About the only good thing I have left to say about Friedman is that he's been pushing very hard for a gas tax and alternative energy development for quite a long time now.

Of course the NYT suppressed this Peakoil story.  I sure would like to know the reasons why, too.  As evidence I refer you to Matthew R. Simmon's must-read, "Twilight in the Desert" Appendix C: The Smoking Gun, starting on Page 377.

Matt discusses an obscure reference from Jeff Gerth [of the NYT], to an old article by Seymour Hersh, published in the NYT on March 4,1979 that reviewed the 1974 closed Senate Hearings done in "Executive Session". The Senators grilled some of the World's top oil executives.  All info essentially buried because the world was riveted on Nixon's Watergate.  I am convinced the top NYT editors have kept this 'Greatest Story Never Told' buried till just recently.

Same with the Oil companies:  Ever since Hubbert's Bombshell was confirmed in early '70s--Don't you think they thought about the World's Peak?  They could have started WillYouJoinUs.com a long time ago!  At the very least, they could have asked the Press to help get the word out.

Pres. Carter knew what was up, and he tried to get all Americans onboard.  Reagan quickly put the kibosh to that idea.

I feel that if all the independents like Campbell, Laherre, Simmons, Deffeyes, et al, had not diligently dug for years, most of what we know now would still be buried.  My two cents.

Bob Shaw in Phx,AZ  Are Humans Smarter than Yeast?