Re: [Biofuel] Poll in favor of Nukes on Iran
Hi Keith...1) "Why're you so doubtful about it?"Because of howthe NewsMax"poll" is being conducted. And because I am profoundly aware of the propaganda machine, having been a victim of it in 1988 when I ran for State Senator. As far as the other polls to which you refer are concerned, thank you for pointing these out. 2) "These beliefs are closely correlated with intentions to vote for Bush.So what's new?"The Bush vote is not representative of the majority of "ordinary" American citizens. Maybe someone would like to discover how many Americans are eligible to vote, how many have actually registered, and how many vote of those that are registered.Not very impressive. But for good reason, as one friend of mine says, "I don't want to encourage them." See also:http://www.ideamouth.com/voterfraud.htm. Our electoral college screws up things even more.Maybe someone would like to enlighten us on why this exists. Of the percentage of registered voters who did vote in the last two presidential elections, roughly half of the registered voters voted for Bush and the other half voted for either Gore or Kerry.Of course, as pointed out in the "torture" threads, it really doesn't matter who gets elected, it's all still the "business class." Nonetheless, the Bush vote is not representative of the majority of "ordinary" American citizens. 3) The Newsmax poll and what it says and who's spinning it if anyone isirrelevant. The fact is that the US and Israel are creeping up onnuking Iran, and dragging public opinion along behind, as usual.Check it out for yourself. I won't argue with you about the intentions of the propaganda machine, but I will take issue with you about the NewsMax "poll" or any publicly disseminated poll being irrelevant.I will alsoquestionwhat "public" we might be talking about, especially concerning the NewsMax "poll." 4) NewsMax.comNot to be trusted, but in this case it's irrelevant. Tear your eyesaway from what's disturbing you about NewsMax, and do some work onthe Internet, and in the Biofuel list archives, on the mounting US fear and loathing campaign against Iran. I have. Again, thank you. But again, the NewsMax.com "poll" is not irrelevant. It is highly relevant in how it distortsmajority opinion in this country.How come your reply doesn't even mention the word "Iran" in yourhaste to defend... to defend what, exactly? I'm defending the majority of "ordinary" American citizens, right or wrong. More importantly, I'mdefending our innate ability to think critically about everything we read...to ask who, what, when, where, why, and how something is written and published. It doesn't matter whether we're talking about Iran or any other subject. 5) We've just dealt with this, in the torture thread. Please go and readit. You are complicit. What are you doing about it? You're obliged tobe aware of what your government does abroad with your tax money, andif you do nothing to counter it you are complicit. What other peopleor other governments do is beside the point. The only exception is ifyou live under a totalitarian dictatorship, then you're not complicitbecause you're just a helpless slave. What can I do about it, Keith? What can I do about it, List? What can anyone who wants to change it do about it? Vote? Been there, done that...doesn't work. More suggestions, please. Write letters to "representatives?" Been there, done that...doesn't work. The majorityof "representatives" represent the business class. Pour gas all over myself, light a match, and burnup myself in front of a few gawking bystanders and possibly a"news" media who would never report my reasons for doing so? Aint gonna happen.Must be a totalitarian dictatorship in which I live. So now what do I do? 6) Sorry, you'll have to respond, those are the rules here.Why be sorry? Thank you for the questions and directions. I better understandhow slippery is my place on the planet. So I'll ask again, now what do I do? Mike DuPree - Original Message - From: "Keith Addison" [EMAIL PROTECTED]To: biofuel@sustainablelists.orgSent: Monday, May 08, 2006 4:20 AMSubject: Re: [Biofuel] Poll in favor of Nukes on Iran Hello Mike Why're you so doubtful about it? Sure, it's always good to check, but it's well in line with what usually happens, as people are saying. For instance (from the list archives): http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/20263 War on Iraq: The World According to a Bush Voter October 21, 2004 "A new survey reveals that Bush supporters choose to keep faith in their leader rather than face reality... "But here is the truly astonishing part: as many or more Bush supporters hold those beliefs today than they did several months ago. In other words, more people believe the claims today -- after the publication of a series of well-publicized official government reports that debunked both notions." That poll was conducted by University of Maryland's Program on
Re: [Biofuel] Poll in favor of Nukes on Iran
Mike...please see my post, "NewsMax 'Poll' and The Propaganda Machine. Mike DuPree - Original Message - From: Michael Redler To: biofuel@sustainablelists.org Sent: Monday, May 08, 2006 7:41 AM Subject: Re: [Biofuel] Poll in favor of Nukes on Iran "...they site a poll WITH HEADLINES that says Fox is the most trusted news source in the U.S.,..."Nice catch Mike. Despite NewsMax catering to right wing interests, I think that the polls are believable, especiallyconsidering the astounding progress made by the current regime through channels like Fox.Parts of the news media have been in colusion with the government for a very long time and the tactics used to influence the masses was openly acknowledged back in the Wilson adminisration. Hakan's observations are also an indication of that same colusion.So, in my opinion, the question becomes; Is NewsMax manufacturing consent or just reporting back on the progress they've already made? Mike MK DuPree [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Fritz and everyone...polls...hmmm...can anyone tell me more about "NewsMax"? Who owns and controls this website? Fritz, have you asked anyone at NewsMax how this poll was conducted?What are the demographics of this poll?I see on their homepage as of today, Sunday, May 7, just after 7pm Central (USA), where they site a poll WITH HEADLINES that says Fox is the most trusted news source in the U.S., but the story says we're talking about 11% of the public making it this "popular." Hey, if only roughly One in Ten Americans are fatheads, we're not doin' too bad. I wouldn't be surprised if a large percentage of these 11% make up the largest percentage of the "voters" who answered the NewsMaxpoll, which would make that "77%" actually an incredibly small percentage of the U.S. population. Sorry you blame the "ordinary" U.S. citizen for however our government acts. What's the deal in your country? Is your government walking in lockstep with the will of the overwhelming majority of the "ordinary" citizens? Whatis "ordinary" anyway I'll leave it at that for now. Mike - Original Message - From: Fritz Friesinger To: biofuel@sustainablelists.org Sent: Sunday, May 07, 2006 5:09 PM Subject: Re: [Biofuel] Poll in favor of Nukes on Iran Hakan, indeed dejea vu, once the propagandamachine works as fine as it does in the US,all out war is'nt far away! The whole polemic about the communist threat BS, it was and is always the migthy US who uses Nukes to intimidate the rest of the world! I dispise them for it and can not help to blame the ordinary US Citicen.As a German i felt long time the blame for the wrong doeings of the Nazis even i was born in 48! eh bien and so on... Get better Hakan,there is no time to loose Fritz - Original Message - From: Hakan Falk To: biofuel@sustainablelists.org Sent: Sunday, May 07, 2006 5:23 PM Subject: Re: [Biofuel] Poll in favor of Nukes on Iran Fritz,Have a strong feeling of dejavu and this time I will save the info in a special place. Pre Iraq, I saw similar figures and also some support on this list. Today it is overwhelming negative numbers in support for the Iraq war and approval ratings for the president. Maybe I should frame this, for future use.Talk about a violent population, 77% in support of military action and killing Iranians. In two years we will have 65% in denial and against the US engagement in Iran. It will be an even bigger mess than Iraq, with attacks all over the world.Hakan[snip] ___Biofuel mailing listBiofuel@sustainablelists.orghttp://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.orgBiofuel at Journey to Forever:http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.htmlSearch the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] NewsMax Poll and The Propaganda Machine
Thank you Mike Redler...and I ask with you, "the question becomes; Is NewsMax manufacturing consent or just reporting back on the progress they've already made?"I'm sorry, however, you want to believe the latter as it relates to, if it does, the "ordinary" American citizen. Folks worldwide want to blame the "ordinary" American citizen, but somehow don't understand how the United States of Americamay possibly bethe world's largest, most cleverly disguisedconcentration camp in the world. One of my first questions to anyone seeking change in this country is how we go about it. One of the first respones I getis to vote! LOL See: http://www.ideamouth.com/voterfraud.htm So wevote, but we're screwed there too!!! Then, based upon some incredibly flawed"results" from an incredibly flawed"poll,"folks outside of America want to believe an overwhelming majority of "ordinary" Americans favor nuking Iran.All I can say is, welcome aboard the propaganda machine! Check out the NewsMax website and find out how their "poll" is being taken. They ask the reader to "vote" by answering6 questions. In order to learn the results, you have to supply your email address and a U.S. zip code, whichmay not be the reader's.Fritz, if you live in Germany, how did you get the results In order to have them emailed to you, you had to have voted in this poll. Consequently, if you did, then the "poll" is already screwed up, since you are not an American. How many people outside of America "voted" in this "poll"??? IT'S AN INTERNET "POLL" FOLKS! Or, Fritz, were you told this by someone else If so, what effort did you make to verify their statement??? NewsMaxalso asks the readerto vote only once.So did these "poll" takers weed out every duplicate "vote"? I also ask you, Fritz, why did you title your first post on this poll"Poll in favor of Nukes on Iran" when there isno mention whatsoever in any of the questions about the U.S. throwingnukes at Iran? Whois attempting to manufacture consent hereI ask again, what are the demographics of this "poll"? I am well aware, Mike, and list, of the supreme ability of the propaganda machine, butalso the human penchant to "hear what a man wants to hear and disregard the rest."The real question: What do you want to hear? Mike DuPree - Original Message - From: Michael Redler To: biofuel@sustainablelists.org Sent: Monday, May 08, 2006 7:41 AM Subject: Re: [Biofuel] Poll in favor of Nukes on Iran "...they site a poll WITH HEADLINES that says Fox is the most trusted news source in the U.S.,..."Nice catch Mike. Despite NewsMax catering to right wing interests, I think that the polls are believable, especiallyconsidering the astounding progress made by the current regime through channels like Fox.Parts of the news media have been in colusion with the government for a very long time and the tactics used to influence the masses was openly acknowledged back in the Wilson adminisration. Hakan's observations are also an indication of that same colusion.So, in my opinion, the question becomes; Is NewsMax manufacturing consent or just reporting back on the progress they've already made? Mike MK DuPree [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Fritz and everyone...polls...hmmm...can anyone tell me more about "NewsMax"? Who owns and controls this website? Fritz, have you asked anyone at NewsMax how this poll was conducted?What are the demographics of this poll?I see on their homepage as of today, Sunday, May 7, just after 7pm Central (USA), where they site a poll WITH HEADLINES that says Fox is the most trusted news source in the U.S., but the story says we're talking about 11% of the public making it this "popular." Hey, if only roughly One in Ten Americans are fatheads, we're not doin' too bad. I wouldn't be surprised if a large percentage of these 11% make up the largest percentage of the "voters" who answered the NewsMaxpoll, which would make that "77%" actually an incredibly small percentage of the U.S. population. Sorry you blame the "ordinary" U.S. citizen for however our government acts. What's the deal in your country? Is your government walking in lockstep with the will of the overwhelming majority of the "ordinary" citizens? Whatis "ordinary" anyway I'll leave it at that for now. Mike - Original Message - From: Fritz Friesinger To: biofuel@sustainablelists.org Sent: Sunday, May 07, 2006 5:09 PM Subject: Re: [Biofuel] Poll in favor of Nukes on Iran Hakan, indeed dejea vu, once the propagandamachine works as fine as it does in the US,all out war is'nt far away! The whole polemic about the communist threat BS, it was and is always the migthy US who uses
Re: [Biofuel] Fw: Car runs on water
I always said the day we run out of gas they would say that they JUST figured out how to run acar off of H20 On 5/8/06, David Miller [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: D. Mindock wrote: Here is a Philippine inventor who first started running cars on only water almost 30 years ago. He has 100 engines he has converted that will run on just tap or sea water. Needless to say all the car companies have tried to steal his technology so he is going to share it with anybody and everybody in a partnership with profits going to the Philippine people, but not the government. Watch this video at: http://www.mysticfamilycircus.com/Pages/Community/Projects/h2oh29MB.mov 1 liter of water will run the car for an hour. Very efficient electrolysis is used to get the hydrogen from the water while the car's in operation.Peace, D. MindockTo be the first of many, I'm sure, but You don't really believe this do you?I mean I had this very idea whenI was in the sixth grade, but I did grow up.Basic physics so I'm not accused of ad-hominem attacksvery efficient electrolysis from a physics point of view means that you get most of the energy out of the cell that you put in inelectricity.100% efficient would mean that you've got a perpetualmotion machine - just keep electrolyzing the water and running an engineon it. It would be cool if it were otherwise - the energy crisis would be overand we wouldn't even need to make biofuels.Generators could run onwater, electricity could be produced and we'd only have water vapor for emissions.Only it can't happen.A liter of water isn't going to electrolyzeitself and produce useful energy.It's the result of an energyproducing chemical reaction and it's going to take energy to reverse it. Sorry,--- David___Biofuel mailing listBiofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.orgBiofuel at Journey to Forever:http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Poll in favor of Nukes on Iran
Amen, Geoff! Mike DuPree - Original Message - From: Geo Mantic To: biofuel@sustainablelists.org Sent: Monday, May 08, 2006 10:58 AM Subject: Re: [Biofuel] Poll in favor of Nukes on Iran RGH! Media Conglomerates make me sick sometimes...(gulp)...think i'll go make a batch of fuelGeoff ___Biofuel mailing listBiofuel@sustainablelists.orghttp://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.orgBiofuel at Journey to Forever:http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.htmlSearch the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Fw: Car runs on water
About this Car runs on water. I saw this a few years back on our local Philippine news. It was only a few times he was featured. But never the less not much believed him. But i would love to believe him. Some say he had investments pouring in from different countries. Some of his inventions was really publicized. I think the media was paid to stop on advertising his invention.Mike Weaver [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: PaddlesKen Provost wrote:On May 8, 2006, at 4:06 PM, D. Mindock wrote: 1 liter of water will run the car for an hour. Very efficientelectrolysis is used to get the hydrogen from the waterwhile the car's in operation.No time to read the details just now -- I'm guessing theelectricity comes from a wind turbine on top of the car,which is turned by the wind from the car's motion downthe road! :-)-K___Biofuel mailing listBiofuel@sustainablelists.orghttp://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.orgBiofuel at Journey to Forever:http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.htmlSearch the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___Biofuel mailing listBiofuel@sustainablelists.orghttp://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.orgBiofuel at Journey to Forever:http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.htmlSearch the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ Blab-away for as little as 1ยข/min. Make PC-to-Phone Calls using Yahoo! Messenger with Voice.___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Poll in favor of bombing Iran
Fritz, please see my post, "NewsMax 'Poll' and The Propaganda Machine." Mike DuPree - Original Message - From: Fritz Friesinger To: Biofuel@sustainablelists.org Sent: Monday, May 08, 2006 6:56 AM Subject: [Biofuel] Poll in favor of bombing Iran Hi Mike, What's the deal in your country? Is your government walking in lockstep with the will of the overwhelming majority of the "ordinary" citizens? What is "ordinary" anyway I'll leave it at that for now.My government would not dare to nuke anybodys Country,its already enough for us if we have to due "Peaceceeping" ,and this only because of the mess your very government has createt! As Keith had put it, you guys have a very short memory and pretty selectiv too! Fritz ___Biofuel mailing listBiofuel@sustainablelists.orghttp://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.orgBiofuel at Journey to Forever:http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.htmlSearch the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Fw: Car runs on water
will they call it a Mercury outboard? On 5/8/06, Mike Weaver [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Ha.I've already supercharged that car.Now it goes TWICE as fast on aglass of water.robert luis rabello wrote: D. Mindock wrote:Here is a Philippine inventor who first started running cars on onlywater almost 30 years ago. He has 100 engines he has converted thatwill run on just tap or sea water. Uh huh . . .Needless to say all the carcompanies have tried to steal his technology so he is going to shareit with anybody and everybody in a partnership with profits going to the Philippine people, but not the government. A little hocus pocus electrolysis is WORTH stealing?I didelectrolysis in 8th grade! Watch this video at:http://www.mysticfamilycircus.com/Pages/Community/Projects/h2oh29MB.mov Been there.Seen that grainy video.Please forgive me for yawning.1 liter of water will run the car for an hour. Very efficient electrolysis is used to get the hydrogenfrom the water while the car's in operation.Peace, D. Mindock Even IF the electrolysis were 100% efficient, it takes 31.6 kWh of electrical power to evolve a kilogram of hydrogen, which has roughlythe same energy as a US gallon of gasoline.He claims he does thisfrom batteries and the car's alternator.(It would be far more efficient to use the batteries to power an electric motor directly!)Give me an hour with one of his machines and I'll figure out where thehydrogen is REALLY coming from! Having written this, with gasoline in my area consistently running above $1.10 per liter, it's now officially CHEAPER for me toelectrolyze hydrogen from water, using grid power, and burn it in myvehicle, than to power the same vehicle on gasoline.Go figure! robert luis rabelloThe Edge of JusticeAdventure for Your Mindhttp://www.newadventure.caRanger Supercharger Project Page http://www.members.shaw.ca/rabello/___Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.orghttp://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.orgBiofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.htmlSearch the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/___Biofuel mailing listBiofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.orgBiofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.htmlSearch the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] New Biodiesel Catalyst
I hope it leads to some good results as well. The second article from the Iowa State shed much more light on it and I'm glad John found it and passed it on. I'm not trying to be negative. We need more Mr.Lins. I just wish that with his knowledge and training he could remain focused on research rather than having to split his time starting a company and campaigning for research dollars to continue his work. On the other hand having a reality check with new ideas to see if they produce economically viable results in the marketplace is important too. I wish Mr.Lin well but just think of the progress if we threw some real dollars at this area - like for example a fraction of the military and defense research spending. Steve On Monday 08 May 2006 10:55 am, JJJN wrote: Hello Steve, Yea it a bummer to see our think tanks beg, but the bottom line is if they start producing the catalyst for sale, chances are we can buy it, not so different than going to your local chemical supply and buying KOH eh? I think Mr Lin is trying to use his minute in the limelight to express what they have done and give the State a good kicking in the butt to start supporting what they at the university do (Academics vs Sports) and after the Hawkeyes Basketball season why not? I don't agree with -see below... Best Jim Steve Racz wrote: Here is the article online (using snipurl!) http://snipurl.com/q4st If the catalyst is reusable, but only 20 times, what happens then? Can the catalyst be recycled? The details are vague but it seems that this is intentional as it seems Mr. Lin and his colleagues and especially the University of Iowa are trying to cash in on their research, not share it. Sorry if I sound like a cynic, but the article sounds more like a free informercial touting the benefits of university and industry collaboration (read - how to raise $$$ for the University) with the work with renewable fuels being only the buzzword to bind it together. Not that I don't think that there shouldn't be collaboration, it's that this is blatantly using biodiesel research as a headliner and not much else. Not much else? Then Why is the Coop going to start Commercially testing the Catalyst? I'm actually saddened that with all the blah, blah about being addicted to oil, that begging is still required by universities for funding of research that seems so basic and that people like Mr.Lin are forced into the commercial world when clearly it's not ready for commercialization. Right the catalyst is not ready for commercialization but it is ready to test for that purpose. Please don't misunderstand me, I hope it becomes available but until the next 1000 yards of research and testing is complete I am not going to cancel any orders for KOH. It does state : Grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Energy and the state's Iowa Values Fund have helped support the ISU researchers' work. but that doesn't stop them from saying this: If the work with West Central shows the catalysts will work on a commercial scale, Lin may form a company to produce the catalysts. But that, as well as continuing research on campus, will take significant funding, he and others said. If we could get support from the state and from these local companies, there is no reason why it would not stay here, Lin said. I see opportunity in Iowa. Steve On Sunday 07 May 2006 03:35 pm, JJJN wrote: My mother in law sent me an article by Anne Fitzgerald writing for the (Des Moines?) Register. The article states that Victor Lin and two fellow University of Iowa Chemists have created a new catalyst that is reusable (20 times) and can be filtered. The catalyst will be quite a bit more expensive than what we are using now but will pay out over time because of the reuse. West Central cooperative is going to test the catalyst on a commercial scale. Anne Fitzgerald can be reached at 515 284 8122 or at [EMAIL PROTECTED] This sounds very much like the glucose/carbon/sulfur carbon compound. BUT I do not know if it is or something new. Well lets hope this becomes available to us all very soon. My best Jim. ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ -- Steve Racz (03) 383 8167 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[Biofuel] Torture and/or Nuking Iran -- was Re: Poll in favor of Nukes on Iran
Keith, You said: We've just dealt with this, in the torture thread. Please go and read it. You are complicit. What are you doing about it? You're obliged to be aware of what your government does abroad with your tax money, and if you do nothing to counter it you are complicit. What other people or other governments do is beside the point. The only exception is if you live under a totalitarian dictatorship, then you're not complicit because you're just a helpless slave. By your statement, in order for someone to even have a chance to avoid the responsibility for any bad actions by their government (ie. pollution, torture or nuking a country), it seems that they will need to be a person who: 1) Is capable of being aware of EVERYTHING that the government does domestically and internationally. To do this, you will need to posess God-like omniscience (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omniscience) since you will need to be aware of all actions performed by every single one of the MILLIONS of people that are connected with the US Federal government alone -- currently almost 2 million employees if you ignore the Military and the Postal Service. (http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs041.htm)How many more work for the various State and Local governments. How many people work for quasi-governmental institutions that have an effect on how the government operates? You quoted at least one http://www.pipa.org/. 2) Is able to influence ALL of those MILLIONS of people, or possess the knowledge to choose which of the MILLIONS of people you will need to influence to force all the remaining people that you cannot influence (time, distance, numbers of people to speak with, whatever) to do what you wish them to do. 3) Possess the knowledge of the correct thing to do, and how to communicate this to all of the people that you will need to influence to make what you want to happen occur in the manner that you desire. --- or --- Is it ok for someone to just complain about the actions of the government to avoid being labeled complicit, or do they have to actually DO something? If they have to do something, does it have to be effective? If so, how effective does their action have to be? How closely related to the government in question can someone be, and avoid responsibility for that government's actions? Are other countries that benefit from the actions of your government responsible for the actions of your government? If so, are the people of those other countries then also responsible for your governments actions?? What if you don't want to give the government money, but they take it under the threat of death or imprisonment? So...let me ask you personally: What are you doing? How effective have your actions been? What will you do in the future to become more effective? When do you become blameless? Are you aware of how every single dollar is spent by our government? --Randall Charlotte, NC ___ Heisenberg may have slept here If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six sharpening my xe. --Abraham Lincoln ___ - Original Message - From: Keith Addison [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: biofuel@sustainablelists.org Sent: Monday, May 08, 2006 5:20 AM Subject: Re: [Biofuel] Poll in favor of Nukes on Iran Hello Mike Why're you so doubtful about it? Sure, it's always good to check, but it's well in line with what usually happens, as people are saying. For instance (from the list archives): http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/20263 War on Iraq: The World According to a Bush Voter October 21, 2004 A new survey reveals that Bush supporters choose to keep faith in their leader rather than face reality... But here is the truly astonishing part: as many or more Bush supporters hold those beliefs today than they did several months ago. In other words, more people believe the claims today -- after the publication of a series of well-publicized official government reports that debunked both notions. That poll was conducted by University of Maryland's Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) and Knowledge Networks. Here's the poll report itself: http://www.pipa.org/OnlineReports/Iraq/IraqRealities_Oct04/IraqRealiti es%20Oct04%20rpt.pdf Then there's this: Results of previous PIPA/Knowledge Networks poll [May 04]: - A 57% majority believed Iraq was either directly involved in carrying out the 9/11 attacks or had provided substantial support to al-Qaeda - 82% either said that experts mostly agree Iraq was providing substantial support to al Qaeda or experts are evenly divided on the question - 45% believe that evidence that Iraq was supporting al Qaeda has been found - 60% believe that just before the war Iraq either had weapons of mass destruction or a major program for developing them - 65% said
[Biofuel] Equipment auction at E-bay
I've been watching this auction for a few weeks--it's the leftover equipment from a pharmaceuticals company. I've bought one item, and found the seller to be quick, responsive, and reasonable. Here's something someone here might be able to use for methanol reclamation (I don't know the specs on the item, but it looks equipped for a vacuum): http://cgi.ebay.com/DCI-Manufacturing-35-Liter-Tank-1-No-Reserve_W0QQitemZ7614504605QQcategoryZ26237QQcmdZViewItem There are also pH meters, scales, etc. Worth looking if you're putting together a biodiesel lab on the cheap. -Sean ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] Left Coast Events - Victoria Islands - May 8th, 2006 (fwd)
-- Forwarded message -- Date: Mon, 8 May 2006 12:16:15 -0700 From: janine bandcroft [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Recipient List Suppressed: ; Subject: Left Coast Events - Victoria Islands - May 8th, 2006 1. what you can do about operation trident fury 2. Monday May 8, OPPOSE Trident Fury 5 pm/ Peace Coalition meeting 7:30 3. NUU-CHAH-NULTH WALK TO STOP THE VIOLENCE in Indigenous Communities! May 5 - 14 4. Humanists and Greater Victoria Seniors lectures - May 10, 21st 5. next South Island Health coalition meeting - May 11th 6. Antidote play/ fundraiser - May 12th 7. Where's Noonan? - theatre - May 12-14th 8. What is this thing called Iyengar Yoga? - May 13th 9. Second Annual Gurlz Conference! - May 13th 10. CommonBorders Annual General Meeting - May 13th 11. Organic Plant Sale - May 13th 12. Leon Bibb Tuned Air Concert in Victoria - May 13th 13. Saanich Fair - May 13th 14. INSPIRATA CONCERT - May 13th 15. STACEY EARLE MARK STUART COME TO COURTENAY - May 15th 16. Communities Solidarity Coalition - mtg - May 15th 17. Organic Islands Festival 2006 18. Tuesday May, 16 -- Building an All Girls Secondary School in Malawi 19. Rally for Childcare - May 16th 20. Final two workshops in Helping the Helper series! - May June 21. Yaks, Camels and Hope - cooperative - May 17th 22. Festival Volunteers needed - May 22, Victoria Day 23. Saving Small Towns Conference - June 8 9, Cumberland BC 24. Gather the Women-Weaving a World that Works - June 22, 23, 24th 25. Designing Peacebuilding Interventions, Conflict Transformation, and Reconciliation in Divided Communities - June 29, 30, July 1st -~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ 1. what you can do about operation trident fury: 1. call CFAX - 250-381-1161 2. call CBC's Almanac - 1-800-669-3733 3. listen to CFUV.UVIC.CA, 101.9 fm, 104.3 cable - Monday, May 8th 5-6 pm - Gorilla Radio, and Thursday, May 11th 11-noon - Winds of Change. Both shows will focus on military related issues. Chances are Medhi will tackle it, too - Friday, May 12th 9-10 am. 4. write a letter to the editor, for example: From: Jan Slakov [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dear friends, Below is one letter-to-the-editor... I hope it may inspire more! (I'm sending this to the local Gulf Islands Driftwood newspaper.) Below my letter is a posting from Joan Russow, with a petition to send via e-mail to Minister of DND, Gordon O'Connor, as well as notice of a rally in Victoria. I hope there's a good turn-out! all the best, Jan Dear Editor, Yippee! The Saanich Penninsula and surrounding land, sea and air are to be invaded with ships, planes and troops this week and next, and DND expects it to generate over $2 million in economic spin-offs for the community. And our kids will get to admire the daring young men flying the planes which consume as much gas in an hour or two as the average car does in a year. If we're lucky, they too will have a chance to take part in some future version of this NATO Trident Fury exercise. (If we're not so lucky, and this exercise is intended to soften us up to the idea of having fighter planes bomb our way to peace, what is left of humanity may be struggling to survive... You see, some of these planes have nuclear arms capability and it has become clear that the US government intends to use nuclear weapons under certain circumstances. I'm sure they don't want to start a nuclear WAR, but I don't think they planned to have their shock and awe attack on Iraq turn into the quagmire it has become either) At least one of the types of Trident Fury aircraft is built by Lockheed Martin. Canadians are learning a lot about this company, because our government awarded it the census contract, and many people are rather upset by that. They say that Lockheed Martin is a war profiteer, which hires out private contractors which torture people and which has violated the US Arms Export Control Act and many other laws. In sum, it seems to be one of the world's most corrupt and nefarious companies. But heck, after all, we've all invested in the arms trade and the tobacco industry and who knows what else through our Canada Pension Plan. So why should we pay attention to people like Mel Hurtig who urge us to put more effort into the census than usual via websites like vivelecanada.ca and countmeout.ca? Spring has sprung, so let's slap on some sunscreen and enjoy ourselves before climate change and all that other boring stuff gets out of hand. Sincerely, Jan Slakov 5. circulate and sign the petition: from: Joan Russow [EMAIL PROTECTED] CAMPAIGN AND PETITION AGAINST THE EXERCISE TRIDENT FURY On May 6th, a delegation of about 15 citizens with membership in many community groups in Victoria went to Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt at 10 am to present a petition calling upon the Department of Defence to cancel the Exercise Trident Fury scheduled to take place in and around Victoria from May 8th to May 17. The
Re: [Biofuel] Fw: Car runs on water
This is too weird. Just today an associate sent me an wmv file of a Fox news report about HHO gas a company called Hydrogen Technology that is promoting something like this (I can forward the clip off list per request) - but in mean time, found their homepage and another link: http://www.hytechapps.com/applications/HHOS.htm http://tampatrib.com/Business/MGBKD7YQIGE.html Enjoy! S D. Mindock wrote: Here is a Philippine inventor who first started running cars on only water almost 30 years ago. He has 100 engines he has converted that will run on just tap or sea water. Needless to say all the car companies have tried to steal his technology so he is going to share it with anybody and everybody in a partnership with profits going to the Philippine people, but not the government. Watch this video at: http://www.mysticfamilycircus.com/Pages/Community/Projects/h2oh29MB.mov 1 liter of water will run the car for an hour. Very efficient electrolysis is used to get the hydrogen from the water while the car's in operation. Peace, D. Mindock ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] Crude Glycerin and Hot Compost
Hi All, Composting glycerine might not only be an environmentally sound way to eliminate the coproduct, but it may actually speed up decomposition of the materials in the pile. I successfully split the glycerine coproduct using phosphoric acid (thanks Todd, Ken, and JTF). I have about twenty gallons (76L) of crude glycerine. How doI deal with it in an environmentally responsible way? Two days agoI built a compost pile adding glycerine as I built the pile. All the while I was thinking what a waste of energy. It would be better to add the glycerine to a ferment or to make biogas. In the end I had added almost 4 gallons of the stuff ... diluted in water... to a pile that was a bit more than 60cubic feet (5+ feet high X 7+ feet diameter). 48 hours later the temp of the pile was 160F (71C)!!!. This wasn't the center of the pile, but rather 12 inches in. Itook readings at 4 places. Keith might take issue with the geometry of my compost piles. They are, essentially flattened cones made of layers of grass clippings weeds, then leaves,then manure. I diluted the glycerine w. water and sprinkled it on the dry, leaf layer. I rarely take temp readings of compost piles, but I do stick my hand in after a day or two to make sure they are heating up. The times that I've made readings, the temps were typically in the 140F area. While saprophytic soil microbes do well at high temps, most soil pathogens are killed along with weed seeds and insect eggs at temps of 140F. Are there any negatives to achieving such high temps(160F or more)? It might be that adding glycerine is not such a waste of energy as I thought. Alcohols and sugars are readily metabolized by microbes. They could supply the energy, which, along with other materials in the heap would allow the bacteria and fungi to rapidly reach a quorum, a critical mass, and the metabolism of the mass generate the heat that in turn would speed up enzyme activity if it doesn't kill them. I would like to know if the addition of glycerine enhances the rate of decomposition in a compost pile. I had previously added some glycerine to a hot pile as it was being turned. It did not seem to have any harmful effect, but I didn't have anything concrete to compare it to (temp readings of other piles vs this one), and at the time did not suspect that it might actually be of benefit. For what it's worth, Tom ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Torture and/or Nuking Iran -- was Re: Poll in favor of Nukes on Iran
Hello Randall Keith, You said: We've just dealt with this, in the torture thread. Please go and read it. You are complicit. What are you doing about it? You're obliged to be aware of what your government does abroad with your tax money, and if you do nothing to counter it you are complicit. What other people or other governments do is beside the point. The only exception is if you live under a totalitarian dictatorship, then you're not complicit because you're just a helpless slave. By your statement, in order for someone to even have a chance to avoid the responsibility for any bad actions by their government (ie. pollution, torture or nuking a country), it seems that they will need to be a person who: 1) Is capable of being aware of EVERYTHING that the government does domestically and internationally. To do this, you will need to posess God-like omniscience (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omniscience) since you will need to be aware of all actions performed by every single one of the MILLIONS of people that are connected with the US Federal government alone -- currently almost 2 million employees if you ignore the Military and the Postal Service. (http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs041.htm)How many more work for the various State and Local governments. How many people work for quasi-governmental institutions that have an effect on how the government operates? You quoted at least one http://www.pipa.org/. 2) Is able to influence ALL of those MILLIONS of people, or possess the knowledge to choose which of the MILLIONS of people you will need to influence to force all the remaining people that you cannot influence (time, distance, numbers of people to speak with, whatever) to do what you wish them to do. 3) Possess the knowledge of the correct thing to do, and how to communicate this to all of the people that you will need to influence to make what you want to happen occur in the manner that you desire. --- or --- Is it ok for someone to just complain about the actions of the government to avoid being labeled complicit, or do they have to actually DO something? If they have to do something, does it have to be effective? If so, how effective does their action have to be? How closely related to the government in question can someone be, and avoid responsibility for that government's actions? Are other countries that benefit from the actions of your government responsible for the actions of your government? If so, are the people of those other countries then also responsible for your governments actions?? What if you don't want to give the government money, but they take it under the threat of death or imprisonment? So...let me ask you personally: What are you doing? How effective have your actions been? What will you do in the future to become more effective? When do you become blameless? Are you aware of how every single dollar is spent by our government? Whose is bigger eh? :-) What am I doing. For what's most visible, how about Journey to Forever? Or running the Biofuel list and helping to keep it well fed over the last six years with the kind of information you specify, often against strong opposition by people who would much rather have it left comfortably buried out of sight where the forces we're discussing had put it, and put them too in a state of heedless and uncaring ignorance, consent, and indeed complicity. That information includes about the best set of tools I've seen for doing all the things you specify, including investigation, spin detection, source checking, counter-spin and counter-propaganda, and the kind of activism required if you're interested in a sustainable future. There's been much discussion here on activism, and on What can I do? That's all there too, with solutions offered. And I provide this resource. That's just for now, some things. If you go back through my history you'll find an unbroken record of opposing the forces we're discussing, in many ways and across a broad range of issues, and in many countries, mainly but not only as a campaigning journalist. It's something I've never stopped since I started it long ago in white racist South Africa, where life tended to be short and have ugly endings for people who felt they ought to take a hand in deciding what they were going to be complicit in. You can find some of the details of all this at our website, and elsewhere. I'm not planning on stopping. Have my actions been effective? Yes, they have. They are being now. There are very many people, VERY many, who could give you their own versions of that story. Together it all covers everything you specify and much besides. Today these people work both separately and together, sharing resources across a wide range of issues, the whole range perhaps, via the Internet, the great leveller. Are their actions proving effective? You could ask the WTO that question for instance, or Monsanto,
[Biofuel] Full text of sugar catalyst paper
Nature 438, 178 (10 November 2005) Green chemistry: Biodiesel made with sugar catalyst Masakazu Toda1, Atsushi Takagaki1, Mai Okamura1, Junko N. Kondo1, Shigenobu Hayashi2, Kazunari Domen3 and Michikazu Hara1 The production of diesel from vegetable oil calls for an efficient solid catalyst to make the process fully ecologically friendly. Here we describe the preparation of such a catalyst from common, inexpensive sugars. This high-performance catalyst, which consists of stable sulphonated amorphous carbon, is recyclable and its activity markedly exceeds that of other solid acid catalysts tested for 'biodiesel' production. 1. Chemical Resources Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8503, Japan 2. Research Institute of Instrumentation Frontier, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan 3. Department of Chemical System Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan See the full report: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/sugarcatalyst.pdf 304kb Acrobat file. Best Keith ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] Fw: Killing off the middle class of the USA
Sounds like more disinformation from the Bush Repugs. Peace, D. Mindock The Main$treamMedia has been filled with laments that our kids in college are refusing to major in computers and engineering supposedly leaving us with a desperate shortage of high tech workers in the future. Do they really want you to tell your child to major in engineering? As you try to find a way to keep your child in college after you got laid off your own high tech job? No. They just want to soften you up so they can pass the SKIL bill which will create an unlimited number of guest workers to take the few remaining high tech jobs, finally getting rid of all the Americans who used to do them. And high paying high tech jobs now become more of those jobs Americans just won't do. You won't hear about it here in America, but they are very open about it in India. (I might mention that some of the strongest opponents of the drive to eliminate guest worker limits have been former guest workers who got their green cards only to find themeselves immediately laid off and replaced by another guestworker) http://www.blonnet.com/2006/05/08/stories/2006050802750200.htm Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications New Delhi , May 7 In a move that is bound to bring cheer to Indian IT companies, a new Bill to reform H-1B visa and Employment Based (EB visa) green card processes, has been introduced in the US Senate. The SKIL (Securing Knowledge Innovation and Leadership) Bill which was introduced recently by Senator Mr John Cornyn proposes exemptions for US educated foreign workers with advanced degrees in math, science, technology and engineering fields from the H-1B and EB quotas so that their talent could be retained in the US. Other provisions include creation of a flexible, market-based H-1B cap; extension of foreign students' post-curricular optional practical training from 12 months to 24 months to allow them to go more easily from student to green card; and exemptions for EB/green card immigrant spouses and children from the annual cap. The new Bills are being welcomed by the US trade associations and IT industry. Commenting on the introduction of the Bill, Compete America - a coalition of over 200 corporations, universities, research institutions and trade associations said the proposed legislation was an indicator that both US Senate and the Bush Administration were prepared to fix the visa system for highly educated foreign nationals. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1518536.cms NEW DELHI: A new bill specifically focused on increasing H-1B visas, employment-based green cards, and a new visa category for science and technology students, F-4, has been introduced in the US Senate by senator John Cornyn. The legislation is co-sponsored by Senators Allard, Allen, Bennett, Enzi, and Lott. These provisions are part of the larger immigration reform bill, currently on the floor of the Senate, as well. Experts say the bill has been introduced as a safety measure, so that the provisions benefiting skilled legal immigrants doesn't get hijacked by the debate on illegal immigrants. The 'Securing Knowledge, Innovation and Leadership (SKIL)' Bill, S 2691, also known as SKIL Bill, has provisions similar to those of other legislations introduced earlier this year. === ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] Interesting article on Slashdot
http://politics.slashdot.org/politics/06/05/09/0355211.shtml ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] EPA to citizens: Frack you
This is what happens when a governmental agency becomes corrupt. The people are put in harm's way and told to live with it. Let's see; which gov. agency is still clean? I can't think of a single one. Maybe the Government Accounting Office (GAO)? We need to figure out a way, soon, to keep the corporate dollars/favors away from our spineless, can't say no, politicians. Peace, D. Mindock = From: http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/05/05/fracking/index.html EPA to citizens: Frack you In the Rockies, a gas-extraction process called fracking may be releasing a carcinogenic stew of chemicals. Dozens of people say it has made them seriously ill, but the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) refuses to investigate -- a failure one of its own engineers calls irrational and corrupt. By Rebecca Clarren Photos by AP/David Zalubowski A natural-gas derrick towers over a home in the Dry Hollow area outside Silt, Colo. May 5, 2006 | SILT, Colo. -- The 20 miles of interstate highway between rural Silt and Parachute, Colo., slice a crusty landscape where sagebrush clings to ochre mesas. Nearby, the snakelike silver Colorado River carves a valley floor where poplar trees, naked in the winter cold, cast spindly blue shadows across the snow. There are few exits through this section of Garfield County, where the local population of deer and elk rival the number of ranchers, retirees and others who live here. Susan Haire, a former elementary teacher who ranches on a small scale, has lived atop one of the surrounding mesas for nearly a decade. But she says the landscape has been turned against her. When she drives down this stretch of highway, her nose bleeds, her eyes burn, and her head pounds. She's taken to wearing a respirator, even in the car. I feel like an alien, like I don't fit into my own environment. It's frightening, says Haire, 55, tears filling her pale slate eyes as she looks through her living room window out on her back fields. It's horrifying what's happening here. The changes that have happened in the past 18 months are so dramatic. It's just a nightmare. Haire's doctor blames her health problems on the scenery's relatively recent addition: 600 natural gas wells, drilled by oil companies over the past two years. Every few feet, 150-foot-tall drill rigs, graced with American flags, rise upward into the sky. Compressor stations, banks of rectangular huts with five-foot-diameter fans, sit back from the road and pump the gas into underground pipelines. Haire is not alone. Several dozen people in the area blame a rash of health problems on the wells, says Colorado lawyer Lance Astrella. For 15 years, Astrella was a successful attorney for the energy industry. For the past 15 years, he has been defending citizens like those in Garfield County, who blame the wells near their homes for their cancerous tumors, rectal bleeding and chronic headaches. Between January and March of this year, eight people called the Garfield County oil and gas department, complaining about black smoke and strong chemical odors they worry are making them sick. Scientists and environmentalists say the health hazards of the natural gas wells stem not only from air pollution but fracking fluid, a mixture of carcinogenic chemicals, used in many of them. Laura Amos, 43, an outfitter who lives 20 miles from Haire, recently developed a tumor in her adrenal gland, which she blames on her exposure to the chemicals. Fracking or hydraulic fracturing is a half century-old process in which a gas company injects water, sand and the chemicals into the wells. Developed by Halliburton, the corporation formerly headed by Vice President Dick Cheney, fracking loosens the rock and maximizes the flow of gas to the surface. At least 2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas lie in the tight sand and coal bed formations below Garfield County, according to gas companies and industry geologists. Over the next eight years, energy companies expect to build more than 10,000 additional wells in the county. The small Colorado community is a microcosm of the natural-gas boom exploding across the Rocky Mountains. Today, federal and state agencies in Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico are issuing more permits to drill for gas than ever before -- the increase in some places is 90 percent. The Bush administration has said that such development is critical to reducing foreign imports and ensuring national security. And in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Congress has pushed to increase energy sources beyond the reach of the coastline. Colorado holds an estimated 7.6 percent of America's natural gas reserves, making it one the most growing active regions, says Fred Lawrence of the Independent Petroleum Association of America. In ramping up energy production, the federal government has weakened environmental regulations and reduced enforcement of public-health laws.
