Yes, I agree, it could get fugly because of energy costs and it will be 
worse in the USA than in Europe, where we have a buffer of the $-€ 
exchange rate (I metaphorically go on my knees every night to pray that 
all major energies will remain priced in $). Notwithstanding, it will 
still require some brave, new, politicians who will start assuming that 
voters have more than self-interest at heart. I think, if I were 50 
years younger (with my current knowledge), I would start a new worldwide 
political movement called "Honest Energy" :-p

Brian

David Douthit wrote:
> Brian,
> 
> I suppose I will need to take "Mandarin" lessons.
> 
> I hope you are right about the "slow die off". There is still a major
> problem with the up and comming recession/inflationary sprial. That is
> where life can get very "ugly".
> 
> David A. Douthit
> Manager
> LoCan LLC
> 
> Brian Ellis wrote:
> 
>> Brian doesn't! Although the basic premisses are possibly correct, I
>> don't believe in the pessimistic conclusions drawn. Homo sapiens is too
>> tenacious a species to permit a die-off, although I do forecast a slow
>> population decline. We have the knowledge, means and technology to
>> change from a carbon economy to an essentially non-carbon one but it
>> needs commitment. If the money that the USA, the UK and others have
>> pumped into Iraq (for what purpose?) over the last few years had been
>> directed to this problem, so that we did not need Iraqi oil, we would
>> already be half-way to making the transition. The problem is not one of
>> technology, but of so-called democracy, because politicians are not good
>> enough salesemen to buy enough votes in the next election, if they
>> promote unpopular moves. This is where China has a big advantage over
>> us. For example, they can build nuke power stations ad inf. and the
>> population acclaims the government for foreseeing the need to provide
>> abundant, low cost, electric power. Other than a few forward-looking
>> countries, such as France and Finland, the West quakes in its boots
>> because politicians fear the onslaught of the eco-politicians with their
>> misinformation, disinformation and downright lies regarding carbon-free
>> power generation. And when I see that some Western countries use less
>> than 35% of the energy they import/produce, it is easy to see where to
>> tackle the problem: start by eliminating half the wasted energy and you
>> will cut GHG emissions by half and double the time interval to Peak Oil
>> or other fossil fuels. Combine that with an aggressive
>> renewables/nuclear/transport policy as I suggested in my post of 17 Feb,
>>  and we shall not suffer from the effects of Peak Oil.
>>
>> Brian
>>
>> MA/NY DDave wrote:
>>
>>> Hi David, EnViroN,
>>>
>>> OK I found Olduvai, in the link you gave, yet you can elaborate if
>>> you wish
>>> to the EnViroN audience.
>>>
>>> YiEngr, MA/NY DDave
>>>
>>> P.S. Again I hope Brian approves of most of this web site's data
>>>
>>
>>
>