Chiefs: Energy Consumption and Energy Output

Josh Kingsley

Last week was interesting for me. I spent the better part of it in San Diego, which is more awesome than interesting. The reason for the trip was the wild part. My day job is in industrial pumping, and I work around mining, oil and gas production, food and beverage production, aquaculture, and other similar situations. My trip to San Diego featured a conference hosted by an international news outlet. The topic was energy transition away from carbon emitting sources, which is a tall topic. My company had a small exhibit, and I shared space with leaders of some of the biggest oil, mining and energy companies. Additionally, I met numerous innovators and start up types working on the edge of known science and technology.

Why did this conference happen and why was I there? I answered the second question often, but let’s touch the first one first. The fact that we as people spew too much CO2 into the atmosphere does not profile as news. It’s more like an established fact, and also a logical conclusion that we need to dial it back significantly. The more muted factor is water scarcity. We are effectively out of it with our current habits, and it is catching us quickly. The operating assumption in the US has long been that water is safe, endless and free. Bottom line: we are past time to start cleaning this up. However, this leads to one of my all time favorite sayings: the best time to plant a tree is 30 years ago, but the second best time is today.

The Problem from the Solution

San Diego was a perfect backdrop simply by being in California. Cali has mandated all new vehicles be electric by 2035, which effectively puts a hard stop on gas. This is similar to the hard stop on plastic bags at the grocery store, which took effect in the middle of the night in 2016/17. Clean energy and cutting down plastic use are important, noble and necessary causes. My concern is the lack of a comprehensive plan. Electric vehicles are an excellent solution, assuming 3 things:

Lithium remains plentiful
Electrical grids drastically improve (Cali can’t handle what they have)
Clean energy feeds the grid

The third point is the real rub, and the entire exercise is counterproductive if we remain on coal and natural gas powered grids. This is part of the consideration, but requires multiple massive infrastructure changes. All things that do not happen overnight.

Heading in the Right Direction

There was an amount of posturing and politicizing, but it was minimal. My key takeaway for the week is that progress and movement on the subject is happening, and I consider that a major win. We have intelligent, motivated, and most importantly, funded people and organizations on the task. There is also a level of collaboration among traditional competition, which is both refreshing and necessary to make the technological leaps necessary. Here are a few of the innovations in progress:

Harvesting sunlight to produce carbon free heat (watch the movie Sahara)
Aluminum production (made by heating bauxite) in a way that pure oxygen instead of CO2 is the output
Powering planes with pure green hydrogen, which requires handling temperatures in low end of the Kelvin scale

Wild, wild stuff. The last thing of note was the attention, dedication and actual progress from the oil companies. Numerous stood in front of the crowd and committed to net carbon initiatives. Some of the action is coming from a place of regulatory necessity, and some of it from a place of survival. Regardless it is action. I understand anyone in the too little too late camp, but I prefer to focus on the progress.

I believe we are in a critical time of human history, and last week gave me hope.

Sunday Night Happiness

Speaking of hope the CHIEFS reinforced mine. I am generally a sports optimist as long as the team is trying. Part of that is true hopeful thinking, and an equally large part is not looking for reasons to be mad about stuff I cannot control. I am in on this team to host a 5th straight AFC Championship game, make a 3rd Super Bowl in four seasons, and win a 2nd ring this decade.

They are not a finish product and there are things to adjust, but we have #15 and a solid roster around him. That abomination in Indy shook the vibe, but that game and its tape went up in flames in Tampa. It was a wall to wall great performance that served notice to the league. National media has been out on the CHIEFS all season, but everyone put them near the top of their power rankings, following week 4.

Florida Sidebar

I have to take a minute here to extend condolences and encouragement to Fort Myers and Cape Coral. Hurricane Ian did the worst damage in that area, and it will be years before we see anything close to a full recovery. My wedding service company is part of a large, national franchise network, and one of the largest operations is based in Fort Myers. I connected with the team there earlier this week, and it left me with a loss of words. My Kansas roots had shown me the destructive power of tornadoes often in my youth and I can recall multiple towns leveled, but two in particular stick out. The first was the 2001 Hoisington, KS tornado.

I was a sophomore at Fort Hays, and had classmates from Hoisington. Additionally, they were a frequent high school sporting opponent, and did many a home improvement job there.

The other one was the full destruction of Greensburg, Kansas in May 2007. That one hit very close to home.

One of my best friends from FHSU, who was a groomsman in my wedding, grew up there and his parents lost everything. I was living in Walla Walla, Washington when that hit and recall standing in the living room and calling my friend.

The call to Fort Myers had an eerie similarity. I spoke with shell-shocked people who were happy to be alive, and only starting to understand the hill in their future. In this particular situation the Fort Myers crew is dealing with destination weddings that no longer have a destination. Stressed brides are not the nicest people in the world. It is truly insult on top of literal injury. Overall, my thoughts and empathy are with Fort Myers/Cape Coral. I am rooting for them to rebuild their home much like Greensburg, KS rebuilt itself.

Back to the CHIEFS Game

The biggest difference between the “performance” in Indy and the beating given in Tampa was visible body language. Our Tampa version of the CHIEFS looked loose, motivated, and like they were having fun. This team plays best loose, and is unbeatable on nights like last Sunday. The most fun play of the entire game was the layup TD pass to CEH. Mahomes is a cheat code on plays like that, and it is one of the biggest reasons why K.C. loves him. File that one in the, we are all witnesses to greatness folder. I for one, am looking forward to telling my grand kids about watching Mahomes.

A running game is always great to see as well. CEH and Pacheco had a night, and it opened up the field. This CHIEFS team simply cannot lose if they run the ball effectively. Isiah Pacheco is the best thing to happen to CEH. My favorite sequences are the long, hard Pacheco runs followed immediately by a CEH response. Keep it going. Also, mad props to McKinnon for a steady presence. Let’s be real for a moment: the best run of the night was the quick snap to Noah Gray for the short TD run. That play was Andy Reid sharing his poetry.

The Most Credit Due: Defense

The defense was special on Sunday night. They held the Bucs to 3 yards total rushing and flat out dictated the game. Brady — yes, the GOAT — Tom Brady, threw for almost 400 yards, However, it took 52 attempts and he never got the Bucs within arm’s distance of the CHIEFS. That game was the baseball equivalent of an excellent lineup taking a pitcher into deep counts and ending his night early.

One of my favorite all time ball players is Todd Helton, who spent his career on the Rockies. For me, his signature move was the 15 pitch at bat. Todd would foul off all the best offerings the pitcher could muster, and see the full arsenal in the process. The true dagger was ending the sequence with a hit, but regardless of his outcome the pitcher was up in pitch count and fatigue.

That game will stick with Brady.

The 3 total rushing yards seems historical, and according to an internet meme I didn’t save it ties the CHIEFS record for fewest ever allowed. I attempted (admittedly not very hard) to find the box score but failed. What I did find was this page on Stat Muse. That rushing line may be historic for the CHIEFS, but it hardly touches all time. Only the Lions can rush for -53 (negative fifty-three) and only a team in the 40s (also the Lions) can win a game like that. I wish YouTube went back that far… haha!

This Week in Other Leagues

The baseball season ended yesterday, and the playoffs start Friday. My local Milwaukee Brewers completed their collapse and missed the playoffs. They were never the same team after the Hader trade, which will haunt the organization if this core breaks up. The MLB payroll leading Mets fell short in the NL East to the standing World Series Champ Braves, which means Wild Card route for them against the Padres. On the surface the Mets lost out. However, I am not sure a BYE is good in baseball. Baseball, more than any other sport, is a game of rhythm and habit. Taking 3+ days off can easily equal rust, which is bad against a hot team. I expect at least 2 of the 1 and 2 seeds bounced in the second round because of this.

All of this playoff talk takes a back seat to the real baseball story, Aaron Judge. Judge plays for the storied Yankees in the biggest baseball market in the world, and he just capped a historical season (see his record breaking 62nd Home Run coming of the bat, to the left). The top event was his final regular season HR tally of 62. This total puts Judge tops in the American League, and one over the Roger Maris 61*. Many baseball purists are rushing to crown Judge the all time HR leader. I love the sport of baseball, have always followed it closely, and never cared for Barry Bonds. The HR mark is 73 and Bonds is the King. I do not picture this narrative with the current steam if Judge played out of New York or in the National League.

The Rock Chalk Football Jayhawks continue to roll. A tough TCU comes to Lawrence this weekend hot off a beating of OU. Make a statement Lance, Jalon and crew!!

This Week in Stupid Fans

This guy. I hope the judge gives that guy a night in jail for his blatant assault on the judicial system if this goes to court.

Media of the Week

“Boogie Nights” is a movie that was released on October 10, 1997 to critical acclaim. The film had a massive cultural effect as every college age and above female was Roller Girl for Halloween that year. Boogie Nights is the literal personification of sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll.

My song for the week is “Hurricane” by Leon Everette. He charted the song in 1981, and recently Band of Heathens covered and charted in 2018.

The song is about the resiliency of New Orleans natives with regard to the constant barrage of hurricanes. People stay in those areas because they are home. This feels fitting this week.

Josh Kingsley — ArrowheadOne and Arrowhead Kingdom