State of the State
Last night Governor Gibbons delivered his State of the State address. If you missed it on T.V., you can still watch the address or read it.
Here are just a few of my thoughts following the Governor’s address:
Water
The Governor has proposed a study of our water resources and I look forward to this discussion on how we can increase our scientific knowledge of this important resource. We really do need a better understanding of our water as our state continues to change if we’re going to protect what it is we love about living in Nevada.
Energy
Governor Gibbons has proposed a coal liquefaction project for Nevada. I am concerned about this plan. Burning liquid coal fuel can emit twice as much CO2 as regular gas, and I’m not sure we should be importing coal from other states when we have so many other energy sources, clean renewable sources, to develop here in Nevada. Our state’s future jobs should include working with solar, geothermal and wind technologies, not coal.
Education
What the Governor’s termed as “empowerment” zones seems very similar to the Assembly Democrats’ “school within a school” proposal. Of all the possible education improvements on the table, this is the one that is truly a pilot program. If we can build equitable funding for all schools, this may be where we have some bi-partisan support. I personally want to see emphasis on supporting our teachers and making sure we do more to retain the ones making a difference in the lives of our kids. If we’re to prepare our kids for the jobs of tomorrow, we’ll all need to work together.
Be sure to check out coverage of the speech as well as responses from myself and others, and the Nevada State Democratic Party.
January 23rd, 2007 at 10:06 am
I am not your friend, Thanks to people like you the US is dependant on terrorist states for our energy. Coal Liquiefaction is the answer for our country. Not only will it defeat the Islamic thugs who are fed by the OPEC states but it will revitalize our economy. Fuel made from coal is as clear as water and meets emission standards for the next 20 years. The process itself produces energy. The plants would be in safe places not prone to weather related stopages. It can be done today for $35 a barrel. The US has more coal than all of OPEC has oil. There is more pollution spewed from one volcanic erruption than from all the worlds cars since 1903. And as far as global warming goes. Why are the icecaps on MARS disappearing and why is there global warming on MARS? If you had done any research at all you would know these things.
January 26th, 2007 at 9:57 am
I decided to write this reply after reading David’s post. First, I would like to introduce myself, I am the sun. Yes, that bright shining object in the sky. I look down on your state’s uncommonly rural hills valleys all day, projecting untold energy into the soil. Perhaps if you placed a solar panel somewhere between me and your soil you may reap the benefits of reneable energy? Considering the cost of land in rural Nevada and the number of sunny days - maybe the 2-4 bilion dollar price tag of your coal - liquid plant may be put to better use?
February 2nd, 2007 at 5:06 pm
I tend to agree with Sun and add our friend the wind. I live in the North Valleys of Reno and it’s so windy here that two years after I bought my little place I had to replace my roof. The roofer that did the work nailed everyone of my shingles in 4 points.
Wind is such a clean energy and like the sun is a natural renewable resource.
What we need is more programs to help homeowners do those improvements.
I know that without some subsidy I won’t be able to afford such a project, but with a little help I would be willing to do it, looking at the long-term results.
I’m single and work full-time, going to TMCC part-time and don’t have the spare cash to do the program, but instead of
financing those projects we should start with the little guy and go from there.
I just got my power bill and it’s a few pennies short of $200.00. For Pete’s sake, I live alone and make sure I turn down my heating before going to bed and before leaving for work to 55 F.
Most of my lights are fluorescent to save power.
Pretty soon I’ll need a second job just to keep up with the power bill.
Wind
February 6th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
Wind and sun make convincing arguments!
Here’s a perspective. Americans have to have their own cars to go where they want when they want, yet we’re fine with paying for power generated by someone else, with who knows what impact.
Wouldn’t it be in the best interest of freedom to distribute power generation into the community? The city is already impacted, why impact outlying areas with our power generation? How can people whine about oil reserve being wasted when a windy day in Reno could power the city for days/weeks/months/years???
-M
March 3rd, 2007 at 2:10 pm
Hello Wind and Sun! I’m your old schholmate Hybrid, you know, Hybrid Car Technology. I’ve been trying to locate you on Classmates, but I’m so glad to have found you here on this nice young man’s website.
I agree that we should be weaning ourselves from foreign sources of oil, but I’m not sure we should be making fuel out of coal, here in Nevada or anywhere. There were a coupl of countries that have done this in the past, Nazi Germany and Apartheid South Africa. I think they had to because nobody would give them oil (because of their doctorines of hate and intolerance).
Awhile back my friend Electric Car was killed in a grisly crime covered up by the automobile makers and the oil industry. I bet if he were doing well today that we wouldn’t need so much oil to get around. Good thing my parents had me! I have a really high mpg standard and can also be plugged in at night to put power back in the grid. I really like my low-fuel diet, I never worry about gas prices because I use so little of it.
I bet if more people used hybrids and our communities spent more time building public transit instead of roads we could lessen our dependence on oil. That means more that we could use more of the fuel we have in places that we probably should have it, like for our Navy and Air Force (we should always have the ability to depend our country, and I mean DEFEND, not premptive strikes that use all of our precious fuel and lead to disharmony and volatility in oil prices, but that’s really something my friend Diplomacy should speak on).
I hope everyone supports Assemblyman Ohrenschall’s “Incentives for Higher MPG Standards in Nevada” bill…. not sure the number yet, but I bet David Bobzien will let us know.
Keep up the good work David!
H.
June 13th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
This is actually one of the few blogs that I want to keep up with.