Comments on: A Massive Public Investment in Obsolescence

By: New Price Peak by Next Year | Jeff Rubin

New Price Peak by Next Year | Jeff Rubin — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 09:17:25 +0000

[...] over the next year that will pull oil prices back from the precipice of triple-digit range? Are car sales about to tank in China and India over the coming months, suddenly halting the otherwise insatiable demand from these [...]

By: davidwdent

davidwdent — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:18:04 +0000

Jeff, keep up the great commentary. Your ideas are unique and concisely stated. In time (and not too far from today), you'll have a great and clairvoyant body of work and will be in high demand when it comes time to try to dig out of the mess we're creating. Yours are massively important ideas and though I've been reading about the energy crisis for a few years now, it's your work that has me moving to within walking distance of my office and assuming there will be no resale market for my tragically beautiful BMW.

By: davidwdent

davidwdent — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 01:18:04 +0000

By: Laurent - Switzerland

Laurent - Switzerland — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 08:06:52 +0000

"The auto and oil industries are two sides of the same coin". Helping the auto industry is helping the oil industry. This is a good point but a scary thought.

Regarding the public transport (fast train or bus).
In the 1920s, GM bought all trains and rails and shut them down to remove the competition.
Since the US have had all of its eggs in the same basket: cars & oil. When the oil jumps high, people do not have a Plan B to move around and go to work. No choice is a bad choice.

Let’s imagine than 90 years later, GM will have to rebuilt what they destroyed!

By: YuriH

YuriH — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:01:36 +0000

J.A., I am not sure your read the article properly. It was never mentioned that the reduction was in NA made vehicles. Rather, it clearly points to the total number of vehicles on the road. The rest of your comment, thus, is off topic. Otherwise, it is an interesting look at the situation, but does the author really think that China is such a sweet spot to build extra plants? There is a lot of capacity globally as it is. As far as whether the car boom there is sustainable…..I honestly do not think so 2-3 years down the road.