http://green.yahoo.com/news/ap/20080524/ap...rvivalists.html
People are waking up I guess to a point.......

Sounds Familiar!

-E

I have been hearing the same stories since the late 60's and early 70's. I have prepared myself with knowledge and a few tools. Not to say that something isn't coming but to say that preparation should rarely involve a doomsday scenario. I have water filters, food and such but I find it a better use of my time to try and maximize my retirement portfolio. Just another opinion where there are probably too many already.
1911

Hello
The fact that we are not building new refineries is not a coincidence. It's not a matter of "environmentalists, licenses, etc." either. It's because the long-term outlook for new, large refining capacity in North America is not economically viable.
There are some major "de-bottlenecking" efforts underway at a couple of large complexes at this moment, it will be interesting to see if they continue their path forward from the design stage to the mechanical stages. One project is a 7 billion dollar job.

BTW, that horse manure about "building new refineries at unused military bases" is just smoke and mirrors. The only viable areas to have large refineries and chemical plants is on major waterway access locations. Nothing else is logistically practical. Virtually all of the "mothballed" military bases are landlocked.
Even the existing inland plants are struggling, and I would not be surprised to see them start to fold soon. It's just too much shipping expense for the huge quantities of feedstock coming in and product going out, not to mention the massive quantities of by-products that need to be disposed of.

It's going to be an intriguing decade.....

Respectfully posted,

guido2 in Houston

I think preparation is the best insurance for any scenario.

The "energy crisis" is going to give us Americans some major pains, however it will give the rest of the world the plague. Our economy is the engine that drives the world commerce machine. There are 6 1/2 billion people on this planet, and it can comfortable accommodate 2 billion. There must be a correction, and nature will provide it if we don't. We can grow our own fuel, or do syn fuel from coal. Both technologies are practical - AND - profitable at $5 a gallon. We will survive, the rest of the planet can starve to death in the dark. I know I will survive because I can fix machines. There will always be food for good McGuiver type fixers. You guys pull the plow, I will make the plows out of old truck parts.
Get tools (especially HAND tools and learn to use them),guns, ammo and water. Don't look to see the end of the world, it ain't coming. Tough times? Damn skippy. Diversify your portfolio, keep less than 1/4 in intangibles- like stocks, bonds, etc. they can be wiped away overnight. $100,00 guaranteed on deposits is not a hedge against the 200% inflation rate when the institutions go under.

But those in big cities are SCREWED! There is less than a 2 week supply of food in our cities. WHEN (not if) the transportation , and energy systems are out for 3 weeks it ain't gonna be pretty. Tsunami? Earthquake? Hurricane? Meteor? Something WILL happen. When? Damn if I know, but sooner or later, it's gonna. Always has, always will. This planet is geologically active and will do whatever it wants whenever it wants. We are powerless and insignificant on the scale of planetary energy systems. China is cleaning up a mess, Myanmar is devastated, our turn is coming. How about a 9 on the Richter scale earth quake in NYC? Or either the Vail or the Yellowstone calderas going off? Or just another Hurricane Hazel going up the east coast?

Everyone ready?

My last post was a little gloomy so.... Have a nice day!

Very interesting article. More interesting that its making the (more or less) mainstream media now.....

Planning on moving to Alaska so I will have wild game,large gardens and fresh air!

Gloomy, but true. It may not happen in our life times but it will happen. A balanced approach of planning financially (ie, retirement-banking crisis,etc.) for the future while building the personal infrastructure (food, water, energy, tools, weapons, KNOWLEDGE) for a SHTF works for me. And teach the same self sufficient attitude to your children.

Crap I live in Florida and when the hurricanes went through there was NOTHING on the shelves within 12 hours. The only thing that prevented mass riots at gas stations was that there was nothing to fight for as the gas was gone in only a few hours.

Hello
10-4 on that....It's kind of eye-opening to see first-hand how little "buffer" we have in a local or regional disaster. Even a "perceived" disaster that doesn't actually materialize, which is what we saw here in Houston during the Katrina/Rita debacle.
Well, except for the hordes of roofies, they DID materialize, and, well, most of them are still here, leeching what is available and stealable....

Respectfully posted,
guido2 in Houston