X-Message-Number: 24107 References: <> From: Peter Merel <> Subject: Oil crisis? Better off in Australia. Date: Mon, 17 May 2004 20:11:23 +1000 Mark Plus recommends all overseas cryonicists assemble in the USA immediately because of the possibility of an oil crisis so severe it prevents parcel-post air travel. I'd like to understand how civil order could be kept in the USA, the world's greatest net and gross importer of goods, under such circumstances. I really don't see how it could be. And I'd like to know how the orgs could function without civil order. Back when Y2K seemed to me like a serious problem (cryonet #10100 - mea culpa, mea maxima culpa) I asked much the same question. Now I think the oil crisis isn't likely to come on with such a bang, but if so I don't believe the orgs' vulnerabilities to societal breakdown have changed - do you? I think I prefer my chances here in Australia. I'm in good health, live in a peaceful agricultural community, enjoy gun laws and socialized medicine, and I'm far enough from the coast to be in no danger from the next tsunami. We have plentiful native oil supplies too - priced to match OPEC, but still we mine more than we consume, so no real chances of petroleum-rationing or stalled autos blocking our freeways here. High prices, sure, but supply continuity too. No real military threats either. If Mark's fears were realized and the northern hemisphere melted down suddenly I'd much rather be faced with the problem of creating a cryonics facility from scratch in Oz than that of fending off armed and starving city dwellers and/or getting nuked by opportunistic terrorist/communist/what-have-you yahoos and/or being infected with the countless germ warfare agents those mad people in the northern hemisphere keep inside their mountains. As for illegally entering the US, I can't expect someone being tortured in the bowels of the USA-PATRIOT dungeons would manage to get out to get suspended. If I were very unwell I might think otherwise - better vitrified than worm food, that's for sure. But otherwise you have to look at cryonics as a gamble, no guarantees, you pays your money and you takes your chances. I believe my chances are much better right here than anywhere in the USA - where, by the way, I am still legally entitled to reside. Peter Merel. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=24107