From Saudi Arabia to Vermont, western Europe to our driveway

Entering the foothills of peak oil, mid-June 2008, we find global events hitting our home and car.

Gas has pushed well over $4/gallon here. We try to buy it at the fine Ripton General Store. We're cutting our town trips down still further, loading up each one with more errands and functions.

The world keeps nosing along the peak's long curve:

• Oil prices came within eleven cents of $140/barrel.
• Ethanol from corn ran into yet another problem, as midwestern American storms stomped crops flat.
• Western Europe's petrol worries continue to grow, as truck drivers protest price increases. Ambulance drivers joined truckers in France. Spanish truckers planned to converge on Madrid.
  

Good news, for the near term:

• Saudi Arabia announced it's boosting oil exports , after repeated lobbying by foreign heads of state. How much?

• "The New York Times reported Saturday, citing unnamed analysts and oil traders briefed by Saudi officials, that a production increase of about 500,000 barrels per day was to be announced following the meeting."

• Riding the rails just got even nicer, at least in Utah. There's WiFi on trains.