Alex, Thanks for your thoughtful input on these US and world problems. After reading them I had several minor observations but hey, this string could go on forever. So until another debatable subject arises, we can rest our minds and fingers. I forgot where you are domiciled but hope that you can get to God's Country (Paradise) for TCR 08 so that we can put faces with our differences (mine is ugly but the only one that I have).
Fritz ________________________________ From: Alex Sproul [mailto:imoca...@comcast.net] Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2008 8:24 PM To: Fritz Holt; o...@texascavers.com Subject: RE: [ot_caving] FW: Oil Drilling Petition to sign Fritz -- >...unlike at the beginning of WW 2 when the incentive was patriotism and >saving our way of life, the incentive now is purely monetary. So, indeed the >question may be not if they can but will they? The giant companies may >make millions in charitable (tax deductible) contributions but will not spend >the billions on refineries or renewable energy sources without an >expectation (or guarantee) of long term profits. Well said. That's it in a nutshell. >We could still be drilling for new production and storing it... But of course >oil companies would have to know that oil would be the primary energy >source for years to come to make the expenditure. I fear that's the real reason we haven't seen any new refineries in 30 years. Big Oil knows a lot more about peak oil theory than they're telling us, but the lack of new refineries speaks volumes. To their credit, most of the oil companies *are* making some investments in alternative energy (call it diversification, if you will...). But I suspect it's mostly a smoke screen while they bilk the oil crisis for all its worth, right down to the last drop squeezed from shale. They will have to do that regardless, as it's now so late in the game that there is sure to be a significant gap between the end of oil and the adequacy of something else. >If and when gasoline exceeds a certain price that will vary for individuals, >they will take drastic measures and we could see consumption decline >which would affect oil company profits. That first part is definitely true, and we are seeing Americans changing their ways even now. But the US simply cannot affect oil prices by reducing its demand. The oil companies are global conglomerates, and China and India are *each* poised to exceed US demand any day now. China is putting 9 million new (that's *additional*) automobiles on the road every year, India almost as many. Demand will continue to rise, and with it prices, until the oil is all gone. If we, and they, haven't implemented an alternate energy plan by then, a global collapse to the stone age will ensue. >Hey Alex, it is never too late. We just all suffer until it finally gets fixed. I admire your optimism, but I think it's a matter of whether we all will *survive* until it finally gets fixed. I also have great respect for the fact that you are a true conservative, as opposed to one of those nefarious neocons who propped up that idiot, Still President Bush, and drove this country to the brink of ruin. We can politely agree to disagree about some things, and agree on others. Whoever becomes President (and it's pretty clear I would opt for Obama) will have a tough row to hoe. We have to move with all deliberate speed from staggering debt to staggering expenditures for energy research, infrastructure repair, and a host of other long-neglected needs. We can no longer pass off our debts to our great-great-grandchildren, so the 'no new taxes' mantra rings pretty hollow these days. As we're all now finding out at the grocery store and the gas pump, we've got to find a way to pay for what we need, and for the government, that may well mean some new taxes. There's no free lunch; it's being foreclosed on. And with that, I shall agree with you that I, too, "am much too slow in my composition. I makes it up as I goes along," so let's move on to something else. Alex -- Alex Sproul, NSS 8086 NSS IT Committee
