Tuesday, January 14, 2003

Clearing my brain

This going to work every day is putting a cramp in my style, that is, my desire to post here more often and more coherently. Right now I should be working on a very overdue book review before I leave for (paid) work, but, no, I got up late and now am writing here instead of working on the book review.

Oil has been on my brain the past few weeks. Then I checked out the "News Center" section of Path to Freedom this morning, where the top story was "End of Cheap Oil Poses Serious Threat to World Economy, Experts Say". I also read two articles in yesterday's LA Times on my bus ride to work related to the subject. First, from a story about the recent LA Auto Show:
The traffic in downtown was thick enough that some people left their vehicles at home and did what public officials have been urging them to do for years -- use public transportation to get there. Others willingly paid $25 to park the cars they own to see the cars they wish they could own....

There was little talk about fuel mileage, emissions or the environment.

Then this was a front page article: "U.S. Quest for Oil in Africa Worries Analysts, Activists."
The Bush administration's search for more secure sources of oil is leading it to the doorsteps of some of the world's most troubled and repressive regimes: the petroleum-rich countries of West Africa....

But some oil analysts and activists fear the administration may be repeating mistakes of the past, when the U.S. tolerated questionable practices by allied governments to advance its Cold War and energy security interests.

So, I will continue to do my tiny little bit to use less oil by taking the bus to work, even when, like last night, I have to wait half an hour for a connecting bus to arrive just to travel the last few miles home. (Grrrr.)

No comments: