Innovative PC's - Kent? I think not!

Here we are the great "energy warehouse" hydro-powerhouse - and yet?

There they are - the little Northern Nation of Iceland humming along with half our population and resources.

So what's new?

The Icelandic company Even has purchased, and in the next few months intends to set up, 200 new express electric-car charging stations around the country.

According to plans outlined by the government, 10 percent of cars should rely on sustainable fuels by 2020. Currently, however, it is not very practical to own an electric car in Iceland as there are very few charging stations, most of them located in the capital area.

Oh yes they are even complaining because they are behind Norway - you know the land of Statoil of which Danny Williams thinks Nalcor is like.

As of May 2014, a total of 30,319 plug-in electric vehicles have been registered in Norway, of which, 95% are all-electric vehicles. The registered plug-in electric fleet consists of 28,827 all-electric passenger and light-duty vehicles, and 1,492 plug-in hybrids.

From September 2013 to March 2014, five times an electric car has ranked as the top selling new car in the country. The Tesla Model S has been the top selling new car three times, twice in 2013, first in September and again in December.

AND  Among the existing government incentives, all-electric cars are exempt in Norway from all non-recurring vehicle fees, including purchase taxes...

Did we have a chance to be in on this action? You bet we did. What did we do about it? Nothing! The partisan brains allow only partisan activity. They will drive Steve Kent or his supporters to robo vote on a VOCM poll - diligent, fervent, and maniacal interest in that - while opportunities pass us by.

Innovation? I think not. So as we lose and lose more business interests in our province - somehow the nation of Iceland keeps plugging into this innovation.

In Newfoundland and Labrador - our government is still trying to figure out how to keep the power on. We have the physical resources but we lack the visionary leadership to do anything but give them away.

As we have learned this week - companies know how to suck the money out of this government and use it to advance themselves without regard for the people who financed them...

Landmark Oil Find - Great News for ???

The news offshore is good - another significant oil find off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Hundreds of millions of barrels of light sweet crude - lots of the best.

Now let's look at our cut.

Statoil is owned 67% by the people of Norway. They will be the primary beneficiary of our oil.

Newfoundland and Labrador is still not able to refine any of our own oil. Therefore refineries in Eastern Canada will be the beneficiary of the secondary processing.

Our population is not increasing despite the massive oil, mineral, and energy wealth.

The news is good - yes. The news is great - hardly.

How about our local media do a breakdown of the benefits coming from another of our natural resources. This might tell us and Minister Joan Shea why we have a shrinking aging population despite all the fabulous natural resource headlines.

Ironic - that today we are worried about the potential loss of the Come by Chance refinery where we process oil that is far inferior to our own.

It is superb news for NOIA - it is another sad day for the people of our province. 

Too bad our politicians do not have the vision of their colleagues in Norway.

Population Norway - 1970 - 3.8 million
Population Newfoundland and Labrador - 1970 - 514 thousand

Population Norway - 2012 - 5 million
Population Newfoundland and Labrador - 2012 - 526 thousand

Guess it really depends on what we do with natural resources. Norway and this province are good comparisons relative to energy wealth - both hydro and oil.

This is just another giveaway.