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198 comments on Wednesday Open Thread (and News Dump)

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Biologyfool on March 29, 2006 - 1:58pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
"I predict explosive increases in oil prices."

The last few weeks of threads about oil prices and futures markets has got me thinking about what I should do when we have the next oil spike.  At what price point should I start thinking about increasing my food/supply reserves.  Here's my general breakdown for the cost of a barrel of oil (assuming I wake up tomorrow and there has been a terrorist attack that knocks out supply for an unknown amount of time but probably at least 1 month) :

$100-Go to Costco on the way home.  Increase food supply by one month.
$150-Go to Costco on the way to work.  Buy non-perishables.  Go back on the way home to get frozen stuff if it seems necessary.
$200-Go straight to Costco; buy everything we can get our hands on.

Am I overreacting?  Will $200/barrel cripple the economy?  Seems like that would be about $6/gal gasoline?

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westexas on March 29, 2006 - 2:16pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
In my Peak Oil presentations, I advise everyone to try to:  (1) reduce the commute between home and work to as close to zero as possible; (2)  arrange your life so that you can live off 50% of your current income, or less; (3)  look into organic gardening and/or consider buying (perhaps with a group of people) a small organic farm (if nothing else, you can lease it out to an organic farmer) and (4) support local agriculture.   You should strive toward being a net producer of food and/or energy, starting with energy conservation measures.

If I am wrong, you will have less debt, with a lower stress lifestyle and you will have more money in the bank.  If I am right, you will at least be better prepared.  

George Ure, over at Urban Survival, has PDF essay that you can purchase for $10 on "How to live on $10,000 or less per year."  (I have nothing to do with his website/publishing efforts, and I'm sure there's tons of similar stuff out there).  George's #1 recommendation is to arrange your life so that you can get by without a car.

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writerman on March 29, 2006 - 4:42pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
I think the advice about getting along without a car is sound. I ditched my old, restored and beloved Volvo with six huge cylinders and a 350 horsepower engine. Owning it was like burning money for fun. When I bought it gas was cheap. From the day brought it home gas prices just seemed to go up and up and up. I think Fate was trying to tell me something. Parting with it was sorrowful, but necessary. Anyway, my daughters didn't really appriciate the G-force pressing them back into their seats, when I touched the accelerator of "The Beast", as we called it. We now have dull, but wonderfully practical and incredibly realiable Toyota which we don't really use all that much. We also live in small port on coast, with a railway station, a ferry, a bus link, and lots of sailing boats. So as far as alternative transport possibilities go, we are very fortunate. I'm glad oil prices went up when they did, because I had been toying with the idea of buying Mercedes with around 475 horsepower for some odd reason. Today I would be feeling very foolish and rather ashamed if I'd followed through on this bizarre idea.
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geewiz on March 29, 2006 - 6:05pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
getting by without a car is a tremendous relief on the wallet. imagine, the money saved: no car note, no gasoline costs, no automotive maintenance, at $65 an hr on labor, no need for car insurance, and lastly no need for vehicle registration or safety inspections. it all adds up! Plus the cleaner air.
But when the hurricanes come, FEMA will not be there to move you out in time. Curses!
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AlanfromBigEasy on March 29, 2006 - 10:58pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
One reason that I live in New Orleans is that I can live reasonably well on $1,000/month when I hit a dry period.  Less if I need to.

And I keep a car for evac, but drive only ~180 miles/month.

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