It is too late. The collapse of this hypocritical, avaricious, prodigal society is imminent. There really isnt anything that can be done now but watch the collapse.
You're right. We're going to see a depression worse than any in history combined.This ongoing war on terrorism is going to increase our deicit tremendously.
The *bright* side is, young people from 18 to 26 will have jobs, when the government reinstates the draft to have enough personnel for this war. It won't happen this election year, but expect it in 2005.
WHOMEVER "wins" the presidential election of 2004 will wish they had never gone into politics.
There IS an honest-to- god <B>nightmare</B> waiting right down the road.... Ever hear of something called <I>PEAK OIL</I>?
You people are pitiful. Panic mongers - do you thrive on being afraid of everything on the face of this earth? The sun is going to burn out next Wednesday. Oh no!!!!!!!! What can we do? Well, we can panic, that always makes us feel more secure. Losers. Get a life.
Did someone, other than you, Rainbo Brite, say the sun is burning out next wednesday? You seem to me a particularly ignorant specimen. Happily, they are generally the first casualties.
There really are things going on in this world that will have an impact on our future:
No Social Security benefits
This continued war on terrorism.
The Patriot Act
Our economy on the brink of collapse
Loss of jobs to overseas cheap labor
Business scandals - Enron, Haliburton, Martha Stewart, etc.
The decay of family life
The decline in education standards and educational budgeting by the states.
The rising prison population
We have powerful people that have great control- politicians, bankers, and big business lobby groups.
All of this can be found in legitimate press such as The Wall Street Journal, Time, USA Today, etc.
Look at your local government - is there wasteful spending? "Pork Barrel" projects in your County?
It's not all gloom and doom, but we as a people need to be aware of what is going on, and voice our concerns.
You doomsday soothsayers are a pathetic lot. You've all got "chicken little" syndrome. Things might get rough but the strong will survive. It's always been that way and always will be. Welcome to the land of the living. If you can't keep up,take notes.
I read a message similar to this before. it was in German, the year was 1933....
Life After the Oil Crash
Civilization as we know it is coming to an end soon. This is not the wacky conclusion of a religious cult, but rather the result of diligent analysis sourced by hard data and the scientists who study global "Peak Oil" and related geopolitical events.
The situation is so dire that even George W. Bush's Energy Adviser, Matthew Simmons, has acknowledged that "the situation is desperate. This is the world's biggest serious question."
If you are like 99% of the people reading this, you have never heard of the term "Peak Oil." I had not heard the term until a few years ago. Since learning about Peak Oil, I have had my worldview, and basic assumptions about my own individual future turned completely upside down.
Whether you're 25 or 75, an attorney or an auto mechanic, what you are about to read will shake the foundations of your life.
Below, you'll find a brief explanation of Peak Oil, its ramifications, and what we can do about it. For the sake of simplicity, I have designed the following explanation for somebody unfamiliar with Peak Oil. I have also left out the citations -- although everything has come from the extremely thorough articles and interviews linked at the bottom of this page.
What is "Peak Oil?"
All oil production follows a bell curve, whether in an individual field or on the planet as a whole. On the upslope of the curve, production costs are significantly lower than on the downslope, when extra effort (expense) is required to extract oil from reservoirs that are emptying out.
For the past 150 years, we have been moving up the upslope of the global oil production curve. "Peak Oil" is the industry term for the top of the curve. The peak will last for a year or so, at which time we will go down the very steep downslope. The further we go down the slope, the more it costs to produce oil, and its cousin, natural gas.
When Will "Peak Oil" Occur?
The most wildly optimistic estimates indicate 2020 will be the year in which worldwide oil production peaks. Generally, these estimates come from the government.
A more realistic estimate is between the year 2004-2010. Unfortunately, we won't know that we've hit the peak until 3-4 years after we actually hit it. Even on the upslope of the curve, oil production varies a bit from year to year. It is possible that the year 2000 was the year of peak oil production, as production has dipped every year since.
The energy industry has quietly acknowledged the seriousness of the situation. For instance, in an article entitled "A Revolutionary Transformation," the president of Exxon Mobil Exploration Company, Jon Thompson stated: "By 2015, we will need to find, develop and produce a volume of new oil and gas that is equal to eight out of every 10 barrels being produced today."
That Sounds Pretty Bad, But I Don't Drive An SUV Or Anything. Even If Gas Prices Get High, I Could Probably Still Make Ends Meet. Why Should I Be Concerned?
Almost every current human endeavor from transportation, to manufacturing, to electricity to plastics, and especially food production is inextricably intertwined with oil and natural gas supplies.
Commercial food production is oil powered. All pesticides are petroleum based, and all commercial fertilizers are ammonia based. Ammonia is produced from natural gas.
Oil based agriculture has been fantastic for food production. Oil allowed for farming implements such as tractors and food storage and transport systems such as refrigerators and trucks. As oil production went up, so did food production. As food production went up, so did the population. As the population went up, the demand for food went up, which increased the demand for oil.
Unfortunately, we are at a point where the demand for food/oil has been rising exponentially, and is expected to continue to do so. Oil (food) production, however, is about to drop dramatically.
When Peak Oil occurs, food production will plummet because of the cost of fertilizer will soar. The cost of storing (electricity) and transporting (gasoline) what little food that is produced will also soar. Unless you grow all your own food on your own local, self sustained farm, you will have to deal with the food shortage.
Oil is also required for nearly every consumer item, water supply pumping, sewage disposal, garbage disposal, street/park maintenance, hospitals & health systems, police, fire services, and national defense.
Thus, the aftermath of Peak Oil will extend far beyond how much you will pay for gas. Simply stated, you can expect: war, starvation, economic depression, possibly even the extinction of homo sapiens.
This is known as the post-oil "die-off." The term "die-off" captures perfectly the nightmare that is at our doorstep. For a humorous portrayal of the die-off, read chapter 3 of Michael Moore's most recent book, "Dude, Where's My Country?"
What Do You Mean By "Die Off?"
Exactly what it sounds like. It is estimated that the world's population will contract to 500 million during the Oil Crash. (current world population: 6 billion)
What Are My Chances Of Surviving The "Die Off?"
If you ignore the warnings, and don't prepare, you have absolutely no chance of surviving.
If you pay attention, and start preparing, you have very little chance of surviving.
We all may as well accept were going to die during the crash. However, if enough of us prepare, then at least a few should make it and humanity will rise once again.
