[shovel]

I tend not to worry or care about "the sky is falling!" concerns, there's never been a day in my life that we weren't in imminent danger of death, from the cold war or from aids or from the middle east or turrrrrirururuists or anthrax or energy crisis or pollution or... whatever the threat du juor is.

Peak oil or not, we simply need to explore and embrace petroleum replacements. This should be obvious to anyone. If not because of the fear of a shortage, then because of progress. Progress is why hardly anyone has polio anymore. Progress is why people in modern nations live >70 years on average. Progress is why all races and sexes can vote and pursue success equally in modern nations. Progress is why we can share ideas instantaneously with each other on opposite sides of the planet.

Sometimes the process of progress hurts, but it doesn't hurt as much as standing still doing nothing. My point is peak oil or not, the age of petroleum is no different from any other age and like the horse and buggy, one day it *will* be retired and what replaces it is overwhelmingly likely to be superior. Let's get on it!!