Pablo_Kielbasa's Mombasa

How much oil is there in the world?

Current proven reserves are estimated at 1,295,000,000,000 barrels. Current world consumption is about 35,000,000 barrels a day. This means that there are around 100 years of oil left on the planet, assuming no other oil is found as both proven and retrievable, and demand does not increase.

Certainly demand will increase, as developing nations, notably China, India, Latin America and Russia clamor for their share, so a good estimate is that there are about 50-70 years worth of oil on earth.

What this means is, we have 50 years to perfect solar, fuel cell, nuclear, and other forms of renewable energy. These sources, with the exception of nuclear, are still in rather embryonic phases, and much more research is required. Contrary to public myth, progress is well under way under the Bush administration, and remarkable milestones have been reached in all areas, especially nanotechnology and materials research, but it will take more time to perfect these technologies. How much time? Probably 30-40 years, tickling at the cusps of the end of world oil reserves, so things look right on track for a methodical transition to non carbon based energy sources over the next several decades.

Indeed, the greatest threat to mankind is not Global Warming , but overpopulation.

With the world population projected to reach 9 billion by 2020, more people means greater demand and strains on resources. Even if, or when, all the oil in the world is burned, the effects on the environment will be calculable, but fully tolerable. In any event, the Global Warming dilemma solves itself, as we will simply will run out of oil before it can accelerate into intolerable consequences, and nuclear and solar, wind, space based, etc. will, and must, supplant coal as a primary source of generated electricity, albeit in a sober, methodical progression. 

Are you fascinated by holes? When you're digging in the yard, do you ever wonder what you would find if you could only dig a litle deeper? Are you forever sticking your head into holes and saying "Hellooo?Helllooooo?"...you don't? Well read on anyway, and marvel in these 100 percent real, super deep holes!

Kimberley Big Hole - South Africa

Apparently the largest ever hand-dug excavation in the world,
this 1097 meter deep mine yielded over 3 tons of diamonds before
being closed in 1914.

The amount of earth removed by workers is estimated to
total 22.5 million tons.

Glory Hole - Monticello Dam, California

A glory hole is used when a dam is at full capacity and
water needs to be drained from the reservoir.

This is the ‘Glory Hole’ at Monticello dam,
and it’s the largest in the world of this type
of spillway, its size enabling it to consume
14,400 cubic feet of water every second.

The hole can be seen at the top left of the photo above.
If you were to jump in for some reason, your body would
shoot out near the bottom of the dam (below). There is
one person known to have had this experience. She did
not live to tell of it.

Bingham Canyon Mine, Utah

This is supposedly the largest man-made
excavation on earth. Extraction began in 1863
and still continues today, the pit increasing in
size constantly. In its current state the hole
is ¾ miles deep and 2.5 miles wide.

Great Blue Hole, Belize

This incredible geographical phenomenon known as a
blue hole is situated 60 miles off the mainland of Belize.
There are numerous blue holes around the world,
but none as stunning as this one.

At surface level the near perfectly circular hole is ¼
mile wide, and the depth in the middle reaches 145
meters. Obviously the hole is a huge hit with divers.

Mirny Diamond Mine, Serbia

I’m pretty sure most people have seen this one.
It’s an absolute beast and holds the title of largest
open diamond mines in the world. At 525 meters
deep, with a top diameter of 1200 meters, there’s
even a no-fly zone above the hole due to a few
helicopters having been sucked in.

The red arrow in the photo above is pointing
to a huge truck.

Diavik Mine, Canada

This incredible mine can be found 300km
northeast of Yellowknife in Canada.

The mine is so huge and the area so remote that it has its own
airport with a runway large enough to accommodate a Boeing 737.
It looks equally cool when the surrounding water is frozen.

Sinkhole in Guatemala

A sinkhole is caused when water,
usually rainwater or sewage, is
soaked up by the earth on a large
scale, resulting in the ground
collapsing the surface.

These photos are of a sinkhole that occurred
early this year in Guatemala. The hole swallowed
a dozen homes and killed at least 3 people.

Officials blamed the monster of a hole on a
ruptured sewage pipe.

And the world's deepest hole, sucking down 35 million barrells of oil a day world wide...you know the rest!

Remember the good ol' summer road trip fever days? Back in the golden era of August summer auto excursions, families packed up the woodie station wagon or some meager equivalent and went driving into the sunset. East, west, didn't matter, as long as it was far, far away from home. Nowadays, kids just cluster around video games or the internet. Saves on priceless gas, and nerves.

Located just 8 miles south from Sandusky and Cedar Point, the Blue Hole was a highly typical, charmingly sappy fascination retro-americanski for road bound tourists, perhaps second only to the Grand Canyon, or mebbe Carhenge. Open to the public from 1920-1992, the Blue Hole, was carved by underground rivers that continuously pump out 450,000 gallons of water per hour, every hour, every day, since long before recorded history. That's enough water to meet the water supply demands of nearly the entire present day population of Erie County.

The water in the Blue Hole is anaerobic (devoid of oyxgen), so no fish or plants can grow in it, giving it its crystal blue appearance. Legends abound that the hole was so deep that divers descended over 300 feet and still could not find the bottom, or that a can of beans lowered on a string would get flattened by the intense water pressure.  (In reality the Blue Hole is just over 50 feet deep). The peculiar attraction is now closed to the public, converted to a fish hatchery.  I visited the Blue Hole in the 80's, and recall an 'Honor Honey Stand", with a sign that read "Take Honey, Leave Money"...and people really did.

Imagine that.

With the price of diesel fuel and subsequent shipping costs for fruits and vegetables from California and South America skyrocketing, you can save oil and money this year by buying Ohio!

Abundant, locally grown fresh Ohio produce rates among the nation's best. Ohio sweet corn, Bibb lettuce, Zucchini and yellow squash, vine-ripe tomatoes, apples, sugar-snap peas, bell peppers, green beans and crunchy carrots are available to all this summer, so save a gallon of gas and buy a bushel and a peck...of Ohio produce! 

Buy Ohio!

The Great Johnstown flood, May 31, 1889,  was the result of the failure of the South Fork Dam situated 14 miles (23 km) upstream of the town of  Johnstown, Pennsylvania, which was made worse by several days of extremely heavy rainfall. The dam's failure unleashed a torrent of 20 million tons of water. The flood killed over 2,200 people and produced US$17 million of damage. It was the first major disaster relief effort handled by the new American Red Cross, led by Clara Barton. 

Ohio river valley floods pale in comparison to the Johnstown tragedy, which wiped out 99 entire families and 365 children. Yet, fascination with floods grip our fascination, perhaps because of their great torrent of titanic force, or perhaps a displaced notion of pure cleansing, whatever the case, great floods continue to grip the human imagination even  today.

Artist's rendition of the Johnsntown dam breach. The Dam was of earthen construction, and was poorly restored and maintained as a pleasure fishing resevoir by 19th\ century "Robber Barons", that included  Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick. No charges were ever filed in it''s collapse.

Johnstown flood image, 1889

The famous "Stone Bridge" where hundreds were dashed to their death at it's concrete pilings, or burned to death in a flaying whoorlpool of burning oil and timber.

The Great Johnstown flood, May 31, 1889,  was the result of the failure of the South Fork Dam situated 14 miles (23 km) upstream of the town of  Johnstown, Pennsylvania, which was made worse by several days of extremely heavy rainfall. The dam's failure unleashed a torrent of 20 million tons of water. The flood killed over 2,200 people and produced US$17 million of damage. It was the first major disaster relief effort handled by the new American Red Cross, led by Clara Barton. 

Ohio river floods pale in comparison to the Johnstown tragedy, which wiped out 99 entire families and 365 children. Yet, fascination with floods grip our fascination, perhaps because of their great torrent of titanic force, or perhaps a displaced notion of pure cleansing, whatever the case, great floods continue to grip the human imagination even  today.

Artist's rendition of the Johnsntown dam breach. The Dam was of earthen construction, and was poorly restored and maintained as a pleasure fishing resevoir by 19th\ century "Robber Barons", that included  Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick. No charges were ever filed in it''s collapse.

Johnstown flood image, 1889

The famous "Stone Bridge" where hundreds were dashed to their death at it's concrete pilings, or burned to death in a flaying whoorlpool of burning oil and timber.

We have all heard tales of great dust storms engulfing the Sahara, parts of China and the American Midwest, but what about a dust storm that can engulf an entire planet for months at a time?

The planet Mars is currently blanketed by a titanic dust storm that has encompassed the entire globe, and may do so for months, endangering the NASA twin Mars rovers, who rely on solar power to survive.

Ahhh...the sweet smell of...clean air?

With people counting carbon greenhouse gas emissions like a dieter counting calories these days, the current drought in Ohio will have some truly measurable environmentally friendly effects.

Tens of thousands of lawn mowers have been briefly silenced, as grass grows so slowly, and less deadly pesticides are sprayed as well. Fewer brave the heat to backyard barbecue, cutting hydrocarbon emissions from charcoal and propane.

 Less gasoline use also means lower prices as well, as the national reserve will grow.

More people spend time indoors, with the air conditioner on, but since the majority of Ohio's electricity is nuclear generated, this increased demand does not effect the environment one iota, at least hydrocarbon emission wise.

Of course too much of any good thing can be bad. Excessive drought can spawn wildfires and affect agriculture, not to mention life and limb. But drought is merely part of the cycle of weather on planet earth, and has been so for millenia. 

As odd as it sounds, droughts can be good for you!

This photo is unretouched and real.

This is a real photo of an underground crystal cave, loacted in South America. The huge crystals are Gypsum, and the man inside is wearing an orange mining suit with oxygen tank because the temperature inside the fissure is a torrid 140 degrees F.

Awe inspiring. Truly magical.