Insight and inspiration in turbulent times.
We are witnessing the beginning of one of the great tragedies of history. The United States, in a misguided effort to reduce its oil insecurity by converting grain into fuel for cars, is generating global food insecurity on a scale never seen before.
Last year’s ‘bêtes noires’ were private equity funds. They had seen the light in terms of leverage and were using debt to fund major acquisitions, taking advantage of ridiculously low credit spreads and getting tax relief on their interest payments into the bargain. The Danish government’s corporation tax revenues fell by an estimated 12% when a consortium of private equity firms bought the Danish telecom operator, TDC for over Euros10bn. Too late, the Danish – and German – governments have introduced legislation to limit corporate tax relief on debt interest.
The obvious way to deal with the oncoming impact of peak oil is to find a way to produce more energy. as with so many obvious solutions, though, this one has a sting in its tail.
Oil hits $108 on pipeline blast
Seeking supply: Al Husseini interview
Hofmeister on Charlie Rose – ugly mood about energy prices?
ASPO hopes for a PO caucus in Mass.
Peak oil “Civil Defense Manual” for BC
Peak oil? Consider it solved
Mich. PO conference spkr deadline Mar 31
Kunstler has provided us with an incredibly well-written depiction of the demise of civilization and what that has already begun to mean and will mean for all of us and for future generations.
Signs of an economic meltdown are springing up all around us. The U.S. is almost certainly in a recession now, but the worst is yet to come.
Over the next year we’re going to learn a lot about global oil demand and prices.
We live in a finite world, and we are reaching limits in many ways – easy to extract oil is being exhausted, fresh water is in increasingly short supply, and climate change caused by human activity is becoming more of an issue. Because of these constraints, it is likely that economic growth will stagnate and eventually decline. [Transcript of a talk]
Ice shrink in Arctic sea may attract oil firms
Antarctic ice shelf collapses
Land deal could open Alaska wildlife refuge to oil
Bangladesh fighting back against climate domination by rich nations
Swiss-Iran energy deal angers U.S.
Iraq oil animation from populist Hightower
Lofty pledge to cut emissions comes with caveat in Norway
Climate change ‘is accelerating’ :Aggreko
Code Red interview (transcript)
Rise in US utilities carbon emissions
China building a multi-ethnic empire in the west
Chinese fuel shortages spreading to big cities
