And another year roars to life like a toothless lion with alzheimers. Traffic sucked this morning. I'm not sure if it was people trying to get to work, or people still trying to get home from New Year's Eve parties.

Probably fifty/fifty.

Yesterday I spent all day watching "Upstairs,Downstairs".

I used to watch it when I was a kid. It is corny in some ways, but it was also a very well put together portrait of how the Great War changed the world, as seen through the eyes of one very British household.

The War to end all Wars. What a hunk of shit. We will always fight. It is what we do best. But will there be another world war? Who is to say it hasn't already started? Is there any country in the world that hasn't taken a side in the 'war on terrorism'?

It will get worse. When was the last time 'it' got better and stayed that way?

Here is one factor that will increase the likelihood of war. It shows, based on ultimate reserves of oil (i.e. assuming we can suck every last drop of oil out of the ground) the midpoints of depletion. i.e. when countries have used up half of their remaining reserves.

As oil consumption increases, these numbers shrink. Some countries will be forced to find alternate sources of fuel, or die. Others will choose to steal them from other countries, or die. Note the US and Iraq reserves.

Coal will last longer. At present levels, we have 200 years worth left, but again, as oil runs out and consumption increases, that drops to 100 years. Uranium is also destined to go bye bye within 60 years. Plus other materials that we don't even think about, but which will disappear within a few decades. And we will fight to keep them or to get them. In the name of freedom and justice and all that stuff. Our young men will kill their young men and vice versa, because we're too stupid to figure out that maybe there is a better way to live. It took millions of years of evolution to develop a thinking ape. I guess you can't expect an intelligent one in a lousy few hundred thou...

Personally, I give us odds of less than 20% that we even make it out of the 21st century.

I think I've given up, in a lot of ways. I used to be ambitious. Now I just want to get through the days and go home. The only things I care about are my wife and my studies. The quest for Spiritual enlightenment...

Speaking of which, I did make my Hegemon wand this weekend.

Its a 3 foot dowel, with wooden wheels and a wooden ball cut out in the center, and a hand cream thing on top. Sprayed Red and Gold. Next is the Hierophant's wand. I'll post a pick of that one too when its ready :)

Alright, sorry for the morbid bit up there. I think maybe I'm just tired, and not wanting to be here, and not seeing the point of being here. Have a good day, and just ignore me. Nothing to see here :>