[quote=gandalf]If we can change the energy paradigm, the entire equation changes. Anybody play chess? Oil is an unwinnable board. It’s a painful draw at best. We must diversify our sources of energy. The long-term consequences utterly SCREW our children. Talk about character. This is the central challenge of our time.
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The comments posted after this bit from gandalf all seemed to agree- energy independence is the most critical issue facing us today. It limits our foreign policy choices and sends much of our treasure to questionable foreign countries who got lucky and hit the oil jackpot.

When I read this comment it set off alarm bells in my brain- the “unwinnable” and “chess” bits in particular. The Rocky Mountain Institute has published a report called “Winning the Oil Endgame”, and funny enough a chess board is on the cover. It was sponsored by the Pentagon and has been peer reviewed. Oil IS a winnable game, and we have the technology to do it today, at a profit. The report can be viewed for free at http://www.oilendgame.com/

I have mentioned this report on this board before but gandalf’s comment reminded me of it. Just tread the abstract if you get a chance.