I haven't had much to say this week. The events in Iraq and New Orleans have got me worried sick. Those of you who have read my rants about peak oil before will probably know why. This is it folks, and I'm scared shit-less. I'm more worried for the rest of the world than myself. I'm relatively prepared. I have my garden, and a roof over my head. I'm in an area that is sparsely populated. And most of all, I'm informed on the real reasons for the exponential energy price rises the world is about to experience. From here on out ignorance will be our greatest enemy.
shit... like an omen. The power just went out here. I'll finish this later...
An hour later, the power is back on. Where was I? Oh yes... ignorance. I got an email today, one of those chain letters. Its title was "Consumer revolt - Tell the oil companies where to shove it! ". I won't post the entire email but basically it was trying to encourage people of New Zealand to 'take control' by refusing to buy any petroleum on September 15. In doing so we could hit the evil oil companies where it hurts by denying them the 90 million dollars they would otherwise make that day. (I'm sceptical about that figure, thats just what the email said). Heres a quote from the chain mail that would have been funny if it weren't for the seriousness of the situation...
"Enough of these ridiculous excuses that the oil companies use to justify their increases everything from President Bush missing a golf stroke on the 9th hole to Aunt Fanny's artificial leg falling off. "
I have two words for the author of this chain mail....
WAKE UP!!!
This is not a government conspiracy, or a corporate plan to fleece consumers. Yes, the oil companies are making record profits, but thats because its an industry that has been downsizing for years and they are prepared for whats coming. Peak Oil is a reality that has been baring down on us for decades that no one wants to see. No one wants to talk about it because there are no easy answers. Telling people that they need to downsize everything they do, indeed our very way of life, is a hard sell for any politician. There's no upside. Tax cuts get much more votes without taxing anybodies brain to much.
And then there's the "technology will save us" crowd. If anybody out there working on alternatives to replace our need for oil is reading this, could you please give us a date? We're going to need a magic fix very soon, and I, for one, am getting very worried.
The recent events in the US is just the spark needed to start the petro-collapse that so many experts have been predicting for so long. It will effect the entire world as the US attempts to suck up all spare capacity, of which there is none. This is going to hurt. It wouldn't surprise me if we see oil over $100 per barrel by Christmas and thst will be just the beginning.
The only way to deal with this is to reduce our need for the 'black gold'. Learn to live without it. It won't be easy by any strech of the imagination, but we are all about to learn that we have no choice. The sooner we accept that reality and get on with the awesome task at hand the better.
Sorry if this post sounds all 'doom and gloom' but I really beleive the it's hitting the fan.
7:21:04 PM 
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