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The same species of being that makes bad choices in the shopping mall creates 'market forces, for good and for ill. <br>------------------------ <br>I can't find any logic at all in the distrust of experts,  If not experts, then who should guide us -   neighborhood committers of amateurs  who know nothing about the subject at hand?  Because some experts can be wrong, we have other experts, even a consensus of experts, to check out the veracity of any one man's claims, We must demand that they all be experts, not just the local coffee klatch.  <br><br>Come to that, what's worng with an expert making a profit from his ideas or creations? , That  is the very foundation of capitalism and the markets so much deferred to, after all.<br>There is no logical thread holding all these  disparate assertions together.<br>----------------<br>To those worried aout the snazziness of their fuel efficient cars:<br>you better hope gas prices stay high.  There needs to be a dependable market for inelegant models for commoners  before investment can be available for development of models for the aesthetically picky.  <br>Europe is way ahead of us in dealing with energy because they  know how to priotitize.  They don't crave bling before they've paid their grocery bills, and they don't confuse a means of transportation with a tool for gauging their self worth.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_21:32:46", "killed": false, "user_key": "runasim", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "902274": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"the nation should not be concerned with oil-oil-oil every time things get tough\"<br><br>Transportation fuels are oil-oil-oil.  Only fools would not be concerned.  That's why we'd go to war to protect our relatively-low-cost, large supplies of Middle East oil, and we should.  (We also shouldn't allow Iraq's oil to get into the hands of terrorists.  State-level actors like Chavez or the government of Iran are bad enough, already.)<br><br>Now just wait until not only China's demand keeps climbing, but India's reaches substantial levels.<br><br>And oh, yes, what about the poorer nations such as in sub-Saharan Africa?  They deserve to develop and to want to drive automobiles, too.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_15:11:54", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "911366": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Perhaps if we let them live with their mistakes, They wouldnt make so many.   <br> <br>No one is advocating disbanding and removing safety nets.  The problem is that the safety nets in place are never enough and the left/liberals continue to want more and more and more............until its a Nanny state socialism experiment.<br><br>No longer do they issue doom and gloom.  Now the new talking point is that we make mistakes and we should be picked up when we fall.     But now its going beyond that to we must regulate the banks, we must save the people from evil banks who lent them money to buy a house.  <br><br>Nothing is more evident then the first thing the democratic congress does when the energy crisis becomes a problem.  Yep they try to legislate fear out of commodities traders.  With REGULATIONS.<br><br>Lord have mercy.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-16_12:39:17", "killed": false, "user_key": "Neocon", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "901899": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "When oil prices are low, we're told that they are \"too low\" [sic], that they're \"artificially low\" [sic] because they aren't subjected to anywhere near the levels of taxation found in Europe, or, more stupidly, to induce, and if need be to coerce, us into conserving fuel and lowering our standard of living, and most stupidly of all to do this in the name of \"global warming.\"<br><br>But as soon as prices go high, these people are, predictably and hypocritically, the first and loudest howlers, and of course it's all Big Oil's fault.  Either they're rigging the market with their friends the speculators, or (a common leftist myth) they have made us, hopeless programmable consumer automatons, helplessly dependent on oil and gas for our transportation and so much of our space heating as well as electricity generation (through advertising, against we are helpless to resist), quashing instant, cheap alternatives, et cetera.<br><br>They'll be the first and loudest to demand heating fuel subsidies and even transportation fuel subsidies this winter if there is no price relief.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_14:45:21", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "897551": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Fear.<br><br>Suffice it to say. Oil is high for 3 primary reasons.<br><br>1. Demand is coming dangerously close to Supply.<br>2. Future prices are determined by what people believe the future state of oil will be in in 1 month to 7 years.  Most people now are betting that the oil prices will be MUCH higher then they are now.<br>3. Fear.<br><br>You CANNOT regulate fear out of the market.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_11:54:59", "killed": false, "user_key": "Neocon", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "906397": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "well one thing is for sure.  Those liberals sure do want to be told what to do.  I see no one of the greenies came forward and offered to give up their cars and electricity.  I see now Runny wants to have our banks and housing regulated and for all us idiots to be led around by the hands and shown how to make a good choice vs a bad choice in a market thats mean and evil thru and thru.<br><br>Long live the Nanny Kingdom.  Fear Not Obama will tell you what to do soon enough.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_23:10:27", "killed": false, "user_key": "Neocon", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "903060": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Runasim, your last comment reminds me again of the power of words. People will support things for \"economic health\" that they'd never support for \"money\".<br><br>\"We should engage in war with despotic nations in order to ensure economic health\" sounds quite reasonable.<br><br>\"We should kill people for money\" doesn't sound quite the same.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_16:07:45", "killed": false, "user_key": "pacatrue", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "902933": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "In some ways, we all yell at each other, but the long-term strategy seems relatively clear. Many of us have said that drilling AND conservation/alternatives are part of the long-term strategies, so we do what we have to do in democracies: compromise. One party gives up (portions of) ANWR and gets a functional, nation-wide cap and trade carbon emissions program. One party gives a license for further oil shale work and gets permits and tax incentives for major solar thermal operations. One party gets various oil wells uncapped and gets efficient approvals of wind farms from governmental agencies.<br><br>I personally think some of those are bad ideas, but the truth is that we are divided on this. To get more of what I think are good ideas, I will vote for some bad ideas. Of course people who disagree with me are doing the same.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_15:57:37", "killed": false, "user_key": "pacatrue", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "899695": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "This kind of circular thinking, beginning and ending with dependence on oil, is what  kept us addicted to oil-guzzling automobiles, while the world passed us by,, and now we have rust belts instead of a healthy, competitive automobile industry.<br><br>By not breaking out of the magic oil circle, we'll pass on the consequences to our progeny, just like we do our national debt.  <br>The choice is clear between a long term sustainable energy policy and short term feel-good political bandaids.   I hope we are adult enough to grasp that there is no gain without pain. and if we want to make any gains at all, we can't be shielded from all of the pain.<br><br>Thus, the subject of investment in oil shale R&D should be more properly placed in the context of what alternatives we are NOT investing in as a consequence.  <br><br>We are now witnessing the consequences of  short-sighted profit goals  in the banking industry.  This morning Bush was lauding his success at handling the economy and how wonderfully we are all doing.  His solution was to symbolically lift the drilling ban.  <br>Political to the last, Bush  is giving talking points cover to his oilmen friends and their defenders in positions of power. It's a bald faced maneuver to short circuit the important discussion there should be about the long term prospects for this country.  His is not a long term strategy, it's a kabuki dance to obscure the much direr challenges we face.  It's embarrrassing to hear our president sink this low. <br><br>Oil companies are eevil in the sense that they are so much like the banking industry of recent years.  Take the money and run.  .", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_13:39:14", "killed": false, "user_key": "runasim", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "903837": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Again.  Thats all well and good.  In 10 or 15 years.  What about today.<br><br>If Greenies are so oil friendly then why the bitter fight against drilling?  You make them sound like your old aunt making sure your cookies are fresh before sending you out to play in a lovely spring afternoon.<br><br>I hardly find them to be that friendly or that accomodating.   Again Im all for them giving up their stuff.  They can give up electricity and Gasoline and their sacrifices would bring the country into compliance with Kyoto and I would bet even bring gasoline down about 2 bucks a gallon.<br><br>Then we wouldnt have to drill.  Problem solved.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_17:19:50", "killed": false, "user_key": "Neocon", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "905118": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "DLS: <i>Too often Experts who think they know better than everyone else, don't.</i><br><br>Have you ever run the numbers on the issue you present above? If you were to seriously investigate it, I think you'll find the better question is... how often is it that \"everyone else\" have turned out to know better than the \"experts\"? As a corollary you ask, \"How many people can accurately, consistently, reliably predict the future?\" To which I reply, it's a loaded question. In other words, what are your required metrics for your \"accurately\", \"consistently\", and \"reliably\" qualifiers? Except for the \"accurately\" qualifier (which is always up in the air) it sounds to me like you're relying on a market whose dynamics will not appreciably change, in spite of the fact that every indication is that it will -- big time, and rapidly. Considering that, all I can say is... prepare to be overrun by a tsunami.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_19:47:02", "killed": false, "user_key": "Ricorun", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "909727": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Neocon: <i>No one ever told me that if I make 5000 dollara a month and I take on a 6000 dollar a month mortgage thats not good economics. </i><br><br>And yet somehow many people got loans like that. Go figure.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-16_10:03:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "Ricorun", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "902177": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"now we have rust belts instead of a healthy, competitive automobile industry\"<br><br>The automobile industry in the USA is thriving, in the Southeast.  The Big Three do not themselves define the automobile industry, and haven't for decades; they haven't defined the industry in this country for many years; they remain based on an obsolete, killer-legacy-cost and excessive-labor-cost model as well as in the past had a reputation for poor quality and style.  (The center of automobile culture has been California, not Detroit.  The leading automobile industry activity has long been in the South, with a modern model of organization and operation and which has been doing well for years.)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_15:04:11", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "903715": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Neocon, it sounds like you're a bit biased against the green movement.  The idea isn't that oil is evil or that returning to the early 1900's is a good plan.  The point of going green is just to clean up our act a bit.  Luckily, that clean-up is creating all sorts of new jobs in research & development, technology firms, construction, engineering, electrical work, manufacturing, sales, and everything else related to those areas.  Greenies aren't interested in taking away your car or forcing you to recycle OR ELSE - they're about making clean energy and conservation a simpler and more practical part of everyday life.<br><br>Back to the topic at hand, I don't think anyone honestly believes Americans (or anyone else) will be ok with giving up cars at any time in the forseeable future.  Which is why we're going to see a larger volume of hybrid, electric, and flex-fuel vehicles on the road in the future.  It's no mystery why hybrids are the only segment in the auto industry that didn't drop by double digits in sales last quarter.  The cost of oil is going up too much too fast and people just can't afford to drive around in 10mpg SUV's anymore.<br><br>In 10-15 years, we will have other alternatives to the gasoline engine, and that's going to include plug-in electric cars.  Put a million plug-in electric cars on the road instead of a million gasoline powered cars and that takes a pretty big bite out of our oil consumption.  But it also puts a higher demand on electricity.  Which is why it's smart to invest in renewable energy tie-ins to our electrical grid, and why we need to start updating the grid to match current and future energy needs.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_17:05:26", "killed": false, "user_key": "Amanda", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "916004": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"DLS and Neocon, The American (and Western European) social welfare state demonstrates that there is a substantial segment of the population who disagrees with you.\"<br><br>Without a doubt.  The more that people expect to benefit, the more they would disagree, as a rule.<br><br>From the next part of your posting there is the essence of what you were trying to say:<br><br>\"a lot of people make WRONG choices--which is the reason we provide a safety net.\"<br><br>Actually, the most-supported basis for the safety net concept is that people can experience misfortune that is not their fault necessarily at all.<br><br>(Separate issue -- regulation, rather than the safety net)<br><br>\"To paraphrase, just because I'm for regulation, it does not follow that I'm for dumb regulation.\"<br><br>Good to know.  My concern is that many are in favor of dumb regulation (for dumb reasons) or it becomes that way even with good intentions.<br><br>Note that regulation, as opposed to welfare-state entitlements, brings government back to being government rather than a provider of services, which is good.  (It becomes more than that when regulation is used to force \"progress\" on something that business won't do on its own because -- as I once told Pete Abel -- the first businesses to do things that cost more only lose.  Regulation can force all business to do X, for example provide safety glass in automobiles, that wouldn't pay for anyone to be a pioneer, even in today's \"enlightened\" post-1960s era.  Businesses can all wink at each other while publicly decrying the Big, Bad Government while they're relieved that everyone else has to play by the same rules.  (Of course, this is to the advantage of bigger business who can best afford the regulations' effects, so be warned.  It's no surprise that the big trucking companies support 68-mph limiters for trucks while smaller independent firms do not, for example.)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-16_20:31:50", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "903206": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Pacatrue,<br> I'll be glad to compromise when I see a compromise.  With this administration, and  its obstructive defenders in Congress, compromise has meant they get it all their way.<br><br>This was an excellent chance for Bush to salvage his leagacy by acitng like the uniter that he promised to be  by talking about compromise.   What the did, instead, was come down squarely on the side of oil and his political cronies. <br>Where is this compromise to come from when the leader in chief abhors it?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_16:21:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "runasim", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "909002": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Regulate.  Tell the people what to wear, say, eat, drink.........DRIVE.  Come into their homes and look around and tell them what kind of pillows they can have on their beds.  Regulate their coffee so its not too hot or they might get burned.  <br><br>Regulate.  Dictate.  Oh Puhlease tell us what to do.  We are lost.  We are incapable of making choices.  No one ever told me that if I make 5000 dollara a month and I take on a 6000 dollar a month mortgage thats not good economics.  The government should have warned me.  They should have sent a personal representative to counsel me and to make decisions for me.<br><br>Wahhhh........I want my Nanny State................wahhhh.<br><br>What?  Gasoline prices caused your melt down?   Well heck.  Lets regulate that too.  We will build you a wind generator and created a hydrogen car.  Just hang in there and in another 25 years we will have you fixed back up.<br><br>Insulting?  Hardly.  I just disagree with your overwhelming need for everyone in America to be coddled and led around by the hand and Im making fun of it.  If being made fun of in a post is insulting then perhaps you could find a way to regulate that too.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-16_08:37:51", "killed": false, "user_key": "Neocon", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "904106": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Actually, Amanda, the EV-1 (one of the cars I drove when I was in Atlanta) was a nice-looking if impractical car.  I was in Phoenix at the time it was introduced to a number of metro areas in a demonstration program.  Someone at work was participating in the program (I didn't have plug-facilities handy; I wanted to participate, too) and was allowed to drive the vehicle onto company premises (into the open courtyard in the middle of our facilities) and he simply parked the car there and propped up the hood and waited for the crowd to arrive, which it promptly did.  The EV-1 was not a practical and even less a cost-effective car, but it was nice looking.  The recharging was crude but convenient (to use the equipment, not to wait for the charge) with its \"paddle\" inductive charging.<br><br>The car was almost totally silent to drive (when I was in Atlanta at the EV show) and of course accelerated like a rocket.<br><br>Maybe that's why they didn't have the electric sports car there that they had originally advertised.  Too much temptation.<br><br>(Note on charging.  Many electric companies want the female, or socket, connection that's hot, while having the vehicle manufacturers build their vehicles with cords and the male, or plug, connection.  Vehicle makers would prefer to have the socket into which the electric companies, at charging stations, would supply a hot cord and plug.  Both sides want the other to provide the more expensive cord and plug.)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_17:48:25", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "905031": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "DLS, I sincerely thank you for your contributions above--very interesting stuff in there. I apologize if I gave you the idea that I advocated \"matronizing or patronizing airtime commercials from government nagging us to conserve.\" (Not sure where that came from.)  If your point is that governmental spending is always the wrong answer and can never stimulate an industry, that's fine, but it seems to me that federal policies and infrastructure spending did wonders for the auto and oil industries.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_19:35:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "aba23", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "906797": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Temper, temper, Neocon,<br><br>The truth is that us lib'uls don't want to be led by the hand by anyone, certainly not by ill-guided market forces or those stuck on repeating yesterday's foibles.<br><br>I look around and I make my own choices.  I choose concentrating on alternate energy sources and energy conservation.   Oil can contribute to but not dominate my choices.<br>Your family business  will just have to compete for attention, like everyone else. <br><br>Being personally insulting, btw, is not good salesmanship.  <br>Insults are  used when legitimate ideas are lacking, and you have my sympathy for having run dry in the legitimate idea department..", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-16_00:14:12", "killed": false, "user_key": "runasim", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "902831": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Yes, DLS, you made your conservation/alternatives are insufficient \"as substitutes\" point, but you completely ignore the independent importance (to the general national welfare) of promoting them to a reasonable extent and to spur the R&D along. While you and your freedom from taxation are very important, posterity rates some consideration for many people as well.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_15:50:33", "killed": false, "user_key": "aba23", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "904112": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "(I'd want a \"hermaphrodite\" that would have both a socket and a cord and a plug so I could get a charge no matter what the electricity provider's scheme was.)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_17:49:27", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "897566": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "nah, it's just the politicos that are making this a point and click issue. Question in my mind is where are arguments for/against offshore drilling? If offshore drilling and development will take at least 10 years to see any benefit, won't better conservation and usage of alternate energy help in the meantime anyway?  Why not hedge our bets rather than a \"Texas Hold-em\" up all -in?<br>As Amanda puts it- it's simple supply/demand. The fact that the OilCos have posted almost 100 billion in profits over the past half a dozen years speaks volumes, while GM teeters on bankruptcy. Something definitely stinks here.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_11:55:51", "killed": false, "user_key": "RememberNovember", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "902968": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "DLS: \"Oil is primarily a transportation fuel; there is no alternative yet <br><br>Well, that's exactly what we should be discussing: alternatives.  Moses didnt' bring down an 11th commandment saying that, like rats in a maze, we are doomed to repeat yesterday's route to the 'cheese' of cheap transportation.    it's called thinking outside the box, or innovation, if you prefer. <br>Walking might be an excellent alternative at appropraite times, for example..<br>As for new oil prodcution, that's not here YET, either, please note.   <br><br>After many more directives to walk in yesterday's shoes, we end with this gem:<br>\"That's why we'd go to war to protect our relatively-low-cost, large supplies of Middle East oil, and we should.\"<br><br>Let me repeat that: \"..... and we should\"<br><br>Nothing could have expressed better the need to immediately stop focusing on oil as our salvation.  BLOOD FOR OIL  does not make for an attractive national anthem.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_16:00:04", "killed": false, "user_key": "runasim", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "901565": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "What the oil offiicianados here  don't seem to get, is that the nation should not be concerned with oil-oil-oil  every time  things get tough.  That knee-jerk reaction is exactly what keeps us economically vulnerable.<br><br>The subject should be our long-term energy policy, of which oil is only one  part.<br>Oil should not jump to the front of the line in discussions, not if we want to avoid repeating our disasterous mistakes of the past.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_14:15:41", "killed": false, "user_key": "runasim", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "897339": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Actually, it makes perfect sense for the oil companies to not drill in areas where they already have the rights for two reasons.  First, they're making huge profits right now and if they start drilling in new areas, it costs them a heck of a lot to design, build, maintain, and staff new drilling facilities.  Not to mention the expansion of refineries (and the accompanied increase in staff, maintenance, and building costs there) that would have to happen to accomodate the increased production.  And to top it all off, if they increase the supply enough it could reduce the end price to consumers, biting into their profits.  Second, by not drilling in the areas already available, it appears as if they need the government to open up more protected spaces to drilling leases.  If the oil companies have more places left to drill, it protects their future profits.  As long as they can maintain the current balance of production and demand, they'll be swimming in cash.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_11:38:16", "killed": false, "user_key": "Amanda", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "902205": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Of course conservation and alternatives are important pieces of the answer--and the more and the sooner, the better because a country with alternative energy capacity will fare better than one without when the scarcity becomes the singular price-driving factor.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_15:06:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "aba23", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "909887": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "DLS and Neocon, The American (and Western European) social welfare state demonstrates that there is a substantial segment of the population who disagrees with you. This in itself does not mean that your strong libertarian position is objectively \"wrong.\" But it does mean that if you are \"right,\" then a lot of people make WRONG choices--which is the reason we provide a safety net. It is a society of human beings, not economically rational actors.<br><br>To paraphrase, just because I'm for regulation, it does not follow that I'm for dumb regulation.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-16_10:19:22", "killed": false, "user_key": "aba23", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "902464": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"conservation and alternatives are important pieces of the answer\"<br><br>Conservation may be a piece, yes, and everyone can save.  It should not be coerced.  Leave it up to me to choose a higher or lower wattage light bulb and a conventional tungsten-filament bulb or a compact fluorescent bulb.  It is the place of *** NOBODY *** to tell me what I _should_ be doing, much less compelling me to do it under law at risk of penalties if I respectfully decline to be socially engineered.  Don't ration or otherwise interfere with distribution of oil or its products from refinement, such as gasoline.  Don't pile stupid taxes onto already high fuel costs just to feel good about Being Better [sic; this is being worse] and forcing the unenlightened [sic] into doing what they don't want to do and really don't need to do.<br><br>As for alternatives, proponents need to _get real_.  Alternatives need to be economically and practically competitive with conventional energy sources if they're to be taken seriously as substitutes.  And that means viable substitutes _now_.  Otherwise, realize you're in the research and development stage only.  It's not something on which to abuse people for the purposes of experimentation or Feeling Good.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_15:25:11", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "897887": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Supply and Demand.<br><br>If the world uses 83 million bbls of oil per day and the supply is capable of producing 84.5 million bbls of oil per day and everyone who is anyone can see that the demand is GOING UP and not down.<br><br>Don't take a genius to figure out why the FUTURES contracts are going thru the roof.  Fear.  They all know that at some point in the very near FUTURE demand will exceed supply.<br><br>Wind and solar has almost nothing to do with oil.  Our country uses 15 percent of its oil to produce electricity.  thats 3.5 million bbls per day.  It will take about 1 million wind turbines to replace 3.5 million bbls of oil per day.  <br><br>They do not call them Green Dreams for nothing.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_12:11:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "Neocon", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "904516": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Oil accounts for a little more than 1% of electricity generation these days (we can thank the Arab oil embargo of the 70s for that). But oil is still heavily used for heating in much of the northeast.\"<br><br>In California, where I grew up, you can probably thank the California Air Resources Board (CARB) or the South Coast Air Quality Management District (the AQMD), too.  For whatever reasons, to reduce air pollution at least one of the oil-fired power plants near Seal Beach was converted to gas.  Gas conversion and new gas-fired peak load provision is the clean-air alternative of choice these days.  Air pollution is a real, serious thing.  Just don't let the activists run amok and arbitrarily impose goofy goals like impractically high minimum sales of zero-emission vehicles, et cetera.<br><br>\"With regard to ethanol, the recent price spikes and the floods in the midwest make it clear that grain-based ethanol is hugely problematic. But the whole idea is to develop alternative stocks (please Lord, make it soon). \"<br><br>Note that people cannot be surprised or upset that corn prices rise when demand for corn is raised because corn is used to produce ethanol.  (What you do is try to make ethanol from other things like freely growing switchgrass on the Plains.  Wind and switchgrass farms -- what else would the drier parts of the windy Plains be really good for, anyway? And it's there that there likely is money to be made, not only from those incessent winds but from those weeds.  T. Boone Pickens obviously is trying to sell his own stuff when he is on the air currently, but the Texas-accented, \"I'm an oil man,\" couldn't-be-different-than-Bush short commercial he has made that's on the lefty radio here -- he sounds like Ross Perot, too -- is a class act.)<br><br>[more on Pickens]<br><br><a href=\"http://www.newsweek.com/id/145851\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.newsweek.com/id/145851</a><br><br>* * *<br><br>\"When it comes to emerging high tech, the whole notion that we should 'leave it to the market' drives me crazy.\"<br><br>It shouldn't.  Too often Experts who think they know better than everyone else, don't.  And why should we be subjected to the need or the requirement to accept something inferior and economically unfit as alternative to what we prefer, just to make a few people happy?  How many people can accurately, consistently, reliably predict the future?<br><br>There is no crisis [tm] and there are no magic solutions, just practical alternatives in some instances in our future.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_18:30:04", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "902305": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"My ignorant question is hasn't OPEC outlived its usefulness?\"<br><br>No.  I don't like them but viewing them dispasssionately, or alternatively, ruthlessly, no.<br><br>They control most places with the largest, cheapest oil supplies.  The USA alone is set to triple its imports in the next two decades or so and other nations want cheaper oil as well.  They control the best reserves.  (Russia is having fun in its own way with its gas reserves and provision of gas to nations to its west.)<br><br>Perhaps we need to fight fire with fire, as I've said before, and create an \"OPIC.\"", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_15:14:11", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "900938": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Neocon: <i>Wind and solar has almost nothing to do with oil. Our country uses 15 percent of its oil to produce electricity. thats 3.5 million bbls per day. It will take about 1 million wind turbines to replace 3.5 million bbls of oil per day.</i><br><br>Actually, <a href=\"http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/cfapps/STEO_Query/steotables.cfm?periodType=Annual&startYear=2005&startMonth=1&endYear=2009&endMonth=12&tableNumber=23\" rel=\"nofollow\"> according to the EIA</a>, the US consumed about 300,000 bbls/day of oil to generate electricity in 2007. That's about 1.3% of total oil consumption.<br><br>Oil is used to generate 1-2% of current electricity generation, and the installed wind base already rivals that. Moreover, wind contributed 35% of all new U.S. electric generating capacity in 2007. <br><a href=\"http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/pdfs/43025.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/pdfs/4...</a><br><br>A green dream? Hardly.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_14:02:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "Ricorun", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "899917": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "What everyone here does not even know is that in the years of 1997-2006 Oil exploration by the big 5 actually declined. <br><br>The reason was simple.  It became fashionable to let the wildcaters do it and then when they found a good find they would buy out the wildcaters who did not hesitate to sell because oil during this time was 16-23 dollars per bbl and it was just too expensive for them to develop a find.  Was much more profitable to find it rather then develop it.<br><br>Now enter the era of huge oil prices.  Now the Wildcaters are in a position to drill and develop.  Thus the big 5 are no longer sitting on a monopoly.  They have 20 to 30 companies that ONCE AGAIN can offer competition with the high prices of oil.<br><br>The wildcaters will get the oil to market.  Not the Big 5.  What part of this does people not get.  For some reason people seem convinced that there is only 5 companies in the oil business", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_13:45:56", "killed": false, "user_key": "Neocon", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "901972": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Actually, it makes perfect sense for the oil companies to not drill in areas where they already have the rights\"<br><br>A number of places off-limits to them now may be better sites than those on which they have rights (or leases) now.<br><br>It's not like there's oil everywhere.  At least once, off the Pacific Northwest, the companies spent millions _and then walked away_.  Why?  It didn't look good after they spent the money they needed to spend to determine this.  The same would be true for other areas, though some areas are known already to be more promising than others.<br><br>Regarding the Arctic, if the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) could be put to extended use or improved to transport oil from Arctic areas near Prudhoe Bay (into the wildlife refuge) that would be a good thing, whereas it would be a waste to not do this and then lose whatever potential cost savings were at hand once the Pipeline's service life ends.  Then we'd probably be dependent on the Canadians (we'd help pay for it) to build a pipeline from its Arctic down to our Midwest.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_14:50:59", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "903599": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Polimom, I am so with you.  The Prius is downright ugly and it seems like every other hybrid-only model (not hybrid versions of existing gas models)  is a step back when it comes to appearance.  And now we have Tesla, building this sleek, powerful roadster that looks like it would fit right into a line up of expensive sports cars.  At least GM is heading in a more pleasing direction with the Volt.  It's a very badass-looking car, like something a supervillain from 2030 would drive.<br><a href=\"http://www.gm.com/experience/entertainment/events/auto_shows/events/naias_2007/index_flash.html?navID=3.0.1.1\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.gm.com/experience/entertainment/even...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_16:53:55", "killed": false, "user_key": "Amanda", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "903255": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Amanda I could not agree more.  I would love to see all our electricity generated via renewables.<br><br>That however still does not address transportation.  And it does not address the short term.  The green people want a clean environment.  They are convinced that Oil is evil and its out to destroy their Green dreams.  It is and it isnt.<br><br>UNTIL you can invent something to replace the gasoline and diesel driven vehicles then what is the alternative?  Wind generators do not produce gasoline.  They produce electricity.  <br><br>So the green dream branch of the democratic party wants to punish all of America so that we can have clean air.  Meanwhile the rest of the world just keeps on polluting.  <br><br>I've said before.  Why don't the green people give up their cars.  Stop using electircity and that in turn would return us to the 1990 levels which they so desperately want.<br><br>Just the green people give up their stuff and let the rest of us have ours.  That sounds fair to me.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_16:25:09", "killed": false, "user_key": "Neocon", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "909562": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Those liberals sure do want to be told what to do.\"<br><br>They want to tell others what to do -- beginning with regulation, as you went on to note.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-16_09:48:16", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "903311": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Runasim, it's a good point. The states can do some of this, and they should. For instance, most building codes (in which energy efficiency or solar requirements might be implemented) are local. However, some items do require federal action. Just like oil shale, most of the best spots for large-scale solar thermal are on federal land. How do we make the federal government do something like compromise? The more politically savvy will have to answer.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_16:29:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "pacatrue", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "909533": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"If your point is that governmental spending is always the wrong answer and can never stimulate an industry, that's fine, but it seems to me that federal policies and infrastructure spending did wonders for the auto and oil industries.\"<br><br>Spending has certainly helped ethanol progress, too!<br><br>(General rule -- spending helps its \"targets\" sometimes, although often in unforeseen ways; the taxation is a burden.)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-16_09:45:46", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "899551": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Polimom,<br><br>I agree with you that schizophrenia is the order of the day for attitudes about oil & gas companies.  Short sightedness, and outright ignorance rule the day.  Amanda sees the problem, but skates right over it:<br><blockquote><br>\"if they start drilling in new areas, it costs them a heck of a lot to design, build, maintain, and staff new drilling facilities. Not to mention the expansion of refineries (and the accompanied increase in staff, maintenance, and building costs there) that would have to happen to accommodate the increased production\"<br></blockquote><br>Exactly.  The marginal cost of producing another barrel from existing fields and facilities is quite low compared to the <a href=\"http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=ajs9nxBqepyA\" rel=\"nofollow\">cost of producing a barrel from an undeveloped lease</a> ($60-$70 per barrel and rising).  She and most people miss the part about how oil is a depleting asset.  After a (surprisingly short) while, the reservoir under an existing lease is depleted, and new production is needed to take its place.  So some of the money made from the existing production is needed to fund the development of tomorrow's production.  Good thing they are making a profit, since the costs of finding more are going up.  Rambie is correct in that it will be years before new production starts to flow from undeveloped areas.  However, the investments need to be made today, while the price at which the oil can be sold in the future is unknown--and idiot politicians are talking about windfall profits taxes.  Just the thing to stimulate massive investments . . . . <br><br>Oil & gas company profits peaked as a percentage of revenue a couple of years ago.  They have been declining as a percentage of revenue due to the rising cost of replacing their reserves.  As for \"The fact that the OilCos have posted almost 100 billion in profits over the past half a dozen years speaks volumes . . \", did you know that since 1995, the combined profits of ExxonMobil and Chevron have never exceeded the combined profits of CitiBank and Bank of America (both as a percentage of revenue and in absolute dollars)?  Not once.  Yet where are the cries to tax the windfall profits of the financial industry?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_13:06:03", "killed": false, "user_key": "The_Master", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "903136": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"That's why we'd go to war to protect our relatively-low-cost, large supplies of Middle East oil, and we should.\"<br><br>DLS -- that, right there, is the heart of the problem.  Because as demand continues to outpace supply, more and more nations and governments will grow desperate, and they, too, will be willing to wage war for it.  Armageddon.<br><br>I totally agree that we should be throwing as much effort as we can into as many possibilities as possible.  That should (imho) include off-shore drilling and nuclear power and natural gas, as well as oil shale and clean coal R&D -- and it should include wind / water / solar / thermal.  <br><br>In my view, the future of energy will not have a \"primary vehicle\".  It will have many different vehicles, depending upon a region's resources.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_16:14:44", "killed": false, "user_key": "Polimom", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "898658": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I've heard that the supply/demand thing isn't as big a crises right now anyway as it is being made to seem.  Today Bush's speech had him admitting that it is his \"attitude\" (and I quote) keeping gas prices high in order (paraphrasing) to force the american public into a \"just say uncle\" position to allow BigOil to drill offshore...as has been Bush et al's lusting desire far far before any crises we are facing today.<br><br>Bush also expressed frustration at \"subsidized oil prices\" in other nations..  Ooopsie.  Did we figure out our prices are inexplicably high?  Could this not be other nations subsidizing but rather just charging a fair price?  Yes, I imagine american BigOil price blackmail must look a bit embarassing compared to realistic pricing.<br><br>I say, don't give them one single drop offshore or in Alaska's wilderness.  No rewards for terrorists.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_12:36:56", "killed": false, "user_key": "Silhouette", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "902115": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"won't better conservation and usage of alternate energy help in the meantime anyway\"<br><br>Not substantially.  Oil is primarily a transportation fuel; there is no alternative yet (no switchgrass-based isobutanol with an energy density close to that of gasoline, for example).  With solar and wind (electricity production), there are transport costs (new transmission lines are loathed by lefties already) and the problem of the sun not always shining and the wind not always blowing.  Conservation alone has never been a magic solution, either, and only the naive believe that it is overlooked (the airlines, for example, have been fuel-use-conscious for ages) or that it alone is the solution or most of the solution.  (It's also morally defective and destructive when compulsory conservation is sought.)<br><br>* * *<br><br>\"Is this 'peak oil'?\"<br><br>Here:<br><br><a href=\"http://www.princeton.edu/hubbert/the-peak.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.princeton.edu/hubbert/the-peak.html</a><br><br>The author (of at least two books) knows the oil industry well.  I own his earlier oil-peak book, not the later one (yet).<br><br><a href=\"http://www.princeton.edu/hubbert/\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.princeton.edu/hubbert/</a><br><br>\"Grandpa, you mean long ago, they didn't do anything with those wonderful chemicals, but just _burned_ them?\"", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_15:00:21", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "909085": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I just could not help think about the Greenies and the Nanny state left when I read this article at the cato institute the other day.  <br><br> The late economist Julian Simon was libertarianism's great optimist. Classical liberals are naturally cynical about government and, as Jefferson famously put it, its natural tendency to grow and for liberty to lose ground. The \"upside\" of libertarianism, however, has always been the philosophy's ability to see the potential in individuals and in people's proclivity to make good decisions about their own well-being and, in the process, better the plight of humankind.<br><br>No one put humanity's explosion of wealth and prosperity into better perspective than Simon. Simon's targets were the doom-and-gloom environmentalists and zero-population-growth activists who in the last half of the 20th century peddled dire predictions of the coming cataclysm they said would be wrought by free markets and American consumerism. Using a wealth of economic, demographic, health, and consumer data, Simon showed how capitalism has made us more prosperous, healthier, better educated, longer lived, and generally better off than we've ever been. Furthermore, he demonstrated how prosperity and technology tend to make scarce resources more abundant, not less. <br><br>Though Malthusian prophets still pop up from time to time, Simon seems to have largely won that debate. Today's critics of free markets don't invoke Armageddon as their predecessors did. Nor do they declare that prosperity will be our undoing. Rather, today they argue that we simply aren't equipped to handle our freedom and our success. Instead of invoking government to heavily regulate the economy and redistribute wealth, they now argue that we need government to make many of our personal decisions for us, because individual Americans can't be trusted to make them on their own.<br> <br>Wow and I thought I was the only one who thought this.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-16_08:51:20", "killed": false, "user_key": "Neocon", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "903974": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"In 10-15 years, we will have other alternatives to the gasoline engine, and that's going to include plug-in electric cars. Put a million plug-in electric cars on the road instead of a million gasoline powered cars and that takes a pretty big bite out of our oil consumption. But it also puts a higher demand on electricity.\"<br><br>Odds are it'll be longer than that, Amanda, for a serious plug-in electric car (must have a range of 300-400 miles and recharge fully in 5-10 minutes at most; you have to consider day trips and other long trips, not just puttering around town and recharging overnight at home or at employer-benefit \"top-off\" facilities where you park at work).  But so much pollution in metro areas is due to motor vehicle use and converting to electric vehicles would vastly reduce (up to 90 per cent or more of some pollutants, I believe) urban-area pollution.  Yes, some of it effectively is just shifted to power plants, but more nuclear and hydropower and alternatives such as you advocate would address this issue.<br><br>(Currently, even this decade, many new plants are coal-fired because coal is so cheap.  Normally the change that is made is from coal or oil firing to gas firing to reduce pollution. This may well happen as well in places like the Northeast which still use heating oil extensively rather than the common gas heating used elsewhere.  To get away from coal or oil and not go to gas -- or to nuclear -- the alternatives have to be economically competitive.)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_17:34:40", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "903014": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Incidentally, I've been amused watching a headline in the Yahoo news feed today, which has roughly gone:<br><br>Oil prices drop more than $10 a barrel<br><br>An hour later:<br><br>Oil prices drop more than $7 a barrel<br><br>Then:<br><br>Oil prices drop more than $6 a barrel<br><br>Right now it's just:<br><br>Oil prices plunge at fastest rate in 17 years over economic fears<br><br>Have they closed the markets yet? If not, I'm expecting the price to go back up again and we get:<br><br>Oil prices plunge at fastest rate in 9 years.<br><br>Finally:<br><br>Oh, nevermind.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_16:03:32", "killed": false, "user_key": "pacatrue", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "909545": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Considering that, all I can say is... prepare to be overrun by a tsunami.\"<br><br>Hype.<br><br>Just as with our unsustainable federal retirement programs, the \"disaster\" will unfold in slow motion.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-16_09:46:58", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "915551": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Neocon: <i>No longer do they issue doom and gloom. Now the new talking point is that we make mistakes and we should be picked up when we fall. But now its going beyond that to we must regulate the banks, we must save the people from evil banks who lent them money to buy a house. </i><br><br>That's not exactly it. Then again, maybe it is. The fact is, most people don't have the financial acumen that people employed by lending institutions are presumed to have. Thus, they present themselves in good faith (more or less anyway), expecting the lending institution to judge them according to their established criteria. Many of said people should not have qualified. Yet amazingly, the lending institution went along with it. Why is that? <br><br>More importantly, what are the ramifications for the lendee and the lendor? Motivations and ramifications are both important, don't you think?<br><br>Personally, I would never have gotten myself in that situation. My RE transactions set me up for life, but I never got suckered into a situation I didn't think I could handle. Heaven knows the offers were there though. And if I took them up on them I didn't have to be dishonest about anything -- just stupid. But the fact is, had I been stupid it would have ruined me. The lending institution could either fold up and walk away (assuming they were sufficiently small), or have the government bail them out (if they were sufficiently large). <br><br>Looking back over the last several decades, I'd say shady lending practices have accounted for most of the major economic melt-downs. The current mortgage crisis is the most recent incarnation. But similar mechanisms explain the dot com bubble in the early 00s, the FSL fiasco in the early 90s, and Black Monday in the mid  80s. If I were old enough, perhaps I could walk it back further, lol!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-16_19:32:55", "killed": false, "user_key": "Ricorun", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "898539": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Neocon is correct that supply is now very close to that of demand which is making prices increase.  Plus, demand is increasing as well.   Is this \"peak oil\"?  Maybe, no one knows for sure thus making the futures market more volatile which is also increasing prices. <br><br>Amanda is also right, it's been proven that the oil companies have leases to drill in areas they are not currently drilling in. <br><br>It's also true that an Administration ran by men in/from the \"oil industry\" are trying to open new areas without any questions as to why they aren't using areas already open to them. <br><br>Another truth, it'll take YEARS to see any oil from new areas nor is there enough oil to make much of a difference.  Demand will far outstrip the extra oil produced.<br><br>We DO need to conserve and research/use alternative energy AND be open to the idea of drilling in new areas.   The solution is not one-or-the-other it must be a mix of both because like it or not Neocon, oil is FINITE so we must find alternatives to it.  We can't keep pushing off the R&D and investment off onto future generations IE: the 1970's \"energy crisis\"", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_12:33:11", "killed": false, "user_key": "Rambie", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "901999": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Many interesting comments. I'll just add that there's a cost/benefit argument against offshore drilling asserting that the negligible increase to the worldwide supply would have such a small effect on price that it would not be worth the risk of environmental and other harm. I don't know enough to know how persuasive this argument is.<br><br>My ignorant question is hasn't OPEC outlived its usefulness?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_14:52:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "aba23", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "902256": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Thank you Rico.  I perfer your numbers to mine.  Okay so we use 300,000 barrels of oil per day instead of 3.5 million.  Okay.  Now we are almost going to replace oil to produce electricity.  You are right though Rico I went back and looked at my numbers and its 1.5 percent not 15 percent.  I just extrapolated from the percentages to get 3.5 million.  But I love your numbers much better.<br><br>So we keep on building wind generators.  Faster and harder.  Lets get rid of those Nuk a lar plants.  And those Coal fired plants........GREAT.<br><br>However Are those wind generators going to produce gasoline?  Lower food prices?  Jet fuel?  Kerosene?  <br><br>You went over the edge on that one Rico.  In your haste to make me look bad you reinforced my position that WIND GENERATORS will have NO IMPACT on oil usage in this country.<br><br>We could Build a billion wind generators and solar panels and we would still need oil for gasoline and production techniques.<br><br>Right Runasim.  We should just build 2 trillion wind generators.  We should build a billion tidal haresses.  Bazillion solar panels and then mabey we could walk to work.  <br><br>Yeah thats the ticket.  What the green people dont understand is that electricity has nothing or almost nothing to do with oil imports.   The green people are confusing driving to work with Global warming.  Its all become a blur to them.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_15:10:35", "killed": false, "user_key": "Neocon", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "903925": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Yes, DLS, you made your conservation/alternatives are insufficient \"as substitutes\" point, but you completely ignore the independent importance (to the general national welfare) of promoting them to a reasonable extent and to spur the R&D along. While you and your freedom from taxation are very important, posterity rates some consideration for many people as well.\"<br><br>I probably think about this more than my critics do.  Don't jump to mistaken conclusions, or merely incorrect assumptions.  (And I also have a bulletproof case against the wrong kind of taxes and harmful taxes, not only economically but morally.  We already are naturally \"punished\" for operating motor vehicles by the costs of fuel consumption.  We don't need additional stupid, unsound taxes to try to punish us even more for doing this.  Taxes should be justified and the burden of proof in this country lies on their advocates or proponents, not their opponents, as is true as well in the USA for government authority and intervention of any kind.)<br><br>No, I don't want to encounter any silly, stupid, matronizing or patronizing airtime commercials from government nagging us to conserve.  We already know that we can save money and reduce resource demand somewhat by conserving.  (Many people here in Detroit may be starting to curtail their weekend and holiday travel but they continue to drive fast and aggressively.  They don't believe they have reached the point yet where they wish to conserve, while I, who have long enjoyed 1000+ mile day and multi-day trips on the road, started to react psychologically when gasoline merely reached the $2.00 level.  I'm hardly the careless or greedy one here!  I have been conserving in various ways.)<br><br>* * *<br><br>\" 'Oil is primarily a transportation fuel; there is no alternative yet' <br><br>Well, that's exactly what we should be discussing: alternatives.\"<br><br>These have been discussed already.  There are no prompt alternatives.  One that is intriguing is isobutanol made from switchgrass, but it's still not cost-effective.  Something more realistic in the near term would be working to lower the cost of deriving gasoline and other liquid hydrocarbon fuels from coal.<br><br>Electric vehicles aren't suitable yet.  No \"evil conspiracy\" by GM killed the EV-1; it was overpriced and it underperformed compared to conventional automobiles.  (It was quieter and had fanstastic acceleration, but the range was laughable and recharging took too long, in addition to the overall costs being too high and so much of the vehicle's room being devoted not to passengers or cargo but to batteries.  I got to drive a number of electric vehicles at an electric vehicle show in Atlanta one year, along with the Think car and the Smart car or whatever it was that year, 1988-89.)<br><br>We have ethanol already but it doesn't have the energy density of gasoline and so must be much lower priced to be competitive.  Fuel system problems need to be addressed as well.  Methanol has been considered for a long time, but it is poisonous.  Many alternative fuels were first seriously looked at in the early-to-mid-1970s and were not competitive then, and aren't competitive now.  The point is that alternatives have to be competitive with current fuels.  No, we do not \"have to reconsider our priorities,\" or deliberately lower our standard of living or of vehicle performance; that is pathological.<br><br>* * *<br><br>[warring over oil]<br><br>\"DLS -- that, right there, is the heart of the problem. Because as demand continues to outpace supply, more and more nations and governments will grow desperate, and they, too, will be willing to wage war for it. Armageddon.\"<br><br>Not quite, but still ugly to contemplate.  And it could obviously involve disruption of the very supplies that are being fought over.<br><br>\"I totally agree that we should be throwing as much effort as we can into as many possibilities as possible. That should (imho) include off-shore drilling and nuclear power and natural gas, as well as oil shale and clean coal R&D -- and it should include wind / water / solar / thermal. \"<br><br>Electricity production should obviously include nuclear and hydropower and likely coal for base load.  Southern locations can use solar for peak load (not a \"green roof\" containing plants or trees, something I find intriguing for old central cities and their high-rises as well as in the suburbs, not a chameleon-like \"green roof\" black in winter and white in summer to reduce power demands for climate control, but a \"green roof\" composed of solar panels to supply peak load).  Fuel cell research also would be nice (this is for both vehicular use and \"off-grid\" future power provision to buildings and households).  Deriving conventional liquid fuels (and methane) from coal is a good short-term prospect and biomass not only for power generation but for vehicle fuels might work someday.  Solar and wind can help where they would be useful.<br><br>* * *<br><br>\"UNTIL you can invent something to replace the gasoline and diesel driven vehicles then what is the alternative? Wind generators do not produce gasoline. They produce electricity.\"<br><br>Heh.  Consider a 1000-passenger blended-wing-body (giant \"flying wing\") multi-pusher-prop fuel-cell-powered airliner.  Mighty clean (even if the prop blades are not quiet -- keep those tip speeds subsonic!) and if it were slightly slower than a jet (turboprop state of the art or around 400 knots, which is respectably fast) but dirt cheap to fly coast to coast or across the Pacific, even, well, that would be considered a good thing by most people.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_17:29:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "904312": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Neocon, I don't hate you. I'm not even out to get you. I just don't believe everything you say just because you say it. And I remind you that you jumped on me first, not me on you. I just rose to the challenge. <br><br>I also admit that after that first attack you seemed mysteriously reluctant to provide information to back up what appeared to me to be the kernel of your POV except to suggest I look into Gull Island. That really set off alarm bells in my head. At that point I figured you might be one of the \"Reverend's\" disciples, and at that point it became imperative to smoke you out and make you go on record. You never did that exactly, but since then you've said more, and I've checked your previous comments. And in the process I understand much better where you're coming from. And I think you have a valid point, as far as it goes.<br><br>Concerning the nature of my support for Obama, which as you may recall was the subject of your original attack... I do believe Obama's energy plan is much, much better than McCain's. To me, the difference in that regard is stark, and heavily in favor of Obama (absent further pandering, lol!). However, Obama has other positions I don't like. Likewise, McCain has positions I do like much better (his approach to health care, for example). In short, I don't concentrate much on ideology. I try to concentrate on workable solutions to issues. I'm not saying my opinion is always right, always well-expressed (I'm sure you can appreciate that), or completely devoid of bias (that's impossible), but I try to base them on honest-to-goodness, objectively verifiable numbers, and defend them on that basis rather than whatever cobwebs have accumulated in my own mind. After all, extensive experience does not necessarily translate into good judgement.<br><br>That said, back to the subject at hand...<br><br>I'm afraid I have to work for a living, so I'm required to multitask. And I see that Amanda has made some of the points I was about to make by way of reiterating a comment I made on another site. But she didn't cover them all, others have subsequently added additional relevant points, and I don't have time to edit what I said to conform to the present discussion. So I hope it's okay if I just cut and paste. The items in parentheses are comments by others to which I was responding..<br><br><i>Meanwhile, still waiting for Pelosi/Reid \u201cCommon sense legislation for cheaper oil/gas\u201d that was promised in 2006 for the election.</i><br><br>One could quibble about the \"common sense\" part, but the 2007 energy bill (the one that established new CAFE standards and a big expansion in the ethanol program) qualifies as legislation designed to reduce the price of oil/gas. With regard to ethanol, the recent price spikes and the floods in the midwest make it clear that grain-based ethanol is hugely problematic. But the whole idea is to develop alternative stocks (please Lord, make it soon). And the goal is to provide 36 billion gallons a year by 2022. Even considering that ethanol is only about 2/3 as energy-dense as gasoline, that's a huge amount. It represents, <i>per year</i>, nearly the equivalent of the EIA's mid-level estimate of the total additional oil reserve in BOTH ANWR AND OCS. In fact, just the current 5 billion gallon/yr ethanol harvest is considerably larger than what the EIA estimates to be the per year contribution ANWR and OCS combined, assuming full, unfettered exploitation. Grain-based ethanol has all kinds of problems besides interfering with food production, but once you compare the numbers, I think you can appreciate what's really at stake. <br><br><i>Just so you know, unless you are talking about solar and wind powered cars, wind, solar, and other alternative energy sources are meant for power production, not vehicle fuel\u2026 and barely anyone burns oil for energy production in the US anymore (read\u2013no effect on gas prices).</i><br><br>That's basically true. Oil accounts for a little more than 1% of electricity generation these days (we can thank the Arab oil embargo of the 70s for that). But oil is still heavily used for heating in much of the northeast. Apart from that though, as electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids become more popular, they will transfer the energy source burden from liquid fuels to the grid. So even though we're talking mostly about transportation alternatives, it is important to consider how electricity is generated.<br><br>Perhaps it's time to get on my \"wake up and smell the coffee\" soapbox...<br><br>Yes, global warming probably is an important problem. And if that were the only concern, it might be a sufficient reason all by itself to seriously consider low-carbon/non-carbon energy alternatives. But it's not the only reason. It's not even the biggest reason. The biggest reason is that we have a serious energy problem. It is a problem that short term solutions won't address more than to provide convenient band-aids. We can try to kick the can down the road a ways, but sooner or later (most probably sooner) we'll come upon the can again. And our ability to kick it further will be further hampered. So that's one thing. The other thing is <i>there are huge amounts of money in alternative energy right here, right now</i>. Worldwide, new investment in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries totalled $148 billion in 2007. That number is just going to get bigger. And it's not greenies that are providing it. It's people who see the handwriting on the wall and want to make money. Piles of it. Alternative energy not only addresses national/energy security and balance of trade concerns, it more importantly represents investment, intellectual capital, and domestic employment opportunities that dwarf the rise of PC computers and information techologies combined -- or anything else we've seen in our lifetime. If we let this opportunity slide because of a narrow focus on dead-end fossil fuels (and the interests backing them), the \"fossil\" in fossil fuels will take on more than one, and more ominious connotations. <br><br>It constantly surprises me that we're even having this conversation. And it surprises me even more that I have to spend most of my time convincing <i>conservatives</i>, who are supposed to be the money-savvy types, of the obvious benefits. As I've already indicated, wind generation is going nuts. And the sad part is, we (the US) used to have a lock on that industry. We've lost 80% of the manufacturing market share in just the last 10 years or so. Now we have to buy most of our product from overseas. I find that unconscionable. But if we start now we can get some of that back. And the opportunities in other sectors (like solar thermal, solar PV, geothermal, maybe even waves) are even better. <br><br>When it comes to emerging high tech, the whole notion that we should \"leave it to the market\" drives me crazy. It appears few people appreciate how much our (publicly funded) defense industry has shouldered the burden. Between the DoD and NASA the government been responsible for financing the advent of so many new technologies it's impossible to mention them all. Rocketry (obviously), satellites (obviously again), fuel cells, solar PV, insulation materials, high tech plastics, carbon composites, silicon wafers, integrated circuits, robotics, biometrics, the internet. Even the freakin' interstate highway system was rationalized on national defense terms. Energy is much bigger than even that. Wake up and smell the coffee. Stop whining about the greenies and start following the money. If it's any consolation, I'm pretty sure they'll end up hating you for it. Perhaps for some that's something to look forward to.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_18:10:15", "killed": false, "user_key": "Ricorun", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "903162": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Actually Neocon, having a new, renewable energy based electrical grid is not a bad idea.  Considering that the next generation of vehicles are going to be battery-powered electric cars or plug-in electric/gas hybrids, we're going to see an increase in the demand for electricity.  It may as well be clean, cheap, and renewable electricity.  Personally, I think it would be really cool if over the next 10 years or so people started retro-fitting homes and offices with solar panels and/or small wind turbines to generate a sizable chunk of their own electricity.  And that's going to include charging up an increasing number of cars.  I read an article in Money earlier this week about Tesla Motors - they're launching an electric roadster this year, and they plan to have a more affordable, practical electric car on the market by the end of next year.   And they aren't the only ones.  Apparently Nissan, Toyota, Ford, and GM also have EV's in the works, most of them due to hit the market in 2010 or 2011.  It's an exciting prospect.<br><br>Here's the article: <a href=\"http://money.cnn.com/2008/07/07/technology/copeland_tesla.fortune/index.htm\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://money.cnn.com/2008/07/07/technology/cope...</a><br><br>And here's the Tesla site: <a href=\"http://www.teslamotors.com/\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.teslamotors.com/</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_16:17:41", "killed": false, "user_key": "Amanda", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "903420": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Ha!  The Tesla Roadster is a great looking car, Amanda!  Thanks for sharing the link!  And that reminds me (I really should do a post about this) -- don't you think the auto manufacturers would have a LOT more success if the hybrids / alternative models were not so darned ugly?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-15_16:39:04", "killed": false, "user_key": "Polimom", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}}, "integration": {"receiver_url": "http://themoderatevoice.com/disqus-blank.html", "theme": 4, "reply_position": true, "disqus_logo": false}, "timer": {"timer_url": "http://localhost:8005", "thread_id": "1917403", "user_id": "anonymous", "forum_id": "2724", "hash": -5117223736036292560}, "thread": {"total_posts": 0, "paginate": false, "per_page": 0, "slug": "oil_companies_are_eeevil_except_when_they8217re_not_22", "num_pages": 1, "days_alive": 0, "realtime_paused": true, "id": 1917403, "num_posts": 56, "closed": true, "queued": false, "killed": false}, "reactions_limit": 10, "context": {"show_reply": false, "use_fb_connect": true, "forum_facebook_key": "8e626a1cbe92745e5f4435bb28791555", "use_yahoo": false, "subscribed": false, "use_twitter_signin": true, "use_openid": false, "realtime_speed": 5000}, "reactions_start": 0, "settings": {"debug": false, "disqus_url": "http://disqus.com", "media_url": "http://media.disqus.com"}, "media_url": "http://media.disqus.com"};
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	this.is_child = is_child || false;
	this.receiveCallback = receiveCallback;

	this._lastHash = null;

	this._accumMsg = '';

	this._lastSeqno = 0;

	this.MAX_DATA_LEN	= 1024;

	this.WAIT_TIME		= 10;

	this.READY		= 0x1;
	this.WRITING	= 0x2;
	this.FIN		= 0x4;
	this.ACK		= 0x8;

};

FragmentPacket.prototype.createListener = function() {
	var that = this;
	var listener = function() {
		that.recv();
	};
	return window.setInterval(listener, 10);
};

FragmentPacket.prototype.log = function(msg) {



};

FragmentPacket.prototype.recv = function() {
	var hash;
	if (/MSIE/.test(navigator.userAgent)) {

		hash = this.reader.name;
	} else {

		var hashIndex = this.reader.location.href.indexOf('#');
		if (hashIndex == -1) {
			return;
		}
		hash = this.reader.location.href.substring(hashIndex+1);
	}
	var flags = parseInt(hash.substring(0, 4), 10);
	var seqno = parseInt(hash.substring(4, 24), 10);
	var data  = hash.substring(24);

	if (this._lastHash !== hash) {
		this._lastHash = hash;
		this.log('recv: ' + hash);

		this.log(' flags: ' + flags);
		this.log(' seqno: ' + seqno + ' len: ' + hash.substring(4, 24).length + ' (' + hash.substring(4, 24) + ')');
		this.log(' data: ' + data + ' len: ' + data.length);

		this._lastSeqno = seqno;

		if (flags & this.WRITING) {
			this._accumMsg += data;
			this.sendFlag(this.ACK, seqno);
			if (flags & this.FIN) {
				this.log('recv finished: ' + decodeURIComponent(this._accumMsg));
				this.receiveCallback(decodeURIComponent(this._accumMsg));

				this._accumMsg = '';

				this.sendFlag(this.READY | this.ACK, this._lastSeqno);
			}
		}
	}

	return {
		flags: flags,
		seqno: seqno,
		data: data
	};
};

FragmentPacket.prototype.sendRawPacket = function(packet) {
	if (/MSIE/.test(navigator.userAgent)) {
		this.writer.name = packet;
	} else {

		this.writer.location.href = this.writer_url + '#' + packet;
	}

};

FragmentPacket.prototype.sendFlag = function(flag, seqno) {
	this.sendRawPacket(this._zerofill(flag, 4) + this._zerofill(seqno, 20));
};

FragmentPacket.prototype.send = function(msg) {
	this._send(0, encodeURIComponent(msg));
};

FragmentPacket.prototype._send = function(packetNum, msg) {
	var that = this;
	var recvBuf = this.recv();

	if (packetNum === 0) {

		if (!(recvBuf.flags & this.READY)) {
			this.log('client is not ready, waiting...');
			window.setTimeout(function() { that._send(packetNum, msg); }, this.WAIT_TIME);
			return;
		}
	} else {

		if (!( (recvBuf.flags & this.ACK) && (recvBuf.seqno === this._lastSeqno) )) {
			this.log('waiting for ack from client...');
			window.setTimeout(function() { that._send(packetNum, msg); }, this.WAIT_TIME);
			return;
		} else {
			this.log('received ack: ' + this._lastSeqno + ' ' + recvBuf.seqno);
		}
	}

	var flags = this.WRITING;
	var num_packets = Math.ceil(msg.length / this.MAX_DATA_LEN);
	this.log('num_packets: ' + num_packets);

	if (num_packets === packetNum) {

		this.log('message successfully sent!');
		this.sendFlag(this.READY | this.ACK, this._lastSeqno);
		return true;
	}

	this._lastSeqno++;

	if (packetNum == num_packets-1) {
		flags |= this.FIN;
	}

	var data = msg.substring(packetNum * this.MAX_DATA_LEN, (packetNum+1) * this.MAX_DATA_LEN);
	var packet = this._zerofill(flags, 4) + this._zerofill(this._lastSeqno, 20) + data;

	this.log('sending raw packet: ' + packet);
	this.sendRawPacket(packet);

	return this._send(packetNum + 1, msg);
};

FragmentPacket.prototype._zerofill = function(num, width) {
	var retval = num.toString();
	var retval_len = retval.length;
	for (var i = 0; i < width - retval_len; i++) {
		retval = '0' + retval;
	}
	return retval;
};

var PostMessagePacket = function(receiver, receiveCallback, id, receiverId) {
	var that = this;
	this.receiver = receiver;
	this.receiveCallback = receiveCallback;
	this.id = id;


	this.receiverId = receiverId;
};

PostMessagePacket.prototype.createListener = function() {
	var that = this;

	var listener = function(e) {

		if (!that.id) {
			that.id = e.data;
			return;
		}


		var id = e.data.split(';')[0];
		if (id !== that.id) {
			return;
		}
		var data = e.data.substring(e.data.indexOf(';') + 1);

		that.receiveCallback(data);
	};

	if (typeof window.attachEvent == 'function') {
		window.attachEvent('onmessage', listener);
	} else if (typeof window.addEventListener == 'function') {
		window.addEventListener('message', listener, false);
	} else {
		throw new Error('No method found to create event listener for PostMessagePacket.');
	}
};

PostMessagePacket.prototype.send = function(msg) {



	var needs_reget = false;
	try {
		if (typeof this.receiver.id == 'undefined' || typeof this.receiver.postMessage == 'undefined') {
			needs_reget = true;
		}
	} catch(e) {


	}
	if (needs_reget && typeof this.receiverId != 'undefined') {
		this.receiver = document.getElementById(this.receiverId).contentWindow;
	}

	var packet;
	if (!msg) {

		packet = this.id;
	} else {
		packet = this.id + ';' + msg;
	}
	this.receiver.postMessage(packet, '*');
};

PostMessagePacket._last_unique_id = null;
PostMessagePacket._get_unique_id = function() {
	var id = (new Date()).getTime();
	if (id == PostMessagePacket._last_unique_id) {
		id++;
	}
	PostMessagePacket._last_unique_id = id;
	return id.toString();
};

var JsonRpc = function() {

	this.ids = {};

	this.objectToJSON = function(obj) {
		var json = '';
		var results = [];

		if (obj === undefined || obj === null) {
			return 'null';
		}

		switch (obj.constructor) {
			case Object:
				for (var property in obj) {
					if (obj.hasOwnProperty(property)) {
						results.push(this.objectToJSON(property) + ': ' + this.objectToJSON(obj[property]));
					}
				}
				json = '{' + results.join(', ') + '}';
				break;
			case Array:
				for (var i = 0; i < obj.length; i++) {
					results.push(this.objectToJSON(obj[i]));
				}
				json = '[' + results.join(', ') + ']';
				break;
			case Number:
			case Boolean:
				json = obj.toString();
				break;
			case String:

				var specialChars = {'\b': '\\b', '\t': '\\t', '\n': '\\n', '\f': '\\f', '\r': '\\r', '\\': '\\\\'};

				json = obj.replace(/[\x00-\x1f\\]/g, function(match) {
					var ch = specialChars[match];
					return ch ? ch : '\\u00' + match.charCodeAt().toPaddedString(2, 16);
				});

				json = '"' + json.replace(/"/g, '\\"') + '"';
				break;
			default:

				json = 'null';
				break;
		}

		return json;
	};

	this.createHandler = function(send_func, registered_funcs) {
		var that = this;
		var handler = function(message) {

			try {
				var rpc = eval('(' + message + ')');
			} catch(e) {
				alert('bad JSON: ' + message);
				return;
			}
			if (rpc.method) {

				if (!registered_funcs[rpc.method]) {
					return;
				}

				var retval = registered_funcs[rpc.method].apply(null, rpc.params);
				if (rpc.id) {
					var response = {
						result: retval,
						error: null,	// TODO
						id: rpc.id
					};
					send_func(that.objectToJSON(response));
				}
			} else if(rpc.result) {

				if (!that.ids[rpc.id]) {
					return;
				}

				that.ids[rpc.id](rpc.result);
				delete that.ids[rpc.id];
			}
		};
		return handler;
	};

	this.execute = function(send_func, method, params, response_callback) {
		response_callback = response_callback || null;
		var id = (response_callback) ? (new Date()).getTime() : null;

		var request = {
			method: method,
			params: params,
			id: id
		};

		send_func(this.objectToJSON(request));

		if (id) {
			this.ids[id] = response_callback;
		}
	};
};
JsonRpc = new JsonRpc();

var ParentMessenger = function(childUrl, receiverUrl, container, receiveCallback) {


	if (navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Safari') >= 0 && parseInt(navigator.userAgent.substring(navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Version/') + 8), 10) == 3) {
		throw new Error("unsupported.");
	} else if (window.opera) {
		throw new Error("unsupported.");
	}



	if (!receiverUrl &&
		navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Gecko') >= 0 &&
		parseFloat(navigator.userAgent.slice(navigator.userAgent.indexOf('rv:') + 3, navigator.userAgent.indexOf('rv:') + 6)) < 1.9) {
		throw new Error("unsupported.");
	}


	if (/msie/i.test(navigator.userAgent) && !/opera/i.test(navigator.userAgent)) {


		if (document.domain == window.location.hostname) {
			receiverUrl = '';
		}
	}

	var that = this;
	this.childUrl = childUrl;
	this.receiverUrl = receiverUrl;
	this.container = container || document.body;

	this.packetHandler = null;


	this._ready = false;
	this._error = false;


	var _createReceiverForFragmentPacket = function() {

		that.receiver = document.createElement('iframe');
		that.receiver.src = receiverUrl;
		that.receiver.id = 'receiver_' + (new Date()).getTime();
		that.receiver.name = that.receiver.id;

		that.receiver.frameBorder = '0';
		that.receiver.frameSpacing = '0';
		that.receiver.style.borderStyle = 'none';

		var receiver_onload = function() {
			var receiver = document.getElementById(that.receiver.id).contentWindow;

			try {
				receiver.document.body.innerHTML = '';
			} catch(e) {

				that._error = true;
			}
			receiver.document.body.style.padding = '0px';
			receiver.document.body.style.margin = '0px';

			var child = receiver.document.createElement('iframe');
			child.id = 'child';
			child.name = 'child';
			child.src = that.childUrl;

			child.frameBorder = '0';
			child.frameSpacing = '0';
			child.style.borderStyle = 'none';
			child.style.width = '100%';
			child.style.height = '100%';
			receiver.document.body.appendChild(child);

			that.child = receiver.document.getElementById('child').contentWindow;
			that.receiver = receiver;

			that.packetHandler = new FragmentPacket(that.receiver, that.child, that.childUrl, false, receiveCallback);

			that._listener = that.packetHandler.createListener();

			that.packetHandler.sendFlag(that.packetHandler.READY, 0);

			that._ready = true;
		};

		that.receiver.onreadystatechange = function() {
			if (this.readyState == 'complete') {
				receiver_onload();
			}
		};

		that.receiver.onload = receiver_onload;







		if (Dsq.Utils.ie) {
			if (that.container.clientWidth === 0) {

				var _waitForWidth = function() {
					if (that.container.clientWidth > 0) {
						Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(that.container.id);
					} else {
						window.setTimeout(_waitForWidth, 100);
					}
				};
				_waitForWidth();

				that._once = false;
				that.receiver.onresize = function() {
					if (!that._once) {
						Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(that.container.id);
					}
					that._once = true;
				};
			}
		}

		that.container.appendChild(that.receiver);
	};


	var _createReceiverForPostMessage = function() {

		var receiver_onload = function() {

			that.packetHandler.send();
			that._ready = true;
		};

		var id = PostMessagePacket._get_unique_id();
		var receiverId = 'child_' + id;


		ParentMessenger['_receiver_onload_' + receiverId] = receiver_onload;

		that.container.innerHTML += '<iframe ' +
			'src="' + childUrl + '" ' +
			'id="' + receiverId + '" ' +
			'name="' + receiverId + '" ' +
			'onload="ParentMessenger._receiver_onload_' + receiverId +'();" ' +
			'></iframe>';

		that.receiver = document.getElementById(receiverId).contentWindow;
		that.packetHandler = new PostMessagePacket(that.receiver, receiveCallback, id, receiverId);
		that._listener = that.packetHandler.createListener();
	};

	if (typeof window.postMessage == 'function') {
		_createReceiverForPostMessage();
	} else {
		_createReceiverForFragmentPacket();
	}

};

ParentMessenger.prototype.sendMessage = function(message) {
	var that = this;
	if (!this._ready) {

		window.setTimeout(function() { that.sendMessage(message); }, 10);
		return;
	}
	this.packetHandler.send(message);
	return true;
};

Dsq.NewFrames = function(url) {
	this.url = url;
};

Dsq.NewFrames.prototype.init = function(onFailure) {
	var that = this;

	try {
		this.messenger = new ParentMessenger(this.url, Dsq.jsonData.integration.receiver_url, this.container, this.receive_callback);
	} catch(e) {
		if (typeof onFailure == 'function') {
			onFailure();
		}
	}

	if (typeof onFailure == 'function') {
		var iId = window.setInterval(function() {
			if (typeof that.messenger == 'undefined') {
				window.clearInterval(iId);
				return;
			}
			if (that.messenger._ready) {
				window.clearInterval(iId);
			} else if (that.messenger._error) {
				window.clearInterval(iId);
				onFailure();
			}
		}, 10);
	}
};

Dsq.NewFrames.prototype._execute = function(method, args, callback) {
	var that = this;
	if (typeof that.messenger == 'undefined') {
		return false;
	}
	JsonRpc.execute(
		function(msg) { that.messenger.sendMessage(msg); },
		method,
		args || [],
		callback);
	return true;
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame = function(container, parent_post_id) {
	var that = this;
	this.container = container;
	this.parent_post_id = parent_post_id;

	var sendFunc = function(msg) {

		Dsq.Debug.log('Dsq.ReplyFrame.sendFunc');
		that.messenger.sendMessage(msg);
	};


	var postComment_onSuccess = function(response) {
		Dsq.jsonData.posts[response.message.id] = response.message.post_meta;
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.users[response.message.post_meta.user_key]) {
			Dsq.jsonData.users[response.message.post_meta.user_key] = response.message.user_meta;
		}


		var reply_position = (typeof(disqus_insert_wrt_sort) == 'undefined' 
			? (Dsq.jsonData.forum.reply_position ? -1 : null) 
			: (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 2 ? null : -1));
		
		if (response.message.post_meta.approved) {
			Dsq.Post.insert(response.message.post_meta.parent_post_id || reply_position, response.message.id, response.message.post_meta.message);
		}

		Dsq.Templates.postComment_onSuccess(response, parent_post_id, response.message.id);
	};

	var postComment_onFailure = function(response) {
		Dsq.Popup.popModal(response.message, 'Error');
		Dsq.Templates.postComment_onFailure(response, parent_post_id, response.message.id);
	};

	var editComment_onSuccess = function(response) {
		var post_id = parent_post_id;
		var message = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-message-' + post_id);
		
		message.innerHTML = response.message;
		Dsq.Templates.toggleEdit(post_id);
		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};
	
	var editComment_onFailure = function(response) {
		var post_id = parent_post_id;
		
		Dsq.Popup.popModal('Sorry, there was an error editing this comment.', 'Edit Error');
		Dsq.Templates.toggleEdit(post_id);
		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};

	var getUserByEmail_onSuccess = function(response) {
		var msg = response.message;
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(parent_post_id);

		if (msg.username) {

			Dsq.Templates.lightboxAuthenticate(parent_post_id, 'login', {
				'username': msg.username,
				'display_name': msg.display_name,
				'avatar_url': msg.avatar_url,
				'verified': msg.verified,
				'email': fields.email.value
			});
		} else {

			Dsq.Templates.lightboxAuthenticate(parent_post_id, 'register');
		}
	};

	var validateAuth_onSuccess = function(response, auth_choice) {
		Dsq.Templates.postComment(parent_post_id, null, true, auth_choice);
	};

	var validateAuth_onFailure = function(response, auth_choice) {
		var pid = parent_post_id ? '-' + parent_post_id : '';
		var msg = response.message;

		if (auth_choice == 'register') {
			var fields = ['email', 'username', 'password'];

			for (var i = 0; i < fields.length; i++) {
				var field = fields[i];
				var errorDiv = Dsq.$('dsq-' + field + '-errors' + pid);

				if (msg[field]) {
					errorDiv.innerHTML = msg[field];
				} else {
					errorDiv.innerHTML = '';
				}
			}
		} else if (auth_choice == 'login') {
			Dsq.$('dsq-lightbox-errors' + pid).innerHTML = '<p>We couldn\'t log you in. Please verify your login.</p>';
		}
		
		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};

	this.receive_callback = JsonRpc.createHandler(sendFunc, {
		'postComment.onSuccess': postComment_onSuccess,
		'postComment.onFailure': postComment_onFailure,
		'editComment.onSuccess': editComment_onSuccess,
		'editComment.onFailure': editComment_onFailure,		
		'getUserByEmail.onSuccess': getUserByEmail_onSuccess,
		'validateAuth.onSuccess': validateAuth_onSuccess,
		'validateAuth.onFailure': validateAuth_onFailure,
		'reload': function() { window.location.reload(); }
	});

	this.url = Dsq.Urls.REPLY +
		'?' + (new Date()).getTime() +
		'&f=themoderatevoice' +
		'&t=oil_companies_are_eeevil_except_when_they8217re_not_22' +
		'&ff=' + Dsq.Thread.ff +
		'&default_text=' + encodeURIComponent(disqus_default_text) +
		'&ifrs=' + encodeURIComponent(disqus_iframe_css);
	if (this.parent_post_id) {
		this.url += '&parent_post=' + this.parent_post_id;
	}
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype = new Dsq.NewFrames(Dsq.ReplyFrame.url);

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.post = function(author_name, author_email, author_url, authenticate, sharing_services, subscribe) {
	this._execute('postComment', [author_name, author_email, author_url, authenticate, sharing_services, subscribe]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.edit = function(post_id, message) {
	this._execute('editComment', [post_id, message]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.setState = function(parent_post_id, depth) {
	this._execute('setState', [parent_post_id, depth]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.getUserByEmail = function(email) {
	this._execute('getUserByEmail', [email]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.validateAuth = function(auth_choice, email, username, password) {
	this._execute('validateAuth', [auth_choice, email, username, password]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.authenticateFacebook = function(session, forum_url) {
	this._execute('authenticateFacebook', [session, forum_url]);
};

	Dsq.Facebook = function() {
	var that = this;

	var handleSessionData = function(session) {

		var forum_url = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;




		if (typeof disqus_facebook_forum != 'undefined') {
			forum_url = disqus_facebook_forum;
		}
		Dsq.frames.reply_0.authenticateFacebook(session, forum_url);
	};

	var onLogin = function() {
		FB.Connect.getSignedPublicSessionData(handleSessionData);
	};

	this.login = function() {
		FB.Connect.requireSession(onLogin, true);
	};
};
Dsq.Facebook = new Dsq.Facebook();


	






Dsq.Themes = {};

Dsq.Themes.narcissus = new function() {
	this.addPostContainer = 'dsq-form-area';
	this.textareaContainer = 'dsq-textarea-wrapper';



	
	this.header = function() {
		var comments_count, total_posts, num_posts;
		var html = '';
		var missing_perm_tmpl;

		if (Dsq.jsonData.request.missing_perm) {
			missing_perm_tmpl = Dsq.Templates.missingPermissions();
			if (missing_perm_tmpl) {
				html += '<div class="dsq-missing-permissions">' + missing_perm_tmpl + '</div>';
			}
		}

		total_posts = Dsq.jsonData.thread.total_posts;
		num_posts = Dsq.jsonData.thread.num_posts;

		if (total_posts) {
			comments_count = Dsq.FmtStrings.SHOWING_COMMENTS_FULL(total_posts, num_posts);
		} else {
			comments_count = Dsq.FmtStrings.SHOWING_COMMENTS_WITHOUT_PAGINATION(num_posts);
		}

		html += ' \
		<div id="dsq-comments-title"> \
			<h3>' + comments_count + '</h3> \
		</div> \
		';

		html += ' \
		<div class="dsq-options"> \
			<span class="dsq-item-sort">'
				+ Dsq.Strings.SORT_BY + ' \
				<select id="dsq-sort-select" onchange="Dsq.Thread.sortBy(this.value);"> \
					<option value="hot" ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 4 ? 'selected="selected"' : '') + '>' + Dsq.Strings.POPULAR_NOW + '</option> \
					<option value="best" ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 3 ? 'selected="selected"' : '') + '>' + Dsq.Strings.BEST_RATING + '</option> \
					<option value="newest" ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 2 ? 'selected="selected"' : '') + '>' + Dsq.Strings.NEWEST_FIRST + '</option> \
					<option value="oldest" ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 1 ? 'selected="selected"' : '') + '>' + Dsq.Strings.OLDEST_FIRST + '</option> \
				</select> \
				&nbsp; \
			</span> \
			<span class="dsq-subscribe-email"> \
				<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/email.png" style="width:12px;height:12px;vertical-align:middle"> \
				<span id="dsq-subscribe">'
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.subscribed
						? '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(0); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.UNSUBSCRIBE + '</a>'
						: '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(1); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.SUBSCRIBE_BY_EMAIL + '</a>')
				+ '</span> \
			</span> \
			<span class="dsq-subscribe-rss" style="width:12px;height:12px;vertical-align:middle"> \
				<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/bullet-feed.png" alt="" /> \
				<a href="http://themoderatevoice.disqus.com/oil_companies_are_eeevil_except_when_they8217re_not_22/latest.rss">' + Dsq.Strings.SUBSCRIBE_BY_RSS + '</a> \
			</span> \
		</div> \
		';

		
		

		return html;

	};
	
	this.footer = function() {
		var html = '';

		html += Dsq.Templates.pagination();

		
		
			html += Dsq.Templates.realtime();
			html += Dsq.Templates.showThreadSettings();
			html += Dsq.Templates.postBox();

		html += Dsq.Templates.reactions();

		
			html += Dsq.Templates.trackbacks();
		


		if (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator) {
 			html += ' \
				<div class="dsq-global-moderator-extras">'
					+ '<strong>shortname:</strong> ' + Dsq.jsonData.forum.url
					+ '<strong>thread id:</strong> ' + Dsq.jsonData.thread.id
					+ '<strong>thread slug:</strong> ' + Dsq.jsonData.thread.slug
				+ '</div> \
			';
		}

		return html;
	};
	
	this.realtime = function() {
		var html = '';
		
		if (Dsq.jsonData.realtime_enabled) {
			html += '<div id="dsq-realtime-options" class="dsq-options">'
					 + Dsq.Strings.REALTIME_UPDATING_IS + ' <strong id="dsq-realtime-status" style="text-transform: lowercase">' + Dsq.Strings.ENABLED + '</strong>. \
					 <a href="#" id="dsq-realtime-toggle" style="text-transform: capitalize"></a> \
					</div>';
		}

		if (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.streaming_realtime) {
			html += ' \
				<div style="display: none" id="dsq-realtime-alert" class="dsq-realtime-alert"><span id="dsq-realtime-queued"></span> <a href="#" id="dsq-realtime-show"></a></div> \
			';
		}
		
		return html;
	};

	this.showThreadSettings = function() {
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator) {
			return '';
		}

		html = '<div id="dsq-thread-settings" class="dsq-thread-settings">' + Dsq.Strings.MODERATOR_OPTIONS;
		html += '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.showSettings(); return false;">' + Dsq.Strings.SETTINGS + '</a>';
		html += '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.showModeratorActions(); return false;">' + Dsq.Strings.MODERATE + '</a>';
		if (Dsq.jsonData.forum.reactions_enabled && Dsq.jsonData.reactions.length === 0) {
			html += '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Reaction.reportMissingReactions(); return false;">'
						+ Dsq.Strings.REPORT_MISSING_REACTIONS
						+ '</a>';
		}
		html +='</div>';

		return html;
	};

	this.postBox = function(post_id, use_fallback_iframe) {


		var html;
		var display_sharing_options = Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated;

		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated && Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled && !Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post) {
			return '';
		}
		
		if (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote) {


			if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.hasOwnProperty(Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain)) {
				display_sharing_options = false;
			}
		}
		
		if (post_id) {
			var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
			var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];				
		}
		
		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';

		var _requestUserInfo = function() {
			var html;



			var user_has_email = false;

			html = '<div class="dsq-request-user-info"> <!-- // If authenticated --> \
				<a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + Dsq.Urls.LOGOUT + '?ctkn=' + Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN + '" class="dsq-request-user-logout">' + Dsq.Strings.LOGOUT + '</a> \
				<table> \
					<tr> \
						<td rowspan="2">'
							+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? '<a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE + '">' : '')
								+ '<img src="' + Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_AVATAR + '" width="48" height="48" class="dsq-request-user-avatar">'
							+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? '</a>' : '')
						+ '</td> \
						<td class="dsq-request-user-name">'
								+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
									 ? '<span class="dsq-badge-small dsq-badge-' + Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain + '">' + Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain + '</span>'
									 : (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_verified
											? '<span class="dsq-badge-small dsq-badge-verified">Verified</span>'
											: '<span class="dsq-badge-small dsq-badge-registered">Registered</span>'))
							+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? ' <a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE + '">' : '') 
								+ Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username 
							+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? '</a>' : '')
							+  (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote && user_has_email ? ' <small>(<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.remoteAccountSettings(); return false;">change settings</a>)</small>' : '')
							+  (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote && !Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? ' <small>(<a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/profile/info/" target="_blank">change name</a> or <a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/profile/avatar/" target="_blank">picture</a>)</small>' : '')
						+ '</td> \
					</tr> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-request-user-stats"> \
							<span><big>' + Dsq.jsonData.request.comments_count + '</big> ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.comments_count == 1 ? 'comment' : 'comments') + '</span> \
							<span><big>' + Dsq.jsonData.request.likes_count + '</big> ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.likes_count == 1 ? 'like' : 'likes') + '</span> \
							<span><big>' + Dsq.jsonData.request.points + '</big> ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.points == 1 ? 'point' : 'points') + '</span> \
						</td> \
					</tr> \
				</table> \
			</div> \
			';
			return html;
		};

		var _loginOptions = function() {
			var html;
			html = ' \
			<div class="dsq-authenticate"> \
				<p class="dsq-autheneticate-copy">'
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post
					? Dsq.Strings.YOU_ARE_COMMENTING_AS_A + ' <a class="dsq-help" title="Click for more information" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges(); return false">Guest</a>. ' + Dsq.Strings.OPTIONAL + ': ' + Dsq.Strings.LOGIN_BELOW + '.'
					: Dsq.Strings.REQUIRED + ': ' + Dsq.Strings.PLEASE_LOGIN_BELOW_TO_COMMENT + '.')
				+ '</p> \
				<ul class="dsq-login-buttons">'
					+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.login(); return false"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-disqus.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_fb_connect ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Facebook.login(); return false;"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-facebook.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_twitter_signin ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Twitter.startTwitterConnect(); return false"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-twitter.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_openid ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.OpenID.requestURL(); return false" ><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-openid.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_yahoo ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Yahoo.startYahooConnect(); return false"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-yahoo.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
				+ '</ul> \
			</div> \
			';
			return html;
		};

		if (!Dsq.jsonData.context.show_reply) {


			if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) {



				return '<div id="dsq-form-area" style="display:none"><div id="dsq-textarea-wrapper"></div></div>' + _loginOptions();
			} else {
				return '';
			}
		}

		html = ' \
		<div id="' + (post_id 
			? 'dsq-reply-post-' + post_id
			: 'dsq-new-post')
		 	+ '" class="dsq-post-area"> \
			<div class="dsq-dc-logo"> \
				<a href="http://disqus.com/comments" target="_blank"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/disqus-logo.png"></a> \
			</div>'
			+ (post_id 
				? '<h3>' + Dsq.Strings.REPLYING_TO + ' ' + userData.display_name + '</h3>'
				: '<h3>' + Dsq.Strings.ADD_NEW_COMMENT + '</h3>')
			+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated 
				? _requestUserInfo()
				: _loginOptions() )
			+ '<div id="dsq-form-area' + pid + '">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-textarea"> \
				<div class="dsq-textarea-wrapper" id="dsq-textarea-wrapper' + pid + '"></div> \
			</div>'
			+ (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated
			? ' \
			<div class="dsq-post-fields"> \
				<table> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-post-fields-left"><div class="dsq-input-wrapper"><input id="dsq-field-name' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + (disqus_def_name ? disqus_def_name : (Dsq.jsonData.session.name ? Dsq.jsonData.session.name : Dsq.Strings.NAME + '" class="dsq-placeholder')) + '" onfocus="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'name\')" onblur="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'name\')" /></div></td> \
						<td class="dsq-post-fields-right"><div class="dsq-input-wrapper"><input id="dsq-field-website' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + (Dsq.jsonData.session.url ? Dsq.jsonData.session.url : Dsq.Strings.WEBSITE + ' (' + Dsq.Strings.OPTIONAL.toLowerCase() + ')" class="dsq-placeholder') + '" onfocus="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'website\')" onblur="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'website\')" /></div></td> \
					</tr> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-post-fields-left"><div class="dsq-input-wrapper"><input id="dsq-field-email' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + (disqus_def_email ? disqus_def_email : (Dsq.jsonData.session.email ? Dsq.jsonData.session.email : Dsq.Strings.EMAIL + '" class="dsq-placeholder')) + '" onfocus="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'email\')" onblur="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'email\')" /></div></td> \
						<td class="dsq-post-fields-right"> \
							<div class="dsq-subscribe"> \
								<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.chooseSubscribe(' + post_id + '); return false" class="dsq-subscribe-menu"><span id="dsq-subscribe-select' + pid + '">' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.subscribe_on_post ? Dsq.Strings.SUBSCRIBE_TO_ALL_COMMENTS_BY_EMAIL : Dsq.Strings.DO_NOT_SUBSCRIBE_TO_COMMENTS) + '</span> <small>&#9660;</small></a> \
								<ul class="dsq-panel" id="dsq-subscribe-menu' + pid + '"> \
									<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.setSubscribe(2, this, ' + post_id + '); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.SUBSCRIBE_TO_ALL_COMMENTS_BY_EMAIL + '</a></li> \
									<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.setSubscribe(0, this, ' + post_id + '); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.DO_NOT_SUBSCRIBE_TO_COMMENTS + '</a></li> \
								</ul> \
								<input id="dsq-subscribe-on-post' + pid + '" type="hidden" value="' + Dsq.jsonData.request.subscribe_on_post + '" /> \
							</div> \
						</td> \
					</tr> \
				</table> \
			</div>'
			: '')
			+ '<div class="dsq-post-footer"> \
				<div class="dsq-sharing-options" ' + (!display_sharing_options ? 'style="display:none;"' : '') + '> \
					<button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" onfocus="document.getElementById(\'dsq-post-button' + pid + '\').focus();"><span>' + Dsq.Strings.SHARING_OPTIONS + ' <small>&#9660;</small></span></button> \
					<div class="dsq-panel"> '
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.twitter !== undefined
								&& Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.twitter.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-twitter' + pid + '"'
								  + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.twitter.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-twitter' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Twitter</label> \
								 </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.facebook
								&& (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.facebook.enabled === true ||
										(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote && Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain == 'facebook'))
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-facebook' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.facebook.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-facebook' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Facebook</label> \
								 </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.yahoo !== undefined
								&& Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.yahoo.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-yahoo' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.yahoo.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-yahoo' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Yahoo!</label> \
								</div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.tumblr !== undefined
								&& Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.tumblr.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-tumblr' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.tumblr.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-tumblr' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Tumblr</label> \
								 </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.wordpress !== undefined
								&& Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.wordpress.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-wordpress' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.wordpress.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-wordpress' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Wordpress</label> \
								 </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.movabletype !== undefined
							  && Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.movabletype.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-movabletype' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.movabletype.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-movabletype' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Movable Type</label> \
							   </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.typepad !== undefined
							  && Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.typepad.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-typepad' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.typepad.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
								  <label for="dsq-sharing-typepad' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' TypePad</label> \
							   </div>'
							: '')
						+ '<div><a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/profile/connections/" target="_blank" class="dsq-configure-options">' + Dsq.Strings.CONFIGURE_OPTIONS + '</a></div>'
					+ '</div> \
				</div>'
				+ '<button type="button" class="dsq-button" id="dsq-post-button' + pid + '" onclick="Dsq.Templates.postComment(' + post_id + ', this, false)"><span>' + Dsq.Strings.POST_AS + ' '
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username
					? Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username
					: Dsq.Strings.GUEST)
				+ '</span></button>'
				+ (post_id
					? '<button type="button" class="dsq-button" id="dsq-cancel-button' + pid + '" onclick="Dsq.Post.toggleReply(' + post_id +', this)"><span>' + Dsq.Strings.CANCEL + '</span></button>'
					: '')
			+ '</div>'
			+ '</div>' // end dsq-form-area
		+ '</div> \
		';
		
		return html;
	};




	this.appendPost = function(post_id) {
		var html = '<div id="dsq-append-post-' + post_id + '"></div>';
		return html;
	};

	this.postPrependHeader = function(post_id) {
		var html;
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];
		
		html = ' \
		<table> \
			<tr> \
				<td id="dsq-header-avatar-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-header-avatar" onmouseover="Dsq.Post.dropProfile(' + post_id + ')"> \
					<a id="dsq-avatar-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-avatar" href="' + userData.url + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.popProfile(' + post_id + '); return false;">'
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.show_avatar
					? '<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.users[_meta.user_key].avatar + '" alt="" />'
					: '')
				+ '</a> \
				</td> \
				<td class="dsq-comment-header-meta"> \
		';

		
		return html;
	};
	
	this.postAppendHeader = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var html;
		var parent_display_name = '';
		
		if(_meta.parent_post_id) {

			var _parent_meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[_meta.parent_post_id];

			if (_parent_meta) {
				var parentUserData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_parent_meta.user_key];
				parent_display_name = parentUserData.display_name;
			}
		}

		html = ' \
		<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/moderator.png" class="dsq-moderator-star" title="Moderator" /> \
		<span class="dsq-comment-header-time"><a href="#comment-' + post_id + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.permalink(' + post_id + ')" title="Permalink">' + (_meta.is_realtime ? Dsq.Strings.JUST_NOW : _meta.date) + '</a></span> '
		+ (_meta.parent_post_id && parent_display_name
			? '<a href="#comment-' + _meta.parent_post_id + '" title="Jump to comment">in reply to ' + parent_display_name + '</a>'
			: '')
		+ '</td> \
		<td id="dsq-like-pts-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-comment-header-likes">'
		+ (_meta.points
			? _meta.points + Dsq.Utils.pluralize(_meta.points, ' person', ' people') + ' liked this.'
			: '')
		+ '</td> \
		</tr> \
		</table> \
		';
		return html;
	};

	this.preBody = function(post_id) {
		var html = '';
		return html;
	};

	this.postFooter = function(post_id) {
		var html;
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		if(_meta.killed || !_meta.approved) { return ''; }
		
		html = ' \
		<div class="dsq-comment-footer" id="dsq-comment-footer-' + post_id + '"> \
			<div class="dsq-comment-footer-left">'
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator
					? '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.moderateOptions(' + post_id+ '); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.MODERATE + '</a>'
					: '')
				+ '<a href="#" id="dsq-post-report-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-post-report" onclick="Dsq.Post.report(' + post_id + ', false); return false;">' + Dsq.Strings.FLAG + '</a> \
			</div> \
			<div class="dsq-comment-footer-right">'
				+ (_meta.votable 
					? '<span id="dsq-like-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-like">'
					+ (!_meta.up_voted
						? '<button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" onclick="Dsq.Post.rate(this, ' + post_id + ', 1)" >Like</button>'
						: 'You liked this.&nbsp;&nbsp;')
					+ '</span>'
					: '')
				+ (_meta.can_reply && !_meta.has_replies && _meta.from_request_user
					? '<button type="button" class="dsq-button-small dsq-post-edit" onclick="Dsq.Post.edit(this, ' + post_id + ')" >' + Dsq.Strings.EDIT + '</button>'
					: '')
				+ (_meta.can_reply
					? '<span class="dsq-comment-footer-reply" id="dsq-comment-footer-reply-' + post_id + '" onclick="Dsq.Post.toggleReply(' + post_id +', this)"> \
						<button type="button" class="dsq-button-small">' + Dsq.Strings.REPLY + '</button> \
						<button type="button" class="dsq-comment-footer-reply-tab">' + Dsq.Strings.REPLY + '</button><span></span> \
					</span>'
					: '')
			+ '</div> \
		</div> \
		';
		
		return html;
	};



	
	this.showRetweets = function(id, limit, element_id /* Optional */) {
		var source, html = '';

		for (var i = 0, reaction; reaction = Dsq.jsonData.reactions[i]; i++) {
			if (reaction.id === id) {
				source = reaction.retweets;
			}
		}

		if (source) {
			if (limit === 0) {
				limit = source.length;
			}

			for (var j = 0; j < limit; j++) {
				var rt = source[j];
				html += '<a href="' + rt.url + '">' + rt.author_name + '</a>'	+ ((j === (limit - 1)) ? '.' : ', ');
			}
		}

		if (element_id === undefined) {
			return html;
		}

		var element = document.getElementById(element_id);
		element.innerHTML = html;
		return element;
	};

	this.showMoreReactions = function(reactions, has_more, start, limit) {
		var link = document.getElementById('dsq-show-more-reactions');
		var container = link.parentNode;
		container.removeChild(link);

		for (var i = 0, reaction; reaction = reactions[i]; i++) {
			var el = Dsq.Templates.generateReactionHTML(reaction);
			if (el) {
				container.innerHTML += el;
			}
		}

		if (has_more) {
			var d = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url;
			var f = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;
			var t = Dsq.jsonData.thread.id;
			var s = start;
			var l = limit;

			var handler = 'Dsq.Utils.execScript(\'' + d + '/forums/' + f + '/more_reactions.js?t=' + t + '&s=' + s + '&l=' + l + '\', true); return false;';
			container.innerHTML += '<li id="dsq-show-more-reactions" class="dsq-show-more-reactions"><button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" onclick="' + handler + '">Show more reactions</button></li>';
		}
	};

	this.generateReactionHTML = function(reaction) {
		if (reaction.body === null || reaction.body == '') {
			return;
		}

		if (reaction.author_name === '') {
			reaction.author_name = '&nbsp;';
		}

		if (reaction.url === '') {
			reaction.url = reaction.get_service_url;
		}

		var item = '<li class="dsq-comment dsq-reaction" id="dsq-reaction-' + reaction.id + '">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-comment-header"> \
			<table> \
			<tr> \
			<td class="dsq-header-avatar"> \
			';

		if (reaction.author_url && reaction.author_url !== '') {
			item += '<a target="_blank" href="' + reaction.author_url +'" class="dsq-avatar">';
		}

		if (reaction.avatar_url && reaction.avatar_url !== '') {
			item += '<img src="' + reaction.avatar_url + '"/>';
		} else {

			item += '<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/noavatar92.png"/>';
		}

		var service_icon = (reaction.get_service_name == 'trackback' || reaction.get_service_name == 'pingback' ? 'rss' : reaction.get_service_name.replace(' ', ''));
		item += (reaction.author_url && reaction.author_url !== ''
				? '</a>'
				: '')
			+ '</td>'
			+ '<td><cite class="dsq-comment-cite">' + reaction.author_name + '</cite> <span class="dsq-comment-header-time">' + reaction.date_created + '</span></td>'
			+ '<td class="dsq-comment-header-likes"></td>'
			+ '</tr></table></div>' // end dsq-comment-header
			+ '<div class="dsq-reaction-header" \
				<table> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-reaction-header-left">'
							+ '<img class="dsq-service-icon" src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/reactions/services/' + service_icon + '.png" />'
							+ ' From <a class="dsq-service-name" target="_blank" href="' + reaction.url + '">' + reaction.get_service_name + '</a> '
							+ 'via <a href="' + reaction.source_url + '">' + (reaction.source == 'backtype' ? 'BackType' : 'UberVU') + '</a>'
						+ '</td>'
						+ '<td class="dsq-reaction-header-right">';

			if(reaction.retweets) {
				var num_retweets = reaction.retweets.length;
				if (num_retweets > 0) {
					if (num_retweets == 1) {
						item += 'One more retweet from <a href="' + reaction.retweets[0].url + '">'  + reaction.retweets[0].author_name + '</a>';
					} else {
						item += (num_retweets + ' more retweets from ');
						item += '<span id="dsq-reaction-retweets-' + reaction.id + '">';
						var n_tweets = (num_retweets > 3) ? 3 : num_retweets;
						item += Dsq.Templates.showRetweets(reaction.id, n_tweets);
						if (n_tweets != num_retweets) {
							item += '</span> <a onclick="Dsq.Templates.showRetweets(' + reaction.id + ', 0, \'dsq-reaction-retweets-' + reaction.id + '\');'
								+ 'this.parentNode.removeChild(this); return false;" href="#">Show all</a>';
						}
					}
				}
			}	
			item += '</td></tr> \
			</table> \
			</div>' // end dsq-reaction-header
			+ '<div class="dsq-comment-body"> \
				<div class="dsq-comment-message">' + reaction.body + '</div>'
			+ '</div> \
			<div class="dsq-comment-footer"> \
				<div class="dsq-comment-footer-left"> \
				</div>'
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator 
					? ' \
					<div class="dsq-comment-footer-right"> \
						<button type="button" class="dsq-button-small dsq-hide-reaction" onclick="Dsq.Reaction.hide(' + reaction.id + ')">Hide</button> \
					</div>'
					: '')
			+ '</div>'
		item += '</li>'; /* Reaction HTML ends */
		return item;
	};

	this.reactions = function() {
		var html, reaction;

		if (Dsq.jsonData.reactions === undefined || Dsq.jsonData.reactions.length === 0) {
			return '';
		}

		html = '';
		for (var i = 0; reaction = Dsq.jsonData.reactions[i]; i++) {
			var item = Dsq.Templates.generateReactionHTML(reaction);
			if (item) {
				html += item;
			}
		}

		if (Dsq.jsonData.has_more_reactions) {
			var d = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url;
			var f = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;
			var t = Dsq.jsonData.thread.id;
			var s = Dsq.jsonData.reactions_start;
			var l = Dsq.jsonData.reactions_limit;

			var handler = 'Dsq.Utils.execScript(\'' + d + '/forums/' + f + '/more_reactions.js?t=' + t + '&s=' + s + '&l=' + l + '\', true); return false;';
			html += '<li id="dsq-show-more-reactions" class="dsq-show-more-reactions"><button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" onclick="' + handler + '">Show more reactions</button></li>';
		}

		return '<h3 id="dsq-reactions-title" class="dsq-h3-reactions">Reactions</h3><ul id="dsq-reactions" class="dsq-reactions">' + html + '</ul>';
	};
	
	this._popupGeneric = function(content) {
		return ' \
		<div class="dsq-popup-container"> \
			<table> \
				<tbody> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-tl"></td><td class="dsq-popup-b"></td><td class="dsq-popup-tr"></td> \
					</tr> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-b"></td> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-body"> \
							<div class="dsq-popup-content"> \
								<div class="dsq-popup-title"> \
									<button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" style="float:right" onclick="Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true)">Close</button>'
									+ content['header'] 
								+ '</div>'
								+ content['body']
							+ '</div> \
							<div class="powered-by"><a href="http://disqus.com/comments/">Powered by <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/disqus-logo.png" alt="Disqus Comments" style="margin-bottom:-5px" /></a></div> \
						</td> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-b"></td> \
					</tr> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-bl"></td><td class="dsq-popup-b"></td><td class="dsq-popup-br"></td> \
					</tr> \
				</tbody> \
			</table> \
		</div> \
		';
	};



	
	this.chooseSubscribe = function(post_id) {

		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		var menu = Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-menu' + pid);
		
		menu.style.display = menu.style.display == 'block' ? 'none' : 'block';
		
	};
	
	this.setSubscribe = function(value, el, post_id) {

		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		var input = Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-on-post' + pid);
		var select = Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-select' + pid);
		var menu = Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-menu' + pid);
		
		select.innerHTML = el.innerHTML;
		input.value = value;
		this.chooseSubscribe(post_id);
	};
	
	this.getFormFields = function(post_id) {

		var fields = {};
		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		var name = Dsq.$('dsq-field-name' + pid);
		var email = Dsq.$('dsq-field-email' + pid);
		var website = Dsq.$('dsq-field-website' + pid);
		var username = Dsq.$('dsq-field-username' + pid);
		var password = Dsq.$('dsq-field-password' + pid);

		fields = {
			'name': name,
			'email': email,
			'website': website,
			'username': username,
			'password': password
		}
		
		return fields;
	}
	
	this.validateFields = function(post_id) {
		
		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) { return true; }
		
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);
		
		var nameField = fields.name;
		var websiteField = fields.website;
		var emailField = fields.email;
		
		websiteField.value = (websiteField.value == Dsq.Templates.placeholder['website']) ? '' : websiteField.value;
		
		var v = [{

			validator: Dsq.Validators.name,
			value: nameField.value
		}, {

			validator: Dsq.Validators.email,
			value: emailField.value
		}, {

			validator: Dsq.Validators.url,
			value: websiteField.value
		}];
		
		return Dsq.Validators.validate(v, function(e) { Dsq.Popup.popModal(e, 'Oops...') } );
	};
	
	this.checkExistingUser = function(post_id) {
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);		
		Dsq.Popup.loading(post_id);
		
		if (post_id) {
			Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id].getUserByEmail(fields.email.value);
		} else {
			Dsq.frames['reply_0'].getUserByEmail(fields.email.value);
		}
	};

	this.validateAuth = function(el_clicked, post_id, auth_choice) {
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);
		var email = fields.email ? fields.email.value : '';
		var username = fields.username ? fields.username.value : '';
		var password = fields.password ? fields.password.value : '';
		
		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(el_clicked, post_id);
		
		if (post_id) {
			Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id].validateAuth(auth_choice, email, username, password);
		} else {
			Dsq.frames['reply_0'].validateAuth(auth_choice, email, username, password);
		}
	};

	this.lightboxUpdateEmail = function(post_id, new_email) {
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);
		fields.email.value = new_email;
	};

	this.lightboxAuthenticate = function(post_id, auth_choice, auth_data) {
		var title, body;
		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';

		if(typeof(auth_data) == 'undefined') {
			var auth_data = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);
		}

		d = auth_data;

		switch(auth_choice) {
			case 'register':
				var suggestedUsername = d.name.value.replace(/[^a-zA-Z0-9-]/g,'').toLowerCase();
			
				title = Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post ? 'Optional:' : 'Required:';
				title += ' Register a <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/disqus-profile.png" alt=Disqus Profile" />';

				body = ' \
				<ul class="dsq-lightbox-register-reasons"> \
				<li>Verify your comments</li> \
				<li>Edit and delete comments</li> \
				<li>Manage comments and replies</li> \
				</ul> \
				';

				body += ' \
				<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-fields"> \
					<table> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Email</td> \
							<td><input type="text" value="' + d.email.value + '" onchange="Dsq.Templates.lightboxUpdateEmail(' + post_id + ', this.value)" /><div id="dsq-email-errors' + pid + '"></div></td> \
						</tr> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Username</td> \
							<td><input id="dsq-field-username' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + suggestedUsername + '"/><div id="dsq-username-errors' + pid + '"></div></td> \
						</tr> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Password</td> \
							<td><input id="dsq-field-password' + pid + '" type="password" /><div id="dsq-password-errors' + pid + '"></div></td> \
						</tr> \
					</table> \
					<div class="dsq-lightbox-switch-auth"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.lightboxAuthenticate(' + post_id + ',\'login\'); return false">Login instead</a></div> \
				</div> \
				<div id="dsq-lightbox-errors' + pid + '" class="dsq-lightbox-errors"></div> \
				<div class="dsq-lightbox-submit"> \
					<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-post"><button type="button" class="dsq-button" onclick="Dsq.Templates.validateAuth(this, ' + post_id + ',\'' + auth_choice + '\')">Register and Post comment</button></div>'
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post
						? '<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-skip"><button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" onclick="Dsq.Templates.postComment(' + post_id + ', this, true)">Just post as a Guest</button></div>'
						: '')
				+ '</div> \
				';
				break;
			case 'login':
				title = Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post ? 'Optional:' : 'Required:';
				title += ' Login to your <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/disqus-profile.png" alt=Disqus Profile" />';
				body = '';
				
				if(d.avatar_url) {
					body += '<div class="dsq-lightbox-recognized"><table><tr>';
					body += '<td><img src="' + d.avatar_url + '" alt="" /></td>';
					body += '<td><span class="dsq-badge ' + (d.verified ? 'dsq-badge-verified' : 'dsq-badge-registered') + '">' + (d.verified ? 'Verified' : 'Registered') + '</span></td>';
					body += '<td>Hey <strong>' + d.display_name + '</strong>, is that you? Login below to claim this comment.';
					body += '</tr></table></div>';
				}

				body += ' \
				<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-fields"> \
					<table> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Username or Email</td> \
							<td><input id="dsq-field-username' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + (d.avatar_url ? d.username : '') + '" /></td> \
						</tr> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Password <a href="http://disqus.com/forgot" target="_blank">(cannot log in?)</a></td> \
							<td><input id="dsq-field-password' + pid + '" type="password" /></td> \
						</tr> \
					</table> \
					<div class="dsq-lightbox-switch-auth"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.lightboxAuthenticate(' + post_id + ',\'register\'); return false">Register instead</a></div> \
				</div> \
				<div id="dsq-lightbox-errors' + pid + '" class="dsq-lightbox-errors"></div> \
				<div class="dsq-lightbox-submit"> \
					<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-post"><button type="button" class="dsq-button" onclick="Dsq.Templates.validateAuth(this, ' + post_id + ',\'' + auth_choice + '\')">Login and Post comment</button></div>'
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post
						? '<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-skip"><button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" onclick="Dsq.Templates.postComment(' + post_id + ', this, true)">Just post as a Guest</button></div>'
						: '')
				+ '</div> \
				';
				break;
			default:
				break;
		}
		Dsq.Popup.lightbox(body, title, post_id);
		Dsq.$('dsq-field-username' + pid).focus();
	};
	
	this.buttonsToRestore = [];
	this.setLoadingButton = function(btn, post_id) {
		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		if (btn) {

			var loadingBtn = document.createElement('button');
			loadingBtn.id = btn.id + '-loading';
			loadingBtn.innerHTML = '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-lite.gif" alt="" /> ' + Dsq.Strings.JUST_A_MOMENT;
			loadingBtn.className = btn.className + ' dsq-post-loading';
			btn.parentNode.appendChild(loadingBtn);
			btn.style.display = 'none';
			var cancelBtn = Dsq.$('dsq-cancel-button' + pid);
			if(cancelBtn) { cancelBtn.style.display = 'none'; this.buttonsToRestore.push(cancelBtn); }
			this.buttonsToRestore.push(btn);
		} else {

			var buttons = this.buttonsToRestore;
			for(var i = 0; i < buttons.length; i++) {
				buttons[i].style.display = 'inline';
				Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(Dsq.$(buttons[i].id + '-loading'));
			}
		}
		
	};

	this.postComment = function(post_id, el_clicked, force, auth_choice) {
		var append_id = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);

		if (Dsq.Templates.validateFields(post_id)) {

			if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated && !force &&
				((!Dsq.Utils.readCookie('skipped_auth') && !disqus_skip_auth && !Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled) || !Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post)) {
				Dsq.Templates.checkExistingUser(post_id);
				return false;
			}
			var params = [];
			if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) {
				params.push(fields.name.value,
					fields.email.value,
					fields.website.value);

				if (auth_choice == 'login' || auth_choice == 'register') {
					params.push({
						auth_choice: auth_choice,
						username: fields.username.value,
						password: fields.password.value,
						email: fields.email.value
					});
				} else {
					params.push(null);
				}

				params.push(null /* sharing options */, Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-on-post' + append_id).value);
			} else {
				var service_checked = function(name) {
					var el = Dsq.$('dsq-sharing-' + name + append_id);
					return (el !== null && el.checked === true) ? '1' : '0';
				};
				params.push(null, null, null, null, {
					tw: service_checked('twitter'),
					fb: service_checked('facebook'),
					tr: service_checked('tumblr'),
					wp: service_checked('wordpress'),
					mt: service_checked('movabletype'),
					tp: service_checked('typepad'),
					yh: service_checked('yahoo')
				});
			}

			var frame = Dsq.frames['reply_' + (post_id ? post_id : 0)];
			frame.post.apply(frame, params);

			if (el_clicked) {
				Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(el_clicked, post_id);
			}
			
			if (force) {
				Dsq.Utils.createCookie('skipped_auth', true);	
			}
			
		} else {
			return false;
		}
	};

	this.editComment = function(el_clicked, post_id) {
		var edited_message = Dsq.$('dsq-edit-textarea-' + post_id).value;

		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(el_clicked, post_id);
		Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id].edit(post_id, edited_message);
	};

	this.toggleEdit = function(post_id) {
		var body = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-body-' + post_id);
		var message = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-message-' + post_id);

		if (!Dsq.Post.stateEditToggled[post_id]) {


			message.style.display = 'none';
			if (Dsq.$('dsq-edit-' + post_id)) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-edit-' + post_id).style.display = 'block';
			} else {

				var edit_area = document.createElement('div');
				edit_area.id = 'dsq-edit-' + post_id;
				edit_area.className = 'dsq-edit dsq-textarea';
				edit_area.innerHTML = ' \
				<div class="dsq-textarea-wrapper"> \
					<textarea class="dsq-edit-textarea" id="dsq-edit-textarea-' + post_id + '">' + message.innerHTML + '</textarea> \
				</div> \
				<div class="dsq-save-edit"> \
					<button type="button" onclick="Dsq.Templates.editComment(this, ' + post_id + ')" class="dsq-button-small">Save Edit</button> \
				</div> \
				<div id="dsq-edit-iframe-' + post_id + '" style="display: none"></div> \
				';

				body.appendChild(edit_area);

				if (!Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id]) {
					var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
					Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id] = new Dsq.ReplyFrame(Dsq.$('dsq-edit-iframe-' + post_id), post_id);
					Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id].init();
					Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id].setState(post_id, _meta.depth);
				}
			}
		} else {

			message.style.display = 'block';
			Dsq.$('dsq-edit-' + post_id).style.display = 'none';
		}
		
		Dsq.Post.stateEditToggled[post_id] = !Dsq.Post.stateEditToggled[post_id];
	};
	
	this.edit = function(el, post_id) {

		Dsq.Templates.toggleEdit(post_id);
	};

	this.toggleReply = function(post_id, button) {
		
		if(!this.stateReplyToggled[post_id]) {

			if (Dsq.$('dsq-reply-post-' + post_id)) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).style.display = 'block';
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.postBox(post_id);
				var container = Dsq.$('dsq-textarea-wrapper-' + post_id);
				if (!Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id] && container) {
					var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id] = new Dsq.ReplyFrame(container, post_id);
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id].init(function() {

						Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.postBox(post_id, true);
						Dsq.$('dsq-form-area-' + post_id).innerHTML = '';

						var theme = (typeof disqus_frame_theme == 'undefined') ? 'default' : disqus_frame_theme;
						Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(Dsq.$('dsq-form-area-' + post_id), post_id, {theme: theme});

					});
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id].setState(post_id, _meta.depth);
				}
			}
			Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).className = 'dsq-append-post';
			Dsq.$('dsq-comment-footer-reply-' + post_id).className = 'dsq-comment-footer-reply-active';
			
		} else {

			Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).style.display = 'none';
			Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).className = '';
			Dsq.$('dsq-comment-footer-reply-' + post_id).className = 'dsq-comment-footer-reply';
		}
		
		this.stateReplyToggled[post_id] = !this.stateReplyToggled[post_id];

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie && this.stateReplyToggled[post_id]) {

		}

		Dsq.Events.fire(Dsq.Events.REPLY_IFRAME_TOGGLED, {
			postId: post_id,
			opened: this.stateReplyToggled[post_id]
		});
	};
	
	this.moderateOptions = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];
		
		if(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator && !Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator) { return false; }

		var html;
		
		html = ' \
		<div class="dsq-moderate-options"> \
		<table>'
		+ (_meta.email ? '<tr><td>Email</td><td>' + _meta.email + '</td></tr>' : '')
		+ (_meta.ip ? '<tr><td>IP address</td><td>' + _meta.ip + '</td></tr>' : '')
		+ '<tr> \
			<td>Actions</td> \
			<td><ul>'
			+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.moderator_can_edit
				? '<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.edit(this, ' + post_id + '); Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true); return false;">Edit Comment</a></li>'
				: '')
			+ '<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.removePost(' + post_id + ', 1); Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true); return false;">Delete Comment</a></li> \
			<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.reportSpam(' + post_id + '); Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true); return false;">Mark Spam</a></li> \
			<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.blacklist(' + post_id + '); return false">Block User</a></li> \
			</ul></td> \
			</table> \
		</div> \
		';
		
		html += '<p>Go to the full <a href="http://disqus.com/comments/moderate/" target="_blank">moderate panel</a> for more options.</p>';
		
		return Dsq.Popup.popModal(html, 'Moderate Options', post_id);
	};
	
	this.placeholder = {
		'class': 'dsq-placeholder',
		'name': Dsq.Strings.NAME,
		'email': Dsq.Strings.EMAIL,
		'website': Dsq.Strings.WEBSITE + ' (' + Dsq.Strings.OPTIONAL.toLowerCase() + ')'
	};
	
	this.handlePlaceholder = function(evt, el, key) {
		var placeholder = Dsq.Templates.placeholder[key];
		var className = Dsq.Templates.placeholder['class'];
		
		switch(evt.type) {
			case 'focus':
				if(el.value == placeholder) {
					el.value = '';
					el.className = '';
				}
				break;

			case 'blur':
				if(el.value == '') {
					el.value = placeholder;
					el.className = className;
				}
				break;
			default:
				break;
		}
	};
	
	this.paginate = function(page, el_clicked) {

		var extra_params = '';

		if(typeof disqus_per_page != 'undefined') {
			extra_params += '&per_page=' + disqus_per_page;
		}
		if(typeof disqus_sort != 'undefined') {
			extra_params += '&sort=' + disqus_sort;
		}

		Dsq.$('dsq-pagination').innerHTML += '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-small.gif">';
		
		if(el_clicked) {
			Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(el_clicked);
		}
		
		Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/thread.js'
			+ '?slug='	+ 'oil_companies_are_eeevil_except_when_they8217re_not_22'
			+ '&p='		+ page
			+ extra_params);
	};
	
	
	this.rate = function(el, id, vote) {


		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated || Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_votes) {
			if(vote == 1) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-like-' + id).innerHTML = '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-small.gif">';
			}
			Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/vote.js'
				+ '?post_id='    + id
				+ '&vote='        + vote);
		} else {
			Dsq.Popup.login('To rate, please log in');
		}
	};

	this.voted = function(post_id, points, vote) {

		Dsq.$('dsq-like-pts-' + post_id).innerHTML = points + Dsq.Utils.pluralize(points, ' person', ' people') + ' liked this.';

		if(vote) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-like-' + post_id).innerHTML = 'You liked this.&nbsp;&nbsp;';
		}
	};




	this.postComment_onSuccess = function(response, parent_post_id, post_id) {
		var approved = response.message.post_meta.approved;

		if (parent_post_id) {
			Dsq.Post.toggleReply(parent_post_id);
		}

		Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true);
		
		if (approved) {
			Dsq.Post.incrementPostCount();
			Dsq.Post.outlineComment(post_id);
		} else {			
			var unapproved_msg = 'Thanks for posting!\
	 Your comment must be approved by a moderator before appearing here.\
			';
			Dsq.Popup.popModal(unapproved_msg, 'Comment awaiting approval', post_id);
		}

		var sharing_results = response.message.sharing_results;
		var sharing_errors = '';
		for (var service in sharing_results) {
			if (sharing_results.hasOwnProperty(service) === true) {
				if (sharing_results[service].error === true) {
					sharing_errors += service + ', ';
				}
			}
		}

		if (sharing_results.facebook && sharing_results.facebook.callback) {
			FB.ensureInit(function() {
				FB.Connect.streamPublish('', sharing_results.facebook.attachment);
			});
		}

		if (sharing_errors !== '') {
			var message = 'Your comment was posted, but there were errors sharing with the following connections: ';
			message += sharing_errors.replace(/,\s$/, '');
			message += '<p><a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/profile/connections" target="_blank">Configure your connections here</a></p>'
			Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, 'Sharing options');
		}

		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};

	this.postComment_onFailure = function(response, parent_post_id, post_id) {

		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};
};




// TODO: It might be faster to use string methods to find all <li (...) </li> blocks and pass to Dsq.PostHandler manually.
Dsq.CommentsHandler = function(str, head, post_id, content, tail, offset, s) {
	var prepend_post = Dsq.Templates.prependPost(post_id);
	var append_post = Dsq.Templates.appendPost(post_id);

	content = content.replace(Dsq.POST_RE, Dsq.PostHandler);
	Dsq.Templates.postLoopCounter++;
	head = Dsq.Templates.Filters.commentContainer(post_id, head);
	return prepend_post + head + content + tail + append_post;
};

Dsq.PostHandler = function(str, h_head, post_id, h_content, h_tail, b_head, b_content, b_tail, offset, s) {
	var prepend_header = Dsq.Templates.postPrependHeader(post_id);
	var append_header = Dsq.Templates.postAppendHeader(post_id);
	var prepend_body = Dsq.Templates.preBody(post_id);
	var append_body = Dsq.Templates.postBody(post_id);
	var append_footer = Dsq.Templates.postFooter(post_id);

	b_content = b_content.replace(Dsq.POST_BODY_RE, Dsq.PostBodyHandler);
	return h_head + prepend_header + h_content + append_header + h_tail + b_head + prepend_body + b_content + append_body + b_tail + append_footer;
};

Dsq.PostBodyHandler = function(str, head, post_id, content, tail, offset, s) {
	content = Dsq.Templates.Filters.commentContent(post_id, content);
	return head + content + tail;
};

Dsq.MediaPostHandler = function(str, args, offset, s) {
	args = args.split(' ');
	if(args[0] == 'seesmic') {
		return '<br />' + Dsq.Templates.mediaSeesmic(args[1], args[2]);
	}
	return '';
};


/**
 * Shorcuts
 */
Dsq.$ = function(element) { return document.getElementById(element); };
Dsq.$b = document.body || document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0];


/**
 * Dsq.Debug: Logging functions.
 */

Dsq.Debug = new function() {this.log=function(s){};this.profile=function(f){if(typeof f == 'function')return f();else return eval(f);};};


/**
 * Dsq.Urls: URL paths
 */
Dsq.Urls = new function() {
	this.LOGIN = '/profile/login/';
	this.LOGOUT = '/logout/';
	this.REPLY = 'http://themoderatevoice.disqus.com/oil_companies_are_eeevil_except_when_they8217re_not_22/reply.html';
	this.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE = '/AnonymousUser/';
	this.REQUEST_USER_AVATAR = 'http://media.disqus.com/uploads/forums/2724//avatar92.jpg';
};
// Dsq.Urls

/**
 * Dsq.Validators: Validation for form fields
 */
Dsq.Validators = new function() {
	this.VALID_EMAIL_RE = /^[a-z0-9\-\_\+]+(\.[a-z0-9\-\_\+]+)*\@(([a-z0-9\-\_\+]+(\.[a-z0-9\-\_\+]+)*)+\.[a-z]{2,}|([0-9]+\.){3}[0-9]+)$/i;
	this.name = function(name) {
		var error = false;

		if(typeof Dsq.Templates.placeholder !== 'undefined' &&
		   name == Dsq.Templates.placeholder.name) {
			error = true;
		}
		if(name.length <= 1) {
			error = true;
		}

		if(error) {
			return "Please enter a name to comment.";
		} else {
			return true;
		}
	};
	this.email = function(addr) {
		if(Dsq.Validators.VALID_EMAIL_RE.test(addr)) {
			return true;
		} else {
			return "Please enter a valid email to comment.";
		}
	};
	this.url = function(addr) {
		if(!addr || addr.indexOf('.') != -1) {
			return true;
		} else {
			return "Please check your website URL (this field is optional).";
		}
	};

	this.validate = function(bulk_validation, failure_callback) {
		failure_callback = failure_callback || function(e){ alert(e); };

		for(var i = 0; i < bulk_validation.length; i++) {
			v = bulk_validation[i];
			ret = v.validator(v.value);
			if(ret !== true) {
				failure_callback(ret);
				return false;
			}
		}
		return true;
	};
};

/**
 * Dsq.Utils: Generic utility functions.
 */
Dsq.Utils = new function() {
	this.ie = /msie/i.test(navigator.userAgent) && !/opera/i.test(navigator.userAgent);
	this.ie7 = (document.all && !window.opera && window.XMLHttpRequest) ? true : false;
	this.ie6 = (!window.XMLHttpRequest) ? true: false;
	this.webkit = navigator.userAgent.indexOf('AppleWebKit/') >= 0;
	this.gebiFromElementCollectionCache = {};
	this._styleSheet = null;

	this.gebiFromElement = function(el, id, tag) {
		// This only method only helps IE.
		if(!this.ie) {
			return Dsq.$(id);
		} else {
			var cacheKey = el.id + '-' + tag;
			tag = tag || 'div';
			if(typeof this.gebiFromElementCollectionCache[cacheKey] != 'undefined') {
				collection = this.gebiFromElementCollectionCache[cacheKey];
			} else {
				collection = el.getElementsByTagName(tag);
				this.gebiFromElementCollectionCache[cacheKey] = collection;
			}

			for(var i = 0; i < collection.length; i++) {
				if(collection[i].id == id) {
					return collection[i];
				}
			}
			return null;
		}
	};

	this.execOnReady = function(func) {
		var node = document.createElement('document:ready');
		try {
			node.doScroll('left');
			func();
			node = null;
		} catch(err) {
			setTimeout(function() { Dsq.Utils.execOnReady(func); }, 10);
		}
	};


	// Courtesy of http://www.quirksmode.org/js/cookies.html
	this.createCookie = function(name,value,days) {
		if (days) {
			var date = new Date();
			date.setTime(date.getTime()+(days*24*60*60*1000));
			var expires = "; expires="+date.toGMTString();
		}
		else var expires = "";
		document.cookie = name+"="+value+expires+"; path=/";
	};

	this.readCookie = function(name) {
		var nameEQ = name + "=";
		var ca = document.cookie.split(';');
		for(var i=0;i < ca.length;i++) {
			var c = ca[i];
			while (c.charAt(0)==' ') c = c.substring(1,c.length);
			if (c.indexOf(nameEQ) == 0) return c.substring(nameEQ.length,c.length);
		}
		return null;
	};

	this.eraseCookie = function(name) {
		Dsq.Utils.createCookie(name,"",-1);
	};

	this.deleteNode = function(node) {
		if(node) {
			this.deleteChildren(node);
			if(typeof node.outerHTML != 'undefined') { node.outerHTML = ''; }
			else if(node.parentNode) { node.parentNode.removeChild(node); }
			delete node;
		}
	};

	this.deleteChildren = function(node) {
		if(node) {
			for(var x = node.childNodes.length-1; x >= 0; x--) {
				var childNode = node.childNodes[x];
				if(childNode.hasChildNodes()) { this.deleteChildren(childNode); }
				if(typeof childNode.outerHTML != 'undefined') { childNode.outerHTML = ''; }
				else node.removeChild(childNode);
				delete childNode;
			}
		}
	};

	this.findPos = function(obj) {
		var curleft = 0;
		var curtop = 0;
		if (obj.offsetParent) {
			do {
				curleft += obj.offsetLeft;
				curtop += obj.offsetTop;
			} while (obj = obj.offsetParent);
		}
		return [curleft,curtop];
	};

	this.getWindowSize = function() {
		var windowWidth = -1;
		var windowHeight = -1;

		if(typeof(window.innerWidth) == 'number') { //Non-IE
			windowWidth = window.innerWidth;
			windowHeight = window.innerHeight;
		} else if(document.documentElement) { // IE 6+ in 'standards compliant mode'
			windowWidth = document.documentElement.clientWidth || document.body.clientWidth;
			windowHeight = document.documentElement.clientHeight || document.body.clientHeight;
		}

		return [windowWidth, windowHeight];
	}

	this.getScrollPos = function() {
		var scrollWidth, scrollTop;

		if(document.documentElement && (document.documentElement.scrollTop || document.documentElement.scrollWidth)) {
			scrollWidth = document.documentElement.scrollWidth;
			// IE is weird here.  If no doctype is provided, document.body.scrollTop is 0,
			// otherwise document.documentElement.scrollTop is 0.
			scrollTop = document.documentElement.scrollTop || document.body.scrollTop;
		} else if(document.body.scrollTop && document.body.scrollWidth) {
			scrollWidth = document.body.scrollWidth;
			scrollTop = document.body.scrollTop;
		}

		return [scrollWidth, scrollTop];
	}

	this.addEventListener = function(instance, eventName, listener) {
		var listenerFn = listener;
		if (instance.addEventListener) {
			instance.addEventListener(eventName, listenerFn, false);
		} else if (instance.attachEvent) {
			listenerFn = function() {
				listener(window.event);
			};
			instance.attachEvent("on" + eventName, listenerFn);
		} else {
			throw new Error("Event registration not supported");
		}
		return {
			instance: instance,
			name: eventName,
			listener: listenerFn
		};
	};

	this.removeEventListener = function(event) {
		var instance = event.instance;
		if (instance.removeEventListener) {
			instance.removeEventListener(event.name, event.listener, false);
		} else if (instance.detachEvent) {
			instance.detachEvent("on" + event.name, event.listener);
		}
	};

	this.fixIframesIE = function(id) {
		var disqusThread = Dsq.$(disqus_container_id);
		var iframes = disqusThread.getElementsByTagName('iframe');

		if(id) {
			var container = Dsq.$(id);
		} else {
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-content');
		}

		for(i = 0; i < iframes.length; i++) {
			if (container) {
				iframes[i].style.width = container.offsetWidth;
			}
		}
	};

	this.getElementsByClassName = function(oElm, strTagName, strClassName) {
	/* Credit: Jonathan Snook [http://www.snook.ca/jonathan], Robert Nyman [http://www.robertnyman.com] */
		var arrElements = (strTagName == "*" && oElm.all)? oElm.all : oElm.getElementsByTagName(strTagName);
		var arrReturnElements = new Array();
		strClassName = strClassName.replace(/\-/g, "\\-");
		var oRegExp = new RegExp("(^|\\s)" + strClassName + "(\\s|$)");
		var oElement;
		for(var i = 0; i < arrElements.length; i++) {
			oElement = arrElements[i];
			if(oRegExp.test(oElement.className)) {
				arrReturnElements.push(oElement);
			}
		}
		return (arrReturnElements);
	};

	this.postToUrl = function(url, post_data, opt_redirect) {
		var form = document.createElement('form');
		var iframe_container = document.createElement('div');
		var id = 'dsq-temp-iframe-' + (new Date()).getTime();

		form.method = 'POST';
		form.action = url;
		if (!opt_redirect) {
			form.target = id;
		}
		iframe_container.innerHTML = '<iframe style="display:none" name="' + id + '" id="' + id + '"></iframe>';

		for(var key in post_data) {
			if(post_data.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
				var input = document.createElement('input');
				input.name = key;
				input.type = 'hidden';
				input.value = post_data[key];

				form.appendChild(input);
			}
		}

		Dsq.$b.appendChild(iframe_container);
		Dsq.$b.appendChild(form);
		form.submit();
	};

	// Strips integer id from id of element in the form ('some-id-###')
	this.extractId = function(e) {
		var chunks = e.id.split('-');
		if(chunks.length <= 1) {
			return 0;
		} else {
			var retval = parseInt(chunks[chunks.length-1]);
			return !isNaN(retval) ? retval : null;
		}
	};

	this.getStyle = function(el, styleProp) {
		if(el.currentStyle) {
			var y = el.currentStyle[styleProp];
		} else if(window.getComputedStyle) {
			var y = document.defaultView.getComputedStyle(el, null).getPropertyValue(styleProp);
		}

		if(y == 'transparent' || y == '') {
			this.getStyle(el.parentNode, styleProp);
		} else {
			return y;
		}
	};

	this.execScript = function(url, append_qs, container) {
		var script = document.createElement('script');
		append_qs = typeof append_qs == 'undefined' ? true : append_qs;
		container = container || Dsq.container;

		if(append_qs) {
			var j = (url.indexOf('?') >= 0) ? '&' : '?';
			url += j + (new Date()).getTime();
		}
		script.type = 'text/javascript';
		script.charset = 'UTF-8';
		script.src = url;
		container.appendChild(script);
		return script;
	};

	this.pluralize = function(num, singular, plural) {
		return (num != 1) ? plural || 's' : singular || '';
	};

	this.getRequestParams = function(queryString /* optional */) {
		var pairs, tuple;
		var params = {};

		queryString = queryString || window.location.search.substring(1);
		pairs = queryString.split('&');

		for (var i = 0, pair; pair = pairs[i]; i++) {
			tuple = pair.split('=');
			params[tuple[0]] = (tuple[1] || true);
		}

		return params;
	};

	this.addCssRule = function(selector, styleText, index) {
		var stylesheet;
		index = index || 0;

		if(!this._styleSheet) {
			var styleEl = document.createElement('style');
			document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(styleEl);
			this._styleSheet = styleEl.sheet;
			if(!this._styleSheet) {
				// IE does not like our newly created stylesheet.
				this._styleSheet = document.styleSheets[document.styleSheets.length-1];
			}
		}
		stylesheet = this._styleSheet;

		if(stylesheet.insertRule) {
			var ruleText = selector + ' { ' + styleText + ' }';
			if(index == -1) {
				index = stylesheet.cssRules.length;
			}
			stylesheet.insertRule(ruleText, index);
		} else if(stylesheet.addRule) {
			stylesheet.addRule(selector, styleText, index);
		}
	};

	this.forEachIn = function(obj, callback) {
		for(var key in obj) {
			if(obj.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
				callback(key, obj[key]);
			}
		}
	};

	this._interpolateGlobalContext = {
		// values that get used a lot and are global to the request
		'profile_url': Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE,

		'disqus_url': Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url,
		'media_url': Dsq.jsonData.settings.media_url,
		'request_username': Dsq.jsonData.request.username,
		'request_display_username': Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username,
		'forum_name': Dsq.jsonData.forum.name
	};

	this.renderFromContextStack = function(key, contexts) {
		// Returns the first instance of `key` in the array of objects `contexts` or else ''
		for (var i=0; i<contexts.length; i++) {
			if (contexts[i][key] !== undefined) {
				return String(contexts[i][key]);
			}
		}
		throw new Error('key ' + key + ' not found in context');
	};

	var that = this;
	this.interpolate = function(fmt, opt_localContext) {
		// Interpolate `fmt` named-format string with an assumed global context.
		// Based on `interpolate` in django.views.i18n
		var contextStack = [opt_localContext || {}, that._interpolateGlobalContext];
		return fmt.replace(/%\(\w+\)s/g, function(match){
			return that.renderFromContextStack(match.slice(2,-2), contextStack);
		});
	};

	this.stripTags = function(s) {
		// Removes HTML tags from `s`
		return s.replace(/(<([^>]+)>)/g,"");

	};

	this.assert = function(b) {
		if (!b) {
			throw new Error('Assertion error.');
		}
	};

};
// Dsq.Utils

/**
 * Dsq.Popup: Popup helper functions.
 */
Dsq.Popup = new function() {
	this.timeHide = new Array();
	this.timeShow = new Array();
	this.activePopup = {};
	this.profileCache = {};
	this.statusCache = {};

	this.showTimer = function(post_id) {
		// clear the hide timer
		clearTimeout(this.timeHide[post_id]);

		// start the timer
		if(!Dsq.Popup.profileIsOn && !Dsq.Thread.adminIsOn) {
			this.timeShow[post_id] = setTimeout("Dsq.Popup.popProfile(\"" + post_id + "\")", 400);
		}
	};

	this.hideTimer = function(post_id) {
		// clear the show timer
		clearTimeout(this.timeShow[post_id]);
	};

	this.updateProfile = function(username) {
		// Callback from /embed/profile.js
		if (this.statusCache[username]) {
			var statusEl = Dsq.$('dsq-profile-status-' + username);
			statusEl.innerHTML = this.statusCache[username];
			statusEl.style.display = 'block';
		}

		if (this.profileCache[username]) {
			var _cache = this.profileCache[username];

			var _genhtml = function(text) { return '<span><big>' + text + '</big></span>'; };
			var _no_comments = _genhtml(Dsq.FmtStrings.NUMBER_OF_COMMENTS(_cache.comments_count));
			var _no_likes = _genhtml(Dsq.FmtStrings.NUMBER_OF_LIKES(_cache.likes_count));
			var _no_points = _genhtml(Dsq.FmtStrings.NUMBER_OF_POINTS(_cache.points));

			var statsEl = Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-user-stats-' + username);
			statsEl.innerHTML = '';

			if (Dsq.jsonData.users[username].registered) {
				statsEl.innerHTML = _no_comments + _no_likes;
			}
			statsEl.innerHTML += _no_points;

			var activeSites = '';
			for (var i = 0; i < _cache.active_sites.length; i++) {
				var site = _cache.active_sites[i];
				activeSites += '<li><a href="' + site.url + '"> \
					<img src="' + site.favicon + '"/ width="16" height="16"/></a>\
					<a href="' + site.url + '">' + site.name + '</a></li>';
			}
			if (activeSites !== '') {
				Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-active-sites-' + username).innerHTML = activeSites;
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-active-sites-' + username).innerHTML = 'This site.';
			}

			var moderatedSites = '';
			for (var i = 0; i < _cache.moderated_sites.length; i++) {
				var site = _cache.moderated_sites[i];
				moderatedSites += '<li><a href="' + site.url + '"> \
					<img src="' + site.favicon + '"/ width="16" height="16"/></a>\
					<a href="' + site.url + '">' + site.name + '</a></li>';
			}
			if (moderatedSites !== '') {
				Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-moderated-' + username).innerHTML = moderatedSites;
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-moderated-wrapper-' + username).innerHTML = '';
			}
		}

		// Reposition popup after full HTML is rendered
		if(Dsq.Popup.activePopup && Dsq.Popup.activePopup.el) {
			Dsq.Popup.initPopup(Dsq.Popup.activePopup.el, Dsq.Popup.activePopup.id, Dsq.Popup.activePopup.type);
		}

	};

	this.showCookieMsgs = function() {
		var title = '';
		var message = '';
		var numAlerts = 0;

		Dsq.Utils.forEachIn(Dsq.jsonData.cookie_messages, function(k, v) {
			if (!v) return;

			switch(k) {
				// Cookie: Twitter
				case 'post_twitter':
					if (v === 'error') {
						title = 'Twitter Error!';
						message += '<li id="dsq-msg-twitter-error">Oops, we couldn\'t tweet this comment. Please check your <a href="http://disqus.com/account/services">account settings</a>.</li>';
					} else {
						var _msg = v.split(':');
						title = 'Tweeted!';
						message += '<li id="dsq-msg-twitter-success">Your comment was successfully tweeted. <a href="http://twitter.com/' + _msg[0] + '/status/' + _msg[1] + '">Click here to view the tweet</a>.</li>';
					}
					break;
				// Cookie: Unapproved Post
				case 'post_not_approved':
					title = 'Comment awaiting approval by a moderator';
					message += '<li id="dsq-msg-post-not-approved">Your comment must be approved by a moderator before appearing here.</li>';
					break;
				// Cookie: Profile Found
				case 'post_has_profile':
					title = 'Use your existing commenter profile';
					message += '<li id="dsq-msg-post-has-profile">You have just posted your commment as a <span class="dsq-badge-guest">Guest</span>, but you may already have a <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> Profile.<br /><br /><a href="http://disqus.com/claim">Log in and claim this comment!</a></li>';
					break;
				case 'user_created':
					var _data = v.split(':');
					title = 'Profile created!';
					message += '<li id="dsq-msg-user-created">You have just created a <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> Profile, the best way to claim, manage, and track your comments all over the web. \
					<br /><br />A confirmation is being sent to <strong>' + _data[1] + '</strong>. Please check for this email in order to verify your profile. \
					<ul class="dsq-list-tick"> \
						<li>Your username is <strong>' + _data[0] +'</strong>. <a href="http://disqus.com/people/' + _data[0] + '/" target="_blank">Click here to view your public profile</a>.</li> \
						<li>Be sure to set your profile picture, as well as connect your <span class="dsq-badge-facebook">Facebook</span> and <span class="dsq-badge-twitter">Twitter</span> accounts. <a href="http://disqus.com/account/" target="_blank">Click here for account settings</a>.</li> \
					</ul> \
					</li>'
					break;
				default:
					break;
			}
			numAlerts++;
		});

		if(numAlerts > 1) {
			message = '<ul class="dsq-list-bluebullet">' + message;
			message += '</ul>';
			title = 'Thanks for posting!';
		}
		if(numAlerts > 0) {
			if(typeof(disqus_cookie_msgs) == 'function') {
				disqus_cookie_msgs(message, title);
			} else {
				Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title);
			}
		}
	};

	this.helpBadges = function(post_id) {
		var html = ' \
			<ul class="dsq-popup-help"> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-verified">Verified</span> has a <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> Profile with a confirmed email address.</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-registered">Registered</span> has a <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> Profile, but has not yet confirmed his or her email address.</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-guest">Guest</span> is not logged in with any account and has not claimed his or her comments.</li> \
				<li class="dsq-help-otheraccts">Other accounts</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-facebook">Facebook</span> is using his or her Facebook profile via Facebook Connect.</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-twitter">Twitter</span> is using his or her Twitter profile via Twitter Sign-in.</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-openid">OpenID</span> is using his or her OpenID.</li> \
			</ul> \
		';

		this.popModal(html, 'Help: Types of Commenters', post_id);
		return;
	};

	this.permalink = function(post_id) {
		var header = 'Link to this comment';
		var body = '<strong>You are anchored to</strong>:<br />' + document.location.protocol + '//' + document.location.host + document.location.pathname + document.location.search + '#comment-' + post_id;

		this.popModal(body, header, post_id);
	};

	this.login = function(header, body) {
		var h = header || 'Login or Register';
		var b = body || '';
		b += Dsq.Templates.frameLogin({id: 'dsq-popup-login'});
		b += '</iframe>'; // HACK: Sometimes there is something funky with the IFRAME SRC that causes no end tag
		this.popModal(b, h, null, true, 'dsq-popup-login');
	};

	this.blacklist = function(id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];
		var title = 'Add to Blacklist';
		var message = ' \
		Adding this person to the blacklist will block him or her from commenting on this site. Check the following types that you would like to add to the blacklist:'
		+ (userData['registered'] ?
			'<div class="dsq-blacklist-option"> \
				<input id="dsq-blacklist-username" type="checkbox" checked> \
				<label for="dsq-blacklist-username"><strong>Username</strong>: ' + userData['username'] + '</label> \
			</div>'
			: '')
		+ (_meta.email ?
			'<div class="dsq-blacklist-option"> \
				<input id="dsq-blacklist-email" type="checkbox" checked> \
				<label for="dsq-blacklist-email"><strong>Email address</strong>: ' + _meta.email + '</label> \
			</div>'
			: '')
		+ '<div class="dsq-blacklist-option"> \
			<input id="dsq-blacklist-ip" type="checkbox" onclick="Dsq.$(\'dsq-blacklist-ip-warning\').style.display=\'block\'"> \
			<label for="dsq-blacklist-ip"><strong>IP address</strong>: ' + _meta.ip + '</label> \
		</div> \
		';

		message += ' \
			<p id="dsq-blacklist-ip-warning" style="display:none">	\
				Note: Blocking this person\'s IP address may also unintentionally prevent others, who share his/her IP address, from commenting on this site. \
				This may include people who are sharing the same computer, living in the same house, or using the same Internet provider. Only block an IP address as a last resort. \
			</p> \
		';

		message += ' \
			<p style="text-align:center"><button type="button" onclick="Dsq.Post.blockUser(' + id + '); this.disabled=true; this.innerHTML=\'Just one moment...\'">Add to Blacklist</button></p> \
		';

		Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title);
	};

	this.remoteAccountSettings = function() {
		var body = '';
		// Set up IFrame.
		var params = {};
		var base_url = 'http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/_auth/embed/remote_settings/';
		var attributes = {id: 'dsq-popup-account-settings'};
		if (typeof disqus_frame_theme != 'undefined') {
			params['theme'] = disqus_frame_theme;
		}

		body = Dsq.Templates._frameGeneric(base_url, params, attributes);
		this.popModal(body, 'Account Settings', null, true, 'dsq-popup-account-settings');
	};

	this.popModal = function(message, title, post_id, use_listener, extra_classes) {
		var container = document.createElement('div');
		var header, body;

		Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true);

		if(typeof(title) == 'undefined') { title = ''; }
		if(typeof(use_listener) == 'undefined') { use_listener = true; }

		if(post_id) {
			container.id = 'dsq-popup-message-' + post_id;
		} else {
			container.id = 'dsq-popup-message';
		}

		header = title;
		body = message;

		container.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.popupModal(header, body);
		Dsq.Popup.initPopup(container, post_id, 'message', extra_classes);
		if(use_listener) {
			Dsq.Popup.popupListener = Dsq.Utils.addEventListener(document, 'mouseup', Dsq.Popup._closePopup);
		}
	};

	this.popAlert = this.popModal;

	this.loading = function(post_id) {
		var title = Dsq.Strings.JUST_A_MOMENT;
		var body = '<div style="text-align:center; padding: 5px 0 10px 0"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading.gif" alt="" /></div>'
		Dsq.Popup.lightbox(body, title, post_id);
	};

	this.lightbox = function(message, title, post_id) {
		// Wraps Dsq.Popup.popModal

		var overlay = document.createElement('div');
		overlay.id = 'dsq-overlay';
		overlay.className = 'dsq-overlay';
		Dsq.$b.appendChild(overlay);
		
		Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title, post_id, false, 'dsq-lightbox');
	};

	this.popProfile = function(post_id, userKey) {
		var post = Dsq.jsonData['posts'][post_id];
		if (post && post.has_been_anonymized) {
			Dsq.Popup.popModal('This message was anonymized by its previous owner.', 'Anonymized', post_id);
			return;
		}

		if(post_id) {
			userKey = Dsq.jsonData['posts'][post_id].user_key;	
		}
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][userKey];
		var elId = 'dsq-popup-profile-' + userKey;
		var container = document.createElement('div');

		if(this.activePopup.el) {
			this._closePopup(null, true);
			if(this.activePopup.linkClicked) {
				this.activePopup.linkClicked = false;
				return;
			}
		}

		container.id = elId;
		container.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.popupProfile(userKey);

		this.initPopup(container, post_id, 'profile');
		this.popupListener = Dsq.Utils.addEventListener(document, 'mouseup', this._closePopup);

		if(!this.profileCache[userKey]) {
			Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/embed/profile.js'
				+ '?username=' + userKey
				+ '&anon=' + (userData['registered'] ? 0 : 1)
				+ '&f=' + Dsq.jsonData['request'].forum);
		} else {
			this.updateProfile(userKey);
		}
	};

	this._closePopup = function(e, force) {
		var activePopup = Dsq.Popup.activePopup.el;
		var id = Dsq.Popup.activePopup.id;
		var link = 'dsq-avatar-' + id; // HACK: Specific to profile toggle target

		// HACK: This event should be gone if there is no active popup.
		if(!activePopup) {
			return;
		}
		if(force || !Dsq.Popup.isClicked(e, activePopup.id)) {
			// TODO: This is breaking iE?
			if(Dsq.Popup.popupListener) {
				Dsq.Utils.removeEventListener(Dsq.Popup.popupListener);
			}
			
			// Kill overlay
			var overlay = Dsq.$('dsq-overlay');
			if(overlay) { Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(overlay); }
			
			try {
				Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(activePopup);
			} catch(e) {
				// HACK: IE6 throws an error when using deleteNode() with a node containing a <table> in the html.
				activePopup.parentNode.removeChild(activePopup);
			}
			Dsq.Popup.activePopup = {};
		}

		if(!force && Dsq.Popup.isClicked(e, link)) {
 			Dsq.Popup.activePopup.linkClicked = true;
		}

	};

	this.initPopup = function(popup, post_id, type, extra_classes) {
		popup.className = 'dsq-popup dsq-popup-' + type + ' ' + (extra_classes ? extra_classes : '');
		if(Dsq.Utils.ie6 || Dsq.Utils.ie7) {
			// HACK: We can't modify the body before it's ready, so we need
			//       to use an IE-safe "DOMReady" workaround before loading
			//       our popup.
			Dsq.Utils.execOnReady(function() {Dsq.$b.appendChild(popup); });
		} else {
			Dsq.$b.appendChild(popup);
		}

		popup.style.display = 'block';

		var xPos = (Dsq.Utils.getWindowSize()[0] - popup.offsetWidth) / 2;
		var yPos = (Dsq.Utils.getWindowSize()[1] - popup.offsetHeight) / 2;

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie6) {
			yPos += Dsq.Utils.getScrollPos()[1];
		}

		popup.style.left = xPos + 'px';
		popup.style.top = yPos + 'px';

		Dsq.Popup.activePopup = {
			'el' : popup,
			'id' : post_id,
			'type': type,
			'linkClicked' : false
		};
	};

	this.isClicked = function(e, id) {
		var t = e.target || e.srcElement;
		while(t && t.parentNode) {
			if(t.id == id) {
				return true;
			}

			t = t.parentNode;
		}
		return false;
	};
};
// Dsq.Popup

/**
 * Dsq.Templates
 */
Dsq.Templates = new function() {
	/*
	 * Counter keeping track of the number of posts iterated over.
	 */
	this.postLoopCounter = 0;
	this.filters = {};
	this.addPostContainer = 'dsq-post-add';
	this.textareaContainer = 'dsq-post-add';

	this.registerTemplate = function(name, func) {
		this['$$_' + name] = func;

		if(typeof DsqLocal.Filters != 'undefined'
		&& typeof DsqLocal.Filters[name] == 'function') {
			// Push filters to this.filters to unify code.
			this.filters[name] = this.filters[name] || [];
			this.filters[name].push(DsqLocal.Filters[name]);
		}

		this[name] = function() {
			var ret;

			if(typeof DsqLocal.Templates != 'undefined'
			&& typeof DsqLocal.Templates[name] == 'function') {
				ret = DsqLocal.Templates[name].apply(this, arguments);
			}

			if(ret === undefined) {
				ret = this['$$_' + name].apply(this, arguments);
			}

			if(this.filters[name]) {
				var args = [ret];

				args.push.apply(args, arguments);
				for(var i = 0; i < this.filters[name].length; i++) {
					ret = this.filters[name][i].apply(this, args);
				}
			}

			return ret;
		};
	};

	this.registerFilter = function(name, func) {
		this.filters[name] = this.filters[name] || [];
		this.filters[name].push(func);
	};

	/**
	 * Dsq.Templates.Filters
	 */
	this.Filters = new function() {
		this.commentContainer = function(post_id, s) {
			var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
			var classes = [];
			if(Dsq.jsonData.request.page > 1) {
				classes.push('dsq-append');
			}

			//
			// Extra classes used for custom themes
			//

			if(_meta.depth) {
				classes.push('dsq-comment-child', 'dsq-depth-' + _meta.depth, 'dsq-parent-is-' + _meta.parent_post_id);
			}


			//

			if(_meta.author_is_creator) {
				// TODO: We need to deprecate the "special" class since it is not properly prefixed.
				classes.push('special', 'dsq-special');
			}
			if(_meta.author_is_moderator) {
				classes.push('dsq-moderator');
			}
			classes.push(['dsq-odd', 'dsq-even'][Dsq.Templates.postLoopCounter % 2]);

			s = s.substring(0, s.lastIndexOf('>'));
			return s + ' class="dsq-comment ' + classes.join(' ') + '" style="margin-left:' + _meta.depth*30 + 'px">';
		};

		this.commentContent = function(post_id, s) {
			var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
			if (_meta.killed) {
				return '<em>Comment removed.</em>';
			} else if (!_meta.approved) {
				return '<em>This comment was flagged for review.</em>';
			}

			s = s.replace(Dsq.MEDIA_POST_RE, Dsq.MediaPostHandler);
			return s;
		};
	};

	//
	// Thread
	//
	// TODO: These need to be stripped of all Django template tags.

	this.authPost = function() {
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.context.show_reply) {
			return '';
		}
		var result = [];
		result = result.concat([
				'<div id="dsq-auth"',
						Dsq.jsonData.integration.reply_position ? 'class="dsq-auth-bottom"' : '',
						'>',
					'<div class="dsq-by">',
						'<a href="http://disqus.com" target="_blank">',
							(Dsq.jsonData.integration.disqus_logo ?
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<img src="%(media_url)s/images/embed/by-disqus.png" alt="discussion by DISQUS">') :
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<img src="%(media_url)s/images/embed/dsq-button-120x19.png" alt="discussion by DISQUS">')
							),
						'</a>',
					'</div>',
					'<div class="dsq-auth-header">',
						'<h3 id="dsq-add-new-comment" class="dsq-h3-addcomment">',
								Dsq.Strings.ADD_NEW_COMMENT,
						'</h3>',
						'<div id="dsq-login">',
						(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated && Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post
								? '<p class="dsq-login-message" id="dsq-login-message">You are commenting as a <a class="dsq-help" title="Click for more information" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges(); return false">Guest</a>. You may select one to log into:</p>'
								: '')
		]);
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) {
			result = result.concat([
							Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
								'<a id="dsq-login-toggle" href="%(disqus_url)s%(login_url)s?next=article:%(thread_id)s" onclick="Dsq.Popup.login(); return false"><img class="dsq-login-icon" src="%(media_url)s/images/dsq-profile-btn.png" title="%(log_into)s" alt="%(log_into)s"/></a>',
								{login_url: Dsq.Urls.LOGIN, thread_id: Dsq.jsonData.thread.id, log_into: Dsq.Strings.LOG_INTO_DISQUS}
								),
							'&nbsp; ',
							(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_fb_connect ?
								'<div id="dsq-fbc-login" onlogin="DisqusFbcParentController.onLogin()" size="medium" background="light" length="short" style="display:inline; margin-right:7px"></div>' :
								''
							),
							(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_twitter_signin ?
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
									'<div id="dsq-twitter-login" class="dsq-twitter-login" onclick="Dsq.Twitter.startTwitterConnect();" style="display:inline; cursor: pointer"><img src="%(media_url)s/images/twitter-signin-short.png" style="margin-right:7px" /></div>', {}) : ''),
							(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_openid ?
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
									'<div id="dsq-openid-login" class="dsq-openid-login" onclick="Dsq.OpenID.requestURL();" style="display:inline; cursor:pointer;"><img src="%(media_url)s/images/openid-login-button.png"/></div>', {}
								) : '')
			]);
		}
		result = result.concat([
						'</div>', // dsq-login
					'</div>', // dsq-auth-header
					'<div id="dsq-authenticated" class="dsq-authenticated" ',
						Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated ? 'style="display:block"' : '',
						'>',
						'<div class="dsq-authenticated-pic">',
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<a href="%(url)s" title="%(request_display_username)s">' +
																			'<img class="dsq-post-avatar" src="%(avatar_url)s" alt="" /></a>',
																			{avatar_url: Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_AVATAR,
																			url: (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
																					 ? Dsq.jsonData.request.url
																					 : Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE) }),
						'</div>',
						'<div class="dsq-authenticated-info">',
							'<ul>',
								'<li>',
									(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
										? Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGGED_IN_AS(
												Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<a href="%(url)s" title="%(request_display_username)s">%(request_display_username)s</a>', {url:Dsq.jsonData.request.url})
										  )
										: Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGGED_IN_AS(
												Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<a href="%(disqus_url)s%(profile_url)s" title="%(request_display_username)s">%(request_display_username)s</a>')
											)
									),
								'</li>',
								'<li class="logout">',
									(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
										? Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<img class="dsq-login-icon" src="%(media_url)s/images/dsqicon12.png" alt="%(logged_in_as)s"/>&nbsp',
											{logged_in_as: Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGGED_IN_AS(Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username)})
										: ''),

									(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
										? Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<a href="%(disqus_url)s%(logout_url)s?ctkn=%(csrf_token)s" title="%(logout_from_disqus)s">',
											{logout_url: Dsq.Urls.LOGOUT, csrf_token: Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN, logout_from_disqus: Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGOUT_FROM('DISQUS')})
										: ((Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain == 'twitter')
												? Dsq.Utils.interpolate('using Twitter (<a href="%(disqus_url)s%(logout_url)s?ctkn=%(csrf_token)s" title="Logout">Logout</a>)',
												 {logout_url: Dsq.Urls.LOGOUT, csrf_token: Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN})
												: ((Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain == 'openid')
													 ? Dsq.Utils.interpolate('using OpenID (<a href="%(disqus_url)s%(logout_url)s?ctkn=%(csrf_token)s" title="Logout">Logout</a>)',
													 {logout_url: Dsq.Urls.LOGOUT, csrf_token: Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN})
													 : ''
													)
											)
									),

									(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote ? Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGOUT_FROM('<span class="logo-disqus">DISQUS</span>') : ''),
									'</a>',
								'</li>',
							'</ul>',
						'</div>',
					'</div>'
		]);
		if (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_fb_connect) {
			result = result.concat([
					'<div id="dsq-fbc-authenticated" class="dsq-authenticated">',
						'<div id="dsq-fbc-profilepic" class="dsq-authenticated-pic" uid="loggedinuser" type="FB.XFBML.ProfilePic" size="square" facebook-logo="true"></div>',
						'<div class="dsq-authenticated-info">',
							'<ul>',
								'<li>',
									'Logged in as <span id="dsq-fbc-name" uid="loggedinuser" type="FB.XFBML.Name" linked="true" useyou="false"></span>',
								'</li>',
								'<li class="logout">using Facebook Connect <a href="#" onclick="javascript:DisqusFbcParentController.logout();return false;">(Logout)</a></li>',
							'</ul>',
						'</div>',
					'</div>'
			]);
		}
		result = result.concat([
				'</div>', // dsq-auth
				'<div id="dsq-toolbar-items">',
				'</div>'
		]);
		result = result.concat([
					//
					//
					//
				((!Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post && !Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) ?
					// Needs to be translated:
					('<p id="dsq-no-anon-msg">Required: Please log into <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> ' +
					(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_fb_connect ? 'or connect with Facebook ' : '') +
					(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_twitter_signin ? 'or sign in with Twitter ' : '') +
					(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_openid ? 'or sign in using OpenID ' : '') +
					Dsq.Utils.interpolate('to comment on <strong>%(forum_name)s</strong>.</p>')) :
					''
				),
				'<div id="dsq-post-add"></div>',
				'<div style="margin:10px 0">',
				((Dsq.jsonData.forum.use_media) ?
						'<a href="#" id="dsq-media-link" onclick="Dsq.Post.showMenu(this, false, \'media\'); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.USE_MEDIA + ' <small>&#9660;</small></a>' :
						''),
				'</div>'
		]);
		return result.join('');
	};


	this.header = function() {

		var html = '\<h3 id="dsq-comments-count" class="dsq-h3-commentcount">\
	 <span id="dsq-num-posts">56</span> Comments\
	 &nbsp;\
	 <span class="dsq-item-feed">\
	 <a href="http://themoderatevoice.disqus.com/oil_companies_are_eeevil_except_when_they8217re_not_22/latest.rss"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/bullet-feed.png"></a>\
	 </span>\
	 </h3>\
	 <div id="dsq-options" style="margin:15px 0">\
	 <span class="dsq-item-sort">\
	 Sort by\
	 <select id="dsq-sort-select" onchange="Dsq.Thread.sortBy(this.value);">\
	 <option value="hot" selected="selected">Popular now</option>\
	 <option value="best" >Best Rating</option>\
	 <option value="newest" >Newest first</option>\
	 <option value="oldest" >Oldest first</option>\
	 </select>\
	 &nbsp;\
	 </span>\
	 <span class="dsq-item-cp"><a href="http://themoderatevoice.disqus.com/oil_companies_are_eeevil_except_when_they8217re_not_22/">Community Page</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>\
	 <span class="dsq-item-subscribe">\
	 <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/email.png" style="width:12px;height:12px;vertical-align:middle">\
	 <span id="dsq-subscribe">\
	 <a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(1); return false">Subscribe by email</a>\
	 </span>\
	 </span>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-alerts">\
	 <p>Comments for this page are closed.</p>\
	 </div>\
		';

		

		
		if (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator) { 
			html = ' \
			<div class="dsq-alert-message dsq-upgrade-message"> \
				<strong>Disqus upgrade available.</strong> Hi ' + Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username + ', this message is being displayed to you because you are a moderator of this site. <a href="#" onclick="Dsq.$(\'dsq-upgrade-message\').style.display=\'block\';this.style.display=\'none\';return false">Click here for details.</a> \
				<div style="display:none; margin-top:10px;" id="dsq-upgrade-message"> \
					A new theme is available with added features. <a href="http://disqus.com/comments/settings/' + Dsq.jsonData.forum.url + '/?p=customize">To change your theme, click here</a> and choose the theme Narcissus. \
					If you do not upgrade, you are missing out on features such as: real-time commenting, new sign-in integrations, and an upgrade interface. \
					<strong>This message will automatically go away in one week.</strong> \
				</div> \
			</div> \
			' + html; 
		}
		return html;
	};

	this.footer = function() {
		var html = Dsq.Templates.pagination();

		
			html += Dsq.Templates.authPost();
		

		html += Dsq.Templates.reactions();

		
			html += Dsq.Templates.trackbacks();
		

		return html;
	};

	this.pagination = function() {
		var html = '';
		
		if (Dsq.$('dsq-pagination')) { Dsq.$('dsq-pagination').innerHTML = ''; }
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.thread.paginate) { return ''; }

		//
		// TODO: num_paginator still uses the template tag for pagination, 
		// 		while append_paginator does it all in JavaScript.
		//		This should all be in JavaScript.
		//

		if (Dsq.jsonData.thread.num_pages > 1 && Dsq.jsonData.request.page < Dsq.jsonData.thread.num_pages) {
			html = ' \<a class="dsq-paginate-append-text" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.paginate(Dsq.jsonData.request.page + 1, this); return false">Show more comments...</a>\
	 <button type="button" class="dsq-button-small dsq-paginate-append-button" onclick="Dsq.Thread.paginate(Dsq.jsonData.request.page + 1, this);">Load more comments</button>\
			';
		}
		
		if (Dsq.$('dsq-pagination')) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-pagination').innerHTML = html;
			return '';
		} else {
			return '<div id="dsq-pagination" class="dsq-pagination">' + html + '</div>';
		}
	};

	this.trackbacks = function() {
		var html = '';

		if(typeof DsqLocal != 'undefined' && DsqLocal.trackback_url && DsqLocal.trackbacks) {
			var trackbacks = DsqLocal.trackbacks;
			var trackback_url = DsqLocal.trackback_url;
		} else {
			var trackbacks = [
			
			
			];
			var trackback_url = 'http://themoderatevoice.disqus.com/oil_companies_are_eeevil_except_when_they8217re_not_22/trackback/';
		}

		html += '<div class="dsq-item-trackback">Trackback URL&nbsp;&nbsp;<input class="dsq-trackback-url" onclick="this.select()" readonly="true" value="' + trackback_url + '"></div>';

		if(trackbacks.length) {
			html += '<ul id="dsq-references">'
			for(var i = 0; i < trackbacks.length; i++) {
				var trackback = trackbacks[i];
				html += '<li><cite><a href="' + trackback.author_url + '" rel="nofollow">' + trackback.author_name + '</a></cite> \
						<p class="dsq-meta">' + trackback.date + '</p> \
						<p class="dsq-content">' + trackback.excerpt + '</p></li>';
			}
			html += '</ul>';
			html = '<h3 class="dsq-h3-trackbacks">Trackbacks</h3>' + html;
		}

		return html;
	}

	this.showRetweets = function(id, limit, element_id /* Optional */) {
		var source, html = '';

		for (var i = 0, reaction; reaction = Dsq.jsonData.reactions[i]; i++) {
			if (reaction.id === id) {
				source = reaction.retweets;
			}
		}

		if (source) {
			if (limit === 0) {
				limit = source.length;
			}

			for (var j = 0; j < limit; j++) {
				var rt = source[j];
				html += '<a href="' + rt.url + '">' + rt.author_name + '</a>'	+ ((j === (limit - 1)) ? '.' : ', ');
			}
		}

		if (element_id === undefined) {
			return html;
		}

		var element = document.getElementById(element_id);
		element.innerHTML = html;
		return element;
	};

	this.showMoreReactions = function(reactions, has_more, start, limit) {
		var link = document.getElementById('dsq-show-more-reactions');
		var container = link.parentNode;
		container.removeChild(link);

		for (var i = 0, reaction; reaction = reactions[i]; i++) {
			var el = Dsq.Templates.generateReactionHTML(reaction);
			if (el) {
				container.innerHTML += el;
			}
		}

		if (has_more) {
			var d = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url;
			var f = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;
			var t = Dsq.jsonData.thread.id;
			var s = start;
			var l = limit;

			var handler = 'Dsq.Utils.execScript(\'' + d + '/forums/' + f + '/more_reactions.js?t=' + t + '&s=' + s + '&l=' + l + '\', true); return false;';
			container.innerHTML += '<li id="dsq-show-more-reactions"><a href="#" onclick="' + handler + '">Show more reactions</a></li>';
		}
	};

	this.generateReactionHTML = function(reaction) {
		if (reaction.body === null || reaction.body == '') {
			return;
		}

		if (reaction.author_name === '') {
			reaction.author_name = '&nbsp;';
		}

		if (reaction.url === '') {
			reaction.url = reaction.get_service_url;
		}

		/* Reaction HTML begins */
		var item = '<li class="dsq-reaction" id="dsq-reaction-' + reaction.id + '">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-reaction-header">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-header-avatar">';

		if (reaction.author_url && reaction.author_url !== '') {
			item += '<a target="_blank" href="' + reaction.author_url +'">';
		} else {
			item += '<a target="_blank" href="#" onclick="return false;">';
		}

		if (reaction.avatar_url && reaction.avatar_url !== '') {
			item += '<img src="' + reaction.avatar_url + '"/>';
		} else {
			item += '<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/noavatar32.png"/>';
		}

		var service_icon = (reaction.get_service_name == 'trackback' || reaction.get_service_name == 'pingback' ? 'rss' : reaction.get_service_name.replace(' ', ''));
		item += '<img class="dsq-service-icon" src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/reactions/services/' + service_icon + '.png"/>'
			+ '</a></div>'
			+ '<cite><span>' + reaction.author_name + '</span></cite>'
			+ '<span class="dsq-header-meta"><a class="dsq-header-time">' + reaction.date_created + '</a></span>'
			+ '</div><div class="dsq-reaction-body">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-reaction-message">' + reaction.body + '</div>'
			+ '<div class="dsq-reaction-footer">From <a class="dsq-service-name" target="_blank" href="' + reaction.url + '">' + reaction.get_service_name + '</a> '
			+ 'via <a href="' + reaction.source_url + '">' + (reaction.source == 'backtype' ? 'BackType' : 'UberVU') + '</a>'
			+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator ? '&nbsp;&bull;&nbsp;<a class="dsq-hide-reaction" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Reaction.hide(' + reaction.id + '); return false;">Hide</a>' : '') + '</div></div>';

		if(reaction.retweets) {
			var num_retweets = reaction.retweets.length;
			if (num_retweets > 0) {
				item += '<div class="dsq-reaction-retweets">';
				if (num_retweets == 1) {
					item += 'One more retweet from <a href="' + reaction.retweets[0].url + '">'  + reaction.retweets[0].author_name + '</a>';
				} else {
					item += (num_retweets + ' more retweets from ');

					item += '<span id="dsq-reaction-retweets-' + reaction.id + '">';
					var n_tweets = (num_retweets > 15) ? 15 : num_retweets;
					item += Dsq.Templates.showRetweets(reaction.id, n_tweets);

					if (n_tweets != num_retweets) {
						item += '</span> <a onclick="Dsq.Templates.showRetweets(' + reaction.id + ', 0, \'dsq-reaction-retweets-' + reaction.id + '\');'
							+ 'this.parentNode.removeChild(this); return false;" href="#">Show all</a>';
					}
				}
				item += '</div>';
			}
		}

		item += '</li>'; /* Reaction HTML ends */
		return item;
	};

	this.reactions = function() {
		var html, reaction;

		if (Dsq.jsonData.reactions === undefined || Dsq.jsonData.reactions.length === 0) {
			return '';
		}

		html = '';
		for (var i = 0; reaction = Dsq.jsonData.reactions[i]; i++) {
			var item = Dsq.Templates.generateReactionHTML(reaction);
			if (item) {
				html += item;
			}
		}

		if (Dsq.jsonData.has_more_reactions) {
			var d = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url;
			var f = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;
			var t = Dsq.jsonData.thread.id;
			var s = Dsq.jsonData.reactions_start;
			var l = Dsq.jsonData.reactions_limit;

			var handler = 'Dsq.Utils.execScript(\'' + d + '/forums/' + f + '/more_reactions.js?t=' + t + '&s=' + s + '&l=' + l + '\', true); return false;';
			html += '<li id="dsq-show-more-reactions"><a href="#" onclick="' + handler + '">Show more reactions</a></li>';
		}

		return '<h3 class="dsq-h3-reactions">Reactions</h3><ul id="dsq-reactions" class="dsq-reactions">' + html + '</ul>';
	};
	
	this.missingPermissions = function() {
		return '	<p>Comments for this page are closed.</p>\n';
	};

	//
	// Post
	//

	this.prependPost = function(post_id) {
		var html = '<div id="comment-' + post_id + '"></div>';
		return html;
	};

	this.appendPost = function(post_id) {
		var html = '<div id="dsq-comment-reply-' + post_id + '"></div>';
		return html;
	};

	this.postPrependHeader = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];

		var _includeServices = function() {
			var userServices = Dsq.Post.getUserServices(null, post_id);
			var html = '';
			var hiddenThreshold = 3; // Define # of services to show before stuffing them in hidden div

			for(var i = 0; i < userServices.length; i++) {
				html +=
				(i == hiddenThreshold
					? '<li id="dsq-drop-hidden-' + post_id +'" class="dsq-drop-hidden"><ul>'
					: '')
				+ '<li class="dsq-drop-services"> \
					<a class="dsq-service-' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" href="' + userServices[i].url + '" target="_blank"> \
						<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/embed/services/' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '.png" alt="' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '">'
					+ userServices[i].name
					+ '</a> \
				</li>';
			}

			if(i >= hiddenThreshold) {
				html += '</ul></li> \
				<li id="dsq-drop-more-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-drop-more"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.dropProfileMore(this, '+ post_id + '); return false"><small>&#9660;</small></a></li> \
				';
			}
			return html;
		};

		return ' \
			<div class="dsq-header-avatar" id="dsq-header-avatar-' + post_id + '" onmouseover="Dsq.Post.dropProfile(' + post_id + ')"> \
				<a id="dsq-avatar-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-avatar" href="' + userData.url + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.popProfile(' + post_id + '); return false;">'
			+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.show_avatar
				? '<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.users[_meta.user_key].avatar + '" alt="" />'
				: '')
			+ '</a>'
			+ '</div> \
		';
	};

	this.postAppendHeader = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];

		return ''
			+ (_meta.author_is_moderator
				? '<img class="dsq-mod-star" src="http://media.disqus.com/images/bullet-star.png" title="Moderator" alt="" />'
				: '')
			+ '<span class="dsq-header-meta"> \
				<a id="dsq-time-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-header-time" href="#comment-' + post_id + '" title="Permalink">' + _meta.date + '</a> \
			</span>';
	};

	this.preBody = function(post_id) {
		return '';
	}

	this.postBody = function(post_id) {
		// TODO: Deprecate flagging conditional
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		return ''
			+ (_meta.edited
				? '<p class="dsq-editedtxt">(Edited by a moderator)</p>'
				: '')
			;
	};

	this.postFooter = function(post_id) {
		// TODO: Use media should be conditional
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		if(_meta.killed) { return ''; }

		return ' \
			<div class="dsq-comment-footer" id="dsq-comment-footer-' + post_id + '"> \
				<div id="dsq-points-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-likedtxt">'
				+ (_meta.points
					? _meta.points + Dsq.Utils.pluralize(_meta.points, ' person', ' people') + ' liked this comment.'
					: '')
				+ '</div>'
				+ '<ul class="dsq-comment-options dsq-list-style">'
				+ (_meta.votable
					? '<li class="dsq-list-first dsq-rate" id="dsq-rate-cont-' + post_id + '">'
					+ (!_meta.up_voted
						? '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.rate(this, ' + post_id + ', 1); return false;">Like</a>'
						: 'You liked this.') + '</li>'
					: '')
				+ '<li class="dsq-report' + (!_meta.votable ? ' dsq-list-first' : '') + '" id="dsq-post-report-' + post_id + '"><a href="#" class="dsq-post-report" onclick="Dsq.Post.report(' + post_id + ', false); return false;">Report</a></li> \
				</ul> \
				<ul class="dsq-list-style">'
				+ (_meta.can_reply
					? '<li class="dsq-list-first"><a href="#" id="dsq-reply-link-' + post_id +'" onclick="Dsq.Post.toggleReply(this, ' + post_id +'); return false;">Reply</a></li>'
					: '')
				+ (_meta.can_reply && !_meta.has_replies && _meta.from_request_user
					? '<li id="dsq-edit-el-' + post_id + '"><a id="dsq-edit-link-' + post_id + '" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.edit(this, ' + post_id + '); return false;">Edit</a></li>'
					: '')
				+ '<li class="' + (!_meta.can_reply ? 'dsq-list-first' : '') + '" id="dsq-more-el-' + post_id + '"><a id="dsq-more-link-' + post_id + '" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.showMenu(this, ' + post_id + ', \'more\'); return false">More <small>&#9660;</small></a></li>'
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.use_media
					? '<li id="dsq-media-el-' + post_id +'" style="display:none"><a id="dsq-media-link-' + post_id + '" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.showMenu(this, ' + post_id + ', \'media\'); return false">Use Media <small>&#9660;</small></a></li>'
					: '')
				+ '</ul>'
				+ '<div id="dsq-reply-bar-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-reply-bar" style="display:none"> \
						<div id="dsq-reply-bar-items-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-reply-bar-items"> \
						</div> \
						<div id="dsq-reply-bar-auth-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-reply-bar-auth"> \
							 \
								 \
									<a href="#" class="dsq-help dsq-reply-req-opt" title="You must log into an account in order to comment on The Moderate Voice" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges(); return false">Required:</a> \
								 \
								<img class="dsq-login-icon" src="http://media.disqus.com/images/dsq-favicon-16x16.png" alt="" /> \
								<a id="dsq-reply-login-' + post_id + '" href="http://disqus.com/profile/login/?next=article:1917403" onclick="Dsq.Popup.login(); return false">Login</a> \
								 \
									&nbsp;or&nbsp; \
									<img class="fb_login_image" src="http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/images/fbconnect/login-buttons/connect_light_small_short.gif" alt="Facebook Connect"/> \
									<a href="#" onclick="FB.Connect.requireSession(DisqusFbcParentController.onLogin); return false;">Connect</a> \
								 \
								&nbsp;or&nbsp; \
									<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/twitter-signin-icon.png" alt="" /> \
									<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Twitter.startTwitterConnect(); return false">Sign-in</a> \
								 \
								 \
							 \
						</div> \
					</div> \
					<div id="dsq-reply-' + post_id + '"></div> \
			</div> \
		';
	};

	//
	// Iframes
	//

	this._makeAttributes = function(attributes) {
		// Makes a tag attributes string out of an object.
		// Caller is responsible for making sure nothing needs to be escaped.
		var result = [];
		for (key in attributes) {
			result.push(' ' + key + '="' + attributes[key] + '"');
		}
		result = result.join('');
		return result;
	};

	this._frameGeneric = function(base_url, params, attributes) {
		if(typeof(disqus_callback_params) == 'undefined') {
			disqus_callback_params = '';
		}

		var default_params = {
			// TODO: These should be moved to Dsq.jsonData.
			'f'				: 'themoderatevoice',
			't'				: 'oil_companies_are_eeevil_except_when_they8217re_not_22',
			// Do we need encodeURIComponent here?
			'ifrs'			: encodeURIComponent(disqus_iframe_css),
			'to_redirect'	: encodeURIComponent(window.location),
			'cbp'			: disqus_callback_params,
			'ff'			: Dsq.Thread.ff,
			'fc'			: Dsq.Thread.fc,
			'ac'			: Dsq.Thread.ac,
			'default_text'	: disqus_default_text
		};

		base_url += '?' + (new Date()).getTime();
		// Add params to default_params.
		if(params) {
			for(var key in params) {
				if(params.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
					default_params[key] = encodeURIComponent(params[key]);
				}
			}
		}
		// Build querystring.
		for(var key in default_params) {
			if(default_params[key] && default_params.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
				base_url += '&' + key + '=' + default_params[key];
			}
		}

		return [
			'<iframe marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" frameborder="0"',
			(' allowtransparency="true" src="' + base_url + '"'),
			this._makeAttributes(attributes),
			'</iframe>'].join('');
	};

	this.frameLogin = function(opt_attributes) {
		var params = {};
		var base_url = 'http://disqus.com/embed/login.html';
		var attributes = opt_attributes || {};
		attributes['class'] = 'dsq-post-login';

		if(typeof disqus_frame_theme != 'undefined') {
			params['theme'] = disqus_frame_theme;
		}
		return this._frameGeneric(base_url, params, attributes);
	};

	this.frameReply = function(post_id, extra_params, attributes) {
		// Returns the HTML for a reply iframe. Called by Dsq.Iframes.setReplyIframeToContainer
		var _meta = (typeof post_id != 'undefined') ? Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id] : false;
		var base_url = Dsq.Urls.REPLY;
		var params = {
			'def_email'		: disqus_def_email,
			'def_name'		: disqus_def_name
		};
		if(extra_params) {
			for(var key in extra_params) {
				if(extra_params.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
					params[key] = extra_params[key];
				}
			}
		}
		if(_meta) {
			params['parent_post'] = post_id;
		}
		if(typeof disqus_per_page != 'undefined') {
			params['per_page'] = disqus_per_page;
		}
		if(typeof disqus_frame_theme != 'undefined') {
			params['theme'] = disqus_frame_theme;
		}
		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) {
			attributes['class'] += '-authenticated';
		}
		return this._frameGeneric(base_url, params, attributes);
	};

	this.frameEdit = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = (typeof post_id != 'undefined') ? Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id] : false;
		var base_url = 'http://disqus.com/embed/edit.html';
		var params = {
			'p' : post_id
		};
		return this._frameGeneric(base_url, params, {'class': 'dsq-post-edit', 'name': 'dsq-edit_' + post_id + '-frame'});
	};

	//
	// Menus
	//

	this.menuMore = function(post_id) {
		// TODO: "Remove post" button should hide menu.
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];
		return ' \
			<li><a href="#comment-' + post_id + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.permalink(' + post_id + ')">Link</a></li> \
			<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.popProfile(' + post_id + '); return false;">Profile</a></li>'
	+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator
		? '	<li class="dsq-menu-sep"></li>' + (_meta.email ? '<li class="dsq-admin-email">' + _meta.email + '</li>' : '')
		+ '	<li class="dsq-admin-ip">' + _meta.ip + '</li> \
			<li class="dsq-menu-sep"></li>'
		+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.moderator_can_edit
			? ' <li class="dsq-admin-edit"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.edit(this, ' + post_id + '); return false;">Edit Comment</a></li>'
			: '')
		+ ' <li class="dsq-remove"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.removePost(' + post_id + ', 1); return false;">Remove Comment</a></li> \
			<li class="dsq-report-spam"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.reportSpam(' + post_id + '); return false;">Mark Spam</a></li> \
			<li class="dsq-block-user"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.blacklist(' + post_id + '); return false">Block User</a></li>'
		: '');
	};

	this.menuMedia = function(post_id) {
		return ' \
			<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.toggleMediaReply(this, ' + post_id + ', \'seesmic\'); return false;">Record video</a></li> \
		';
	};

	this.dropProfile = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];

		var _includeServices = function() {
			var userServices = Dsq.Post.getUserServices(null, post_id);
			var html = '';
			var hiddenThreshold = 3; // Define # of services to show before stuffing them in hidden div

			for(var i = 0; i < userServices.length; i++) {
				html +=
				(i == hiddenThreshold
					? '<li id="dsq-drop-hidden-' + post_id +'" class="dsq-drop-hidden"><ul>'
					: '')
				+ '<li class="dsq-drop-services"> \
					<a class="dsq-service-' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" href="' + userServices[i].url + '" target="_blank"> \
						<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/embed/services/' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '.png" alt="' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '">'
					+ userServices[i].name
					+ '</a> \
				</li>';
			}

			if(i >= hiddenThreshold) {
				html += '</ul></li> \
				<li id="dsq-drop-more-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-drop-more"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.dropProfileMore(this, '+ post_id + '); return false"><small>&#9660;</small></a></li> \
				';
			}
			return html;
		};


		var menu = '<li class="dsq-drop-showlnk"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.popProfile(' + post_id + '); return false;">Expand &#8663;</a></li>';
		var pointsMessage = '';
		if (userData['registered']) {
			pointsMessage = 'with ' + userData['points'] + ' points (more points are better).';
		}

		if (userData['is_remote']) {
			var domain = userData['remote_domain_name'];
			menu += '<li class="dsq-drop-badge" title="' + userData['display_name'] + ' is a ' + domain + ' user ' + pointsMessage + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges()">';
			menu += '<span class="dsq-badge-' + domain.toLowerCase() + '">' + domain + '</span></li>';
		} else if (userData['registered']) {
			if (userData['verified']) {
				menu += '<li class="dsq-drop-badge" title="' + userData['display_name'] + ' has a verified commenter profile ' + pointsMessage + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges()">';
				menu += '<span class="dsq-badge-verified">Verified</span></li>';
			} else {
				menu += '<li class="dsq-drop-badge" title="' + userData['display_name'] + ' has a registered, but unverified, commenter profile ' + pointsMessage + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges()">';
				menu += '<span class="dsq-badge-registered">Registered</span></li>';
			}
		} else {
			menu += '<li class="dsq-drop-badge" title="' + userData['display_name'] + ' has not claimed this commenter profile." onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges()"><span class="dsq-badge-guest">Guest</span></li>';
		}

		menu += _includeServices();
		return menu;
	};

	//
	// Popups
	//

	this._popupGeneric = function(content) {
		return ' \
		<div class="dsq-popup-content"> \
			<div class="dsq-popup-top"></div> \
			<div class="dsq-popup-body" class="clearfix"> \
				<div class="dsq-popup-body-padding"> \
					<div class="dsq-popup-header"> \
						<a class="dsq-close-link" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true); return false"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/modal-close.png" alt="" /></a>'
						+ content['header']
					+ '</div>'
					+ content['body']
					+ '<div class="powered-by"><a href="http://disqus.com/comments/">Powered by <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/disqus-logo.png" alt="Disqus Comments" style="margin-bottom:-5px" /></a></div> \
				</div> <!-- padding --> \
			</div> <!-- body --> \
			<div class="dsq-popup-bottom"></div> \
		</div> \
		';
	};

	this.popupProfile = function(user_key) {
		var userServices = Dsq.Post.getUserServices(user_key, null);
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][user_key];
		var headerHtml = '';
		var bodyHtml = '';
		var content = {};

		var _includeServices = function() {
			var html = '';
			for(var i = 0; i < userServices.length; i++) {
				html +=
				(i == 0
					? '<h4>Connections</h4><ul>'
					: '')
				+ '<li> \
					<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/embed/services/' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '.png" alt="' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" title="' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" /> \
					<a class="dsq-service-' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" href="' + userServices[i].url + '" target="_blank">'
					+ userServices[i].name
					+ '</a> \
				</li>'
				+ (i+1 == userServices.length ? '</ul>' : '');
			}
			return html;
		};

		headerHtml = ' \
			<table> \
				<tr> \
					<td> \
						<a class="dsq-profile-userurl" href="' + userData.url + '"><img class="dsq-popup-profile-avatar" src="' + userData['avatar'] + '" alt="" /></a> \
					</td> \
					<td> \
						<div class="dsq-popup-profile-user"> \
							<h3>' + userData['display_name'] + '</h3> \
							<div class="dsq-popup-profile-user-stats" id="dsq-popup-profile-user-stats-' + user_key + '">Loading...</div> \
						</div> \
					</td> \
				</tr> \
			</table> \
		';

		bodyHtml = ' \
			<div class="dsq-popup-profile-state"> \
				This is a&nbsp;<span class="'
					+ (userData['registered']
						? (userData['verified']
							? ' dsq-badge-verified'
							: (userData['is_remote']
								? ' dsq-badge-' + userData['remote_domain_name'].toLowerCase()
								: ' dsq-badge-registered')
							)
							: ' dsq-badge-guest') + '">'
			+ (userData['registered']
				? (userData['verified']
					? 'Verified'
					: (userData['is_remote']
						 ? userData['remote_domain_name']
						 : 'Registered')
					)
				: 'Guest')
			+ '</span>&nbsp;commenter profile.'
			+ '&nbsp;<a class="dsq-profile-userurl" href="' + userData.url + '"><strong>View more comments </strong></a>'
			+ (!userData['points']
				? '<p class="dsq-popup-notice">If this is you, <a href="http://disqus.com/profile" target="_blank">claim it now</a> to manage your comments.</p>'
				: '')
			+ ((userData['registered'] && !userData['verified'] && (Dsq.jsonData.request.username && (Dsq.jsonData.request.username == userData['username'])) && !userData['is_remote'])
				? '<p class="dsq-popup-notice"><strong>Alert</strong>: You have not verified this account. <a href="http://disqus.com/verify">Verify it now.</a></p>'
				: '')
			+ '</div> \
			<div id="dsq-profile-status-' + user_key + '" class="dsq-popup-profile-status" style="display:none"></div> \
			<div class="dsq-popup-profile-snapshot"> \
				<table> \
					<tr> \
						<td> \
							<div id="dsq-popup-profile-active-sites-wrapper-' + user_key + '"> \
								<h4>Most active sites</h4> \
								<ul id="dsq-popup-profile-active-sites-' + user_key + '"> \
									<li>Loading...</li> \
								</ul> \
							</div> \
						</td> \
						<td>'
							+ _includeServices()
							+ '<div id="dsq-popup-profile-moderated-wrapper-' + user_key + '"> \
								<h4>Moderator of</h4> \
								<ul id="dsq-popup-profile-moderated-' + user_key + '"> \
									<li>Loading...</li> \
								</ul> \
							</div> \
						</td> \
					</tr> \
				</table> \
			</div> \
			';

		content = {
			'header': headerHtml,
			'body': bodyHtml
		};

		return this._popupGeneric(content);
	};

	this.popupReblog = function() {
		var headerHtml = '';
		var bodyHtml = '';
		var content = {};

		headerHtml = ' \
			<cite><span>Reblog this comment</span></cite> \
		';

		bodyHtml = ' \
			<div id="dsq-reblog-form" class="dsq-reblog-form"> \
			</div> \
		';

		content = {
			'header': headerHtml,
			'body': bodyHtml
		};

		return this._popupGeneric(content);
	};

	this.popupModal = function(title, message) {
		var headerHtml = '';
		var bodyHtml = '';
		var content = {};

		headerHtml = ' \
			<h3>' + title + '</h3> \
		';

		bodyHtml = message;

		content = {
			'header': headerHtml,
			'body': bodyHtml
		};

		return this._popupGeneric(content);
	};

	this.alertContent = function(name, post_id) {
		var alert = {
			'post_not_approved': {
				'title': 'Comment awaiting approval by a moderator',
				'message': 'Thanks for posting. Your comment must be approved by a moderator before appearing here.'
			},
			'post_has_profile': {
				'title': 'Use your existing commenter profile',
				'message': 'You have just posted your commment as a <span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-guest">Guest</span>, but you may already have a <span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-registered">Registered</span> commenter profile.<br /><br /><a href="http://disqus.com/claim">Log in and claim this comment!</a>'
			}
		};
		return alert[name] || false;
	};

	//
	// Actions
	//

	this.voted = function(post_id, points, vote) {
		// Update number of points
		Dsq.$('dsq-points-' + post_id).innerHTML = points + Dsq.Utils.pluralize(points, ' person', ' people') + ' liked this comment.';

		// Update link text
		if(vote) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-rate-cont-' + post_id).innerHTML = 'You liked this.';
		}
	};

	this.subscribed = function(status) {
		var title, message;

		if(status) {
			title = 'Subscribed!';
			message = 'You have subscribed to this comment thread. New comments will be sent directly to your email inbox, where you may read and respond by email.';
			Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe').innerHTML = ' \
				<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(0); return false">Unsubscribe</a> \
			';
		} else {
			title = 'Unsubscribed';
			message = 'You have unsubscribed to this comment thread. New comments will no longer be sent to your email inbox.';
			Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe').innerHTML = ' \
				<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(1); return false">Subscribe by email</a> \
			';
		}

		Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title);

	};
	
	this.highlighted = function() {
		Dsq.Popup.popModal('This comment has been highlighted.', 'Highlighted comment');
	};

	//
	// Media
	//

	this.mediaSeesmic = function(id, thumb) {
		return ' \
			<div id="dsq-seesmic-' + id + '_preview" class="dsq-seesmic-preview"><a href="http://www.seesmic.com/video/' + id + '" target="_blank" class="see_link">&nbsp;</a> \
				<div style="display:block;width:160px; height:120px; border:none; background-image:url(http://t.seesmic.com/thumbnail/' + thumb + ')"> \
					<div id="dsq-seesmic-' + id + '_hide" class="seePlayOverlay" style="display:none;"><img onclick="see_play_video(\'' + id + '\',false)" src="http://media.disqus.com/images/seesmic/stopOverlay.png" width="50" height="50" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand; padding-top: 30px; padding-left: 50px" alt="" /></div> \
					<div id="dsq-seesmic-' + id + '_show" class="seePlayOverlay"><img onclick="see_play_video(\'' + id + '\',true)" src="http://media.disqus.com/images/seesmic/playOverlay.png" width="50" height="50" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand; border:none; padding-top: 30px; padding-left: 50px" alt="" /></div> \
				</div> \
			</div> \
			<div id="' + id + '_content" style="display:block; width:100%; padding-top:5px"></div> \
		';
	};

	//
	// Callbacks
	//

	this.postComment_onSuccess = function(parent_post_id) {
		// Increment post count
		var num_posts = Dsq.$('dsq-num-posts');
		var total_posts = Dsq.$('dsq-total-posts');
		
		if (num_posts) { 
			num_posts.innerHTML = parseInt(num_posts.innerHTML) + 1;
		}
		if (total_posts) { 
			total_posts.innerHTML = parseInt(total_posts.innerHTML) + 1;
		}
	};
};
// Dsq.Templates


/**
 * Dsq.Post
 */
Dsq.Post = new function() {
	this.openedMenu = {};
	this.menuEventListener = null;
	this.stateReplyToggled = {};
	this.stateEditToggled = {};
	this.stateRecordLink = {};

	/**
	 * Inserts a new post into the document.
	 *
	 * @param after_id {Number}	Insert a post before specified id.  If after_id
	 *							evaluates to false, then post in the front.  If
	 *							after_id is -1, post at the end.
	 */
	this.insert = function(after_id, id, message, author) {
		// Skeleton template from thread_posts.html.
		var skeleton = ' \
			<li id="dsq-comment-%(id)s"> \
				<div id="dsq-comment-header-%(id)s" class="dsq-comment-header"> \
					<cite id="dsq-cite-%(id)s" class="dsq-comment-cite"> \
						<a id="dsq-author-user-%(id)s" href="%(author_url)s" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">%(author_name)s</a> \
					</cite> \
				</div> \
				<div id="dsq-comment-body-%(id)s" class="dsq-comment-body"> \
					<div id="dsq-comment-message-%(id)s" class="dsq-comment-message">%(message)s</div> \
				</div> \
			</li> \
		';
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[id];
		var _user_meta = Dsq.jsonData.users[_meta.user_key];
		var markup = Dsq.Utils.interpolate(skeleton, {
			id: id,
			message: message,
			author_url: _user_meta.blog,
			author_name: _user_meta.display_name
		});
		var div = document.createElement('div');
		markup = markup.replace(Dsq.COMMENTS_RE, Dsq.CommentsHandler);
		div.innerHTML = markup;

		if (after_id === -1) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-comments').appendChild(div);
		} else if (!after_id) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-comments').insertBefore(div, Dsq.$('dsq-comments').firstChild);
		} else if (Dsq.$('dsq-comment-' + after_id)) {
			// Get next node after "after_id", so we can insert before it.
			// If "after_id" is the last comment, the target node is the
			// last node.
			
			// var append_post_id = Dsq.Templates.appendPost(after_id).replace('<div id="','').replace('"></div>', '');
			var append_post_id = 'dsq-append-post-' + after_id;
			var node = Dsq.$(append_post_id);
			while (node = node.nextSibling) {
				if (!node || node.nodeType == 1) { // 1 == Node.ELEMENT_NODE
					break;
				}
			}
			if (!node) {
				node = Dsq.$(append_post_id);
			}
			node.parentNode.insertBefore(div, node);
		}
	};

	this.incrementPostCount = function() {
		
		var num_posts = Dsq.$('dsq-num-posts');
		var total_posts = Dsq.$('dsq-total-posts');

		if (num_posts) {
			num_posts.innerHTML = parseInt(num_posts.innerHTML, 10) + 1;
		}
		if (total_posts) {
			total_posts.innerHTML = parseInt(total_posts.innerHTML, 10) + 1;
		}
	}
	
	this.outlineComment = function(post_id) {
		Dsq.$('dsq-comment-' + post_id).className += ' dsq-comment-outline';
		setTimeout("(function () { Dsq.Post.clearOutlineComment(" + post_id + ") })()", 3000);
	};
	
	this.clearOutlineComment = function(post_id) {
		Dsq.$('dsq-comment-' + post_id).className = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-' + post_id).className.replace('dsq-comment-outline', '');
	};

	this.showMenu = function(el, id, name) {
		var anchorPos = Dsq.Utils.findPos(el);
		var menu = document.createElement('ul');

		if(this.openedMenu) {
			if(this.openedMenu.linkClicked) {
				this.openedMenu.linkClicked = false;
				return;
			}
		}

		switch(name) {
			case 'more':
				menu.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.menuMore(id);
				break;
			case 'media':
				menu.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.menuMedia(id);
				break;
			default:
				break;
		}

		// Add menu to document body
		menu.id = 'dsq-menu-' + id;
		menu.className = 'dsq-menu';
		Dsq.$b.appendChild(menu);

		// Position and show
		anchorPos[1] += 15;
		menu.style.left = anchorPos[0] + 'px';
		menu.style.top = anchorPos[1] + 'px';
		menu.style.display = 'block';

		// Set global reference
		this.openedMenu = {
			'el' : menu,
			'id' : id,
			'name' : name,
			'linkClicked' : false
		};

		// Set listener
		this.menuEventListener = Dsq.Utils.addEventListener(document, 'mouseup', this._hideMenu);
	};

	this._hideMenu = function(e) {
		var el = e.target || e.srcElement;
		var openedMenu = Dsq.Post.openedMenu.el;
		var id = Dsq.Post.openedMenu.id;

		if(!id) {
			var link = 'dsq-' + Dsq.Post.openedMenu.name + '-link';
		} else {
			var link = 'dsq-' + Dsq.Post.openedMenu.name + '-link-' + id;
		}

		if(!openedMenu) {
			return;
		}

		if(!Dsq.Popup.isClicked(e, openedMenu.id)) {
			openedMenu.style.display = 'none';
			Dsq.Utils.removeEventListener(Dsq.Post.menuEventListener);
			Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(openedMenu);

		} else {
			// Hide the menu if a link was clicked inside the menu.  We can't
			// completely remove the menu until the onclick event on the link
			// fires, but the menuEventListener will prevent multiple menus
			// from polluting the DOM.
			if(el && typeof el.href != 'undefined') {
				openedMenu.style.display = 'none';
				Dsq.Post.openedMenu.el = null;
			}
		}

		if(Dsq.Popup.isClicked(e, link)) {
 			Dsq.Post.openedMenu.linkClicked = true;
		}
	};


	this.getUserServices = function(user_key, id) {
		if(!user_key && id) {
			var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[id];
			user_key = _meta.user_key;
		}
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][user_key];
		var userServices = [];

		// Keep a full list of supported services. This is the order they will display in the drop-profile.
		// Each service must have a corresponding case in _buildServiceUrl()
		var supportedServices = ['blog', 'twitter', 'facebook', 'tumblr'];

		function _buildServiceUrl(serviceName) {
			var data = userData[serviceName];
			var services = {
				blog:		function(d) { return d; },
				twitter:	function(d) { return d; },
				facebook:	function(d) { return d; },
				tumblr:		function(d) { return 'http://' + d + '.tumblr.com'; }
			};
			return services[serviceName](data);
		}

		for(var i = 0; i < supportedServices.length; i++) {
			if(userData[supportedServices[i]]) {
				var serviceUrl = _buildServiceUrl(supportedServices[i]);
				userServices.push({'name' : supportedServices[i], 'url' : serviceUrl});
			}
		}
		return userServices;
	}

	this.dropProfile = function(id) {
		var dp = Dsq.$('dsq-drop-profile-' + id);

		// IE6 needs JS to display/hide. All other browsers use CSS.
		if(dp) {
			if(Dsq.Utils.ie6) dp.style.display = (dp.style.display == 'inline') ? 'none' : 'inline';
			return false;
		} else {
			dp = document.createElement('ul');
		}

		dp.id = 'dsq-drop-profile-' + id;
		dp.className = 'dsq-drop-profile';

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie6) { dp.style.display = 'inline'; }

		var container = Dsq.$('dsq-header-avatar-' + id);
		dp.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.dropProfile(id);
		container.appendChild(dp);
	};

	this.dropProfileMore = function(el, id) {
		var hiddenItems = Dsq.$('dsq-drop-hidden-' + id);

		hiddenItems.style.display = 'inline';
		el.parentNode.style.display = 'none';
	};

	this._updateReplyLinks = function(el, id) {
		// Update "reply / cancel" links based on state.
		var displayDict = {};

		if(id) {
			if(this.stateReplyToggled[id]) {
				el.innerHTML = 'Cancel';
				displayDict['media'] = 'inline';
				displayDict['edit'] = 'none';
			} else {
				el.innerHTML = 'Reply';
				displayDict['media'] = 'none';
				displayDict['edit'] = 'inline';
			}
		}

		for(var key in displayDict) {
			if(displayDict.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
				var	linkEl = Dsq.$('dsq-' + key + '-el-' + id),
					spacer = Dsq.$('dsq-' + key + '-spacer-' + id);

				if(linkEl) {
					linkEl.style.display = displayDict[key];
					if(spacer) spacer.style.display = displayDict[key];
				}
			}
		}
	};

	this._updateMediaLinks = function(el, id) {
		// Update "use media / cancel" links based on state.
		var appendId = (id) ? ('-' + id) : '';
		var link = Dsq.$('dsq-media-link' + appendId);

		if(this.stateRecordLink[id]) {
			link.innerHTML = 'Cancel Media';
			link.onclick = function() { Dsq.Post.toggleMediaReply(link, id); return false; };
		} else {
			link.innerHTML = 'Use Media <small>&#9660;</small>';
			link.onclick = function() { Dsq.Post.showMenu(link, id, 'media'); return false; };
		}
	};

	this.toggleReply = function(el, id) {
		// Create reply IFrame
		if (window.disqus_use_postmessage) {
			if (!this.stateReplyToggled[id]) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id).style.display = 'block';
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-bar-' + id).style.display = 'block';
				// Create IFrame if it doesn't exist.
				if (!Dsq.frames['reply_' + id]) {
					var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[id];
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + id] = new Dsq.ReplyFrame(Dsq.$('dsq-reply-frame-' + id), id);
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + id].init();
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + id].setState(id, _meta.depth);
				}
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id).style.display = 'none';
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-bar-' + id).style.display = 'none';
			}
		} else {
			// DEPRECATED
			if(!this.stateReplyToggled[id]) {
				// Reply toolbar
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-bar-' + id).style.display = 'block';
				Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainerIfAllowed(Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id), id);
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-bar-' + id).style.display = 'none';
				Dsq.Iframes.hideAllInContainer(Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id));
				if(this.stateRecordLink[id]) {
					// HACK: Cancel media before canceling self.
					this.toggleMediaReply(Dsq.$('dsq-media-link-' + id), id);
				}
			}
		}

		this.stateReplyToggled[id] = !this.stateReplyToggled[id];
		this._updateReplyLinks(el, id);

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE('dsq-reply-' + id); }

		Dsq.Events.fire(Dsq.Events.REPLY_IFRAME_TOGGLED, {
			postId: id,
			opened: this.stateReplyToggled[id]
		});
	};

	this.toggleMediaReply = function(el, id, xtype) {
		id = id || 0;
		if(id) {
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id);
		} else {
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-post-add');
		}

		if(!this.stateRecordLink[id]) {
			Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(container, id, {xtype:xtype}, 'dsq-post-video');
		} else {
			Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(container, id);
		}
		this.stateRecordLink[id] = !this.stateRecordLink[id];
		this._updateMediaLinks(el, id);

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(); }
	};

	this.edit = function(el, id) {
		Dsq.$('dsq-comment-message-' + id).innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.frameEdit(id);
		el.parentNode.style.display = 'none';
		if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE('dsq-comment-message-' + id); }
	};

    this.rate = function(el, id, vote) {
		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated || Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_votes) {
			if(vote == 1) {
                Dsq.$('dsq-rate-cont-' + id).innerHTML = '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-small.gif">';
            }

            Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/vote.js'
                + '?post_id='    + id
                + '&vote='        + vote);

		} else {
			Dsq.Popup.login(Dsq.Strings.TO_RATE_PLEASE_LOG_IN);
		}
    };

	this.report = function(id, confirmed) {
		if(confirmed) {
			Dsq.Utils.postToUrl('http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/oil_companies_are_eeevil_except_when_they8217re_not_22/post_report/', {'post_id': id});
			Dsq.Popup.popModal('Thank you. This comment has been flagged for moderator attention.', 'Successfully flagged');
			Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(Dsq.$('dsq-post-report-' + id));
		} else {
			var title = Dsq.Strings.FLAG_INAPPROPRIATE_COMMENT;
			var message = Dsq.Strings.ARE_YOU_SURE_YOU_WOULD_LIKE_TO_REPORT_THIS_COMMENT_TO_A_MODERATOR + '? \
			<br /><br /> \
			<button type="button" onclick="Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true)"><strong>' + Dsq.Strings.NO + '</strong>, ' + Dsq.Strings.NEVER_MIND + '</button>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<button type="button" onclick="Dsq.Post.report(' + id + ', true);"><strong>' + Dsq.Strings.YES + '</strong>, ' + Dsq.Strings.FLAG_INAPPROPRIATE_COMMENT + '</button><br /><br />'
			+ Dsq.Strings.THIS_WILL_FLAG_COMMENTS_FOR_MODERATORS_TO_TAKE_ACTION + '. \
			';

			Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title, id);
		}
	};



	this.showAlert = function(id, msg) {
		var msgEl = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-message-' + id);
		var alert = '<div class="dsq-comment-alert">' + msg + '</div>';

		msgEl.innerHTML = alert + msgEl.innerHTML;
	};

};
// Dsq.Post


/**
 * Dsq.Thread
 */
Dsq.Thread = new function() {
	this.fc = null;
	this.ff = null;
	this.ac = null;

	
	this.adminIsOn = false;

	
	
	

	this.hlComment = null;
	this.hlCommentClass = null;

	this.getNextComment = function(el) {
		var start_id = el.id;
		while(el = el.nextSibling) {
			if(el.id && el.id.indexOf('dsq-comment-') != -1 && el.id != start_id) {
				return el;
			}
		}
		return null;
	};

	this.getActiveCommentId = function() {
		if (document.URL.indexOf('#comment-') >= 0) {
			var anchor = document.URL.slice(document.URL.indexOf('#') + 1);
			return anchor.replace('comment-', '');
		}
		return null;
	};

	this.highlightAnchor = function() {
		var i = this.getActiveCommentId();
		if (i == null) return false;
		var id = 'dsq-comment-' + i;
		var hash = window.location.hash;

		// Toggle the hash incase the comment isn't available when the page loads
		// for WebKit-based browsers.
		if (Dsq.Utils.webkit) {
			window.location.hash = '';
			window.location.hash = hash;
		}

		this.hlComment = Dsq.$(id);
		// Adding this conditional guard pending #289
		if (!this.hlComment) {
			return;
		}
		this.hlCommentClass = this.hlComment.className;
		this.hlComment.className += ' dsq-hl-anchor';

		setTimeout("Dsq.Thread.highlightClear()", 3000);
	};

	this.highlightClear = function() {
		if (!this.hlComment) {
			return;
		}
		this.hlComment.className = this.hlCommentClass;
	};

	this.login = function(toggle) {
		// toggle id is #dsq-reply-login-[id]
		var postId;
		if(toggle.id.indexOf('dsq-reply-login') != -1) {
			postId = toggle.id.slice(16);
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + postId);
		} else {
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-post-add');
		}

		if(toggle) {
			if(toggle.className == 'dsq-login-active') {
				Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainerIfAllowed(container, postId);
				toggle.className = '';
			} else {
				Dsq.Iframes.showLoginIframeInContainer(container, postId);
				toggle.className = 'dsq-login-active';
			}
		} else {
			Dsq.Iframes.showLoginIframeInContainer(container, postId);
		}

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(); }
	};


	this.paginate = function(page, el_clicked, per_page) {
		// Use extra_params to pass any override parameters that we need to persist.
		var extra_params = '';

		// "Per page" can either be overriden by providing it as an argument
		// (per-call) or setting the disqus_per_page override variable (global).
		if(typeof per_page == 'undefined') {
			per_page = null;
		}
		if(typeof disqus_per_page != 'undefined' && per_page === null) {
			per_page = disqus_per_page;
		}

		if(typeof disqus_sort != 'undefined') {
			extra_params += '&sort=' + disqus_sort;
		}
		if(per_page !== null) {
			extra_params += '&per_page=' + per_page;
		}

		Dsq.$('dsq-pagination').innerHTML += '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-small.gif">';
		
		if(el_clicked) {
			el_clicked.style.display = 'none';
		}
		
		Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/thread.js'
			+ '?slug='	+ 'oil_companies_are_eeevil_except_when_they8217re_not_22'
			+ '&p='		+ page
			+ extra_params);
	};

	this.sortBy = function(sort) {
		var disqus_script = document.createElement('script');
		var disqus_date = new Date();

		if (location.hash != '') {
			location.hash = '#disqus_thread';
		}

		if(typeof(disqus_url) == 'undefined') {
			disqus_url = disqus_href;
		}
		disqus_script.type = 'text/javascript';
		disqus_script.src = 'http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/thread.js'
			+ '?slug='	+ 'oil_companies_are_eeevil_except_when_they8217re_not_22'
			+ '&sort='	+ sort
			+ '&title='
			+ '&'		+ disqus_date.getTime();

		Dsq.$('dsq-comments').innerHTML = '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading.gif">';
		Dsq.container.appendChild(disqus_script);
	};

	this.subscribe = function(status, email) {
		// `status` is an int -- 1 to subscribe, 0 to unsubscribe
		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated || email) {
			// If authenticated user OR anonymous email provided

			if(email) {
				Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true);
			}

			Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/subscribe.js'
				+'?status=' 	+ status
				+ '&slug='		+ 'oil_companies_are_eeevil_except_when_they8217re_not_22'
				+ '&email=' 	+ encodeURIComponent(email));

		} else if(!email) {
			// If anonymous user and no email has been provided yet, prompt for email

			var title = 'Subscribe to this comment thread';
			var message = ' \
				New comments will be sent directly to your email inbox! \
				<div class="dsq-subscribe-submit"> \
					<p><strong>Enter your email address below.</strong></p> \
					<input type="text" id="dsq-subscribe-email"> \
					<button type="button" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(1, Dsq.$(\'dsq-subscribe-email\').value)">Subscribe</button> \
				</div> \
			';

			Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title);
		}
	};

	this.showSettings = function() {
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator) {
			return;
		}

		/* The form has to be re-designed when more options will come out. */
		var html = 'Automatically close comments after <input size="3" id="dsq-thread-days-alive" value="' + Dsq.jsonData.thread.days_alive + '" type="text" /> days. Existing comments will still be displayed.<br /><br />(Using 0 days will disable this feature)<br /><br />'
								 + '<button type="button" onclick="Dsq.Thread.updateDaysAlive();" class="dsq-button-small"><span>Save</span></button>'
								 + '<span id="dsq-thread-settings-status" class="dsq-options-status"></span>';

		Dsq.Popup.popModal(html, 'Settings');
	};

  this.showModeratorActions = function() {
      if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator) {
          return;
      }

      var html = '<div class="dsq-moderate-options"><table><tr>' +
                 '<td>' + Dsq.Strings.ACTIONS + '</td><td><ul>';
      html += '<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.toggleClosed(); return false;">' +
              (Dsq.jsonData.thread.closed ? Dsq.Strings.OPEN_THREAD : Dsq.Strings.CLOSE_THREAD) +
              '</a></li>';
      html += '<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.toggleKilled(); return false;">' +
              (Dsq.jsonData.thread.killed ? Dsq.Strings.RESTORE_THREAD : Dsq.Strings.REMOVE_THREAD) +
              '</a></li>';
      html += '</ul></td></tr></table></div>' +
              '<p>Go to the full <a href="http://disqus.com/comments/moderate-threads/" target="_blank">moderate panel</a> for more options.</p>';
      Dsq.Popup.popModal(html, Dsq.Strings.MODERATE_OPTIONS);
  };

	this.updateDaysAlive = function() {
		  var days = Dsq.$('dsq-thread-days-alive').value;
		  var status = Dsq.$('dsq-thread-settings-status');
		  Dsq.Utils.postToUrl('http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/update_days_alive.js', {days:days,thread:Dsq.jsonData.thread.id});
		  status.innerHTML = 'Saved!';
		  window.setTimeout(function() { status.innerHTML = ''; }, 1000);
	};

  this.toggleClosed = function() {
      Dsq.Utils.postToUrl('http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/toggle_thread_closed.js', {thread:Dsq.jsonData.thread.id});
      window.setTimeout(function() { window.location.reload(); }, 500);
  };

  this.toggleKilled = function() {
      Dsq.Utils.postToUrl('http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/toggle_thread_killed.js', {thread:Dsq.jsonData.thread.id});
      window.setTimeout(function() { window.location.reload(); }, 500);
  };
};
// Dsq.Thread

Dsq.Events = function() {
	var obj = {};

	// Private
	var handlers = {};
	var getHandlers = function(event) {
		if (handlers[event] === undefined) {
			handlers[event] = [];
		}
		return handlers[event];
	};

	// Public
	// Value keys : postId, node, xtype
	obj.REPLY_IFRAME_CREATED = 1;
	// Value keys : postId, opened
	obj.REPLY_IFRAME_TOGGLED = 2;
	obj.fire = function(event, opt_value) {
		if (!event) {
			throw new Error('Unknown event');
		}
		var value = opt_value || {};
		for (var i=0; i<getHandlers(event).length; i++) {
			getHandlers(event)[i](value);
		}
	};
	obj.addHandler = function(event, callback) {
		getHandlers(event).push(callback);
	};

	return obj;
}();

/**
 * Dsq.Realtime
 */
Dsq.Realtime = new function() {
	var initialized = false;
	var interval = null;
	var last_checked = Dsq.jsonData.request.timestamp;
	var new_posts = [];
	var ongoing_request = false;
	var prev_script = null;

	function updateNewPostCount() {
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-alert').style.display = new_posts.length ? 'block' : 'none';

		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-queued').innerHTML = new_posts.length
		+ ' new '
		+ Dsq.Utils.pluralize(new_posts.length, 'comment', 'comments')
		+ Dsq.Utils.pluralize(new_posts.length, ' was', ' were')
		+ ' just posted.';

		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-show').innerHTML = '(' + Dsq.Strings.SHOW + ')';
	}

	function insertNewPosts() {
		var post_id = null;
		var after_id = Dsq.$('dsq-sort-select').value === 'oldest' ? -1 : null;

		for (var i=0; i<new_posts.length; i++) {
			post_id = new_posts[i];
			Dsq.Post.insert(after_id, post_id, Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id].message);
			Dsq.Post.incrementPostCount();
			Dsq.Post.outlineComment(post_id);
		}
		new_posts = [];
	}

	this.enableInterval = function() {
		interval = setInterval(Dsq.Realtime.check, Dsq.jsonData.context.realtime_speed);
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-status').innerHTML = Dsq.Strings.ENABLED;
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-toggle').innerHTML = '(' + Dsq.Strings.PAUSE + ')';
	}

	this.disableInterval = function() {
		if (interval) {
			clearInterval(interval);
			interval = null;
		}
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-status').innerHTML = Dsq.Strings.PAUSED;
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-toggle').innerHTML = '(' + Dsq.Strings.RESUME + ')';
	}

	this.toggleInterval = function() {
		if (!interval) {
			Dsq.Realtime.enableInterval();
		} else {
			Dsq.Realtime.disableInterval();
		}
		return false;
	}

	this.initialize = function() {
		if (!initialized) {
			initialized = true;
			Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-toggle').onclick = this.toggleInterval;
			if (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.streaming_realtime) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-show').onclick = this.show;
				updateNewPostCount();
			}
			if (Dsq.jsonData.thread.realtime_paused) {
				Dsq.Realtime.disableInterval();
			} else {
				Dsq.Realtime.enableInterval();
			}
		}
	}

	this.show = function() {
		insertNewPosts();
		updateNewPostCount();
		return false;
	}

	this.check = function() {
		if (!ongoing_request && Dsq.jsonData.realtime_enabled) {
			if (prev_script) {
				prev_script.parentNode.removeChild(prev_script);
			}
			ongoing_request = true;
			prev_script = Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/1917403/realtime.js?timestamp=' + last_checked);
		}
	};

	this.update = function(timestamp, posts, users) {
		ongoing_request = false;
		last_checked = timestamp;

		if (users) {
			for (var user_id in users) {
				if (users.hasOwnProperty(user_id)) {
					if (!Dsq.jsonData.users[user_id]) {
						Dsq.jsonData.users[user_id] = users[user_id];
					}
				}
			}
		}

		if (posts) {
			for (var post_id in posts) {
				if (posts.hasOwnProperty(post_id)) {
					if (!Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id]) {
						Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id] = posts[post_id];
						new_posts.push(post_id);
					}
				}
			}

			if (Dsq.jsonData.forum.streaming_realtime) {
				insertNewPosts();
			} else {
				updateNewPostCount();
			}
		}
	};

}();

// DEPRECATED
Dsq.Iframes = function() {
	// Different style of object from the above. Hoping to switch to this for some reason.
	var obj = {};

	// Private
	var showIframeInContainer = function(container, id, markup) {
		// Look through container for iframes, hiding them, except show one that matches id
		// If none of them matched id, create a new iframe using markup and insert it.
		// Returns the iframe node if and only if it was newly created.
		var found = false;
		for (var i=0; i<container.childNodes.length; i++) {
			var child = container.childNodes[i];
			if (child.nodeName == 'IFRAME') {
				if (child.id == id) {
					child.style.display = 'block';
					found = true;
				} else {
					child.style.display = 'none';
				}
			}
		}
		if (found) {
			return;
		}
		// The iframe wasn't found, so construct it and add it to the container.
		// Don't use innerHTML because it might reload iframes
		var div = document.createElement('div');
		div.innerHTML = markup;
		var iframe = div.childNodes[0];
		div.removeChild(iframe);
		container.appendChild(iframe);
		return iframe;
	};

	// Public
	obj.makeReplyIframeId = function(opt_postId, opt_xtype) {
		var id = 'dsq-post-add-iframe';
		if (opt_xtype) {
			id += '-' + opt_xtype;
		}
		if (opt_postId) {
			id += '-' + opt_postId;
		}
		return id;
	};
	obj.makeLoginIframeId = function(opt_postId) {
		if (!opt_postId) {
			return 'dsq-login-iframe';
		}
		return 'dsq-login-iframe-' + opt_postId;
	};
	obj.makeReplyIframeName = function(opt_postId, opt_xtype) {
		var name = 'dsq-reply-frame';
		if (opt_xtype) {
			name += '-' + opt_xtype;
		}
		if (opt_postId) {
			name += '-' + opt_postId;
		}
		return name;
	};
	obj.showReplyIframeInContainer = function(container, opt_postId, opt_extraParams, opt_className) {
		// Construct the id so we can check if it's already present.
		// Hide any other iframes we find, and show this one if it's found.
		var params = opt_extraParams || {};
		// use xtype in the id and name so we can distinguish media replies from text replies:
		var id = Dsq.Iframes.makeReplyIframeId(opt_postId, params.xtype);
		var name = Dsq.Iframes.makeReplyIframeName(opt_postId, params.xtype);
		var attributes = {
			'id': id,
			'name': name,
			'class': opt_className || 'dsq-post-reply'
			};
		var markup = Dsq.Templates.frameReply(opt_postId, opt_extraParams, attributes);
		var iframe = showIframeInContainer(container, id, markup);
		// It was newly created
		if (iframe) {
			Dsq.Events.fire(Dsq.Events.REPLY_IFRAME_CREATED, {
				postId: opt_postId,
				node: iframe,
				xtype: params.xtype
			});
		}
	};
	obj.showLoginIframeInContainer = function(container, opt_postId) {
		var id = Dsq.Iframes.makeLoginIframeId(opt_postId);
		var markup = Dsq.Templates.frameLogin({id: id});
		showIframeInContainer(container, id, markup);
	};
	obj.showReplyIframeInContainerIfAllowed = function(container, opt_postId) {
		if (Dsq.jsonData.context.show_reply) {
			obj.showReplyIframeInContainer(container, opt_postId);
		} else {
			obj.hideAllInContainer(container);
		}
	};
	obj.hideAllInContainer = function(container) {
		for (var i=0; i<container.childNodes.length; i++) {
			var child = container.childNodes[i];
			if (child.nodeName == 'IFRAME') {
				child.style.display = 'none';
			}
		}
	};

	return obj;
}();

Dsq.Twitter = new function() {
	var that = this;

	this.startTwitterConnect = function() {
		var popupParams = 'location=0,status=0,width=800,height=400';
		that._twitterWindow = window.open(Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/_ax/twitter/begin/', 'twitterWindow', popupParams);
		that._twitterInterval = window.setInterval(that.completeTwitterConnect, 1000);
	};

	this.completeTwitterConnect = function() {
		if (that._twitterWindow.closed) {
			window.clearInterval(that._twitterInterval);
			window.location.reload();
		}
	};
};

Dsq.Yahoo = new function() {
	var that = this;

	this.startYahooConnect = function() {
		var popupParams = 'location=0,status=0,width=800,height=400';
		that._yahooWindow = window.open(Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/_ax/yahoo/begin/', 'yahooWindow', popupParams);
		that._yahooInterval = window.setInterval(that.completeYahooConnect, 1000);
	};

	this.completeYahooConnect = function() {
		if (that._yahooWindow.closed) {
			window.clearInterval(that._yahooInterval);
			window.location.reload();
		}
	};
};

Dsq.OpenID = new function() {
	var that = this;

	this.requestURL = function() {
		var message = '<table class="dsq-openid-form"><tr><td style="vertical-align:top;" rowspan="2"><img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.media_url + '/images/openid-icon-100x100.png" /></td>';
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<ul id="dsq-comments">\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-905118">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-905118" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-905118" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-905118">Ricorun</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-905118" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-905118" class="dsq-comment-message">DLS: <i>Too often Experts who think they know better than everyone else, don\'t.</i><br><br>Have you ever run the numbers on the issue you present above? If you were to seriously investigate it, I think you\'ll find the better question is... how often is it that "everyone else" have turned out to know better than the "experts"? As a corollary you ask, "How many people can accurately, consistently, reliably predict the future?" To which I reply, it\'s a loaded question. In other words, what are your required metrics for your "accurately", "consistently", and "reliably" qualifiers? Except for the "accurately" qualifier (which is always up in the air) it sounds to me like you\'re relying on a market whose dynamics will not appreciably change, in spite of the fact that every indication is that it will -- big time, and rapidly. Considering that, all I can say is... prepare to be overrun by a tsunami.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-904312">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-904312" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-904312" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-904312">Ricorun</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-904312" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-904312" class="dsq-comment-message">Neocon, I don\'t hate you. I\'m not even out to get you. I just don\'t believe everything you say just because you say it. And I remind you that you jumped on me first, not me on you. I just rose to the challenge. <br><br>I also admit that after that first attack you seemed mysteriously reluctant to provide information to back up what appeared to me to be the kernel of your POV except to suggest I look into Gull Island. That really set off alarm bells in my head. At that point I figured you might be one of the "Reverend\'s" disciples, and at that point it became imperative to smoke you out and make you go on record. You never did that exactly, but since then you\'ve said more, and I\'ve checked your previous comments. And in the process I understand much better where you\'re coming from. And I think you have a valid point, as far as it goes.<br><br>Concerning the nature of my support for Obama, which as you may recall was the subject of your original attack... I do believe Obama\'s energy plan is much, much better than McCain\'s. To me, the difference in that regard is stark, and heavily in favor of Obama (absent further pandering, lol!). However, Obama has other positions I don\'t like. Likewise, McCain has positions I do like much better (his approach to health care, for example). In short, I don\'t concentrate much on ideology. I try to concentrate on workable solutions to issues. I\'m not saying my opinion is always right, always well-expressed (I\'m sure you can appreciate that), or completely devoid of bias (that\'s impossible), but I try to base them on honest-to-goodness, objectively verifiable numbers, and defend them on that basis rather than whatever cobwebs have accumulated in my own mind. After all, extensive experience does not necessarily translate into good judgement.<br><br>That said, back to the subject at hand...<br><br>I\'m afraid I have to work for a living, so I\'m required to multitask. And I see that Amanda has made some of the points I was about to make by way of reiterating a comment I made on another site. But she didn\'t cover them all, others have subsequently added additional relevant points, and I don\'t have time to edit what I said to conform to the present discussion. So I hope it\'s okay if I just cut and paste. The items in parentheses are comments by others to which I was responding..<br><br><i>Meanwhile, still waiting for Pelosi/Reid “Common sense legislation for cheaper oil/gas” that was promised in 2006 for the election.</i><br><br>One could quibble about the "common sense" part, but the 2007 energy bill (the one that established new CAFE standards and a big expansion in the ethanol program) qualifies as legislation designed to reduce the price of oil/gas. With regard to ethanol, the recent price spikes and the floods in the midwest make it clear that grain-based ethanol is hugely problematic. But the whole idea is to develop alternative stocks (please Lord, make it soon). And the goal is to provide 36 billion gallons a year by 2022. Even considering that ethanol is only about 2/3 as energy-dense as gasoline, that\'s a huge amount. It represents, <i>per year</i>, nearly the equivalent of the EIA\'s mid-level estimate of the total additional oil reserve in BOTH ANWR AND OCS. In fact, just the current 5 billion gallon/yr ethanol harvest is considerably larger than what the EIA estimates to be the per year contribution ANWR and OCS combined, assuming full, unfettered exploitation. Grain-based ethanol has all kinds of problems besides interfering with food production, but once you compare the numbers, I think you can appreciate what\'s really at stake. <br><br><i>Just so you know, unless you are talking about solar and wind powered cars, wind, solar, and other alternative energy sources are meant for power production, not vehicle fuel… and barely anyone burns oil for energy production in the US anymore (read–no effect on gas prices).</i><br><br>That\'s basically true. Oil accounts for a little more than 1% of electricity generation these days (we can thank the Arab oil embargo of the 70s for that). But oil is still heavily used for heating in much of the northeast. Apart from that though, as electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids become more popular, they will transfer the energy source burden from liquid fuels to the grid. So even though we\'re talking mostly about transportation alternatives, it is important to consider how electricity is generated.<br><br>Perhaps it\'s time to get on my "wake up and smell the coffee" soapbox...<br><br>Yes, global warming probably is an important problem. And if that were the only concern, it might be a sufficient reason all by itself to seriously consider low-carbon/non-carbon energy alternatives. But it\'s not the only reason. It\'s not even the biggest reason. The biggest reason is that we have a serious energy problem. It is a problem that short term solutions won\'t address more than to provide convenient band-aids. We can try to kick the can down the road a ways, but sooner or later (most probably sooner) we\'ll come upon the can again. And our ability to kick it further will be further hampered. So that\'s one thing. The other thing is <i>there are huge amounts of money in alternative energy right here, right now</i>. Worldwide, new investment in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries totalled $148 billion in 2007. That number is just going to get bigger. And it\'s not greenies that are providing it. It\'s people who see the handwriting on the wall and want to make money. Piles of it. Alternative energy not only addresses national/energy security and balance of trade concerns, it more importantly represents investment, intellectual capital, and domestic employment opportunities that dwarf the rise of PC computers and information techologies combined -- or anything else we\'ve seen in our lifetime. If we let this opportunity slide because of a narrow focus on dead-end fossil fuels (and the interests backing them), the "fossil" in fossil fuels will take on more than one, and more ominious connotations. <br><br>It constantly surprises me that we\'re even having this conversation. And it surprises me even more that I have to spend most of my time convincing <i>conservatives</i>, who are supposed to be the money-savvy types, of the obvious benefits. As I\'ve already indicated, wind generation is going nuts. And the sad part is, we (the US) used to have a lock on that industry. We\'ve lost 80% of the manufacturing market share in just the last 10 years or so. Now we have to buy most of our product from overseas. I find that unconscionable. But if we start now we can get some of that back. And the opportunities in other sectors (like solar thermal, solar PV, geothermal, maybe even waves) are even better. <br><br>When it comes to emerging high tech, the whole notion that we should "leave it to the market" drives me crazy. It appears few people appreciate how much our (publicly funded) defense industry has shouldered the burden. Between the DoD and NASA the government been responsible for financing the advent of so many new technologies it\'s impossible to mention them all. Rocketry (obviously), satellites (obviously again), fuel cells, solar PV, insulation materials, high tech plastics, carbon composites, silicon wafers, integrated circuits, robotics, biometrics, the internet. Even the freakin\' interstate highway system was rationalized on national defense terms. Energy is much bigger than even that. Wake up and smell the coffee. Stop whining about the greenies and start following the money. If it\'s any consolation, I\'m pretty sure they\'ll end up hating you for it. Perhaps for some that\'s something to look forward to.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-897339">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-897339" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-897339" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-897339">Amanda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-897339" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-897339" class="dsq-comment-message">Actually, it makes perfect sense for the oil companies to not drill in areas where they already have the rights for two reasons.  First, they\'re making huge profits right now and if they start drilling in new areas, it costs them a heck of a lot to design, build, maintain, and staff new drilling facilities.  Not to mention the expansion of refineries (and the accompanied increase in staff, maintenance, and building costs there) that would have to happen to accomodate the increased production.  And to top it all off, if they increase the supply enough it could reduce the end price to consumers, biting into their profits.  Second, by not drilling in the areas already available, it appears as if they need the government to open up more protected spaces to drilling leases.  If the oil companies have more places left to drill, it protects their future profits.  As long as they can maintain the current balance of production and demand, they\'ll be swimming in cash.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-897551">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-897551" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-897551" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-897551">Neocon</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-897551" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-897551" class="dsq-comment-message">Fear.<br><br>Suffice it to say. Oil is high for 3 primary reasons.<br><br>1. Demand is coming dangerously close to Supply.<br>2. Future prices are determined by what people believe the future state of oil will be in in 1 month to 7 years.  Most people now are betting that the oil prices will be MUCH higher then they are now.<br>3. Fear.<br><br>You CANNOT regulate fear out of the market.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-897566">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-897566" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-897566" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-897566">RememberNovember</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-897566" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-897566" class="dsq-comment-message">nah, it\'s just the politicos that are making this a point and click issue. Question in my mind is where are arguments for/against offshore drilling? If offshore drilling and development will take at least 10 years to see any benefit, won\'t better conservation and usage of alternate energy help in the meantime anyway?  Why not hedge our bets rather than a "Texas Hold-em" up all -in?<br>As Amanda puts it- it\'s simple supply/demand. The fact that the OilCos have posted almost 100 billion in profits over the past half a dozen years speaks volumes, while GM teeters on bankruptcy. Something definitely stinks here.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-897887">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-897887" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-897887" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-897887">Neocon</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-897887" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-897887" class="dsq-comment-message">Supply and Demand.<br><br>If the world uses 83 million bbls of oil per day and the supply is capable of producing 84.5 million bbls of oil per day and everyone who is anyone can see that the demand is GOING UP and not down.<br><br>Don\'t take a genius to figure out why the FUTURES contracts are going thru the roof.  Fear.  They all know that at some point in the very near FUTURE demand will exceed supply.<br><br>Wind and solar has almost nothing to do with oil.  Our country uses 15 percent of its oil to produce electricity.  thats 3.5 million bbls per day.  It will take about 1 million wind turbines to replace 3.5 million bbls of oil per day.  <br><br>They do not call them Green Dreams for nothing.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-898539">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-898539" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-898539" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-898539">Rambie</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-898539" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-898539" class="dsq-comment-message">Neocon is correct that supply is now very close to that of demand which is making prices increase.  Plus, demand is increasing as well.   Is this "peak oil"?  Maybe, no one knows for sure thus making the futures market more volatile which is also increasing prices. <br><br>Amanda is also right, it\'s been proven that the oil companies have leases to drill in areas they are not currently drilling in. <br><br>It\'s also true that an Administration ran by men in/from the "oil industry" are trying to open new areas without any questions as to why they aren\'t using areas already open to them. <br><br>Another truth, it\'ll take YEARS to see any oil from new areas nor is there enough oil to make much of a difference.  Demand will far outstrip the extra oil produced.<br><br>We DO need to conserve and research/use alternative energy AND be open to the idea of drilling in new areas.   The solution is not one-or-the-other it must be a mix of both because like it or not Neocon, oil is FINITE so we must find alternatives to it.  We can\'t keep pushing off the R&D and investment off onto future generations IE: the 1970\'s "energy crisis"</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-898658">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-898658" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-898658" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-898658">Silhouette</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-898658" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-898658" class="dsq-comment-message">I\'ve heard that the supply/demand thing isn\'t as big a crises right now anyway as it is being made to seem.  Today Bush\'s speech had him admitting that it is his "attitude" (and I quote) keeping gas prices high in order (paraphrasing) to force the american public into a "just say uncle" position to allow BigOil to drill offshore...as has been Bush et al\'s lusting desire far far before any crises we are facing today.<br><br>Bush also expressed frustration at "subsidized oil prices" in other nations..  Ooopsie.  Did we figure out our prices are inexplicably high?  Could this not be other nations subsidizing but rather just charging a fair price?  Yes, I imagine american BigOil price blackmail must look a bit embarassing compared to realistic pricing.<br><br>I say, don\'t give them one single drop offshore or in Alaska\'s wilderness.  No rewards for terrorists.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-899551">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-899551" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-899551" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-899551">The_Master</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-899551" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-899551" class="dsq-comment-message">Polimom,<br><br>I agree with you that schizophrenia is the order of the day for attitudes about oil & gas companies.  Short sightedness, and outright ignorance rule the day.  Amanda sees the problem, but skates right over it:<br><blockquote><br>"if they start drilling in new areas, it costs them a heck of a lot to design, build, maintain, and staff new drilling facilities. Not to mention the expansion of refineries (and the accompanied increase in staff, maintenance, and building costs there) that would have to happen to accommodate the increased production"<br></blockquote><br>Exactly.  The marginal cost of producing another barrel from existing fields and facilities is quite low compared to the <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=ajs9nxBqepyA" rel="nofollow">cost of producing a barrel from an undeveloped lease</a> ($60-$70 per barrel and rising).  She and most people miss the part about how oil is a depleting asset.  After a (surprisingly short) while, the reservoir under an existing lease is depleted, and new production is needed to take its place.  So some of the money made from the existing production is needed to fund the development of tomorrow\'s production.  Good thing they are making a profit, since the costs of finding more are going up.  Rambie is correct in that it will be years before new production starts to flow from undeveloped areas.  However, the investments need to be made today, while the price at which the oil can be sold in the future is unknown--and idiot politicians are talking about windfall profits taxes.  Just the thing to stimulate massive investments . . . . <br><br>Oil & gas company profits peaked as a percentage of revenue a couple of years ago.  They have been declining as a percentage of revenue due to the rising cost of replacing their reserves.  As for "The fact that the OilCos have posted almost 100 billion in profits over the past half a dozen years speaks volumes . . ", did you know that since 1995, the combined profits of ExxonMobil and Chevron have never exceeded the combined profits of CitiBank and Bank of America (both as a percentage of revenue and in absolute dollars)?  Not once.  Yet where are the cries to tax the windfall profits of the financial industry?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-899695">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-899695" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-899695" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-899695">runasim</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-899695" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-899695" class="dsq-comment-message">This kind of circular thinking, beginning and ending with dependence on oil, is what  kept us addicted to oil-guzzling automobiles, while the world passed us by,, and now we have rust belts instead of a healthy, competitive automobile industry.<br><br>By not breaking out of the magic oil circle, we\'ll pass on the consequences to our progeny, just like we do our national debt.  <br>The choice is clear between a long term sustainable energy policy and short term feel-good political bandaids.   I hope we are adult enough to grasp that there is no gain without pain. and if we want to make any gains at all, we can\'t be shielded from all of the pain.<br><br>Thus, the subject of investment in oil shale R&D should be more properly placed in the context of what alternatives we are NOT investing in as a consequence.  <br><br>We are now witnessing the consequences of  short-sighted profit goals  in the banking industry.  This morning Bush was lauding his success at handling the economy and how wonderfully we are all doing.  His solution was to symbolically lift the drilling ban.  <br>Political to the last, Bush  is giving talking points cover to his oilmen friends and their defenders in positions of power. It\'s a bald faced maneuver to short circuit the important discussion there should be about the long term prospects for this country.  His is not a long term strategy, it\'s a kabuki dance to obscure the much direr challenges we face.  It\'s embarrrassing to hear our president sink this low. <br><br>Oil companies are eevil in the sense that they are so much like the banking industry of recent years.  Take the money and run.  .</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-899917">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-899917" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-899917" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-899917">Neocon</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-899917" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-899917" class="dsq-comment-message">What everyone here does not even know is that in the years of 1997-2006 Oil exploration by the big 5 actually declined. <br><br>The reason was simple.  It became fashionable to let the wildcaters do it and then when they found a good find they would buy out the wildcaters who did not hesitate to sell because oil during this time was 16-23 dollars per bbl and it was just too expensive for them to develop a find.  Was much more profitable to find it rather then develop it.<br><br>Now enter the era of huge oil prices.  Now the Wildcaters are in a position to drill and develop.  Thus the big 5 are no longer sitting on a monopoly.  They have 20 to 30 companies that ONCE AGAIN can offer competition with the high prices of oil.<br><br>The wildcaters will get the oil to market.  Not the Big 5.  What part of this does people not get.  For some reason people seem convinced that there is only 5 companies in the oil business</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-900938">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-900938" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-900938" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-900938">Ricorun</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-900938" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-900938" class="dsq-comment-message">Neocon: <i>Wind and solar has almost nothing to do with oil. Our country uses 15 percent of its oil to produce electricity. thats 3.5 million bbls per day. It will take about 1 million wind turbines to replace 3.5 million bbls of oil per day.</i><br><br>Actually, <a href="http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/cfapps/STEO_Query/steotables.cfm?periodType=Annual&startYear=2005&startMonth=1&endYear=2009&endMonth=12&tableNumber=23" rel="nofollow"> according to the EIA</a>, the US consumed about 300,000 bbls/day of oil to generate electricity in 2007. That\'s about 1.3% of total oil consumption.<br><br>Oil is used to generate 1-2% of current electricity generation, and the installed wind base already rivals that. Moreover, wind contributed 35% of all new U.S. electric generating capacity in 2007. <br><a href="http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/pdfs/43025.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/pdfs/4...</a><br><br>A green dream? Hardly.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-901565">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-901565" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-901565" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-901565">runasim</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-901565" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-901565" class="dsq-comment-message">What the oil offiicianados here  don\'t seem to get, is that the nation should not be concerned with oil-oil-oil  every time  things get tough.  That knee-jerk reaction is exactly what keeps us economically vulnerable.<br><br>The subject should be our long-term energy policy, of which oil is only one  part.<br>Oil should not jump to the front of the line in discussions, not if we want to avoid repeating our disasterous mistakes of the past.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-901899">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-901899" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-901899" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-901899">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-901899" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-901899" class="dsq-comment-message">When oil prices are low, we\'re told that they are "too low" [sic], that they\'re "artificially low" [sic] because they aren\'t subjected to anywhere near the levels of taxation found in Europe, or, more stupidly, to induce, and if need be to coerce, us into conserving fuel and lowering our standard of living, and most stupidly of all to do this in the name of "global warming."<br><br>But as soon as prices go high, these people are, predictably and hypocritically, the first and loudest howlers, and of course it\'s all Big Oil\'s fault.  Either they\'re rigging the market with their friends the speculators, or (a common leftist myth) they have made us, hopeless programmable consumer automatons, helplessly dependent on oil and gas for our transportation and so much of our space heating as well as electricity generation (through advertising, against we are helpless to resist), quashing instant, cheap alternatives, et cetera.<br><br>They\'ll be the first and loudest to demand heating fuel subsidies and even transportation fuel subsidies this winter if there is no price relief.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-901972">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-901972" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-901972" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-901972">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-901972" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-901972" class="dsq-comment-message">"Actually, it makes perfect sense for the oil companies to not drill in areas where they already have the rights"<br><br>A number of places off-limits to them now may be better sites than those on which they have rights (or leases) now.<br><br>It\'s not like there\'s oil everywhere.  At least once, off the Pacific Northwest, the companies spent millions _and then walked away_.  Why?  It didn\'t look good after they spent the money they needed to spend to determine this.  The same would be true for other areas, though some areas are known already to be more promising than others.<br><br>Regarding the Arctic, if the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) could be put to extended use or improved to transport oil from Arctic areas near Prudhoe Bay (into the wildlife refuge) that would be a good thing, whereas it would be a waste to not do this and then lose whatever potential cost savings were at hand once the Pipeline\'s service life ends.  Then we\'d probably be dependent on the Canadians (we\'d help pay for it) to build a pipeline from its Arctic down to our Midwest.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-901999">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-901999" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-901999" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-901999">aba23</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-901999" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-901999" class="dsq-comment-message">Many interesting comments. I\'ll just add that there\'s a cost/benefit argument against offshore drilling asserting that the negligible increase to the worldwide supply would have such a small effect on price that it would not be worth the risk of environmental and other harm. I don\'t know enough to know how persuasive this argument is.<br><br>My ignorant question is hasn\'t OPEC outlived its usefulness?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-902115">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-902115" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-902115" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-902115">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-902115" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-902115" class="dsq-comment-message">"won\'t better conservation and usage of alternate energy help in the meantime anyway"<br><br>Not substantially.  Oil is primarily a transportation fuel; there is no alternative yet (no switchgrass-based isobutanol with an energy density close to that of gasoline, for example).  With solar and wind (electricity production), there are transport costs (new transmission lines are loathed by lefties already) and the problem of the sun not always shining and the wind not always blowing.  Conservation alone has never been a magic solution, either, and only the naive believe that it is overlooked (the airlines, for example, have been fuel-use-conscious for ages) or that it alone is the solution or most of the solution.  (It\'s also morally defective and destructive when compulsory conservation is sought.)<br><br>* * *<br><br>"Is this \'peak oil\'?"<br><br>Here:<br><br><a href="http://www.princeton.edu/hubbert/the-peak.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.princeton.edu/hubbert/the-peak.html</a><br><br>The author (of at least two books) knows the oil industry well.  I own his earlier oil-peak book, not the later one (yet).<br><br><a href="http://www.princeton.edu/hubbert/" rel="nofollow">http://www.princeton.edu/hubbert/</a><br><br>"Grandpa, you mean long ago, they didn\'t do anything with those wonderful chemicals, but just _burned_ them?"</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-902177">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-902177" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-902177" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-902177">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-902177" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-902177" class="dsq-comment-message">"now we have rust belts instead of a healthy, competitive automobile industry"<br><br>The automobile industry in the USA is thriving, in the Southeast.  The Big Three do not themselves define the automobile industry, and haven\'t for decades; they haven\'t defined the industry in this country for many years; they remain based on an obsolete, killer-legacy-cost and excessive-labor-cost model as well as in the past had a reputation for poor quality and style.  (The center of automobile culture has been California, not Detroit.  The leading automobile industry activity has long been in the South, with a modern model of organization and operation and which has been doing well for years.)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-902205">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-902205" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-902205" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-902205">aba23</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-902205" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-902205" class="dsq-comment-message">Of course conservation and alternatives are important pieces of the answer--and the more and the sooner, the better because a country with alternative energy capacity will fare better than one without when the scarcity becomes the singular price-driving factor.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-902256">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-902256" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-902256" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-902256">Neocon</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-902256" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-902256" class="dsq-comment-message">Thank you Rico.  I perfer your numbers to mine.  Okay so we use 300,000 barrels of oil per day instead of 3.5 million.  Okay.  Now we are almost going to replace oil to produce electricity.  You are right though Rico I went back and looked at my numbers and its 1.5 percent not 15 percent.  I just extrapolated from the percentages to get 3.5 million.  But I love your numbers much better.<br><br>So we keep on building wind generators.  Faster and harder.  Lets get rid of those Nuk a lar plants.  And those Coal fired plants........GREAT.<br><br>However Are those wind generators going to produce gasoline?  Lower food prices?  Jet fuel?  Kerosene?  <br><br>You went over the edge on that one Rico.  In your haste to make me look bad you reinforced my position that WIND GENERATORS will have NO IMPACT on oil usage in this country.<br><br>We could Build a billion wind generators and solar panels and we would still need oil for gasoline and production techniques.<br><br>Right Runasim.  We should just build 2 trillion wind generators.  We should build a billion tidal haresses.  Bazillion solar panels and then mabey we could walk to work.  <br><br>Yeah thats the ticket.  What the green people dont understand is that electricity has nothing or almost nothing to do with oil imports.   The green people are confusing driving to work with Global warming.  Its all become a blur to them.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-902274">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-902274" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-902274" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-902274">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-902274" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-902274" class="dsq-comment-message">"the nation should not be concerned with oil-oil-oil every time things get tough"<br><br>Transportation fuels are oil-oil-oil.  Only fools would not be concerned.  That\'s why we\'d go to war to protect our relatively-low-cost, large supplies of Middle East oil, and we should.  (We also shouldn\'t allow Iraq\'s oil to get into the hands of terrorists.  State-level actors like Chavez or the government of Iran are bad enough, already.)<br><br>Now just wait until not only China\'s demand keeps climbing, but India\'s reaches substantial levels.<br><br>And oh, yes, what about the poorer nations such as in sub-Saharan Africa?  They deserve to develop and to want to drive automobiles, too.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-902305">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-902305" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-902305" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-902305">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-902305" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-902305" class="dsq-comment-message">"My ignorant question is hasn\'t OPEC outlived its usefulness?"<br><br>No.  I don\'t like them but viewing them dispasssionately, or alternatively, ruthlessly, no.<br><br>They control most places with the largest, cheapest oil supplies.  The USA alone is set to triple its imports in the next two decades or so and other nations want cheaper oil as well.  They control the best reserves.  (Russia is having fun in its own way with its gas reserves and provision of gas to nations to its west.)<br><br>Perhaps we need to fight fire with fire, as I\'ve said before, and create an "OPIC."</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-902464">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-902464" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-902464" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-902464">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-902464" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-902464" class="dsq-comment-message">"conservation and alternatives are important pieces of the answer"<br><br>Conservation may be a piece, yes, and everyone can save.  It should not be coerced.  Leave it up to me to choose a higher or lower wattage light bulb and a conventional tungsten-filament bulb or a compact fluorescent bulb.  It is the place of *** NOBODY *** to tell me what I _should_ be doing, much less compelling me to do it under law at risk of penalties if I respectfully decline to be socially engineered.  Don\'t ration or otherwise interfere with distribution of oil or its products from refinement, such as gasoline.  Don\'t pile stupid taxes onto already high fuel costs just to feel good about Being Better [sic; this is being worse] and forcing the unenlightened [sic] into doing what they don\'t want to do and really don\'t need to do.<br><br>As for alternatives, proponents need to _get real_.  Alternatives need to be economically and practically competitive with conventional energy sources if they\'re to be taken seriously as substitutes.  And that means viable substitutes _now_.  Otherwise, realize you\'re in the research and development stage only.  It\'s not something on which to abuse people for the purposes of experimentation or Feeling Good.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-902831">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-902831" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-902831" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-902831">aba23</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-902831" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-902831" class="dsq-comment-message">Yes, DLS, you made your conservation/alternatives are insufficient "as substitutes" point, but you completely ignore the independent importance (to the general national welfare) of promoting them to a reasonable extent and to spur the R&D along. While you and your freedom from taxation are very important, posterity rates some consideration for many people as well.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-902933">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-902933" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-902933" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-902933">pacatrue</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-902933" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-902933" class="dsq-comment-message">In some ways, we all yell at each other, but the long-term strategy seems relatively clear. Many of us have said that drilling AND conservation/alternatives are part of the long-term strategies, so we do what we have to do in democracies: compromise. One party gives up (portions of) ANWR and gets a functional, nation-wide cap and trade carbon emissions program. One party gives a license for further oil shale work and gets permits and tax incentives for major solar thermal operations. One party gets various oil wells uncapped and gets efficient approvals of wind farms from governmental agencies.<br><br>I personally think some of those are bad ideas, but the truth is that we are divided on this. To get more of what I think are good ideas, I will vote for some bad ideas. Of course people who disagree with me are doing the same.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-902968">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-902968" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-902968" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-902968">runasim</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-902968" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-902968" class="dsq-comment-message">DLS: "Oil is primarily a transportation fuel; there is no alternative yet <br><br>Well, that\'s exactly what we should be discussing: alternatives.  Moses didnt\' bring down an 11th commandment saying that, like rats in a maze, we are doomed to repeat yesterday\'s route to the \'cheese\' of cheap transportation.    it\'s called thinking outside the box, or innovation, if you prefer. <br>Walking might be an excellent alternative at appropraite times, for example..<br>As for new oil prodcution, that\'s not here YET, either, please note.   <br><br>After many more directives to walk in yesterday\'s shoes, we end with this gem:<br>"That\'s why we\'d go to war to protect our relatively-low-cost, large supplies of Middle East oil, and we should."<br><br>Let me repeat that: "..... and we should"<br><br>Nothing could have expressed better the need to immediately stop focusing on oil as our salvation.  BLOOD FOR OIL  does not make for an attractive national anthem.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-903014">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-903014" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-903014" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-903014">pacatrue</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-903014" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-903014" class="dsq-comment-message">Incidentally, I\'ve been amused watching a headline in the Yahoo news feed today, which has roughly gone:<br><br>Oil prices drop more than $10 a barrel<br><br>An hour later:<br><br>Oil prices drop more than $7 a barrel<br><br>Then:<br><br>Oil prices drop more than $6 a barrel<br><br>Right now it\'s just:<br><br>Oil prices plunge at fastest rate in 17 years over economic fears<br><br>Have they closed the markets yet? If not, I\'m expecting the price to go back up again and we get:<br><br>Oil prices plunge at fastest rate in 9 years.<br><br>Finally:<br><br>Oh, nevermind.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-903060">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-903060" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-903060" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-903060">pacatrue</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-903060" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-903060" class="dsq-comment-message">Runasim, your last comment reminds me again of the power of words. People will support things for "economic health" that they\'d never support for "money".<br><br>"We should engage in war with despotic nations in order to ensure economic health" sounds quite reasonable.<br><br>"We should kill people for money" doesn\'t sound quite the same.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-903136">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-903136" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-903136" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-903136" href="http://polimom.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Polimom</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-903136" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-903136" class="dsq-comment-message">"That\'s why we\'d go to war to protect our relatively-low-cost, large supplies of Middle East oil, and we should."<br><br>DLS -- that, right there, is the heart of the problem.  Because as demand continues to outpace supply, more and more nations and governments will grow desperate, and they, too, will be willing to wage war for it.  Armageddon.<br><br>I totally agree that we should be throwing as much effort as we can into as many possibilities as possible.  That should (imho) include off-shore drilling and nuclear power and natural gas, as well as oil shale and clean coal R&D -- and it should include wind / water / solar / thermal.  <br><br>In my view, the future of energy will not have a "primary vehicle".  It will have many different vehicles, depending upon a region\'s resources.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-903162">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-903162" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-903162" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-903162">Amanda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-903162" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-903162" class="dsq-comment-message">Actually Neocon, having a new, renewable energy based electrical grid is not a bad idea.  Considering that the next generation of vehicles are going to be battery-powered electric cars or plug-in electric/gas hybrids, we\'re going to see an increase in the demand for electricity.  It may as well be clean, cheap, and renewable electricity.  Personally, I think it would be really cool if over the next 10 years or so people started retro-fitting homes and offices with solar panels and/or small wind turbines to generate a sizable chunk of their own electricity.  And that\'s going to include charging up an increasing number of cars.  I read an article in Money earlier this week about Tesla Motors - they\'re launching an electric roadster this year, and they plan to have a more affordable, practical electric car on the market by the end of next year.   And they aren\'t the only ones.  Apparently Nissan, Toyota, Ford, and GM also have EV\'s in the works, most of them due to hit the market in 2010 or 2011.  It\'s an exciting prospect.<br><br>Here\'s the article: <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2008/07/07/technology/copeland_tesla.fortune/index.htm" rel="nofollow">http://money.cnn.com/2008/07/07/technology/cope...</a><br><br>And here\'s the Tesla site: <a href="http://www.teslamotors.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.teslamotors.com/</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-903206">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-903206" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-903206" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-903206">runasim</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-903206" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-903206" class="dsq-comment-message">Pacatrue,<br> I\'ll be glad to compromise when I see a compromise.  With this administration, and  its obstructive defenders in Congress, compromise has meant they get it all their way.<br><br>This was an excellent chance for Bush to salvage his leagacy by acitng like the uniter that he promised to be  by talking about compromise.   What the did, instead, was come down squarely on the side of oil and his political cronies. <br>Where is this compromise to come from when the leader in chief abhors it?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-903255">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-903255" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-903255" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-903255">Neocon</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-903255" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-903255" class="dsq-comment-message">Amanda I could not agree more.  I would love to see all our electricity generated via renewables.<br><br>That however still does not address transportation.  And it does not address the short term.  The green people want a clean environment.  They are convinced that Oil is evil and its out to destroy their Green dreams.  It is and it isnt.<br><br>UNTIL you can invent something to replace the gasoline and diesel driven vehicles then what is the alternative?  Wind generators do not produce gasoline.  They produce electricity.  <br><br>So the green dream branch of the democratic party wants to punish all of America so that we can have clean air.  Meanwhile the rest of the world just keeps on polluting.  <br><br>I\'ve said before.  Why don\'t the green people give up their cars.  Stop using electircity and that in turn would return us to the 1990 levels which they so desperately want.<br><br>Just the green people give up their stuff and let the rest of us have ours.  That sounds fair to me.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-903311">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-903311" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-903311" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-903311">pacatrue</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-903311" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-903311" class="dsq-comment-message">Runasim, it\'s a good point. The states can do some of this, and they should. For instance, most building codes (in which energy efficiency or solar requirements might be implemented) are local. However, some items do require federal action. Just like oil shale, most of the best spots for large-scale solar thermal are on federal land. How do we make the federal government do something like compromise? The more politically savvy will have to answer.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-903420">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-903420" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-903420" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-903420" href="http://polimom.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Polimom</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-903420" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-903420" class="dsq-comment-message">Ha!  The Tesla Roadster is a great looking car, Amanda!  Thanks for sharing the link!  And that reminds me (I really should do a post about this) -- don\'t you think the auto manufacturers would have a LOT more success if the hybrids / alternative models were not so darned ugly?</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-903599">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-903599" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-903599" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-903599">Amanda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-903599" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-903599" class="dsq-comment-message">Polimom, I am so with you.  The Prius is downright ugly and it seems like every other hybrid-only model (not hybrid versions of existing gas models)  is a step back when it comes to appearance.  And now we have Tesla, building this sleek, powerful roadster that looks like it would fit right into a line up of expensive sports cars.  At least GM is heading in a more pleasing direction with the Volt.  It\'s a very badass-looking car, like something a supervillain from 2030 would drive.<br><a href="http://www.gm.com/experience/entertainment/events/auto_shows/events/naias_2007/index_flash.html?navID=3.0.1.1" rel="nofollow">http://www.gm.com/experience/entertainment/even...</a></div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-903715">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-903715" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-903715" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-903715">Amanda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-903715" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-903715" class="dsq-comment-message">Neocon, it sounds like you\'re a bit biased against the green movement.  The idea isn\'t that oil is evil or that returning to the early 1900\'s is a good plan.  The point of going green is just to clean up our act a bit.  Luckily, that clean-up is creating all sorts of new jobs in research & development, technology firms, construction, engineering, electrical work, manufacturing, sales, and everything else related to those areas.  Greenies aren\'t interested in taking away your car or forcing you to recycle OR ELSE - they\'re about making clean energy and conservation a simpler and more practical part of everyday life.<br><br>Back to the topic at hand, I don\'t think anyone honestly believes Americans (or anyone else) will be ok with giving up cars at any time in the forseeable future.  Which is why we\'re going to see a larger volume of hybrid, electric, and flex-fuel vehicles on the road in the future.  It\'s no mystery why hybrids are the only segment in the auto industry that didn\'t drop by double digits in sales last quarter.  The cost of oil is going up too much too fast and people just can\'t afford to drive around in 10mpg SUV\'s anymore.<br><br>In 10-15 years, we will have other alternatives to the gasoline engine, and that\'s going to include plug-in electric cars.  Put a million plug-in electric cars on the road instead of a million gasoline powered cars and that takes a pretty big bite out of our oil consumption.  But it also puts a higher demand on electricity.  Which is why it\'s smart to invest in renewable energy tie-ins to our electrical grid, and why we need to start updating the grid to match current and future energy needs.</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-903837">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-903837" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-903837" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-903837">Neocon</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-903837" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-903837" class="dsq-comment-message">Again.  Thats all well and good.  In 10 or 15 years.  What about today.<br><br>If Greenies are so oil friendly then why the bitter fight against drilling?  You make them sound like your old aunt making sure your cookies are fresh before sending you out to play in a lovely spring afternoon.<br><br>I hardly find them to be that friendly or that accomodating.   Again Im all for them giving up their stuff.  They can give up electricity and Gasoline and their sacrifices would bring the country into compliance with Kyoto and I would bet even bring gasoline down about 2 bucks a gallon.<br><br>Then we wouldnt have to drill.  Problem solved.</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-903925">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-903925" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-903925" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-903925">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-903925" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-903925" class="dsq-comment-message">"Yes, DLS, you made your conservation/alternatives are insufficient "as substitutes" point, but you completely ignore the independent importance (to the general national welfare) of promoting them to a reasonable extent and to spur the R&D along. While you and your freedom from taxation are very important, posterity rates some consideration for many people as well."<br><br>I probably think about this more than my critics do.  Don\'t jump to mistaken conclusions, or merely incorrect assumptions.  (And I also have a bulletproof case against the wrong kind of taxes and harmful taxes, not only economically but morally.  We already are naturally "punished" for operating motor vehicles by the costs of fuel consumption.  We don\'t need additional stupid, unsound taxes to try to punish us even more for doing this.  Taxes should be justified and the burden of proof in this country lies on their advocates or proponents, not their opponents, as is true as well in the USA for government authority and intervention of any kind.)<br><br>No, I don\'t want to encounter any silly, stupid, matronizing or patronizing airtime commercials from government nagging us to conserve.  We already know that we can save money and reduce resource demand somewhat by conserving.  (Many people here in Detroit may be starting to curtail their weekend and holiday travel but they continue to drive fast and aggressively.  They don\'t believe they have reached the point yet where they wish to conserve, while I, who have long enjoyed 1000+ mile day and multi-day trips on the road, started to react psychologically when gasoline merely reached the $2.00 level.  I\'m hardly the careless or greedy one here!  I have been conserving in various ways.)<br><br>* * *<br><br>" \'Oil is primarily a transportation fuel; there is no alternative yet\' <br><br>Well, that\'s exactly what we should be discussing: alternatives."<br><br>These have been discussed already.  There are no prompt alternatives.  One that is intriguing is isobutanol made from switchgrass, but it\'s still not cost-effective.  Something more realistic in the near term would be working to lower the cost of deriving gasoline and other liquid hydrocarbon fuels from coal.<br><br>Electric vehicles aren\'t suitable yet.  No "evil conspiracy" by GM killed the EV-1; it was overpriced and it underperformed compared to conventional automobiles.  (It was quieter and had fanstastic acceleration, but the range was laughable and recharging took too long, in addition to the overall costs being too high and so much of the vehicle\'s room being devoted not to passengers or cargo but to batteries.  I got to drive a number of electric vehicles at an electric vehicle show in Atlanta one year, along with the Think car and the Smart car or whatever it was that year, 1988-89.)<br><br>We have ethanol already but it doesn\'t have the energy density of gasoline and so must be much lower priced to be competitive.  Fuel system problems need to be addressed as well.  Methanol has been considered for a long time, but it is poisonous.  Many alternative fuels were first seriously looked at in the early-to-mid-1970s and were not competitive then, and aren\'t competitive now.  The point is that alternatives have to be competitive with current fuels.  No, we do not "have to reconsider our priorities," or deliberately lower our standard of living or of vehicle performance; that is pathological.<br><br>* * *<br><br>[warring over oil]<br><br>"DLS -- that, right there, is the heart of the problem. Because as demand continues to outpace supply, more and more nations and governments will grow desperate, and they, too, will be willing to wage war for it. Armageddon."<br><br>Not quite, but still ugly to contemplate.  And it could obviously involve disruption of the very supplies that are being fought over.<br><br>"I totally agree that we should be throwing as much effort as we can into as many possibilities as possible. That should (imho) include off-shore drilling and nuclear power and natural gas, as well as oil shale and clean coal R&D -- and it should include wind / water / solar / thermal. "<br><br>Electricity production should obviously include nuclear and hydropower and likely coal for base load.  Southern locations can use solar for peak load (not a "green roof" containing plants or trees, something I find intriguing for old central cities and their high-rises as well as in the suburbs, not a chameleon-like "green roof" black in winter and white in summer to reduce power demands for climate control, but a "green roof" composed of solar panels to supply peak load).  Fuel cell research also would be nice (this is for both vehicular use and "off-grid" future power provision to buildings and households).  Deriving conventional liquid fuels (and methane) from coal is a good short-term prospect and biomass not only for power generation but for vehicle fuels might work someday.  Solar and wind can help where they would be useful.<br><br>* * *<br><br>"UNTIL you can invent something to replace the gasoline and diesel driven vehicles then what is the alternative? Wind generators do not produce gasoline. They produce electricity."<br><br>Heh.  Consider a 1000-passenger blended-wing-body (giant "flying wing") multi-pusher-prop fuel-cell-powered airliner.  Mighty clean (even if the prop blades are not quiet -- keep those tip speeds subsonic!) and if it were slightly slower than a jet (turboprop state of the art or around 400 knots, which is respectably fast) but dirt cheap to fly coast to coast or across the Pacific, even, well, that would be considered a good thing by most people.</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-903974">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-903974" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-903974" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-903974">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-903974" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-903974" class="dsq-comment-message">"In 10-15 years, we will have other alternatives to the gasoline engine, and that\'s going to include plug-in electric cars. Put a million plug-in electric cars on the road instead of a million gasoline powered cars and that takes a pretty big bite out of our oil consumption. But it also puts a higher demand on electricity."<br><br>Odds are it\'ll be longer than that, Amanda, for a serious plug-in electric car (must have a range of 300-400 miles and recharge fully in 5-10 minutes at most; you have to consider day trips and other long trips, not just puttering around town and recharging overnight at home or at employer-benefit "top-off" facilities where you park at work).  But so much pollution in metro areas is due to motor vehicle use and converting to electric vehicles would vastly reduce (up to 90 per cent or more of some pollutants, I believe) urban-area pollution.  Yes, some of it effectively is just shifted to power plants, but more nuclear and hydropower and alternatives such as you advocate would address this issue.<br><br>(Currently, even this decade, many new plants are coal-fired because coal is so cheap.  Normally the change that is made is from coal or oil firing to gas firing to reduce pollution. This may well happen as well in places like the Northeast which still use heating oil extensively rather than the common gas heating used elsewhere.  To get away from coal or oil and not go to gas -- or to nuclear -- the alternatives have to be economically competitive.)</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-904106">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-904106" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-904106" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-904106">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-904106" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-904106" class="dsq-comment-message">Actually, Amanda, the EV-1 (one of the cars I drove when I was in Atlanta) was a nice-looking if impractical car.  I was in Phoenix at the time it was introduced to a number of metro areas in a demonstration program.  Someone at work was participating in the program (I didn\'t have plug-facilities handy; I wanted to participate, too) and was allowed to drive the vehicle onto company premises (into the open courtyard in the middle of our facilities) and he simply parked the car there and propped up the hood and waited for the crowd to arrive, which it promptly did.  The EV-1 was not a practical and even less a cost-effective car, but it was nice looking.  The recharging was crude but convenient (to use the equipment, not to wait for the charge) with its "paddle" inductive charging.<br><br>The car was almost totally silent to drive (when I was in Atlanta at the EV show) and of course accelerated like a rocket.<br><br>Maybe that\'s why they didn\'t have the electric sports car there that they had originally advertised.  Too much temptation.<br><br>(Note on charging.  Many electric companies want the female, or socket, connection that\'s hot, while having the vehicle manufacturers build their vehicles with cords and the male, or plug, connection.  Vehicle makers would prefer to have the socket into which the electric companies, at charging stations, would supply a hot cord and plug.  Both sides want the other to provide the more expensive cord and plug.)</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-904112">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-904112" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-904112" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-904112">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-904112" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-904112" class="dsq-comment-message">(I\'d want a "hermaphrodite" that would have both a socket and a cord and a plug so I could get a charge no matter what the electricity provider\'s scheme was.)</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-904516">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-904516" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-904516" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-904516">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-904516" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-904516" class="dsq-comment-message">"Oil accounts for a little more than 1% of electricity generation these days (we can thank the Arab oil embargo of the 70s for that). But oil is still heavily used for heating in much of the northeast."<br><br>In California, where I grew up, you can probably thank the California Air Resources Board (CARB) or the South Coast Air Quality Management District (the AQMD), too.  For whatever reasons, to reduce air pollution at least one of the oil-fired power plants near Seal Beach was converted to gas.  Gas conversion and new gas-fired peak load provision is the clean-air alternative of choice these days.  Air pollution is a real, serious thing.  Just don\'t let the activists run amok and arbitrarily impose goofy goals like impractically high minimum sales of zero-emission vehicles, et cetera.<br><br>"With regard to ethanol, the recent price spikes and the floods in the midwest make it clear that grain-based ethanol is hugely problematic. But the whole idea is to develop alternative stocks (please Lord, make it soon). "<br><br>Note that people cannot be surprised or upset that corn prices rise when demand for corn is raised because corn is used to produce ethanol.  (What you do is try to make ethanol from other things like freely growing switchgrass on the Plains.  Wind and switchgrass farms -- what else would the drier parts of the windy Plains be really good for, anyway? And it\'s there that there likely is money to be made, not only from those incessent winds but from those weeds.  T. Boone Pickens obviously is trying to sell his own stuff when he is on the air currently, but the Texas-accented, "I\'m an oil man," couldn\'t-be-different-than-Bush short commercial he has made that\'s on the lefty radio here -- he sounds like Ross Perot, too -- is a class act.)<br><br>[more on Pickens]<br><br><a href="http://www.newsweek.com/id/145851" rel="nofollow">http://www.newsweek.com/id/145851</a><br><br>* * *<br><br>"When it comes to emerging high tech, the whole notion that we should \'leave it to the market\' drives me crazy."<br><br>It shouldn\'t.  Too often Experts who think they know better than everyone else, don\'t.  And why should we be subjected to the need or the requirement to accept something inferior and economically unfit as alternative to what we prefer, just to make a few people happy?  How many people can accurately, consistently, reliably predict the future?<br><br>There is no crisis [tm] and there are no magic solutions, just practical alternatives in some instances in our future.</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-905031">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-905031" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-905031" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-905031">aba23</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-905031" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-905031" class="dsq-comment-message">DLS, I sincerely thank you for your contributions above--very interesting stuff in there. I apologize if I gave you the idea that I advocated "matronizing or patronizing airtime commercials from government nagging us to conserve." (Not sure where that came from.)  If your point is that governmental spending is always the wrong answer and can never stimulate an industry, that\'s fine, but it seems to me that federal policies and infrastructure spending did wonders for the auto and oil industries.</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-905792">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-905792" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-905792" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-905792">runasim</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-905792" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-905792" class="dsq-comment-message">it\'s a shock to see a return of the unmanaged markets mantra. as we follow  the news about the effects of unmanaged market forces on the housing and banking industries.  <br>Markets are a by-product of human activity, not a magic potion!  The same species of being that makes bad choices in the shopping mall creates \'market forces, for good and for ill. <br>------------------------ <br>I can\'t find any logic at all in the distrust of experts,  If not experts, then who should guide us -   neighborhood committers of amateurs  who know nothing about the subject at hand?  Because some experts can be wrong, we have other experts, even a consensus of experts, to check out the veracity of any one man\'s claims, We must demand that they all be experts, not just the local coffee klatch.  <br><br>Come to that, what\'s worng with an expert making a profit from his ideas or creations? , That  is the very foundation of capitalism and the markets so much deferred to, after all.<br>There is no logical thread holding all these  disparate assertions together.<br>----------------<br>To those worried aout the snazziness of their fuel efficient cars:<br>you better hope gas prices stay high.  There needs to be a dependable market for inelegant models for commoners  before investment can be available for development of models for the aesthetically picky.  <br>Europe is way ahead of us in dealing with energy because they  know how to priotitize.  They don\'t crave bling before they\'ve paid their grocery bills, and they don\'t confuse a means of transportation with a tool for gauging their self worth.</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-906397">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-906397" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-906397" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-906397">Neocon</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-906397" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-906397" class="dsq-comment-message">well one thing is for sure.  Those liberals sure do want to be told what to do.  I see no one of the greenies came forward and offered to give up their cars and electricity.  I see now Runny wants to have our banks and housing regulated and for all us idiots to be led around by the hands and shown how to make a good choice vs a bad choice in a market thats mean and evil thru and thru.<br><br>Long live the Nanny Kingdom.  Fear Not Obama will tell you what to do soon enough.</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-906797">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-906797" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-906797" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-906797">runasim</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-906797" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-906797" class="dsq-comment-message">Temper, temper, Neocon,<br><br>The truth is that us lib\'uls don\'t want to be led by the hand by anyone, certainly not by ill-guided market forces or those stuck on repeating yesterday\'s foibles.<br><br>I look around and I make my own choices.  I choose concentrating on alternate energy sources and energy conservation.   Oil can contribute to but not dominate my choices.<br>Your family business  will just have to compete for attention, like everyone else. <br><br>Being personally insulting, btw, is not good salesmanship.  <br>Insults are  used when legitimate ideas are lacking, and you have my sympathy for having run dry in the legitimate idea department..</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-909002">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-909002" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-909002" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-909002">Neocon</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-909002" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-909002" class="dsq-comment-message">Regulate.  Tell the people what to wear, say, eat, drink.........DRIVE.  Come into their homes and look around and tell them what kind of pillows they can have on their beds.  Regulate their coffee so its not too hot or they might get burned.  <br><br>Regulate.  Dictate.  Oh Puhlease tell us what to do.  We are lost.  We are incapable of making choices.  No one ever told me that if I make 5000 dollara a month and I take on a 6000 dollar a month mortgage thats not good economics.  The government should have warned me.  They should have sent a personal representative to counsel me and to make decisions for me.<br><br>Wahhhh........I want my Nanny State................wahhhh.<br><br>What?  Gasoline prices caused your melt down?   Well heck.  Lets regulate that too.  We will build you a wind generator and created a hydrogen car.  Just hang in there and in another 25 years we will have you fixed back up.<br><br>Insulting?  Hardly.  I just disagree with your overwhelming need for everyone in America to be coddled and led around by the hand and Im making fun of it.  If being made fun of in a post is insulting then perhaps you could find a way to regulate that too.</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-909085">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-909085" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-909085" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-909085">Neocon</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-909085" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-909085" class="dsq-comment-message">I just could not help think about the Greenies and the Nanny state left when I read this article at the cato institute the other day.  <br><br> The late economist Julian Simon was libertarianism\'s great optimist. Classical liberals are naturally cynical about government and, as Jefferson famously put it, its natural tendency to grow and for liberty to lose ground. The "upside" of libertarianism, however, has always been the philosophy\'s ability to see the potential in individuals and in people\'s proclivity to make good decisions about their own well-being and, in the process, better the plight of humankind.<br><br>No one put humanity\'s explosion of wealth and prosperity into better perspective than Simon. Simon\'s targets were the doom-and-gloom environmentalists and zero-population-growth activists who in the last half of the 20th century peddled dire predictions of the coming cataclysm they said would be wrought by free markets and American consumerism. Using a wealth of economic, demographic, health, and consumer data, Simon showed how capitalism has made us more prosperous, healthier, better educated, longer lived, and generally better off than we\'ve ever been. Furthermore, he demonstrated how prosperity and technology tend to make scarce resources more abundant, not less. <br><br>Though Malthusian prophets still pop up from time to time, Simon seems to have largely won that debate. Today\'s critics of free markets don\'t invoke Armageddon as their predecessors did. Nor do they declare that prosperity will be our undoing. Rather, today they argue that we simply aren\'t equipped to handle our freedom and our success. Instead of invoking government to heavily regulate the economy and redistribute wealth, they now argue that we need government to make many of our personal decisions for us, because individual Americans can\'t be trusted to make them on their own.<br> <br>Wow and I thought I was the only one who thought this.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-909533">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-909533" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-909533" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-909533">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-909533" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-909533" class="dsq-comment-message">"If your point is that governmental spending is always the wrong answer and can never stimulate an industry, that\'s fine, but it seems to me that federal policies and infrastructure spending did wonders for the auto and oil industries."<br><br>Spending has certainly helped ethanol progress, too!<br><br>(General rule -- spending helps its "targets" sometimes, although often in unforeseen ways; the taxation is a burden.)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-909545">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-909545" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-909545" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-909545">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-909545" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-909545" class="dsq-comment-message">"Considering that, all I can say is... prepare to be overrun by a tsunami."<br><br>Hype.<br><br>Just as with our unsustainable federal retirement programs, the "disaster" will unfold in slow motion.</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-909562">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-909562" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-909562" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-909562">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-909562" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-909562" class="dsq-comment-message">"Those liberals sure do want to be told what to do."<br><br>They want to tell others what to do -- beginning with regulation, as you went on to note.</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-909727">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-909727" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-909727" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-909727">Ricorun</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-909727" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-909727" class="dsq-comment-message">Neocon: <i>No one ever told me that if I make 5000 dollara a month and I take on a 6000 dollar a month mortgage thats not good economics. </i><br><br>And yet somehow many people got loans like that. Go figure.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-909887">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-909887" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-909887" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-909887">aba23</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-909887" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-909887" class="dsq-comment-message">DLS and Neocon, The American (and Western European) social welfare state demonstrates that there is a substantial segment of the population who disagrees with you. This in itself does not mean that your strong libertarian position is objectively "wrong." But it does mean that if you are "right," then a lot of people make WRONG choices--which is the reason we provide a safety net. It is a society of human beings, not economically rational actors.<br><br>To paraphrase, just because I\'m for regulation, it does not follow that I\'m for dumb regulation.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-911366">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-911366" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-911366" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-911366">Neocon</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-911366" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-911366" class="dsq-comment-message">Perhaps if we let them live with their mistakes, They wouldnt make so many.   <br> <br>No one is advocating disbanding and removing safety nets.  The problem is that the safety nets in place are never enough and the left/liberals continue to want more and more and more............until its a Nanny state socialism experiment.<br><br>No longer do they issue doom and gloom.  Now the new talking point is that we make mistakes and we should be picked up when we fall.     But now its going beyond that to we must regulate the banks, we must save the people from evil banks who lent them money to buy a house.  <br><br>Nothing is more evident then the first thing the democratic congress does when the energy crisis becomes a problem.  Yep they try to legislate fear out of commodities traders.  With REGULATIONS.<br><br>Lord have mercy.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-915551">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-915551" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-915551" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-915551">Ricorun</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-915551" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-915551" class="dsq-comment-message">Neocon: <i>No longer do they issue doom and gloom. Now the new talking point is that we make mistakes and we should be picked up when we fall. But now its going beyond that to we must regulate the banks, we must save the people from evil banks who lent them money to buy a house. </i><br><br>That\'s not exactly it. Then again, maybe it is. The fact is, most people don\'t have the financial acumen that people employed by lending institutions are presumed to have. Thus, they present themselves in good faith (more or less anyway), expecting the lending institution to judge them according to their established criteria. Many of said people should not have qualified. Yet amazingly, the lending institution went along with it. Why is that? <br><br>More importantly, what are the ramifications for the lendee and the lendor? Motivations and ramifications are both important, don\'t you think?<br><br>Personally, I would never have gotten myself in that situation. My RE transactions set me up for life, but I never got suckered into a situation I didn\'t think I could handle. Heaven knows the offers were there though. And if I took them up on them I didn\'t have to be dishonest about anything -- just stupid. But the fact is, had I been stupid it would have ruined me. The lending institution could either fold up and walk away (assuming they were sufficiently small), or have the government bail them out (if they were sufficiently large). <br><br>Looking back over the last several decades, I\'d say shady lending practices have accounted for most of the major economic melt-downs. The current mortgage crisis is the most recent incarnation. But similar mechanisms explain the dot com bubble in the early 00s, the FSL fiasco in the early 90s, and Black Monday in the mid  80s. If I were old enough, perhaps I could walk it back further, lol!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-916004">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-916004" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-916004" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-916004">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-916004" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-916004" class="dsq-comment-message">"DLS and Neocon, The American (and Western European) social welfare state demonstrates that there is a substantial segment of the population who disagrees with you."<br><br>Without a doubt.  The more that people expect to benefit, the more they would disagree, as a rule.<br><br>From the next part of your posting there is the essence of what you were trying to say:<br><br>"a lot of people make WRONG choices--which is the reason we provide a safety net."<br><br>Actually, the most-supported basis for the safety net concept is that people can experience misfortune that is not their fault necessarily at all.<br><br>(Separate issue -- regulation, rather than the safety net)<br><br>"To paraphrase, just because I\'m for regulation, it does not follow that I\'m for dumb regulation."<br><br>Good to know.  My concern is that many are in favor of dumb regulation (for dumb reasons) or it becomes that way even with good intentions.<br><br>Note that regulation, as opposed to welfare-state entitlements, brings government back to being government rather than a provider of services, which is good.  (It becomes more than that when regulation is used to force "progress" on something that business won\'t do on its own because -- as I once told Pete Abel -- the first businesses to do things that cost more only lose.  Regulation can force all business to do X, for example provide safety glass in automobiles, that wouldn\'t pay for anyone to be a pioneer, even in today\'s "enlightened" post-1960s era.  Businesses can all wink at each other while publicly decrying the Big, Bad Government while they\'re relieved that everyone else has to play by the same rules.  (Of course, this is to the advantage of bigger business who can best afford the regulations\' effects, so be warned.  It\'s no surprise that the big trucking companies support 68-mph limiters for trucks while smaller independent firms do not, for example.)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 </ul>\
';

(function() {
	
	





Dsq.Debug.profile(function() {
	if(Dsq.jsonData.request.page == 1 && Dsq.jsonData.request.is_initial_load) {
		Dsq.container.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.header() + Dsq.container.innerHTML + Dsq.Templates.footer();
	}
	Dsq.$(Dsq.curPageId).innerHTML = Dsq.$(Dsq.curPageId).innerHTML.replace(Dsq.COMMENTS_RE, Dsq.CommentsHandler);
}); // Dsq.Debug.Profile

// HACK: Resetting cache because we're done with.
Dsq.Utils.gebiFromElementCollectionCache = null;


	
	
	var dsq_styleEl = document.getElementById(disqus_container_id);
	var dsq_anchorEl = document.getElementsByTagName('a')[0];
	
	Dsq.Thread.fc = Dsq.Utils.getStyle(dsq_styleEl, 'color');
	if(dsq_anchorEl) { Dsq.Thread.ac = Dsq.Utils.getStyle(dsq_anchorEl, 'color'); }
	Dsq.Thread.ff = Dsq.Utils.getStyle(dsq_styleEl, (Dsq.Utils.ie || window.opera ? 'fontFamily' : 'font-family'));
	// For Safari / Opera: strip quotes.
	Dsq.Thread.ff = Dsq.Thread.ff.replace(/['"]/g, '');
	Dsq.Thread.fc = encodeURIComponent(Dsq.Thread.fc);
	Dsq.Thread.ac = encodeURIComponent(Dsq.Thread.ac);
	Dsq.Thread.ff = encodeURIComponent(Dsq.Thread.ff);

	
	
	
	if(Dsq.$(Dsq.Templates.addPostContainer)) {
		// TODO: Check to see if theme uses postmessage.
		if (window.disqus_use_postmessage) {
			Dsq.frames['reply_0'] = new Dsq.ReplyFrame(Dsq.$(Dsq.Templates.textareaContainer));
			Dsq.frames['reply_0'].init(function() {
				// Use fallback iframe
				Dsq.$(Dsq.Templates.addPostContainer).innerHTML = '';
				var theme = (typeof disqus_frame_theme == 'undefined') ? 'default' : disqus_frame_theme;
				Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(Dsq.$(Dsq.Templates.addPostContainer), null, {theme: theme});
				// if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(); }
			});
		} else {
			// DEPRECATED
			Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(Dsq.$('dsq-post-add'));
		}
	}

	
	

	
	if(document.location.hash != '') {
		document.location.hash = document.location.hash.substring(1);
	}

	Dsq.Popup.showCookieMsgs();

	
	if(document.location.search != '' && location.hash != '#disqus_thread') {
		var reply_id = Dsq.Utils.getRequestParams().dsq;
		if(reply_id) { document.location.hash = 'comment-' + reply_id; }
	}

	
	if((typeof OB_Script != 'undefined') && (typeof OB_versionNum != 'undefined')) {
		if(navigator.userAgent.indexOf("Firefox") != -1) {
			if(window.frames['dsq-reply-frame']) {
				window.frames['dsq-reply-frame'].location = Dsq.Urls.REPLY + (new Date()).getTime() + '&f=themoderatevoice&t=oil_companies_are_eeevil_except_when_they8217re_not_22&to_redirect=' + encodeURIComponent(window.location) + '&ifrs=' + encodeURIComponent(disqus_iframe_css);
			}
		}
	}

	if (Dsq.jsonData.integration.theme == 4) {
		if (Dsq.jsonData.realtime_enabled) {
			Dsq.Realtime.initialize();
		}
	}

	



	window.ExecuteWhen = (function () {
	var obj = {}
	
	// Private
	var running = false;
	var timer = null;
	var pending = [];
	var startTimer = function() {
		running = true;
		timer = setInterval(obj.heartBeat, 100);
	};
	var stopTimer = function() {
		running = false;
		clearInterval(timer);
	};
	
	// Public
	obj.add = function (condition, code) {
		pending.push([condition,code]);
		this.heartBeat(); //!
		if (!running) {
			startTimer();
		}
	};
	obj.heartBeat = function() {
		if (!pending.length) {
			stopTimer();
		}
		var newPending = [];
		for (var i=0; i<pending.length; i++) {
			var cond = pending[i][0];
			var code = pending[i][1];
			// FIXME: if cond or code throw an error, they never get removed from pending
			if (cond()){
				code();
			}
			else {
				newPending.push([cond, code]);
			}
		}
		pending = newPending;
	};
	return obj;
})();

// also used in embed_thread.js:
window.fbIsReady = function () {return window.FB && FB.init;};
// NOTE: This script gets executed again without threadEl
//       set when we are loaded again as the fbc_receiver.
//       In this case, we don't need the hidden container.

if(!window.FB || !FB.init) {
	if(window.Dsq && Dsq.container) {
		// container is not present when init.js is loaded from an xd-receiver iframe; in this case,
		// we don't need the FB_HiddenContainer anyway.
		var fbDiv = document.createElement('div');
		fbDiv.id = "FB_HiddenContainer";	// Required or else FeatureLoader will execute a document.write.
		fbDiv.style.position = 'absolute';	// This is intentionally not setting display to none as this breaks
		fbDiv.style.top = '-10000px';		// Flash in Safari.
		fbDiv.style.left = '-10000px';
		fbDiv.style.width = '0px';
		fbDiv.style.height = '0px';
		Dsq.container.appendChild(fbDiv);
	}
	var fbJS = document.createElement('script');
	fbJS.type = "text/javascript";
	fbJS.src = "http://static.ak.connect.facebook.com/js/api_lib/v0.4/FeatureLoader.js.php";
	document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(fbJS);

	ExecuteWhen.add(window.fbIsReady,
		function () {
			// HACK: This is a workaround FBC's single domain limitation by
			//		 allowing sites to create multiple forums with different
			//		 Facebook API keys.  This must be used in conjunction with
			//		 disqus_facebook_forum (see authenticateFacebook).
			var facebook_api_key = '8e626a1cbe92745e5f4435bb28791555';
			if (typeof disqus_facebook_api_key != 'undefined') {
				facebook_api_key = disqus_facebook_api_key;
			}

			FB.init(facebook_api_key, window.facebookXdReceiverPath || null,
				{fetchSignedPublicSessionData: true});
		});
}


	


if(typeof(disqus_callback) == 'function') {
	var callback_params = Dsq.Utils.getRequestParams()['dsq_cbp'] || null;

	// We don't care about any errors in third-party code
	try {
		disqus_callback(callback_params);
	} catch (x) {
		if (typeof(console) != 'undefined' && typeof(console.log) == 'function') {
			// But it would be nice to let developers know about them
			console.log(x);
		}
		// pass
	}

	// HACK: We don't know if the callback wraps our container, which may
	// possibly result in a new DOM element.
	Dsq.container = document.getElementById('dsq-content');
}

// Global event handler for narcissus.
if (Dsq.jsonData.integration.theme == 4) {
	var g = Dsq.Utils.ie ? document : window;
	Dsq.Utils.addEventListener(g, 'keydown', function(event) {
		// Handle "enter" key on input for post box.
		if ((event.keyCode || event.which) == 13) {
			var target = Dsq.Utils.ie ? event.srcElement : event.target;
			// For Safari bug, detect text node.
			if (target.nodeType == 3) {
				target = target.parentNode;
			}

			if (target.nodeName == 'INPUT' &&
				target.parentNode.className == 'dsq-input-wrapper') {
				var postId = Dsq.Utils.extractId(target);
				Dsq.Templates.postComment(postId, this, false);
			}
		}
	});
}

})();




