The signs of hydrocarbon depletion are already showing themselves. Airlines going bankrupt and limiting flights, because of record airline fuel cost. Record gas and diesel prices. Record natural gas prices ( get ready for this winters heating bill ). Record prices for sweet light crude. The president calling for americans, to not waste gas on unnecesary trips ( Hmmm, I wonder if all his travels, in his huge jet qualifies as " needed trips "? ). New oil finds worldwide dropping now for some time, with geologist suggesting that the days of the " big field " finds are gone. All of this set against the backdrop of massive growth and development around the world. The increasing demands for oil and gas, by the burgeoning world populations, will outstrip supply in a relatively short span of time, it is inevitable. Regarding the timeframe on when Peak Oil will be reached, only about 20 years seperate the years described, from the most dire predictions, to the most conservative. If there are viable alternatives to hydrocarbon fuels, the obvious question is, if they are truly " currently available for deployment ", what is the administration, or any other government in the world, waiting for? What keenly thought out plan is it that our government has, that figures its best to let the public, and its infrastructure suffer for now, with all of these daunting increases in fuel prices, while there is " supposedly " supplemental means to replace hydrocarbon fuels, that lie in the waiting? I for one won't be counting on our government, to have a well thought out plan, which would implement an array of technological solutions, in a timely manner, that would allow the american public " anything close " to a smooth transition to new energy sources to replace what hydrocarbons have provided. New Orleans is a huge wake up for the american public, when things really get ugly, and the **** hits the fan, you better have your own game plan to save yourself, and your loved ones, because the government, economically, and structurally, is in no position to respond to the mega events, coming in our future. Human nature being what it is, meaningful and timely reaction to this coming fuels crisis, IMHO, will be, to little, to late.
