[backstop]

Given that some members may find this exposure of the Oil Lobby's callous corruption to be so predictable as to not warrant comment,

while others may find the very idea so incredible as to not warrant comment,

I'm wondering just where is the middle ground of a bell-curved spread of opinion, and what are its views ?

I can say that in Europe I hear word that in official, business & media circles the sheer brazen arrogance of these lobbyists has been raising hackles in a delightful manner.


regards,

Backstop

[UIUCstudent01]

I'm not surprised. After writing one too many 'balanced' global warming reports for grade/high-school I noticed a pattern.... Ah such a tender age I learned about the business of paying people to lie for you and putting it in a medium that should be trustworthy!

[Zardoz]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('backstop', '.').US oil giant Exxon Mobil...

[pedalling_faster]

Oil Pique, Oil Cheek


the way things are going,
i'm scared to have babies.

with a chimp in the White House
who seems to have Rabies.

- - -

OK, that's my contribution.

if software can be written open source, why can't poetry ?

the RA from my freshman dorm is now the Chairman of the NEA. Dana Gioia. he will be making a presentation to the Commonwealth Club on monday april 10, entitled "does poetry matter".

well, that depends a lot on what the poetry is about, doesn't it ?

if you are interested in contributing a verse, go ahead, & PM me with your name etc., so that if the poem does get read, you and your verse(s) can receive proper attribution.

one consideration - Dana was nominated for this post by the pResident. so probably, it can't be too radical. on the other hand, a little radicality can always be slipped in through the back-door.

regards,

P_F

[PenultimateManStanding]

eeny meeny miney mo
a trillion barrels left to go

if they holler let'm know
eeny meeny miney mo

[PenultimateManStanding]

Old King Coal was a merry olde soul
Until we fired him up and then
the Earth went Venusian with
Acid raining from the sky
And lead melting under tons of
crushing atmospheric pressure and
Everything Died Dead

(free verse )

[pedalling_faster]

thanks for the replies.

attempted poetry
is better than none

can't design stuff
with the brakes on.

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pedalling_faster', 't')hanks for the replies.
attempted poetry
is better than none

[pedalling_faster]

when i said attempted poetry, i wasn't referring to other people's replies.

i'm grateful that people took a shot at it.

[PenultimateManStanding]

There was a haiku thread started once called Peak Oil Poetry Corner - Haiku Heaven for which I offerred this:


drudgery endless
there's not a soul around here
someone just to talk

looked and searched today
taters soaked the burning sun
grow a few months more

can't stay drunk not smart
can't believe this life's so hard
inconceivable

stay drunk bless just die
there are still more blocks to check
maybe find some news

hope comes and then goes
the brain halts and starts for fear
stomach always growls

slowly lose one's mind
was not meant to live like this
curse the wretched flies

most disgusting stench
nostril assault day and night
need more incense sticks

disease come get me
I've got nothing left to lose
ain't scared of no flies

Why strain the water
microorganisms cool
they are my friends, no?

bb guns and rats
can't bring myself to kill cats
that's the new totem

I share meat with them
intelligence alien
what good do they do?

Dogs are meat dinner
there is no stortage of shells
and the cats lick paws

have to take a stand
you a dog or cat person?
they both have those fleas

cities far away
there's people out there somewhere
not a soul left here

make the big journey
get there and you find no food
wasted time now die

just live here with cats
kill the freaking dogs with glee
glad to have pepper

maybe they find you
maybe they find you crazy
hope they don't find you

Dutch oven is the best
Never knew how good it was
charcoal does the trick

[PenultimateManStanding]

Here's a link to that haiku thread: http://peakoil.com/post147965.html#147965

[pedalling_faster]

thanks.

speaking of san diego, i have a hard time seeing how
the "end of suburbia" fits into north county coastal,
like encinitas.

UNLESS the ocean dies off.

there's so many lobsters there, boatloads of fish,
it's near the ocean, there's a lot of yoga and
some creative folks that would probably build
solar-powered desalination plants.

of course there's a lot of people that can't stand
to get dirt under their fingernails and refuse
to sweat anywhere other than the gym, but
that's a matter of attitude, which can change
in a jiffy.

and then there's the homeless Hispanic gentlemen
that i think turned my outdoor cat into a meal.

something rhymes with meal.

"newly jobless yuppies experiencing
withdrawal from farm-bred veal."

i'm not a yuppie
i'm a masre-yuppie*

* middle aged semi retired ex yuppie

[Schweinshaxe]

My humble contribution, conceived during a cheap red wine session:

PO is here and times are tough,
zombies, death camps, doom and stuff.
I’m growing beans on my piece of land,
my AR-15 is close at hand.

I am a true survivalist,
I make my own equipment list.
Tinder, fire steel and wire saw,
is nice to have during martial law.

Zombies come to steal my beans,
suburban losers in ragged jeans.
I let them taste a spray of lead,
I love to shoot them in the head.

The gubmint wants to put me away,
I’ll end up in a camp some day.
The gubmint smashed the World Trade Center,
a world of conspiracy we were forced to enter.

Life ain’t easy in PO Hell,
hide in a bush I might as well.
At PO.com I still post and flame,
but the World will never be the same.

[PenultimateManStanding]

We'll be comin' around the mountain to Peak Oil
We'll be comin' around the mountain to Peak Oil
We'll be ridin' four dire horses
We'll be zappin' Iranian bourses
We'll be comin' around the mountain to Peak Oil

[PenultimateManStanding]

Civilization's Progress to spoil
Thanks a lot to Peak Oil
It's all in the cards
So dig them boneyards
By the Rules According to Hoyle

(I'm not drinking any cheap red wine, but I might as well be)

[peaker_2005]

There's a fire inside that shines and defies
Keeps me sane with a one track mind
Searching for reasons but losing the sight
One reason but no decision

Minds recall, but never question
Too many remain in silence when we need to speak
Sometimes the chance that once defeats
Risen, but not taken.

There's a rule we call diminishing returns
That every time you give, you get less back.
And as the fires rise above the desert,
As the socialities degrade into trivialities,
What lies ahead?

Unfortunately, a road much traveled - chaos, and disorder.
Keep to the road.

[pedalling_faster]

you guys are 2 good !

i might just send the whole thread to Dana.

thanks !

[pea-jay]

Okay, new subject here. I am leading an energy discussion forum here with a bunch of intelligent, energy saavy individuals. We're looking at energy and the future as it pertains to county plans. Like I said all smart.

The problem is -- half are doing this out of concern of Climate Change and the other half out of fear of Depletion. The climate changers are focused on reducing CO2 levels and want the energy plans to reflect that while the depletionists want energy itself as the focus. We all have the same end goals: reduce fossil fuel dependence but for entirely different reasons. Personally, I'm a depletionist. Reducing dependence on fossil fuels makes perfect sense as to avoid the ill effects of the inevitable shortfalls to come. THe climate changers doubt or ignore the "inevitability" fact and focus on the outcome of energy use instead.

Any good suggestions for bridging the gap. We agree on the outcomes, its the path and logic that is up for debate. Ignore them. Out-science them. Or forge a compromis solution that acknowledges the supply and the emission factors at the same time??

Does hard science break either way yet BTW?

[Doly]

Peajay,

The fact is, both things are true. Both things are happening.

If you worry about peak oil and not climate change, you would go happily to the path of converting the still plentiful coal to liquids... and cause havoc with the world's weather.

If you worry about climate change and not peak oil, you think you can pick and choose which kind of fossil fuels you can phase out first. Oil and natural gas, which are more useful and harder to replace, we leave them for later, right? DEAD WRONG! Because they're just not going to be there!

It is very, very important that both groups convince each other that both things are happening, and you push forward to a path that takes both things into account.

The analogy I like to put is: peak oil is about the fire, climate change is about the smoke. Both have the same origin, and both can kill you. To survive, you need to worry about both.

[IslandCrow]

Like Doly I would have wanted to vote for 'both'.

While I believe both arguements are equally valid, I think that the climate change arguement is one that most people in the street would respond more to. So in practically terms (ie in getting people to change) then the climate changers have a better arguement. I know this is not logically, but then we are humans not robots.