Is the well running dry already?

[Rbt]

Well if

you all get tired of discussing politics and global warming, how about this issue?




http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/16/1583194/us-military-warns-of-serious-oil.html

[belgareth]

Well if you

all get tired of discussing politics and global warming, how about this issue?




http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/16/1583194/us-military-warns-of-serious-oil.html
I'd say

that the report is probably predicated on current use and current suppliers. There is an ocean of oil under the US

that we have not been allowed to drill, even though it would have done our economy and our national security a lot

of good. This disaster in the gulf will only make matters worse for drilling and I have to wonder about the

circumstances of the accident. The timing of it, coming right after Obama said he would authorize more offshore

drilling and on earth day at that, seems a little too good to be true.

We do need to focus on alternative energy

as our best bet, but biofuels, solar and wind are really not viable for major producers. The actual capacity, the

pollution from them and the ROI are all too bleak be be realistic. Nuclear power is the future and until we get

serious about most of our energy coming from that source, we are just wasting our time and money.

[Rbt]

Honestly, if I were running US fuel

and oil policy, I'd probably not tap our domestic sources, not just because of any "environmental" concerns, but

strategic ones.

Some countries, like Saudi Arabia, pretty much can only survive because they have oil to sell to

support their economy. Once it's gone, they will probably be in the dumper. So it would be to "our" advantage to

let them use up their supplies first *before* we start sucking ours. Comes down to polititcal and economic power.



We may complain about the high price of gasoline here, but by comparison to the rest of the world it's cheap, and

even the more recent price "crisis" in the US really was just more of an inconvenience than a disaster. Even at $4 a

gallon I still saw plenty of cars on the road and blowing by me at gas-gulping speeds to boot.

Plus we all know

the "bad" news (like the ever-popular disaster movies) get all the attention and press. The good news (or sometime

just plain reality) is just too boring. I have one friend who seems to be certain that when we hit "peak oil" the

world will plummet into chaos in short order. I'm dubious. I've seen too many "disasters" come and go in my life

already and the world is still here, and life keeps going on.

[idesign]

I think we should be pulling out

all the stops on all domestic sources of energy. The fact that we've been held hostage by a minority interest is a

national shame and disgrace. Meanwhile, every sector of our economy suffers through high energy costs. It does not

need to be that way.

Don't hold your breath waiting for a responsible energy policy coming from this gov't.

The systemic blockage from an entrenched bureaucracy, coupled with Congressional self-preservation and an ideologue

Executive assures inaction for the indefinite future.

We're sitting atop complete energy independence and

being told to change our light bulbs.

As for the peak oil crisis, its a controlled and manipulated event, and

will be pulled out of a magical hat at just the right time. The AGW meltdown has shown us the lengths to which

those who wish to control will go to dominate the public and private spheres. The fix is in, and there's really

nothing any of us can do about it.

Agree that nuclear should be our primary focus. Just think though, how long

it would take to just get the approvals to build a nuclear plant in this country, if you could ever achieve it.

There's a rich double irony in imagining a group of protesters holding "No Nukes!" signs with "No Blood for Oil"

fading on the back side. If you get it you get it...

I gotta stop, its all too sad and depressing.

[Rbt]

Creating a politically motivated

"crisis" is a way to control the masses. Need to divert attention from your expensive junkets? Yell about oil. Need

to take away from an economic meltdown (that may very well have been as a result of some ill-thought out or nice

"kickback" policy)? Start a war or or yell about unfounded WMD stockpiles. And bolster your chance of getting

reelected and keeping that nice job, fat pension, and wonderful healthcare plan by puching the "don't change horses

in the middle of this stream (that we created)" at election time.

<phooey>

And yes, it does seem to take at

least 10 years to even get halfway started on a nuke plant (or most any other energy plant for that matter). The

Chicago area has been going back and forth on a new airport for decades as another example. And even if it got

approval tomorrow, it could take from 10 to 20 years to get built. So it's not just power plants.

Real progress

only seems to happen after everyone has been paid off or there is no longer any profit in delay.