I looks to me like the oil corporations are planning some type of strategic rationing plan next year. They will create the impression that there are supply shortages, thereby drastically raising prices and increasing their profits. In addition, it will give them increased power to support military "disaster response" type forces where they deem appropriate, and greater control over international economic markets and foreign debts, similar to the "oil for food" program currently being used with Iraq.

Take a look at the latest media spinoffs:

One article prepares us for the possibility of shortages, so that they won't be blamed, by claiming "we warned you."

oil shortages ARE possible...

Then, another article claiming, "don't worry we're storing extra" so that people will think that the government has done its best to prevent the shortages (which in reality will be intentional), also intended to alleviate the blame when there are in fact shortages.

...but don't worry, your government is planning to protect you

-- @ (@@@.@), April 23, 1999

Answers

it's a conspiracy! Washington's out to kill us all!

The only rational solution is to go live somewhere out of the reach of the Washington demagogues, like, say, Sierra Leone.

Of course, then the problem could be that the rebels there kill whomever, for who knows what reason. They don't care about y2k..they only care about Y Now Kill.

"the grass is always greener..."...umm...wait a minnit....

-- Chicken Little (panic@forthebirds.net), April 24, 1999.

"Those that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." (Ben Franklin)

-- zoobie (zoob@aol.com`), April 24, 1999.

Chicken Little,

Amercians are born with the gift of freedoms, based on the Constitution. Some of us are inspired by that and hold it dear. It is part of our roots, and it is our responsibility to question authority (remember the tea party?)

Your repetitive "if you don't like it, then go back to _________" you promote at every opportunity is, frankly, un-American. Stop it.

-- Sara Nealy (keithn@aloha.net), April 24, 1999.

Let's get this straight, people. Oil is in bad shape. It will be in bad shape at rollover. We will have big shortages. They will affect everything. We will suffer. We can't avoid it.

The oil companies say differently? Lies. The government says differently? Lies. Engineers at refineries say differently? Lies. The Official Truth can be neither verified nor debunked? Irrelevant.

Let's not lose sight of our purpose here, oh no! Our purpose is to prepare against the Official Truth. This is safest. Safety is important.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), April 24, 1999.

Flint---That is said about as straight and true as I have ever seen. Thank you

-- thinkIcan (thinkIcan@make.it), April 24, 1999.

I have been lurking here for about six months and I'm still waiting for this Flint person to say anything that makes sense.

-- Lurker#286 (can'tstandit @anymore.com), April 24, 1999.

Chicken Little,

I'm not sure who you are referring to, but I will be the last person to panic, because I know what to expect. I do not use oil or the banking system and it won't phase me a bit if the rest of the population allows themselves to be taken advantage of.

-- @ (@@@.@), April 24, 1999.

Lurker #286: Flint just did. Right on.

-- Sara Nealy (keithn@aloha.net), April 24, 1999.

Sara:

I think Lurker senses pure sarcasm when it slaps him in the face.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), April 24, 1999.

Ah, but Truth in Jest, even if you didn't intend it, Flint.

-- Sara Nealy (keithn@aloha.net), April 24, 1999.