[pup55]

Q-inf, as a reminder, is the "total quantity of oil available for pumping for all time", or in other words, the amount of oil pumped in the past, plus the amount of oil available to be pumped in the future. Q-inf for one country might not have anything to do with Q-inf for another, since they come from different holes in the ground.

But, more to your point, we are interested in two main things: a prediction of the peak date, if possible, and also, some idea of the slope of the decline curve. If you know that second bit, you can figure out how much trouble we are in, and how fast the slide will be.

I agree that in the case of the second part, the shape of the decline curve, it should be possible to deduce this from the experience of countries like the US who are already partway if not all the way downhill.

There is probably some variability, because of geological differences in these areas, and how frantically the locals are pumping the oil when they get to the end, but like what some of the other posters are saying, these might wash out if you make the sample large enough.

I will have a look at this.

[UncoveringTruths]

I got this off another forum.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'A')fter nearly two weeks and three try's in one week to shop in Wal Mart with a complimentry handicapped battery operated cart I approached a supervisor about my dilema. The reason being the same three carts had been charted with DO NOT OPERATE, OUT OF WORK!!! And believe me these carts refused to work. The kind and generous greeters were beside themselves trying to accomodate many of us who need these carts to shop.

The kind and gentle supervisor informed me that they, WAl MART had been told by management to CUT BACK ON EXPENSES..........It is apparent this means the dam carts will not be fixed because it is an expense to WAL MART to fix them. I guess there is no consideration to the handicapped whether it is me or the next person who arrives to shop at WAL MART. Do they not realize we spend our money just as much and as well as those who can walk the floors?

So this morning at 5:30 AM I went to WAL MART and believe it or not, I had to wait for a cart. A gentleman was using the only ONE in the whole dam SUPER WAL MART. I spent $77.70 in one trip in a battery operated cart. Now, my money is as good as those who can walk the floors because that cashier surely took my check. There was no freeby for me even though I had returned home three times in a week.

Just think if they had provided me with a dam cart the first time I went, my list was not very long, but the 4th time around, the list was huge. SMART MANAGEMENT those folks at Wal Mart, while they are cutting back, we handicapped folks are spending more!

[pup55]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', ' I went, my list was not very long, but the 4th time around, the list was huge')

Why'd she keep going back?

[BiGG]

What kind of ignorant crap is that? This person can’t figure out it’s a courtesy and not Wal-Mart’s responsibility to provide them with an electric cart? If they don’t like it they are free to bring their own eclectic cart or a wheelchair.

[UncoveringTruths]

pup55 wrote
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'W')hy'd she keep going back?

[UncoveringTruths]

What caught my eye is the fact that Wal Mart has instructed it's management to cut back on the budget.

[gnm]

well at the local super mall wart here there seem to be plenty of electric carts buzzing around. Many with 400lb 30 year olds who could probably use the walking!

-G

[Tyler_JC]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('BiGG', 'W')hat kind of ignorant crap is that? This person can’t figure out it’s a courtesy and not Wal-Mart’s responsibility to provide them with an electric cart? If they don’t like it they are free to bring their own eclectic cart or a wheelchair.

[UncoveringTruths]

OK an oppossing view why would Wal Mart provide them in the first place. If they never would of offered them these people would not have come to depend on the scooters.

The point is from my understanding Wal Mart giveth and Wal Mart Taketh away.

[pup55]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'w')hy would Wal Mart provide them in the first place

[pup55]

Here it is:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', '2.2* Equivalent Facilitation. Departures
from particular technical and scoping requirements
of this guideline by the use of other
designs and technologies are permitted where
the alternative designs and technologies used
will provide substantially equivalent or
greater access to and usability of the facility')

ADA

So, the Walmart lawyers might look at the law and say to themselves "Well, most of our stuff is "accessible", but you can make the legal argument that by making this store so damn huge that it cannot be accessed "reasonably" by someone with disabilities, we are "exposed".

"Also, by providing these electric scooters, we avoid the problem of people in regular wheelchairs trying to struggle around this huge place with a cartload of stuff, and blocking the aisles so as to create a potential evacuation hazard in case there is a fire or tornado or something."

"So, it avoids a lot of potential problems if we just bite the bullet and provide a couple of free scooters in every store so as to be in compliance, and we are allowed to do so by the law, so let's go for it."

So, to further continue what is, I think, your original point, yes, the Walmart is being irresponsible, and also possibly subject to getting sued, by not having these carts in working order, and it is probably just laziness and lack of compliance on the part of the store manager that is causing this.

If this guy (or woman) is under so much pressure to cut costs that they do not do this maintenance to potentially avoid being sued, then chances are this is just the tip of the iceberg, and there are a lot of other things going on in this store that are even worse.

Pretty pathetic.

That still does not explain why the lady just doesn't go to the other store.

[UncoveringTruths]

pup55

Thanks,

I'll pass it along to the disgruntled Wal Mart customer.

[jaws]

Of course Walmart is feeling the pinch. Their whole operation runs on the number 2 canary, transcontinental trucking. There is no way to make trucking more efficient. If trucking costs go up, they have to raise prices and we all know that Walmart hates to raise prices (hence why they exported all their suppliers to China).

[MicroHydro]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('gnm', 'w')ell at the local super mall wart here there seem to be plenty of electric carts buzzing around. Many with 400lb 30 year olds who could probably use the walking!

-G

[Golgo13]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('UncoveringTruths', 'W')hat caught my eye is the fact that Wal Mart has instructed it's management to cut back on the budget.

[pup55]

Update on this thread from a long time ago:

Yahoo News

This happened at Kmart rather than walmart, but is along the lines of the earlier post: These stores by law must make "reasonable accomodation".

[Falconoffury]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')his happened at Kmart rather than walmart, but is along the lines of the earlier post: These stores by law must make "reasonable accomodation".

[seahorse2]

Pup,

Does this peak Wal-Mart in 2006 still stand?

[pup55]

It's looking bad for the theory, good for WMT.

Maybe there will be a slight delay becuse of intertia, kind of like the Lotka-Volterra model.

models

Unfortunately, the old link I had to the lotka-volterra model is dead. Here is a new one. Click on "lotka-volterra predator prey" and look at the graph for an example of this.

[JohnDenver]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('seahorse2', 'P')up,

Does this peak Wal-Mart in 2006 still stand?