Posted By: Irving Lewis  on Sunday, January 06, 2008

One important reason that oil is so high is that the dollar has lost it's value. If you don't like the price of oil go to Europe where it is particularly prohibitive. How's $8 (approx) a gallon for gas in Scotland?

Posted By: Kiltedhulk  on Sunday, January 06, 2008

The first and most important thing about our (USA) oil consumption is that the less we use the less we can provide for our own people and others.  We may not need to go into outer space but look at all of the things that have been derived form the attempt.  Cell phones and microwaves come first to my mind.  The one thing that has made this country stand head and shoulders above the rest of the world WAS that there was nothing or on one stopping Wilber and Orvel Wright, as there is today, no Government BANNING incandescent light bulbs, no laws stopping people from going over Niagara Falls in barrels ( teaching us about crash trauma and saving millions of lives in automobile crashes).  Restrictions RESTRICT, our learning through the success or failure of any and all projects.  Waste will ruin the wasteful, restriction will ruin this country.

Posted By: Steve D.  on Sunday, January 06, 2008

Yep, we Americans are all be addicted to a very good and comfortable life translating into heavy energy consumption.  Large gas guzzling vehicles driven excessively, unnecessarily  large single family homes environmentally controlled to the extreme, pleasure/recreational vehicles (boats, aircraft, snow mobiles, etc.), unlimited supply of fresh food (meat, vegetables and fruit) during all seasons, and wasteful use of industrial materials (plastic, aluminum, steel, etc.).  So what are the answers?  Believe most of us know the answers, but don't want to admit that we all must change--everyone of us.  Higher prices for energy, alternative energy sources, and government incentives can help drive the necessary change, but it’s still up to us–each and every one of us--to make change possible.  Will we individually do what is needs to be done?  Probably not without a lot of  kicking and screaming.  We are after all spoiled rotten.  Me too . . .  How 'bout you?

Posted By: Marilyn  on Sunday, January 06, 2008

Really loved this cartoon ! It's all very sad but like everything else Europe is ahead of us in addressing this issue. I'm sure they went thru the very same growing pains as we are about to undergo as we make the breakthru into a new way of life. Nobody likes change but change is the one constant in life.

Posted By: Kiltedhulk  on Monday, January 07, 2008

"change is the one constant in life" may be a truism, but the large profits that the oil company's are not allowed to pump back into new refineries is also a truism as with not being allowed to drill in the gulf as Mexico and China are doing, why not follow their lead and drill in the gulf also.  For one thing at one time this country followed no one anywhere, but opened new fields for others to follow us into.  In the past the oil prices were kept low and inventive, gutsy, American entrepreneur's surged ahead, wasted the fuel finding, building or making things the world used and spat on us for making them come to this country for that which they needed or wanted.  When a leader starts following they are no longer a leader, and why follow someone who will lead us to $8 a gallon gas.  Why are there so many people out there wanting to wear sack cloth and ashes just because they were born in this country, why do these people not move to Europe, why?  Because the world doesn't want or need any one stupid enough to leave Atlantis to wallow with the barbarians.  Smart people from abroad are still wanting to move here so bad that they die in cargo containers or in the heat of the desert.  For Gods sake people lets find and elect politicians who will changes some of these hog tying laws and get on with leading the world to bigger and better times out there in the stars.  Go ahead and become cannon fodder for some American hating country.................Whew that felt good.