T. Boone Pickens Isn't In It For The Money

[ItsAllAboutGuitar]

He's not looking to lose money.

[notsolaxboy132]

Mr. Pickens is 81 years old. He's made over 3 billion dollars. I can assure you that the Pickens Plan is not about making money. The overhead costs of making the largest wind farm in the world are too great for him to see a profit in his life time. After making such a fortune as he has, most people would be retired on a private island somewhere, but not Mr. Pickens. He is traveling around the country, spending millions of dollars of his own money to promote energy awareness. He is an American...

[notsolaxboy132]

...first and a business man second.

[johnclavis]

It's so sad. The Wall Street Journal used to have something resembling journalistic integrity and standing. Now it's a naked, unselfconscious mash note to greed, corruption and avarice, each and every day. The Editorial Page is an embarrassing display of right-wing authoritarianism, swarming with dishonest framing and Luntzian talking points.

If you want to know how the top 1% want you to think about an issue, pick up the Wall Street Journal. If you want to know the truth, look elsewhere.

[ryannen]

Who cares if he's doing it for the money?!?  He's a business man!! Making money is his job!!

[bruceok]

On CNBC this a.m. he' s willing to support the 1200-page "cap and trade" debacle because it has one page -- yes, one page -- that makes him money on his wind project -- which right now is a bust.

The good news: the electric hybrid will never work for trucks according to PIckens.

Google "milliondollarway" "wind energy" on the blogs.

[bruceok]

HIs western Texas wind project is on hold indefinitely; it's way too expensive. It's a bust. Google "milliondollarway" "wind energy" on the blogs.

[tueulator]

This guy is a total LIE !

[jmjfanss]

T. Pickens is a fraud, truly shameful.

[prelan]

i just got the best essay brief option ever. its to write 1500 words on peak oil and design in relation to it!

[jpbalkenende]

Hard to trust a corporate raider.

[OkieSlims]

He is in it for the money. He is using the wind turbines as a distraction to gain pipe line access to the land he needs to access the midwest water supply which will be very profitable for him considering that bottled water costs more than 2x as much as gas. He will profit and he will leave a lot of destruction in his wake. Wait and see.

[sanjosemike]

What difference does it make if Boone is in it for the money?

Why not?

Have (all you socialists) forgotten this is America.

Boone is an old man. He has hundreds of millions already. You just don't understand. He doesn't need the money.

Some people just don't care about money.

sanjosemike

[emforty2]

just announced today ..tboone is going to scale down his energy project!

why because he said the price of oil is down 140 to now 60

so he is not in this for the MONEY ?

[Tarbos]

WTG at least He is offering something better than anyone in Congress. he has already made like 700 billion in his lifetime by him getting more money would not increase his lifestyle.

[scratch2058]

- oh yes he is!

Pickens isn't out to save anything but his own business interests. He's already heavily invested in both natural gas and wind energy, and he wants you to support his effort to create government-mandated markets that will ensure the profitability of those investments from now to the end of time.

This is his last big play, and it's a whopper. Gotta admire the guy for his audacity.

[emforty2]

a Texas oilman coming to save us of our misery

is like the Devil from Hell saying he'll help us save our Souls !

[naldrvr]

It didn't take long for Pickens to change his tune. He was just on 60 Minutes and said he was in it for the money and damn sure is not it to lose money. Of course Pickens plan is to use tax money to make him money. So when do you believe him now or when he made this video. I say the country doesn't need Pickens he has no experience in wind or solar power so what is he but a middle man looking for a big payday.

[emforty2]

he wants to be the "exxon-mobil" of windmills and cng

he wants money going to his pockets instead of saudi royals

only beleive in what Amory Lovins would say and been saying since the 70s

[ourearthhome]

T Boone isn't in it for the money? Are you kidding? He is one in the long line of land speculators who has been cashing in on and will continue to cash in on the community created value of water,oil, natural gas. We think that people who collect and pocket land values they do not create are to be admired. They are if you want to engage in the same kind of activity and get away with it. The real estate bust was really a land speculation bust so you can see it is not easy to get away with it.

[fatony26]

some of u people... idiots... fucking morons... what would this guy want to steal your house for? come on... ignorant morons.

[PARKEREAL]

water water water hydro power is the answer wind coradors are nice but rivers are more reliable and abundant but t boone and his boys cant control water so they leave that alone

[KeepOurFreedoms]

He has grabbed the water.

ht tp: //current. com/items/89165497_t_

[Darkgravx12]

Who cares, we should of created alternative fuel sources years ago, this man is making a movement. Even if he's in it for the money, this will benefit us all.

[TheRightToSpeak]

@Darkgravx12 I'm sorry, how is poisening the water and wells benefitting us all? Causs that is what is being done with hydraulic fracturering, to get to the natural gas. I'm all for Wind, Solar, Wave and Tidal power, but poisening the drinking wells, ignoring that it is happening and claiming he is doing it for the country, has got to be one of the biggest lies of this century!

[NOSMOJEFF]

well I guess after reading all the replies there is no hope and we will all end up at a dead end..is that about right? Is that all everyone thinks is that nobody really cares and that this is all about the profit? Wow I feel bad for children right about now. Oh well I am going to plant trees for kids and leave the planet as best shape I can before I die, what about you are you with me?

[Dalypics]

"a billionaire oil man pushing a 15 million dollar campaign that should be about wind but really it's about water and good old fashion environmentally destructive profit." ZapRoot

citizen org/cmep/Water/us/bulksales/te­xas/

[roberteckerson]

Actually, he's in it for the WATER. Water in the Ogallala Aquifer. Nebraska's (and Kansas, etc.) Watch out for a wolf in sheep's clothing.

[crazy650c]

Yeah, emergency so he can steal YOUR land.

[crazy650c]

he's in IT for the water pipeline rights. he wants to steal land from homeowners by eminent domain so he can build water pipelines next to the taxpayer funded electric lines..yes...taxpayer paid for electric lines. He claims it's private business investment but he wants to steal money from the taxpayers and homes from families

[girzwald3]

I dont trust pickens. Hes "been an oil man all his life" but he isn't trying to say hes been wrong all these years and insnt investing every penny he has earned from it into new energy. Hes not in it for the money. BULLSHIT. He no doubt has billions to gain.

[ecxc4]

he does have a lot to gain from favorable laws...This does not make him evil....just another guy looking for a handout.

[girzwald3]

Yes it does. Cause he is portraying that big bad oil needs to go away and that he cares about the country. When all he knows is that the current congress/senate wont let us drill here, so there is less money in oil....but a lot of money in alternative. Once an oil tycoon always a greedy lieing money grubbing oil tycoon.

[RisingSun401]

Now we know why Pelosi close down Congress for 5wks. not allowing the vote to drill off shore.

If that vote was passed, she and Pickens would be in a good position. If this bill on off shore drilling passed before Pelosi and Reid shut down Congress, they would have lost millions in stock revenue and possibly killed Pop. 10 in California.

Voters wake up, these people think we are stupid. Pelosi has already made 110% on her investment in CLNE stock. That is near $225,000.00 since May 2007.

[RisingSun401]

Everyone should know this;

Pickens is banking on 'em. And Pelosi is banking on him. She bought between $50,000 and $100,000 worth of stock in Pickens' CLNE Corp. in May 2007 on the day of the initial public offering

CLNE also happens to be the sponsor of Proposition 10, a ballot initiative in Pelosi's home state of California to dole out $10 billion in state and federal funds for renewable-energy incentives - namely, natural gas and wind.

It's all about the money!

McCain 08

[RisingSun401]

CLNE Is a main supplier of natural gas and wind power.

Pelosi and Pickens are trying to corner a market by freeing up natural gas to fuel government cars and all municipality vehicles, take a lump sum of the 10billion dollars through Prop 10 invest it into CLNE and the stock will soar.

Don't let this happen T. Boone is trying to get a lion share of gov't money and this plan will cost the taxpayer hundreds of billions of dollars forever. Only the fans are only 20% efficient.

McCain 08

[tubclubpres]

"I feel that this plan is ... somehow ... above... my personal endevors..." does that mean that it will be cheap for consumers? That would be one way to prove his lobbying efforts are for everyone and not his personal endevors.

[Logiclessly]

It seems people are say there is a good , bad, and ugly side to this.

The GOOD- A rich man pushing Alternative energy, possibly a reduction of oil dependence

The BAD- ulterior motives, water rights and eminent domain

The UGLY-The status quo, send our money to the ARABS, more brown clouds over our cities , maybe even global warming over the next 500 years

Did I miss anything???

It a start people, Nothing to do with Obama, McCain. Let's get behind this one. Stop being such a douche people

[fandore12]

oh one last thing for the energy crisis nut jobs out there, they already know a solution, its called earth magnets. the magnetic engine is so strong and powerful, you can get approx over 100 mph on it, not just that but the life span on one is about 300 years before it finally stops working.

a man put one in his vehicle in 2003, the gov told him to keep his mouth shut but when he got it to work perfectly, he just had to spread the word. he was killed 3 months later.

look the thing up on youtube.

[fandore12]

on the subject, if pickens was trying to "do the best for the country" then why wont he let anyone profit from his plan?

he basically is saying, give me all your money so i can build big ass wind turbines and then make you pay for helping me in the first place... f you dude.. stop being so greedy and offer some of the initial share.

[fandore12]

for all the people who think oil is from Americans.. your dead wrong, my dad owns part of Conico. i don't like my father because he is hart less, most oil workers are. the oil business is mainly trying to cap the worlds oil so they can have complete control over how much oil will be let out.

terrorist is fake and is actually paid off by most businesses such as the oil fields.

quote from the head of safety department

"it doesn't matter who paid for it" referring to Sept 11.

do your history plz!

[smelliottbobelliott]

Pickens just wants to move all the water supply from the windbelt back to his home state of Texas.

He tried 15 years ago to move all that water out in the open and he was shot down by legislators. Now he's doing it "for the sake of the environment" under the guise of building wind turbines all down the middle of America. While that is a wonderful idea CONSIDER THE MOTIVES: funneling all the water in the Midwest to Texas?? Is that what you want to happen in your state?

INSANITY!

[Daytrader2008]

He's a liar. He is in it for they money. The money is a way of keeping score among the wealthy.

[fandore12]

HEY PICKENS... LET ME KNOW HOW MUCH YOU "PLAN" ON SELLING YOUR WIND POWER FOR ?

come on guys, wake up, he's looking for a way to make millions!

hes an oil man and oil men have no souls. my dads an oil man and he barely seems human!

dont be fooled with this guy, he only wants to control an already needed resource so he can send you a bill in the mail!

[Daytrader2008]

Nothing wrong with making money, but they way he wants to do it is not honest. He wants the government take millions of acres of private land through eminent domain and give to him. Then he will establish a monopoly.

[cwoodups]

um buy power from an american or buy oil from terrotist difficult ? I think not

[zwecklosigkeit]

this pickuns guy exudes schmuck.

[clemson1990]

The real deal is that he thinks that the rest of us are shcmucks.

[mikewade32]

Fuck You T. Boone Pickens! Oh yea lets run around and steal all the opportunity before the price of oil drops through the fucking floor. Oh here, sign my rip off scam. Your in this for the money and that's it. Your a thief. You got oil and that's all your gonna get you greedy fuck.

[Flowxp]

lol, he is funny !! :))

[clemson1990]

The scumbag who bankrolled the Swiftboat Veterans scam against Kerry is wanting you to believe he has found a higher calling. T Boone Pickens is selling nothing but snake oil.

[c3po1111]

Ultimately any one green technology is not efficient at the moment, but the fact is they will only improve if invested in, and they WILL Improve

Technology like Plasma Gasification, Extremely Expensive, but capable of turning everyday trash into Electricity/Hydrogen, to sell back to the consumer. It would take 10 years to pay off its own construction but thats FINE. Because it will pay itself off and Turn All Waste(with the sole exception of Radioactive waste) into Energy and Useful Products.

[c3po1111]

Then we have solar.

everyone says Its to expensive, again all technology starts out Expensive, a few years back it was more expensive than it is now, Right now its more expensive than it will be in a few years.

The point is its not only about a quick fix, its an investment in something everyone knows will eventually be totally 100% viable.

Same goes for Wind.

[c3po1111]

The fact is we spend ALOT of money on oil it would be a manner of 10 years before renewable sources of energy payed themselves off(all the while because of Investment Improving. Smaller, More Efficient, Cheaper, more easily produced, etc.

The only reason this isn't taken seriously is because Oil Companies who don't want to lose money, and Shortsighted people who don't understand how to get technology to develop(it requires INVESTMENT).

There is no Quick fix people, but there are solutions

[luvofcountry]

Exactly. I wonder how far we'd be now, if we would have implemented a plan back in the 1970s which resembled the size and scope of the Manhattan Project.

[luvofcountry]

Personally, I'd like to see more research in solar-powered Stirling engine technology.

[luvofcountry]

Gee...Thanks for telling us what we've already known since the 1970s. But instead, you people flooded the airwaves with commercials ridiculing others for wanting to develop alternative energy sources. (Remember the "crazy" old bag lady with the pinwheel? The cabbie who wouldn't shut up?)

Go back to doing what you know best: Lying, swiftboating, and welching on bets.

[thecreammaster1]

T. Boone Pickens your pockets. Solar is best answer, just trying to perpetuate oil. Wind itself is a by product of solar heat.. yet another person who doesn't have the answer tricking people.

[RisingSun401]

What Pickens is not telling you is that these wind mill can only produce 20% of its rated power. It would take an extreme amount of windmills to produce 10000gigawatts of electricity. He also doesn't tell you that these wind mills are bigger than a football field and must require a very large gasoline or diesel powered generator to get them to work. Sorry like I stated before Europe has been using them for sometime now and they are not performing as planned.

[c3po1111]

"must require a very large gasoline or diesel powered generator to get them to work."

Wrong, all they need is wind.

Europe Gets almost 10% from Wind

My overall view is that Wind Turbines alone are not efficient enough atm, but take into consideration the fact that historically all New Technology starts out that way.

If people said screw computers because it was the size of a HOUSE back in the, where would we be?

its called Investment

Wind/Solar/Geothermal/Nuclear/­Gasification

[ludachris475]

I petition Congress that we make gas by burning old people.

With all that patented Geezer Grease® at our disposal, there'd be no stopping us.

[ferval58]

Have even a better idea. We all should bend over grab our ankles, Face West, Pass gas and light a match. The super heated air will rise, causing a large increase in wind velocity. By the time it reaches Washington DC all Government will be blown into the Atlantic. Thus turning humans into green machines. All problems solved, now more hot air to warm the earth from DC

[RisingSun401]

Trivia question; What does the texas panhandle, have in common with which disastrous weather phenomenon and the name of the area that it plagues its havoc (As the music of jeopardy plays on)

[mint25MD]

Wind turbines are profitable now that energy prices are so high. In some Texas areas the electricity rate is higher than $0.16 per kwh and those new turbines don't require much wind. Dallas spends more than 2 billion per year on electricity and the Texas panhandle is a very windy area. He will make a lot of money even without government subsidies.

[ohioworststate]

This guy is a crook....he is the main contributor to the swift boat weenies that sunk kerry

[RisingSun401]

Here's some more to knock this T.Bone with. He's not telling the public how much in gov't subsidy he getting as kick back for this little plan guessing from what he says he has probably near 30 million. Europe has already said it doesn't work efficiently because wind doesn't blow all time. And for him to be producing 4k megawatts of electricity the wind would have to be blowing over 40mph continuously. T.Bone is fleecing America. He didn't think the we would beat the the greenies and drill.

[zupf]

Oh you can overlook this you liberal socialist! You look the other way knowing Senator Byrd served in the West Virginia klan. You socialists and your "selective" outrage.

[ohioworststate]

I don't think you'll find many "liberal socialists???" that will defend senator Bird...... that's a west virginia problem.... socialist? how to sumise that argument?

[quaheedus]

Thank god somebody stepped up to the plate and sunk Kerry!

[ohioworststate]

Yeah you're right...what would this country be like if we didn't have this exceptional president we have now

[quaheedus]

Probably worse off!

[ohioworststate]

I'd venture to gurantee.....PROBABLY NOT!!!!

[clemson1990]

The scumbag geezer that bankrolled those lowlife Swiftcrack Veterans is now selling windpower. Yeah right! "Will the brain dead now follow me to the windmills".

[quaheedus]

Just as the brain dead liberals follow billionaire George Soros, who has an entire organization he consistently funds with millions of dollars to attack politicians with views that oppose his liberal socialistic/communist views..even though Soros became a billionaire through the use of capitalism. Why do liberals want socialism and to make it extremely difficult for you or I or anyone to become self reliant, successful or wealthy? Because you cant control and buy votes of self reliant people.

[clemson1990]

Veterans like myself who defended this country and won awards like the purple heart, watched Pickens trash the award by maliciously attacking a man who was THERE! Pickens is not a credible spokesman for anyone but himself. By the way, don't be too hard on the liberals. Two thousand years ago, a bearded liberal Jew by the name of Jesus, founded and died for a religion which enriches us to this day.

[luvofcountry]

Well said!

Kerry and his crew came to my home town, and his crew backed up Kerry's story. I'm a veteran also, and when I was in basic training, one of our classes dealt with conduct regarding business dealings away from the military. No military member is allowed to enter a civilian deal which has even the HINT of conflict of interest. Shame on the GOP for sending our finest to die, while the same "people" who sent them there have profited. It's an insult to every one of our soldiers.

[luvofcountry]

quaheedus, capitalism is exactly the reason extended drilling will NEVER ease gas prices. If an oil company can sell oil for more on the foreign market, why WOULD they sell it for less here? Under capitalism it makes no sense whatsoever. And the Republicans can then claim victory from "saving the US from socialism" or whatever evil they intend to invent this time.

I'm not buying it.

[mint25MD]

Does anyone know how much a wind turbine would cost? I want a wind turbine of my own but I cant find the cost anywhere. vestas v52-850 kw wind turbine. I think it cost half a million but I am not sure.

[RisingSun401]

Pickens has vested himself in wind mills and its about business and that alone. If this endeavor fails it leaves a mark on his portfolio. Cool idea but an unattractive landscape. What about tornado's in the wind gate he speaks of. Its dead center in the path of tornado ally. Yes we can drill our way out of this. We must however, vigorously seek other forms of power. Nuclear is the best most effective way of producing large amounts of energy in a small foot print and its byproduct is hydrogen.

[Darkon711]

Until some nutjob named Mohammad decides to crash a plane into it. I'm all for nuclear power, but there's just too much risk involved.

[masterfulninja]

The reactor can be housed as deep underground as needed. Unless the plane goes full speed straight down from maximum altitude i dont think nuclear power is vulnerable to plane strikes.

[DomeFiah]

Nuclear Bi-product is nuclear waste. That's why there's however many tons of waste buried in the desert.

Hydrogen would be the best to invest in, considering it's slowly making a rise and it's bi-product is water.

[RisingSun401]

Nuclear plants produce hydrogen when producing electricity. The amount of nuclear waste is minimal compared to oil and coal usage. So using nuclear power is a two prong effect. All the electricity you can use and hydrogen for your cars of tomorrow. Its the smartest most economical way of meeting the needs and demands of a growing nation. Nuclear power plants are not near as dangerous as before and new tech. has made melt downs impossible.

[jimbeauxtexas]

Nuclear power plants outside the Soviet Union have never been dangerous. And that comes from someone who has looked at history and done a 180 on that subject.

[geallieerden77]

What about the partial meltdown at Three Mile Island of the coast of Pennsylvania. As a result, radioactive gas and water were vented to the environment around the reactor. Radioactive water was released into the Susquehanna river. Not a big disaster, but a close call.

[jimbeauxtexas]

Not a big disaster? Not any kind of disaster. The reactor was immediately shut down and quarrantined and the radioactivity relaease miniscule. As it turns out in retrospect all the hullabaloo was much ado about nothing.

[WHYNOT1972]

Inventions have been made that were for the carburetor back in the early 1970's that doubled the gas mileage.One person I met actually held one (southern california);another I recently met said another person he worked with sold a similar invention to a company and became a millionaire w/o helping the United States.

[dtrouble48]

*spread his extreme*

[dtrouble48]

T. Boone Pickens is a fucking asshole who needs to up and die, and spread is extreme wealth to the poor people he's taken it from!!!! People get duped into selling their land, their water rights, their mineral rights, just so this fucker can make more money. Don't believe a single word he says.

[cardfanatic6666]

The problem all these years is that no one COULD make money with wind power.

If he can do it, that would be a GOOD thing.

This is America, since when did the profit motive become a bad thing???

[dreaminisfree]

i wish he would stop giving money to this college i go to, because this school is a joke and so are the people running it! if he only knew what they are doing with the money! i could tell you stories...

[jill1989forever]

I think this will get his attention and he'll stop giving to the cowboys for a while. ;)

[jimsmoments]

Europe has 1,000's of windmills, Brazil did ethanol 25 years ago. Germany, Spain and others are CLOSING nuclear plants.

While Boone is talking about natural gas, most Brazilian gas stations have natural gas "pumps" plus alcohol and gasoline. And before you make fun of a stupid little So. American country: Brazil's larger than the 48 states,the 9th largest economy, and their money has been climbing against the dollar for years.

We can't ever prove Boone's motives, but his facts are right on.

[DsmB2007]

Right on!!

Give me a billion dollars..I'll tell ya I'm not in it for the money, while I sit on my private island sipping pena coladas!! =)

[mycahbanks]

Whether he's in it for the money or not, America needs a clean, domestic alternative energy source. Greed got us into this mess, and ironically that may be what it takes to get us out.

[medulittle]

Just FYI Pickens is a long time OIL man and is in this for the MONEY MONEY MONEY!! All he cares about is his bottom line and money, If anyone believes this guy they are being duped. Mark my words he is dishonest as they come.

[voteforpeace08]

Aloternative energy SHOULD be lucrative - otherwise what is theincentive for people like Pickins to GET out of OIL and into WIND

[trentlogan25]

john, you've got to wear clothes in proportion to your physique. there are definite do's and don'ts good buddy of wearing a bold striped shirt. oops, gotta go. t. boone pickens just walked in.

[nosupecualponerme]

lol he its on the bussines of making things that dont work as efficient than other ones;such as air power cars ,water power cars , and wirless energy;he just want to make money building those fans that on turn give u electricity but the people going to pay the same or more but use it..bla bla bla

[TogetherinParis]

T. Boon Pickens is a great American. However, the high price of oil will remedy this crisis by its lonesome. Folks know there's gold in them thar windmills, and they'll seek it out as space time and capital become economically available.