I agree,as long as the speculators can hoared and control the market and as long as oil can be used as an economic weapon by our enemies you can drill in every back yard in america and it will make no difference.....Breaking our dependence on foreign oil is not the answer. Breaking our dependence on oil period is.

Yes, indeed, daddioh.

Are you a beatnik? :--)

Maynard G.Crebs is my hero

Everyone now please Google "Maynard G. Krebs" - the most famous beatnik in history (but fictional). Note: according to Wikipedia, the "G" stood for "Walter" - it gives you an idea.

Okay ... you asked what I think, and here it is. Keep in mind my crystal ball is as flawed as the next person's.

Our current crisis did not happen overnight and it will not go away any faster than it arrived. If any of us use petroleum products that are the result of drill-drill-drill in the past, then we are consumers and willing participants of the process that got us here. In other words, we're all participants and guilty beneficiaries. Equally, we must all be participants who get us out of it ... but it will not happen quickly. How it happens is a question of values, science and intestinal fortitude. The extent to which emotionalism, wishful thinking and hyperbole is used in addressing the issue the longer a meaningful and long-lasting solution will take.

Clearly, while there is a clear goal of clean energy and movement away from petro-fuels, there is no ONE solution or method of getting there. When we say we need "alternative energy sources" no one will argue, but what does that mean? It means time and transition. What will we do for energy and methods of transportation and heating homes until such time as the "alternatives" are readily available? We'll confront difficult, expensive and catastrophic choices for 20 years ... what we'll do is solve them. During that 20 years we will need to transition from a petro/fossil fuel based economy to whatever it is that will follow, and it isn't clear yet what that will be. As the transition occurs, continuing use of petroleum will need to be part of the process, albeit incrementally reduced over time. How will that occur? Also transitionally ... we are wedded to fossil energy for the short term (meaning 20 to 50 years) from the major producers upon whom we're dependent: mostly the middle east, but also Nigeria, Indonesia, Venezuela, Mexico and Canada. Europe is wedded to Russia in the same way. We have sources of petro fuel in N. America (untapped oil, Natural gas and coal) that we can choose, or not, to use in this transition ... there are consequences in using or not. Which set of consequences do we prefer? ... Neither is attractive, but consequences of doing nothing are worse than deciding that we must control our own energy sources.

"Drill, drill drill ... into our own minds to find the black gold of respect for and understanding of our planet" is good rhetoric. I like the next sentence that promotes finding our own resources here to develop autonomous and diversified energy sources. We are confronting a paradigm shift (see Thomas Kuhn, "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.") the proportions of which have never been seen ... it will take at least a generation of time, skill and expertise (probably more) for this shift to take place. There will be vested interest that resist ... some places in the world will experience, or continue to experience, extreme violence. While that happens, with the emphasis on energy, other major shifts will be concurrent: social, political, economic, world-views (religious) and scientific.

Both of the current American political campaigns want to own the idea of "change." Well, change is coming regardless of who owns it. The questions before us now are whether we choose to direct the change, or whether we let it bury us. If we choose to direct it, then what set of values will be used for such direction? Adherents of such value systems will come to blows and it won't be pretty. In my mind, there has been no revolution greater than that in which we are confronting now. Of course we should drill, drill, drill ... but in the knowledge that the results will be transitional and temporary. If, at the end of consuming that for which we have drilled, we have not established alternative sources of clean energy, then we'll deserve that for which we didn't plan. LIkely we, you and I, will not be here ... our children and grandchildren will be saddled with a crisis the likes of which we will not need to endure, as our dust swirls in the wind of their chaos.

In the mean time, each of us should make our homes as energy efficient as possible, keep a months supply of food and water available, store some fuel, pay off your credit cards and minimize your debt, keep some cash handy, get to know your neighbors, value education, science and reason. Be frugal. Do not over-consume. Be friendly and optimistic. Don't forget to laugh.

There you have it. Don't shoot the messenger.

Hey, Jon. I really agree with almost everything you said; perhaps you read into my words, or I was unclear. I am not dead set against ALL new drilling; but since I hear a giant drumbeat for tar sands and for all kinds of new oil at the same time as there is barely an official call for alternative (renewable) energy, for that reason I emphasize renewables. It is a question of balance but, no, I am not totally against new drilling.

Two caveats: 1) I don't know exactly how risky and dirty that drilling is; oil companies and their friends say it is practically free of all effects on the surroundings, and I do not believe them, and 2) again, the drilling seems to be the main focus, along with nuclear, instead of a total plan wherein there is some drilling but a great deal more goes into the new sources of energy - and at least give a look into a thorough analysis of the options. Wind turbine plants can be quickly ramped up, as can the solar industry.

Now, Jon, I only disagree on one item: you mention 20 to 50 years of fossil fuels, but I would like to see the Al Gore plan followed, but I give it double the time he does. With a strong plan to get off foreign energy, I estimate 10 to 20 years to cancel ALL imports (other than a limited concession such as natural gas from Canada or other relatively clean and secure source).

I will not shoot the messenger in any case, but you have just spelled out my thoughts, with slightly different time frames. However, I did not want to write as lengthily as you - as the host in TBD, it seemed to me that some brevity is called for. But what you wrote was completely appropriate and to my mind rather accurate.

Best wishes to you and all our visitors.

David

Agreed. I come pretty close to most of that. Probably should store up a little more food/water...not sure about storing fuel. Debt is minimized...only my mortgage and it's fixed and manageable.

Should probably keep more handy cash than just my rolls of quarters... I value science, education, reason; I know my neighbors; I try not to over-consume (easier for me since I'm retired).

Friendly and optimistic is usually who I am, as is laughter.

Makes sense. Now...what about the millions of people who say it's all a myth...