[Racheltspoon]

Hello,

This Tuesday, October 2nd at 6pm central, co-founder of the American Association for the Study of Peak Oil, Steve Andrews, will present a live, online lecture, “The Peak Oil Debate; How Close Are We?” Join Mr. Andrews and Dr. Peter Bishop, noted futurist and associate professor of Strategic Foresight, to learn more about Peak Oil and the possible ramifications to our global and local future.


The Futures Studies program at the University of Houston is offering a closer look at the energy issue with its lecture series "The Future of Energy and the Environment." From the viability of energy alternatives to the reality of Peak Oil, how we power our lives defines our world. Understanding the changes in our energy present helps us be prepared for our energy future; politically, environmentally, economically and personally. Don’t be left in the dark. Please join us for this enlightening lecture series.

HOW TO ATTEND
"The Future of Energy and the Environment" lectures series, which can be attended in person or online is free and open to public, takes place on Tuesdays at 6pm central though November 13. To attend virtually please email, rftubman@uh.edu for directions on how to login. To attend in person, please come to room 101 of the Cameron Building at the corner of Wheeler and Cullen on the University of Houston campus. That's in Texas, zip code 77006.


Oct 2 - The Peak Oil Debate: How Close Are We with Steve Andrews, Co-founder Association for the Study of Peak Oil-USA (please note, this lecture is online only)



Oct 9 - Electricity Production – Fossil, Nuclear and Renewables

John Calaway, Chief Development Officer Babcock and Brown, Ltd.



Oct 16 - Hydrogen and the Dawn of Electron energy with Will Thurmond, Futurist and President of Emerging Markets



Oct 23: The Economics and Politics of Energy with Victor Flatt, A.L. O’Quinn Environmental Chair Environmental Law Center University of Houston



Oct 30: Energy Emissions and Greenhouse Gases with Jim Lester, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Houston Advanced Research Center



Nov 6: Climate Change and Global, Warming with Barry Lefer, Asst Professor Geosciences University of Houston



Nov 13: Slowing the Growth and Mitigating the Effects of Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change, with Brian Yeoman Clinton Climate Initiative

[Narz]

I thought this could be a useful thread to people, especially considered many of us are in situations where we need to make every penny count.

For anyone in the Bay (Central/North CA) area, Erik's Deli Cafe will give you free 5-gallon buckets if you go to a location and ask for them. I got six of them today. One for an indoor compost holder (before I bring it outside to the main bin), a couple for trash cans and a few to have on hand for whatever I might need 'em for.

So, use this thread to tell your fellow preppers about free or near-free supplies available in your areas (or on a mass-scale, from corporations).

Also, for those who didn't know - Starbucks will give you free hot water, just bring teabags.

[skyemoor]

With resealable ziplock mylar bags and resealable lids, these are great for stockpiling grains, beans, flour, etc.

Stocking food supplies using oxygen absorbers shows how to do it, though they describe one-time use of mylar bags.

[Micki]

Why not stock up extra ketchup, salt, pepper and sugar packets everytime you go out for a fast food meal or coffee?
I am sure they will start to charge for this one the economy drops.

[bodigami]

safe mattress: whatever that helps "relief some % of economical stress" due to whatever method (efficiency, savings, ...)

free (and open source) software: software that is free to use, modify and distribute.

The idea is basically to post whatever safe mattress you may think will help in "soft landing scenarios" or similar. The idea is to balance a little the cornucopian-doomer views, because @ peakoil.com there is a strong tendency to the doom 'n gloom side.

I think FOSS is one of this safe mattresses... it saves $$$ for a quality product.

[Lanthanide]

1. Quality of FOSS is debatable. There are some stellar FOSS projects out there, but for every excellent one there are at least 100 that never get beyond the very earliest starting stages.
2. If everyone relies on FOSS, what happens to the large sector of the economy that sells software for a living?
3. FOSS will never be the answer for some sectors of the economy - banking, the military, large paranoid companies, any software the is extremely technical, any software that relies on secret patents or methods etc.

[yesplease]

For most stuff except the latest/greatest (ala gaming, specialty apps, etc...) FOSS is wonderful. For web/email/video ain't nothing cheaper than grabbing a low power mobo combo and dropping in as many pci video/sound cards are ya need/can fit. Off hand I would say that most computers can support ~3-6 work stations for far less in the way of initial cost/power use, with the trade off being more time spent setting everything up. That being said, the ease of administration of secure/less popular operating systems would likely make up for any deficit in time spent learning the ins/outs of a new OS. Kinda like spending time making your car more fuel efficient.

[bodigami]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Lanthanide', '1'). Quality of FOSS is debatable. There are some stellar FOSS projects out there, but for every excellent one there are at least 100 that never get beyond the very earliest starting stages.

[smallpoxgirl]

I'm just starting to get into FOSS. I've been very happily surprised by the quality of some of the stuff I've come across. Inkscape, for example, does everything Adobe Illustrator does without the $600 price tag.

[I_Like_Plants]

Lanthanide this was all covered back in the late 90s in a geek meeting I went to, hosted by ..... forget the name, some short little fucker who's into programming and guns....

Basically the audience was asked, "How many of you are employed writing software for commercial distribution?" The answer was - no one. Everyone was doing custom stuff for a company, doing stuff the public would never see or pay/not-pay for.

I've been in a meeting discussing spending $2 million just on the software to run what I'd call a medium-sized company, that at one time did nothing but buy and sell capacitors.

If you work for Geek Squad, say, are you being paid to re-write part of Windows or Linux, or show some moron how to operate their computer?

Free software is not going to put geeks out of business.

[smallpoxgirl]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('I_Like_Plants', 'a') geek meeting I went to, hosted by ..... forget the name, some short little fucker who's into programming and guns....

[I_Like_Plants]

No, not Tux, not as cool lol .... some short little guy, wrote "The Hacker's Dictionary" which was a book full of words like my Dad used to use, "foobar" and all that .... and the guy's into guns, into some kind of "hackers with guns" thing ...... it was all quite humorous.

Can't remember his name, he's that memorable.

[I_Like_Plants]

Ah, Eric Something Raymond, long name for a short lil' guy, that was it.

[bodigami]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('I_Like_Plants', 'L')anthanide this was all covered back in the late 90s in a geek meeting I went to, hosted by ..... forget the name, some short little fucker who's into programming and guns....

Basically the audience was asked, "How many of you are employed writing software for commercial distribution?" The answer was - no one. Everyone was doing custom stuff for a company, doing stuff the public would never see or pay/not-pay for.
(...)

[I_Like_Plants]

I thought Richard Stallman invented open-source.

[cube]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('I_Like_Plants', '.')..
Free software is not going to put geeks out of business.

[perdition79]

I think the real difficulty facing open source operating systems is getting the word out to the general public. Computers are appliances these days, not tools, and most people don't think about the operating system loaded on them when they're at the store. HP will pre-load a system with Ubuntu for a discount over a system loaded with Vista. But they're not putting the word out. The average computer shopper needs to see a computer running Linux to understand how easy it is to use, how everything just works without hassle, and how easy it is to get new software programs. Shoppers would be stunned at the speed of most stable Linux builds, even bloated ones like Ubuntu.

I hand out Ubuntu live CD's to anyone who asks for them. All open-source users should.

[bodigami]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('perdition79', 'I') think the real difficulty facing open source operating systems is getting the word out to the general public. Computers are appliances these days, not tools, and most people don't think about the operating system loaded on them when they're at the store. HP will pre-load a system with Ubuntu for a discount over a system loaded with Vista. But they're not putting the word out. The average computer shopper needs to see a computer running Linux to understand how easy it is to use, how everything just works without hassle, and how easy it is to get new software programs. Shoppers would be stunned at the speed of most stable Linux builds, even bloated ones like Ubuntu.

I hand out Ubuntu live CD's to anyone who asks for them. All open-source users should.

[bodigami]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('I_Like_Plants', 'I') thought Richard Stallman invented open-source.

[sittinguy]

I finally finished it. Personally I thought it sucked, but if anyone wants it, I will send it to you. 1 catch, when your done you have to offer it up agian. PM me if you want it.