From: D. F. Siemens, Jr. (dfsiemensjr@juno.com)
Date: Tue Nov 11 2003 - 13:59:17 EST
Glenn,
You rascal, you destroy dreams of sufficiency with a little data and some
math. And you did not even include the area needed to grow /Euphorbia
spp./ to supply the missing petroleum. Further, you overlooked the
no-energy conversion of sea water to irrigate the Sahara and other
deserts. Surely a few miracles will solve all the problems. ;-)
Agriculture in the States requires more energy input than the energy
value of the output--whether as food or as fuel. (I think that Brazil may
be doing a little better using alcohol to reduce petroleum imports.) It
is energy input that changed farming from a little better than
subsistence (small amounts in excess for sale) to less than 10% farmers
providing for all. Without lots of inexpensive fuel this cannot continue.
However, population around the world keeps increasing, despite the AIDS
epidemic in Africa and wars in various places. Available water and
agricultural land are not increasing much, if any. Do you suppose that
the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse represent the natural result of what
we observe happening? (This may not fit interpretations of Revelation
other than the dispensationalist, but on any interpretation catastrophe
seems impending.)
Dave
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