1979 by Richard
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RICHARD E. GEIS a personal journal Copyright (c) 1979 RICHARD E. GEIS with fiction By Richard E. Geis a personal journal RICHARD E. GEIS POB 11408, Portland, OR 97211 5 for $3. 10 for $6. 6-22-79 Probably this weekend the OPEC mobile and on rampant consumerism, in of Carter and other big industrialized countries will raise the base price of this country. Directly and indirectly nations leaders, who are there to decide oil to 318—320 a barrel and this will at least a fourth of the jobs in the how much to cut oil imports—the U.S. be the final nail in the coffin of the USA depend on a hundred million cars wants each nation to have an import U.S. and perhaps the world economy. and trucks moving, wearing out, hitting limit per year—and you have a pre # Tourism is off 25? here in Oregon, each other...and on the habits of eat scription for a recession/depression, and no doubt that echoes the tourism ing out once or twice a week, going to very much higher gasoline prices or disaster-all over the country. a show, buying a lot of plastic junk... strict rationing, and very high rates # The independent truckers are rais The car and consume economy is be of "inflation" for a few years. ing hell over fuel prices, insane load ginning to end! As the slowdown progresses the regulations, and the 55 mph speed limit, Your best bet for a long-lasting pressure will increase on congress to and President Carter, ever one to rob job is in those companies which can cut taxes and on the Federal Reserve to Peter to pay (placate) Paul, is going make cars last longer, go farther on start pumping up the money supply to to cut the fuel supply of farmers to a gallon of gas, which save energy in flood the country with printing-press soothe the truckers. (The way he upp a big way, and which help people grow dollars to get the economy moving a ed the quota of gas for California but their own food. ■ gain. This is known as back door de didn't tell the Easterners it would come # K little-noted government paper valuation, and may not work 'one-more from them!) ■ ..... a few days ago was revealed which pre time’ since it would push the "inflation" So now, after generations of seduc dicted 80j per gallon heating oil this rate up to 20-25? per year and would ing Americans into an automobile/consurr- winter, with some families seeking push the OPEC n3tions into abandoning er lifestyle, big business and we Ameri shelter in public buildings for warmth, the dollar as a pricing unit and turn cans find ourselves at the end of the to avoid freezing to death. them to selling oil in prices based on road—dependence on seven internation # If you have a backyard, dig up a ’basket’ of currencies. This would al oil companies, seven or eight giant a big section of it and begin preparing ratchet "inflation" even higher in this international banks, two or three all the ground for crops next year—mix in country. powerful families who are waging an und organic garbage, grass clippings, leaves # I've finished building and painting er-cover war for control of the world... and manure if you can get it free. a woodshed against the house in back, and a bunch of small-fry local dictators, Learn about growing fruits and vegeta and have room in it for nearly two leaders, pretenders, and armed fanatics. bles. cords of wood. This gives me a stor All at risk. The standard of living in this age capacity of about three cords count Most of us are employees, renters, country is going to fall. In spite of ing the space in the garage I use for and in debt. Ue don't own our shelter, coming devaluations, wars, political wood keeping. we do not provide our own food and we promises...what you can earn will not I'll be buying wood in the next depend on our job (vulnerable, uncert permit the lifestyle you now enjoy. month to bring our supply up to the ain) for our income. Most of us are limit. And I'll force myself to start one to three months from destitution, # A small AR story on page six of the collecting scrap wood from wherever I starvation and homelessness. OREGONIAN caught my notice and sent a can find it, when on my bike. I have How do you protect yourself? chill through me: felt demeaned—humiliated—(most of 'WASHINGTON (AP) — With little I know the prostitute economists the time) when I stopped and picked up discussion and less information, the and government spokesmen and business a chunk of wood from the street or curb Senate on Wednesday passed a bill auth leaders are assuring us we face only a side. But that will pass, I hope, as orizing government intelligence agen mild recession—a slowdown—until the each acquisition changes shape as I cies to carry on unspecified activities spring of 1980. They’re lying. They look at it and becomes the equivalent at an unknow cost. The details of dare not tell the truth and in most of oil or p. It would take me about the legislation are classified.' cases dare not admit the truth even to a half an hour a day, I estimate, to What the hell is going on? themselves. Their jobs and reputations scavenge a load for my baskets. depend on a calm, easy-to-bear scenario As more and more people turn to for the future. And they dare not tell 6-27-79 OPEC dropped their bomb: a wood to supplement or substitute for the truth for fear of igniting panic and Saudi base price of 318.00 for a bar oil and gas, the easy pickings for me evil events. rel of oil, and (U3-5O tops for the will fade. And, of course, I have But evil events are in the works: other OPEC members, depending on the the corrugated paper log technology again: too many millions of people de quality of their crude. perfected and can roll-my-own as a pend on the use and abuse of the auto Add to that the meeting in Tokyo further supplemental fuel for the fireplace heating unit. Why all this penny-saving planning, fied for "affirmative action" programs. eral Commission. My guess is that An you ask? Well, in- a long-lasting de Used to be the octarooms tried to pass derson is in the race to try to weaken pression I think the income from SFR as white. Now they may fight like hell Reagan, or prevent a first-ballot Reag and REG will dry up to a -trickle. The in court to be legally black. Yuk Yuk. an nomination at the Republican conven monthly interest check I get from the And so on with the Indians, the chicanos, tion. money I inherited from dad will only the Chinese, Japanese... Does a trans pay for utilities and house insurance, sexual qualify as a woman?' What of a 7-6-79 What ho! joggers and health and such. Too, I expect that any pro "femme" homosexual? nuts? Mendy Rudolph, 22—year referee novel writing I may do will be very This latest Supreme Court ruling is for the NBA died yesterday, age 53, of hard to sell as publishers retrench and actually a bonanza for lawyers. a heart attack. As a college, semi- rely on their backlists to save money. pro and pro referee, Rudolf ran for The expanded gardens will not feed 6—29—79 The results of the economic hours on end almost every day. He re us all year, but we'll' eat fresh fruits summit at Tokyo are now in: we agreed tired about four years ago. and vegetables during the summer and to limit oil imports for six years, He was lean and in good shape to fall, and we'll dry and store as much starting in 1980, at 1979 levels. his dying day. as possible. And we agreed to raise domestic oil Makes you wonder, don't it? And we'll have a buffer against prices to the world price "as soon as a food shortage. The current truckers possible and keep them there." # In the years ahead various companies strike should give you a clue as to how This is a prescription for reces- will advertise home solar-heating Pack vulnerable we are to shortages (and sion/depression, massive strains on' the ages, solar hot water packages, etc. the price run-ups as the market prices social fabric, cultural trauma, perhaps Just put them in position, run this hose adjust demand to supply). We" are as a a war, perhaps a President in the 80s there, tighten this valve, and you will nation largely dependent on a string of who vill declare a national emergency and have "cheap" heat or hot water (or even oil tankers reaching halfway around the rule by invoking his wartime emergency electricity). Cheap, that is, if you world, subject to all kinds of disrup powers (never taken away by Congress figure the initial cost oyer a twenty tions, and as individuals we are de since WWII.) year period. pendent on a string of trucks that Gasoline and oil prices will go up But there are simpler, no-cost reach halfway across the country. and up and up to really painful levels ways of using solar energy to save The entire economy is so interwoven, and will force many extreme adjustments electrical or natural oas energy.