Comments | wlach: Return from Edmonton

wlach

Return from Edmonton

May 31, 2007 23:55

I really enjoyed my trip, unfortunately my digital camera decided to crap out on me, so I won't be able to put any of the photographic evidence of it online until I get it repaired in Halifax. Perhaps sfllaw will post something soon ( Read more... )

Comments 8

pphaneuf June 1 2007, 07:45:39 UTC

Just a quick comment, about your digital camera problems... Couldn't you just pull out the memory card and read it on your computer, without the camera?

wlach June 1 2007, 08:17:33 UTC

If I had a flash card reader...

pphaneuf June 1 2007, 08:58:50 UTC

Ah, yes, there's that. Me, I systematically use one, mostly for the 10-folds speedup over going through the camera. ;-)

sabotabby June 1 2007, 14:15:01 UTC

Is it true that it costs more energy to extract oil from the tar sands than can be gained from the oil itself? Or is that just a projection?

$1000 rent increases? Wow. Just. Wow.

wlach June 1 2007, 17:43:16 UTC

No, last I heard the tar sands have an EROEI (energy return on energy invested) of about 5:1. This is once they're up and running. The things to bear in mind are the cost of capital, labour, and natural resources. The Toronto Star had an interesting article about this today:

http://www.thestar.com/Special/article/219530

The one thing the article doesn't really explain is that the input costs of these projects can only be expected to go up further along with the price of energy (who would have thought: it takes energy to feed labourers, smelt steel, and manufacture drills, and heat water!). Economic models which predict increases in profit based purely on the price of crude are hopelessly flawed.

_watchtower_ June 1 2007, 16:33:19 UTC

I'm so glad to get your pov on this! I doubt I'll be in the prairies anytime soon to eperience it for myself...
1. Story of the fucking century...sigh. A model of infinite expansion might work for some physicists, but this planet and its resources are most definitely finite. Why so many people/economies get caught up in the money frenzy, I just cannot fathom.
2. It's infuriating that young cities don't take the rare opportunity they're given and implement sensible public transportation systems.
3. Must've been nice to bask in the optimism, though...

_watchtower_ June 1 2007, 16:39:15 UTC

Uh, nor will I be out there to "experience" it.. ;)

wlach June 1 2007, 18:17:00 UTC

One bright spot which I didn't mention: Edmonton is apparently investing in light rail in a big way. One only hopes that I'm wrong and future growth will cover the expense. ;)

I'm thinking of going back sometime. My current plan is to visit Jasper and Calgary: more rural and urban, less suburban I say!