The NYT last mentioned Peak Oil in the latter paragraphs about a broader article about the global energy crisis, several months ago (search this blog to find the reference.) Today they featured a much stronger article about the issue; some choice quotes:
[Bush] failed to mention two other good reasons to sober up. Both are at least as pressing as national security…One is global warming…The second reason is just as unsettling, and is only starting to get the attention it deserves. The Age of Oil — 100-plus years of astonishing economic growth made possible by cheap, abundant oil — could be ending without our really being aware of it…
Despite their differences, neither Mr. Hubbert’s disciples nor the optimists showed the least interest in doing a straight-line calculation to figure out when earth will yield its last drop of oil (a calculation easily done, by the way — dividing USGS’s 2.3 trillion by today’s average annual consumption of 30-plus billion gives us about 80 years until the fat lady sings). But that’s not the important date. The important date is the point at which demand zips past supply. In the past several years, the gap between demand and supply, once considerable, has steadily narrowed, and today is almost in balance…
“Our present national and international leadership is reluctant even to acknowledge that there is a problem,” [Goodstein] writes. “The crisis will occur, and it will be painful. The best we can realistically hope for is that when it happens, it will serve as a wakeup call, and will not so badly undermine our strength that we are unable to take the giant steps that are needed.”
[Link -> http://select.nytimes.com/gst/tsc.html?URI=http://select.nytimes.com/2006/03/01/opinion/01talkingpoints.html&OQ=_rQ3D1Q26pagewantedQ3Dall&OP=2648b258Q2FQ7Dp_CQ7DTlLQ27Q27TQ7DNMMQ5BQ7DMIQ7DMQ51Q7DQ27Rg!gQ27!Q7DMQ51TQ5DmQ26g!eRQ27g!TlWyT(m]
(unfortunately reg only; if you have a better link please email me or leave a comment.)