American Sundays

I think I’m not alone in this. Grand Sunday plans… dried up in the wash of the day. So many things on the to-do list, and yet you can’t drag your self out of bed until 11am, and only then because the phone rings.
Anyway… Laundry got done, bathroom got cleaned, dishes put in the dishwasher, and now I’m just passing some time until I pick a friend up at the airport.

So, I’ll try and contribute something to the greater good here.
We’ll start with the Basics.

The Western Economic structure of consumption and debt financed expansion will come to a screaming halt in the next … 20-30 years… (I’m being optimistic) if we don’t do something about Peak Oil.

I’ve been following this theory since we invaded Afghanistan a few years back, it was something that had bounced around my head, and passed through the filters that I have for “interesting things” a few times already, but like many other people out there, I had never ever heard it (until very recently) mentioned in the mass media. I’ll admit, in embarassment, that I’m still subject to the barrage that is sent at me every day, and a lot of the memes that stick unfortunatly are from the big screen in my living room… anyway…

The basic theory is, in case you didn’t click on that link above, is that there is only so much oil in the world, and as we continue to suck it out of the ground, we’re going to reach a plaetaeu of ease of supply. See, the oil in the ground isn’t in some easy to suck format like beer in a can, or preferably in a bottle. It becomes increasigly difficult to remove it as you deplete the well in question. on a well-to-well basis, it is cheaper at first, and more expensive as time goes on. world wide, as we continue to remove oil from the ground, over all, the easy wells are drying up first, and we move the more difficult wells, etc.. etc.. Combined with the over-all limited amount, much like a room full of thirsty people, one glass of water becomes more and more valuable as there is less and less of it, and as there are more and more thirsty people in the room.

The western economy is based on the theory that it can expand for ever and ever and ever, with no end in sight. This is a big pipe dream that no one talks about, because we are so very close to reaching the end of it under our current system. (I’m being optimistic that we aren’t about to hit a Mad Max beyond Thunderdome situation…) Every day, there is more people, wanting more then they wanted yesterday. China and India are ever increasingly becoming larger and larger mouths desiring more and more of the wealth and luxury of western societies and western economies. In America, our growth is much slower then the new economies of the world, but we already consume a massive massive percentage of the pie. A pie that is shrinking, and a pie that more and more people are interested in eating.

See where I’m going here?

I’m going to send you over to KuroShin now to read this: Peak Oil: the next big thing. (Part One.)

This post is part of the beginning. I don’t have all the answers, nor do I have all the facts. But thats part of the idea.
by bringing this, and other scary realities of the world to light, no matter how few people read this, perhaps we can come up with some good ideas.

Democracy thrives in debate and discussion and facts.
I want to help revitalize our american democracy.