Prospects in the Post-Petroleum World

The longing for the simpler times of my childhood when the unreliable third world electrical grid went down and my extended family of aunts came outside to sit in the dark and talk to me. It was an awake-to-the-moment, off routine, no TV, intimacy that was somehow magical. This, if we could get through the dark times of loss and chaos, was something to look forward to.

Russia raises oil export tax

LOS ANGELES — The Russian government plans to increase its oil export duty to a record $102.60/tonne starting Apr. 1. The duty has been $83/tonne since Feb. 1.

During December 2004 and January, the duty was $101/tonne, the previous highest level. Russia’s oil export duty is reconsidered every 2 months.

Going Geo-Green

So where are the Democratic voices linking energy conservation and national security? With awareness of Peak Oil rising along with prices at the pump, it’s time for Democrats to make it clear they are leading the charge for the geo-green strategy.

Cheney’s Oil Change at the World Bank

Dick Cheney, a long-time beneficiary of World Bank largess, has moved to take ownership of the world’s development coffers through his man, Wolfowitz. For his part, Wolfowitz will have a chance to extend his Iraq reconstruction theories to the global level. These concepts mostly involve U.S. control over energy resources.

Sleepwalking to Disaster in Iran

Late last year … I was contacted by someone close to the Bush administration … The Bush administration was keen on achieving some semblance of stability in Iraq before June 2005, I was told … because that was when the Pentagon was told to be prepared to launch a massive aerial attack against Iran.