Author Archives: energyskeptic

Richard Heinberg on why low oil prices do not mean there is plenty of oil, EROI, collapse

[ Yet another wise, thoughtful, and wide-ranging essay from my favorite writer of the many facets of a civilization about to decline as it is starved of the fossil fuels that feed it.  Although the topics are quite varied, Heinberg … Continue reading

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Oil theft around the world: Cartels and exploding donkeys

Preface. Oil thefts cost Nigerian oil producers at least $18 billion a year. In Mexico, cartels spend only $5-8,000 to tap into pipelines and withdraw “unlimited” amounts of gasoline, and did so 7,000 times in 2016, resulting in $1 billion … Continue reading

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How horses changed native cultures after 1492

[ This is a very brief overview of Peter Mitchel’s “Horse Nations”.  As oil and other fossils decline, will we will almost certainly return to using more horse “muscle power” as we did in the past. Alice Friedemann   www.energyskeptic.com  author … Continue reading

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Preventing economic shock wave: Securing the port of Houston from a terrorist attack

                    [ An attack on (LNG) ships, oil tankers, or the Houston port facilities Houston would cause an oil shock, since a third of oil refining takes place there, and it’s … Continue reading

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Wells Fargo created bogus bank accounts and credit cards without customer knowledge, billed them millions

[ I know this is “old news” from 2016, but the drawback of newspapers is that stories aren’t repeated.  What an insane level of corruption we’ve reached! Just look at the financial book list I haven’t yet posted at the … Continue reading

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We Must Preserve The Earth’s Dwindling Resources For My 5 Children

Brenda Milford. June 28, 2006. We Must Preserve The Earth’s Dwindling Resources For My 5 Children. The Onion. Vol 44 Issue 27 “As we move into the 21st century, it is our responsibility to think of the future of the … Continue reading

Posted in Population | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Lab Girl by Hope Jahren (excerpts)

Preface. Here are some excerpts to give you a taste of how delightful and well written this book is, hope it inspires young women to go into science.  And something good to read when the grid goes down… Warning: these … Continue reading

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U.S. House 2013 “Exports and the Changing global energy landscape”

[ My excerpts from the house hearing below is another “let’s export Natural Gas to our allies now that we’re energy independent”.  The driving force is not making even better friends with Europe and keeping bully Russia away (though that’s … Continue reading

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Promoting abstinence and fidelity does nothing to reduce teen pregnancies or HIV

Preface. One of the goals of Christian evangelists and fundamentalists is to get enough Supreme Court justices who will stop sex education and ban contraceptives. Bad timing, free birth control and abortion are desperately needed to get the human population down … Continue reading

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The mega rich are escaping to New Zealand — the best place to survive collapse

Preface. China has the largest navy in the world now, at some point during collapse it would be easy to invade Australia, New Zealand, and other refuges. And anyone else who can sail.  In hard times, the property rights of … Continue reading

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