[jboogy]

The people living in industrial ( high living standard) nations today may be able to claim a unique position among all other humans that have come before or will come after , we may be able to say we lived during the absolute best times in human history , and also one of the worst times in human history. This little 100 year slice between 1950 and 2050 will probably turn out to have one of the most extreme fluctuations in living standard since the time before and after the Earl of Sandwich invented his namesake.

[Mechler]

Drifter,

You may be right, but I hope to hell you're wrong. Hopefully we can hold together our society for a few more years. Who knows, maybe there's a trick or two up someones sleeve (SA, I'm looking in your direction...)

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

[yull]

Very true, just a few years ago they were all calling us nuts.

I think 2011-2013 will be the year when it becomes obvious that the world we now know is coming to an end, and we're in the decline phase of our civilisation.