"If a person has an ideology that rules their life, then the most flagrant propaganda that lends credence to that ideology will be believed. Any scientific fact that sheds doubt upon their ideology however, will be dismissed out of hand. Ideology will book no contrary data." -- Ron Patterson
Crude oil prices have surged to record levels of over $72 a barrel - a rise of more than 18% in 2006, and a threefold gain over the past three years.
The effect is to heighten fears about inflation in importing countries - and to exacerbate international tensions.
The price of US-traded light, sweet crude hit a record of $72.40 on 19 April, while UK-traded Brent crude from the North Sea has raced to an all-time high of $74. [snip]
"What is driving oil prices so high?" BBC News April 20, 2006 Read the original here.
The competition for access to oil is emerging high on the agenda for President Hu Jintao's visit to the White House this week. President Bush has called China's growing demand for oil one reason for rising prices, and has warned Beijing against trying to "lock up" global supplies. [snip]
[Note: With regard to locking up global oil supplies, watch the Rob Newman video referenced by link in "Newman History of Oil." It's great. - Dan]
China's Oil Needs are High on US Agenda by David E. Sanger New York Times April 19, 2006 Read the original here.
As someone once said, "During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." The beauty about Newman is that he's extraordinarily funny, too. Watch this. It's a must see.
Excerpt: For his efforts, Mr. Raymond, who retired in December, was compensated more than $686 million from 1993 to 2005, according to an analysis done for The New York Times by Brian Foley, an independent compensation consultant. That is $144,573 for each day he spent leading Exxon's "God pod," as the executive suite at the company's headquarters in Irving, Tex., is known. [snip]
Lee Raymond What Exxon-Valdez spill? What climate change? What peak oil?
"For Leading Exxon to its Riches, $144,573 a Day" by Jad Mouawad New York Times April 15, 2006 Read the original here.
Harold Swartzoff testified before the Borough Assembly on April 4. A lake has formed on his road, and borough road maintenance seems not able to deal with it.
Harold Swartzoff, Riverwood Road: 1min 30sec
I seem not to be able to find Harold in my phone book, even under variant possible spellings. As far as I know, Harold never gave me a call before his testimony on the radio. Didn't sound like he gave the mayor a call either.
Based on what I know, Harold and his neighbors do have a maintenance problem. Deeper than trying to drain the lake from his road every year, and deeper than whoever may be the road maintenance department head, or the road inspector, the borough also has a related problem of having too many roads not built to standard, let alone built well.
I'm beginning to wonder if we could begin to focus on bringing roads up to codes, and focus on bringing our codes up to best practices, and maybe prioritize some funding to take care of the roads we use the most before seeking to spend road money on more outlier speculative projects.
More on that later.
Meanwhile, I'd like to see what other people are saying about the Riverwood, Woods Drive, Joe Road area between Kenai and Soldotna - or similar situations.
