Oil Storm...

FX Network's docudrama "Oil Storm" posed a question to the viewers, saying "What would happen if the flow of oil to the USA was temporarily severed?"  To spoil folks, their answer was "A year of hell, a nessisary shift in energy strategy, and a damaged economy."

The better question would be "What would happen if the flow of oil from everywhere to everywhere was peramently severed?"

I would think total anarchy would be highly probable at this current stage of the game.  Alternate fuel cars (aka natural gas, hydrogen, and their hybrid eletric forms) would need to be quickly refined and produced.  Lighter materials would provide for added efficency.  I doubt the world could wait that long.

But this exersize has some relivance on Canmeph 2.  The world is older, as is the species.  Many wars have come, and a healthy amount of paranoia has set in as well as the need for a certian level of redundancy in everything.  With energy, this was paramount.  So, in addition to oil, other fuels were being developed on the fastest pace possible.  Solar energy was refined to near-100% levels.  Battery technology improved massively, squeezing every electron possible out yet keeping it viable for a new charge.  Hydrogen, coal, oil (crude and natural-grown), nuclear, you name it.

There wasn't much of crisis, as the mindset was now on "be as efficent as possible, with leeway for comfort, so everyone can stay afloat."  There aren't many personal automobiles, as mostly it's mass transit and your own two feet.  Of course, you'll need one for groceries and such.

And then, the invention of the Artificial Singularity Cell, the ultimate matter-to-energy converter.  The ASC's principle is simple:  exploit a black hole's tendency to "leak" various types of matter and energy as it degrades over time.  How it does isn't for discussion here (but I will describe it later).  Needless to say all that useless junk you want gone peramently can be used to power your car.  Of course, the ASC's are (what I'll nicely term) "volitile" by nature.  If not handled correctly, it could suck you in and recycle you as electrons.  Thus, they're used more often than not in major energy plants.

There is one other side-effect of the ASC's, though.  While they spew out electrons, they may also spew out various atomic matter, including the odd gasoline molecule.  Given how many ASC's are in place around the world (and the tight security!) you may say that the older energy plants are still active, and Canmephia is now a major player in the intergalatic energy market.

And that's not counting Canmeph 3, Babylon Alpha, or any other station using ASC's.

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In doing some prelim research, I came across a report by the Department of Energy.  According to them, using current technology, the world will run out of crude oil in roughly 30 years.  We have that amount of time to find new energy sources, refine more efficent technology, and impliment it in the consumer markets.  30 years...

(no subject)

A few days ago, the Baltimore Sun printed an article about how Ft. Meade is proposing a DC Metrorail extention of 10 miles.  It would be nessisary because the Pentagon is moving jobs to Ft. Meade, as well as with all the base closings being proposed.

I finally got to look at where they proposed to put the station.  The most logical way they would do it is:

1.  Lay tracks alongside the existing CSX tracks.

There's a problem there.  Those tracks host MARC train stations (Murikurk, Laurel, Laurel Racetrack, and Savage).  Murikurk has a bridge over the tracks and will need some changes to work.  Laurel is already a tight squeeze and will need alot of work.  The Laurel Racetrack hasn't been used, so it may be a likely alternative.  Savage is like Murikurk, but could be worth it.

2.  Extend the tracks past Savage, under Rt. 32 and close to NSA.

(no subject)

Okay, 20 miles.  All the way up to BWI Airport.

Ether way, it's going to follow the MARC Camden line to Savage.  It'll then follow two routes:

1.  Go over to NSA and Ft. Meade proper, before going up to BWI.
2.  Go over to Arundel Mills Mall, and then over to BWI.

I cannot see stopping directly at BWI.  It's unattainable in it's current status -- the only one is the BWI Light Rail station.  No idiot would try again to park a railcar service at the station itself.

So let us rethink this.

Extend Metro from Greenbelt.  Stretch the Green Line, or more likely install a new line, at Greenbelt.  Go forward on the Camden line towards Savage.  Turn at rt 32, hit the edge of NSA, then up 295, glance Arundel Mills, and head straight to the Penn Line (the AMTRAK line) and end at the BWI Rail station.

The main problems are Laurel and Murikurk.