Isn't if funny we all use thousands of gallons of this stuff and we don't have a clue what it really is???

Don't forget that mass is conserved. If we pull it out of the ground and convert it into CO2 gas, the mass of carbon in the granitic basement will be reduces. So maybe we need to find that bacteria (an hope it isn't deadly to carbon based life forms like hominids) to convert that CO2 in the atmosphere back into oil. This is a plausible theory, BTW. The "fossil" theory is over 100 years old and could very well be incorrect... Just like the earth is flat was proven wrong because of gravity. FR, bet you didn't know that you were on to something (except it is centripical force).

At what point do we say enough is enough and open up anwar and turn over every rock in the rockies that may have oil? It is screwing up the entire world economy and no matter what anyone does, they keep driving the prices up. I don't know if it the sheiks, the speculators, the world bank or us boaters but it's out of hand. Went over $140.00 today after we have been hearing it's about to come down. yea right.

I doubt that it ever comes down. And no matter where it comes from, nothing is infinite. It will run out at some point simply because we use it faster than it is produced.

Hybrids, ethanol, electric cars, etc. None of these things are really helping the oil situation, and they are not particularly green when you dig into them either.

Ask them how much oil goes into their iPods, computers, homes, etc., Oil is a part of our lives in too many ways to ignore. How much oil was used to haul that Prius to the states? People are ignorant of how we use oil, how the energy process works, and what it will take to resolve these issues.

Without wasting any additional time and thought, a loud "Buzz Off!!!" would work for me.
(substitute a word of course...)

Then again, who knows what response that would bring from the spoon-fed ignoramuses...

On the other hand, haven't you ever seen some kid in a lifted Hummer or 3/4 ton pickup with giant wheels and tires and sort of thought the same thing?

The difference between you or I and that big lifted truck is probably about the same, in terms of perception, as the Prius and the pickup truck.

Still, I don't think I'd actually remark about it to the guy in the lifted truck...too many crazies behind the wheel, some of them armed.

No

The lifted Hummer / unlifted truck / unfun Prius comparisons are understandable, but not always from a 'how much gas is he using' point of view. I know of many young guys (2 nephews come to mind) who insist on driving F-350 4-door diesel pickups even though the heaviest thing they tow is a dirt bike. The one nephew is married with 2 kids, and living with my sister, beCAUSE----All his money is going to pay for the truck and the diesel fuel for it...

Not sure who's stupider, him, or my sister for putting up with it...

And then there's my friends stepson, who called 2 months ago, begging, PLEADING to buy the old Sea Ray. Why not, his parents haven't made a payment to us on the thing for 3 years or so. Told him $4500 and it's his. "Well..." --I could hear the foot-shuffle-boogie over the phone even-- "I was hoping you would take payments." ***Umm, why don't you just get a loan, it's under $5 grand, you should be able to just get a signature loan! "Well...I can't get another loan because I just paid $51,000 for a new truck!" ***Umm...if the bank don't think you can make payments, why should I?? ....the begging continued until I relented. But I wanted the whole balance owed. Ok, fine... I told him $163 a month for 3 years, which I think was 6% interest...

Like I said, 2 months ago. Haven't seen a check yet...

And I could care less how much gas & diesel fuel he burns...

Wow, I have a hard time wrapping my brain around 51 grand for a car, truck, whatever.

I've seen people in lowered trucks that can't make it over a speed bump without scrubbing ground and thin sidewall tires that look like rubber bands and think what a way to waste a truck!

No. I think it's great that we live in a country where you can.

Troop: I laugh internally. There should be a gas guzzler tax on them though.

BTW: I hope no one bites on the bait. It was suppose to be a hidden funny joke.

I have a nephew who had a 1-ton dually for himself and a diesel Excursion for his wife. He does some towing, but it is mostly because he drives semis for Wal-Mart and that is what he finds familar. It is the same with my BIL who is a trucker. He drives an old 1-ton diesel. They have been trying to find a good econobox for awhile now, but he gets claustrophobic in them. They had been looking at an Escape, but I think he is still wanting a diesel engine. I know there are a lot of the small vehicles that I feel uncomfortable in. And I realize that if you are used to looking over traffic, it is difficult to be looking up at it.

Seadog, that's funny that you say it's what he's familiar with. When my father drove to the Wal Mart distrubution center to get in their truck, he drove either his S-10 (with a V8) or his Fiero.