My favorite FTL travel mechanism is Bistromathics from the incomparable Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Those UFOs seem to defy the laws of physics. If you want to learn more, do some research. Those things can break the sound barrier close to the ground without disturbing anything. It is like they have no mass. Sightings and abductions have been reported from all over the world, including remote villages in the Amazon.

Who the hell knows how those things work. It is anyones guess. I think the technology is thousands of years ahead of ours, if we are even capable of achieving it.

If you think I am going nuts, I don't blame you. I was a skeptic until I saw the evidence. It is convincing. This topic is much less depressing to discuss then Peak Oil. I must thank Mr. VOR for this diversion.

I'm sure there are people out there, perhaps some on this very forum, who would like to call you some very umm *nice* names (not!)

Was it Arthur C. Clarke who said, any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic?

I have no evidence, just a gut feeling, or maybe I'm just imagining, that "the gods must be laughing" ... - if indeed, there are beings out there with technology advanced enough that we might think it's magic.

I don't know why. I was just expressing my opinion. I know it is off topic, but this is the open forum.

Is that you Matt Savinar? Are you trolling around looking for trouble? I can recognize some of your smartass sense of humor from your previous posts.

Voice of Reason = Matt Savinar.

No, I don't think that is Matt...the net effect and logical position of those posts are the opposite..he would never propose entropy wasn't real...he is an alarmist...(Not that we shouldn't be alarmed! We should!!!!)

No,the tone, attitude, and use of irony is more like this guy:

http://peakoil.com/fortopic1454.html

Also note his creative use of guest names....

Last week I posted several logical, well thought out, and thoroughly cited posts about why this "entropy" thing is either:
1. A total myth propagated by pessimistic doomsayers who are most likley mentally ill and hoped up on all sorts of narcotics and/or prescription medications. or,
2. Sort of like a common cold - you catch it, you feel under the weather for a few days and then you get over it. or
3. A minor problem that technology and the market will solve as easily as a machate slices through warm butter.

Today, I found irrefutable proof that I'm right: "Scientists Break the Second Law of Thermodynamics"
http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99992572

Oh sure, I know what some of you doomers are going to say: "But VOR, oil and gas are at all time highs, we're embroiled in a major oil-quagmire in Iraq, threatening to invade Iran, the dollar has lost value against the Euro, Bush will be calling for a draft, the economy is in the tank and about to get worse, etc. How could you possibly place all of your faith in one article found on one website about one experiment done in one lab that has done absolutely jack-diddly squat and probably never will for us out here in the real world trying to put food on the table and pay the rent while not seeing our kids shipped off to some hellhole to die for oil?"

Puhlease people, I"m not buying it. And the link I posted above proves it beyond all doubt.

Look you freaks, 160 years ago, most people had never even seen a photograph. Yet less than two centuries later, you can go down to the store and buy a 50-inch plasma television, take it home, and watch Survivor or Queer Eye for the Straight Guy!

When you live in a society that can provide utility like that, where do you get off doubting its ability to handle "entropy" and "$200 oil" and "possible thermonuclear holocaust."

Like I said before and I'll say it again: its called technology and the market.

You need to read up on them and stop spending so much time worrying about silly stuff like "oil wars" and the "military draft" and "the president threatening to call off the elections and institute martial law because he might lose the election" and "standing in bread lines cause oil hit $100 and the economy crahsed" or the latest total bs fad, "global warming." Speaking of which, don't even get me started on the recent hurricanes. Again, a big-ass myth propagated by a bunch of fear mongering book-selling eco-fascists liberals who couldn't get real jobs.

I live in southern california and I didn't notice no hurricane! What does that tell you?! Exactly, something is fishy here; for all we know, there weren't any hurricanes. Really, have any of you bothered to double check the credentials of those claiming there were hurricanes? For all we know, there working for the insurance companies who want you to believe the hurricanes happened so they can drive up the price of insurance!

Anyways, I promised to meet my wife down at the Ford dealership today to sign the loan papers for the brand new, $40,000, 10 mpg SUV we're buying 100% on credit even though we've got 6 figure school loans we'll be working to the day we die to pay off. So I'll talk to you folks later. :D

How many milligrams of prozac are you taking each day? I can see the add now: Solution found for Peak Oil Blues: Prozac.

VoiceOfReason,

Thanks for the link to the New Scientist. I'm convinced as you are that science will take care of all problems. We just have to be optimistic and not let pessimism hindle progress. I'm sure that even if things get really bad on Earth, we'll eventually be able to design space ships capable of travelling beyond the Solar System. The nearest star is only 4 or so light-years ago, and I'm sure we'll be able to get there someday given the presently exponentially increasing rate of technological progress.

SeattleBull

VoiceOfReason,

Thanks for the link to the New Scientist.

I'm convinced as you are that science will take care of all problems. We just have to be optimistic and not let pessimism hindle progress.

I'm sure that even if things get really bad on Earth, we'll eventually be able to design space ships capable of travelling beyond the Solar System.

The nearest star is only 4 or so light-years away, and I'm sure we'll be able to get there someday given the presently exponentially increasing rate of technological progress...

Moore's Law always applies! Just look at the last 30 years or so of technological advances.

NewYorkBull

We cannot be sure if we are suffering denial when we embrace the optimistic view, nor can we be sure we are not suffering some sort of demented apocalyptic wish when we think we perceive the dieoff nightmare. The evidence can be twisted however we wish to twist.

One thing that should be clear is that if we prepare for a worst case future then we will be in a better position to live with the cards that nature deals. Being unprepared only gives you a survival scenario only if the best happens, but if the worst happens then you are likely among the dearly departed.

Whatever the outcome, the universe will unfold as nature intends.

My own perception is slanted more toward the "dieoff" view when I take into account the gross overpopulation of the world and the dependence of these hugh numbers on nonrenewable resources for continued existence.

While it is a possibility that invention will come to the rescue with a surprise that has not previously been imagined, I think that with the state of knowledge today, this is more in the hope category than the high probability category.

Technology is just a tool. Whether it's used wisely or not is the question you are avoiding.

"Just A tool"?! Blashphemy! Heresey! Skullduggery!

And most of all, just plain ignorance. Clearly, you've never sat in front of a 50 inch plasma television playing nintendo all day or you'd realize the foolishness of your statement.

No friend, technology is much more than just a tool! It offers the cures for all the world's problems. Okay maybe not AIDS, or cancer, or the common cold, or depression, or gridlock, but look at how fast computers are these days!

VOR

I'm fairly optimistic about the near term future of the world but your post seems to be somewhat out of touch with reality.

Break the second law of thermodynamics?- the post you referred to in "New Scientist" referred to an experiment conducted at a quantum level. At a quantum level all laws of physics become a matter of probability and uncertainty. We do not live in a quantum world. The higher laws of physics are real and unbreakable in the day to day reality of life on Earth.

Although I differ with Montequest's position on a lot of issues. Entropy dominating ordered systems is not one of them. Ordered systems can and do require constant energy to maintain them. Its a question as to whether or not we can provide alternative energies after oil is in terminal decline.

As I have indicated in other posts- alternative energy solutions do exist & can make up for some (if not all) of the energy we are currently deriving from fossil sources.

Being super optimistic about technology solving all are problems is equally unreal. If the economy declines and we can't afford the price of food- then we won't be able to afford the newest and latest technology on the market. Technology is a factor of cost.