Obama made much out ot the notion of creating "millions of good paying jobs" in the promised new "Green Economy" during his campaign. He and his administration now seem bent on "going green" with a kind of religious zeal with no regard to the consequences of such a move. While its true that some jobs will be created in the term as a result of government spending at least in the medium term, the real question is at what cost? As noted in Neal’s missive the Spanish experience with alternate energy sources finds the opportunity costs for so called "green jobs" wanting.

The author of the Madrid based study showed that, "...For every new position that depends on energy price supports, at least 2.2 jobs in other industries will disappear." How's that for a new green jobs program slogan? Wait, It gets better... How about the fact that "..The premiums paid for solar, biomass, wave and wind power - - which are charged to consumers in their bills -- translated into a $774,000 cost for each Spanish “green job” created since 2000, said Gabriel Calzada, an economics professor at the university and author of the report." Why not just mail a check for ~$750K to each prospective employee and call it even? Folks, you can't make this stuff up.

All this type spending for a notion, that is scientifically unsubstantiated, that man-made CO2 is the primary cause of so-called "global warming". For one to believe in it one must believe in three basic criteria, first that "global warming" is real, second that it is caused by man's activities, and lastly that it will have catastrophic effects on the earth and on mankind.

That's a tall order for one that has any kind of scientific bent. Fortunately for those that are proponents of this notion, their fervent beliefs and not science, serves as the basis for a "virtual religion", one that has morphed into a wonderfully nebulous term called "climate change".

These new climate religionists ignore any evidence that does not fit their orthodoxy, specifically any relationship of the earth's warming to the sun's activities. They completely ignore the fact the sun, in the last few years, has been in its quiet modest in the last ~100 yrs, with virtually no sunspots even today. The sun's current "relatively low output" correlates very well with the world's record cold temperatures and record snowfall in the last few years.

When it comes to so called global warming, it really still is pretty much all about that big yellow thing in the sky.

Doc your right on much of waht you said, but from my understanding it was a pilot project tested with the B-2 w/ info from the South African air force (embargo due to aparhied).

It is also my understanding that it is DOA due to Nancy P & Co. Once the existing stock is used that's it, as creating the "coal fuel portion creates additional carbon in the atmosphere"! Can't contribute to global warming on her watch unless your flying her wrinkled carcass to Sam Fran in a 757 on our nickel!

You know you are in trouble when your son wants you to buy him some Eco-Friendly Sunglasses for his birthday. Green costs alot of green.

My understanding is that the Microwave oven was "invented" by accident, by a single Engineer...
But regardless, I would live without both items for an eternity if it meant that the federal government confined itself to the parameters of our constitution.

Name calling is much easier than defending yourself against logic.

Stan you are an idiot.

Yes, green jobs ... taking our $green$ and giving it to deadbeat socialists.

I know how much some of you like to talk crap about the government and how it doesn't do anything.

Perhaps you've forgotten that it was the government who is responsible for your microwave and your duct tape. If it were not for our government how many things would we not have today or have to have waited longer for.

The government has been behind many inventions that we love and use today, so enough of this "the government only wastes money" garbage.

Been having the hardest time to get this to come up on Drudge! I'm more worried about the left wing extremists! But I guess the gubmint wants to put all conservatives in the same group with the KKK. They have blinders on.

The closest thing to a so-called "Green Job" a person can realistically expect will be Cucumber Waxer at Publix or Kroger.

As a construction management student, I am exposed to many more "green" technologies than I would care to mention. It's a university after all, so they're all about sustainability and green building and stuff. Anyways, the way I see it, there are 3 types of green technologies:

1. These are cost effective green technologies. Think low flow fixtures and certain types of insulation. It doesn't matter if you support being "green," because these will save you money quickly at a nominal cost over traditional technologies.

2. These are "green" technologies that only see you monetary savings after many, many years. Think solar panels and geothermal heating/cooling. They're more efficient, but much more expensive. It's hard to make a financial case for these unless someone just really wants to "do their part."

3. These are just stupid technologies. Corn ethanol is the perfect example. Someone decided that making moonshine and mixing it with a little bit of gasoline would make a great fuel for the masses. Never mind that sugarcane is much more efficient. Never mind that you're using food to make fuel. We gotta save the planet using any means possible!

Anyways, I support the first category. Why? Because added efficiency saves you money. I like saving money. The second category has promise, but needs time before it can save you and me money more quickly. The third category needs to just be abandoned. But the government doesn't care about the money that can be made or saved. They care about driving out the private market and making people dependent on the government.

I'm sick of this sh*t. We as a nation need to utilize nuclear energy. I contend that it's way less polluting than any combustible fuel source and waaaayyyyy cheaper to harness than some idiotic biofuel. I mean, who the f#$k wants to drive around in a f*%king hybrid that runs on corn and cow farts, FFS! Give me a George Jetson jetpack already! Time to evolve.

It has gotten to the point where the mere mention of the word "green" makes me want to scream. Everywhere I turn, at work, at the store, on TV, I hear green green green...To actually have the arrogance to think that first off, us humans are responsible for the weather, and then even more arrogantly, to believe that we can actually change the climate, as if we have a magic thermostate in the sky, is beyond the pale.pale

If there has to be a tax credit or other form of government support, then is must not be practical or profitable.