Last year Mr Gore’s venture capital firm loaned a small California firm $75m to develop energy-saving technology. The company, Silver Spring Networks, produces hardware and software to make the electricity grid more efficient.
The deal appeared to pay off in a big way last week, when the Energy Department announced $3.4 billion in smart grid grants, the New York Times reports. Of the total, more than $560 million went to utilities with which Silver Spring has contracts.
The move means that venture capital company Kleiner Perkins and its partners, including Mr Gore, could recoup their investment many times over in coming years.
Critics, mostly on the political right and among global warming sceptics, say Mr. Gore is poised to become the world’s first “carbon billionaire,” profiteering from government policies he supports that would direct billions of dollars to the business ventures he has invested in.
Smart man…invest in the future! You did already know that global warming is a financial bonanza didn’t you?
Gore knows that progressives are dumbasses and that he can take their money no problem. It’s the folks who see that Gore is nothing more than a snake oil salesman that he has a problem with.
I wish Al well in joining the hundred of oil billionaires profiting from our military operations in the middle east there to protect their oil fields.
The FREE US military presence in the middle east is the largest subsidy to any industry. It makes the farm subsidy look puny.
Well, at least he isn’t a war profiteer like our Dear Ex-Vice Leader Cheney.
He isn’t a war profiteer, He’s a fake science profiteer from dumbass liberals.
I’m reminded of one of Douglas Adams’ books where, at some point, a bunch of people had declared that leaves would be the new currency, with the result that everyone was rich, but there was a minor problem with inflation. They planned to solve the inflation problem with a de-forestation program.
Al Gore could be the first carbon billionaire, and with luck, the first carbon bankruptcy.
The trick (as Goldman Sachs knows, and Lehman Brothers learned the hard way) when selling “nothing” is getting out of the market before the suckers realize the game is up.
Green is the new home of Greed.
Caption this photo: “Pull my finger! See that? That’s global warming in action…”
The bottom line is that Cap & Trade works, but nobody on the Right wants to admit it. We did it for SULPHUR, remember?
From the site:
There are none so blind that will not see.
Cap and trade, was, in fact, a republican invention. If I believed the future was going a particular direction, that’s where I would set my sail. That must make me a fraud to people who are my political enemies.
Because everything in the world is about partisan hatred, to those on the right of the fox news maginot line.
And I just love taking advice on science from somebody called cornholer.
Good for Algore. I hope the lying bastard gets everything he deserves and if people are stupid enough to believe then that’s on them.
#3 – “fake science profiteer”
Yeah, we should really on the Republicans for real science. You know the folks that didn’t have ONE candidate for President who believed evolution is real. The folks who think creationism should be taught in science classes. The folks who think gay are “destroying” marriage. Yeah, I want science from THESE folks. ROTFLMAO
I am looking into purchasing some really big hockey stick graphs. Do you think Gore could cut me a deal on that one he used in his movie? What’s a completely discredited chart go for these days?
(sp: “rely on”)
DAMN YOU SPELL CHECKER!
13. This smear tactic of equating global warming deniers with creationists (or worse, Republicans!) is getting tiresome. But by all means, if it makes you feel better. Next time, just remember to throw Hitler and the Jews into your argument, too.
You know what’s more sad than someone profiting from fake science? People that are such party whores that they actually defend him.
Check out their web site, silverspringnetworks.com
They use TCP/IP to allow customers to negotiate with the national power grid, providing feedback loop data on usage and demand. Energy providers offer bids, in an open market, on a national scale, to supply to individual home owners. i.e. excess power generation in the NW can be sold to homes in the SE.
Now he can afford to purchase more carbon credits.
First of all more efficient energy generation, transmission, and distribution, is a no brainer. Even without the supposed environmental considerations, it makes sense at all levels. So Al Gore decided to put his money where his mouth was, so where’s the impropriety? Fortunately this will inspire others to do likewise – nothing inspires imitation quite like success.
This is a perfect example of how the Fed has ruined this country.
Where do you think the government got the funds to award these contracts?
Once this money has been spent and the stock has gone up, they’ll start selling off chunks of it at a huge profit.
And this will happen about the same time prices start going up due to a devalued dollar. But AG and his buddies won’t mind. They’ll have already made theirs before the correction hits.
Loans. Bubbles. Inflation. Correction.
Happens every time.
I thought you teabaggers love capitalism?
23. Our objections have nothing to do with capitalism. If people want to voluntarily choose to do business with Gore, then by all means, give him your money. The problem is people whom wish to use government threats to force others into paying for his scam.
25,
As I’ve said, there are none so blind that will not see.
Oh God. Do we have to see this dumbass on this website today? I had almost forgotten about this dickwad.
Considering how much of the Earths history we know so little about. Especially in weather. After all accurate record keeping has only gone on for a bit over a hundred years. I think its very junk science for Al Gore and his crony’s to say that global warming (if it does exists) is anything but another cycle of global weather that may happen in cycles too long to have documented before. I certainly am supportive of his drive for better energy sources and saving natural resources. But to put on such a bogus campaign of fear to get people to take notice is just what it is. Al Gore first and for most is out to make a good living like a TV gospel preacher to make money! Live a grand lifestyle and not to practice what he preaches.But this type of pandering for Green is backfiring because when people start disliking your tactics. They also begin to dislike your sermon.
Thanks Pedro. I agree my insightful point deserves another post;
US military presence in the Persian Gulf to protect the oil fields is the largest government subsidy on earth. It makes the farm subsidy look puny.
OIL billionaires appreciate taxpayers picking up that cost protecting the oil fields and that polluting the environment is FREE.
26. I thought this was a ‘science’ topic. Quoting Bible (or equivalent) parables does nothing to enhance your credibility. In fact, it just further points out that global warming has become a pseudo-religion.
Wingnuts believe free market capitalism is great… until someone they don’t like profits from it. Then they become whining little soreheads. I’m enjoying the show! 🙂
But seriously, the free market is a good mechanism for encouraging energy conserving companies to flourish. Good for them if they are able to make our power grid more efficient.
And good point on the Oil Billionaires, Dallas.
He went to Washington to do good and he did very well indeed.
Whoops, forgot the money quote from the article:
Mr Gore had said that he is simply putting his money where his mouth is.
“Do you think there is something wrong with being active in business in this country?” Mr. Gore said. “I am proud of it. I am proud of it.”
Making our power grids more efficient is a win regardless of global warming. So why bash him for investing in it?
Looks like some wingnut knees are jerking… 🙂