The Oil-Consumption Party Is Over, Author Warns Sat  May 10, 200306:59 AM
By Manuela Badawy
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Famine, disease, economic collapse, despotism, and resource wars. Sounds horrific, but that's what's in store unless the world cuts back fast on its energy consumption, according to a new book.  In "The Party's Over: Oil, War and the Fate of Industrial Societies," author Richard Heinberg argues global oil output will peak in three to 12 years, and if an aggressive shift to include new energy sources, like wind, solar or fuel cells in the mix doesn't happen by then, grim consequences will result.
Heinberg considers the latest conflict in Iraq not as an attempt to get rid of weapons of mass destruction but as a way for the United States to secure oil supplies. The invasion was, in his view, an early sign of the resource wars of the future he predicts if alternatives to oil are not quickly pursued.
The White House immediately denounced the book, calling it "the worst kind of environmental alarmism," adding "we did not go to war to secure oil supplies.  We went to war to secure contracts for Halliburton."  Author Heinberg is currently under detention at a secure undisclosed location that rhymes with "Santanamo Kay."
The White House urged the public to cast a skeptical eye on the predictions of catastrophe in Heinberg's book.  "Don't listen to the scary man," Ari Fleischer said.  "Scary man all gone.  Mommy and Daddy have plenty of oil.  But first we need get rid of the smelly caribou to get at it.  Bad Caribou.  Smelly, stinky Caribou.  Just like stinky old Saddam.  We don't like stinky people, do we?  No.  We like happy people driving shiny happy cars.  So don't worry.  All the scary, stinky people are gone, and we can all be happy and drive big cars.  Unless -- do you smell something?  Is that you, Iran?  Are you starting to smell?"