"Today, more than half of the oil we use is imported. This level of dependence on imports (55%) is the highest in our history, and will increase as we use up domestic resources. The vast majority of the world's oil reserves are concentrated in the Middle East (65% to 75%), and controlled by the members of the OPEC oil cartel."
- www.fueleconomy.gov

"The U.S. depends on oil to move people and goods. Ninety five percent of the energy for transportation in the United States comes from oil. Transportation's demand for oil drives the market. Transportation accounts for two-thirds of total U.S. petroleum use, and nearly all of the high value petroleum products, like gasoline and distillate fuel."
- www.fueleconomy.gov

"Black gold... Texas tea."
- from the Beverly Hillbillies

"Bang bang, Chit-ty Chit-ty Bang Bang,
our fine four-fen-dered friend.
You're un - cat-e-gor-i-cal;
a fuel - burn-ing or-a-cle,
a fan - tas-ma-gor-i-cal ma-chine!"
- lyrics from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman .

August 31st, 2005

I think it's really a matter of perspective.

SUV's driven by soccer moms vesus SUV's driven by people who actually need them.

I own a Civic and my wife has a Jetta - Honda and VW respectively. Both cars get good mileage (1999 Honda Civic - 34 mpg, 1998 VW Jetta - 26 mpg) and are used properly. And in rural areas, you'll see many people using SUV's for what their designed for - off road traveling. It is uncommon to REALLY need an SUV in New Jersey outside of a blizzard or for transporting large items. Here, it is an item bought by irresponsible jack offs that can afford to pay over fifty bucks a tank to fill that guzzler. Madison Avenue is actually using the tactic to suggest to mothers that they will feel envious of other mothers with bigger SUV's. (That was for one of the Hummer radio commercials up here. Imagine using the old "penis envy" ploy on housewives.)

The thing you won't see around in rural areas are "soccer moms" driving GGB's (GGB is an acronym of my own design - Gas Guzzling Behemoth). I'm afraid you'll see them more and more in the Northeast and in urban and suburban areas.

If I sound holier than thou it's because I can fill my car from empty for about twenty five bucks. Now, given that I'm no longer commuting to work, my mileage is pretty low. When I did work I used mass transit. I've had my car for six years and have not broken 40K on the odometer. I fill up once every week and a half.

This is especially good news, now that Bush is using this country's oil reserves to try to keep the prices of gas to an acceptable level. This has nothing to do with OPEC, however, it has to do with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The side effect of this, is that with more oil coming and nowhere else to refine it, New Jersey will, again, be this nation's pack mule. That does seems to be the problem, though. There is so much complaining about the oil refineries and making fun of the garden state (as we are known as the toxic state) for the reason that New Jersey has a 7 mile strip of unbreathable air off of the Turnpike (in Elizabeth).

Now we will be working overtime to make this state even stinkier.

But we do have oil. Actually, we have several million barrels of crude oil more than we had this time last year - only, we now have limited areas to refine it to be gasoline. So, what does that mean? It means that it's going to take longer to produce gas in this country. It means that we may be looking at four bucks a gallon at the pump. Any idiot here with an SUV will be lucky to get away with a "C note" at the pump.

I may be paying about 40 bucks a tank. However, I'll manage.

It also means that people will be paying more for food in the not too distant future as well as every other consumer good. Remember, when the price of oil and gas go up, everything else goes up with it. How do you think food gets from one end of the country to the other? Trucks that work on gas.

I'll find it'll be very interesting when Mom has to feed little Sally and has to make the decision to feed her SUV's gas tank or feed her family. I say she should bike it to the store. She'll be ecologically conscious and have cardiovascular health combined.

Very few Americans are looking for alternate fuel and energy sources. The US has perhaps the greatest scientists in the world at our disposal and we are still burning fossil fuels. Why haven't we come up with a better solution? Well, there are solutions, though. If you are interested in them and wish to be environmentally responsible you can visit the US Department of Energy's website and check out the vehicle buyer's guide for consumers.

Our president is an oil magnate. We are at war to help other countries' oil magnates and are doing nothing for ourselves to better our position. Our president has the wrong priorities in place: Help everyone else, but don't help US Citizens in America. I think the best illustration of the president's philosophy came through today when I was watching CNN. Today, the former mayor of New Orleans was being interviewed. He essentially said that the president MUST intervene. New Orleans needs the army corps of engineers to keep the city from being flooded. Currently, there are are 3,000 troops sent to New Orleans.

It is not enough.

But, let me ask you, how many troops have we committed in our useless war on Iraq or in helping the tsunami victims in Thailand? Here we have a disaster on our own home turf in one of our oldest US cities and the president has finally decided to cut his working vacation short to attend to today's business by opening the country's oil reserves.

I'm sure that's when the citizens of New Orleans said, "Blub, blub, blub" or "Help! I can't swim" or "An alligator is eating my leg!!"

Of course, relying on our oil reserves will eventually increase our dependence to foreign imports even more. The latest statistic I've gotten was 55% of our oil comes from other countries and 65% - 75% of that comes from the Middle East. You know those guys. They're the ones who gave us the green and red flags as well as odd/even gas days. They're also the guys we're trying to blow up into little itty bitty pieces in Iraq so we can protect democracy and oil drilling rights for the American Halliburton employees. This tactic is really the best thing to justify our participation in the comedy going on in Iraq.

But I digress...

In any event, unless something is done soon, I feel that people should start fending for themselves. More has to be done with means that don't rely on power. New Orleans is without the luxury of clean water, food, power, or AC. Now is the time to take a page from the Amish and live a simpler lifestyle.

Sure, laugh now, but I guarantee you, when we start paying 6 bucks a gallon for gas, it will be the guy with the best damn buggy whip in town laughing at you.