Building Energy Analyst Career Training Guide

Question: Will France surpass the USA as the primary protector of the Persian Gulf states? Gulf states broaden contacts beyond US By ROBERT H. REID, Associated Press Writer Sat Jan 19, 1:42 PM ET CAIRO, Egypt - The promise of a new French base in the United Arab Emirates is the latest sign that Arab Gulf countries are expanding their commercial and military contacts to bolster security without appearing too dependent on the United States. ADVERTISEMENT President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced that France next year will become the only Western country other than the U.S. to have a permanent defense facility in the Gulf. The deal comes at a time when Gulf countries want to protect themselves against a resurgent Iran. At the same time, they don't want to rely just on the U.S., with American prestige in the Middle East running low and the fear that U.S.-Iranian rivalry could drag the region into war. France also plans to open a branch of its St. Cyr military academy in Qatar and take part in military exercises in February and March with forces from the UAE and Qatar. And France and the UAE have signed a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement as a first step toward building a nuclear reactor to help diversify energy sources. "The UAE gets the advantage of playing the field a bit, not because it wants to walk away from the U.S. relationship but because this gives them leverage over both the French and Americans to get what they want," Mideast analyst Jon Alterman said. France's new base will house up to 500 soldiers, sailors and airmen. By comparison, the United States maintains about 40,000 U.S. troops on bases across the Gulf — including Kuwait, the key staging ground for Iraq, and Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet headquarters. The United States has been the dominant outside power in the Gulf since Britain closed its permanent bases in 1971. The Arabs are keenly aware that no European country can supplant the Americans as the primary protector of the oil-rich Gulf states. "Perhaps they (Emiratis) thought that a French base would be a visible means of protection but in a less ostentatious manner, a little more discreet" than an American installation, said Stephane Lacroix, an analyst with the Sciences Po school of political science in Paris. The new base also underscores France's claim as a global power capable of playing a role in parts of the world beyond its former colonial sphere of influence. The nearest French base is in Djibouti, a former French colony in the Horn of Africa. French Defense Minister Herve Morin said the base would help France to support warships it routinely sends to the Gulf and "participate in the stabilization of the region." Gulf governments and investors have been shifting away from the United States, seeking partners in Asia and Europe. The reasons for the shift are both economic and political, including strains in relations with the U.S. since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries have been looking to Europe for more consumer products as well as investments in areas such as high-speed railway systems, where the Europeans have unique experience. For Gulf Arabs, Iran has made the need for leverage with the Americans all the more important. Although the small, wealthy oil sheikdoms fear Iranian influence, especially among their Shiite populations, they also worry that Washington's hardline stand against the Islamic Republic could drag them into conflict. Gulf Arab leaders made clear to U.S. President George W. Bush during his visit to the region this month that they oppose trying to isolate Iran. "We have relations with Iran and we talk to them and if we feel there is any danger (in the region) we will talk to them about it," Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said last week. The threat of a U.S. attack on Iran has receded since the fall, when a U.S. intelligence report concluded that the Iranians stopped trying to build a nuclear bomb four years ago. Nevertheless, Bush emphasized during his Middle East tour that he still considers the Islamic Republic a major threat, branding it the world's top sponsor of terrorism. He also warned of "serious consequences" if the Iranians attack American ships in the Gulf. "We don't want Bush to take advantage of Iranian misbehavior and go to war," said Mustafa Alani, an analyst with the Gulf Research Center in Dubai. "France is more politically acceptable in the region. We don't want Americans to appear as the only protectors." __ Associated Press reporter Natacha Rios contributed to this report from Paris.

Answer: The French can't even take care of themselves. Remember WWI, WWII, etc.

Question: Will the USA be supplanted by France as the primary protector of the Persian Gulf states? Gulf states broaden contacts beyond US By ROBERT H. REID, Associated Press Writer Sat Jan 19, 1:42 PM ET CAIRO, Egypt - The promise of a new French base in the United Arab Emirates is the latest sign that Arab Gulf countries are expanding their commercial and military contacts to bolster security without appearing too dependent on the United States. ADVERTISEMENT President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced that France next year will become the only Western country other than the U.S. to have a permanent defense facility in the Gulf. The deal comes at a time when Gulf countries want to protect themselves against a resurgent Iran. At the same time, they don't want to rely just on the U.S., with American prestige in the Middle East running low and the fear that U.S.-Iranian rivalry could drag the region into war. France also plans to open a branch of its St. Cyr military academy in Qatar and take part in military exercises in February and March with forces from the UAE and Qatar. And France and the UAE have signed a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement as a first step toward building a nuclear reactor to help diversify energy sources. "The UAE gets the advantage of playing the field a bit, not because it wants to walk away from the U.S. relationship but because this gives them leverage over both the French and Americans to get what they want," Mideast analyst Jon Alterman said. France's new base will house up to 500 soldiers, sailors and airmen. By comparison, the United States maintains about 40,000 U.S. troops on bases across the Gulf — including Kuwait, the key staging ground for Iraq, and Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet headquarters. The United States has been the dominant outside power in the Gulf since Britain closed its permanent bases in 1971. The Arabs are keenly aware that no European country can supplant the Americans as the primary protector of the oil-rich Gulf states. "Perhaps they (Emiratis) thought that a French base would be a visible means of protection but in a less ostentatious manner, a little more discreet" than an American installation, said Stephane Lacroix, an analyst with the Sciences Po school of political science in Paris. The new base also underscores France's claim as a global power capable of playing a role in parts of the world beyond its former colonial sphere of influence. The nearest French base is in Djibouti, a former French colony in the Horn of Africa. French Defense Minister Herve Morin said the base would help France to support warships it routinely sends to the Gulf and "participate in the stabilization of the region." Gulf governments and investors have been shifting away from the United States, seeking partners in Asia and Europe. The reasons for the shift are both economic and political, including strains in relations with the U.S. since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries have been looking to Europe for more consumer products as well as investments in areas such as high-speed railway systems, where the Europeans have unique experience. For Gulf Arabs, Iran has made the need for leverage with the Americans all the more important. Although the small, wealthy oil sheikdoms fear Iranian influence, especially among their Shiite populations, they also worry that Washington's hardline stand against the Islamic Republic could drag them into conflict. Gulf Arab leaders made clear to U.S. President George W. Bush during his visit to the region this month that they oppose trying to isolate Iran. "We have relations with Iran and we talk to them and if we feel there is any danger (in the region) we will talk to them about it," Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said last week. The threat of a U.S. attack on Iran has receded since the fall, when a U.S. intelligence report concluded that the Iranians stopped trying to build a nuclear bomb four years ago. Nevertheless, Bush emphasized during his Middle East tour that he still considers the Islamic Republic a major threat, branding it the world's top sponsor of terrorism. He also warned of "serious consequences" if the Iranians attack American ships in the Gulf. "We don't want Bush to take advantage of Iranian misbehavior and go to war," said Mustafa Alani, an analyst with the Gulf Research Center in Dubai. "France is more politically acceptable in the region. We don't want Americans to appear as the only protectors." __ Associated Press reporter Natacha Rios contributed to this report from Paris.

Answer: Well lets look at the numbers, France has one base, the US has dozens and dozens; I'd go with no.

Question: Will France supplant or replace the USA as the primary protector of the Persian Gulf states? Gulf states broaden contacts beyond US By ROBERT H. REID, Associated Press Writer Sat Jan 19, 1:42 PM ET CAIRO, Egypt - The promise of a new French base in the United Arab Emirates is the latest sign that Arab Gulf countries are expanding their commercial and military contacts to bolster security without appearing too dependent on the United States. ADVERTISEMENT President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced that France next year will become the only Western country other than the U.S. to have a permanent defense facility in the Gulf. The deal comes at a time when Gulf countries want to protect themselves against a resurgent Iran. At the same time, they don't want to rely just on the U.S., with American prestige in the Middle East running low and the fear that U.S.-Iranian rivalry could drag the region into war. France also plans to open a branch of its St. Cyr military academy in Qatar and take part in military exercises in February and March with forces from the UAE and Qatar. And France and the UAE have signed a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement as a first step toward building a nuclear reactor to help diversify energy sources. "The UAE gets the advantage of playing the field a bit, not because it wants to walk away from the U.S. relationship but because this gives them leverage over both the French and Americans to get what they want," Mideast analyst Jon Alterman said. France's new base will house up to 500 soldiers, sailors and airmen. By comparison, the United States maintains about 40,000 U.S. troops on bases across the Gulf — including Kuwait, the key staging ground for Iraq, and Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet headquarters. The United States has been the dominant outside power in the Gulf since Britain closed its permanent bases in 1971. The Arabs are keenly aware that no European country can supplant the Americans as the primary protector of the oil-rich Gulf states. "Perhaps they (Emiratis) thought that a French base would be a visible means of protection but in a less ostentatious manner, a little more discreet" than an American installation, said Stephane Lacroix, an analyst with the Sciences Po school of political science in Paris. The new base also underscores France's claim as a global power capable of playing a role in parts of the world beyond its former colonial sphere of influence. The nearest French base is in Djibouti, a former French colony in the Horn of Africa. French Defense Minister Herve Morin said the base would help France to support warships it routinely sends to the Gulf and "participate in the stabilization of the region." Gulf governments and investors have been shifting away from the United States, seeking partners in Asia and Europe. The reasons for the shift are both economic and political, including strains in relations with the U.S. since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries have been looking to Europe for more consumer products as well as investments in areas such as high-speed railway systems, where the Europeans have unique experience. For Gulf Arabs, Iran has made the need for leverage with the Americans all the more important. Although the small, wealthy oil sheikdoms fear Iranian influence, especially among their Shiite populations, they also worry that Washington's hardline stand against the Islamic Republic could drag them into conflict. Gulf Arab leaders made clear to U.S. President George W. Bush during his visit to the region this month that they oppose trying to isolate Iran. "We have relations with Iran and we talk to them and if we feel there is any danger (in the region) we will talk to them about it," Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said last week. The threat of a U.S. attack on Iran has receded since the fall, when a U.S. intelligence report concluded that the Iranians stopped trying to build a nuclear bomb four years ago. Nevertheless, Bush emphasized during his Middle East tour that he still considers the Islamic Republic a major threat, branding it the world's top sponsor of terrorism. He also warned of "serious consequences" if the Iranians attack American ships in the Gulf. "We don't want Bush to take advantage of Iranian misbehavior and go to war," said Mustafa Alani, an analyst with the Gulf Research Center in Dubai. "France is more politically acceptable in the region. We don't want Americans to appear as the only protectors." __ Associated Press reporter Natacha Rios contributed to this report from Paris.

Answer: No. the USA. will protect the gulf.They want the oil.

Question: Are the Gulf Arab states ending their defense relationships with the USA? Here's the article that covers the subject: Gulf states broaden contacts beyond US By ROBERT H. REID, Associated Press Writer Sat Jan 19, 1:42 PM ET CAIRO, Egypt - The promise of a new French base in the United Arab Emirates is the latest sign that Arab Gulf countries are expanding their commercial and military contacts to bolster security without appearing too dependent on the United States. ADVERTISEMENT President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced that France next year will become the only Western country other than the U.S. to have a permanent defense facility in the Gulf. The deal comes at a time when Gulf countries want to protect themselves against a resurgent Iran. At the same time, they don't want to rely just on the U.S., with American prestige in the Middle East running low and the fear that U.S.-Iranian rivalry could drag the region into war. France also plans to open a branch of its St. Cyr military academy in Qatar and take part in military exercises in February and March with forces from the UAE and Qatar. And France and the UAE have signed a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement as a first step toward building a nuclear reactor to help diversify energy sources. "The UAE gets the advantage of playing the field a bit, not because it wants to walk away from the U.S. relationship but because this gives them leverage over both the French and Americans to get what they want," Mideast analyst Jon Alterman said. France's new base will house up to 500 soldiers, sailors and airmen. By comparison, the United States maintains about 40,000 U.S. troops on bases across the Gulf — including Kuwait, the key staging ground for Iraq, and Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet headquarters. The United States has been the dominant outside power in the Gulf since Britain closed its permanent bases in 1971. The Arabs are keenly aware that no European country can supplant the Americans as the primary protector of the oil-rich Gulf states. "Perhaps they (Emiratis) thought that a French base would be a visible means of protection but in a less ostentatious manner, a little more discreet" than an American installation, said Stephane Lacroix, an analyst with the Sciences Po school of political science in Paris. The new base also underscores France's claim as a global power capable of playing a role in parts of the world beyond its former colonial sphere of influence. The nearest French base is in Djibouti, a former French colony in the Horn of Africa. French Defense Minister Herve Morin said the base would help France to support warships it routinely sends to the Gulf and "participate in the stabilization of the region." Gulf governments and investors have been shifting away from the United States, seeking partners in Asia and Europe. The reasons for the shift are both economic and political, including strains in relations with the U.S. since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries have been looking to Europe for more consumer products as well as investments in areas such as high-speed railway systems, where the Europeans have unique experience. For Gulf Arabs, Iran has made the need for leverage with the Americans all the more important. Although the small, wealthy oil sheikdoms fear Iranian influence, especially among their Shiite populations, they also worry that Washington's hardline stand against the Islamic Republic could drag them into conflict. Gulf Arab leaders made clear to U.S. President George W. Bush during his visit to the region this month that they oppose trying to isolate Iran. "We have relations with Iran and we talk to them and if we feel there is any danger (in the region) we will talk to them about it," Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said last week. The threat of a U.S. attack on Iran has receded since the fall, when a U.S. intelligence report concluded that the Iranians stopped trying to build a nuclear bomb four years ago. Nevertheless, Bush emphasized during his Middle East tour that he still considers the Islamic Republic a major threat, branding it the world's top sponsor of terrorism. He also warned of "serious consequences" if the Iranians attack American ships in the Gulf. "We don't want Bush to take advantage of Iranian misbehavior and go to war," said Mustafa Alani, an analyst with the Gulf Research Center in Dubai. "France is more politically acceptable in the region. We don't want Americans to appear as the only protectors." __ Associated Press reporter Natacha Rios contributed to this report from Paris.

Answer: They must not be moving away too quickly. Didn't we just agree to sell Saudi Arabia a kajillion dollars worth of weaponry ? :-o

Question: In the world of technology, how life-altering will this be? Intel Cuts Electric Cords With Wireless Power System SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Intel on Thursday showed off a wireless electric power system that analysts say could revolutionize modern life by freeing devices from transformers and wall outlets. Intel chief technology officer Justin Rattner demonstrated a Wireless Energy Resonant Link as he spoke at the California firm's annual developers forum in San Francisco. Electricity was sent wirelessly to a lamp on stage, lighting a 60 watt bulb that uses more power than a typical laptop computer. Most importantly, the electricity was transmitted without zapping anything or anyone that got between the sending and receiving units. "The trick with wireless power is not can you do it; it's can you do it safely and efficiently," Intel researcher Josh Smith said in an online video explaining the breakthrough. "It turns out the human body is not affected by magnetic fields; it is affected by elective fields. So what we are doing is transmitting energy using the magnetic field not the electric field." Examples of potential applications include airports, offices or other buildings that could be rigged to supply power to laptops, mobile telephones or other devices toted into them. The technology could also be built into plugged in computer components, such as monitors, to enable them to broadcast power to devices left on desks or carried into rooms, according to Smith. "Initially it eliminates chargers and eventually it eliminates batteries all together," analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group said of Intel's wireless power system. "That is potentially a world changing event. This is the closest we've had to something being commercially available in this class." Previous wireless power systems consisted basically of firing lightning bolts from sending to receiving units. Smith says Intel's wireless power system is still in an early stage of development and much research remains before it can be brought to market. Rattner spoke of technological transformations he expects by the year 2050. "You'd like to cut the last cord," Smith said. "It's great that we have wireless email and wireless internet and stuff like that but at the end of the day it would be nice to have wireless recharge as well." http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080821/ts_alt_afp/usitinternetenergychipcompanyintel;_ylt=AvD1efTh2WrPq.SBJmTjksMDW7oF

Answer: Wireless extension cords are already on the market. If you can't pick one up at K-mart, try here:- http://www.thinkgeek.com/stuff/41/wec.shtml

Question: What's your opinion, can we drill our way out of high gas prices? John McCain already has shown he isn't above pandering on the presidential campaign trail. In April, he addressed rising fuel prices by suggesting a gas tax holiday for the summer. Now, the presumptive Republican nominee proposes an end to the federal moratorium on offshore oil drilling as part of his energy policy. The idea was seconded by President Bush on Wednesday. McCain says opening more of the U.S. coastline to drilling would help end our dependence on foreign oil. Well, that's what he said this week. In 1999, during his last run for the presidency, McCain scolded the "special interests in Washington" that sought more offshore drilling. Let's start with what this isn't: a serious proposal to deal with U.S. energy needs. McCain's plan is nearly identical to one that has failed at least three times in the U.S. Senate, twice while it was controlled by a Republican majority. So there is little likelihood of an offshore drilling bill reaching the president's desk anytime soon. Even if McCain's proposal passed and was fully implemented, the impact would be limited. The Interior Department estimates there are 18 billion barrels of oil beneath the ocean in U.S. waters that now are off-limits to drilling. At the current rate of consumption, that would fulfill all our needs for perhaps 2½ years. Industry analysts say it would be five to seven years before any oil was delivered. And there's no guarantee it would reduce prices at the pump. On top of that, oil companies already have 68 million offshore-acres under lease that have yet to be developed, even with the twin incentives of rising prices and growing demand. Paying $4.50 a gallon for gas is painful. Listening to oil company executives insist they have little control over prices while reporting record profits is infuriating. But we will never drill our way out of our addiction to imported oil. There are, however, encouraging signs that the spike in fuel prices is prompting changes in behavior that can reduce that dependence. Transit ridership is up markedly. Gasoline consumption is down slightly. Detroit is switching production lines from gas-guzzling SUVs to more fuel-efficient vehicles, including hybrids. McCain -- and Democrat Barack Obama -- should build on those promising trends with their energy policies. To his credit, McCain used his address to repudiate Vice President Dick Cheney's description of energy conservation as little more than a "personal virtue." But there's no virtue in quick fixes -- if more offshore drilling even qualifies as a fix.

Answer: Elections are about the future, whether for the city council or the White House. In this election for president, one candidate represents the future while the other candidate remains stuck in the past -- and there's no doubt which is which. Just look at the difference between Barack Obama and John McCain on energy. Obama proposes a windfall profits tax on big oil companies in order to help develop wind and solar energy, research new alternative energy technologies, and wean ourselves from fossil fuels. McCain proposes drilling for oil off the coast, one of the oldest and worst ideas in the Big Oil pipeline. Environmentalists fought the battle over offshore drilling decades ago, and won. New oil rigs in state coastal waters have been banned in California since the days of former Gov., now Attorney General, Jerry Brown. There's a congressional ban on drilling off both the Pacific and the Atlantic coasts, in place since 1981, plus an executive ban on both coasts, originally signed by President George H. W. Bush in 1990. And there's a good reason why. Offshore drilling will kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. It will destroy our most beautiful stretches of coastline, wreck our valuable tourism and fishing industries. And it will continue our dependency on fossil fuels. Meanwhile, it won't do anything to ease today's energy crisis. Even if the moratorium were lifted tomorrow, it would take at least 10 years to develop the offshore rigs and onshore tanks, pipelines and roadways necessary to begin production. By that time, with a new energy policy, we could be well on our way to a new, alternative-energy future. Offshore drilling won't bring any relief for consumers, either. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates there are 18 billion barrels of oil in the moratorium areas. At present rates of consumption, those fields would be exhausted in less than two and a half years. Our coastline and beaches, of course, would have been lost forever. And don't expect lower prices at the pump. According to the Campaign for America's Future Online, lowering the price of crude by $1 per barrel saves roughly 2.5 cents per gallon. Which means that getting rid of the ban on coastal drilling would lower the price at the pump by less than 6 cents -- by 2025. After oil executives, nobody was happier with John McCain's proposal than oilman George W. Bush, who's wanted to lift the moratorium on offshore drilling ever since he got to the White House, but didn't dare. But whether McCain or Bush takes the lead, proposing offshore drilling as a solution to our energy problems is nothing but a cynical attempt to exploit public anger over $4-per-gallon gasoline in order to overturn economic and environmental protections in place for the last 27 years. Even John McCain knows that, or used to. His U-turn on offshore drilling is one of the most spectacular flip-flops in presidential campaign history. It's Amazing! In less than a month, McCain has had the political equivalent of a religious conversion.

Question: Why did Obama send all of our green jobs overseas? Obama's Stimulus Creating Green Jobs Overseas Although Barack Obama and other Democrats touted the $787 billion stimulus package as a way to create green jobs that would put Americans back to work, new reports show the spending package has mostly created green jobs for foreign workers. U.S. Department of Energy statistics show 79 percent of the $2.1 billion in stimulus money allocated for wind energy has been paid to foreign manufacturers. The Spanish company Iberdrola has received $443 million; the Portuguese company EDP has received $229 million; and the British company Terra Firma, which bought a large wind farm in western Pennsylvania, received $42 million. Analysts worry the stimulus funds will also help create manufacturing jobs in China, and a Texas consortium’s plans to build a wind farm that primarily will rely on Chinese-made turbines using $450 million in stimulus money underscores this fear A report from the Investigative Reporting Workshop at American University found 80 percent of the stimulus money had created 6,000 jobs, and only a small percentage of those jobs went to American workers. Only two American companies ̶ General Electric Energy and Clipper Wind ̶ are major wind turbine manufacturers, and the American Wind Energy Associations has said the United States saw a drop in the number of wind turbine manufacturing jobs last year. http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/obama-stimulus-green-jobs/2010/02/11/id/349703 Does he hate American workers so much that he steals their tax dollars to help out his "friends" overseas?

Answer: Obama is not see's Americans as his enemy, he see's Private Industry as his enemy and so the longer he's in office the more you will see the hostile business climate known as Obama created Marxism.

Question: Is Obama's Stimulus Creating Green Jobs? Are these all the jobs Obama said he created? This looks like we will have to import energy alternatives now. U.S. Department of Energy statistics show 79 percent of the $2.1 billion in stimulus money allocated for wind energy has been paid to foreign manufacturers. The Spanish company Iberdrola has received $443 million; the Portuguese company EDP has received $229 million; and the British company Terra Firma, which bought a large wind farm in western Pennsylvania, received $42 million. http://newsmax.com/InsideCover/obama-stimulus-green-jobs/2010/02/11/id/349703?s=al&promo_code=9731-1 Analysts worry the stimulus funds will also help create manufacturing jobs in China, and a Texas consortium’s plans to build a wind farm that primarily will rely on Chinese-made turbines using $450 million in stimulus money underscores this fear A report from the Investigative Reporting Workshop at American University found 80 percent of the stimulus money had created 6,000 jobs, and only a small percentage of those jobs went to American workers. None of that money should have left the US. C B: Those are Green Jobs. Flower: That bill was designed to create jobs & bring us out of the recession.

Answer: The real issue is not jobs created, it is the jobs created to loss ratio. To look at an example, Spain went green and is paying a severe price for it. The data out now indicates that while green jobs were created for Spanish workers, the legislation, restrictions etc. imposed in the new Green job movement gave a gain/loss ratio of 3:1. In other words what they don't tell you is that for every one green job you will create, 3 "old" jobs will be lost. Cap and trade will be a job killer in the net category. This is not me being anti-green, it is a matter of what makes sense. I am against pollution and I want to protect the environment, but we have to protect people too. Extreme behavior either way is not smart. We must find a middle ground. Obama talks a lot of smack, he is showing he does not really know what he is talking about in the the sense of reality and fact.