Monday, August 20, 2007

"Extort-O-Rama" Connection

In a post Billy Beck titled Extort-O-Rama, the catalyst for which was this post at Coyote Blog, he presents, without comment, a few words from Chris Horner, posted at National Review’s Blog Row, wherein Horner notes the next feeding frenzy for trial lawyers will very likely be centered around alleged global warming, since they’ve had ample time to digest the gluttony of tobacco litigation.

I thought of the above when I read this headline.  Eco-millionaires see boom times ahead

The eco-millionaire article begins this way.

Mankind’s response to climate change will shift how the world gets its energy and is already making “green barons” out of early investors in renewable energy, clean technologies and carbon trading.

Reuters spoke to four entrepreneurs who are cashing in on the energy revolution and who say there is more money to be made.

The article continues with Reuters’ Chris Wills asking each of the four “entrepreneurs” the two questions. “How did you get rich?,” and “Is ‘the business of green’ a bubble?”

Here are abbreviated responses to the questions, mostly with the same underlying theme.  First, Bruce Khouri of Solar Integrated Technologies.

...As long ago as the early 1990s Khouri saw a market for flexible solar panels which could be laminated on to large roofs, such as warehouses. He did not found Solar Integrated until 2001 once tax and subsidy incentives made the market more attractive.

Second, Pedro Moura Costa of EcoSecurities.

...“The only chance of it being a bubble is if we lack the political commitment to drive emission reductions worldwide—and if we do that we might as well forget about any environmental effort whatsoever because climate change is hitting us hard and the trend is likely to accelerate. I think it’s very unlikely political support will go away."

Next up, David Scaysbrook of Novera Energy.

First, people were more worried about energy security and producing energy themselves. Second, the cost of traditional energy sources such as oil and gas had gone up. Third, tax breaks, subsidies and emissions caps had prompted even more conservative investors “to finally move off their perch”.

And last, but not least, Neil Eckert of Climate Exchange PLC, whose website link was not functional when I attempted to access it.

...but it’s vital we listen to the scientific consensus and create a financial solution.

Note, if you will, the portions of the above responses which I have put in bold type.  Each of the so called “eco-millionaire” entreprenuers have profited handsomely only because of state interventions, whether in the form of tax breaks, tax subsidies, or legislation.  And without “political support,” as Pedro Moura Costa notes, or supposed “scientific consensus,” as Neil Eckert states, these eco-millionaires would in all likelihood be beating a dead horse with all the hype and lack of success of the Segway.

There’s definitely money to be made in the “green” business, unfortunately not honorably.

Posted by John Venlet on 08/20 at 11:32 AM
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Down on the Farm

Dan McLaughlin, writing at the Mises Economics Blog, reiterates why state subsidized farms are not beneficial to society in a piece titled Farm Bill Follies.

A farm is a business, nothing more, nothing less. It’s reason for existence is to serve society, and the sign it is doing so is measured by its profitability.

Any business that cannot succeed without government support is unsound. It needs to change, to improve, to become more efficient, or get out of the business. Government support of inefficient producers in any industry only makes it more difficult for those who are efficient and trying to do it right. It also encourages special interests to fight for their share of the loot from the shakedown of taxpayers...

Posted by John Venlet on 08/20 at 06:27 AM
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Back to School - Bulletproof

The new school year is about to begin, once again, and retailers are of course hawking pencils, tenny shoes, spiral notebooks and such.  The normal detritus for kids going back to school.

The above items are nothing new for back to school, but there is one item out there that is new for back to school.  Bulletproof backpacks.

Dads Mike Pelonzi, 43, and Joe Curran, 42, dreamed up the bullet-proof backpack, which also blunts knife attacks, to protect their own children after witnessing the Columbine massacre in 1999.

“It was after seeing what happened in Columbine that we started thinking about this. I’m a parent and so is Joe and we wanted a way of keeping kids safe at school and this is what we came up with,” said Pelonzi, co-owner of MJ Safety Solutions which produces ‘My Child’s Pack’.

The backpacks, which will cost $175, have a super-lightweight bullet-proof plate sewn into the back which weighs no more than a bottle of water. Pelonzi said the material used is a secret.

The plate material meets National Institute of Justice safety standards, said Pelonzi, and during a three-year testing phase, stood up to bullets as well as machete, hatchet and Ka-bar knife attacks.

Yep, send your kids back to school with a bulletproof backpack.  That’ll keep’em safe.

Dads push bulletproof backpacks in schools

Posted by John Venlet on 08/20 at 05:26 AM
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