As a supplement to the "Rush" commentary, I'm adding lyrics by Metallica

[DaveinJapan]

I don't know exactly why, but since this gusher has happened, I've been finding myself more and more thinking of Metallica and their oft prescient lyrics (much like Rush)...

In particular, in this oil soaked, utterly unthinkable situation, all I can think of is the tune "Blackened":


Blackened is the End
Winter it will send
Throwing all you see
Into obscurity

Death of Mother Earth
Never a rebirth
Evolution's end
Never will it mend

Never...!

FIRE
To begin whipping Dance of the Dead,
Blackened--is the--End!
To begin whipping Dance of the Dead,
Color our world Blackened!

Blistering of Earth
Terminate its worth
Deadly Nicotine
Kills what might have been

Callous frigid chill
Nothing left to kill
Never seen before
Breathing nevermore

Never...!

FIRE
To begin whipping Dance of the Dead,
Blackened--is the--End!
To begin whipping Dance of the Dead,
Color our world Blackened!

BLACKENED.

Opposition (opposition)
Contradiction (contradiction)
Premonition (premonition)
Compromise
Agitation (agitation)
Violation (violation)
Mutilation (mutilation)
Planet Dies
Darkest Color
Blistered Earth
True Death of Life
(termination) Termination
(expiration) Expiration
(cancellation) Cancellation human race
(expectation) Expectation
(liberation) Liberation
(population) Population laid to waste
See our Mother
Put to death
See our Mother die

Smouldering decay
Take your breath away
Millions of our years
In minutes disappears

Darkening in vain
Decadence remains
All is said and done
Never is the sun

Never...!

FIRE
To begin whipping Dance of the Dead,
Blackened
is the
end!
To begin whipping Dance of the Dead,
FIRE
Is the outcome of hypocrisy,
Darkest
poten-
-cy!
In the exit of hu-ma-ni-ty,
Color our world Blackened!

BLACKENED.


BOLD emphasis on those two points mine, but all the lyrics apply very well.