[Zardoz]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('coyote', 'W')ow, what a car wreck of a thread.

[midnight-gamer]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', ' ')Somebody needs to push those bastards off my life raft.

[AlexdeLarge]

Qui potest capere capiat.

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Zardoz', '
')We're completely missing the historical significance of this bunch drafting this document. Screw the "taint" we might feel a few of them bring to the effort. As if that matters.

The point is, a bunch of heavyweights are sounding the alarm, and it's going to get a lot of people's attention, one would hope. Killing the messenger in this case is an especially bad idea. Sure, they talk about "economic concerns", but would we expect them not to? We all know what Peak Oil is going to do to the world economy, don't we?

The point is that they know what's coming, they're trying to get people's attention, and they'll do exactly that simply because of who they are.

[roccman]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('coyote', 'W')ow, what a car wreck of a thread. Never mind...

[Mesuge]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('kjmclark', 'W')ow, you know better than Robert Hirsch *and* Kunstler!

They can't say "peak oil", because people will google "peak oil" and find either LATOC or peakoil.com. Either way, they will find out that either it's the end of life as we know it or we're headed to Mad Max (according to "Experts" PStarr and KevO).

[Mesuge]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('AlexdeLarge', '
')I agree coyote. Personal biases, political beliefs, ideological view points......... cause some folks to call others names, disparage other points of view, and belittle politicians of another party. It does not help or add to the debate.

[Jack]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('roccman', '
')Jack - meet your new boss...

[fiedag]

I think we should applaud the Institute for 21st Century Energy for their communique. While it is clear that they represent establishment interests, including those in oil, coal and nuclear, we should respect the fact that energy conservation was put FIRST in their list of priorities. For the political left to attack the motives of the institute (or the track record of the players), wastes an opportunity to leverage this crucial fact. How about for once we cling to the positives which are available to us here?

Analysing the message in its entirely I conclude that even those with the greatest means to adapt to adversity, the wealthy, are apparently concerned that "the centre may not hold" and that they could in fact lose everything. It's either that or retirement for these people has caused a quickening of their moral sensibilities, and they simply want to "do good".

[Cashmere]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('fiedag', 'I') think we should applaud the Institute for 21st Century Energy for their communique. While it is clear that they represent establishment interests, including those in oil, coal and nuclear, we should respect the fact that energy conservation was put FIRST in their list of priorities. For the political left to attack the motives of the institute (or the track record of the players), wastes an opportunity to leverage this crucial fact. How about for once we cling to the positives which are available to us here?

[mos6507]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Homesteader', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mos6507', 'A')nyone have a link to the full letter? Because I don't see the words "peak oil" anywhere in this article, which means it's more evasion and euphamisms.

[Homesteader]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mos6507', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Homesteader', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mos6507', 'A')nyone have a link to the full letter? Because I don't see the words "peak oil" anywhere in this article, which means it's more evasion and euphamisms.

[DomusAlbion]

This worthy Peak Oil related thread is getting sidetracked by politics and hate and it is distracting from the significance of this public call by some heavy weight power brokers.

Pstarr, I suggest that if you and others want to excoriate Mr K that you open a thread in the Hall of Flames and flame away all you like.

DA

[nickynicky]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('coyote', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '[')b]Energy tsunami coming, ex-policymakers warn

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of 27 elder statesmen is sending an open letter to both presidential candidates and every member of Congress saying the country faces "a long-term energy crisis" that threatens the security and prosperity of future generations if swift action isn't taken.

The group includes Henry Kissinger, Colin Powell and six other former secretaries of state or defense, former senators of both parties and a half dozen former senior White House advisers and other Cabinet officers for both Republican and Democratic presidents.

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('nickynicky', '
')
Peak oil will never go mainstream, people would panic.

[Starvid]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cashmere', '1'). Kissinger was and is a POS.

[skiptamali]

OK all personal criticism aside, can we talk about this:

The letter lists 13 steps that the signers believe must be taken immediately to guarantee the U.S.'s energy security. According to the letter, current efforts are not nearly enough: "The United States is currently spending 50 percent less on energy research and development than during the 1970s’ oil embargo. We spend less than four billion dollars a year on clean energy R&D, which is less than we spend in three days on imported oil today."
[taken from this article.]

The 13 steps:
1. Aggressively Promote Energy Efficiency
2. Reduce the Environmental Impact of Energy Consumption and Production
3. Invest in Climate Science to Guide Energy, Economic, and Environmental Policy
4. Significantly Increase Funding for Research, Development, and Demonstration of Advanced Clean Energy Technologies
5. Immediately Expand Domestic Oil and Gas Exploration and Production
6. Commit to and Expand Nuclear Energy Use
7. Commit to the Use of Clean Coal
8. Increase Renewable Sources of Electricity
9. Transform Our Transportation Sector
10. Modernize and Protect U.S. Energy Infrastructure
11. Address Critical Shortages of Qualified Energy Professionals
12. Reduce Overly Burdensome Regulations and Opportunities for Frivolous Litigation
13. Demonstrate Global Leadership on Energy Security and Climate Change
[from "the letter".]

I don't see anything about reducing energy consumption. Exploration for domestic oil will, in my mind, devastate delicate ecosystems that have barely survived thus far. And expand nuclear? That's a dangerous, limited resource. Clean coal? Very expensive, not even sure yet if it will be worth it, but since we have so much of the black stuff, we're on that train. Transform our transportation sector- great, but what about city planning for energy efficiency? De-regulate? Ohhhhhh kay. Seems these guys have chosen to heavily promote some industries over others (coal & nuclear over specifically wind & solar) to ensure continued economic growth and security over environmental conservation. Renewables can create more jobs and provide for economic growth too... And geopolitical conflict relief in the localization of energy markets.

Demonstrate Global Leadership- well, we're so far behind the curve on this one (cloudy Germany and Japan with solar, for ex) that we have a lot of catching up to do. I'm trying not to get cynical, but this letter does seem focused entirely on securing energy, not slowing climate change or setting a good example. Can we focus so heavily on an energy crisis without recognizing that if we don't work harder to reduce CO[sub]2[/sub] emissions, we won't be around to fight this battle?

[TheDude]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Starvid', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cashmere', '1'). Kissinger was and is a POS.

[mos6507]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Homesteader', '
')http://www.energyxxi.org/xxi/open_letter.html