As Volunteer said in post #16, life is about to change very dramatically in a very short time. Relocalization will most likely become a reality to most of us, certainly those of us on fixed incomes and those of us working for wages.

Edwin Black, in his book, “Internal Combustion” details how, a century ago, Henry Ford and Thomas Edison were working on electric cars that were proving to be viable transportaion, especially in urban settings. Electric taxis, trains and trolleys were abundant in many of our large cities until General Motors, Standard Oil, Phillips Petroleum, Firestone and Mack Truck conspired to take over these urban transportation systems and replace them with smoke and pollution belching internal combustion engine conveyances, not only in those large metropolitan cities from coast to coast but also in some of the country’s smallest cities such as Decatur, Illinois and Beaumont, Texas. That criminal conspiracy changed urban transportaion forever. The feds prosecuted this corporate cabal in 1947 and found them guilty of conspiracy and yet GM continued in it’s monopolistic entrenchment in urban transit long after the scandal faded from the nations collective conscience. The feds resurrected conspiracy hearings again in 1974, after the Arab-imposed 1973 oil shock. GM was again accused of contributing to the nation’s petroleum woes by deliberately conspiring against scores of local mass transit systems.

If 78% of our driving is urban in nature and totalling about 40 miles or less in any given day, we should double our efforts to find new ways to move in and about our cities without burning fossil fuels. Plug in hybrids are certainly getting the attention of many folks concerned about this country’s future. One wonders how far ahead of the game we would be had we opted to concentrate our efforts on alternatives to combustion engine vehicles instead of spending the $12 billion a month in Iraq to insure the continued flow of Middle-eastern oil to our shores.

As a group, lets try to agree to continue to attack the topics and NOT the individual. Especially when someone new is coming by. Sometimes when someone comes by to comment with a new or different view, it feels like the machine guns come out blazing.

I think we have a diverse group of viewpoints and backgrounds that have come to respectfully disagree with one another in great debate. Lets try to be respectful of others ideas. Disagree on the topics without chopping down others. And have fun sharing ideas.

I dunno, I guess if that’s what people really want, then this is the place to go. It’s the old adage, “Whatever floats your boat” in action. But it just seems to me that people here waste a lot of time being rude, borderline rude or outright rude to each other. I am glad this website exists for everyone who needs it since they apparently have no other place to vent. It serves a real useful purpose in that regard. I just continue to wish that it would “lighten up” and spend time discussing relevant “quality of life” stuff instead of all of the rest of the negative issues that seem to consume this site.

Good Luck, Joe Eagle, you paid a handsome sum to take this Motley Crue onto your hands! May they serve you well!

I think folks can publicly state opinions that are currently popular but not really the actual opinion they hold. In the past I have been guilty of that in a group setting (usually at work), where I’m just not quite convinced but will ride with the flow rather than hold up the process and possibly create discontent with my unpopular opinion. I no longer do that because I’m a cranky old battleaxe and I tell it like I see it, now. But I used to be a bit more timid.

On this site, I think there are some who are eager to be “liked” (as much as anyone can be “liked” on an anonymous level) and will join in the majority even if they are also not quite convinced.

On the other hand, there are also plenty who give their unpopular opinion and get pounced upon by the rest of us, as due to our anonymous nature we tend to be less civil in our responses.

It’s been mentioned many times that some folks stop commenting here because they are tired of receiving that kind of reaction, it can be taken personally and be very wearying.

I guess my mindset, when I wrote that stupid phrase “honest opinion” was that I wanted to convince you, somehow, that even though you may not agree with me, I’m a good person and that was my true opinion and not some politically expedient thing I was just being a mouthpiece for.

Silly things we do sometimes, I guess. But it was a good catch, because upon further reflection, that phrase seems really lame.

I always appreciate your input.

In any event, this person told me, “Opinions are like (—–s), every has one, but some just smell a lot worse than others!”

As the decades have passed since then, my friend’s observation seems to ring more true with each passing year!

Happy Opinionating! The Volunteer

PS–I tried to spellcheck “opinionating.” No luck. SO I don’t have no ‘pinion on whether the wurd is speled rite or not!

I happen to agree with that philosophy. I think we did mess up, and it’s time to regroup and adjust our priorities and make things right.

If you’re saying that kind of thinking puts me in company with Reverend Wright, you will not see me being embarrassed about it, no matter how much derision you can muster. It’s an honest opinion and it’s where I’m at for the moment. My opinions have been subject to change as I learn more and more…that’s one of my best features, my open mind.

Because the truth is, sometimes I’ve even agreed with YOU. And I’m not embarrassed by that association, either.

Idaho Falls has been very fortunate to have it’s own ability to generate electricity for both use and sale of the excess. This has helped us more than if we were solely dependent upon buying from the Bonneville Power Administration.

http://www.headwatersnews.org/White.next.energy.html

The key “take-away” from this article is the concept of “relocalization” and for us what relocalization might mean specifically for Idaho Falls. In other words, are there things we can do besides point fingers at gubmints and oil companies that will create a sustainable future IN SPITE of $7 gasoline?
Perhaps it’s time for Idaho Falls pundits to stop sending salvos of sarcasm toward mythic icons and focus their wits and wisdom on what we can do right here in River City to prepare to prosper in the face of even much higher fuel prices.

White’s article is very genealistic but his ideas definitely deserve consideration. Here’s a summary of what he sees are consequences of $7 gas:

1) Don’t Bet the House on Recreation Anymore.
2) The Juggernaut of Urban & Exurban Development Will Falter.
3) Water Will Become More Expensive.
4) Economic Hardship Will Spread Upward.
5) Expect More Oil & Gas Development – Perhaps a Lot More.

Here are the keys to relocalization as this author see it:

The Development of Local Food and Energy Sources.
Farm and Ranch Land Will Become Important Again.
County Governments Will Rise In Influence.
Co-Management of Public Lands Will Evolve Into the Norm.

The history of the West if a saga of people who have learned to adapt and survive all manner of improbable hardships. The history books are filled with examples of people who have risen out of adversity to prosper in wealth and power. It might be possible that this whole paradigm shift in energy prices offers a corresponding level of opportunity for those savvy enough to recognize the economic benefits lying in wait in the emergence of relocalization.

We can cry over spilt milk (and oil) all we want, but it won’t do any good. Our challenge is to determine how to survive and prosper IN SPITE of astronomical gas costs. As the future unfolds, I too believe the biggest rewards await those who understand and capitalize on relocalization.

The Volunteer

Yes, Mike, history has proven that we are an imperialist nation. Past exploitaions of resourse rich nations have left us a pariah in the eyes of the world and it will become increasingly more difficult to carry on business as usual in an informed world. Gunboat diplomacy is dead. We will simply have to compete with other nations, in the same marketplace, for those dwindling supplies of resourses and save our military might for it’s intended use, defense.

The money we have spent in Iraq would have gone a long way towards building the infrastructure necessary to wean us off foreign oil. Drilling in ANWAR, constructing nuclear power plants, adding to our refinery capacity and utilizing a miriad of renewable energy sources have to be more affordable and certainly more justifiable than sending our young men and women off to war simply to maintain our status quo as a nation of oil gluttons.