[sunnyrap]

'why haven't we tapped it as an energy source' is an excellent question. Nat'l Geographic channel did a big special on methane hydrate--the deposits at the bottom of the ocean floor. The show went on about how scientists were figuring out how to mine the stuff so far down and get it up to the surface where we could use it. So much more combusitble than petroleum, clean burning and all that--and here Mother Russia sits on top of the Motherload of it .... You know, the simple truth is, with a little planetary cooperation, we could all live like Kings...