Serendipitously, my dear perceptive Malaysian friend Roh has skewered and dissected the shock climate change fear oil bubble horror being shoved down our throats every five minutes by the media and pollies, a current mass-marketing phenomenon not unique to Australia. Whilst there has been no doubt in my mind for several decades that irresponsible littering, pollution, over-consumption and over-breeding - greed, selfishness and human arrogance - was leading inexorably toward a catastrophic collapse which would dwarf those of historic civilisations who similarly degraded that on which they depended, it is hardly helpful for people to be scared witless and even worse, numb, by constant pronouncements of doom.
To disempower people at a time when innovation and harnessing of joyful, intelligent solutions is most needed may be the last terrible resort of that crumbling, decadent plutocracy euphemistically referred to as the global economy.
Much of the oil bubble - 30% or so - is due to speculators - who naturally will be hopeful that the Iraq situation doesn’t sort itself out any time soon, with one third of the world’s sweet crude lying beneath cruel American boots. It wouldn’t do for the Saudis either if the world’s favourite fungible was suddenly agush once more. Neither would it be a good thing for CO2 levels, which are what we should really be worrying about. The sun, which is mostly responsible for climate cycles, is in a cooling phase, reaching its next Maunder minimum in about 2032. Should we have failed to act substantially to limit CO2 emissions by then, as the sun heats once more, we may not only be bewailing the extinction of the Great Barrier Reef, but our own as well. The only reprieve on the cards, according to many ecologists, is a good old plague which may decimate our rapacious species in the nick of time for the silent ones - all other earth species. Bird flu was just an aperitif.
Regardless of the bi-partisan doomsayers’ newly discovered woe, we look happily at our cashed up CXY (Cougar Energy) shares and hope their first 400mw plant out at Kingaroy is running before schedule. Queensland is the repository of the dirtiest brown coal in the world. A few years ago, Queensland ex-Premier, Peter Beattie boasted horribly and unforgettably that there was no problem with the state’s coal supplies - there was enough for the next 300 years! What a great turnaround if UCG tech works as it should. Yes, local consumers may have to pay 3 times as much as they do now for gas to maintain parity with all those lovely export dollars, yet it will still be cheaper than fuelling their disgraceful 4wds with petrol.
Meanwhile, another coal behemoth is commissioned in the Latrobe Valley, folks talk about the end of the Murray Darling system and our government is STILL encouraging population growth, including Captain Bligh, who is attempting to force another 75,000 yokels into the Sunshine Coast pronto, carping at bewildered developers to carve up their landbanks now. Of course, young Queenslanders won’t be able to afford these houses, they will be for wealthy old southerners who can migrate north for their golden years when they most need expensive state health services etc. And after they cark it, their money will gurgle back down south again. Bligh claims she ‘loves Noosa’ … so perhaps we shall remain a tiny green suburb in the Queensland of the future, between wall to wall, street to street concrete from Coolongatta to Hervey Bay. When will these loons learn that small is just as beautiful as it has always been and create prosperous economic policies which nurture real sustainability of the environment rather than what historically has proved disastrous - pandering predominantly to people’s predilections to gobble and reproduce whilst proliferating architectural monstrosities?
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July 6th, 2008 at 12:13 am
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July 10th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Hey Jin. Couldn’t agree with you more. The oil bubble, the speculators et al, I think they are the main cause of the hyper-inflated oil prices in the world. By the by, if there is really a shortage, then why are the tankers moving, why are the oil wells still pumping and basically, why are gas stations still selling gas.
This brings about to my mind the reality of things. Much have been said about oil prices, fuel prices but everybody seems to forget the inflationary effect that it has on a nation. In Malaysia, there has been much talks about the need to reduce fuel prices but how do you do it when the prices of the basic product is too high? By way of subsidies? This, I believe, will create a false sense of security. Yes, with subsidies the prices can go low but this does not really address the real problem which is the artificial inflation being caused by a bunch of greedy people.
THen again, we have talks about alternative means of energy. Funny how this always comes about when there is a crisis and goes on the backburner when the crisis disappear. For once I hope these prophets of alternative energy will walk the talk instead of talking cock when there is such a crisis. In the usual time honored tradition, these bringers of alternative energies will come forth to the government to present their case, get grants and then, that would be the last we hear of them. Might be because they are too busy polishing the new CLK that they bought with the grant.
In perspective, look at Saudi Arabia. A gallon of petrol (about 3.8 litres) is abut 45 US cents. Are the people there happy? Go to my blog and read the AP story that I chanced upon a few days ago. I kinda like what the old man… so what if fuel is cheap? what can you do with fuel.
Australia, just as Malaysia, are both equally blessed with talented people, whom I believe can present solutions to the problems that are facing us just right now. If only the governments of our respective country could sift between the chaff and the wheat, I believe they can do much good for the people.
Furthermore, I just cannot stomach any promises of a magical formula to solve our problems when the basic product is priced too high. I am against subsidies simply because it provides too much of a comfort zone and the environment created would be artificial. It is time for the government to open their eyes and decide, with the advise of those in the know, not those whom they know, what is best for the people. Cheers from Malaysia 101.