlier, research engineer Robert Noyce had co-founded the Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation. From 1958 to 1959, both electrical engineers were working on an answer to the same dilemma: how to make more of less.

In designing a complex electronic machine like a computer it was always necessary to increase the number of components involved in order to make technical advances. The monolithic (formed from a single crystal) integrated circuit placed the previously separated transistors, resistors, capacitors and all the connecting wiring onto a single crystal (or 'chip') made of semiconductor material. Kilby used germanium and Noyce used silicon for the semiconductor material.

In 1959 both parties applied for patents. Jack Kilby and Texas Instruments received U.S. patent #3,138,743 for miniaturized electronic circuits. Robert Noyce and the Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation received U.S. patent #2,981,877 for a silicon based integrated circuit. The two companies wisely decided to cross license their technologies after several years of legal battles, creating a global market now worth about $1 trillion a year.

In 1961 the first commercially available integrated circuits came from the Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation. All computers then started to be made using chips instead of the individual transistors and their accompanying parts. Texas Instruments first used the chips in Air Force computers and the Minuteman Missile in 1962. They later used the chips to produce the first electronic portable calculators. The original IC had only one transistor, three resistors and one capacitor and was the size of an adult's pinkie finger. Today an IC smaller than a penny can hold 125 million transistors.

Jack Kilby now holds patents on over sixty inventions and is also well known as the inventor of the portable calculator (1967). In 1970 he was awarded the National Medal of Science. Robert Noyce, with sixteen patents to his name, founded Intel, the company responsible for the invention of the microprocessor, in 1968. But for both men the invention of the integrated circuit stands historically as one of the most important innovations of mankind. Almost all modern products use chip technology.

[UNTflyer]

I'm not too sure on global warming either, but it's still probably a smart idea to make changes to at least protect or reduce damage on the environment. I figure that the Earth will eventually take too much damage.

I agree that we should be good stewards of our environment. However, history has shown that environmental Chicken Littles have been wrong every time.

2nd Ice Age, Acid Rain, Deforestation, Hole in Ozone Layer, and now Global Warming

All of these pending disasters have turned out to be either not as bad as we were led to believe, or completely false. I'm very concerned that we are only being presented one side of the so-called climate change issue, and that any doubters are shouted down, ridiculed, and silenced. As a B.S. major (soon to graduate), I have learned that all scientific theories should be challenged relentlessly, if nothing more than to strengthen their conclusions. When I hear political non-scientists declare "the debate is over", I am highly suspicious.

[BeanCounterGrad'03]

The space race disagrees with your assessment.

You could add the FDA and the US Military to that list as well.

[UNTflyer]

You could add the FDA and the US Military to that list as well.

Sure, if you call spending $800 on a hammer and $1500 on a toilet seat "efficient"

[Guest JohnDenver]

The space race disagrees with your assessment.

As does medical research.

Government funded research in government teaching institutions are what lead to breakthroughs.. UTSW for example.

Drugs, transplants, etc.

[HoustonEagle]

I agree that we should be good stewards of our environment. However, history has shown that environmental Chicken Littles have been wrong every time.

2nd Ice Age, Acid Rain, Deforestation, Hole in Ozone Layer, and now Global Warming

All of these pending disasters have turned out to be either not as bad as we were led to believe, or completely false. I'm very concerned that we are only being presented one side of the so-called climate change issue, and that any doubters are shouted down, ridiculed, and silenced. As a B.S. major (soon to graduate), I have learned that all scientific theories should be challenged relentlessly, if nothing more than to strengthen their conclusions. When I hear political non-scientists declare "the debate is over", I am highly suspicious.

While I appreciate and agree with some of your views. You chose some bad examples. Acid Rain in the U.S was solved by the Clean Air Act of 1990. Creating a cap and trade system for what we in the Energy industry call nox and sox (nitrogen oxide and sulfur oxide). This has been a long standing program and very successful. We trade nox and sox here each day in the office, but it never would have happened without the government.

The "hole in the ozone" problem was addressed by the Montreal Protocol in the 80's. This was again hugely successful, by eliminating the production of CFC's world-wide.

Deforestation digs it's roots (or lack of) into many issues: medical research, global warming (if it exist), soil depletion, erosion and so on.... The jury is certainly out on just how much damage deforestation is causing our planet but it can easily be said that it is causing problems and many will be irreversible.

As for Global Warming I am a believer but I hate to even get into that conversation with people. It is akin to talking politics. People act as if they are fighting for their favorite football team. Die-hard fans are great for sports but not for things that create debate and should be looked at objectively. At this current time I feel that the vast majority of experts believe that global warming is real and a threat. Considering I am not a expert I can only form a opinion by reviewing the research of others.

Yet still in the words of Keynes “When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?”

Edited May 2, 2008 by HoustonEagle

[Eagle1855]

As for Global Warming I am a believer but I hate to even get into that conversation with people. It is akin to talking politics. People act as if they are fighting for their favorite football team. Die-hard fans are great for sports but not for things that create debate and should be looked at objectively. At this current time I feel that the vast majority of experts believe that global warming is real and a threat. Considering I am not a expert I can only form a opinion by reviewing the research of others.

Agreed. Tiredest of head.

I'm in the unenviable position of believing it might exist but that we aren't responsible for it.

[yyz28]

As does medical research.

TAXPAYER funded research in government teaching institutions are what lead to breakthroughs.. UTSW for example.

Drugs, transplants, etc.

Fixed.

We need to remind ourselves of the Tax load. I support the elimination of withholdings, and make people save and then right a check for their taxes each year. That'll be the single biggest catalyst for change. ...so long as we let the Government skim off the top, we're still going to have this illusion that the "government" pays for stuff... They don't.

...WE DO!!!!!!!

/rant off.

[UNTflyer]

As does medical research.

Government funded research in government teaching institutions are what lead to breakthroughs.. UTSW for example.

Drugs, transplants, etc.

Again, not as efficient as the free market. For every taxpayer funded breakthrough made at a taxpayer funded institute of learning, there are scores of failures that we never hear about.

The great thing about social sciences like economics is that we do have examples that support these theories.

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Well I finally hit the $50 mark last night when I filled up my Honda Accord and the total was $51.92. I see oil has topped $132 a barrel today, so I will expect to hit another high next week.

[LongJim]

More from Ed Wallace from the FWST:

"There it is in plain sight for everyone to see, exactly what I’ve been reporting for the past few years: Many individuals who are investing in oil and natural gas futures are going out in the media and trying to convince the American public that either we are out of oil or there is a serious supply shortage of crude against worldwide demand. The question is: Does it surprise you to discover that the US Senate investigated the rigging of the oil market by speculators in the summer of 2006 – and concluded that there was no supply and demand problem with oil? Did you know that their conclusion was that speculators were responsible for a 70 percent overcharge in the price of oil in the months leading up to the summer of 2006?..."

"...in 2006, just like today, the media reporting covered the serious international shortage of oil and justified oil’s high price. Even more troubling is that the House of Representatives held a hearing this past December, ominously titled "Energy Speculation and Price Manipulation." How did it pass under the radar that both the Senate and the House studied the issue of price manipulation in our energy markets and both concluded that it was unregulated, massive trading in one futures market that was really driving up the price of oil and natural gas? And given that conclusion, why has Congress done nothing about it?..."

There is no fuel shortage.

[UNTflyer]

There is no need to regulate the futures market... it is self-regulating. When the inflated price bubble bursts, the futures investors will be jumping out of windows.

Congress has no business getting in there and dictating the price of oil between two investors any more than it has the right to dictate the price when you sell your lawnmower to your neighbor.

Edited May 21, 2008 by UNTflyer

[untbowler]

Gas Prices suck right now, a Valero down the road in a span of 15 minutes went from 3.65 to 3.79.

Would be nice to have some more latitude domestically for our own oil, but that is a discussion for another thread on another discussion board not tied to UNT.

[Coffee and TV]

I took a round-trip to Austin last week for a job interview. 40.5 mpg. Considering I'd be living in the city and possibly riding my bike if I got this job (or driving only about 5 miles round trip), high gas prices can suck it.

[Green Mean]

Getting an economical car or hybrid is the way to go. Getting an overprices, over gas guzzling big car just is not worth it anymore until these car makers actually produce an suv and truck with excellent gas mileage.

[LongJim]

More on this today:

MSN Story

Interesting is this passage:

"Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said Exxon’s annual profits increased from $11.5 billion to $40.6 billion in the past five years and there was no explanation for “why profits have gone up so high when the consumer is suffering so much.”

The five companies earned $36 billion in the first quarter of this year."

This totally flies in the face of the "it costs more than ever to produce and explore, and drill, we're making less profit than in 1970...and..and...and..." argument.

It is bullsh!t.

[UNTflyer]

This totally flies in the face of the "it costs more than ever to produce and explore, and drill, we're making less profit than in 1970...and..and...and..." argument.

It is bullsh!t.

Their margin is something like 7%. It's not that big a profit considering the volume of oil and gas they produce.

Edited May 21, 2008 by UNTflyer

[GoMeanGreen1999]

More on this today:

MSN Story

Interesting is this passage:

"Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said Exxon’s annual profits increased from $11.5 billion to $40.6 billion in the past five years and there was no explanation for “why profits have gone up so high when the consumer is suffering so much.”

The five companies earned $36 billion in the first quarter of this year."

This totally flies in the face of the "it costs more than ever to produce and explore, and drill, we're making less profit than in 1970...and..and...and..." argument.

It is bullsh!t.

The Shell chairman says "Law of supply and demand are at work." Yet most of what I read says that the demand is going down every week. That we are not using as much as we did a month ago, yet the price just keeps going up. It really doesn't matter what their excuse is though, because we have heard all of them by now.

[UNTflyer]

The Shell chairman says "Law of supply and demand are at work." Yet most of what I read says that the demand is going down every week. That we are not using as much as we did a month ago, yet the price just keeps going up. It really doesn't matter what their excuse is though, because we have heard all of them by now.

The demand from emerging markets continue to rise. There is no puppet master, folks. If you want a real solution to the problem, call Congress and demand that they allow drilling in ANWR, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Rockies. It will still take 5 years to raise production, but it's better than whining about it.

Edited May 21, 2008 by UNTflyer

[Green Mean]

Alaska has a lot of oil...lets start digging those puppies up. Oh wait I bet not a damn price change will happen if that happens. Actually it will go even higher since they will say its too expensive to get the process started...thats why we are raising the price of gas.