"Peak" in the article below refers to Peak Oil, the date on which the earth 
produces oil at the highest rate that it ever can, after which the rate of oil 
production goes into permanent decline. This does not mean that the oil in the 
earth is all used up; it just means that we are on the downward portion of 
the oil production curve. We will never again be able to increase production 
each year. Prior to Peak Oil, for every year since 1859, when the first well in 
Pennsylvania produced oil, production was continually increasing. 

Meanwhile, demand for oil continues to increase, with developing countries 
like China and India increasing their oil consumption rapidly.

Predictions for the year of Peak Oil vary over a range of about ten years. 
Many experts believe that 2005 will be the year when oil production peaks.

Peak Oil changes everything, in terms of human activity. It means that 
endless economic growth, fueled up to now by an every-increasing rate of production 
of oil, will no longer be possible. Among other things, it means that our oil 
and natural gas based agriculture will have to be replaced by sustainable 
agriculture. (Anhydrous ammonia production uses natural gas as the source of the 
hydrogen in the NH3 molecule. Natural gas is rapidly reaching peak, just as is 
oil production.)

We need much more than increased CAFE (corporate average fuel economy) 
standards to cope with Peak Oil.
Tom
============================================================
Iran , LONDON, Wargames and   Other Distractions
Keep Your Eyes on the Ball The Real End  is Near, But Not from These Places
by Michael C. Ruppert
From The Wilderness Publications
August 12, 2005
EDITED

I woke up this morning to a host of panicked and hysterical   emails about
pending nuclear attacks against US cities; about a multitude of   rumors
that the US is planning on invading and/or even nuking Iran in the   near
future. Most of the sources of these reports were so-called Internet
journalists  with absolutely horrible reporting ethics and even   worse
records of making accurate predictions.  Examination of most of these
reports reveals rumors, unsubstantiated gossip,   unsourced anecdotes,
anonymous sources and connections that are so   far-fetched as to be
laughable.

We are being deliberately distracted. But from what?

A flurry of recent stories tells me that planet earth has most   likely
already gone over Peak already and confirms my suspicions that true   bits
of chaos will start to emerge this fall and winter:. Airlines are   running
out of fuel; Russian production is falling; Norwegian and North Sea
production are collapsing; Prices are soaring; Saudi is unable to keep its
promises. This is a deluge of real bad news but there's more.

In addition, climate collapse stories are breaking in a torrent. The most
serious of the last twenty-four hours was a report in The Guardian that
Russian tundra   (peat) is thawing out and starting to release  billions
of tons    of methane into the atmosphere. Methane is twenty times more
potent a   greenhouse gas than is carbon dioxide. That story acknowledges
that earth has   also gone past the climate-change tipping point . If
today's story was right, it's a certainty. Oh yes, had the   bombings not
occurred that day the world's top story would have been Blair Breaks with
Bush on Global Warming at G-8. 

Global food production is declining as a result of both   depleted soil and
severe drought.  Grain surpluses are disappearing even   as the population
continues to expand. Mother Earth is fighting back.   Monsanto is trying to
patent a pig and  oh joy  they've just   broken the genome for rice so that
it can now be patented and replaced with   terminator seeds and all food
production falls into just a few corporate   hands. At the same time Warren
Buffet and Halliburton can buy up all the   electric utilities in the
country and control the power supply to both people   and government alike.
That, my friends, is absolute tyranny.

Is any of this starting to sink in yet? There is a plan to deal   with Peak
Oil. It was formulated without asking any of us. And it is being
implemented right in front of our eyes. 

If there is a nuclear attack or any other such calamity in our   immediate
future it will only be because the powers that be will need that   much of
a distraction to keep you from seeing the much greater crisis that is
really upon us. Heaven knows, if you actually understood Peak Oil and
climate   collapse you might actually get off your [chair] and do something
serious,   instead of sitting frozen like rabbits or deer in the
headlights.

Michael C. Ruppert




- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Join us at Sierra Summit 2005.  For information go to:
http://www.sierrasummit2005.org/
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to:
[log in to unmask]