[Leanan]

People in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan are protesting over power outages.

Photos from Bangladesh...

Marching on a power plant:



Smashing vehicles:



Police used tear gas and batons to disperse the protesters:

[thor]

It is a strange phenomena, people getting violent when the power goes out.

[lorenzo]

And then to know that some people here on PO advocate a general powerdown, and a massive die-off of the poor - just like that.

And those who dare to suggest that a hydroelectric project like the Inga Dam which can power all Africa would be a good thing, are called traitors, etc...

Power is a very basic, essential good. Once you have experienced how electricity and gas changes lives, you're not going to give it up.

Remember Lenin's famous pun (pronounced a few days after the Revolution succeeds and hands power to him), capturing the desire for a better world:

"The concept of Justice means: Soviet power plus the electrification of the entire country."

[FairMaiden]

It is a strange phenomena, people getting violent when the power goes out.

Thats probably because we've lost the ability to entertain ourselves w/o TVs, stereos, computers, etc. Not to mention, ppl get nasty when they are hungry...which they would be if they had electrical stoves.

[Leanan]

I think it's the heat. The reason for the power shortages is a killer heat wave. People get testy when it's hot and humid, and there's no fans or air-conditioning.

[seahorse]

Hi Leannan,

If there is an article to go with these pictures, would you mind posting it under the "Review of the Olduvai Gorge" thread under "Peak Oil Discussion"?

[Leanan]

Bangladesh opposition sees hope in protests

Pakistan: Power situation to get better: govt: Debate on oil prices today

Sweltering heat across northern plains of India, combined with power cuts that shut off water pumps and fans causes 28 deaths

[AmericanEmpire]

Gee, I can hardly wait to see how spoiled Americans used to getting everything they want much less need act when we have power failures and gas shortages in the good ole USA.

[TWilliam]

Gee, I can hardly wait to see how spoiled Americans used to getting everything they want much less need act when we have power failures and gas shortages in the good ole USA.

Oh, 'bout the same as most spoiled 5 year olds when someone tells them no I suspect...

[Zardoz]

...a killer heat wave...

...in early May in northern India.

Hmmm. I know global warming is just a myth, because Steve Milloy says it is, but still...

[Jack]

Well, power outages are supposed to be a symptom of peak oil, right?

This is where things get interesting. On the one hand, India is trying to transform itself from third-world to first-world; but the lack of power - of electrical infrastructure - along with increased energy prices result in strife and disruption. Might it be that India and other such nations will have their nascent economies aborted, resulting in a return to third-world status? If so, their domestic energy consumption and wages would decline.

It's possible that they would begin producing and exporting biofuels, with the net result that the first world would enjoy cheaper energy prices than would other be the case, and a slower crash than conventional peak oil theory might imply. The cost, of course, would be born by the folks in India, who would - in essence - be living a hardscrabble existence in order to subsidize the West. That might also precipitate a dieoff in India, with desperation driving wages there still lower.

That would be quite the turn of events!

[venky]

...a killer heat wave...

...in early May in northern India.

Hmmm. I know global warming is just a myth, because Steve Milloy says it is, but still...

May is the hottest month in most of India, the monsoon rain cools things down June-August. Thank goodness...

But there was some talk of global warming shutting down the monsoon currents.

[venky]

Well, power outages are supposed to be a symptom of peak oil, right?

This is where things get interesting. On the one hand, India is trying to transform itself from third-world to first-world; but the lack of power - of electrical infrastructure - along with increased energy prices result in strife and disruption. Might it be that India and other such nations will have their nascent economies aborted, resulting in a return to third-world status? If so, their domestic energy consumption and wages would decline.

It's possible that they would begin producing and exporting biofuels, with the net result that the first world would enjoy cheaper energy prices than would other be the case, and a slower crash than conventional peak oil theory might imply. The cost, of course, would be born by the folks in India, who would - in essence - be living a hardscrabble existence in order to subsidize the West. That might also precipitate a dieoff in India, with desperation driving wages there still lower.

That would be quite the turn of events!

Jack, I think you are a horrible person and I hope bad things happen to you.

[Sleepybag]

India is a very crowded country. Its size is 3,3 million square kilometers (slightly more than one third of the USA). It's population is about 1.1 billion (almost four times the USA population), resulting in a country with about 333 people per square kilometer. (USA 30 pp/km2)

That is the same population density as Belgium or The Netherlands, but on a very large scale. Rwanda has a similar population density, and Bangladesh has about 1000 people per square kilometer.

When there is a country where things could get nasty in the future, I would pick a crowded, hot and poor country.

source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density

[venky]

India is a very crowded country. Its size is 3,3 million square kilometers (slightly more than one third of the USA). It's population is about 1.1 billion (almost four times the USA population), resulting in a country with about 333 people per square kilometer. (USA 30 pp/km2)

That is the same population density as Belgium or The Netherlands, but on a very large scale. Rwanda has a similar population density, and Bangladesh has about 1000 people per square kilometer.

When there is a country where things could get nasty in the future, I would pick a crowded, hot and poor country.

source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density

India is almost self-sufficient in food. Which is more than I can say for most first world countries. Population growth while worrying is slowing down.

Per capita oil use is a fraction of the west and is dipprotionately concentrated in the urban areas. Rural India is by and large self-sufficent in most areas and probably uses little or no oil, except for a bus to the nearest town that runs once a week. And failing that there is always the time tested reliable method of transport in rural India, the bullock cart

India also has the largest rail network in the world which is largely electrified.

Not to say that India does not have problems, but the relative impact of an oil crash could be far greater in a country like the US which depends on oil for its entire way of life.....

[Leanan]

Sorry, Jack. India's on to you. They already have a law banning the use of food oil as biofuel. You can only make biofuel from non-food products.

[Doly]

They already have a law banning the use of food oil as biofuel. You can only make biofuel from non-food products.

What's the reasoning behind this? I don't see it.

[Jack]

Jack, I think you are a horrible person and I hope bad things happen to you.

And I think you're an excellent judge of character, who probably will get his wish.

[Leanan]

What's the reasoning behind this? I don't see it.

India doesn't want the poor to starve so the wealthy can drive cars.

[TWilliam]

India doesn't want the poor to starve so the wealthy can drive cars.

Humph! The nerve!