Letters at 3am

[Stonehead]

Wow, I just read an amazing series of articles by Michael Ventura. They’re about oil, our way of life, and our potential future. There’s nothing partisan about what he talks about. We may all share the same future and if his future scenario plays out, what are we to do? Imagine, for instance, not being able to afford the gasoline to drive to your climbing spot.

 

http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2005-04-29/cols_ventura.html http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2005-09-16/cols_ventura.html http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2005-09-30/cols_ventura.html http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2005-10-14/cols_ventura.html http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2005-10-28/cols_ventura.html

[cj001f]

Imagine, for instance, not being able to afford the gasoline to drive to your climbing spot.

It's called a bicycle.

[Stonehead]

Uh, yeah. I'll bicycle to Vantage.

[cj001f]

Uh, yeah. I'll bicycle to Vantage.

As hyperbolic as that idiot.

[Stonehead]

 

 

This guy?

[flashclimber]

I guess Ill have to make a stil and make my own grain alcohol. Im sure my motorcycle will run on it! but then I'll have to grow my own corn and wheat. And then I'll need a tractor to harvest it. And the cycle goes on. Maybe I'll just move to Index and live like a hippy!

[Dru]

How much methane could you generate from the sewage of a large city? Mad Max it!

 

or from fresh cow entrails!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4373440.stm

Move next to a slaughterhouse!

[selkirk]

Soy-lent bio-diesel?

or would

Soy-lent ethanol be easier to manufacture?

[Stonehead]

Uh, yeah. I'll bicycle to Vantage.

As hyperbolic as that idiot.

 

Seriously though. You have a problem with the messenger but does that invalidate the message?

 

The way I see it, if you're spending more on gasoline and hydrocarbon derived products, then that's less discretionary cash for the luxury of recreation.

 

Yeah, I suppose, maybe this is all stupid stuff. What me worry?

[catbirdseat]

Ventura is a modern-day Malthus. Malthus was wrong about population growth. I think Ventura is wrong about America's ability to adapt to higher gas prices.

[Stonehead]

Ventura is a modern-day Malthus. Malthus was wrong about population growth. I think Ventura is wrong about America's ability to adapt to higher gas prices.

 

Malthus was right but we live in a changing world. The Green Revolution is fostered by petrochemicals. What happens when these become scarce?

[Dru]

The new green revolution is fostered by biotech.

[Stonehead]

I can't parse that.

[Off_White]

 

 

This guy?

 

What, does no one else recognize Herman Buhl? He was way ahead of his time. I must confess though, I don't know what he has to do with bicycles.

[cj001f]

What, does no one else recognize Herman Buhl? He was way ahead of his time. I must confess though, I don't know what he has to do with bicycles.

Since gas was expensive and he was poor he bicycled to many of his climbs and then home again, sometimes at night so he could get home for work in the morning.

 

On subject, with only minor changes and some care from the public american cities could be made more mass transit (buses) and personal transit (bike and foot) friendly

[olyclimber]

Tommy Caldwell biked 30 miles home uphill in CO when he was growing up. I read that in Alpinist magazine, so there.

 

But ya, Buhl is the a leader in the Hardman Hall of Fame.

[Dru]

I read that Twight took the seat off his bicycle to train for those "two climbers one bag" bivis.

[Stonehead]

Yeah while he listened to Skinny Puppy

[JayB]

The new green revolution is fostered by biotech.

 

Yeah - but everyone knows that direct manipulation of plant genomes (rather than random variation through cross-breeding) to produce crops with higher yields, better drought and insect resistance, and that require less fertilizer, less irrigation, and less-land under cultivation are represent a staggering threat to both the environment and humanity.*

 

Much better to have perpetual famines, increasing salinity, decreasing fertility, and ever-expanding swaths of marginal cropland coupled with the arrival of mountains of subsidized crops from the developed world to ruin the local agricultural economies as well.

 

*It'd be interesting to see how many people who criticize the Intelligent Design folks for their rejection of the scientific consensus embrace equally weak science behind the "Frankfood" movement.

[Dru]

Frank Food

[JayB]

Ventura is a modern-day Malthus. Malthus was wrong about population growth. I think Ventura is wrong about America's ability to adapt to higher gas prices.

 

More like the Paul Ehrlich of our times, only this guy will be discredited sooner.

 

On a related note, why aren't all of the anti-SUV folks jumping for joy over higher oil and energy prices? This will invariably lead to intensive conservation efforts, greater consumer preference for fuel efficient cars, etc, etc, etc.

 

Ditto for anyone who ostensibly supports a progressive tax code opposing the proposed reduction in the mortgage-interest deduction....

[Stonehead]

Yeah, Julian Simon won the bet. But we won't know until some time has passed.

[Stefan]

Wow, I just read an amazing series of articles by Michael Ventura. They’re about oil, our way of life, and our potential future. There’s nothing partisan about what he talks about. We may all share the same future and if his future scenario plays out, what are we to do? Imagine, for instance, not being able to afford the gasoline to drive to your climbing spot.

 

We are all must become Erden Eruc's. I can't do that!

[cj001f]

On a related note, why aren't all of the anti-SUV folks jumping for joy over higher oil and energy prices? This will invariably lead to intensive conservation efforts, greater consumer preference for fuel efficient cars, etc, etc, etc.

Some of us are. Some of us have advocated higher gas taxes in the past to encourage market oriented solutions.

 

As for the GE free food movement, yes some of the science is questionable. But so are the business tactics of the conglomerates behind it (such as Monsanto's "site license" crops)