[Nicko]

Oil on all markets has been breaking records for the past two weeks, why does this seem to be a non-issue?

Another thing...lots of American GIs/civilians have been getting killed recently (a couple today, a few yesterday)...hardly any concern so it would seem. War Apathy perhaps?

[aberdeenwriter]

Originally posted by Nicko:
Oil on all markets has been breaking records for the past two weeks, why does this seem to be a non-issue?

Another thing...lots of American GIs/civilians have been getting killed recently (a couple today, a few yesterday)...hardly any concern so it would seem. War Apathy perhaps?

IMHO, it's like going to the bathroom. Everyone's dirty little common denominator. We all have to go there. But the details are sorta distasteful.

Well, I admit to needing and wanting oil and want to pay the least amount of $$ for it and don't like anyone else controlling access to it unless they are thoroughly invested in the capitalist philosophy and democracy.

[djohnson]

Originally posted by aberdeenwriter:
Well, I admit to needing and wanting oil and want to pay the least amount of $$ for it and don't like anyone else controlling access to it unless they are thoroughly invested in the capitalist philosophy and democracy.

[MATTRESS]

I could care less about "high" oil prices. I don't drive a gas guzzling SUV so the higher they go the better. Maybe this is what is needed to get all the urban assault vehicles off the streets finally. I'd be happy to see these jerks paying $4 a gallon for their excesses.

[Nicko]

Originally posted by MATTRESS:
I could care less about "high" oil prices. I don't drive a gas guzzling SUV so the higher they go the better. Maybe this is what is needed to get all the urban assault vehicles off the streets finally. I'd be happy to see these jerks paying $4 a gallon for their excesses.

True enough, I don't drive either

And higher oil prices only really benefit the oil campanies and oil producing countries $$$$$$ ......and the americans still selfishly drive their SUVs, so what am I worried about anyway?

[aberdeenwriter]

Originally posted by MATTRESS:
I could care less about "high" oil prices. I don't drive a gas guzzling SUV so the higher they go the better. Maybe this is what is needed to get all the urban assault vehicles off the streets finally. I'd be happy to see these jerks paying $4 a gallon for their excesses.

Look around you. Almost EVERYTHING you own and use and value owes it's existence to oil.

[SimeyTheLimey]

Originally posted by Nicko:
Oil on all markets has been breaking records for the past two weeks, why does this seem to be a non-issue?

I'll guess at some reasons. Oil prices in real (i.e. inflation adjusted) terms aren't really that high. I don't recall the exact figure, but I heard NPR the other day say the price per barrel when Carter was president would be something like $80 in today's dollars.

Second, despite what the Democrats are saying, the economy is really pretty strong. It's not booming, but it is growing and people have jobs and they are feeling fairly secure. That vastly overshadows something fairly abstract like oil prices, especially when there are no signs of any shortages.

Third, the US has never had the kind of tax rates on gasoline that some other countries have. I think people felt a little sticker shock at seeing $2.00 a gallon, but people are used to it now. For most people gas is still a very small percentage of the weekly bills.

Fourth, people don't pay for gas with cash any more. When all you do is swipe a debit card rather than handing over a wad off bills, you become less price sensitive. Speaking personally, I don't ever even look at the price of gas. I just buy what I need.

Anyway, my totally unscientific opinionated 2 cents.

[MATTRESS]

Originally posted by aberdeenwriter:
Look around you. Almost EVERYTHING you own and use and value owes it's existence to oil.

And?

[aberdeenwriter]

Originally posted by MATTRESS:
And?

"...And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make."

Uh, higher oil prices = higher prices for everything made from oil.

Why not pay less if we can?

[typoon]

Originally posted by MATTRESS:
I could care less about "high" oil prices. I don't drive a gas guzzling SUV so the higher they go the better. Maybe this is what is needed to get all the urban assault vehicles off the streets finally. I'd be happy to see these jerks paying $4 a gallon for their excesses.

Really? Oil is needed to make Plastics, You use Oil in your car, I assume you do get an oil change for your car. Oil is also used for heating houses. Oil is also used in many more things than just cars. If the price of oil goes up so do many other things. So you should care about the "high" oil prices.

What the gov't needs to do is repeal the gas tax for one. Doubt that would happen.

[OldManMac]

It could become an issue, if it continues to stay high or goes higher. It isn't just the price of gasoline that is affected by high oil prices. One of the factors is the additional costs that businesses have to pass on to consumers when it costs them more for their energy needs. Fuel oil prices are rising again, airlines are facing desperate times, partially because of high fuel costs, and the trucking industry is going to see its costs rise. When it costs a trucking company XX percentage more to deliver it's goods, they don't absorb that; it gets passed on to the eventual consumer. Lower income families have a tougher time absorbing the higher costs of gas as well; a $5 or $10 increase in the price of a tank of gas means more to many people than some think. The argument that it really isn't that high, when adjusted for inflation, doesn't mean much when one has to pay for it, and it involves money that could have been used elsewhere.

[MATTRESS]

Originally posted by aberdeenwriter:
"...And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make."

Uh, higher oil prices = higher prices for everything made from oil.

Why not pay less if we can?

Why not look for alternatives?

[aberdeenwriter]

Originally posted by KarlG:
It could become an issue, if it continues to stay high or goes higher. It isn't just the price of gasoline that is affected by high oil prices. One of the factors is the additional costs that businesses have to pass on to consumers when it costs them more for their energy needs. Fuel oil prices are rising again, airlines are facing desperate times, partially because of high fuel costs, and the trucking industry is going to see its costs rise. When it costs a trucking company XX percentage more to deliver it's goods, they don't absorb that; it gets passed on to the eventual consumer. Lower income families have a tougher time absorbing the higher costs of gas as well; a $5 or $10 increase in the price of a tank of gas means more to many people than some think. The argument that it really isn't that high, when adjusted for inflation, doesn't mean much when one has to pay for it, and it involves money that could have been used elsewhere.

To typoon's post:

To KarlG's post:

[MATTRESS]

Originally posted by typoon:
Oil is needed to make Plastics,

I don't exactly consume plastics by the ton around here.

You use Oil in your car, I assume you do get an oil change for your car.

Once about every 6 months. Even if oil hit $200 a barrel it would be insignificant to the overall amount of money I spend changing my oil each year.

Oil is also used for heating houses.

Doesn't concern me. My heat comes from wood or electricity. My electricity comes from hydroelectric power.

Oil is also used in many more things than just cars. If the price of oil goes up so do many other things. So you should care about the "high" oil prices.

Really, I don't. If it gets the gas guzzling monstrosities off the road then I'm all for it.

What the gov't needs to do is repeal the gas tax for one. Doubt that would happen.

I support higher taxes on gasoline if needed to regulate the wasteful driving so many of us are guilty of.

[Beewee]

I'd actually support the war if gas dropped to $1.30 a gallon or less.
There are reports that low income families are going to need finacial support to pay for gas bills this winter.

[aberdeenwriter]

Originally posted by MATTRESS:
Why not look for alternatives?

Until we have a viable, readily available, cheap alternative we are stuck with oil. (Not to mention the time, equipment and costs for industry to switchover to that next alternative energy source.)

I think the president said he'd devoted a Billion $ to exploring alternative energy...didn't he say Hydrogen?

But we're still not there yet.

[MATTRESS]

Originally posted by KarlG:
It could become an issue, if it continues to stay high or goes higher. It isn't just the price of gasoline that is affected by high oil prices. One of the factors is the additional costs that businesses have to pass on to consumers when it costs them more for their energy needs. Fuel oil prices are rising again, airlines are facing desperate times, partially because of high fuel costs, and the trucking industry is going to see its costs rise. When it costs a trucking company XX percentage more to deliver it's goods, they don't absorb that; it gets passed on to the eventual consumer. Lower income families have a tougher time absorbing the higher costs of gas as well; a $5 or $10 increase in the price of a tank of gas means more to many people than some think. The argument that it really isn't that high, when adjusted for inflation, doesn't mean much when one has to pay for it, and it involves money that could have been used elsewhere.

Or perhaps those businesses would simply find more efficient ways of transporting goods.

[MATTRESS]

Originally posted by aberdeenwriter:
Until we have a viable, readily available, cheap alternative we are stuck with oil. (Not to mention the time, equipment and costs for industry to switchover to that next alternative energy source.)

I think the president said he'd devoted a Billion $ to exploring alternative energy...didn't he say Hydrogen?

But we're still not there yet.

The problem is that we are unwilling or too impotent to look for alternatives because oil is "cheap."

Must we wait until oil is $200 a barrel or in short supply before we start looking at alternatives?

Most of our problem is our unsustainable consumer-guzzling economy that relies on a questionable dangerous resource and a society where saving and being cautious aren't rewarded.

[Beewee]

Originally posted by aberdeenwriter:
Until we have a viable, readily available, cheap alternative we are stuck with oil. (Not to mention the time, equipment and costs for industry to switchover to that next alternative energy source.)

I think the president said he'd devoted a Billion $ to exploring alternative energy...didn't he say Hydrogen?

But we're still not there yet.

Bush bleeds oil and could give a **ck about alternative energy.
Gore actually supported alternative energy. I believe both candidates took the stance only recently to help their campaigns.

[typoon]

Originally posted by MATTRESS:
I don't exactly consume plastics by the ton around here.

NO but it all adds up. Everyone uses some plastics. It's not just what you use.

Once about every 6 months. Even if oil hit $200 a barrel it would be insignificant to the overall amount of money I spend changing my oil each year.

While I agree with you there it still adds up.

Doesn't concern me. My heat comes from wood or electricity. My electricity comes from hydroelectric power.

Aren't you special. Unfortunatly not everyone in the country has the ability for that.

Really, I don't. If it gets the gas guzzling monstrosities off the road then I'm all for it.

Who are you to tell people what they should and shouldn't drive? What about Truckers? Trains? Planes? I assume many of the products you buy come either by one of these modes of transport. If oil goes up the cost to buy the items goes up. Maybe we should go back to the horse and buggie. What would you tell people like Landscapers? They shouldn't drive there pickups and other trucks because YOU don't think they should be drving something so monsterous?

I support higher taxes on gasoline if needed to regulate the wasteful driving so many of us are guilty of.

See first sentence from above line.
What car do you drive if I may ask? A honda civic Hybrid? A Honda Insight? Toyota Prieus? It still impacts you unless you are driving something as fuel efficient as one of those vehicles.

[aberdeenwriter]

Originally posted by MATTRESS:
I don't exactly consume plastics by the ton around here.

Once about every 6 months. Even if oil hit $200 a barrel it would be insignificant to the overall amount of money I spend changing my oil each year.

I support higher taxes on gasoline if needed to regulate the wasteful driving so many of us are guilty of.

Think of your fellow man and not just yourself! That's SELFISH!!!

Bad, bad MATTRESS!

WARNING: HUGE generalization to follow!

Oil to a car is sorta likened to blood in a human being. Where we can eat good food, take supplements, breath and exercise and avoid unhealthy habits to keep our blood and our bodies healthy, changing your oil is the ONLY way to keep your car's blood healthy.

Your oil should be changed every 3 months or 3,000 miles.

You do that and you will SERIOUSLY extend the life and reliability of your car.

I SWEAR this will save you money and hassles in the long run.

You can thank me this time next year once you realize the difference it will make to the performance and life span of your car.

I was a car guy for more than 10 years. Trust me!

[RAILhead]

Originally posted by typoon:
What car do you drive if I may ask? A honda civic Hybrid? A Honda Insight? Toyota Prieus? It still impacts you unless you are driving something as fuel efficient as one of those vehicles.

Maybe he just runs around really, really fast.



Maury

[Wiskedjak]

Originally posted by aberdeenwriter:
Until we have a viable, readily available, cheap alternative we are stuck with oil. (Not to mention the time, equipment and costs for industry to switchover to that next alternative energy source.)

Not to mention the vested interests in maintaining the status quo. Alot of very rich people would suddenly be very poor should we lose our dependence on oil.

[MATTRESS]

Originally posted by Wiskedjak:
Alot of very rich people would suddenly be very poor should we lose our dependence on oil.

One could argue that the same people would be very poor if there were no more oil.

[MATTRESS]

Originally posted by aberdeenwriter:

Your oil should be changed every 3 months or 3,000 miles.

I am a car guy myself and this nonsense of changing oil every 3 months or 3000 miles is total crap. My truck is 11 years old, has about 110,000 miles on it, and looks and runs like new. And due to driving habits I get about 30MPG. I fill up my tank probably every 2-3 weeks because I plan my trips out accordingly and don't drive any more than necessary because I don't live in the 'burbs and can get to where I need with really driving no more than 5-10 miles each way to do it.

[Nicko]

Originally posted by MATTRESS:
One could argue that the same people would be very poor if there were no more oil.

Heh. Do some research on oil producing countries....the VAST majority of their populations do not benefit what so ever from the vast wealth/curse that is oil.

[MATTRESS]

Originally posted by typoon:
NO but it all adds up. Everyone uses some plastics. It's not just what you use.

We got along just fine without plastics and oil for much of our existence. Once we use it all up we'll get along just fine again.

While I agree with you there it still adds up.

Hardly. I pay about $12 now for my synthetic oil. Even if it went up to $50 a change it would hardly be significant in my yearly expenditures.

Aren't you special. Unfortunatly not everyone in the country has the ability for that.

Sooner or later all these oil consuming people who use oil for their heat WILL have to think about alternatives. So, no, nothing special about me other than I don't use this wasteful use of oil just to heat my home.

Who are you to tell people what they should and shouldn't drive? What about Truckers? Trains? Planes? I assume many of the products you buy come either by one of these modes of transport. If oil goes up the cost to buy the items goes up. Maybe we should go back to the horse and buggie. What would you tell people like Landscapers? They shouldn't drive there pickups and other trucks because YOU don't think they should be drving something so monsterous?

What are all these people going to do when there is no oil? Better start to adjust now when it's easier than when it becomes mandatory.

Frankly, I hope gasoline/diesel keeps going up. I want to see $5 per gallon. $10 a gallong would make me jump for joy. It's time something came along to change our wasteful consumption.

[MATTRESS]

Originally posted by Nicko:
Heh. Do some research on oil producing countries....the VAST majority of their populations do not benefit what so ever from the vast wealth/curse that is oil.

Of course they don't.

I'm just arguing that it would be in the long term interest of oil companies to explore something else. But the problem with Western capitalism is that long term problems and solutions aren't even considered because the main goal is quick short term profits regardless of what gets expended in order to accomplish such.

If I were the CEO of Dutch-Shell, Chevron, etc. I would be doing R&D into alternative sources of energy because it would be a huge competative coup to come out with something that not only could I monopolize but at the same time could use to undercut my competitors.

[EtherDiety]

What's all this talk I hear about oil not being a bigger erection issue? Why, who needs oil for a bigger erection? Any man worth his salt doesn't need any oil in order to gain a bigger erection. Just last week I was...

What?

Oh, well that's different.

Never mind.

[itai195]

Originally posted by MATTRESS:
Frankly, I hope gasoline/diesel keeps going up. I want to see $5 per gallon. $10 a gallong would make me jump for joy. It's time something came along to change our wasteful consumption.

If your problem with oil is society's wasteful consumption of a finite natural resource, I wouldn't get my hopes up. Even if oil prices entered the stratosphere, the drop in resource consumption will only be temporary until either new sources are found or an alternative is developed... then we'll just start wasting again.

That said, I'd also point out that nobody is really insulated from being affected by rising oil prices. They do hurt the working and lower classes hardest.

I wouldn't say the reason this isn't an election issue is because people don't notice the prices. People definitely DO notice the prices, I've had way too many conversations about the rising gas prices lately ($2.35/gal for regular unleaded here, highest I've ever seen).

[djohnson]

You really think that SUV's are the only gas guzzlers on the road? You see all of those luxury and sports car driving around? What about the younger generation and their riced out cars. You think they get good gas mileage driving with their foot glued to the floor? HA

[MATTRESS]

I doubt seriously a rice burner will consume the fuel that an Expedition or Suburban does.

I'm all for doing whatever it takes to get these monsters and their idiotic drivers off the road.

[djohnson]

Originally posted by MATTRESS:
I doubt seriously a rice burner will consume the fuel that an Expedition or Suburban does.

I'm all for doing whatever it takes to get these monsters and their idiotic drivers off the road.

Have you not seen how the people drive those vehicles? I doubt they even get 15 mpg...

Also, just because they drive something bigger than your vehicle makes them idiotic?

[Wiskedjak]

Originally posted by MATTRESS:
One could argue that the same people would be very poor if there were no more oil.

I don't think there's much chance of the world running out of oil in the lifetime of anyone currently alive.

[MATTRESS]

Originally posted by djohnson:
Have you not seen how the people drive those vehicles? I doubt they even get 15 mpg...

Also, just because they drive something bigger than your vehicle makes them idiotic?

It is when there's no reason for owning one. I hate having to look around the POS if one parks next to me. God knows how many of the idiots can't park them within one parking space. So many of them I see being driven by women talking on cell phones while trying to keep the hulking POS in the center of the lane.

Really, if it took massive violence to get all of these things off the street I'd sign up in a moment to eliminate the gas-guzzling scourge that is these most useless of vehicles ever designed.

[MATTRESS]

Originally posted by Wiskedjak:
I don't think there's much chance of the world running out of oil in the lifetime of anyone currently alive.

Pray tell, what do you think's going to happen as China's consumption continues to increase? If you think a country of 300 million is using alot of oil just wait until the Chinese start buying as many cars as we do.

[itai195]

Originally posted by MATTRESS:
Really, if it took massive violence to get all of these things off the street I'd sign up in a moment to eliminate the gas-guzzling scourge that is these most useless of vehicles ever designed.

You need to take a chill pill, my friend.

[MATTRESS]

I will take a chill pill when all these mini-tanks are off the streets.

I wonder if the war in Iraq would have been necessary if it weren't for all the asshole SUV drivers in this country making securing our oil supplies necessary.

I think that all the blood in Iraq is due to the overconsumption of supplies by the wasteful morons who drive these large piles of useless junk.

[typoon]

Originally posted by MATTRESS:
We got along just fine without plastics and oil for much of our existence. Once we use it all up we'll get along just fine again.

Okay so then lets go back to hand blown glass containers. If it wasn't for oil would you have some of the things you have? How do you think the Mac (I assume you are on a Mac) you are on was made? how do you think it was shipped? Why don't we just go back to the abacus?

Hardly. I pay about $12 now for my synthetic oil. Even if it went up to $50 a change it would hardly be significant in my yearly expenditures.

12 Bucks fro Synthetic? How many quarts does your car take? Synthetic is a about of 5 dollars per quart. In my area anyway. So you would be okay with it if a quart of synthetic went up to 50 dollars per quart?

Sooner or later all these oil consuming people who use oil for their heat WILL have to think about alternatives. So, no, nothing special about me other than I don't use this wasteful use of oil just to heat my home.

Such as? what should people use as inexpensive alternatives? Not all of us can be so priviledged and use Hydro electric for our Electricty

[B]What are all these people going to do when there is no oil? Better start to adjust now when it's easier than when it becomes mandatory./B]

Unfortunately you and I know that won't happen until there becomes a viable source of inexpensive alternative energy.

Frankly, I hope gasoline/diesel keeps going up. I want to see $5 per gallon. $10 a gallong would make me jump for joy. It's time something came along to change our wasteful consumption.

You must be a millionare to be able to afford thigns when it costs a company a lot to ship an item to you. Sorry but if gas prices keep going up it's going to cost more for EVERYTHING that you consume in your daily life.

By the way what kind of car do you drive? Do you drive a hybrid? How fast do you drive? That is one way to lessen fuel consumption, drive a little slower.

[typoon]

Originally posted by MATTRESS:
I will take a chill pill when all these mini-tanks are off the streets.

I wonder if the war in Iraq would have been necessary if it weren't for all the asshole SUV drivers in this country making securing our oil supplies necessary.

I think that all the blood in Iraq is due to the overconsumption of supplies by the wasteful morons who drive these large piles of useless junk.

If that was the case oil right now would be WAY below what it is. Iraq is a topic for another thread though.

reasons for an SUV? for some there IS none but as a status symbol. Some people have Kids and use them to transport the kids and the things included with that.

What's with all the bitterness about SUV's?

[vmpaul]

Originally posted by itai195:

I wouldn't say the reason this isn't an election issue is because people don't notice the prices. People definitely DO notice the prices, I've had way too many conversations about the rising gas prices lately ($2.35/gal for regular unleaded here, highest I've ever seen).

No kidding. Gas prices are up .50¢ a gallon in our area from a year ago. People will definitely be thinking about that as they go to the polls in a few weeks. This has that Jimmy Carter-ish flailing administration feel all over it. Not a good sign for Republicans.

[aberdeenwriter]

Originally posted by Wiskedjak:
Not to mention the vested interests in maintaining the status quo. Alot of very rich people would suddenly be very poor should we lose our dependence on oil.

Noblesse Oblige does not suggest or require they should act counter to their own financial interests.

Any negative aspects of the capitalist system are balanced, in the long run, by the benefits. The market will decide.

The big corporations and captains of industry are entitled to profit from their investments and efforts. If/when someone(s) come up with that new energy alternative, they will be entitled to profit from their investment and effort and they will reasonably and undoubtedly work to maintain their profits and income.

[MATTRESS]

Originally posted by typoon:
If it wasn't for oil would you have some of the things you have? How do you think the Mac (I assume you are on a Mac) you are on was made? how do you think it was shipped? Why don't we just go back to the abacus?

I ask again: when the oil runs out WHAT THEN?

We survived just fine without oil. Oil is the largest environmental mess we've gotten ourselves into. Look at all the useless plastic that is going to be polluting this planet for centuries and eons due to our excessive consumption and consumer-driven society.

12 Bucks fro Synthetic? How many quarts does your car take? Synthetic is a about of 5 dollars per quart. In my area anyway. So you would be okay with it if a quart of synthetic went up to 50 dollars per quart?

Yes, I pay $3 a quart. Even if it went up to $50 a quart, so what? Over a period of a year that's nothing when you look at the big picture.

Such as? what should people use as inexpensive alternatives? Not all of us can be so priviledged and use Hydro electric for our Electricty

I dunno, it's not my problem to worry about because I chose to live in a place where heating with a finite resource isn't required. I'm not the one who has to deal with increased prices, tight supplies, and the final fat lady singing when the last drop of oil is burned for my heat.

You must be a millionare to be able to afford thigns when it costs a company a lot to ship an item to you. Sorry but if gas prices keep going up it's going to cost more for EVERYTHING that you consume in your daily life.

We will adapt as we always have. Don't you think that automobiles and trucks cost more than horse and carraige? Yet we adapted and we will adapt when there's higher oil prices or when there's simply no more oil at all.

By the way what kind of car do you drive? Do you drive a hybrid? How fast do you drive? That is one way to lessen fuel consumption, drive a little slower.

Driving without air conditioning, using a manual transmission, keeping your tires properly inflated, getting rid of unncessary weight. Not driving a monster SUV that gets 5-10MPG. Lots of ways to keep consumption down and reasonable.

[itai195]

Originally posted by aberdeenwriter:
Noblesse Oblige does not suggest or require they should act counter to their own financial interests.

Do you mean to blur the distinction between those in elected office and those in industry? Of course elected officials should put the public interest above their own.

[aberdeenwriter]

Originally posted by typoon:
If that was the case oil right now would be WAY below what it is. Iraq is a topic for another thread though.

reasons for an SUV? for some there IS none but as a status symbol. Some people have Kids and use them to transport the kids and the things included with that.

What's with all the bitterness about SUV's?

The way smoking was made to be unfashionable (rightly so, but still it was a SEA change over previous attitudes) I wouldn't be surprised if there currently existed an actual PR effort or campaign to change public attitudes about SUV's.

Some people REALLY bought into that message early and heavily!

[itai195]

Originally posted by aberdeenwriter:
The way smoking was made to be unfashionable (rightly so, but still it was a SEA change over previous attitudes) I wouldn't be surprised if there currently existed an actual PR effort or campaign to change public attitudes about SUV's.

Some people REALLY bought into that message early and heavily!

There are campaigns for that... Personally, I'm not going to go on a crusade against SUVs, but I do recognize that some people make socially irresponsible choices by purchasing one when they don't need it.

[aberdeenwriter]

Originally posted by itai195:
Do you mean to blur the distinction between those in elected office and those in industry? Of course elected officials should put the public interest above their own.

Hmmm, I hadn't thought about the govt. when I posted that.

Yes, the elected should as you say. But WHICH public?

[MATTRESS]

Originally posted by typoon:
If that was the case oil right now would be WAY below what it is. Iraq is a topic for another thread though.

reasons for an SUV? for some there IS none but as a status symbol. Some people have Kids and use them to transport the kids and the things included with that.

What's with all the bitterness about SUV's?

Oil isn't down because there aren't massive quantities flowing out of Iraq right now. That's the very problem, we've wasted hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands of lives. We waste countless more billions having a strong enough military to keep the oil flowing.

It would be cheaper to encourage consumption so that we wouldn't have to worry about the Middle East.

SUVs? Just hate them. Hate them taking up more than one parking place, hate trying to see around them to pass them, hate the inexperienced drivers trying to keep them under control, hate how the sales of them are keeping us dependent on foreign oil, etc.

[djohnson]

Originally posted by MATTRESS:
...Not driving a monster SUV that gets 5-10MPG. Lots of ways to keep consumption down and reasonable.

Show me that there are tons of people driving anything getting 5-10mpg.

[typoon]

Originally posted by MATTRESS:
I ask again: when the oil runs out WHAT THEN?

We survived just fine without oil. Oil is the largest environmental mess we've gotten ourselves into. Look at all the useless plastic that is going to be polluting this planet for centuries and eons due to our excessive consumption and consumer-driven society.

Were we as productive as we are now since we "got along for so long without oil?" Who said the plastic is going to be polluting this planet for centuries and eons? Who knows maybe someone will figure out an energy source by using plastics?

Yes, I pay $3 a quart. Even if it went up to $50 a quart, so what? Over a period of a year that's nothing when you look at the big picture.

So what if it went up to 200 Dollars per quart? That too is nothing over a period of a year when you look at the big picture right?

I dunno, it's not my problem to worry about because I chose to live in a place where heating with a finite resource isn't required. I'm not the one who has to deal with increased prices, tight supplies, and the final fat lady singing when the last drop of oil is burned for my heat.

Good for you. I wish I did too. My electrical bills would be MUCH lower than they are now. You might not be the one who has to deal with the increased prices but what about everyone else? Should we all have windmills in our backyards?

We will adapt as we always have. Don't you think that automobiles and trucks cost more than horse and carraige? Yet we adapted and we will adapt when there's higher oil prices or when there's simply no more oil at all.

Obviously we adapt that is human nature. To be able to adapt. But you keep bashin oil so I made a statement basically stating that if you hate the consumption of oil so much why not go back to the horse and buggie? Why Don't you ride a bicycle instead of drive? You wouldn't use any oil then.

Driving without air conditioning, using a manual transmission, keeping your tires properly inflated, getting rid of unncessary weight. Not driving a monster SUV that gets 5-10MPG. Lots of ways to keep consumption down and reasonable.

I agree I DO drive a manual and use the Air as little as possible. I make sure my tires are properly inflated at all times. I've also Modded my car to give me better gas mileage as well.

Why should you tell someone what they can and can't drive? hell if I wanted to drive a go cart around why shouldn't I do that? I'd probably get amazing gas mileage with one of those.