Can it get any worse that this?

I think there are a three kinds of people in this world.

1. Those that think that God has gone fishing and, by default, has left us to our own machinations to screw things up.

2. Those who think otherwise and that God's hand is in all of this, but stand firmly against you saying that means God caused things like two hurricanes in two weeks hitting the two most vital energy spots in the U.S.

I'll leave you to figure all of that out.

But, consider this. The blog Common Tragedies picks it as quote of the day on Sept 5 (well before Ike hit the scene). The actor is the National Strategic Petroleum Reserve which takes in oil, and deposits it in caverns in the ground that are located from near New Orleans all the way over to Houston. (well out of any hurricane alley ;-)) -- Here's the quote:

If we are going to have an emergency stockpile, it really ought to be able to function during an emergency.

"That is Mike Giberson, lamenting the fact that we cannot release oil from the SPR because the same storm that disrupted oil supply also knocked out the power needed to pump the oil."

Do you get the sense that God is throwing banana peels on our jog to be the biggest and the best? Or, do you think we are throwing them ourselves?

I mean, come on. How can one expect that two hurricanes just days apart would slice through two of our most important energy supply chains? Never happened before did it. Did it?

Oh, that? Well yes, Katrina and Rita kind of did that same thing back in 2005 but by golly that was a once in a century event.....

I hate to even add insult to injuring by rubbing in a little salt here. But within in a span of less that a month, two hurricanes crippling our energy supply then this incredible melt down on the credit markets and a proposed $700 million bailout by a Republican president? What's the odds of that all happening?

I suppose that's the absolute worse that can happen in the way of cataclysmic events coming together at one time, right? It can't get any worse that this, can it? Can it?

I believe it can. I would like to lumber through some thoughts on that in the next few days.

Hope you will join me. I invite you comments.

Oh, yes.

3. Those that believe that God has a plan and it includes us being smart enough to solve by ourselves some of the screwballs this world is throwing at us.

Next time, bring a cup of coffee. We have some talking to do.

--steve buser

Some reading:

Shell hopes to reroute Auger pipeline in US Gulf
...Nearly 80 percent of the Gulf of Mexico's 1.3 million bpd of crude and 65 percent of its 7.4 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas remains shut in the wake of Hurricane Ike.

Williams Provides Update on Gulf Coast Operations Following Hurricanes
...The Cameron Meadows natural gas processing plant, located near the communities of Cameron and Johnson Bayou, La., sustained significant damage from Hurricane Ike and is currently shut down. The facility will require repairs, but the extent and timing are still being assessed.

New York crude oil soars record 16.37 dollars
...This month, every OSV that can work is working. Vessel owners surveyed this month said 207 vessels are working, and fleet utilization is effectively 100 percent. Operators need more vessels, but can't find them. One owner told EnergyCurrent, "We could use 10 more boats."

Damage from Ike could affect coastal ecosystem of Texas for years
...I'm sure what we'll see (from Ike) is more evidence of what happens when we don't maintain those natural barriers," said Larry McKinney, executive director of the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

When the oil stops flowing

...Exactly how could America be subjected to a protracted oil interruption, that is, a 10% shortfall lasting longer than several weeks? It will not come from hurricane action in the Gulf of Mexico, or even major refinery accidents or other oil infrastructure damage.