[MarkL]

..

[Novus]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Alnitaka', 'S')o why is Brazil profiting handsomely from it? Is it because far fewer people drive in Brazil than in other places (although the segment showed traffic jams in Brazil's cities)? They do seem to be operating efficiently; for example, the energy to run an ethanol production plant comes from burning the chaff of sugar cane plants.

So does Brazil have the answer?

[Leanan]

That Brazil thing was a segment from "We Were Warned."

IMO, that was the biggest weakness of the show. Sesno didn't ask the tough questions about ethanol. It was kind of like, "It's too late for ethanol, if we'd started when Brazil did, we'd be okay, but we didn't, so we're screwed."

Not only is sugar cane a much better ethanol source than corn...Brazil has a much more stratified society than we do. So they have 80% peasants who work in the cane fields for cheap and can never dream of owning a car, and 20% rich people who think nothing of paying $5/gallon for fuel. It's not really a model that would work in the U.S. Well, maybe it would, but would we want it to work in the U.S., given that most of us would be the laborors in the cane fields, not the elite driving cars?

It's not online yet, but I'm working on it. I missed recording the first part, because I wasn't expecting it to be on last night. The premiere was supposed to be tonight.

[TWilliam]

Can't help but wonder if they ran it unannounced a day early to gauge reaction, with a possible eye toward pulling the scheduled airings over the weekend should it prove too "upsetting"...

[drew]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('LadyRuby', 'I') don't get CNN (have only basic cable)

[TWilliam]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TWilliam', 'C')an't help but wonder if they ran it unannounced a day early to gauge reaction, with a possible eye toward pulling the scheduled airings over the weekend should it prove too "upsetting"...

[LadyRuby]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('drew', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('LadyRuby', 'I') don't get CNN (have only basic cable)

[LadyRuby]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TWilliam', 'C')an't help but wonder if they ran it unannounced a day early to gauge reaction, with a possible eye toward pulling the scheduled airings over the weekend should it prove too "upsetting"...

[Aimrehtopyh]

I've sent cryptic invitations to all my friends to come over just in time for the saturday evening showing. Those poor suckers will be washing down the red pill with pizza and beer!

[Zardoz]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TWilliam', '.')..This does not bode well. I just tried to view the three 'snippets' from the documentary linked at the CNN Presents page, and all three of them return "Page Not Found"...

[TWilliam]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Zardoz', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TWilliam', '.')..This does not bode well. I just tried to view the three 'snippets' from the documentary linked at the CNN Presents page, and all three of them return "Page Not Found"...

[dbarberic]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Zardoz', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TWilliam', '.')..This does not bode well. I just tried to view the three 'snippets' from the documentary linked at the CNN Presents page, and all three of them return "Page Not Found"...

[Zardoz]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('dbarberic', '.')..update your Windows Media Player to the most current version.

[Zardoz]

Got it.

It was the Norton Antispam popup blocker. If I want to watch a CNN video, I'll just turn it off.

[Mechler]

I watched all but the first 15 minutes of last night's airing and it was pretty good. I plan on watching it again, but my initial reaction is that it won't do much to affect PO awareness and here's why:

1. There are too many outs for the optimist/head buried in the sand types. They could point to Brazil's success with ethanol (even if it's not feasible anywhere else), the one guy who said there are 100 billion barrels still undiscovered in the US, or the Saudi oil minister (and others) who said there is plenty of oil and gas left in the world.

2. I'm not sure many people will watch this program that don't already have an opinion one way or the other. I don't see the average joe tuning in just because he's bored.

3. Those who do watch it, and had no idea about these issues before, will probably find the message too disturbing and put it out of their minds five minutes after it's over.

Of course, I could be completely wrong and there will be some reaction by the masses. I was surprised by the CNN poll that came out a few days ago. Based on the numbers, a majority believe that oil supply won't be able to keep up with demand. Here's the link to that story:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/03/16/oil.poll/index.html

However, from my observations, the typical American attitude is "burn it while we've got it." I'm still in awe about how many people drive SUVs and big trucks...

[TWilliam]

Seems they're back now. Server overload maybe, now that I think about it...

Still can't watch tho'... WinMedia...

[kochevnik]

Mechler's right - I saw most of this last night and I don't see it changing much - in sum total, probably less intersting and useful than the Oil Storm movie last spring.

Best part was Matt Simmons, guy asks Simmons for his worst case scenario and Simmons says, you don't want to go there - so guy pushes harder and Simmons says, "Towns fighting towns, neighbors fighting neighbors, countries fighting countries over the last of the oil." And the guy says, "Chaos ?" and Simmons says, "Total chaos".

Man, what a DOOMER.

Rest of it was warmed over crap (for us at least).

[Ibon]

Let's take a step back when only two years ago the debate amongst peak oil advocates was about why the MSM, the government and corporations were hiding this from the public. This is slowly penetrating the collective culture and the momentum to really begin adaptation to a powered down future has to start with a collective understanding. I do agree that what needs to follow are some painful events to really hammer this home. Even though in a week it will appear it is all forgotten when future disruptions happen it will be easier for people to connect the dots from having seen programs like this even if they are watered down.If we one day start making hard policy decisions like gasoline taxes and mandated effeciencies etc. it will be important that the public is backing it. In two years from today I wonder where we will be?

[Free]

I just saw it and it was cool, particularly Simmons, Woolsey, the 70ies flashbacks etc.

But I have a mixed feeling about the message: Right in the first minute he says something like: "We don't know if it happens but it could happen" - before painting a "perfect storm" scenario, with the underlying message that if all this doesn't happen (hurricane, terrorists...), there will be no problem and business as usual.
So it's pictured rather as a possible scenario let's say like an asteroid hitting the earth, rather than a structural, inherent problem that is inevitably cause suffering if we don't do anything about it.

Of course during the program the real story is told, for example with Simmons "Twilight in the desert" etc., but always hiding behind the "oil storm" scenario.

If I didn't know about peak oil I would think "oh wow hope this doesn't happen" and then forget about it....

[elroy]

At least they made clear the canadian oil sands won't bail the US out. For us 'initiated' it's perhaps a bit basic and perhaps a tad optimistic, but I think this show was a good primer for anyone else. It at least showed most parts of the equasion, including the impact on trucking and thus, empty stores.