4-3 Morals and the machine

http://www.economist.com/printedition/2012-06-02

Business: Natural gas

Shale of the century

The “golden age of gas” could be cleaner than greens think

Why I picked up the article

What is “shale gas”? We frequently hear the word and its potential but we don’t know so much about it.   

Discussion

1.What is “conventional” and “unconventional” gas?

2.What is “fracking”(hydraulic fracturing)?

3.How to “regasify” and “liqiuify”

4.Why does the America’s gas boom happen? Do you think it will continue for decades?

Summary

Production: fracking grew by 45% a year/ % of shale gas in overall gas production 4% in 2005 to 24% today

 Price: $2 per mBtu (million British thermal unit) from $12

 Far below European and Asian prices

America: Importer to exporter / regasify to liquefy / development in the Barent Sea has stalled / Qatari LNG in going to Japan / IEA report “the golden age of gas”

America’s shale gas boom factors:

1.”open access” pipeline regulation, which inspired wildcat exploration

2.abundant drill-rigs and other infrastructure

3.strong property rights (the rights to minerals beneath holding lands)

*Europe has good pipelines but tied up years in advance.

*China has a shortage of water which is required to frack.

*Argentina decided to control oil firm that will scare off foreign investment.

 Greens:

They insist “fracking” leads to contamination of aquifers and even to earthquakes but would not address the big problem: the global warming.

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2. Is it possible to make ethically right robots that solve dilemmas?
3. What is required in the law of robotics?


[Leaders] [Shale gas]
Fracking great
1. How does the advent of shale gas affect Japan?
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[Europe] [Charlemagne]
Killing the euro-patent?
1. What is the effect of euro crisis to Japan?


[Business] [Hewlett-Packard]
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2. If Sony announce that they will spin off its CPS (Consumer Products services) business, how does the stock price fluctuate?


[Business] [The business of HIV]
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1. Do you think it is possible to eliminate HIV from the world?
2. Is it important for medical firms to allow to use their patient free of charge?


[Business] [Schumpeter]
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2. Based on this article, how can you make the most of the people with Asperger's syndrome in business?