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.

Peak Cobalt

Posted on April 14, 2018 by

Preface.  Electric vehicles use many other finite platinum group elements, precious elements, and rare earth elements.  And there are many challenges batteries must overcome. In addition, the electric grid can’t stay up without utility scale energy storage of at least … Continue reading →

Posted in Peak Critical Elements | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Peak Cobalt

Oil theft around the world: Cartels and exploding donkeys

Posted on April 4, 2018 by

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 →

Posted in Peak Oil, Threats to oil supply | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Oil theft around the world: Cartels and exploding donkeys

By 2020 it may be clear to everyone that oil decline has begun

Posted on February 7, 2018 by

Preface. There are two parts to Dittmar’s study. The first one concerns production, based on the most recent years of oil production.  Dittmar found a strong pattern of oil decline after the plateau of 3% a year for five years, … Continue reading →

Posted in Exports decline to ZERO, How Much Left, Peak Oil | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Civil war coming?

Posted on December 17, 2017 by

Preface. I read Turchin’s latest book which attempts to show why his past theories about the rise and fall of agrarian nations also applies to our modern civilization.  But there was not one mention of fossil fuels, natural resources, or … Continue reading →

Posted in Peter Turchin, Stages of, War | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Civil war coming?

Will the Navy go out with a whimper instead of a bang?

Posted on December 5, 2017 by

Preface. This house hearing is about the continuing decline of the Navy There are fewer and fewer ships. The remaining ships are overused, some past their normal lifespan, and under-maintained. As the U.S. descends into fascist plutocracy enabled by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Infrastructure & Fast Crash, Transportation Infrastructure | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Is Peak Oil dead? Not by a long shot! Remember Ladyfern?

Posted on December 2, 2017 by

Preface. Oil is finite. Period. Don’t be fooled by news stories that peak oil is dead, or we have reached peak demand.  They’re all nonsense. Gail Tverberg at ourfiniteworld.com is especially good at explaining this. Worse yet, what we have … Continue reading →

Posted in Oil & Gas Fracked, Peak Natural Gas | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Given the laws of physics, can the Tesla Semi really go 500 miles, and what will the price be?

Posted on November 21, 2017 by

Preface: Most people think that electric truck makers need to tell us the specs — the battery kWh, price, performance, and so on — before we can possibly know anything about their truck. But that’s simply not true.  We know … Continue reading →

Posted in Efficiency, Electric & Hydrogen trucks impossible, Lithium-ion, Trucks: Electric | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Mining: Waste, Pollution, Destruction from Ugo Bardi’s “Extracted”

Posted on November 15, 2017 by

Preface. I’ve reworded/shortened some of the wording at times from this excellent book. Here are 7 other posts from this great book: Mining: Waste, Pollution, Destruction Ugo Bardi predictions of the future Minerals and War Minerals: Natural gas Minerals: Coal … Continue reading →

Posted in Chemicals, Hazardous Waste, Mining, Nuclear Waste, Pollution, Ugo Bardi | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

We’re killing our food supply and technology can’t save us

Posted on November 12, 2017 by

Farrell, Paul B. Feb 11, 2015. Opinion: We’re killing our food supply and technology can’t save us. Big Ag can’t feed 10 billion and magical technologies won’t appear.  MarketWatch. We’re maxing-out on Peak Food. Billions go hungry. We’re poisoning our … Continue reading →

Posted in Peak Fertilizer, Peak Food | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Conventional economic theory ignores the laws of physics

Posted on November 4, 2017 by

Preface. It’s the energy stupid!  These figures clearly show a link between energy and the economy. Conventional economic theory has to ignore energy or that would prove that there are Limits to Growth.  What follows is from Nafeez Ahmed’s 2017 … Continue reading →

Posted in Limits To Growth | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments