As the realities surrounding "Peak Oil" start to some to fruition-

[Beaker]

is there some point at which the cost of transporting goods from China/Asia to the U.S., combined with rising wages there and falling wages here might make it less cost-effective than making the stuff here again?

[el_gato]

1. well one thing is for sure

In the future you won't be eating cherrys imported from china
and grapes imported from Chile.

[Taeger]

4. Hydroponics

I good hydroponic program fueled by solar and wind power could eventually provide BETTER cheaper grapes than those from Chile.

In the meantime, I'm happy to import commodities that are unavailable in the United States. This is "natural" trade. This is what trade is SUPPOSED to be for.

This "globalization" stuff we are doing right now is VERY unnatural. The first round was spurred by the IMF WRECKING the economies of 3rd world countries and making their citizens more vulnerable to explotation by international corporations.

Free Trade IS NOT inevitable. You CAN stop it. It's just that it's advocates WANT IT in order to enrich themselves. So they do what any good exploiter does ... they lie like hell.

[John BigBootay]

2. I think that's absolutely a possibility--

but I wouldn't expect it anytime soon.

The price of oil would have to skyrocket and those wages overseas would also have to skyrocket. Maybe a tripling or more for each before it starts looking attractive to keep it domestic (but I just pulled that # out of my yingus).

[junker]

3. by late July 04.

this is when we will have passed
the dollar completing its crash
65$ per barrel oil/6 dollar a gallon gas (only the beginning)
housing market and housing price collapse
followed by a massive wave of unemployment (expect 5 million jobs to be lost before years end)
eventually the stock market will decline, even if controlled by the Fed through the Repo pool as it occuring now, the broader markets pumped up by the housing 'industry' of the GSEs and the Refi REITs will fail taking down the bond market which (as in 1932) will take out the banking structure and then the 'equity' market as everyone realizes that the stock certificates are now toilet paper (a'la 1930s) when so many of the companies go bankrupt *(just like enron).

The rusky's have some really really serious economists who are not handpuppets of the institutions for which they work. They figure that in 04 we will see a barrel of oil hit triple digits when denominated in dollars. Also they see a single ounce of silver reaching 100+ dollar levels before Feb of 05.

the collapse of currencies globally will accellerate now that the G7 has concluded that the Worlds Reserve Currency (the US Dollar) cannot effectively be supported when its debt to value ratio is 99 to 1. So basically the trillions and trillions of yen thrown out to prop up the dollar have evaporated, as have all the billions of euros put to the same goal. So like argentina we will have a bond market crash and then within the next week a general economic seizure. Housing prices will ultimately (like japan between 1989 - 1998) will drop over 85% as a AVERAGE.

It gonna get real ugly, and this is the year it becomes visible to the sheeple....

doubt it? just go ask everyone you know in the NE how much they are paying for heat this winter versus last....then project that increase out to next winter....note that ALL oil extraction globally has fallen 9 % in 03 alone...there just ain't that much to go around so prices will rise proportionally to demand

many of the independent EU petro analysts say it will be a 'miracle' if gasoline in the US is NOT over 3.50 a gallon by the beginning of 'driving season'...

and now comes word OPEC has agreed to a EU/GOLD exchange basis for oil in the future.... that means the dollar is toast when this is implemented.

[hang a left]

5. Do you have a link to more information?

And when is the euro/gold exchange basis for oil going to be implemented? Links please.

[Mari333]

6. should we all invest in the euro?

Im wondering if I should.

[NickB79]

7. Please please give me a link to this

Not that I doubt you; I've been telling all my friends to expect gas to hit $3/gal. this summer as well. I just want something I can print out because half of them don't believe me. Thank you very much.

[Product of Evolution]

8. Should Peak Oil come to fruition...

I will be in the bunkers, bazookas blazing, rather to kick to kick the asses of the fundies, Reaganites, and Bushistas who led us to this point: It'll get realy ugly folks, and they'll come a time when we will be forced to turn to the homophobe (there are a few, sadly, who are otherwise progressive), the naive China apologist (the ones who blidndly associate China with socialism), the paleo-conservative, and welcome them as friends.