Mark Feagins's Blog (30)

CRUDE OIL......and CAP & TRADE

People.......our addiction to oil is based on the tax revenue it generates. Crude oil is the blood of our economy by our own design. Eliminate it tomorrow and our unemployment jumps to 25%. And, think of the foreclosures and financial mess related to that. It's no accident that we didn't drill in ANWAR or Flordia or even attempted to tap the VAST oil shale reserves in Utah. When oil was $20 per barrel, it was claimed that oil shale wasn't feasible unless oil was $70 per barrel. Uhoh.......when… Continue

Added by Mark Feagins on October 15, 2009 at 10:50am — 1 Comment

The Future of Alternative and Renewable Energy after 2010

I see renewable energy as a long term investment for our economic and national security. Anybody who installed solar panels on their houses 15 years ago are now enjoying free electricity. I am personally concerned about nationalizing healthcare and exploding deficits and believe these will be the achilles heel of the new administration in the elections of 2010. Unfortunately, the country would have benefited from their desire to promote natural gas and renewable energy ---- away from oil, coal… Continue

Added by Mark Feagins on September 14, 2009 at 12:00pm — No Comments

CAP and TRADE ???? Or Neighborhood / Community Reinvestmet Programs

Trading energy and pollution credits under the proposed Cap and Trade bill doesn't exactly make sense to me. Instead of implementing a $50 to $100 per month electricity "tax" that ultimately becomes a "slush fund" for political supporters and future adminstrations; we can accomploish significant energy revitalization in the private sector. We just need practical programs that promote the right message and includes soft "mandates" for implementation such as: HOME ENERGY REINVESTMENT MANDATEs A… Continue

Added by Mark Feagins on July 31, 2009 at 7:26am — No Comments

Energy Independence....Here's the MATH !!!

Bi-fuel conversions could make us energy independent from OPEC within 5 years for only a fraction of what we have spent in Iraq and will ultimately spend on this recession. Bi-Fuel cars will not leave you stranded like electric cars and dedicated CNG vehicles. A $100 Billion investment in a readily usable energy source and proven technology seems practical. Seriously, here's the math.........at a cost of only $2 Billion per State 250 million passenger cars in the U.S. 50 million cars = 1/5 of… Continue

Added by Mark Feagins on July 21, 2009 at 5:30pm — 3 Comments

Thermoelectric........Electricity at higher efficiency than photovoltaics

Full Story http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/semiconductors/devices/super-soaker-inventor-invents-new-thermoelectric-generator The Johnson Thermoelectromechanical Energy Conversion System, or JTEC, will be ready in a few months. It will convert heat to electricity at rates reaching just under 40 percent of the maximum theoretical efficiency available in an engine operating between two temperatures—the Carnot efficiency. The former U.S. Air Force and NASA Jet Propulsion Lab engineer says his group’s… Continue

Added by Mark Feagins on July 14, 2009 at 2:00pm — No Comments

Wind - Solar and Healthcare ?????

The following proposal shows how it may be possible to phase in wind and solar to generate energy savings to subsidize our health care system reforms. The current proposals in Washington include new deficit spending of $120 Billion per year to pay for proposed health care reform and new industrial taxes on fossil fuel burning companies which will be passed on to consumers in higher energy prices...........a pass-thru tax. PROPOSAL A household using 1200 KWH per month x $0.18 per KWH = $216 pe… Continue

Added by Mark Feagins on June 26, 2009 at 8:42am — 1 Comment

CommonSense- Cash for Clunkers?

Congress is working on legislation in the House and Senate to buy back older cars ( up to $4,500) in return for a new car. This idea is good "in theory"; BUT, car prices are already very low and everybody who can afford a new car is probably already driving one. Most people who drive a 10 year old car are doing it because they CANNOT AFFORD another monthly payment of any kind -- much less a NEW CAR! ! ! ! New car sales are down form 17 million per year to 10 million. This isn't because Detroit… Continue

Added by Mark Feagins on June 10, 2009 at 8:30am — No Comments

CommonSense -- Housing Crisis Solution

The foreclosed housing inventory is simply too big for the Treasury department to purchase. For every 3 jobs lost, a home goes into foreclosure. Five million people are on unemployment and by the end of the year, 5 million more unemployed will be added to the list. Banks must immediately "RENT" these assets. If the bank rented the asset at an 8% return on a $200,000 home valuation = $1,350 per month =$16,000 per year. This may be 25 to 30% less than the previous mortgage payment, but it is $16,… Continue

Added by Mark Feagins on March 20, 2009 at 11:23am — 3 Comments

CommonSense - GSR's -- Government Sponsored Reorganizatons

The United States has proven our intention to uphold AIG's financial obligations and preserve the global financial markets. I propose we create a program called a GSR....a Government Sponsored Reorganization. ( Similar to a Government Sponsored Entity ) Propping up a company and returning them to profitability could be considered a fulfillment of promoting the general welfare under the Constitution. Under this scenario we would aspire to preserve or stimulate job creation, commerce, and investm… Continue

Added by Mark Feagins on March 17, 2009 at 12:30pm — No Comments

1 Million Electric Cars Proposed

The government wants to see 1 million electric vehicles on the road. Perhaps, somebody should inform the Energy Secretary there are 250 million passenger vehicles in the United States. One million cars is only one-half of one percent of passenger cars This will not affect the demand for gasoline or oil imports. 1,000,000 x $30,000 per vehicle = $30 Billion For the same $30,000 per car, we can convert 20 million cars to CNG @ $1,500 each. For the same $30 Billion, we can convert 20 million cars… Continue

Added by Mark Feagins on March 5, 2009 at 10:30am — 1 Comment

To "Save" or "Not to Save" the US Automakers

We are facing a collapse of our U.S. auto manufacturing and some of our politicians are debating over whether it is worth a $50 Billion investment for saving 3,000,000 direct and related jobs. Apparently, they aren't considering the following related losses........... Annual Payroll and Fica Revenue............$21 Billion (uncollected) New Foreclosure Defaults......................$50 Billion New Consumer Loan Defualts.................$30 Billion Unemployment Benefit...........................$… Continue

Added by Mark Feagins on November 17, 2008 at 8:30am — 2 Comments

Disposable Income......is the "Blood" of an Economy

Disposable Income is the "blood" of the economy. It is that 15% to 40% of our paycheck that is left over after we pay for the basic items to maintain our households. Another way to think of it is - Consumer Profit. This blog describes the trickle down effect the 2008 Energy Price Spike is having on Household Disposable Income and its' effect upon the economy for the Consumer, Retail and Manufacturing sectors. Food Gasoline Rent Utilities Car Payment Mortgage Phone Insurance Clothes Shoes School… Continue

Added by Mark Feagins on November 6, 2008 at 1:30pm — No Comments

Afghanistan................

We need to focus on our Energy Independence so we can get the hell out of the Middle East. Why do we even care if we escalate our involvement in Afghanistan? Afghanistan is vulnerable to attacks from the Taliban who operate from a safe haven in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan. In this mountainous region, the people do not recognize the borders of either Pakistan or Afghanistan. They can attack into Afghanistan and retreat back into the FATA region which comprises abo… Continue

Added by Mark Feagins on November 6, 2008 at 12:00pm — No Comments

IRAQ............

Iraq....Stay or Leave? It seems that decision has already been made by Iraq. I get the feeling they are going to tell us "Thanks......but no Thanks". The Iraq government has already indicated they want us out. That pretty much sums it up. If we overestimated our continued presence to protect whatever interest we have in their oil, then we made a bad "bet". We were never guaranteed anything regarding their resources. And given the collateral damange of war, it will take everything they can produ… Continue

Added by Mark Feagins on November 5, 2008 at 8:30am — No Comments

ANWR is just a Political Talking Point

According to the Dept. of Energy, ANWR is only expected to produce 750,000 barrels / day. Big Deal.....If it was brought on line in 5 years, our increased demand will already exceed its contribution. Because....we import 13 million barrels per day. Therefore, it is a "pie in the sky" fairy tale that it will solve our energy problem. We currently have 3,000 offshore oil wells in the Gulf of Mexico. If we drilled 1,000 new deep water wells at an average cost of $200 Million each.... It would tak… Continue

Added by Mark Feagins on October 16, 2008 at 7:00am — No Comments

Do the MATH ! ! Drill...Drill...Drill doesn't Work ! !

Did you know that after drilling in ANWR plus 3,000 new offshore wells, we will still be importing 50% of our oil after spending $450 Billion in drilling initiatives. Drill....Drill....Drilll guarantees one thing ----- That we will remain dependent on oil for at least 10 more years. 2007 Onshore Production....... 3.38 million barrels 2007 Offshore Production........ 1.72 million Total Production .................... 5.00 million (*Ref#1) Offshore Platforms ..................3,639 (*Ref#3) US… Continue

Added by Mark Feagins on October 15, 2008 at 5:30pm — 1 Comment

Make No Mistake ............

ENERGY as The Sole Cause of the Financial Crisis A Micro-Economic Perspective Average Household budgets between $30K to $50K (Annual Income) were inflated by energy prices as much as $750 per month on families who simply didn't have the extra cushion in their household budgets to spare. Higher gasoline, food and utility costs put the initial "squeeze" on disposable income, and energy driven inflation pushed up interest rates on ARM mortgages that ultimately forced many homeowners to give the ho… Continue

Added by Mark Feagins on October 14, 2008 at 12:30pm — No Comments

Wind Power Produces 123% of Electricity in Rock Port, Missouri

That's not a typo in the headline. The meters are running backwards and they're exporting the 23% extra. Rock Port, Missouri, is a small city of 1,300 people, and they just made history by being the first city in the US to be 100% powered by the wind, also making them #1 in the US for percentage of renewable energy. The Loess Hills Wind Farm, built by the Wind Capital Group, employing 500 workers from 20 states for about a year, is expected to produce about 16 million kilowatt hours annually, w… Continue

Added by Mark Feagins on October 13, 2008 at 9:30am — No Comments

Foreclosures/Financial Crisis.....the Real Cause

We really ....really need to come to grips with the fact that our Financial Crisis is primarily energy related--- which led to middle class families inabilty to continue making their mortgage payments. Middle Class Households got hit by 4 monthly expense increases that put them under water. All of these increases were energy related. For Median Household Incomes less than $50K, the $800 additional monthly expenses were insurmountable. Explained as follows: $240 (1) Gasoline ( monthly increase)… Continue

Added by Mark Feagins on October 10, 2008 at 1:30pm — No Comments

Saudi Arabia is NOT our Friend

Once again, OPEC is scheduling an emergency meeting to decrease production in an effort to stop the slide in price per barrel. As the global recession persists, reduced consumption has caused oil prices to slide below $100 per barrel. How soon they forget that the United States destroyed Iraq's Army in the early 1990's when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and was in a position to threaten Saudi Arabia. We went in and diminished his army to rubble so that it would return stability to the region an… Continue

Added by Mark Feagins on October 10, 2008 at 11:00am — No Comments