Category Archives: 3) Fast Crash

The case for a fast, rather than a slow one. Most societies crashed in 20 years or less. There has never been or will be again a crash like ours, where the world of 7 billion people became utterly dependent on a non-renewable source of energy — fossil fuels.

Book review of Lights Out. A Cyberattack. A Nation Unprepared. Surviving the Aftermath

Posted on February 8, 2024 by

Preface.  This is one of three posts based on Ted Koppel’s book Lights out: A Cyberattack, A Nation Unprepared, Surviving the Aftermath. There’s also these 2 posts based on this book: “Want to survive peak everything? Become a Mormon” and … Continue reading →

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Off-Road vehicles & equipment need diesel fuel

Posted on February 1, 2024 by

Preface. Move over semi-trucks. You are not the most important truck in the world, even though I gave you the starring role in “When Trucks Stop Running”.  What really matters are the trucks that grow our fuel: Food. And mining … Continue reading →

Posted in Efficiency, Electric & Hydrogen trucks impossible, Infrastructure & Fast Crash, Transportation Infrastructure, Trucks | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Tesla Semi trucks hauling corn chips

Posted on January 11, 2024 by

Preface.  Many dismiss my writing about why heavy-duty class 8 battery electric trucks can’t replace diesel trucks because there are class 8 electric trucks. Most famously the Tesla semi trucks, which are under a trial at the PepsiCo Frito-lay plant … Continue reading →

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What is the plan for an electric grid outage that lasts for months?

Posted on January 4, 2024 by

Preface. There are three posts on Ted Koppel’s book “Lights out”: Book review of Lights Out. A Cyberattack. A Nation Unprepared. Surviving the Aftermath What is the plan for an electric grid outage that lasts for months? Want to survive … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackouts, Blackouts Electric Grid, Electric Grid & Fast Collapse, Energy Books, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Do you want to eat, drink, or fly?

Posted on December 6, 2023 by

Preface.  In this post the New York Times writes about renewable airplane fuel from corn ethanol, and questions whether there is enough water and a few other problems.  First I’m going to summarize their issues with this, and then follow … Continue reading →

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The 10th planetary boundary: Salt

Posted on November 29, 2023 by

Preface. In 2009, Johan Rockström proposed that there were nine planetary boundaries we must not cross.  In 2023, Richardson et al found that 6 of the 9 boundaries had been transgressed: Climate change CO2 and radiative forcing, Biosphere integrity, land … Continue reading →

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A Nuclear spent fuel pool fire could force millions to evacuate & cost $2 trillion

Posted on October 25, 2023 by

Preface. Nuclear cheerleaders love to talk about how safe nuclear power is.  You will never ever hear them talk about nuclear fuel pools because that would destroy their argument. Though like Limits to Growth and Malthusian overpopulation dismissed by capitalists, … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackouts Electric Grid, EMP Electromagnetic Pulse, Nuclear Power Energy, Nuclear spent fuel fire, Nuclear Waste | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

A Mega Storm in California might cost $1 trillion & destroy a third of America’s food

Posted on October 18, 2023 by

Preface. Hurricane Katrina cost somewhere between $109 and $250 billion dollars (Amadero 2017). Estimates of hurricane Harvey range from $100 to $190 billion (Kollewe 2017, Lanktree 2017). The next California ArkStorm is likely to cost $900 billion, or even a … Continue reading →

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Want to survive Peak Everything? Become a Mormon

Posted on September 20, 2023 by

Source: Salt Lake Tribune. For Latter-day Saint families, preparing for emergencies is the norm Preface.  Ted Koppel’s book “Lights Out” highlights the many risks to the grid from cyber and physical attacks, electromagnetic pulses from weapons or solar flares, large … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackouts, Electric Grid & Fast Collapse, EMP Electromagnetic Pulse, Energy Books, Where to Be or Not to Be | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Book Cobalt: The Making of a Mining Superpower

Posted on August 23, 2023 by

Preface. This book is about the history of the town of Cobalt and would make a great horror movie — the disease, filth, poverty, poor wages, racism, and destruction of the environment — the biodiversity, fresh water and more.

Posted in Energy Books, Hazardous Waste, Mining | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Book Cobalt: The Making of a Mining Superpower