Gideon Rachman, usually great, in the FT.
Notes that this year the US overtakes Russia as biggest gas producer in the world--first time in a decade that Russia's not #1. Stunning, when you think of it.
The potential is vast: less coal burned for electricity and less oil use once hybrids go mainstream (just drove another Prius on recent trip and I gotta say, it rides just fine).
The thing is, everybody who needs it most (US, EU, China) are now all finding large to huge deposits.
Rachman wonders, is this the real reason Russia warms up? Other reasons: Obama's reset on missile defense in Europe, and Medvedev's emergence.
Good news in bad times, says Rachmen.
Amen.