Reality Check

So I'm not a great photographer, sue me.

clearest and I went to the refinery last night for a story she's writing.  If it's cleared you'll see it soon... maybe even if it isn't.  Anyway, I have a few more photos here.  

In my defense, it wasn't exactly ideal conditions.  Dark falling and the guards chasing us off and all that.  It was fun, though.

I must be an idiot.









* This entry is part of the alternate reality exercise worldwithoutoil.  It is in no way intended to harm the Chevron corporation or their soaring profits.  The photos are doctored.  Obviously.

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

So, clearest convinced me to make a special blog and sign up for this worldwithoutoil community so you all could convince me that something serious is going on.  I've read some stories and watched some videos, and she's right.  Something needs to be done.

For starters, shut down worldwithoutoil.org

Before you start typing your response, just slow down and think about this for a minute.  We live in a world of instant information and constant commentary, where the news makes reality.  Speculation that would have been harmless over a telegraph wire becomes a web2.0 snowball racing down the slopes towards a precipice.  If enough people say that a disaster is coming, then disaster will come.  Reread that sentence.  If you convince enough people that this glitch in oil supply is the precursor of economic disaster, you will MAKE IT HAPPEN.

So stop.  Do not pull all of your money out of the stock market.  Do not stack oil barrels up to the ceiling in your apartment.  Ride public transportation, sure, you should have started doing that ages ago, but do not hoard anything.  And for gods sake, DO NOT buy a gun!

I'm no fan of the current US administration.  However, I do have faith in their dedication to the pursuit of their own interests.  And the fact is, economic collapse and drastic lifestyle changes are not what they want to happen.  Despite appearances, there are some very smart people in government, and this did not catch them by surprise.  Four dollars a gallon for gas caught us by surprise because they didn't tell us it was coming.  Why do you think they did that?

clearest is right.  For most of us this will be a painful belt tightening, but it won't change our lives.  We need to keep an eye out for the people who can't absorb anymore economic hardship.  She's got wind of something going on down at the refinery.  Even though I don't like the idea of fanning this fire, she needs some backup and I can't stand that place, so I'm going to go along.  I'm sure she'll give you all a full report.