You have to think about cause and effect. The massive infusion of debt ala M3 and the fact that Opec is dollar pegged has worked to keep oil prices relatively low. But with the latest shenanigans the US has signaled that its willing to trash the dollar. So expect OPEC to unpeg and expect oil in dollar terms to skyrocket as OPEC effectively fights to retain the real value of its currency holdings. Its very much a petrodollar game. This says to me that the US is confident that OPEC cannot significantly increase production so we are in end game mode now.

At a personal level you should have plans in place to react quickly to events starting next summer. WT ELP recommendation is important.

One thing you may want to consider is a safe hideout if you live in a large city like Los Angeles.
This means not going on vacation and saving your vacation days working with your employer to work remotely etc.
You need to be able to leave the city quickly if rioting
breaks out.

With the way things are going the combination of financial games and peak oil could easily lead to rioting in many of our larger cities this summer. I expected some shortages and limited disturbances but now I think things have a good chance to fall apart as the costs of food and gasoline skyrockets and the economy slumps into the first stages of a deep recession.

This means of course that the stage is set for Bush to impose martial law and postpone the national elections if he wishes.

Why are you still here memmel? Take what money you have get to a remote warm island and live out your days peacfuly there. See ya dude, we'll miss ya ;)

The price of gasoline today is only about 3/4 of what it was in 1979-80(edit; adjusted for inflation). If I recall correctly, there was no rioting at that time. Just how high do you think the price of gas needs to go to get people rioting?

Do persons on Prozac or Zoloft riot? In 1980, anti-depressant use in the USA wasn't what it is today (IMO suicide might be chosen over rioting in 2007).

Are you counting Britney, OJ, the World Series, Kid Nation, and so on as Prozac and Zoloft?

Shaman: Weren't there rumours of a riot if OJ was found guilty (last time)? Somehow I don't think he carries the same weight this time around. I haven't seen Kid Nation- I thought the reality show trip reached its low point with the show where midget guys had to chose between midget chicks or supermodels.

Jon Stewart did a nice thing with the tasering incident by highlighting the reaction to the incident in the surrounding audience. Basically, no reaction at all! They looked really bored by the whole thing! So much for rising to the defense of your fellow student. Stewart's comment was spot-on: "I guess they want it all to be over so they can go home and watch the video on youtube"

the reaction to the incident in the surrounding audience. Basically, no reaction at all!

What are the by-standards supposed to do? Throw themselves on the police? Point and say "Help! Help! He's being oppressed! See the oppression inherent in the system!"

"Excuse me, Officer. May I have your name and badge number? Thank you. And you, yes, you with the taser. Name and badge number, please? Thank you."

I was wondering where to put this article I stumbled across this morning, so thank you for giving it a proper home, memmel!

Fears of dollar collapse as Saudis take fright

Edited to remove the long excerpt, since this article was discussed at length yesterday.

Well, I wouldn't have called it a "lengthy" excerpt, but thanks for the pruning anyway. :)

Most of my reading happens during the daytime, so I must've missed that discussion yesterday. Sorry 'bout that.

Your excerpt was fine, except that that article had already gotten so much attention. I only pruned it because the open threads have been so long recently.