Another excellent post from Gail Tverberg

"Physicist Francois Roddier has said that physics dictates the outcome of widely diverging incomes when energy supply is low. It takes much less energy to supply an economy of a few rich people and many poor people than it takes to support an economy with relatively equal incomes. The vast majority of the supposed wealth of the rich exists as promises that can only be fulfilled in the future if there is enough energy of the right kinds to fulfill these promises. Their promised future wealth does not affect today’s energy use. While the energy use of rich people is somewhat higher than that of poor people, much of the difference disappears when a person considers the fact that much of their wealth is essentially “paper wealth” that may or may not actually be present as the future actually unfolds."

and a book recommendation...

So if you observe the reduction of demand by governments that regulate what looks like ridiculous policy that results in "destruction of demand" by various means we see that ultimately loss of cheap energy eliminates the middle class standard of leaving - the few wealthy and the many poor. If you observe this what you are seeing is policy that the availability of energy more or less dictates.  Interesting thought, no?    

Fascinating reading and thinking for the times we live in. So much common sense, but yet so obscured by todays Kabuki Theater of World events and geopolitical machinations.  Cheap, plentiful and available energy effects every aspect of our lives.

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Fascinating site devoted to data visualization

Amazing cost of data hoarding!

Just one of hundreds of charts, graphs and data sets... If cheap energy is in noticeable depletion, perhaps the energy available should be allocated to more compassionate endeavors such as feeding people.  But hey, if you haven't noticed, the board game "Monopoly" has no such features... 

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The joy of summer

 

These geese grow so fast!

What a pleasure to see this family growing from little goslings to almost adults in the course of a few weeks.  Hazel was barking at them when they were so small and swam up into the yard, now they are almost ready to fly south!  Our world is an amazing place.

A couple of weeks ago we spent a few days in Door County.  That's a peninsula that juts out into Lake Michigan from Wisconsin.  I was surprised to see white fresh water pelicans!   Naturally we picked a lot of sweet cherries right off the trees!  

A very long time ago I interviewed for a job at a shipyard there and hadn't been back in decades.  The area surrounding Sturgeon Bay is really very lovely.  

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