Ahah! That is how you control sunlight energy. Develop a priesthood to manage agricultural land and water resources, then grain storage and a writing system (just for the priests) to "manage" it all. Before petroleum there was grain and olive oil and wine.

It's still more democratic, because it is still harder to centralize. However -- if you can make agriculture dependent on petroleum -- well, there you have it all.

Livestock "on the hoof" is also a great way to "store" food until it is needed.

Don't forget the greatest invention of all: Beer. One can imagine a brand new but leaky clay storage vessel straight from the (wood or charcoal-fired) kiln. It is clean enough to start brewing after a good summer downpour. Next, the pleasant revelations, the visionary haze, the incredibly bad decisions and the ensuing headache that results in a brand new urban culture. Let's call it chip-chop...

The "keep" was originally the place where grain and other food was stored. Obviously, it doubles as a watchtower. The food surplus from agriculture leads to the first civilization, and it's all based on accumulation and specialization. Armies, walls, rulers' tombs and monuments first. Slaves, horses and camels next. The GOP's brand new agenda goes back a very long way.

I don't know where you are based, but here in Minnesota utilities are now mandated to reduce energy consumption. They are scrambling to find ways to talk consumers into using less. Maybe he should pitch the idea here?

Funny, we tried to pitch the same kind of show to Discovery Channel as a spin-off to Discovery Planet. They'd have nothing of it. The show was to feature a producer on a stationary bicycle powering the monitor. Free lunches sell a lot better than farming.