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Gold/Mining/Energy : Big Dog's Boom Boom Room -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bearcatbob who wrote (127637)	1/18/2010 9:19:01 PM
From: Jim P.	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 206105

I disagree somewhat. Peak oil is an issue of a declining standard of living even with the market forcing solutions. The long question for me is what will that decline (living standards) looks like. I am thankful the recent additions to natural gas reserves should mitigate some of the decline in crude oil. IMO natural gas will bridge us to a lower standard of living not a market replacement solution. Pessimistic yes, enjoying every day I am healthy, yes. Jim

To: Bearcatbob who wrote (127637)	1/18/2010 10:29:08 PM
From: LoneClone	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 206105

I agree that the market must be allowed to work to get us out of peak oil, but markets don't work properly without government regulation. Look at history -- unregulated and poorly regulated markets quickly become various types of monopolies and monopsonies that work for the benefit of a small minority rather than all of society. LC

To: Bearcatbob who wrote (127637)	1/18/2010 10:55:43 PM
From: Kayaker	4 Recommendations Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 206105

<< Peak oil will not be an issue if markets are allowed to work. Does anyone disagree with that? >> I think it'll be a huge problem. Costs of air transportation will be unaffordable for most. Costs of transportation for food (and everything else) will skyrocket. Poorer countries will take a beating and will get squeezed out of the supply. There will be more wars over crude. Eventually, affordable solutions will be found but it will take decades to develop them, and serious efforts are unlikely to begin in time. Many countries with increasing debts will be pushed over the edge, eg., Japan which imports most raw materials. The price of crude will skyrocket once "peak oil" has passed and it becomes accepted fact. What will world economies look like with $200+ crude? Massive quantities of crude are used every day and there is currently no affordable substitute for most of it. I don't think markets alone will solve the problem. Intelligent government policy is critical, but rare. Put the right government policies in place and the markets will respond. Take a look at Germany. Here's an excellent program from 2008.... cbc.ca