The End of the World.. as we know it

Originally posted by funlovincriminal
got 2 - a golden labrador and a bull mastiff

Ah yes, the bull mastiff. Quite frightening, he must be to one who doesn't know him! I love it!

I like rotties, labs and german shepherds, myself. And plenty of 'em.

I was just tellin' my friend last night about watching my shepherd attack on command. What a beast that boy was! My beast.

big dogs rule, lol
The mastiff is actually a cross. There's no disguising the fact she's a mastiff, but she is so unusual looking that everyone who sees her is instantly terrified as they're not sure what she is, except very BIG!. I love it! lol. Thing is, though, she's a big pet. Very friendly and laid back, but exceptionally protective of me. And the labrador is a typical labrador - mental!, absolutely crazy, although really intelligent

Originally posted by funlovincriminal
big dogs rule, lol
The mastiff is actually a cross. There's no disguising the fact she's a mastiff, but she is so unusual looking that everyone who sees her is instantly terrified as they're not sure what she is, except very BIG!. I love it! lol. Thing is, though, she's a big pet. Very friendly and laid back, but exceptionally protective of me. And the labrador is a typical labrador - mental!, absolutely crazy, although really intelligent

That's cool, man. I agree - BIG DAWGSrule!

I'll tell ya what, in the event of a major catastrophe, I'd feel a helluva lot safer with 'em.

damn right, mate. I feel I can trust them more than humans. Faithful, dependable, protective - gimme the dogs any time

So, in essence, we would be like many 3rd world countries. No traveling around in our SUVs, or playing video games...No going to that fancy restaurant to eat animals made from radishes or chocolate flowers for dessert.--Instead your babies will be dieing from dysentery while you attempt to expel that pesky bolus of roundworm from your anus. Hmmm...It seems most americans could care less about a cambodians' botfly infection while she shops for the perfect pair of capri pants! Maybe we were undeserving in the first place.
--Kris, Im new here

[Edited on 27-12-2003 by xxKristinexx]

Gee wouldn't NOW be a great time to stop supressing alternate forms of power in engines?

Originally posted by xxKristinexx
So, in essence, we would be like many 3rd world countries. No traveling around in our SUVs, or playing video games...No going to that fancy restaurant to eat animals made from radishes or chocolate flowers for dessert.--Instead your babies will be dieing from dysentery while you attempt to expel that pesky bolus of roundworm from your anus. Hmmm...It seems most americans could care less about a cambodians' botfly infection while she shops for the perfect pair of capri pants! Maybe we were undeserving in the first place.
--Kris, Im new here

[Edited on 27-12-2003 by xxKristinexx]

What a concept, huh?

Originally posted by EastCoastKid
Peak oil. What does that mean exactly? It means at the current rate of world energy consumption, the world is on track to run out of oil by 2037. Some go further, saying the U.S. government has fudged studies and that we will actually see the end of it by 2010 - or even by 2004. Oil reserves on this planet are finite. Extraction is becoming more and more costly. World consumption is growing at a rate that will soon eclipse the ability of any government to satisfy demand. Our lives - at least in the West - are bound like a siamese twin to the oil economy. What does this mean to nations who, for two to four generations have lived life based on a gasoline-fueled society? If the spigets ran dry tomorrow, what would actually happen?
Two things leap to mind immediately. Food (farming) and transport. For years now, the government has systematically bought out small farms and consolidated the industry, not to mention importing foods that we should and could be growing here. All hail "free trade." In order to feed our population, food must be transported to every corner of this nation from the opposite corner. Gone are the days of local production on a big enough scale to feed the people. In order to get the food to market, transfer trucks must be fueled to make the journey. If the oil ran out tomorrow, we would have a crisis on our hands. Stores would, at least, temporarily run out of stock. As a result people would go hungry and the accompanying crime and looting would occur. This could fall under the auspices of instituting martial law - at least in certain harder hit areas.
The other problem, that would literally throw our society back at least 100 years is the fact that we are so suburbanized now. Think of the average person's commute to work. We are a nation held captive to sprawl. If the oil ran out, a multitude of people would become quickly unemployed because of their inability to get to work. That is a scary prospect. The determined among us would have to ride a bike or a horse or walk incredibly long distances. It would be a nightmare. How many of us think about these possibilites? It seems no one in the mainstream media will even begin to broach this subject.
We must be out of our collective minds not to demand of our leaders a new energy policy - NOW! Before the axe falls. And it will! It is only a matter of time. We know there are alternative forms of fuel. And we also know that the big oil, transporation and military interests have done everything in their power to suppress the alternatives. If we don't do something about this now, if we don't put an end to this suicidal energy policy, we will all suffer untold misery when the oil runs dry. Everyone will suffer!

Write, call, email and fax your congressmen and Senators and demand they focus their energies on finding and implementing alternative forms of fuel. Our whole way of life depends on it.




Here's an accompanying article from the Guardian:

Bottom of the barrel

The world is running out of oil - so why do politicians refuse to talk about it?

Tuesday December 2, 2003
The Guardian

The oil industry is buzzing. On Thursday, the government approved the development of the biggest deposit discovered in British territory for at least 10 years. Everywhere we are told that this is a "huge" find, which dispels the idea that North Sea oil is in terminal decline. You begin to recognise how serious the human predicament has become when you discover that this "huge" new field will supply the world with oil for five and a quarter days.

Every generation has its taboo, and ours is this: that the resource upon which our lives have been built is running out. We don't talk about it because we cannot imagine it. This is a civilisation in denial.

the rest: www.fromthewilderness.com...

I just wanted to re-visit this topic and update it with a new article I found. I'm also gonna give a link to "What to do" when that happens. What you do right now to prepare for that coming day could mean life or death. Literally.

Dear Reader,



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 geo-political 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."


Life After the Oil Crash

If you are like 99% of the people reading this letter, you have never heard of the term "Peak Oil". I had not heard the term until a few months ago. Since learning about Peak Oil, I have had my worldview, and basic assumptions about my own individual future turned completely upside down.
the rest: www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net...

What to Do

As oil and gas are depleted - expect problems





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Restriction of oil- and gas-fuelled activities:

Unavailability of oil and gas as "raw material", for fertilizers, insecticides, and medicines, etc.

Economic collapse, as oil and gas-fuelled industry and business become crippled.

Severe food and water shortages, leading to riots, looting, and worse.

Demands for "sharing", anyone who prepared being accused of "hoarding"

Massive population dieoffs, as only a fraction of the present population can be sustained without the present infrastructure, particularly that of the food industry.

Ecological disasters, as remaining natural resources are plundered in attempts to maintain the failing infrastructure. Heavy pollution as survival overrides environmental concerns.

Harsher government at all levels, as governments struggle with local and external challenges, without adequate resources to cope.

Civil disturbances as the public suffers relentlessly deteriorating quality of life.

War, as those who are "better off" are seen as unjust, unfair, or evil, and those armed with weapons (including the military) feels they have nothing to lose.

When to act:

Immediately. As the oil supply dwindles, the shortages, climbing prices, and disruptions of shipping and industry will restrict personal preparations.
the rest: www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net...

I just came across this paper written by Mike Ruppert, author of "Across the Rubicon" and owner of the site FromtheWildnerness.com. It discusses the subject of this thread.. As he says, the USA is on the verge of an economic Armageddon.

As The World Burns

By
Michael C. Ruppert

� Copyright 2004, From The Wilderness Publications, www.fromthewilderness.com. All Rights Reserved. This story may NOT be posted on any Internet web site without express written permission. Contact [email protected]. May be circulated, distributed or transmitted for non-profit purposes only.

-- But when the run on the dollar begins, OPEC will inevitably at some point switch its pricing to the Euro, which the entire world is wrangling - much to Europe's chagrin - into not only a safe-haven currency, but a profitable one. The next house is being built before the old one is abandoned. When the run on the dollar begins, it will be as if the rest of the world declared war on the United States of America by launching a missile, dropping a bomb, or landing an army at Bethany Beach, Delaware. That this will lead ultimately to widespread global warfare seems certain. This is exactly the way the administration is setting it up to appear to the American people. Think of 9/11 times fifty.

The rest of the world is merely defending itself with non-violent means - for the moment. But it will be portrayed as an attack upon the US. "Why?" George Bush will ask, rhetorically. "They hate us because of our freedom."

And, barring a miracle, the end results will be exactly the same as from a physical attack: devastation so complete and unthinkable - magnified by the brutal impacts of Peak Oil - that only a few will even try to prepare for it. That is sad because preparation will make all the difference (barring luck or divine intervention) in who survives and to what extent they remain intact and functioning afterwards.

Run on the Dollar Imminent - The American People and Economy Will Be Among the First Casualties


The World Draws a Line in the Sand Around Iran - There will be No Invasion


Ukraine Possible Sarajevo for Global Conflict; Africa Ready to Explode in Proxy Wars; Latin America Heats Up; More


US Strategic Abandonment of the Korean Peninsula Inevitable; Taiwan Likely


Permanent Blackouts in Industrialized Nations Possible by 2008
www.copvcia.com...

the oil proble should have been solved years ago the technology for hydrogen cars and other power sources has been around for many years like advanced engery systems that the military keeps classified and who knows what else they got classified that if it was declassified there would be no problem when oil started to run low. 20 years ago they should have thought obout that and started making cards trucks run off somthing else besides gas. but most of the highest people in our governent all their money comes from oil so they will never change anything.

Yes, they've kept us in the dark, suppressing technologies, due to their greed. I mean, why not? They'll be dead when the system goes tits up.

Over the past handful of years I've been studying this issue of Peak Oil. The best sources I've come by have agreed world oil reserves are finite and at some point in the not-so-distant future we're gonna tap out.

This is an issue of long-term national security. No one in high places and very few people in our mainstream media are discussing this. Big oil, for ages, has kept this issue as quiet as possible, choking off those who have tried to discuss and develop creating alternative forms of energy. This has got to stop. It's past time for the USA to get with the program, accept reality and to do something about it.

There is nothing the USA can't accomplish once we put our minds to it. We cannot start though, until we acknowledge the problem. Our futures, our way of life as we've long known it, and our very lives depend on it!

I would like to start a research project concerning this issue and am discussing this issue with Thomas Crown. If any of you see this as I do and would be interested in contributing, let me know. You never know ATS, the beginning of a new national energy policy could very well start here. It's up to you.

"The way US DOE has acted so far it is obvious that we cannot expect action before the Peak-Oil date. According to the study this will have the following impact: “Waiting until world conventional oil production peaks before initiating crash program mitigation leaves the world with a significant liquid fuel deficit for two decades or longer.”
"

www.peakoil.net...

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne

www.peakoil.net...

Thanks for the link, TC. I encourage everyone to check this out.. every single one of us have a stake in this issue.

from the link:

World oil peaking represents a problem like none other. The political, economic, and social stakes are enormous. Prudent risk management demands urgent attention and early action.

Originally posted by EastCoastKid
Over the past handful of years I've been studying this issue of Peak Oil. The best sources I've come by have agreed world oil reserves are finite and at some point in the not-so-distant future we're gonna tap out.

An excellent source for the Peak Oil issue is Mike Ruppert's www.fromthewilderness.com. It is covered exhaustively. Here's the link and a mini-list of articles:

OIL & ENERGY

3/25/05
From Adam Porter at BBC - International Energy Agency Proposes Ban-Rationing-Enforced Quotas on Oil Consumption - Measures Would Apply in US
I had to read this story twice to understand its import for all of us. This should have been the number one story on every network and on the front page of every paper. Even as the hubris of the mind-numbing mass media is telling us there's only a slight problem with oil, the International Energy Agency is preparing measures that could result in police-enforced driving bans, rationing and quotas here in the US. It is clear that the IEA admits that some kind of immediate and drastic reduction in consumption is necessary to avoid a breakdown. This is the same IEA that has been saying for years, "Don't worry, There's plenty of oil." -MCR
Read Now

3/21/05
China's Offshore Claims - by Dale Allen Pfeiffer
FTW's Science Editor looks at the tensions currently building over Taiwan.
Read Summary Here
Subscribers Read Full Story Here

3/18/05
Renewables, Part One: The problems of centralized power systems - by Michael Kane
Read Summary Here
Subscribers Read Full Story Here

1/28/05
GlobalCorp. - An Important Announcement by Michael C. Ruppert
I AM NOT A POLITICIAN - THE FIRE IS NO LONGER ON ITS WAY - IT HAS BEGUN
Read Now

2/28/05
FOOTPRINTS, by Dale Allen Pfeiffer
See a remarkable set of maps from National Geographic with illuminating commentary from Dale Allen Pfeiffer.
Read Now

1/28/05
No Free Lunch, Part 3 of 3: Proof, by Ugo Bardi & Dale Allen Pfeiffer
This article concludes FTW's slaying of that mythical beast, Abiotic Oil. Goodbye, beautiful chimera.
Read Now

1/25/05
The Beginning of the Oil End Game - featuring original FTW maps - by Michael C. Ruppert
- Major Powers Jockey for Position and Risk All-Out War Before the 2007-8 Oil Cliff
- Maps Reveal Rapid Global Realignment/Competition
Read Now

www.copvcia.com...

Some of you may have heard that Mike Ruppert has been under attack for some time now re: Peak Oil. There are people out there who have done their best to discredit him and his work. I believe they are shills for big oil. Everything I've read of Ruppert's has been very credible. Take a look. You be the judge.

Hydrogen is just a way to store energy, we can't just filter it out of the air or pump it out of the ground. If you really want to pay for more price wars on another "gas", thats fine, but pure energy would be alot better.

The more times energy is converted to another form of energy (including hydrogen), some of that energy is lost and the devices needed to convert the energy cost money and energy to make as well. If capacitor technology was developed that stored as much energy per Lb as Ni-MH batteries, we could survive peak oil. Sure, more nuclear plants would be needed, but not many people would be complaining then. It takes 4 times the power to move 2 times the weight (4 times the amount of gas).

Personally I think the frequent use of rubber could have saved us alot of the problems we have today.

$1.28/gallen of fuel cool can i have some of that cheap gas? here we are seeing $1.00+/liter (aprox 4 liters/gallan).

we must ask our governments why we have a fuel shortage. in ww2 the germans were working on synthetic fuels as their supply was rather limmited. why didn't this reserch continue? just so people know the first diesle engine ran on PENUT OIL. so why don't they now? there was reserch on hydrogen engens almost 30 years ago why don't we have them yet? electric cars seems to be the way that the government wanted. why we also have a electricity shortage. we should not be reliying on natural oil by now. but of course there has been little funding for reserch. seems to me that the government has wanted us to rely on natural oil.

as for the snipeing at suv owners. ask why so many want an suv. the biggest reasons to have an suv are room/hauling capacity, as well as the fact that these little econ-boxes are unsafe in a collision. in order to use smaller power plants there needed to be a weight reduction. this has been an ongoing process since the 70's. how to make a car lighter? they started with the unibody frame which got rid of the solid metal frame instead incorperating the body pannels into the structure. next they reduced the thickness and quality of the metal used. even notice how easy it is to dent a car compared to an older car? we have even started useing plastics (oil product) in car manufactureing (hello saturn). as well as lightening the cars it also improved body panel sales. the weaker pannels invaiably need to be replaced after a collision (though normaly in even a realitivly soft collision the whole car needs to be replaced), in the old days you just had to staighten the metal. i had a bad accident several months ago i am glad i was driveing an older van my bumper and frame were bent to the ground. if i had been driveing one of the new pieces of garbage i would have been lucky to be alive picture rear bumper in driver's seat. thats why most drive suv's. they are more structuraly sound. heck my mothe once hit a econo-box and destroyed it, entire side of the car was caved in, damage to the van 1 small dent and 1 tire needed to be replaced . hmm interesting damage differance.it was only a light sideswipe. if there had been a passenger in the car he realy would have been hurt.

even busses are not a solution as to take a bus gives you aprox 5 times longer travel time and is more expensive then gas at these outragious prices is for a 20 year old truck. it costs over 15/week more to take the busses to work and takes 3 hours instead of 1/2 hour by car. just imagine the saveings in a small car just for the record transit is a waste of time and money.

what we now need is to get reserch into alternate fuels and engiens. heck chop the budget for things like new nukes and depleated urainium munitions (which should be outlawed anyway). but instead of impeading reserch they should give funding to reserch into alternate fuels.

Yep the world sure is pretty screwed. Peak oil is just one of many problems we'll be facing in the future, but it's probably the largest. I'd actually be surprised if the world doesn't end by 2050

great ive got to start walking everywhere....



and planting my own food......


man the people of the world should TRY to do something before its too late, but we all know its just everyone on ATS thats gonna do anything

Is there Alternative Energy ???
- what can sustain modern energy consumption ?
- Oil will not run out imediatly - it will become verry expensive
- oil is more then fuel for cars , its plastic's , rubbers , all modern motor oil's , fertilizer for agriculture and a lot more
- The expensive oil will no longer be used as fuel for warming or as fuel for transport => to expensive
- Alternative energy is fine for creating Energy => electricity but thats all
try to stock a lot off it its almost impossible
So the big problem will be transport , i can imagine all transport going back to train rail's whit electric lockomotives but personal transport will be a lot more complex forget about personal car or going to Europ or US on vacation , you will go on vakation to the place you get on foot
that first stage - here in modern country's
all industry will have to be moved to the rail roads as truck will no longer run - boats will run for a a time back on steam or sailing like the old day's
it will take a few weeks or more to go to the us so comercialy speekin whe go back to the 14 th century
Eatch region for its own , as country's will become a lot more complex to oversee ,
The biggest problem is as i said transportation , all modern tool are made off components all components are made on diferent plants - cities , country's same for the basic material they are made off .
In lets say 150 years whe will face the fact that all expert whe are whe can just see one littel part off the industry whe work on .
A plumber can place piping and draining but can he make his own tools ??or pipes ??
He can not he has to order them to the guy who makes the pipes - who is dependent off the guy who makes the oven to melt the iron and so on
its a chain when you destroy mobility and comunication it will take a wile but basicly whe will go back living like in 1300 but whit somme modern and some off the old way's .
My point is put Bill gates in the busch and he will not comme back whit a pc , he will be lucky to just survive .
Basicly that what evry body will try to do => Survive because it will not be that Easy .
one more thing :> bio diesel , alcohol driven engines => to plant and recolt is energy negative its take more energy to produce then recolted
Hydrogen ? - actualy its produced verry cheap whit petrol driven industry but an alternative in nowhere to be seen
Nucleair driven trucks ? littel to dangerous and expensive
solar energy ? nice when you live in the desert , pannels are hard to get when poeple are killing eatch other for food .
BUT 1 GOOD point find a solution for transport and you resolve the complete problem => beam me back skotty