Griffin Account Talk

[Griffin]

In the biofuels department, I'm hoping on methanol since it's a by-product of waste. Right now there are problems with transport, purity, and storage in the gas tank before use (it's very volatile!) and collection, so it may only be long term or just a hope. I wouldn't mind nuclear except no one seems to want to deal with securing and storing the waste in the long term and no one wants that loose or in the wrong hands.

If I'm not mistaken, I believe they have begun preliminary work on some new nuclear plants. It will never be "too cheap to meter" but it is certainly the most sustainable option.

 

[Griffin]

This is my last day at work. There is a God.

Gail

Congratulations....well deserved I am sure.

 

[hessian]

If I'm not mistaken, I believe they have begun preliminary work on some new nuclear plants. It will never be "too cheap to meter" but it is certainly the most sustainable option.

Wow, some others believe in nuclear energy!
This is definitely the way go go! I'm NOT talking about those 1950's tech nuke plants, with all that waste - WE NEED, and can move forward to 21st Century tech/next gen!! There's many examples already up and running - Sweden/Demark I think - recyles waste. Also I heard that Ceramic-coated pellets has been tested - with this there'd be NO WASTE (contaminated wastewater)! Sorry, my passion on this got the better of me.:cheesy:

PS: I grew up less tha 20 miles from "The 3-Mile Island" Plant, but I KNOW we can, and MUST be able to do better than that -with today's tech!!
Environmentally, it CAN be our best option - done right!

 

[crhuss]

Hi Kaitlinsnana, Congradulations on your retirement. I've been retired now for 4 years. I suspect you will find that God lives with us in retirement...not in the workplace. Good luck with your investing.....the funds you have now in TSP are all you have to work with now. Be patient and conservative with them.

 

[logdoc]

Wow, some others believe in nuclear energy!
This is definitely the way go go! I'm NOT talking about those 1950's tech nuke plants, with all that waste - WE NEED, and can move forward to 21st Century tech/next gen!! There's many examples already up and running - Sweden/Demark I think - recyles waste. Also I heard that Ceramic-coated pellets has been tested - with this there'd be NO WASTE (contaminated wastewater)! Sorry, my passion on this got the better of me.:cheesy:

PS: I grew up less tha 20 miles from "The 3-Mile Island" Plant, but I KNOW we can, and MUST be able to do better than that -with today's tech!!
Environmentally, it CAN be our best option - done right!

The French generate 78% of all their electricity from nuclear power and recycle their nuclear fuel and reuse it....though the byproduct of those recycling processes is plutonium which they convert into a glass and store in a mountain not unlike Yucca Mtn. Given that we have stored our hydrocarbon waste for 200 years in the atmosphere (and where did that get us) I have to think contained reprocessed fuel in a mountain can't be any worse.

 

[presskh]

If I'm not mistaken, I believe they have begun preliminary work on some new nuclear plants. It will never be "too cheap to meter" but it is certainly the most sustainable option.

Agree with you, Griffin, on nuclear plants. Bring new plants on line takes many years (or decades) to do, but could help replace much of the fuel oil used to heat homes in the northeast or natural gas in other places.

 

[Birchtree]

What do I have to say or do to ignite your fire? Please re-engage - the bears are acting like Rambo around here. I miss your talents. Snort.

 

[kaitlinsnana]

Hi Kaitlinsnana, Congradulations on your retirement. I've been retired now for 4 years. I suspect you will find that God lives with us in retirement...not in the workplace. Good luck with your investing.....the funds you have now in TSP are all you have to work with now. Be patient and conservative with them.

Well, thank you. I'm pretty sure God didn't visit my Post Office very much -- I think you're right.

I'm in a fetal position in the G fund, and very comfortable here for now, but I'm agreeing with the guys about nuclear energy. We can surely do better.

Gail

 

[kaitlinsnana]

...and Griffin, it's good to see you back HERE, but I enjoy your commentary too.

Gail

 

[kar_crazy]

What do I have to say or do to ignite your fire? Please re-engage - the bears are acting like Rambo around here. I miss your talents. Snort.

in time he will be back and like last year he will come back guns a blazen

 

[Steadygain]

Griffin,
I come back briefly to check on posts for some guidance in these uncertain times. I understand your reluctance to say anything in light of your current standing in the AT. In this manner the AT fails us because it seems to prove that you (and many of us) have no clue of how to guage the economic conditions which influence the Markets. Here I would personally say essentially all we have heard in a positive light (which in reality is NEGATIVE AND BLEAK) are the miraculous "BAIL OUTS" that are magically turning things around. Yet this "BAIL OUTS" are plunging the dollar to record lows.

I REALLY MISS YOUR INPUT A GREAT DEAL. YOU HAVE SOLIDLY PROVEN YOUR OUTSTANDING KNOWLEDGE OF THE ECONOMY AND ALL OF US COULD BENEFIT FROM YOUR ASSESSMENT. So please don't let the AT make you feel unworthy - because you are one of the most SOLID INDIVIDUALS I'VE EVER KNOWN.

 

[FogSailing]

Hi Griffin:

I concur with the group. You are missed. It's been a tough year for most of us...but, I gotta believe that things will get better. My gut says that the jobs report will be poor and we'll see a further selloff on Friday...

But...that will be tempered with something big and positive and the market will rally back...

I'm starting to feel like it's time to get back on the bull..

FS

 

[Silverbird]

Agree with you, Griffin, on nuclear plants. Bring new plants on line takes many years (or decades) to do, but could help replace much of the fuel oil used to heat homes in the northeast or natural gas in other places.

Have they finally decided on how they are going to handle shipments of nuclear waste and where it's going to go permanently? Last I checked, it's still piling up at the plants. That's a huge security and pollution of the nastiest kind risk. Nuclear insecurity is why we look funny at Russian plants, let's not have it here. If we are going to go nuclear, we need to make it clear, and secure.

 

[Asylum]

Mini Nuke plants... Just put one in your garage...


http://www.nextenergynews.com/news1/next-energy-news-toshiba-micro-nuclear-12.17b.html

Toshiba Builds 100x Smaller Micro Nuclear Reactor
Toshiba has developed a new class of micro size Nuclear Reactors that is designed to power individual apartment buildings or city blocks. The new reactor, which is only 20 feet by 6 feet, could change everything for small remote communities, small businesses or even a group of neighbors who are fed up with the power companies and want more control over their energy needs.

The 200 kilowatt Toshiba designed reactor is engineered to be fail-safe and totally automatic and will not overheat. Unlike traditional nuclear reactors the new micro reactor uses no control rods to initiate the reaction. The new revolutionary technology uses reservoirs of liquid lithium-6, an isotope that is effective at absorbing neutrons. The Lithium-6 reservoirs are connected to a vertical tube that fits into the reactor core. The whole whole process is self sustaining and can last for up to 40 years, producing electricity for only 5 cents per kilowatt hour, about half the cost of grid energy.

Toshiba expects to install the first reactor in Japan in 2008 and to begin marketing the new system in Europe and America in 2009.

 

[Silverbird]

Mini Nuke plants... Just put one in your garage...

http://www.nextenergynews.com/news1/next-energy-news-toshiba-micro-nuclear-12.17b.html

Hrmm. It could supply power when the solar grid is down. Now that would be an ironic answer to the "uh oh, the sun isn't out!" problem.

 

[Steadygain]

Have they finally decided on how they are going to handle shipments of nuclear waste and where it's going to go permanently? Last I checked, it's still piling up at the plants. That's a huge security and pollution of the nastiest kind risk. Nuclear insecurity is why we look funny at Russian plants, let's not have it here. If we are going to go nuclear, we need to make it clear, and secure.

Hi Silverbird,
As Griffin is one of my favorites - I check his thread once in awhile to see if he's got any input - and noticed this post. Engineering is one field that fascinates me; mainly because it along with Technology is what shapes our FUTURE.

Nuclear Waste is being Engineered in such a manner as to utilize it in a safe and productive way - and reduce the hazzardous aspect to a fraction of what it is. I know one of the leading engineers that works towards this endeavor and he is making incredible break throughs. So this problem (as is known today) will be significantly reduced in the near future.

 

[Birchtree]

Griffin,

You better move over - I'll be walking on your parachute before long. Slowly drifting toward the ground.

 

[Steadygain]

Griffin,

Would really enjoy having your assessment of the present situation.

1) Are we approaching a bottom?

2) Do you think we'll need another "rate cut" besides the expected one within the next week - to turn things around?

3) When do you project the "real bull" to emerge? A sustained increase lasting months??
A) 4/08
B)5/08
C)6/08
D)7/08

4) What unforseen problems (if any) do we have to contend with before "the sun comes out" and stays out??

How about if I pledge to give you a dollar for every question you honestly elaborate on.

 

[Steadygain]

IMO no rate cut. I think the FED is going to wait out the 28 days to see how the market stands up once the novelty of this latest bailout wears off. Also think that's why they made the term 28 days with no rollover (yet) instead of 90 days. If things start going to the downside again in a big way, they can always do an emergency cut. But why cut next week if things are all green, especially knowing that 1) Nothing has changed; 2) Inflationary pressures are still there and increasing; 3) ANY rate cut is already priced in; 4) the market is likely to have a sell the news reaction?

At this point it is too hard to tell. My gut says Birch is probably right and I should have gone 100% C Fund today. But my worthless brain which is constantly trying to make sense out of everything and make accurate predictions in HIGH VOLATILITY - says "Sucker's Rally" - and things will go down another 5% (give or take) before the real bottom hits.

I think both of you are right (you and Birch) - in that the Markets are likely to hit the BULL soon (and here I would support Uptrend's earlier view). So in the very near future I'm thinking about going in all the way and staying put. I think the BULL will come when everyone is leary about getting back in and by the time the majority are ready to climb on board - HOPEFULLY I'LL HAVE ANOTHER 5% ADDED TO THE KITTY.

 

[logdoc]

The market still has a lot of flux in it for a while but if we are close to the temporary bottom, as I think we are, I am buying a small portion of the next up tick now. Note that I am close to retirement so am playing it very conservatively. I pulled back to 85% G, 10% I and 5% F in October, which made be feel gutless then but brilliant now. And I couldn't take the volitility in December and went into G and F rode the F down and now back up. And on 3/21 moved back into I and C but am still not fulling invested. But I think we can catch a short ride (trying to live within the 2 trades a month) but using my biweekly payroll purchases to also modify my % invested slightly. So over the next 4 months (roughly the retirement horizon) I'll remain invested in C and I and buy into them further. But leave the rest of the kitty protected for a larger buy when I think things look a little better after a new bottom in the Fall.