Scuba Divers Unite! Coral Endangered

Here's another boring global warming article, centered on the Florida Keys...seems that staghorn and elkhorn coral were recently added to the threatened species list of the Endangered Species Act. Of the many reasons these corals are threatened, the most prominent is "bleaching" caused by rising ocean temperatures caused by (you guessed it) human climatological activities. Chaos supposes that the planet in the future will be much much hotter and much more barren. (Sigh) What we give up to drive our SUVs...

Views of Collapse: Christy Rodgers

"Impossible to predict, the future is."
--Yoda

The voices of the end of civilization and its resulting effects have long been noted here, specifically those of Jared Diamond and James Howard Kunstler. Now Christy Rodgers, an internet being previously unknown to Chaos, takes on these influential prognosticators, in this extended review, along with one apparently unavailable in the US, James Lovelock, author of The Revenge of Gaia. Rodgers effectively skewers both Diamond and Kunstler for their foibles; in Diamond's case it is a starry-eyed emphasis on "balance" between pessimism and optimism, the delusion that the "public" will collectively act to deal with our environmental unsustainability and a refusal to treat the present with the same rigor as his analysis of past collapses, while Rodgers saves most of her vitriol for Kunstler, who presents a set of "sketchily researched laundry list" of converging catastrophes as fact, while in general, projecting his own paranoia and prejudices into his predictions (we all remember the invading Asian pirates!). Rodgers review of Lovelock is similar: the man predicts the violent revenge of the planet for the insults done to it by humans unconcerned with their ultimate environmental effects. As Rodgers notes, this doesn't give a potential audience much to be hopeful about. As far as Chaos is aware, this is the most thoughtful critique of collapse theory at the moment, and well worth perusal (especially if you've read some of the works). Kunstler has always made Chaos somewhat uncomfortable, especially the firmness (and sometimes outrageousness) of his predictions. Likewise, Diamond's almost deliberate slighting of the effects of peak oil seems calculated to produce an untowardly optimistic result. Chaos wonders how Rodgers would view Tainter's The Collapse of Complex Civilizations.

Return From Holiday; Final Words on Gas Prices

Chaos begs pardon from faithful readers, having been on holiday and personally witnessed a portion of the devolution of the airline industry (there is now, apparently, an extra charge of $25 for 'overweight' bags, forcing Chaos to squat humiliatingly in front of the ticket counter, removing heavy items from said bag). Along with charging more for aisle seats, and attempts to develop standing room only "seats," this marks the beginning of the end of easy air travel.

Upon return, Chaos was fortunate enough to come across this exceptionally well-written open letter to the public on gas prices, courtesy of the aptly named EngineerPoet. Chaos has really nothing to add to this, save that for the chosen few, this letter will never reach its intended audience. So, fellow travelers, count yourselves among the rare and fortunate.

It's Time to...Pray for Lower Gas Prices!!

Oh, you just can't make this stuff up...according to this group, many people are "overlooking the power of prayer when it comes to resolving this energy crisis." Well then, why not have a nationwide prayer meeting to bring those gosh darn gas prices down? Guess it ranks right up there with the "magic" of ethanol to save all of us from our energy sins. These are probably the same people who believe in praying for their professional football/baseball/hockey team to win. When it comes to peak oil, it isn't the geology, it's the psychology that will insure the fate of human folk. A massive amount of denial (i.e., we're still in the "river"stage) is going to have to be wrung out of the citizens of the Empire, and it's only just starting. Is there a politician willing to tell the truth to the people of the nation? Chaos finds it highly doubtful.

We Must Do Something About These Evil Oil Companies!!

The level of discourse in this country, as Chaos has observed previously, has reached new lows in obtuseness. "You can't fix stupid," said a recent downhome wit, and it is true. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the recent reaction (on the part of the public and the corresponding politicians) to high oil prices. For those hoping that events will shock the citizens of the Empire out of their slumber, the resulting debate is profoundly depressing. Chaos is not about to stupefy you with further examples; instead, we have a ray of hope. The editors of The Oil Drum have responded with one of the finest statements of our current energy situation one could ever hope for. Chaos implores, no, begs you to read this. It is the blade with which you may slice through all the bovine excrement which passes for a national conversation in this benighted nation.

Filling Your Tank With Freedom: The SUV Driver

Since oil prices have skyrocketed to new highs recently, and political pandering by mendacious politicians has also reached a new "peak," Chaos came across this rather amusing Q&A the other day, courtesy of The Oil Drum. Enjoy!

A Buffett of Sound Financial Advice

Perhaps the finest stock picker and financial wizard in the land is a modest, unassuming elderly fellow from Omaha, Nebraska. Chaos is speaking, of course, of Warren Buffett, the "Oracle of Omaha." His longterm record with the company he owns, BerkshireHathaway, is far and away superior than any that come to mind. Buffett is a value investor, buying companies that are fundamentally sound, undervalued, and holding them for decades. The antithesis of most financial advisors today, his every utterance is scrutinized with the same attention one usually finds lavished on the chairman of the Federal Reserve. Where that gentleman is paid to obscure, however, Buffett delights in plain speaking. This extended windup is to introduce Chaos' faithful readers to Buffett's annual report, wherein he recaps the previous year's results and offers a few cogent insights. Here it is: those not actually holding the shares (at $19,000 per share, Chaos didn't think anyone here had some...) may want to scroll down to around page 17 to get Buffett's take on the US current account deficit. Think it's a coincidence Buffett has invested in euros and a large amount of silver? Chaos believes that the US dollar will soon be exposed to entropy; overseas investments are strongly recommended.

Another Reason Why Oil Prices Won't Decline

As the leader of the fastest growing economy on the planet visits the Empire, it might be worth a look to consider just how much oil China needs to sustain its riotous growth. Here's a nice chart that gives anyone alert to the problem the shivers. You read it here first: global competition for oil will be a new experience for the Empire and its fuelish citizens, who consider the right to pilot outlandishly appointed land yachts a constitutional birthright. Here's an investment to back it up: the first exchange traded fund based on the price of oil opened this week. (BTW, the analysis in the article linked is flawed: oil is "coming off a peak?" Don't think so.)

The Music Begins to Slow Down: Better Grab a Chair

It seems that oil prices have finally risen to the point where they are having effects on prices...yes, the dreaded "inflation" is now kicking in. Wholesale prices rose in March at an annualized rate of 6%. This is not the outcome desired by the economic tinkerers at the Federal Reserve, who will undoubtedly choose to continue raising interest rates. Those prepared souls who have defensively invested in commodities such as energy, metals, currencies, and inflation-protected bonds are well-positioned to thrive in these choppy waters, while those who think that the bankrupt Empire can continue to party indefinitely will begin to feel the pain as things start to unwind. Too young to remember the painful "stagflation" of the 70s? The beauty of the internet is that you can now read about it.

Flyer You Can Print and Take Home

Contributed by a member of crudeawkening.org, here's a nice printable summary of why "the world as you know it is about to end." On the day that the Nemesis of the Empire announced its uranium-enrichment capability, Chaos is feeling a bit, well, doomerish. Perhaps it is being surrounded by gargantuan gas hogs to and from the angst-inducing exurbs, or the groaning of the planet as it struggles to support too many humans, each of whom dreams of spewing more and more carbon into the atmosphere so that they may possess the latest fake goods for their fake lifestyles, but the cliff seems ever closer. One suggestion: check out Jay Hanson's site for a bracing shot of reality.

Yep, Texas Billionaires "Get" Peak Oil Too

This item came out quite a while ago (December 2005 issue of Fortune) but it's still worth reading. For those who don't "know" Senor Rainwater, he was instrumental in amassing the $50 billion Bass family fortune, along with helping the current Emperor purchase a sports team in Fort Worth, Texas a few years ago (the "Texas Rangers," Chaos thinks). Simply put, the man has made his fortune by being able to divine future trends and take advantage of them, and now he's scared stiff of peak oil. If you think subscribers to this "theory" are just rogue scientists, internet crackpots, and minor sentient forces of nature like Chaos, you are sadly mistaken.

Too Funny Videos, Courtesy of GM

Watch these fast, before they are yanked by the clueless ad agency that thought up this campaign. Seems that anyone can make their own Chevy Tahoe commercial, using tools and clips from this site. As you might imagine, some very creative people over at Gristmill have made some very funny commercials, although perhaps not in the spirit GM would like. Try this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, and this. After you've finished laughing, kindly reflect upon how great is the divide between those who have taken the "red pill" and awakened to the reality of resource depletion and those who remain clueless (hint: Chaos is not speaking of the ad agency...).

Growth Poleaxes Africa; The Death of Farming

If you like the phrase "starving children in Africa," don't worry, it'll be around and in use for quite a long time. Today's news reveals that overfarming in that dark heart of the planet has rendered 75% of arable land unusable, "afflicting" 240 million souls with hunger (whatever that means...probably some reporters required usage when writing about starvation). Essentially, no crop rotation and little rest for the soil is a formula for disaster in agriculture. (So is overuse of nitrogen-based fertilizers, but that's another story). The study recommends modern "Green Revolution" techniques, brought upon by copious donations (because lack of infrastructure makes transportation very expensive) from Western nations. Interestingly, the story is absolutely devoid of any mention of the underlying problem: too much population growth. Chaos suggests that a population control program would be far more sustainable, at least in a world of limited resources. Neither the reporter of the story nor the authors of the study referenced therein were able or willing to challenge the structural underpinnings of modern society. For clarity, here it is again: if the human inhabitants of Gaia do not stop unlimited growth and the corresponding overconsumption of its limited resources, Gaia will teach them to, in her own harsh way.

Your Constitutional Right to Drive (And Others You Didn't Know About)

Hey, guess what? Citizens of the Empire may have a few more constitutional rights than they realize. At least some of them(17%) believe that the US Constitution gives them the right to drive a car, and a higher percentage (21%) think that they have a constitutional right to own a pet. Less than 1% could name the actual five protected rights: freedom of speech, religion, the press, assembly and to petition the government. On the other hand, 20% could name Bart, Homer, and three other members of the Simpson family. Chaos supposes this is why citizens have so willingly acquiesced in the current government's theft of rights: too much tv. Many serious events are now scheduled to occur in the next few years, only a few of which have been touched upon here. The somnolent citizenry is utterly unequipped to even understand them, much less to take action. As one commentator stated, "don't get too far away from the chairs, you don't know when the music is going to stop."

Have Breakfast With Tom, Please

Tomdispatch, run by the erudite and articulate Tom Englehardt, is a highly recommended stop on the Internet superhighway, especially for valuable perspective on the Iraq War and the Empire. Check out today's post for a different take on peak oil and breakfast, by Chad Heeter. Think you're "doing the right thing" by eating organic? Maybe not so much. Chaos noted with surprise the shocking similarity of Chad's breakfast to Chaos'. An interesting reflection on how truly dependent the Empire is on black gold...

Back to the Future, Again: Climate Change

Another day, another study finding that things are going to get worse than anyone thought. Published today in Science (no, not some crackpot journal), the paper indicates that sea levels are set to rise in response to polar ice cap melting. The result will be conditions last seen 129,00 years ago. "If we don't like the idea of flooding out New Orleans, major portions of South Florida, and other valued parts of the coastal U.S., we will have to commit soon to a major effort to stop most emissions of carbon to the atmostphere." So sayeth David Peck, author of the study. Major effort? Soon? The government ignores, while the public slumbers, dreaming of who will bear Brad Pitt's baby and what's on sale at Sprawl Mart next week. South Florida always seemed kind of trashy anyway.

The Meme of Peak Oil

What is a meme? In short, it is a self-propagating unit of cultural evolution, resembling somewhat a gene. An evolving idea of significance, in other words. The study of memes is called memetics. It might be more easily understood alongside the aphorism "ideas have a life of their own." A fuller explanation of this slippery noun can be found here. Chaos has observed in the last half year or so, how the concept of peak oil has gradually acquired the status of a meme. Recently, two more examples have surfaced. The first is at the nation's cable news network of note, CNN, which ran some brief video interviews (one with Matthew Simmons, author of Twilight in the Desert) under the title of "We Were Warned." (BTW, check out General Motors whore Bob Lutz, whose "we just make these giant SUVs because Americans want them" and "we got caught with our pants down on the hybrid thing" are classic). The second comes from the Austin Texas South by Southwest Music and Film festival, which featured in this year's addition a striking documentary called Oilcrash. Regretfully, Chaos cannot provide a firsthand account of it, but according to actual viewers, it is appropriately fear-inducing. Look for it at your local megaplex someday soon.

And so, the meme of peak oil advances, grows, becomes stronger...

The Empire Becomes the Glass House

The US State Department issued its annual report on human rights around the world, specifically excoriating China for its "poor" record, noting instances of "harassment, detention, and imprisonment" of those opposing the government. Also noted were torture, physical abuse leading to deaths of detainees, forced labor, coercive birth policies, trafficking in women and children, restrictions on free speech, assembly, religion, and severe government corruption. This is hardly a new phenomenon; in fact, it pretty much occurs every year. This year, however, the defensive response of China and other governments criticized has particular resonance. "No country should exclude itself from the international human rights development process or view itself as the incarnation of human rights that can reign over other countries and give orders to the others" said Premier Wen Jiabao's cabinet. Other countries responses were in accord. Particular mention was given to the Empire's tendency towards torture (Abu Ghraib), indisciminate killing of civilians during military operations, and of course, the famous legal "black hole," Guantanamo. The dribbling away of the US's international standing in human rights is the natural effect of the rulers here who thought that the ends justified the means. It seems that the Empire's actions, once again, have come back to haunt it.

The "Bond King" and the US Economy

If Warren Buffett is perhaps the premier stockpicker in the known world, Bill Gross of PIMCO is surely the number one poohbah in bonds. It doesn't hurt to have a scorching record either. Since this man, like Buffett, has managed to beat the odds over long periods of time, his insights are well worth listening to, and Bill Gross has had enough of the current government and its financial mendacity. Taking on the Economic Report of the President, Gross excoriates the calculated Pollyanna statements regarding the international competitiveness of US students in math and science (US students rank very low by high school), health care spending (high and going ever higher), unfunded future liabilities (think Social Security and Medicare), the current account deficit (importing more than we export; becoming a debtor nation), and the astounding government and personal deficits (the savings rate has dropped to zero). None of this is new or has been insufficiently explored by others (in fact, here's more on this). Gross's conclusion, however, is that dollar devaluation is inevitable and investments might better be deployed overseas. Quite a jolting conclusion from one who has made his fortune in domestic markets.

Melting Ice in Antarctica

Not that this is particularly news anymore to readers of this blog (it seems like we cover this ground about every two or three weeks, whenever new findings appear...) but here's the latest on climate change caused by humans: new study in Nature today finds that ice caps in Antarctica are melting faster than previously known. As you might guess, melting ice leads to higher entropy in the form of higher sea levels, and, we find from the study, disappearance of rivers and lakes in Africa. Chaos believes that the willy-nilly dumping of millions of years of sunlight deposits in the atmosphere by humans is the climatological equivalent of pouring gasoline on a fire (albeit in slower motion).