| "America has become a vassal state to OPEC. Our | | | | more oil fields or even destroying the Alaskan wildlife |
| military men and women are offered as a serf army | | | | reserve just to squeeze a few more barrels out of |
| to the OPEC nations. We use billions of US tax dollars | | | | the ground, to face the same problem in a few more |
| and the blood of our soldiers to preserve the power of | | | | years. Prolonging agony does not suspend agony -- it |
| these unpopular governments. Wind power and solar | | | | saves agony for later. |
| energy could quickly free us from OPEC's shackles." - | | | | For millions of years the sun has been shining down on |
| Hulagu's Web | | | | our planet and will do so for many more eons. With |
| In the first quarter of 2005, the cost of a gallon of gas | | | | the advances in solar energy starting right now, every |
| climbed to the highest price ever. In that same period | | | | electrical need could be satisfied with solar power and |
| ExxonMobil, the behemoth global oil company, surged | | | | the grid. What America needs is a federal government |
| forward as the largest and most profitable corporation | | | | New Deal that pours billions into renewable energy, |
| in the world valued at more than $402 billion on Feb. | | | | instead of subsidizing big oil and shoring up corrupt oil |
| 28th. The American public funded this success through | | | | producing countries. America probably will not get a |
| military operations to secure the oil and in turn, pay for | | | | deal such as this, because big oil owns too many of |
| the success with higher and higher prices at the | | | | their congressmen. |
| pumps. | | | | The states themselves are an entirely different story. |
| While America politicians and businesses clamor over | | | | New Mexico just announced a $20 million dollar solar |
| the dwindling global oil reserves, other countries are | | | | energy program to retrofit government and school |
| taking necessary actions to replace oil as their principle | | | | building with solar panels proving some legislative |
| energy source. Germany and France have both | | | | entities actually have the guts to help lead America to |
| implemented successful alternative energy programs, | | | | a more energy sustainable direction. |
| dramatically reducing their dependency on oil, and oil | | | | Wind is abundant all over the world and in the USA it |
| rich countries. This is perhaps one of the principle | | | | can generate ample energy, if promoted and utilized |
| reasons why their governments are labeled as | | | | now. Advancements in technology will continually |
| uncaring towards America's political predicament with | | | | improve with the right backing, politically and financially. |
| foreign oil. While America spends billions to secure oil | | | | Wind turbines are quiet and have an unending |
| resources with their military, Germany and France pour | | | | resource to produce energy for any country smart |
| their wealth into expanding their alternative energy | | | | enough to use them. The state of California and |
| programs. It's a race that America is losing. Politically, | | | | Texas have incorporated wind energy into their |
| the American blight in the Middle East is of great | | | | energy programs. Other states such as |
| advantage to countries in support of renewable | | | | Massachusetts have been stymied by Senators like |
| energy, because these countries are getting a head | | | | Ted Kennedy, who claims wind turbines are great but |
| start on the global race towards the technological | | | | are unsightly and a threat to birds. |
| development of more efficient renewable energy | | | | In the book "Hulagu's Web," Senator Katherine Laforge |
| systems. Billions spent on preservation of the status | | | | expressed that "The death of a bird a day is a much |
| quo of the OPEC nations assures France and | | | | more acceptable price to pay than the life of an |
| Germany oil for the immediate future. At the same | | | | American soldier a day to secure our oil from some |
| time, the money saved from opting out of participation | | | | foreign land. Man is also part of the ecological system." |
| in the Coalition can be used to build many alternative | | | | Laforge's rebuttal in David Hearne's novel is one of |
| energy resources and research new methods of | | | | clarity with regards to human responsibility for |
| securing renewable energy. Well-orchestrated protests | | | | self-determination. |
| against American involvement in Iraq and other Middle | | | | The oil industry and its cronies are famous for |
| East countries endears Canada, France and Germany | | | | deceptive practices and self-serving logic. |
| to the world. | | | | "There is no such thing as clean energy," Warburg said. |
| "Implementing alternative energy requires us to be | | | | "The Cape Wind project will have some adverse |
| motivated; as we know it's much easier to simply hook | | | | environmental impacts. Some birds may be killed by |
| into the 'grid'." -- David Suzuki | | | | windmill rotors - the draft EIS predicts about one bird a |
| Why is America so dependent on oil and unwilling to | | | | day. The wind farm will be visible from some nearby |
| seriously turn to alternative energies to gain freedom | | | | coastal areas. Some may like the way it looks, some |
| from OPEC's shackles? A principle reason is the | | | | may not." |
| naivety regarding possible options of renewable | | | | The whole point of alternative energy is to provide |
| energy, coupled with the distorted way big oil and their | | | | sustainable, clean, cost effective, and localized energy |
| hoard of PR people compare the cost of oil against | | | | to our communities. Communities must stand up to |
| the cost of other energy sources. The cost of a barrel | | | | politicians and oil companies that want to hamper our |
| of oil is used to determine its kilowatt/hour cost. That | | | | emergence from relying on foreign oil. Sending jobs |
| price is stripped clean of the billions spent each year | | | | overseas does not solve the problem -- it puts civilians |
| for securing the oil. The barrel price only reflects | | | | in a war-zone. The tremendous profits that ExxonMobil |
| OPEC's asking price. Not considered in the kilowatt | | | | makes with oil offers little incentive to their |
| hour cost is the tax money spent on military | | | | stockholders to help steer this behemoth to a more |
| mobilization to assure the resources of companies like | | | | sensible energy sources. However, from deep within |
| ExxonMobil reach American shores. The death of | | | | this 400 billion dollar company a small group formed |
| American soldiers and their overwhelming sacrifices to | | | | Campaign ExxonMobil, a coalition of concerned |
| keep oil flowing, to power America, or to squander on | | | | shareholders. These cash-smart stockholders actually |
| SUV's and ATV's, is never considered as a part of | | | | are fighting within this company to make change on |
| the oil cost in the corporate offices of the energy | | | | the issue of global warming and ExxonMobil's |
| titans. | | | | disregard for renewable energy, because they see a |
| Some feel adamant that alternative energy will not | | | | huge potential for profit if the company acts now. |
| only provide cheaper energy but remedy or at least | | | | Alternative energy communities will have a realized |
| diminish the primary reasons for ongoing global conflict. | | | | advantage over oil-driven communities in the future. Oil |
| Alternative energy provides the ability to offer a large | | | | proponents are afraid of advancements in technology |
| level of redundancy in sources so that countries are | | | | that could put an end to the oil hegemony, so they fight |
| not dependent on the natural resources of another | | | | progress bitterly. Taxpayers, scientists and |
| nation. It also provides a much cleaner energy, reducing | | | | philanthropists will be the ones to compel governments |
| the tremendous pollution problem of fossil fuel. The | | | | to change policy and redirect our collective energies to |
| profitability of alternative energy is an investment that | | | | beneficial results. We have to work together, not just |
| starts today and pays off tomorrow. | | | | as countries, but as wise corporations and citizens. |
| Most alternative energy resources are much safer to | | | | Wind turbines spin from the wind and store energy at |
| produce and use. The oil business, however, has a bad | | | | a very impressive rate, while Thermal |
| history of subjecting even their employees to dangers | | | | Depolymerization recycles bio-matter into usable crude |
| in the production and transportation of the fuel. On | | | | oil and solar power gathers rays from the sun. |
| March 23, 2005 a huge explosion erupted in an oil | | | | Thermal Depolymerization has hit the break-even mark |
| refinery in Texas wounding around 70 employees and | | | | and is continually improving. |
| killing 14. In the Tosco Avon Refinery in Martinez, | | | | OPEC and big oil is not going away without a fight. |
| California, an explosion in 1999 killed 4 employees. | | | | "Propped up against the base of the wind turbine was |
| After an investigation that refinery was closed and | | | | the body of Frank Payne. His blood soaked clothes |
| lawsuits are still raging over the accident. Oil spills are | | | | glisten under the full moon as blood still oozed from his |
| another major hazards unique to the oil industry. Most | | | | slit throat. A note hung from a knife stabbed into his |
| are not as infamous as the Exxon Valdez Spill, but | | | | face. Senator Laforge was overcome with anger and |
| they all are damaging and happen frequently with ships | | | | remorse as she stared at the gristly sight of her |
| breaking apart and trucks overturning. The results are | | | | brutally murdered campaign manager. Why did they kill |
| death of people, wildlife and long term environmental | | | | him? Has the big oil cartel supplemented intimidation, |
| damage. | | | | violence and political coercion now with murder to stop |
| How can America embrace alternative energy and | | | | alternative energy programs? She reached for the |
| reduce the dependency on politically volatile foreign oil? | | | | note." Chapter 10 Hulagu's Web |
| Realize that alternative energy is now cheaper for any | | | | Is this vision in Hulagu's Web preposterous? Would |
| country than oil. The military expense involved with the | | | | companies with billions at stake, political cronies in their |
| procurement of oil is a hidden fee, paid through taxes | | | | pockets and the most powerful army in the world |
| and with lives. The American working class pays the | | | | securing their product, consider assassination an option |
| bulk of this burden as higher taxes than any other | | | | to stop the takeover of Alternative energy? Let's |
| group. Education is the answer in the US, because the | | | | hope not, but selling oil at exorbitant prices and refusing |
| reality of alternative energy is realized by the simplicity | | | | to address the problem of global warming and simple |
| and beauty of wind power and solar energy. It is | | | | pollution produced by fossil fuels leaves us with a bit of |
| insane to continue the ongoing effort, extending the | | | | doubt. What is the answer to the energy crisis? Is it |
| use of a fuel that is so scarce, dangerous, polluting, | | | | adding more resources to the problem, digging a bigger |
| monopolized, and produced by politically unstable | | | | hole, or is it finding a new deal, a new resource, ample |
| entities. America's energy crisis can be solved quickly | | | | enough for thousands of years of technological |
| with alternative energy. There is no need for another | | | | advancement? |
| soldier to die on foreign soil, leaving loved ones to | | | | "The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind... |
| grieve. This should be America's focus, not finding | | | | |