> crop yields will continue to increase, but there is >still a danger of exhausting the soil
Jon, the top soil is _getting better_ in the breadbasket of the largest grain producing country in the world. >and the water table, There will be localize problems with that. But, with rainfall increasing and most grain not dependant on irrigation, and with global warming opening up vast new areas for agriculture, and a significant oversupply of farm output (that's why the US and Europe have to play games to keep farmer's incomes from falling through the floor) I am mystified to see where the mass starvation is coming from >and other natural resources, eventually. Compared with 30 years ago, basic commodity prices are way down because there is a relative overabundance. All the doomsayers of the 70s predicted prices for copper, iron ore, etc. would go through the roof. Oil is high, but coal is not. Oil will come down if there is a slight pause in the rise in demand. Remember, just 10 years ago, oil was at an 80 year historical low, due to supply/demand imbalance. Now, having said that, global warming means things will change. And, change means there will be some big losers. So, localized problems, oceans rising 1 meter in 100 years, etc. should be expected. Millions will die, probably. But, natural disasters and wars aside, just Stalin, Hitler, and Mao are responsible for about 75 million non-war deaths (mostly in their own countries).....so the 20th century set a standard we should be able to miss in the 21st century. DAn M. -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web.com - Microsoft® Exchange solutions from a leading provider - http://link.mail2web.com/Business/Exchange _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
