Moving Along

I have been staying on top of action in the oil patch, and right now it is very interesting. The latest weekly update suggests a couple of things:1 - Saudi still has spare oil to pump, however it is looking like heavy sour and there is still some question as to how long they can keep it up, and2 - Demand may be dropping, however slowly, year over year. This won't stop a peak from occurring, but

Everything you wanted to know.....

About Gulf of Mexico Oil Rigs and didn't know how to ask. Very readable report by Gail Tverberg. Easy to understand and has interesting pictures. Also explains the economics of the Brutus rig, which can be extrapolated to other rigs, as you will see in the comments.

Reading Levels

Saw the link at The Broken Heart and all I can say is: WOW! Look at me! I have another blog that clocks in at Elementary level, which I guess isn't surprising since it deals with Fandom. Yet my Larouche site comes in at a whopping Genius Level. Really!Gosh....do you suppose I could join Mensa now? How about I write a Magnum Opus and shop it around to be published? I am a versatile writer!

The Chickens Are On Their Way

The chickens are coming home to roost. All the turbulence in the realm of mortgages is about to increase. Maybe I am being too hard, but when I read about folks who don't do due diligence and/or don't consider the truth about what they can really afford, and then take on a risk that blows up in their face I just can't bring myself to believe that I need to bail them out. Unfortunately, these

Not so happy endings

Heading Out pens a piece on the endings of various cultures. The comments are as illustrating as the essay.Oil came this close to hitting $100/barrel.The State of Connecticut has its very own Peak Oil report (PDF) to review, which includes this tasty morsel:Oil reservoirs in the Lower Tertiary layer of the Gulf of Mexico are not in one large field but rather scattered in many pocket fields. Due

And Now A Word From Our Sponsor

The Comic Vault commercials are here. Imagine if you were Professor X and your transport got booted!

If the WSJ print it, is it real?

The Wall Street Journal is acknowledging production constraints on the oil supply and the implications for the future. That's almost the equivalent of a Papal blessing in other quarters. Looks like the business world is finally waking up. It's a start.

Simmons Speaks Again

From the November 17, 2007 Financial Sense Newshour; the Third Hour, about 12 minutes in (just over 30 minutes long), has Matt Simmons (Windows Media should work) speaking about oil, and includes a reference to Dr. Al-Husseini speaking 2 weeks ago about oil at a conference. Listen carefully. Per the good doctor, based on known information the best case is an undulating plateau for 10 years

Gateway Dominicks

I was up at the Gateway doing some early food shopping. The renovation is done and it looks wonderful. Saturday the place was pretty lively with employees giving up samples, one guy hand cutting steaks, and generally doing their best to show off the changes. The lighting scheme certainly helps to minimize the high ceiling warehouse look the store originally had. I hope this lasts a good long

Gasoline at $9.00/Gallon

Today. Right now. In England. Doubt me? Here is Matt Simmons on energy prices and more. And some comments on the GAO report.Here is a lovely map describing the distribution and utilization of oil.If you have an hour to spare, and .mp3 capability James Kunstler's speech to the Commonwealth Club of California is worth listening to. He speaks directly to the issue of Cantarell, including the

Make Room for a Mudroom

By : The House Team Of Mortgage Intellingence

Now that our thoughts are turning again to outdoor living, it's agreat time to think about making room this year for what may beone of the most practical places in the house: the mudroom.
Never mind that we may associate mudrooms with images of country houses, English wellies and walking sticks - the premise is the same in our modern lives. Every home must find a way to manage that transition that its inhabitants make between life outdoors and life inside. A mudroom is perfectly practical - and can also be perfectly pleasing.

The Struggle For Order
It's funny how the whole house can be thrown into chaos by all those indoor/outdoor transition problems. Where to put backpacks, skis, muddy boots, litter box, dog leash, wet mittens, bicycle helmets, sunscreen, rain slickers and wild bird seed? The mudroom is the perfect answer - and it can be either grand or modest in scale.

Find Some Space, Or Make Some
You may be able to design a mudroom using space you already have: in a front or back porch, in an underused main floor laundry room, in an attached garage, or perhaps in a back hall. If you can't find the necessary square footage for this marvelous utility room, it's a great time to think seriously about making a mudroom part of a home addition; there's never been a better time to finance that kind of project.

Not only is it an energy saving airlock, but also -- penny for penny, inch for inch -- it's space that will add ease and comfort to your daily routine.
Think High-School Locker And Go Vertical
Each family member gets his or her own space fitted with hooks (for outerwear, caps, backpacks, skates), shelves (for sweaters and sweatshirts),and baskets (for mittens, sunglasses, gloves, sunscreen, keys, etc.) Put pegs at different levels for various ages of family members.

A Place For Everything
This should be one of the best-organized spaces in your home. Think about how you will use the room. Consider, for example, finding an antique pine dry sink: a perfect solution for storing unwieldy items like bags of dog food, home canning paraphernalia, or potting soil - and a great place to set the groceries as you come in the door.

How about a big ceramic bowl to hold the day's mail? Crowded for space in the kitchen? Think about a pantry cupboard to store extra canned, bottled, and dry goods. And keep a first-aid kit in an old-fashioned black lunchbox - for backyard emergencies.

Take A Load Off
Every mudroom needs a bench (preferably built in with a hinged lid) in which you can store helmets, towels, garden hats... and it's such a pleasure to be able to sit when you are getting in or out of shoes and boots.

Bead Board Paneling
Either painted or natural bead board paneling is the perfect wall treatment. Nothing too precious in this room -- just easy to maintain surfaces that can take rough and tumble treatment.
Floors should be stone, tile, or vinyl. Be sure to use an absorbentwashable mat too, and a bristle mat at the very entrance is necessary for maximum mud removal.

Plumb The Mudroom And Install A Big Sink
This is truly a luxury, but how great would it be to have a dedicated sink for houseplant potting, washing up from gardening, or rinsing off a muddy child or pet before entering the rest of the house? A French farmhouse sink would be fabulous...but a stainless steel basin works too!
Make it command central

Why not put up a blackboard, and a cork bulletin board for daily messages and reminders? Have you noticed lately that many of the best show homes and design magazines are sporting handsome, organized mudrooms?
No secret behind this growing trend; smart designers have simplycaught up with the reality of our indoor/outdoor lifestyles! This spring, make room for your own mudroom!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/make-room-for-a-mudroom-75259.html

Trouble in our Back Yard?

I am not sure how much is hyperventilation, but Michael Orme, a technology writer, comments on what looks like an ongoing economic breakdown in Mexico. I know I once said that immigration from the south was likely to increase if Mexico's economy got worse. He is certainly correct about Pemex' impact on the Mexican economy, although all those billionaires are getting their money from somewhere.

Foreclosure Follies

Deutsche Bank discovered that in Ohio, at least, the job's not done until the paperwork is finished. Lots of folks think this means that they can stave off foreclosure, however it's only a temporary respite until the paperwork is cleaned up. Regardless, DB got their head handed to them by the Judge, who was not suffering any fools that day. Read the post for the details, it's

An Uncomfortable Truth

Over the past couple of days I have been following articles at The Washington Post that I believe have utility for Rogers Park. There has been ongoing discussion in the local blogosphere about the poor, and about the criminal element. Some draw a distinction between the two, others appear to believe it is a merely an opportunity for racist beliefs to rear their ugley heads. Well it seems that

Mulligan Stew

A hash of stuff I found or received over the past couple of days.1. Elections are coming! Yeah so the turkey and Santa will get here first, BUT Elections are coming! A couple of enterprising students have created 2008 Central to track the Presidential elections. Meanwhile Voter49 has finally surfaced as RP Voters with a revamped mission.2. Earmark Watch is the place to go in checking out, or

Can He Do It? And Other Tales from the Oil Front

According to Michael Rowan and Douglas Schoen, writing in the LA Times (free subscription required), Hugo Chavez could trigger a global recession all by his little lonesome self effective December 2 of this year. Here's how:On that day, if Venezuelan citizens pass the dozens of constitutional amendments on the ballot, Chavez will essentially be granted dictatorial powers -- an elected strongman

There was a time

When comic books were just that, comic books. Now they are graphic novels, sometimes. In any case, they are slicker looking than they were in the past, and I just saw how slick with a visit to the Chicago Comic Vault over at Montrose and Ashland. It's run by a guy I know, Matt Sardo, who is working hard at building his business and making connections. Yeah, I know, it's not Evil Squirrel at

MegaDisaster at the History Channel

The History Channel will be broadcasting Mega Disaster: Oil Apocalypse (scroll down for dates and times) next week. This could be very interesting.

Mocking Security

Tom Mannis posted this lovely piece and I am just floored. I know we have folks out there who just don't get it, but good golly people! The mind spins in wonder at the possibilities. Imagine if one of these folks wanted to disrupt airport operations! I have a sister who works for UAL and I travel enough to know that our security blanket is pocked with holes. We surely don't need

Government Follies

So this is how far we have fallen. Government by Executive Order appears to be on the horizon, thanks to partisan bickering and a lack of vision in both parties. God help them all if the electorate decides to throw ALL of the bums out come November 2008.Who knew Fox News would actually present something sensible? Martin Frost, a former Texas Congressman, writes about health care for

Ronen and More

I understand Heather Steans has filed to run for Ronen's seat. Suzanne Elder may have filed as well, although reading multiple sites I am not entirely sure.There is talk that Ms. Steans got a heads up in advance of Ms. Ronen's plan. Regardless, the information seeping out makes it clear that she is well connected and well positioned to take advantage of the opportunity. Whether she saw it

To Unite -- Or Not

This one is for Tom Mannis, who has expressed concern about the so-called North American Union arising from the Security and Prosperity Partnership. I said I was doubtful, and God bless the ever reliable elected hacks and their bureaucrat backups for demonstrating yet again how the best laid plans of political elites can be turned to trash. If there is really going to be a North American Union

Waiting for the fall

More from Matt Simmons on what's awry in the oil patch. You need rigs to drill oil and we apparently have rust buckets galore, positively vintage in auto terms.The Energy Watch Group, a German outfit, has published a lengthy report on the state of oil production and reserves. The Executive Summary is here. The report is being chewed on by Peak Oilers all over. They are of the view that we are

Peak Oil - We Are Probably There

A lot went on in the Peak Oil world over the past week, and not just the price rise. From what I have read, we are definitely on the plateau. We may see some small peaks, but that won't change the ultimate direction we are headed in.Matt Simmons on CNBC talking about the cost of oil. Would you pay $8/gallon like they do in Europe?Will you listen to the OPEC guys who tell us that world reserves

Putting The "Living" Into Your Living Room Furniture

By Mark Woodcock

What kind of room is your living room? Is it that kind of room with all of the fancy furniture and accessories, possibly antiques or family heirlooms, where no one dares to enter, that is meant for "company"? Or is your home's living room the place that might be considered the family room, the place where everyone gathers, family and friends alike, to watch television, play games, entertain, talk, or just relax? Whatever the purpose of the living room is in your home, the living room furniture and accessories is a necessary (and often expensive) component in setting a certain preferred mood or theme, and should be representative of you and your family's personality.

Most families spend the vast majority of their time together in the living room. That is most likely because that is where all of the "fun" things to do in the house are, like the television, stereo, perhaps even game systems. Next to the kitchen, the living room is the heart of the home. That is why it is important that your living room furniture be durable, accommodating (meaning that there is enough seating for family and guests), and comfortable.

When furnishing your living room, you should think about what your family uses it for. Do you primarily watch television in there? Do you merely entertain company in the form of good conversation in there? Do you do a lot of reading or other activities such as sewing or crafts in there? Will guests be sleeping in there? Do you play games together in there? Deciding how you want to use the room will help you choose the appropriate pieces of furniture, and save you money in the long run.

The basic living room furniture pieces are usually a sofa, one or more chairs (of various types), a coffee table, maybe some end tables, and lighting. When you are looking for a sofa, determine if you will be accommodating overnight guests in your living room. If so, you need to explore the sleeper sofa. Sleeper sofas have come a long way from the thin and lumpy mattress with a bar in your back, and provide a very comfortable place for your guests to slumber peacefully. If you don't need a sleeper sofa, then think about the size your sofa needs to be. There are large sectionals that accommodate several people at once. There are sofa and love seat combinations that allow you more freedom in furniture arrangement. Determine what will fit in your room, and purchase accordingly.

When shopping for living room furniture, you need to determine if you need other types of seating besides a sofa. There are cushiony, comfy chairs and there are more formal occasional chairs. Depending on the activities that take place in your living room, the furniture should accommodate accordingly. There should also be enough seating to accommodate a good number of people, if you have a large family or entertain guests regularly.

Another type of living room furniture that is commonly seen is some kind of table. Beginning with the coffee table, you can add surfaces to play games, hold drinks and knick-knacks, even a place for someone to prop their weary feet upon. Coffee tables are often large enough to place sofas and chairs around, and provide a multitude of functions. There are also end tables, which provide a base for lighting fixtures, knick-knacks, magazines, and often act as accent pieces. If you want to use your living room for game playing, and the room is large enough, you can also consider a small game table in a corner.

Lighting, though not considered furniture, is a vital accessory to include with your living room furniture. If you plan on reading, crafting, or playing games in your living room, then you will need good lighting. Ambient lighting is also nice in the living room for entertaining and relaxing.
No living room furniture setting is complete today without the entertainment center. It provides a place to store all of your home entertainment equipment, including the television, stereo, game systems, VCR, DVD player, and speakers. These come in a variety of sizes, colors, and types, and also come in a variety of prices. Again, what you buy depends on your needs and the size of your room.

When you are furnishing and decorating your living room, there is no need to use a particular theme. As long as the colors and patterns coordinate and follow your family's style, it will be a great room to be in. By accessorizing with pictures, wall hangings, shelving, plants, or other personal touches, your living room will be a comfortable place that your family will enjoy spending time in. Your living room furniture is merely the basis upon which family memories are made.

About The Author:Mark is a director of 3 Internet Companies, is a published author and has written many articles on a widespread number of topics. All his articles may be reproduced provided that an active link is included to http://www.discount-furniture-store.com