Wednesday, May 26, 2010

The EEStor Blogger on British Petroleum Oil Spill: "I will accept responsibility."

The tremendously horrible BP oil disaster appears to be getting worse and worse every day.  People are understandably starting to get angry....very angry.  One thing about angry people is they loooove! to let everyone else know how angry they are.  Occasionally, this anger has been interrupted by reason which culminates in what I take to be some of the most fascinating finger pointing I've ever seen in my whole life on any topic across the board.  Who is responsible for this oil catastrophe?  Who will pay for it?  Who will fix it?  What new regulations will prevent it?  Etc etc.   If your livelihood has been disrupted by this event, you are rightly mad as hell. No question.

Everyone knows that BP and their contractors like Halliburton are directly responsible for whatever went wrong out there that lead to the oil gusher.  But the distributed responsibility is actually more interesting to me.   President Obama,  Dick Cheney,  various government bureaucrats, policies advanced by Democrats, Republicans, multinational corporations, the dinosaurs,  etc etc.   It's not surprising that finally someone's head popped off and some of the blame was cast on EEStor for moving too slowly or operating in unAmerican stealth mode.

This finger pointing is great theatre. And it will undoubtedly lead to more work for government bureaucrats which may or may not improve our chance of avoiding a future similar event.  But after we've all come out of shock and we realize that no matter how sound our logic is for pinning responsibility on some one or some organization, a simple truth should be brought forward.   To help this process along, I'm just going to be blunt:

The oil catastrophe is my fault.  I take responsibility.

No, I don't work for BP or the Department of the Interior or for any political group or multinational corporation.  I am simply a consumer of filthy dirty oil and because it's cheap and readily available for me, I consume it all the time--lots of it.  I own and operate large vehicles and use oil like I paid for an all you can eat buffet of it.    I never stop to think about where it comes from and how it's become increasingly difficult to obtain.   The thought that innocent and friendly little cute sea animals are being killed or harmed doesn't even occur to me.  And so, it's apparent that this terrible event unfolding now in the gulf of mexico is very closely linked to my behavior.   The good news is I am not alone.  It's your fault too.  I would argue it's more your fault than mine.  Nah, kidding.    The truth is, the cost of paying for this problem is one we all share.   (And would people please stop insisting that BP will be paying for all of this. They won't!  All of the oil companies will raise their prices and that revenue will come from me and you--so we will be paying for it. )

But, if you think about it, it's not really my lifestyle or habits that increase my responsibility. It's rather my ineffective and limited demands for an alternative.   I do not think governments can innovate well but I do believe they can create policies which reward innovation.   (giving billions of dollars to politically connected venture capital firms is not the solution, either).  My failure is as a citizen is for not seeking policy improvements to eliminate our need for oil.    We're all guilty of this.   Newsflash:  acquiring oil is inherently risky to a great many things we hold dear such as our seafood and beaches...and economy and security.

 So, now that I've accepted responsibility, here's what I'm going to do next.   Nothing.   That's how I handle most of these issues that arise from time to time.  Are you like me?  Probably.   But, if someone can show me something useful to do, I'm all ears.     But there is something coming which could create an opportunity for some activism.   Yes, I'm talking about EEStor.

IF and WHEN EEStor emerges from the bat cave in Cedar Park,  the capability they will be bringing forward could use policy enhancements to accelerate.   We need aggressive phasing out of oil and combustion engines and coal and nuclear and chemical batteries (like lithium ion) and everything else that has a disposal cost we can't calculate due to our limited life spans.    Now, that is something I would paint my chest and march along a boulevard or even jog naked with a bag over my head were the opportunity to arise to do so without being arrested (actually, I'm not that comfortable with my body--sorry, not an option).   That's another thing.  Right now,  everyone thinks we'll get to a point where once EESU appears,  we'll be like, oh, EESU is here...it will sell itself...no help needed.  WRONG.   Adoption of this technology is going to be challenged, taxed, blocked, attacked, etc etc.   It's not going to be a rosy, easy path forward.  It might cause a war or two even.  Mark my words.   Some of the obstacles will stem from ignorance.  Some of it will be political posturing.  Some of it will be pure evil greed.   If you think the propaganda posted all over the Internet about EEStor being a scam is a significant effort, you haven't seen anything yet.     There are a good many vectors to attack EEStor and anyone who supports them.   So be ready.  Maybe put on a soldier's hard hat and stow away a few days of fresh drinking water.  I don't know. But it's coming.


Muahaaha!

(Note: this muaha deliberately shortened due to the gravity of the event here covered.)







Image Source.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Zenn CFO Looks for Less Greener Pastures


The soon to be former CFO of Zenn Motor Company, Lawrence Schreiner is fanatically excited to be departing Zenn Motor Company. I spoke with him yesterday following the announcement to see if I could learn more about what motivated the move.

B: Larry, I read the announcement and wondered if you could walk us through what's going on here.

Larry: It's pretty simple, B. Zenn has become too stable for my taste. I need action & risk and more action and more risk. You know what I mean?

B: I'm sorry, I guess I don't.

Larry: B, this may be hard for you to understand but Zenn wasn't enough for me. I really want to find a company that has MORE transformational potential than EEStor and Zenn. Something with EVEN GREATER risk/reward. Something with less stability, wilder characters, & more drama. It's just gotten so boring here at Zenn. I've got to get out and get on with my life...my REAL life that awaits.

B: Some would say Zenn provides pretty decent drama.

Larry: That's just it, B. I'm tired of people saying it's dramatic when in reality it's sort of boring. I want to work for a company that will SERIOUSLY change the world if they could just find their next $50,000 to make payroll. Something edgy too like....hell, I don't know....like a Mack Truck engine manufacturer or something.

B: Wait a second, Larry, those things produce a lot of pollution. It would be quite a 360 to go into something like that.

Larry: B, for the first time I feel freer than I ever have. That's why I a got new tattoo last week. It covers approximately 82% of my body. And to celebrate, I went into my backyard and just built a big ole bon fire. I was burning anything that could emit carbon into the atmosphere. The volcanoes made me do it. They're going to send us into the next ice age. You knew that, right?

B: I wasn't aware of that, no. Um... Getting back to Zenn, though. The financial aspects of keeping Zenn afloat must have provided some tense moments, no?

Larry: B, I don't really want to talk about Zenn any more. I just want to focus on increasing my carbon footprint and bringing to market things that increase one's carbon footprint. Do we really need tail pipes and mufflers? And don't get me started on these nutjobs who favor diesel or worse, biodiesel. Outrageous.

------------------------

The interview continued for about an hour. Mr. Schreiner went on to pontificate about anything that popped into his head: the need for more poverty & social discord between ethnicities, higher taxes, less music and food that doesn't taste so good (to reduce consumption).

I wished him well but admitted that I hoped all his future endeavors fail. He challenged me to a fight on any hockey rink in North America. I said, I can't skate. He said, you better learn boy.



Note: this was not an actual interview. I made it up. Is that ok with you? I've never had an actual conversation with Larry Schreiner. I have no idea why he left Zenn but hopefully it's not for the above reasons. He's probably a nice guy? I hope he's not moving to Brazil. The photo is actually Larry though. Maybe his sense of fashion clashed with Ian's? You tell me.

Am I missing anything with this story?


Tuesday, May 4, 2010

EEStor CEO Breaks Silence in USPTO Letter


EEStor Founder and CEO, Dick Weir has entered the fray concerning patent protection for one of his claimed 15 patent applications. The letter to the patent examiner covering EEStor's reveals more information on Dick Weir's background that until now has been laboriously pieced together by the good guys, known to some as a cadre of fanboyz following EEStor.


Here is the letter from Weir.


This is where you can sound off on Weir's competency and greatness, praised be his name.


Special props to Thailand based TheEEStory.com member, Mark for focusing his particular OCD on patent updates. Mark, we thank you for your affliction.