[Northern_Pike]

Hello.

A few months ago, I stumbled onto “peak oil” as a result of searching for facts to confirm or dispel my own thoughts about the rising fuel prices and food prices. I had not heard the term “peak oil.” I am not a scientist. I am not an educated man. I just had a “hunch,” almost a gut feeling, about these current problems.

So armed with some knowledge gleaned from my time in Iraq during a time of chaos and a decline of humanity, and my time as a truck driver, learning just how much our everyday lives depend on oil, and some very basic ideas of the laws of “supply and demand,” I struck out on the net to find facts related to my very own newly forming ideas. Imagine my surprise as I searched and found folks saying every thought and theory I was forming in my own mind, and so very much more, with the graphs and charts to back it up! If I could start to put the evidence together and draw conclusions about the causes of our current problems independently, and then find so many others that have drawn these same conclusions, then that is good enough for me. The logical answer for so many of the world’s dilemmas is peak oil!

Since I was seeking facts and figures to help me understand just exactly what the situation was, it was inevitable I would stumble onto the many experts and the many opinions on the subject, none more valuable than what can be found right here on peakoil.com. Thank you all for the wealth of invaluable information. I now fully understand the gravity of the current situation and how bad it might become.

Now armed with some facts, a sound theory, and with the knowledge that things are going to get worse not better, I have finally begun to open the eyes of my spouse as well. We are not fully leaving the grid until the grid leaves us, or until we are forced to, but when we must, we will be ready.

I apologize for not making this my very first post (alas, it is my second). But, I have been lurking and learning here for a while, and may find myself compelled to post from time to time. My trying to bring “peak oil” to the attention of others is not meeting with much success. I guess, the understanding of what we must soon face is difficult to grasp at best, and much more comforting to deny at worst.

- Pike

[Ferretlover]

Welcome to PeakOil.com, Pike. There are a wide variety of topics and we are indeed lucky to have quite a few terrific, well-informed posters! (Of course, we do have a few stinkers, too! )
The "How to Get Around this Site without losing Your Mind" thread is quite helpful (also in the Welcome Forum). If you have questions, feel free to ask any Moderator.
You will find that if people don't come looking for info on their own, they won't believe any of what is discussed here.

[Cashmere]

And another light bulb is energized.

Welcome aboard.

[joeltrout]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Northern_Pike', ' ')I am not an educated man.

[americandream]

As a South African schol aged child, I recollect sitting on our lawn chatting to the gardener. In the course of our conversation, I discovered that he was an extremely learned Marxist and I asked him what drew him to Marx.

Prophetically he spoke about the fact that we could build only so many highways, cars and other consumer goods with the resources we had as a nation and that the South African political paradigm was socially and economically too costly and would fall in due course.

He also remarked on the fact that there was no panacea to the problems that would arise as the nation as a whole had become addicted to an unsustainable and neurotic idea and that it would take the fire of self-awareness to bring about sustainable change.

Each man or woman would in time become aware of the true nature of his or her condition in other words. That's where you are at my friend and welcome to the new world.

[Cashmere]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('joeltrout', 'I')f you are not an "educated man" especially in economics and financial markets, how do you know that passing the bill is a bad thing? Just curious don't hate me.

[americandream]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('joeltrout', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Northern_Pike', ' ')I am not an educated man.

[americandream]

Well put Cash. It's an idea that makes us men. Men who are willing to lay down our lives. Not the cement and mortar it takes to actualise that idea. America was founded on the ideas of fairness for all and equality of man, by men who had seen and experienced the rank foulness of inherited privilege. Thes are noble ideas and worthy of self-sacrifice. Not the den of thieves who have corralled this nobleness as their own.

[joeltrout]

No it doesn't require education to know what is going on but it helps a ton especially when people who have spent their entire adult lives studying economics/financial markets are the ones teaching you.
joeltrout

[joeltrout]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cashmere', '
')1. Take Taxpayer money.
2. Give it to the banks that created this problem.

[americandream]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('joeltrout', 'N')o it doesn't require education to know what is going on but it helps a ton especially when people who have spent their entire adult lives studying economics/financial markets are the ones teaching you.

[joeltrout]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('americandream', 'A')greed up to a point. However, I suspect that there is many a wiser man out there than me who has come to where he is through the hard knocks of life.

[americandream]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('joeltrout', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('americandream', 'A')greed up to a point. However, I suspect that there is many a wiser man out there than me who has come to where he is through the hard knocks of life.

[Cashmere]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('joeltrout', 'N')o it doesn't require education to know what is going on but it helps a ton especially when people who have spent their entire adult lives studying economics/financial markets are the ones teaching you.
joeltrout

[Northern_Pike]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('joeltrout', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Northern_Pike', ' ')I am not an educated man.

[kpeavey]

A structured education is not a requirement for someone to understand what is going on in the world. Northern_Pike developed his ideas on his own, then used further research to find supporting documentation. That's a point in his favor as far as I'm concerned. A self-taught individual will have a deeper understanding of an issue as a result of the internal motivation to learn. Stack a few up against a lecture hall of college boys, they'll hold their own. This Pike guy has collected his feces in a single location.

[Northern_Pike]

To those that gave a kind word, at least in support of my being allowed to have my own opinion, I thank you for that.

To those most knowledgable economic stategists and big market investors that are so well educated on the matter, I say this:

My "big money" investments as of late include a combat shotgun w/ ammo, ammo for my rifle, good quality boots for the entire family, bicycles for same, and plenty of dried beans and rice for a long time. I'm also keeping our 4x4 SUV's gas tank topped off, and the vehicle full of good quality tools(spade, axe, etc.). It seems all my investments have recently gone up substantially in value, and I project will continue to do so in the future. How are your investments doing?

-Pike

[kpeavey]

My recent investment in a woodstove has not yet produced results, but winter is coming and it looks promising.

I opened a jar of chicken I canned in March. I experienced an immediate return in the form of a delicious hot meal. I have several more jars on the shelf, and that investment is holding steady. I expect it to hold its value for a few more years.

The solar hot water rig produced yet another hot bath today, as well as all I needed to do the dishes. After 4 years of faithful service, this thing shows no sign of dropping in value.

[Cashmere]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Northern_Pike', 'M')y "big money" investments as of late include a combat shotgun w/ ammo, ammo for my rifle, good quality boots for the entire family, bicycles for same, and plenty of dried beans and rice for a long time. I'm also keeping our 4x4 SUV's gas tank topped off, and the vehicle full of good quality tools(spade, axe, etc.). It seems all my investments have recently gone up substantially in value, and I project will continue to do so in the future.

[Northern_Pike]

Attaboy, kpeavey! Another sound investment strategy is hard at work for the investor. God, I love it!

- Pike