| Today saw steel prices soar to record highs as a | | | | technologies, but not at safeguarding them. |
| report released by world steel producers | | | | Mistakes were made. While the rest of the world |
| confirmed worries that current production has | | | | has adapted, refined and made full use of the |
| failed to keep pace with world demand. One | | | | new technologies, the US has not. More than 30 |
| industry official, who did not wish to be named, | | | | years have passed while the US continues to sit |
| expects the panic buying to continue and noted | | | | on the largest oil reserves in the world. We have |
| that "for the past decade, prices of scrap steel | | | | not built a refinery, a steel mill or nuclear plant |
| fluctuated between $50-$80 USD/ton. Late last | | | | while the rest of the world has - and good ones |
| year, that price doubled to $150 -$200 USD/ton. | | | | at that. Yes we have the resources, but they not |
| By March 2008 it doubled again to $345USD. | | | | do us any good unless we utilize them. |
| Today's surge to $865 USD/ton reflects a | | | | While America sits idly by, the rest of the world |
| depletion of steel reserves to historic lows and | | | | has left us in the dust. The US has dropped from |
| the inability to increase production to keep pace | | | | #1 to the 3rd largest producer of steel while |
| with world demand." One economist today noted | | | | Japan, a country with limited resources of its own, |
| that steel at these price levels will have a | | | | is now #2. We've regressed from being one of |
| devastating effect on consumers worldwide. The | | | | the largest producers to becoming the largest |
| world's economies are built on steel. Without it, | | | | importer of crude in the world. The oil we drill we |
| the machine breaks down. Right now there simply | | | | ship to the mid-east or to countries like Japan to |
| isn't enough to go around. | | | | refine, only to ship it back to the USA because |
| Where will it stop? Nobody seems to know. After | | | | we don't have the capacity or the refining |
| today's activity, many feel certain that more | | | | capability in the refineries we do have to refine |
| increases are ahead. How high will it go? | | | | the types of oil we do pump. |
| Well, it depends. | | | | We have the brightest minds in the world, and |
| As the old' saying goes, there's good news and | | | | were responsible for bringing nuclear energy to |
| bad news. First, the good news. The above | | | | the world. Unfortunately, France now holds the |
| headline isn't real. The story is fiction and the | | | | title of world leader in this technology. They are |
| record prices described haven't actually happened | | | | energy independent, building for themselves and |
| yet. The bad news is that word "yet." You see, | | | | the rest of the world modern nuclear plants that |
| while fiction now, a good part of what transpires | | | | generate energy without incident or accident. The |
| in this story is slowly becoming reality as we | | | | USA, once known as the nuclear knowledge |
| speak. | | | | center, no longer has people with the knowledge |
| Scrap steel, which was cheaply priced for years, | | | | to build a plant even it we wanted to. Most of |
| really has risen to over $345.00/ Ton within the | | | | these people are too old or have moved on to |
| past few months. Reserves are being tapped. | | | | the countries that will utilize their knowledge and |
| Worldwide demand for fuel, metals and food | | | | know how. |
| staples are creating shortages, and prices on | | | | Environmental activists must acknowledge that |
| these items continue to increase. China's recent | | | | what happened in the past is past. It's 2008 and |
| economic expansion has had a huge impact on | | | | the technologies of today dwarf those that built |
| commodity supplies & prices. The same | | | | the systems that caused concerns in the past. |
| supply/demand fundamentals that have driven | | | | Look at other countries that didn't go into a |
| crude prices to new highs are now driving steel | | | | cocoon, countries that have taken the |
| prices higher. | | | | technologies of today and adapted them to |
| While demand for crude increases worldwide, US | | | | improve the processes and safeguards of the |
| policy has been to conserve, rather than to | | | | 1970's. |
| increase supply. For years the strong dollar | | | | If France can produce safe and issue-free nuclear |
| enabled the US to rely on the rest of the world | | | | plants I think we can do the same here in the |
| to produce discounted resources that we would | | | | USA. If other countries can drill oil and ship and |
| import to meet our nation's growing demand. The | | | | refine it without causing catastrophic effects, then |
| resulting complacency resulted in a reliance on | | | | I think we can too. |
| aging systems without any new additions to take | | | | To continue to focus on the problems of 30 |
| their place. Over 30 years have passed since a | | | | years ago and say that the same issues still exist |
| major nuclear power plant, oil refinery or steel mill | | | | is religion, not realism. In the end, we are |
| has been built in this country. The last ones we | | | | responsible for the situation we find ourselves in |
| did build, which were state-of-the-art in their time, | | | | today because of our own selfishness and greed. |
| are becoming aged and antiquated and are no | | | | We must stop expecting others to do for us |
| longer capable of producing enough to sustain | | | | what we refuse to do for ourselves. In addition, |
| current demands. | | | | we must stop criticizing them if they can't do it |
| As the once mighty Yankee dollar loses its luster, | | | | quickly or cheaply enough. And then we wonder |
| our ability to import shortfalls cheaply is no longer | | | | why the rest of the world thinks Americans are a |
| the viable option it once was. To make matters | | | | bunch of pompous, self-centered morons |
| worse, the worm has turned in the sense that | | | | We need to get with the program and show the |
| the recent strength of the Euro and the dollar's | | | | world we are not self centered-morons. We are a |
| weakness are slowly turning the USA into an | | | | nation rich in resources, but we misuse and abuse |
| exporter where it once was the dominant | | | | them. With all our knowledge, all our resources |
| importer. The result is an ever increasing demand | | | | and all our abilities, we proudly pat ourselves on |
| on our already limited resources. | | | | the back for building ethanol plants that burn the |
| The shortages and resulting price increases we | | | | food we grow to make energy that we already |
| are seeing today are not an overnight occurrence. | | | | have in the ground but refuse to drill for. There is |
| The US has more untapped natural resources | | | | currently a shortage of rice and other foods in |
| than any country on the planet. As one of the | | | | many parts of the world. We may think we're |
| largest consumers of the world's resources, one | | | | cool and trendy and GREEN building ethanol plants |
| would think we would be thinking of ways to use | | | | to burn food to power our vehicles, but the rest |
| what we have. Yet, for the past 30 years, the | | | | of the world thinks we're fools. |
| US has adopted a policy of using the resources of | | | | In the end, it's a question of supply and demand. |
| others while preserving our own, treating them | | | | As world demand increases for the resources our |
| like holy relics that should not be touched. Instead | | | | planet has to offer, the supply needs to keep |
| of finding ways to tap known resources, the US | | | | pace or some will have to use less. The best way |
| for the past 30 years has relied on the rest of | | | | to allocate limited supply is to eliminate some of |
| the world to do it for us. | | | | the demand. This is done through prices. As prices |
| Americans feel that their appetite for foreign | | | | rise, demand slows. Some will pay the new price |
| resources should be met on command. The world | | | | and some won't. Prices rise until the supply and |
| should not only produce whatever we want, but | | | | the demand meet equilibrium, where what is |
| do it at a low price. So, if we have a gas | | | | demanded meets what is available. |
| shortage, it's the Middle-East's fault. Drill more wells | | | | Today, prices continue to rise because demand is |
| but do it on your land and off your shores; build | | | | still greater than the supply. Other countries claim |
| more refineries but do it in your cities. We can't | | | | that the US needs to start contributing to world |
| do it in America because it's dangerous, it's bad | | | | supply and not depend on everyone else to make |
| for the environment, and it will pollute the oceans | | | | up the shortfalls. The US continues to refuse to |
| and destroy the planet, so you do it for us. | | | | do so. Building wind mills, solar panels and |
| Somehow, if another country does it, it's different. | | | | BURNING OUR CORN AND BEETS IS NOT THE |
| If prices go up in the process, however, the rest | | | | ANSWER. |
| of the world is being greedy. These countries | | | | There is hope, however. As prices rise more and |
| need to find a way to keep up with our demand. | | | | more, Americans are changing their attitudes. |
| They need to expand and build but do it on their | | | | Many now agree that we need to start |
| own dime, quickly and efficiently and without | | | | implementing real programs for utilizing our |
| raising their prices. Anything less and we'll be | | | | available resources IN A SENSIBLE MANNER. We |
| outraged. How dare they? Unfortunately for the | | | | need to once again take the lead. We need to drill |
| US, 30 years of neglect is not something that can | | | | new wells, build new refineries and harness the |
| be repaired anytime soon. | | | | new, safer nuclear energy. We need to update |
| 50 years ago, the USA was #1 in that we had | | | | our old mines and mills, and catch up to the rest |
| the biggest and baddest of everything. We were | | | | of the world. |
| building nuclear plants and had the world's largest | | | | Unfortunately, 30 years of ignoring the problem |
| coal mines, the biggest oil companies and the best | | | | cannot be undone overnight. Eliminating the red |
| refineries. The iron range was cooking with | | | | tape and writing rules and regulations that will |
| activity and the country was producing steel in | | | | safeguard our systems without making them too |
| the biggest, most efficient steel plants in the | | | | expensive to build will take time. Building these |
| world. Pittsburg, Pennsylvania was the steel capital | | | | systems and getting them manned and producing |
| of the world, and the USA was the industrial | | | | will not happen overnight. While we can fix the |
| engine of the planet that everyone else looked to | | | | problem that took 30 years to create, we will |
| as the model for building their own economies. | | | | have to live through a few more years until we |
| The 1970's was a time before computers, the | | | | turn things around. For now, supplies will continue |
| internet and e-mail. Cell phones were the size of | | | | to fall short in a world where demand continues |
| suit cases and a new technological age was in its | | | | to rise. Where it will all end is impossible to predict, |
| infancy. Nuclear energy had its growing pains. The | | | | but one thing is certain. Prices are high and heading |
| drilling and transportation of oil were still being | | | | higher, with nobody knowing where they will end |
| done old school. We were adept at creating new | | | | for now. |