"Nå reiser jeg meg, og sier: Olje!" (gammel historielærer)

Ble vi påført en unødig ensidig avhengighet av olje?
De siste 100 år? En unødig sårbarhet?

Ble bytrikken nedlagt lenge før vi hadde egen olje --
hvordan ble det "arbeidersak"?

"A century before (...), battery-powered electric automobiles
were abundant. They were planned to recharge and refill quickly
and cleanly (...) also at curbside charging poles.
Thomas Edison and Henry Ford planned to make them universal
in a forgotten project...
/

The first energy monopolies were controlled by pharaohs and kings--
they controlled who could use common trees to burn as fuel (...)
The presence of timber helped determine who would invade and
who would be invaded.

Eventually, medieval England was able to create a woodless world
of peasants so that its kings could have great halls, long swords,
swift warships and could harbor the best venison to make wealthy men fatter--
this while the common people starved and shivered, making do with
smelly peat and pilfered branches to create flame.

When wood became scarce, the world turned to poisonous coal.
It choked all who came close to it, but it burned.
Coal required more than gathering. It required industry, capital,
technology. Coal required businessmen. A corrupt, extortionist
fourteenth century cartel soon emerged ...."

resten er historie