I think things are going to get a whole lot better in a big hurry real soon

[ThomWV]

Did I get that right? Improve, rapidly, soon.

I think this country is about to fall into a period of immense prosperity but I doubt very seriously that the prosperity will be wide-felt. I believe the source of the great riches that are about to flow are the eastern shales gas and the oil in the northern central plains. We will become a net energy exporter with more product to put on the market than either the ex-soviet republics or the Saudis. I think this will happen within the next 3 to 4 years.

The only thing that bothers me about believing this is going to happen is this. I can not see any way that these great new riches that will come to the country will find its way to anyone other than those who are already ultra-wealthy.

And that's the thing, its not that we are at war with the rich and they are winning. As I see it the battle is actually over, and we lost.

[arcane1]

1. That stuff belongs to multi-national oil companies, not to U.S. citizens

"We" won't see a penny of it.

[HopeHoops]

2. Man, don't Bogart that JOINT, dude - pass it around!

[MadHound]

3. Two major drawbacks to shale gas,

The immense environmental destruction that drilling for such gas entails, and the fact that with a fresh burst of cheap energy coming our way, the progress we've made with fuel efficiency and green alternatives will once again slow to a crawl.

[EmeraldCityGrl]

4. Would anyone put it past these psychopaths to do just what you've suggested?

That would really be the final turn of the screw, turning the country into a
huge open toxic wound on the planet.

[Arctic Dave]

5. Crack is a terrible drug.

LOL. I can't say I've ever been as high as to think what you are writing. You must have passed pink elephants and little green men hours ago.

[safeinOhio]

6. You saying we might become

Nigeria. No trickle down from the nations resource wealth?

[RagAss]

7. Funny stuff there.

[FarLeftFist]

8. So basically, the rich get richer.

[rustydog]

9. Why don't we nationalize our natural oil, gas, shale-oil resources?

Hell, 10 billion excess profits first quarter 2011 alone for one oil comapany? Why not seize the oil and cut every american a check fo rthe profits after paying for drilling, processing and shipping?
Who needs a 50-million dollar a year CEO?

[FarCenter]

10. You need to get some data and do some math

North Dakota produced about 225,000 barrels per day in 2010 when we imported 9,800,000 barrels per day.

A lot of that so-called "shale oil" is actually kerogen locked in a shale rock. It does not release and flow after fracturing of the shale and treatement with steam, etc. There are no economical technologies for producing it.