Have you read "Under a Green Sky"? If not, it certainly is an informative and worthwhile read by one of the nations foremost eco-paleontologists.
http://www.amazon.com/Under-Green-Sky-Warming-Extinctions/dp/0061137928/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1208558914&sr=8-1And yes, if the current trends remain unreversed. If we, as I believe we will, respond to the first impacts of the crisis by rushing in and drilling the newly melted Arctic, as well as exploting tar sands, oil shale, and the rest of the stuff which is so very much more devastating, from a CO2 and pollution perspective (while having a much lower EROI - Energy Return on (energy) Investment) compared to drilled oil, then our fate approaches a 99.99% certainty.
Unfortunately, it certainly seems as if that is the course we will collectively take.
Funny thing is, here in the Bush-Occupied Amerikan Empire, we have lost our democratic-republic, our System of Checks and Balances, our Constitution, Bill of Rights, and our ability for self-determination ultimately, just at the moment we needed them most.
Everything, everything, depends on restoring the old, free United States of America and liberating us from our Bushie Masters, and from their designated successor McBush. Unlike the 1930s Germans, we cannot have a reasonable expectation of that (plus I am not sure I would want that even an Allies vs. Bushie/China/Putin Axis style liberation of our nation was even possible - either we save ourselves or not at all...and that probably means not at all).
And if you should think that my comparisons of Bushies to Nazis is "over-the-top" hyperbole, then please feel free to click on either of my two signature links or most especially this one here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/document/document_20070723.shtmlIn either case, you are most likely correct, yet we still cling to that thin ray of hope that is so thin, in the face of reality, that it almost seems like deux ex machina, not hope.
Excellent post. And Welcome to DU. :toast: