[ian807]

Fox News, owned by Murdoch. Ahem.

Still, the article was correct on some points (Fox's trick is to mix it up that way). There's no real substitute for oil. Renewables aren't going to cut it to run a civilization of our size and complexity. There's plenty of oil in the ground (They don't mention that most of it is either too expensive or energy negative to extract). The rest is speculative (Scientists will find us wonderful substitutes!). We will have a some additional quivers in the arsenal over the next 30 years, but probably not enough. The political extrapolations about freedom, cap and trade and so on are, as usual, unprovable hogwash.

[Cloud9]

Can you imagine the sunshine that would be in your life if you were one of the beautiful people on Fox News or CNN for that matter? Very hard to see any shadows in a world like that.

[mos6507]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ian807', '
')There's no real substitute for oil.

[mos6507]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cloud9', 'V')ery hard to see any shadows in a world like that.

[Cloud9]

Nice picture, but not as nice as the one that hangs on my wall in my classroom.

[Ibon]

If we truly believe that peak oil is on the short term horizon with the consequences we have discussed ad nauseam why should we weep over an ideological position that has not even any short term future of remaining credible?

Or do we doubt our own positions?

[Lore]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ibon', 'I')f we truly believe that peak oil is on the short term horizon with the consequences we have discussed ad nauseam why should we weep over an ideological position that has not even any short term future of remaining credible?

Or do we doubt our own positions?

[Rod_Cloutier]

I was disturbed by the conclusion of their argument. That: $this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'S')uch a world is far scarier than any remotely plausible prediction of climate change and its effects. Because, while humans using industrial-scale energy can cope with floods, temperature fluctuations, and droughts, we cannot cope with a government-created drought of energy

[mos6507]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cloud9', 'N')ice picture, but not as nice as the one that hangs on my wall in my classroom.

[mos6507]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ibon', '
')why should we weep over an ideological position that has not even any short term future of remaining credible?

[Lore]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Repent', 'I') was disturbed by the conclusion of their argument. That: $this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'S')uch a world is far scarier than any remotely plausible prediction of climate change and its effects. Because, while humans using industrial-scale energy can cope with floods, temperature fluctuations, and droughts, we cannot cope with a government-created drought of energy

[The_Virginian]

Hmm, this is an OPINION piece by A. Epstien, and there are a LOT of holes in his arguments.

I love how he talks about LAS VEGAS bieng a shining example of freedom ( DEBAUCHERY is more like it). There, in L.V. they recycle sewage water into tap ( a dangerous proccess as no one can remove ALL the parasites, chemicals and contaminants on a budget), and even then have drained Lake Mead to dangerous levels...(the main water source for L.V.):

http://lakelevelalert.com/mead-current-lake-level-nevada.php

I also take a dim view of his belief that Mamleket SAUD( Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) can not "cut us off" as they have done so in the past...why do you think we have troops there? Is Chavez not able?

No, we don't know how much oil there is on the planet. But, if we increase availability by drilling 10,000 ft. into the ocean, the price we pay in EROI, Ecology, and DOLLARS increases....so the EASY oil is running out ( at least untill the geological events that formed it happen again, which is at least thousands of years off). M. King, et al. were not alarmests, just realists.

AGW, see my post(s) in current events.

HIS OPINION, not that of Faux news, is typical of so many, and is confused...some of his views are valid, but in the end it will not make a difference...peak oil speculation and supply issues has already contributed to this economic mess we are in.

[dinopello]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mos6507', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cloud9', 'N')ice picture, but not as nice as the one that hangs on my wall in my classroom.

[Revi]

The implied message is that the "enviros" or the "greens" are the only thing standing in the way of a future of abundance. I think they will keep this up during the downslope to give them somebody to blame it all on. "We would have lots of oil if those enviros didn't keep us from drilling." I saw a bumper sticker that said drill baby drill on a truck yesterday. The problem is that the oil companies aren't going to drill for oil that isn't there.

[hillsidedigger]

Why do so many Americans think there is vast domestic oil reserves that the 'greenies' have stopped from development?

Here's one reason why and it's dated December 30, 2010:

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/201 ... _dome.html

The truth is The Obama administration reversed Bush's reversal of the Clinton administration's roadless area designations. Almost no energy has ever been extracted from those areas and likely little ever would.

[PrestonSturges]

You do have to love the consistency of their pot-kettle-black mindset, which they stick to no matter what (like the Obama black-Nazi-elitist-narcissist).

They are talking about environmentalists creating scarcity, which would make a lot of money for......Exxon. What, the Sierra Club would be hauling in cash hand over fist?

No, by creating the myth of untapped reserves, the oil companies can turn the public against alternative energy. Then what better way to squeeze every last penny out of them than a serious shortage of fossil fuels and offer no alternatives?

How do the resident conservatives and Tea Party types feel about this? Used? Betrayed?

[vtsnowedin]

I find it odd that the author thinks that something that is good for you can't be addicting. I suppose then that I am have not been addicted to huffing a mixture of 20% O2 several times each minute from the day I was born. That does not mean that withdrawing from this nonaddictive substance would be possible or painless. Then he goes on to document how wonderful and good it is for us and how unlikely any substitute worthy of the name is to be found. Most of that section agrees with the consensus opinion here at peakoil.com. But then he spoils it by trotting out the ever popular "market forces will drive us to alternatives. " He seems to not realise that the market forces he counts on will be very high prices ,severe shortages and the resulting economic upheaval and starvation that goes with it. In his ode to oil he states that it single handed raised the life expectancy of man from 40 to 80 years. (He may be a bit fuzzy on the figures there) but then ignores the potential for a scarcity of oil reversing those numbers.
Even a broken clock is exactly right twice a day and the one line where I completely agree with him is this.
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'W')ithout oil, or something just as potent, abundant, and affordable, life as we know it would be impossible.

[PrestonSturges]

The other aspect of this is the classic strategy of invoking the lost tribal paradise of Aaryan happy motoring until the damned liberals ruined the Fatherland and left her helpless before her enemies.

Ringing any bells?

[Keith_McClary]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('vtsnowedin', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'W')ithout oil, or something just as potent, abundant, and affordable, life as we know it would be impossible.