Larry, and others here -
I agree 100% about nuclear power plants, and how 'bout sending the waste on an indefinite trajectory away from earth into deep deep deep space instead of planting it under our deserts? Alternatively, how about the Sahara.
- Other current breaking news... good ole american capitalism never fails to rise to an occasion, good, bad or indifferent. Now that we know for sure these "unanticipated" emergency costs for more transmission lines (estimated to be at least $100,000,000,000 just to get to zero status) WILL most definitely be "passed along to the consumer", "unfortunately", the financial prognosticators on Wall Street are suggesting good ways for americans to play their personal finances for good benefit by doing the following: (ink is not yet dry on reporting the dang event!)
> Long-term Utility Company stocks and bonds will, eventually, pay off on this emergency handsomely, assuming deregulation works (and probably even if it doesn't, for that matter)... so Con Ed etc. are good bets for a portfolio, they say. That is IF the Utility companies can figure out a way (DUH!) to ensure a "high rate of return on their investment", "so as to maximize benefit for their stockholders." (my goodness, how surprising and novel!)
> Shorter-term investments should be aimed at companies who manufacture and have anything to do with electrical generators (kinda scary, ain't it) such as General Motors, Caterpillar, Capstone, Honda and others.
- Sounds like a windfall all around, for a few thousand of our citizens anyhow! Great news!?! I guess the rest of us just get the honor of paying for it?
> I remember in New Mexico how long it took for the utility company to build a fairly short section of lines out there... the NIMBYs (or as Tom DeLay calls them now, the BANANAs) were apoplectic over spoiled vistas, micro-radiation affecting their yoga and ruining their golden seal root crops. All the while driving twelve-ton SUVs to the convenience store for 8 ozs. of water, running 214 different household appliances and demanding better reception for their 5-cell phone family. Oh yeah, and the ATM better work every time without fail, too.
Given how much public land there actually is in many parts of America, one would think that this IS one thing the Federal government really MUST be controlling (e.g. get out of the education business and into utilities). It would seem that even emminent domain wouldn't have THAT much effect on private land owners either! I mean, owners get paid for their land or huge easement, the power company guys are not Genghis Kahn types to work with, America prospers by having plenty of lines to go around, wind farmers can sell their power, investment brokers get commissions, fuel sells, employment increases, a cushion against terrorist computer-fiddling with our energy needs is built, etc.
No?
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