Arctic oil

"as mankind proceeded to get bigger and bigger we silently crossed a threshold"

We cannot be lulled into a false sense of security: though oil prices have declined from their historic highs, there is little doubt that peak oil is real. A 2008 research project completed at Washington University in St. Louis found strong evidence in support of the theory. Please feel free to circulate this academic document as a primer on peak oil.

Evolution demands short-term thinking focused on individual survival. Most attempts to overcome our evolutionarily hardwired absorption with self are selected against. The Overman is dead, killed by a high-fat diet and unwillingness to exercise. Reflexively, we follow him into the grave.

Report: Climate change will bring big problems for small number of countries
Moscow warns of future energy wars
King Abdullah of Jordan's ultimatum: peace now or it’s war next year
Pipelineistan goes Af-Pak

Riki Ott’s book Not One Drop is a history of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, told from the perspective of those most affected by it. Cutting through the cloak of willful deception, public relations campaigns and skewed, corporate-sponsored science, it finally exposes the truth about Exxon Valdez's devastating effects on the city of Cordova, Alaska, the fishing community where the spill struck.

Dingell loses early test in bid to retain chairmanship of energy committee
President for 60 more days, Bush tearing apart protection for America's wilderness
Obama brings US in from the cold

NYT's Friedman discusses solutions to world's climate, energy, and population problems (video & transcript)
Politics of drilling, financial bailout heading into elections (video & transcript)
Fukuyama: The Fall of America, Inc.
Ok, Now What?
Atlanta Q&A: Why gasoline supplies went south

Melting Ice Brings Competition for Resources
Russia's ties with Venezuela worrying
Pakistan stares into the abyss

U.S. pushing through dozens of foreign weapons deals
China paper urges new currency order after "tsunami"
Low Crude Prices - Cold War Flashback?
Medvedev: Russia needs to mark its Arctic territory

Pollster Zogby: Americans ahead of their leaders?
Palin: Big Oil's new champion
Douglas administration's energy plan is too timid

Compilation of articles not only about global warming but also about species that have become extinct or are an endangered species. Massive.

A digest of news and commentary from a UK peak oil perspective.

An executive summary of weekly news from a US peak oil perspective, featuring:
- Production and Prices
- Iran
- Nigeria
- China
- In the Congress
- Energy Briefs

Congressional leaders use the sound bite, “We can’t drill our way out of this oil mess.” Of course; who ever claimed we could? But we can’t conserve our way out either. Reducing demand is a long-term process; “evolution” may be a more accurate term. Tightening CAFE standards will ease demand, but the benefit would be spread over many years. For long-term reduction, we would have to overhaul our daily travel patterns through societal lifestyle changes while we restructure our cities and suburbs. Such fundamental changes will take a human generation or longer. It took decades for the car culture to evolve in the U.S. It will take that long to reverse it.

A digest of news and commentary from a UK peak oil perspective.