[Vnbiz] Not on Vietnam but may shed light on the inflation debate....a readers rsponse from

Tue Mar 11 06:49:10 PDT 2008

Hi all:

The links:

http://mitworld.mit.edu/video/413/

http://mitworld.mit.edu/video/414/

Another which is interesting:
http://mitworld.mit.edu/video/416/

Craig

On Tue, Mar 11, 2008 at 7:10 AM, Craig Stevenson <cstevenson2000 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Hi all:
>
> Searching the following site will lead to the "Soapboxes" on Energy, and
> some very interesting discussions.
>
> http://mitworld.mit.edu/
>
> One researcher that was particularly compelling was working on genetically
> engineering cells to be able to form into organisms that would act as
> batteries, fascinating.
>
> Craig
>
>   On Tue, Mar 11, 2008 at 3:39 AM, Craig Stevenson <
> cstevenson2000 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Dear Phong:
> >
> > I will post the links to the podcasts as soon as I have found them and
> > you can review the perspectives of those more knowledgeable than me.  In
> > addition to the points on Silica, they discuss options and the absolute
> > futility of one single, even that all possible options well planned
> > might not even being enough, certainly isn't enough at current levels of
> > technology.  Transmission of energy is the key .
> >
> > One major question is that if the world is moving toward free markets
> > and globalization is creating a single world market then why has there been
> > a proliferation of regional trading blocs?
> >
> > (certainly different forms and levels of integration, but nonetheless is
> > more the trend where the WTO is but a baseline of trade integration and even
> > an FTA a higher level of commitment to speak nothing of customs union,
> > common markets, and monetary unions)
> > EU
> > NAFTA
> > ASEAN
> > Mercosur
> > GCC
> >
> >
> > WTO = the lowest common denominator and not nearly as special a
> > relationship as those listed above
> > etc....
> >
> > Might it be that the vision of market supremacy has changed will change
> > where there is such intervention in markets.  Might it not be better were
> > development, and primacy of trade relations be conducted on a bio-regional
> > scale?
> >
> > These are the questions which I believe will rise in importance as we
> > move forward.  If there is one-thing that I have learned over the years it
> > is that common consensus rarely results in actual manifestation of that
> > conceded; ie things rarely turn out to be as expected.  Wild Cards,
> > Alternative Futures, an human expectations all shape what is coming.  Excuse
> > me for believing my perspective right, but I have been proved right too many
> > times over the last 15 years.  As always, perhaps, my persepctive is wrong,
> > I just don't think so and hear few arguments that convince me otherwise.
> > Finally, I do not think greed is the admirable quality (that should be)
> > driving the development of man.
> >
> > Craig
> >
> >
> >
> >  On Mon, Mar 10, 2008 at 8:22 PM, <Hong-Phong_Pho at ita.doc.gov> wrote:
> >
> > > [ Vietnam Business Forum ]
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Dear anh Craig:
> > > It goes without saying that governments will try to intervene, some
> > > more than others, some only as necessary, others much more than necessary.
> > > Between the two extremes of command and market economy, I think we can
> > > generally agree and which one works better at generating wealth.  As to
> > > distribution, it's academic if all you have to spread around is poverty.
> > >  Vietnam is still recovering from economic commandism, that's why I try to
> > > steer clear of any suggestion to have the government engaged in such direct
> > > interference.  I am not oblivious to pressures you mentioned.  Vietnam is
> > > already restricting rice exports to help ensure food security. Subsidize
> > > rice prices if you have to by discharging reserves.  Subsidizing fertilizers
> > > for farmers as necessary.
> > > Dear anh Hoanh:
> > > So much for "All private companies have to do the same thing to
> > > "pass-on the saving" to the customers if they want to stay in business for a
> > > long time."?
> > > So why won't the U.S. government just take all the "windfall" profits
> > > from the U.S. oil companies and give U.S. consumers a break on gas
> > > price?
> > > Instead, between local and federal taxes, gas prices are even higher
> > > than charged by the oil companies.
> > > You talk about US still subsidizing oil companies.  Do you know what
> > > these subsidies are for and why they are in place?
> > > Yes, supply and demand still work, even in this environment.  Oil
> > > companies took big risks for big returns.
> > > Best,  HPP
> > >
> > > P.S.  Insolation favors countries closer to the equator.  Silica is
> > > sand, among the most abundant resource on earth.  Scientifically, we are not
> > > there yet for photovoltaics, so solar will have to be one a among a number
> > > of alternative energy solution.  HPP
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >   *"Tran Dinh Hoanh" <tdhoanh at gmail.com>*
> > > Sent by: vnbiz-bounces at mail.saigon.com
> > >
> > > 03/09/2008 09:39 PM   Please respond to
> > > vnbiz at vietlinks.net
> > >
> > >     To
> > > vnbiz at vietlinks.net  cc
> > >   Subject
> > > Re: [Vnbiz] Not on Vietnam but may shed light on the inflation
> > >  debate....a readers rsponse from
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > [ Vietnam Business Forum ]
> > >
> > > Dear anh Craig & CACC,
> > >
> > > What you said about alternating price support and
> > > alternative-energy-research depending on economic conditions makes good
> > > sense.  We ought to think about that seriously.  The world is so depending
> > > on oil that world politics is so messed up due to oil.  Eventually we will
> > > run out of oil anyway.  I think the world will be much more balanced if
> > > solar energy becomes a main source of energy.  It will be a great equalizer,
> > > just like Internet, because, with little variation here and there,  the sun
> > > very much shines equally on all countries.
> > >
> > > BTW, I wonder if there is any alternative energy research currently in
> > > Vietnam?   Does anyone know the answer?
> > >
> > > Have a great day!
> > >
> > > Hoanh
> > >
> > > On Sat, Mar 8, 2008 at 1:40 AM, Craig Stevenson <*
> > > cstevenson2000 at gmail.com* <cstevenson2000 at gmail.com>> wrote:
> > > [ Vietnam Business Forum ]
> > >
> > >
> > > Dear CACC:
> > >
> > > Frankly, aren't oil reserves for VN nearing elimination.  Without
> > > resolution of the Spratley's (Sorry I do not know the VN name) crucial to
> > > any real further discussion of this.  Really, despite high costs at present
> > > shouldn't we be discussing taxes to be used for other generation of enrgy
> > > resources, alternatives.  Subsidy might lessen the blow to the consumer
> > > which is important to offset wage increase demands and perhaps to subsidize
> > > fertilizer to farmers etc to offset domestically produced food costs for the
> > > same reason.  Any talk of subsidy should also speak of taxes in the same
> > > manner marked to prices in the market.  Perhaps, oil rises and subsidies
> > > kick into place, oil falls and subsidies lessen or taxes kick in at certain
> > > prices which go earmarked to an energy indepndence fund, etc...
> > >
> > > Phong, in all reality, wouldn't current events seem to imply that the
> > > concept that "markets rule and should rule" is undermined to the very large
> > > imbalances in a world economy that isn't actually, fully dependent upon
> > > market forces.  All intervene in every market to varying degrees.  Further,
> > > it might be that the curent "market-supremacy model", built for/from
> > > political expediency in an era of the cold war, that currently
> > > philosophically reigns, might not actually be relevant, or lasting, in a
> > > world where, despite how we (would, might) prefer it be, doesn't exist in
> > > reality.  A peg distorts the market, as does a tax, as does financial
> > > globalization, inequality, interdependence, and speculation unfortunately.
> > >  Might it not be that neither Hayak nor Keynes is right.  Of course neither
> > > should VN reutrn to a command economy, especially after the distribution of
> > > wealth effects of late, nor should it blindly follow a market rules
> > > philosophy. I believe the world misunderstands  the nature (and certainly
> > > misjudges the implications) of the fundamental shifts that could occur quite
> > > quickly do to global imbalances and I guarentee possible movement doesn't
> > > likely tend toward free market liberalism.
> > >
> > > Craig
> > > On Sat, Mar 8, 2008 at 12:39 AM, Tran Dinh Hoanh <*tdhoanh at gmail.com*<tdhoanh at gmail.com>>
> > > wrote:
> > > [ Vietnam Business Forum ]
> > >
> > >
> > > Dear brother Phong,
> > >
> > > Oil will never be a "market economy."  At least not in our lifetime.
> > >  Oil is a global monopoly.  Oil price is a monopoly price determined by
> > > OPEC.  So the price of oil is not really ruled by supply and demand of a
> > > market economy.
> > >
> > > That is why in a year when the American citizens paid exhorbitant
> > > prices for gasoline and gas price rose continuously (and still rising as of
> > > now), Exxon had a 41-billion-USD profits in 2007, the largest profit in the
> > > US corporate history.  Four largest oil companies had more than 100 billion
> > > USD of profit in 2007.   *
> > > http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/economy/2008/02/01/exxons-profits-measuring-a-record-windfall.html
> > > *<http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/economy/2008/02/01/exxons-profits-measuring-a-record-windfall.html>
> > >
> > > And the US government is STILL subsididing US oil companies.
> > >
> > > Vietnam oil is controlled by two monopoly arms in import and export.
> > >  And the monopolies won't go away anytime soon because of the important role
> > > of oil in the national security and economy and becasue the monopolistic
> > > nature of the global oil industry.
> > >
> > > So any talk about "market economy" and the law of supply and demand in
> > > oil is unrealistic.   It is "supply and demand" in a distorted and
> > > monopolistic environment.  What we need to do is to understand the
> > > monopolistic character of oil industry to structure production, distribution
> > > and pricing in a way that is fair and good for citizens and the national
> > > economy, and not to allow absurd things happen like in the US--the
> > > government subsidizing oil companies, and in a year when citizens pay rapid
> > > price increases, oil companies post record windfall profits.
> > >
> > > Have a great day!
> > >
> > > Hoanh
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Tran Dinh Hoanh, Esq., LLB, JD
> > > Washington DC _______________________________________________
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