Apologies - it looks like I missed the point of the book, which is to get people to realise how much we rely on this resource.
So from that perspective , I take your point!
And welcome !
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Totally_Baffled
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Welcome Alex. I think I will get the book now, but not having read it and not having seen the links, I am interested to know your opinions on Peak Oil outside of the novel you have written.
As you may have read in my previous post, I am concerned we are under-estimating how "mad-max" like things might descend too.
What are your own opinions on how likely it is we end up like that, as opposed to all pulling in the belts and showing a stiff upper lip as most did during WWII.
Good to see you doing such a book by the way - credit to you.
I think I will get the book now, but not having read it and not having seen the links, I am interested to know your opinions on Peak Oil outside of the novel you have written.As you may have read in my previous post, I am concerned we are under-estimating how "mad-max" like things might descend too.
What are your own opinions on how likely it is we end up like that, as opposed to all pulling in the belts and showing a stiff upper lip as most did during WWII.
Good to see you doing such a book by the way - credit to you.
Real money is gold and silver
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Kentucky Fried Panda
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Yes, the book has nothing to do with peak oil.
Last edited by Kentucky Fried Panda on 30 Jun 2011, 19:39, edited 1 time in total.
I will read the book nice to see you Mr Scarrow, when did you learn about peak oil may I ask?
I think the idea behind the book could well prove to be true depending on how well the attacks were organised, and how people reacted to them.
If they started looking for scapegoats you could have riots like the la riots but much worse and things could spiral to out of hand, with lots of different factions fighting .
I remember reading a wrinkle on the skin (by john Christopher ) another work of fiction years ago, and in that one of the characters say society is much like a anthill if you slightly damage a anthill the ants will try to rebuild if you damage it over a certain point they wont and the ants just act crazy .
In that book there was a massive worldwide earthquake and lots of survivors just went round robbing and raping each other. There was no chance for civilisation to survive where most of the survivors were because of the constant warfare and theft , they would gradually eat all the livestock and surviving game and turn to become cannibals
The only chance for a society to be rebuilt was where there were much smaller numbers of people and less anarchy in this case it was the Channel Islands
I think the same would apply here there would need to be a tipping point where the individual person thought that the system was finished, or were people acted in what they see as their own self interest but by doing so they would end up destroying the chance of society to rebuild
I think the idea behind the book could well prove to be true depending on how well the attacks were organised, and how people reacted to them.
If they started looking for scapegoats you could have riots like the la riots but much worse and things could spiral to out of hand, with lots of different factions fighting .
I remember reading a wrinkle on the skin (by john Christopher ) another work of fiction years ago, and in that one of the characters say society is much like a anthill if you slightly damage a anthill the ants will try to rebuild if you damage it over a certain point they wont and the ants just act crazy .
In that book there was a massive worldwide earthquake and lots of survivors just went round robbing and raping each other. There was no chance for civilisation to survive where most of the survivors were because of the constant warfare and theft , they would gradually eat all the livestock and surviving game and turn to become cannibals
The only chance for a society to be rebuilt was where there were much smaller numbers of people and less anarchy in this case it was the Channel Islands
I think the same would apply here there would need to be a tipping point where the individual person thought that the system was finished, or were people acted in what they see as their own self interest but by doing so they would end up destroying the chance of society to rebuild
The only way I can see a fast global crash is if the knowledge of PeakOil get widespread. In that case just about EVERYONE will react by hoarding, and in a global JustInTime system, that's equal to immediate suffocation. Game Over.
However, I think that denial will persist for quite some while, and the entire thing will unravel country-by-country. As soon as a currency crash, the people who get their salaries in that currency will become poor and wont be able to buy so much oil anymore, which will leave more to those who are left in the WE ARE DODGY.
The entire process would be explained by various talking head "economists" in "economic" terms, and very few people would understand anything at all. Just as now.
However, I think that denial will persist for quite some while, and the entire thing will unravel country-by-country. As soon as a currency crash, the people who get their salaries in that currency will become poor and wont be able to buy so much oil anymore, which will leave more to those who are left in the WE ARE DODGY.
The entire process would be explained by various talking head "economists" in "economic" terms, and very few people would understand anything at all. Just as now.
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kenneal - lagger
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The first reaction of our government to the fuel blockades was to enact legislation to enable them to control protesters/rioters in case of future fuel shortages. They can jail ring leaders and bring in the army to control things, if necessary.
If they did that initially, it might be enough to keep some semblance of order. Rationing should then follow. He hopes!!
If they did that initially, it might be enough to keep some semblance of order. Rationing should then follow. He hopes!!
The army would step in. Rioting would be dealt with with live ammo. Machine guns are a very good deterrent to public disorder.
Curfews would keep people at home. The army and armed police would control all remaining fuel supplies and food distribution. The UK is very different to the USA in this respect - generally the populace isn't armed, so the armed forces would have a very significant amount of leverage.
Curfews and roadblocks would eliminate civilian fuel consumption. Turning off all streetlights and town shopping centres would immediately save huge amounts of energy.
Of course these scenarios have been anticipated and planned for. Let us just hope that it doesn't come to that.
Curfews would keep people at home. The army and armed police would control all remaining fuel supplies and food distribution. The UK is very different to the USA in this respect - generally the populace isn't armed, so the armed forces would have a very significant amount of leverage.
Curfews and roadblocks would eliminate civilian fuel consumption. Turning off all streetlights and town shopping centres would immediately save huge amounts of energy.
Of course these scenarios have been anticipated and planned for. Let us just hope that it doesn't come to that.
Andy Hunt
http://greencottage.burysolarclub.net
http://greencottage.burysolarclub.net
Eternal Sunshine wrote: I wouldn't want to worry you with the truth.
what if you had a widespread mutiny like serbia when milosovic fell , or you just had people leaving the army with their weapons , if people believe that the system isnt going to work for them and they have a better chance on their own why shouldnt they just leave .
This reminds me of no blade of grass were we have a famine in the uk and the army just mutinys , so it would depend on the leadership and what was going on .
If I was a ordinary soldier and I thought my family and the country generally was being let down I would be quite prepared to shoot my officers and join a revolt
if the rioters were starving ordinary people could the army be sure that their troops would keep firing live ammo at them ,I can think of quite a few examples in history where troops have turned their guns on the people giving such orders
This reminds me of no blade of grass were we have a famine in the uk and the army just mutinys , so it would depend on the leadership and what was going on .
If I was a ordinary soldier and I thought my family and the country generally was being let down I would be quite prepared to shoot my officers and join a revolt
if the rioters were starving ordinary people could the army be sure that their troops would keep firing live ammo at them ,I can think of quite a few examples in history where troops have turned their guns on the people giving such orders
It depends who the army were more threatened by.
If the army were guaranteed food and fuel, and the rioting masses were trying to take those supplies from them, I think they would shoot.
Have you seen "28 Days Later"? In that disaster movie the army ended up looking after themselves, not the civilians they were supposed to protect.
If the army were guaranteed food and fuel, and the rioting masses were trying to take those supplies from them, I think they would shoot.
Have you seen "28 Days Later"? In that disaster movie the army ended up looking after themselves, not the civilians they were supposed to protect.
Andy Hunt
http://greencottage.burysolarclub.net
http://greencottage.burysolarclub.net
Eternal Sunshine wrote: I wouldn't want to worry you with the truth.
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Kentucky Fried Panda
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An overnight energy supply failure IS certainly possible nowadays.
Terrorism hitting Ukraine would deprive much of Europe of its gas supplies.
The UK has similar weak points.
A major failure in the UK's natural gas system COULD lead to to overnight panic & mayhem.
These infrastructure weaknesses certainly allow one to write a "ripping yarn" .. either to make a political/economic point, or simply to create a "thriller".
Terrorism hitting Ukraine would deprive much of Europe of its gas supplies.
The UK has similar weak points.
A major failure in the UK's natural gas system COULD lead to to overnight panic & mayhem.
These infrastructure weaknesses certainly allow one to write a "ripping yarn" .. either to make a political/economic point, or simply to create a "thriller".
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Kentucky Fried Panda
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alexscarrow
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Kentucky Fried Panda
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