No man is an island entire unto itself, and nothing exists in a vacuum.

The geeks played their part, as did the scholars, researchers, philosophers, politicians, lobbyists, advertisers, corporations, media, religion, and the vast, unwashed, blissfully ignorant masses.

We haven't been able to wrap our heads around all the various issues, structures, and processes for thousands of years.

Our system is unmanageably complex.

And there is also the problem of rational thought. Humans may have the capacity to be rational, but they do not always behave that way. Humans, inevitably, will do emotional ("irrational") things as well as rational things.

geeks attempt to solve whatever problem is put in front of them

they tend to be under-represented in the class of people who prioritize the problems

The mistakes are in thinking that progress is inevitable and automatic, in thinking that progress is always a totally good thing (instead of it sometimes being a mixed bag), and in thinking that progress is a one way street, that regress is impossible. Most people operate assuming all three of these are true, but they are not.

Where in the room would you hold that thermometer, and for how long would you take readings?

The reality of the situation would be very complex, but it was (presumably) supposed to be a simple demonstration to show how little people apply the basic notion of conservation of energy to the world around them - for example, a large steel and concrete structure being turned mostly to dust by it's own gravitational potential energy...

The technology used in everyday life has advanced so far from anything most people can understand, that they have become used to "magic". There is not much difference between the things so many do all the time to make things happen, and the kinds of things that are used in "Harry Potter".

I do this, and that happens - I do not know why. I move this mouse thing and click on the pretty icons and stuff happens. I say a couple of words and I can talk to someone on the other side of the world through a little thing in my ear. Is that so much different than waving a wand and speaking magic words?

In my opinion it doesn't matter - it all has to do with access to excess energy. That in turn allows enough excess food production capacity that large parts of the society can engage in non-food production pursuits, like science and engineering. Eventually that trend will reverse, the stuff will fail and not be replaced, and the magic of technology will become a memory of past glories.

It's just the conversion of oil into magic.

We've already seen in the link I posted on a prior thread that tests conducted by N. Dakota Univ, and Mn State (using EPA cycle) show that ethanol can deliver BETTER fuel economy in IC engines than straight gasoline.

It's all in the OCTANE. Admittedly, these results were with mid-level ethanol blends; but, wait until you see the new engines with DI, VVT, and VRT. The forerunner (though without VRT) will be in the chevy HHR this fall. My bet is you'll be down to less than 10% difference between unleaded, and E85.

Don't live in the PAST, folks. The World is a'changing.

Well one can’t eat coal or drink oil.

Using it to power harvesters, transport, irrigation - plus fertilizers, conditioning - and so on - but not directly for driving a SUV or a tractor to go the county fair, or whatever, has no moral weight, can only be condemned thru very complex analysis. (I personally don’t like to see ‘food’ powering rich US drivers when between 10 and 20 million children die of hunger each year, many now under US domination in Iraq, etc. but that is my own emotional sensitivity.)

It is the Export Land Model. The US has corn and now prefers to keep it, some of it, and use it as it sees fit. Does it make sense from an analytical pov? Does it make trade smoother, better for all? I think not. Did the Saudis exploit their oil riches to further development in their country, and/or the good of all? Not. Did the IMF/WTO help African countries with their lending? Etc.

Don't forget all that water.

A CSP plant cant be that heavy, anyone think it would be possible to make it float and power and old steam engine? Not got far to go for heat rejection. It would be like using OTEC and CSP together

I'm sure there's plenty of demand for shipping high volumes of liquids around the sunny parts of the world. Add a few of those kites for when you have lost the sun and cruise the evening winds.

That bubble collapsed almost immediately, in 1920-21, upon resumption of European harvests.

There was a great post on yesterday's DB, on why there will be a dramatic reversal in wheat prices if these price levels are sustained:

http://www.theoildrum.com/node/3662#comment-308299

Historically at this point, the Gov't crushes the farmer.

Whatever it takes.

"The Food Security Act of 1985 states that U.S. policy is: (1) to foster and encourage agricultural exports, (2) not to restrict or limit such exports except under the most compelling circumstances, (3) that any prohibition or limitation on such exports should be imposed only when the President declares a national emergency under the Export Administration Act, and (4) that contracts to export agricultural commodities and products agreed upon before any prohibition or limitation should not be abrogated. Whenever commercial export sales of an agricultural commodity are suspended for reasons of short supply, but to a country with which the United States continues commercial trade, the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977 requires USDA to set the commodity price support loan rate at 90% of the parity price. The Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 contains contract sanctity provisions that place constraints on the embargo of agricultural commodities from the United States. The 1990 Act also: (1) provides for agricultural embargo protection that, if certain conditions are met, compensates producers with payments if the President suspends or restricts exports of a commodity for national security or foreign policy reasons, and (2) requires USDA to develop plans to alleviate the adverse effects of embargoes if imposed. The FAIR Act of 1996 requires USDA to compensate producers of a commodity, or commodities, if the U.S. government imposes an export embargo on any country for national security or foreign policy reasons, and if no other country joins the U.S. embargo within 90 days. Compensation may take the form of payments to producers or funds made available to promote agricultural exports or food aid."

Key-

(3) that any prohibition or limitation on such exports should be imposed only when the President declares a national emergency under the Export Administration Act, and (4) that contracts to export agricultural commodities and products agreed upon before any prohibition or limitation should not be abrogated.

Hello Xburb,

From the link provided: Gavin Maguire, of Iowa Grain in Chicago, said consumers such as mills and bakers, who needed wheat, were “panicking”.

Damn: panic is king!

When it would have been so much easier to plan & mitigate years ago using the Hirsch Shifter & Carter Carburetor.

For any newbies, the Pres. Sweater Speech and Hirsch Report:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carter/filmmore/ps_energy.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hirsch_report