On Demand
An Oilman on America’s Energy Future
Thursday, November 13, 2008
T. Boone Pickens has been called the “Oracle of Oil.” He tells us his thoughts on how we can resolve America’s energy problems, and what we need to do to move beyond our oil addiction. His new book is The First Billion is the Hardest.
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I'm emormously ambivalent about T. Boone Pickens credability. I won't believe anything he has to say (not even "Hello") until he addresses his financial support of the 'swiftboating' of John Kerry. Right now, to me, he belongs in the same category as Newt Gingrich - someone pretending to trade up from polotical conservatism into global conservation. It just doen't ring true to me.
Agree w Sue.
Better late than never, it is wonderful that finally at last, there is a powerful and influential oilman who had to admit what many of us have known for decades: that this addiction to oil is an affliction that would eventually undermine and bring down America.
I believe that at this point he is sincere, and certainly doesn't need any more money. Perhaps he's atoning for past sins, but whatever may be the reason he is doing this, he certainly has my full support.
T. Boone has encouraged one of the most despicable campaigns against a U.S. serviceman, namely John Kerry, by financing the "Swift boaters". This is the first time that I can remember in our history that a Purple Heart or any other medal, awarded to a U.S. military man or woman had been questioned. This is right up there with the campaign that Saxby Chambliss had comparing Max Cleland to Bin Laden's and Saddam Hussein. Unless he sincerely apologizes, he should not be given airtime.
Natural gas is a FINITE resource in North America. And New Yorkers love their natural gas cooking and clean heat. Boone Pickens should be exposed for his greed-- using windpower as a "enviro smokescreen" to deplete our home gas supplies for a quick profit!
Can you ask him if he believes the Iraq war was fought for oil?
Can you ask Mr. Pickens why domestic oil costs are not the average of OPEC prices and the cost of production in the US?
Thanks
Ask Mr. Pickens about his underwriting the Swift Boat campaign against John Kerry. Even John McCain found those attacks disgusting.
so he's asking us to drill here and now for natural gas (e.g. marcellus shale)?? what about the environmental implications of that??
Please ask if he has looked in to algae fuel. No one talks about this but I see it as the best chose of all biodiesel.
For an overview of the energy, geopolitics, population, resource depletion nexus, I recommend Tom Friedman's "Hot, Flat and Crowded." A quote: “No matter how much you tell the market what you want it to do, it is the price signal that markets respond to,” said Dan Kammen, the University of California, Berkeley, expert on energy innovation. Therefore, “anyone who invokes markets and doesn’t want to invoke a price signal failed Econ 101. We invoke the market in energy, but we don’t use it. If you want a market to produce something and there is no price signal, you don’t have a market. You have to have a price signal.”
good job lenny
but w the smart guests i guess you have to ask the tough questions first!
Colorado oil shale, didn't Shell figure out how to refine it at $30 a barrel during the Carter Administration?
Get off the phone, T. Boone.
NOW
What can I say? Leonard is SO charming. What other 'media personality' could have handled being so summarily dismissed, as he was by T. Bone, with such equanimity and humor? Forget yoga gurus! We should listen to Leonard for inspiration.
That was awesome Pickens took another call and ended the conversation. Most people would find a radio interview with Lopate a highlight of their year. I guess when you have a billion and are 80 years old you can do what ever you want.
Let the green-washing begin!!
Kind of hard to believe Mr. Pickens is doing this "for the country" when:
Head of BP Management hedge fund. Investement portfolio in includes Halliburton.
Swiftboat attack on Kerry
Heavily invested in Schlumberger and Shaw Group.
Water privatization:owns 200,000 acres of land atop the Ogallala Aquifer.
I am sorry, but his track record doesn't support what he wants us to believe.
Whenever Leonard has to discuss alternative energy, he does so with a dismissive attitude. He can't hide his bias against it. Too bad. Otherwise, I like Leonard's program very much.
Pickens said what he wanted to, figured questions about Swift Boat were coming, and bailed.
There is already a scientifically proven path to energy independence. It is estimated to cost $200 million to bring to production. A pittance compared to what Pickens wants us to spend on his nat gas. Yet I don't see Pickens or anyone else picking up the mantle of Dr. Boussard and his poylwell fusion reactor. Only the U.S. Navy has put any money toward it and that a paltry $14 million over 10 years. Yet the science proved correct.
I have to agree with the other listeners here...Lenny handled the fast and RATHER rude sign off by TBP with grace and a bit of 'gee-whiz' amusement. As a long time listener (and ex-NY'er), I've heard Lenny handle one or two abrupt no-shows with a professionalism that rivals that of a chainsaw juggler. (That's a compliment.) With all his money, TBP should have had a flunky handle it. Poorly done, Boone.
Mr. Pickens advocates the use of Natural gas for new production 18 wheelers and no retrofits for those already on the road who use diesel. He never mentions the 1998 lobbying by Big Oil and the Big 3 automakers to put private vehicle conversions of LPG & CNG under the control of the EPA and therefore stopped what could have been an enormous blow to oil imports and no doubt could have avoided $140.00 oil. The corrupt congress could have pressured the Big 3
auto makers to develop a real production Fuel
Cell car. The idiots in our congress lack perception and thus our current dellema.
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