Crude Oil is $127/BBL...yikes!

If you've heard me speak about our sewer plant, you know that one of my biggest concerns is the extremely high amount of energy that it will use(when Bert Rapp and I first had this conversation in 2006, oil was about $62/BBL). The Micromedia and Vertreat options could have provided Title 22 water quality with a much lower energy use - but - the Council had no will to change the direction we were headed(I won't even bring up PERC). What will this mean to us in the next 5 - 10 years and beyond? I understand the value of enhanced treatment and recycling water, but what if energy turns out to be in shorter supply than water?

Anyway, back to the subject, here is a Washington Post article by author, James Howard Kunstler, discussing "Peak Oil"...

"the truth is that no combination of solar, wind and nuclear power, ethanol, biodiesel, tar sands and used French-fry oil will allow us to power Wal-Mart, Disney World and the interstate highway system -- or even a fraction of these things -- in the future...

...So what are intelligent responses to our predicament? First, we'll have to dramatically reorganize the everyday activities of American life. We'll have to grow our food closer to home, in a manner that will require more human attention. In fact, agriculture needs to return to the center of economic life. We'll have to restore local economic networks -- the very networks that the big-box stores systematically destroyed -- made of fine-grained layers of wholesalers, middlemen and retailers...

...We'll also have to occupy the landscape differently, in traditional towns, villages and small cities. Our giant metroplexes are not going to make it, and the successful places will be ones that encourage local farming."

Read the entire article here.

Procrastination can be fun...

Was it Erma Bombeck or Ann Landers who use to say "slap me with a wet noodle" when she was in trouble? Anyway, my blog neglect is certainly causing trouble for some and a little for me.

Mostly it's that little voice in my head that says I want to share something with you readers but then there's something else to do; play tennis or golf, do laundry or shop and what about those Council meetings? There's just not enough time to do all the wonderful things that fill our lives.

I have a confession. I'm a software junkie. I love to search for and download and test all kinds of software. Several years ago I wrote a database program for a Title I school district to track student assessments over the years. It was challenging but fun ...like crossword puzzles...(from he**)

I have this fantasy that there is a program out there that will manage my life and keep me organized and productive. Oh, and record my blood pressure and Dr. visits too. There are a lot of good productivity tools out there. Using the tools(software) is so cool! I can plan and create and evaluate and be productive...well maybe not so much. It's the doing the stuff on my list that seems to be a problem.

Why am I telling you this? Because I've unsubscribed from my software testing lists to have more time for blogging. This doesn't mean I'll quit my habit but I just won't get distracted by it every day. LOL!

Here are two you might enjoy; www.giveawayoftheday.com and www.bitsdujour.com

And here's a link to software I'm testing right now and really enjoying; www.gemx.com

I love the graphics and all of the modules of the doOrganizer. Be sure and check out the MindMapper module. A lot of creative teams use mind mapping for projects nowadays. Visual mapping is easier to understand(hence those nifty McDonald's cash registers with pictures on them).

We'll get back to serious discussions soon...and I don't know where Claire's blog is. Maybe it is being redesigned(that's on my list too)