Professor Elam

The Permian Basin of Texas consists of the 50 counties in far West Texas that produce about 20% of all the land based oil and gas in the US. We should be proud, not ashamed of this. Yet the fantasy of green jobs continues. I am all for wind energy, there are many large wind farms in West Texas now. But, the generators were designed elsewhere and frankly I can't see that it generates many jobs. 

The idea that a car with two engines, gas and electric, coupled with a five hundred pound battery, is a green solution is rather laughable. The batteries are expensive and are an environmental problem for disposal. 

IS there a future for electric cars, I don't know. I do know that battery technology is such that such vehicles do not offer an adequate range to be of much more value than the average golf cart. 

For now, vehicles weighing less than 3,000 pounds using internal combustion engines of less than two liters makes the most sense. The Europeans are having great success with new diesel technology. 

The WSJ suggests the word is out on the climate change hoax, particularly in Australia.

Yes we did have a drought and yes I think water conservation is so serious I introduced a case study on it in the advanced cost class. But the entire debate about energy conservation needs to embrace things we can do here and now not pie in  the sky green jobs, for example.

Provide home owners tax credits for installing radiators on the roof that would ease the electric consumption of water heaters. 

Extend the tax credit for installation of on demand or tank less water heaters.

Particularly in southern states, eliminate of downsize west facing windows. 

If wind and solar energy are in vogue, drag out house plans from one hundred years ago, then homes had porches on all sides which shaded the windows.

Eliminate neckties, adopt the Mexican idea of the guybera shirt. 

 Allow smaller lighter simpler vehicles on urban streets. Governments routinely drive Kawasaki Mules and such around parks, playgrounds and yes university streets but citizens are forbidden to do this. The vehicles cannot be licensed for the street but of course it is fine for the government to do so. Give us the same opportunity. SUch vehicles are wildly popular off road on private property. 

Okay this is a bit much but you get the idea, and gee wouldn't that enliven the trip to HEB?