"The Oily Americans"?

[monkeylove]

See the Time article "The Oily Americans"

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101030519-450997,00.html

Have things changed in the past fifty odd years? Fifty years ago the British and Americans did what it took to keep control of the world’s oil resources.

On a positive note, once Iraqi oil is back online, gas prices will be cheaper.

Some say that the US is the best place in the world in which to live. I think that they mean materially. Well, the west is able to live well materially because they have access to the relatively cheap resources of other countries. Yes it is great to live in the west, but let us not be too smug and let's be thankful that we can copiously consume these and other natural resources. After all, as some say, they are there to serve our needs. My philosophy is a little different. I think that we are all part of a dynamic entity not the top of a hierarchy.

 

[onthebottom]

There is no doubt

that energy is a strategic component in the world economy. Colonial England and communist paranoid Americans don't make sympathetic players in Middle East history.

Australia is the best place in the world to live, hands down.

High standards of living comsume resources, the richer you are the more you consume. Not much of a mystery there. Did you drive to work today or take public transportation?

OTB

 

[train]

On a positive note, once Iraqi oil is back online, gas prices will be cheaper.

[/B]

I hope you're right on this but I have my doubts . The Iraqi oil was always on the market - went through Syria to countries like France etc .

 

[submissivedave]

Re: There is no doubt

Australia is the best place in the world to live, hands down.

OTB

Hmmmmmmm ........... I would have to disagree a bit and personally say the Scandanavian countries are ... there, the income gap is almost minimal, good social programs and that women rank among the highest in terms of income equality compared to men.

Although ........ they do make shitty cars. Yes !!! Volvos and Saabs suck !!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

REAL cars come from Germany !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH

OK ... I am getting off topic again ... sorry ...

 

[monkeylove]

Re: There is no doubt

Did you drive to work today or take public transportation?

OTB

I drove my Range Rover! What the fuck ... all the resources will be available to me in my life time and after that what do I care! It is ALL about ME!

 

[Berlin]

There is no doubt... go for Aussie

...Australia is the best place in the world to live, hands down.

mmmm... the reefs, the beaches, the red wine, the sea food, the snaky dude show....and so close to New Zealand....mmm...the rack of lamb..... slurpp'

Australia, yes.

 

[Berlin]

no doubt ?

... all the resources will be available to me in my life time and after that what do I care! It is ALL about ME!

Dude, you serious ? " All about ME!" !?!

 

[monkeylove]

Re: no doubt ?

Dude, you serious ? " All about ME!" !?!

Ahhh ... NO! I guess sarcasm is the weakest form of wit. Ok ok ... Bad Monkey. If I had said that I roller bladed to work, well dismiss my views because I am some sort of extremist. Why does everything have to be black and white or extreme, one way or another? I do not advocate radical quick change, but I do advocate thought and hopefully slow progress. However it does not seem like we have made any progress in the last fifty years on this front.

 

[onthebottom]

Re: Re: no doubt ?

Ahhh ... NO! I guess sarcasm is the weakest form of wit. Ok ok ... Bad Monkey. If I had said that I roller bladed to work, well dismiss my views because I am some sort of extremist. Why does everything have to be black and white or extreme, one way or another? I do not advocate radical quick change, but I do advocate thought and hopefully slow progress. However it does not seem like we have made any progress in the last fifty years on this front.

My objection is that everyone is always looking for someone else change their lifestyle. I rode the train / subway this morning, not an "extreme" lifestyle.

If you are worried about oil consumption you have to believe in public transport, nuclear power, burning coal...... Throwing a rock at the US is not constructive.

I'm a bit of a skeptic on the sky falling re: oil supply, I remember too well the predictions in the 70's about the world being out of oil in 25 years. Hummm

It's a *ucked up region sitting on top of the worlds energy supply, G*D must have a sense of humor.

OTB

 

[onthebottom]

Re: Re: There is no doubt

Hmmmmmmm ........... I would have to disagree a bit and personally say the Scandanavian countries are ... there, the income gap is almost minimal, good social programs and that women rank among the highest in terms of income equality compared to men.

Although ........ they do make shitty cars. Yes !!! Volvos and Saabs suck !!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

REAL cars come from Germany !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH

OK ... I am getting off topic again ... sorry ...

Beaches, sparsely populated, moderate climate, strong economy, awesome women, beer quality, wine quality..............

You have to go with Australia, as usual Dave you're focused on the wrong things.

OTB

 

[oldjones]

It's just posible isn't it…

…that if the descendants of those viking rapists and pillagers had happened on all the natural advantages that the English crown gave to their own bunch of thieves and murderers, they'd have made a better job of the place by now? Of course we know from another thread the world would be better off if every last one had been very slowly and agonizingly drowned during the voyage.
Leaving us virtuous types to invent Wicked Weasels.
Moving vaguely towards topic: Oz's oil production was how many bbls in 2002? Scandinavia's was considerable; even the US's wasn't bad, until one matches it against their profligate thirst for the stuff. The real sin of our nice neighbours is their habit of blindly rushing down a hopeless path only to cry, "Why didn't you tell us?" when the path goes over the cliff.
The SUV, pride of America's flagship industry—whose workers are in almost indentured servitude by the fear of losing their health benefits, which nonetheless provide poorer care than Sweden's universal state system—aren't as well built as those tinpot Swedish cars, still made by better housed, better cared for workers. As they were when the US 'discovered' the Volvo system, even though they're now owned by US companies, who will do just about anything to keep their "own" workers from enjoying the same system. And they burn less gas and survive crashes better than any diplodocus SUVsaurus. And… and…. [foam and spittle start to fleck his lips, his staring eyes widen and roll haphazardly, his hands seem to have minds of their own fluttering everywhere like frightened birds, in the distance a siren is heard getting closer. Closer.]

There children, a terrible example of the effects of mixing too much time with a computer.

 

[submissivedave]

Re: Re: Re: There is no doubt

Beaches, sparsely populated, moderate climate, strong economy, awesome women, beer quality, wine quality..............

You have to go with Australia, as usual Dave you're focused on the wrong things.

OTB

HEHEHE ...... sorry ......

 

[HaywoodJabloemy]

Re: Australia vs. Scandinavian countries as a place to live

Besides what's already been mentioned,

Sweden - Our hobby made completely illegal in 1999
http://www.prostitutionresearch.com/swedish.html

Australia - 900 legal brothels!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1723583.stm