shAARP Talk: Observations from AARP

I have to a contrarian on the gas price issue. Without high oil prices we wouldn't be seeing any progress on the alternative energy front. In fact, I would like to see a gas FLOOR tax so that gas could never fall below $3.50/gallon. Below that taxes would kick in and the proceeds would go directly to renewable energy forms. Here are what I see as The Top Ten Reasons for Renewables-based Energy Independence:

1. Climate Change: Oil and Coal contribute to global warming and will only do so more as China, India etc. emulate American lifestyles. According to many scientists, we may already be past the temperature “tipping point.”

2. Balance of Trade: We import 70% of our oil - $700 billion/year - often from countries that hate us, fund terrorists, and buy our businesses (Citigroup) and infrastructure (Chrysler Building). This is an unsustainable transfer of wealth which will only make America poorer, maybe forever. We are now paying foreign powers both what we earn personally AND what our companies earn, while they sit back and enjoy the results of their geological luck.

3. Green Jobs: Germany has created 250,000 new green jobs in its solar industry, which supplies 13% of its electric needs. We need to replace oil, coal and nuclear producing jobs with wind and solar installation and maintenance jobs. (It takes 10 years to build a nuclear plant and 2 years to build a solar thermal field).

4. National Security: We must not depend on foreign powers to supply us with vital energy, which is as critical to modern society as food and shelter. Even if we drill the arctic for oil (home to up to 25% of the world’s reserves, according to US Geological Survey), we will have to defend those new wells not only from nature, but from Russia, Canada, Denmark (Greenland), and others with a claim to the high north, leading to unnecessary conflict with these countries. Clearly, ANWR has never been about the tiny bit of land off northern Alaska that would supply just 2 years of oil for America; it’s been about opening up the entire Arctic to exploration. We cannot afford to defend such a large and inhospitible region.

5. The Oil Curse: Countries that depend on natural resources to make money, and not people, are the most corrupt, despotic, self-righteous and anti-human rights regimes on Earth. China does not seem to care where their oil comes from, encouraging rogue states like Sudan, Iran, Burma and Venezuela, where human rights barely exist. This is a naïve and ultimately counter-productive strategy for China but not one we should be encouraging again either (see: the downfall of the Shah of Iran).

6. Military Overreach: America cannot afford to defend oil fields. The Iraq war is, at least partly, a subsidy for Big Oil. Lives are being lost and resources are being spent ($12 Billion/month) so that - maybe, eventually - we can get more oil out of Iraq (estimated to be 2 or 3 largest holder of oil reserves). Meanwhile, Iraq does not even use $79 billion surplus to pay for its own infrastructure needs, while here in the U.S. our bridge collapse from lack of care (Minnesota) and our electrical grid blacks out.

7. Peak Oil: We are probably only seeing peak geopolitical oil, not peak geological oil, now, but it will only get more expensive to drill oil. Most estimates put peak oil within 10 years, and since global demand has exceeded earlier estimates, we may be even closer. The perversion of the OPEC dominated oil market means that they will drill LESS, not MORE, as the price goes up, since they literally collect more money than they know what to do with already, and they want to stretch out their supply.

8. Local Environmental Damage: If we drill everywhere, we will eventually have oil wells all over the west (instead of wind turbines), and even in the (newly melted) arctic. These high-risk drilling areas will be more likely to see oil spills, soot, and CO2 damage and the further eradication of local animal (Polar Bears) and plant life. Already, regional water tables are being polluted by accidents and poisoness chemicals involved in the drilling industry.

9. We eat too much oil: Oil goes into fertilizer, which goes into corn, which goes into EVERYTHING we eat, including meat. Omega 6 fatty acids (the bad kind) are higher in factory-fed beef. Omega 3 fatty acids (the good kind) are higher in grass-fed beef and almost as high as in fish. Corn-fed meat is making us fat and raising the national health bill. Cattle, pigs, chickens live a cruel, short life in tight, economical confines because it is cheaper for them to do so than to live on the open range. Yet each wind turbine could pay farmers $5,000-$10,000 annually and allow livestock to graze in their shade, making natural grass-fed meat economically viable again. This synergy could make us healthier AND wean us off imported oil.

10. Loss of American’s position as “Innovation Leader:” The oil industry was born here over 100 years ago. It is time for us to lead the world into the renewable era.

I find myself driving FASTER so I spend less money per minute on the road.

Living in the Phoenix metropolitan area - the largest land area city in the nation - it is increasingly expensive even to visit ill, or otherwise needy friends. When my friend PJ needed almost daily assistance, the 50-mile roundtrip visits cost $10 each, just for gasoline, even in my 20mpg vehicle.

Increased gas prices have hurt. We have eliminated our dining out except for having a slice of pizza or a bite at a fast food burger joint. No more clothes buying. Basically, we are not spending any money except for gas, food, and higher electric bills.

One way to save on gas is to increase your mileage by driving slower and avoiding rabbit starts. Another way is to use some proven lubricant additives in your vehicles. These lubricant additives are used industrially and work in heavy equipment and trucks that cost way more than the average car. Can't get it over the counter as it would never sell. People would not read the label. You add 1 oz per quart to your crankcase, and they have different formulation for your transmission. It works...and you only need to replenish it when you change your oil. By the way we change our oil way too often in this country. Lots of waste there to help drive up petroleum costs. Check out www.powerupusa.net

By the way, maintaining tire pressure at the upper level rated on your tires will decrease your rolling friction thereby increasing mileage as well. Shame on the Republicans for making fun of scientific fact. I am so glad I am an independent. This is going to be a tough election since both candidates leave a lot to be desired in my opinion.

The gas prices are not really right now hurting me.The reason I feel is because I'm not in deep debt except for my normal living expenses.I don't have any credit cards don't believe in them.I remember the seventies and that was bad.But we need to drill here and use the resources GOD gave us and tell our government to get out of the way and let the private sector handle it because everything the government touches becomes worse along with the enviormentalists wacos.So I'm okay but I do feel for others that have young children.Thanks for asking and caring appreciate the opportunity to put my opinion out there.

We don't run the air conditioner. We also only go to town once a month for all the big stuff and only go to the store after that if we absolutely have to. I have an elderly grandmother that lives 200 miles away and I never get to go see her anymore because we cannot afford the fuel. We also just liked to drive the back roads in the country and we no longer get to do that either. We live in the country so it is even harder than living in town where everything you need is close by. It is really hard on our family, sometimes we have to choose gas for our car or food. There is no recreation anymore. It stinks!!!!

I live in a rural area...and am 30-40 minutes from grocery shopping,
hospitals, etc. I used to make the drive into town at least twice
a week. Since gas prices reached $4.19/gallon, I have changed my habits
quite a bit. I am trying to go to town once every two weeks, and spend
a whole day doing errands, deliveries of my greeting cards, having
various appointments, and seeing friends. It feels good to be conserving !
I keep a list of things I need to do in Taos (30 minutes away), Santa Fe
(one hour away) and Albuquerque (two hours away) and when I have enough to warrant the drive, I will make the trip. The little village where I live is consciously trying to become more self-sustaining. We have opened a "cooperative market" (small), and are doing a farmer's market every week. We have people who are staying local and offering services like computer repair, hairdresser/barber, musicians, and even a small theatre company...
and our own radio station. It is a big change, but an important one.

I work from my home for 15 years as a self-employed photographer. I have a car for 8 years that gets 25 miles to the gallon. I do everything I can to lessen my carbon footprint. What I cannot control is $4 per half gallon of milk. $8 per Lb. of Salmon. My living expenses along with health insurance costs[$15,000.00 per year@UHC} are forcing me to sell my home and relocate where cost of living is less. I fear the economy will collapse in the near future. Russia has the natural resources, China is the worlds manufacturer. USA has debt... Except for its Oil and Gas Companies. Too bad our countries natural resources are owned by individuals and corporations and not the people of the country. Our country is now divided into two classes. Those that would be destroyed by a month with no income and those who are financially secure. Our country was first built on freedoms;freedom of religion but still very religious and freedom of taxation with no representation,freedom of speech, etc. Then in the 20th Century the only freedom unspoiled is the freedom to make money.Then the economy was built on oil and gas. Now our government is influenced only by lobbying with no regard for the individual. Our nation has allowed oil and gas to change the course of our history. If every 3rd generation American citizen was given 10 shares of EXON or CHEVRON or BP at birth then I would feel we are all created equally.

That is how the price of gas affects me! Go! ...divided we fail.org

It is no secret what the cure for using less oil is. Drive less and use fewer items that are petroleum based. In driving less, maybe it will finally occur to Americans that we should plan our daily travels and consolidate trips whenever possible. Start ruling the kid's schedules, instead of theirs ruling you. Stop using plastic bags. All kinds of products are made with petroleum. Figure out which ones you are using and use less. That us how we get the price down. And then we shouldn't forget again, as we have the last 15 years.

I go to Riverside with my sister, and from, just filling up the tank takes alot of the wallet. I want where Big Oil Pays big time back to their communities everyday at 6 am on the East coast and 9 am on the west coast. Gas prices really hit me hard. $4.56 is too high and most of can't afford.

DRILL HERE,
DRILL NOW,
PAY LESS!!

Time to write your Congressman on how you feel about the high price of Gas / Heating oil. Had they taken proper action in the 80's , 90's or early 00's we would not be where we are today. Offer up your feelings and ideas on what must be done to resolve. Short term and long term.

I was planning on taking my family -- Kids, grandkids, wife and self to Yellow Stone this summer. We will have to save until next year to make it.

The people of Wyoming will get less and big oil will get more.

Mike

My wife and I Have a new child and with the price of gas being so high it is difficult to see his granparents. I would love for them to interact more, but unfortuantely i do not have the luxery of a private jet or company car(Nancy Pelosi Spkr of house). When was the last time she pumped her own gas or had to pay for it, frankly i would like to slap the crap out of her. It is time for her to cut short her vacation and get back to work, I pay your salary and i dont like people slacking on the job. If this were my company your ass would have been long gone. The reason she does not care, and others like her, is that their kids, grandkids, etc. are set for the rest of their lives. You are playing with my money, and people have been ousted for less. It is time for us to stop being scared of what happens when we speak our minds. Fix the problem before it is too late, and remember you cant take it with you, you greedy bastards.

This is a very sad story for the working Americans. We can not afford a vacation, because the democrats are penalizing us for using fuel, but they go on vacation and are enjoying themselfs while we suffer. Then they will vote on a pay raise for themselves, just to spit in the eyes of the people that are paying their salaries. President Bush must activate his excetive powers to lift the sanctions against drilling for the most needed oil. The American people must know that we can not, I repeat "can not elect" any democrats that refuse to have a vote, or are in favor of the burdon that they have created and imposed upon us, The working majority. This should be unconstatutional and a vote should be demanded from these criminals. Al Duhan

I am disabled and live on a fixed income from social security. The gas prices are killing me. After I pay my rent and utilities (which are also high) I don't have much to live on and then I have to keep gas in my car keep it insured and pay for any mechanical problems. I live in an area where I have to have my car, because there is no public transportation. I have many doctor appointments that I have to go to and it just kills me to fill up my gas tank. I am feeling it at the groceery store also. This is just out of hand. The government needs to do something about this gas crisis.

Gas prices have definitely affected my life. I live paycheck to paycheck as it is, so when gas started going up, I new it was time to crunch. I traded my gas guzzling Pontiac Montana (18mpg) for a 2006 leftover Scion Xb (34mpg). However my fuel concerns have just kept rising.

Last summer, from May until September, I was able to go camping ten weekends, and the other weekends I spent down at the beach in a friends house. Camping is very affordable especially when you go in a tent. The average weekend cost me between $50 and $75, but this summer I am only going three times. I also have only gone to the beach twice.

One good side effect has been some weight loss. Even though my Scion gets great gas mileage, It still costs me about $40 to fill it. Although, I have tapered my local daily driving to less than half what it was a year ago. That money has to come from somewhere, and that place is food budget. I needed to lose a few pounds anyway. I only take one prescription medicine, and that is for stomach ulcers. Failure to take it once a day could be fatal as I have been hospitalized with bleeding ulcers on three separate occasions.

I have also stopped Netflix which was a service I really enjoyed having, and I have unplugged any appliance that is not absolutely necessary. Future cuts will be Comcast cable TV and internet (I can get the internet free at my local library), and I am going to the absolute minimum monthly minutes required by my cell phone provider (the only phone service I have). I am also going to have my car insurance re-evaluated to see who has the lowest price, and I am only going to keep the bare minimum require by law for the duration of my loan.

Now if I am just small potatoes, but if I am making these cuts, imagine who else is making cuts and what they are cutting.

Having retired on only Social Security income in July 2005 to a rural end of a tiny Florida town, not knowing a huge gas hike lay ahead, nor that 4/5 of the 51 homes in my 55+ community were only here winters ("snowbirds")-- I found myself quite isolated as a single woman of then 70, where someone confided that "as an attracttive single woman, you are seen as a threat, and that is why they ignore you." The loneliness was at first assuaged, before gas became prohibitive, by being to drive away and browse the area, or a mall, or take my dog to the distant doggie park. Even church is too far away now

At nearing 73, the only thing that has changed is the fact that it costs me almost $60 to fill the tank of my modest Camry. Result? Horrible! My doctor's office, which I must visit for lab tests, PT, etc., takes $8.00 round trip. When I go, I try to plan precise errand routes to maximize what I get for that amount of gas. It means that I have NO ability to establish a social life.

Now I must shop for food sales, be sure to have my coupons with me, and relinquish some small favorites that made life "palatable," and gave me that small pleasure. I can no longer buy a book. Having lost 55 lbs. recently, I cannot replenish my 4-sizes smaller frame, nor sell the large but lovely, scarcely use (some new!) garments that I cannot wear. I cannot give anything to church or charities to which I spent a lifetime giving.

Now I must cancel my pest service, in a place on a series of ponds that is filled with insects and even small creatures that get under and into the house. I am going to have to tell the neighbors who do our lawn service in Nov. when my contract comes up for renewal that I hope they will accept a new arrangement and give me every-other mowing service, since I cannot afford theirs. (Nor can I hand mow a half acre myself!) On and on it goes, as I try to pare down everything else in life, until there IS NO LIFE of any quality. All thanks to the price of BOTH gas and our electric power, which has also been given permission to increase the cost by 16%.

How do we seniors in my situation survive??? The depression and pain were not what we supposed retirement would be like, after a long life of hard work. And our legislators go on "leave" for 5 weeks, while we suffer.

I do not drive, how ever I rely on my son-in-law to transport me to the doctors offices and phamacy, I am not able to help with gas. I recieve $537 per month. $410.84 goes to my meds. $5 will not get a gallon of gasoline and a cup of coffee, even at a quick-stop.
Have I got a tip? NO! Except to put myself in the "HANDS OF GOD" Give thanks to "GOD" for Children that care.
People be kind to your children, spend quality time with them, while they are at your knee.
THEY REALLY ARE THE PARENT'S FUTURE

my friend & i ride bicycles, we do pay in other ways

Part of the reason I passed on taking my annual fall trip is the high cost of fuel for my little RV. My considered opinion is, by late winter or early spring, the price of diesel will be down enough to make the wait worth the time. At 19 miles per gallon, that isn't bad even now but I have chosen to wait.

Since having to retire because of illness and surgery, my husband & I found ourselves in a position of have to at the time & not want to.
Work now is very scarce, especially for people our age, so living on a fixed income is not easy. Every time a price is raised somewhere down the line we continue to feel the pinch. Food has gone up, now we have to deal with the gas prices which is not easy. I for one, unless something is done, believe that we will never see gas prices at the rate of last year. Now with China & Iraq joining to expand the drilling in Iraq for more oil that they allready know is there, where does that leave this country? I would like to hear what our presidential candidates think of this looming in the near future, & what & how they plan on doing!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We hear enough speeches on everything, but nothing on actual planning on how they will do what they say. It is time to let us know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes to Off shore drilling: U.S. must provide an incentive to U. S. companies. Providing a limited grant or license of five years to drill off shore. The license would be canceled on all sights not producing gas or oil with-in this limited time.

Gas Prices have been a burden for a long time.
The fault lies in the American auto industry. The U.S. is not unique in wanting the cars to use less gas. The American auto industry has not focused on what we as consumers really want. Toyota and Honda did take note and provide convenient cup holders, and better fuel mileage. Their focus is on building a product that we want and not just what can be forced on us with great marketing. The American auto industry sold rust prone cars until we said no more. If cars were the only thing that they were into than maybe we would have better American autos. “Just as good as Toyota” does not hack it.

i am really concerned for our elderly. they can't afford the crazy gas prices due to their fixed incomes. yet they still have doctor's appointments, etc.. this is another example of our dysfunctional congress and president. i wonder why it is taking so long for development and use of hydrogen vehicles, etc.. could it have something to do with the strangle hold that oil lobbyists have on our legislators?

It is not only gas prices that is affecting us but also the low interest rates paid by banks on cd interest. This was to be part of income for retirement. Also the soaring price of grocerys, every week they go up. The price of gas affects our going, we only go to town once a week because we are 17 miles from town. Only go to church on Sunday because of gas prices and rarely visit our children who reside in another state.

I only drive when I must and I attempt to get everything in one trip.I have slowed my speed and as I drive a manual shift ,I coast down hills in neutral.

The cost of gas has become a profound factor in my life. Commuting 120 miles a day roundtrip, filling the tank every 3 days or so has become my biggest expenditure. Bigger even then my mortgage and car payment. Basically I structure my budget around my commuting costs, especially not knowing if they are steadying or going up. It hurt even when gas was approaching $2 a gallon. I fortunately have a car that averages 31 mpg. I know other commuters who have had to quit even for lesser paying jobs. I don't have that luxury since there is little in my area for job opportunity and I own my home. I dream of the day I can quit commuting or they roll out an alternative fuel car such as electric, hydrogen or compressed air.

What you need to do is spend some of your energy writing letters and emails to your Democrat friends in Congress and the Senate and demand that they approve drilling for oil anywhere we can find it. You stupid people want to blame somebody, blame the people responsible, that would be all of you who voted for the socialist pigs who claim to be Democrats. Drill for oil here, drill now and the price per barrel will drop dramatically. When the Saudis oil price drops we start buying more of theirs and save more of ours. Those rag head bastards need us to buy their oil, we need to dictate what price we will pay and not the price they want us to pay. All you AARP whinners can't get out of your own way without a liberal telling you how to do it. Use your head for something other than a hat rack, figure this out for yourself and vote out the liberal left before they put us back in the dark ages. Do you really want to ride a horse to the bingo game tomorrow nite or do you want to drive your Mercedes. Wake up Bone Head.

I have a small car so the increase that is affecting me most is in the grocery store. Fortunately, I do not have a family living with me any longer to support, but I sympathize with those who do. Where I work, many employees are experiencing a financial hardship because of long, expensive drives to work.

The gas guzzling, polluting SUVs and the incentives to buy these vehicles have greatly harmed this country and continue harming us people are unable to unload them. We will have to get rid of our piggy, wasteful mindset if there is going to be a future for our children/grandchildren.

I would encourage people to vote for conservation-minded candidates
who ask for sacrifice and change, not business as usual.

Now that gas is slowly going down again were slowly going to forget that this ever happened and we dont look into other fuels and alternate energy resources that we can tap into and research. I remember hearing about how "switchgrass" can be converted into ethanol easily and more efficiently and the idea slowly disappeared. (No money in switchgrass production I guess) They say we should leave sugar and corn on the table but we become complacent as a society and don't look into these alternate ways of getting away from foreign oil. ( The president being in bed with Saudis may have something to do with this!!!) I wish someone would pick up on this and push it to the next level. Unfortunately out here in the desert people are just trying to make ends meet and the resources just aren't there to make a difference.

Gas prices are ridiculously high. For that reason, I've cut my driving to the absolute bare minimum(I live 4 miles from work and right next door to Walmart.) and I roll down the windows instead of running the air. I even traded in my 6-cylinder vehicle for a 4-cylinder and maintain the thing almost exclusively for gas mileage. I love to drive, and I LOVE the muscle cars from the 70s, however, I would hate to see gas prices fall because we start drilling our own oil. I'm more concerned about global warming and the environmental risks associated with drilling than with cutting down my driving. I'm ready and willing to wait a few years for technology to catch up with our demand for a cost-effective, 'green' lifestyle.

How do we survive the high gas prices, let me count the ways. We took the topper and tailgate off our pickup truck which increased gas mileage by 2. I do not go to my community club meeting each month, I go every 2-3 months. Since the job market around here took a dive, I sew from home and combine shopping trips, limited to 1-2 per month. This trip includes garage saling on the way for the clothes we need. We mow the yard every 2 weeks instead of once a week. Since groceries cost 50% more, we started shopping at the local Dent 'n' Bent store which saved about $20 this week. Our fuel oil bill will increase approximately 80% this winter heating season. I am currently working on how to NOT PAY the high cost of fuel oil by weatherizing our home (and our daughter's), looking into state funded energy programs to put solar panels on the house. If you want to punish Big Oil Executives for their huge profits at our expense, stop buying ALL products from the biggest piggy; Exxon-Mobile. Let's show them that WE control our spending money, not them.

Every time I get in my car, I think to myself, do I really need to go there. It's a 1st for me. Alternative clean energy has to be a primary issue so that we are not oil dependent. People cannot continue like this.

Our family cars have always been very fuel efficient, 4 cylinder, manual transmission vehicles. (Automatic transmissions are for those drivers, who cannot shift for themselves.) I have always maintained our cars as I would maintain an aircraft, because there is no better way to get top performance and efficiency from any vehicle than to regularly and carefully check the mechanical condition and to do preventative maintenance, as indicated in vehicle's owners manual. When gasoline prices spiked recently by doubling the cost of fueling a car, I budgeted a cap for our monthly fuel costs, which we do not exceed each month. Considerable fuel savings and greater utilization can be realized by planning one's use of a vehicle before turning the key in the ignition switch by planning a single car trip with multiple stops for errands. We live in Los Angeles, California, which is a city with a vast land area (285 square miles inside the city boundaries alone) and, unfortunately, a public transport system that uses mostly buses that move only as fast as the rest of the otherwise very slow traffic. Los Angeles, like many other metropolitan areas, is designed for the automobile and is neither very pedestrian nor bike friendly. If you are going to shop for groceries or other bulky items, one's car is still ahead of whatever is in "second place." Deciding whether or not to use public transport or one's car is a decision, based upon time, convenience and what a particular trip's purpose is. The selective use of public transport is best done with some advance planning, in the interest of one's time and convenience.

I have very little sympathy for owners of SUV and other behemoth sized vehicles that clutter and choke our streets and highways with very fuel inefficient vehicle traffic and pollution. One may be entitled to a few ridiculous assumptions in life, but one of these ridiculous assumptions is NOT that energy (e.g. fossil fuel) prices would always stay low and inexpensive. In Europe, where fuel is heavily taxed, smaller vehicles that have been designed from the inside out with huge volumes of space inside them, have been on the roads there for decades. The U.S. automobile industry has a lot of catching up to do in the design of smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles, which will eventually replace the glut of SUV's and other equally poor choices of personal transport that U.S. drivers have made for the last twenty or more years. If you happen to be misfortunate enough to own a "larger than life" vehicle, this is a personal choice that you made for whatever reasons at the time you purchased or leased your vehicle. Rather than howling at the high prices for fossil fuels these days, you now need to accept the consequences of your own vehicle purchasing decisions and learn to live with those consequences. An existential perspective dictates that there are no excuses and no one else other than your own actions for how high fossil fuel prices may or may not have sideswiped your own living standards.

Recent advances in hybrid and electric car designs are promising, but they are still largely promises, rather than reality at this point in time. Unless, for example, one drives a great number of miles each year, the hybrid purchase cost between a gasoline engine and a hybrid version of a particular vehicle can often be several thousands of dollars, most of which one will never recover. Moreover, there is no long term data on hybrid vehicle battery service life, so any hybrid vehicle owner is looking at the purchase of a battery pack for a hybrid vehicle for several thousands of dollars in a typical ten year service life of a hybrid car, which Toyota, Honda and most other hybrid vehicle manufacturers do NOT cover in an extended warranty. Because there is no viable infrastructure to support mass ownership of electric cars, including fuel cell electric cars, it will be many more years before electric vehicles become practical for most U.S. drivers. A great part of vehicle ownership is the knowledge that you have some way to get from point A to point B when you want or need to make such a trip, for the routine or mundane activities in life or for those special moments or sheer emergencies that arise from time to time and must be dealt with swiftly. So, for the "here and now," in contrast to the "then and maybe," I believe that a very fuel efficient gasoline engine vehicle is still the best choice for personal transport in the U.S. today, given the many trade-offs between one's own requirements for a vehicle, the long term trend towards higher fossil fuel prices and the deterioration of this planet's environment at an ever accelerating rate. In terms of vehicle manufacturers, my own personal vehicle ownership experiences with American, European and Japanese smaller vehicles suggests to me that the Japanese produce smaller vehicles, which are the best engineered, in terms of their reliability, safety and comfort integrated into their currently available vehicles, since most smaller European vehicles are not currently sold in the U.S. automobile market today.

I know most of these articles are about peoples own personal struggles with the price of oil today, I've personnally spoke with both of the State Senators/Congressmen/woman in Louisiana about this. I work for a family owned business and we are completely dependant on Diesel. We have a fleet on 120 vehicles and we are expecting around $700,000.00 increase on fuel this over last year. We have 200 families that work here and we are changing things in our organization to offset some of this huge increase. We'll have to raise of prices to the consumers as well, it's like a dog chasing his tail.Our DEAD BEAT Congress must get off their BUTTS and do what's good for the citizens of this country. Our Politicians today seem to have LOST what about SERVING the people is all about.All they want to do is get re-elected again and again and again. I have been told many times that THEY in CONGRESS keep voting things down, I asked each one " WHO ARE THEY" and told them that " THEY" need to be voted out of office since THEY can't seem to hear the American People. I also told them that"TALK IS CHEAP" and actions are needed and needed NOW.I encourage everyone who read this to call thier Congressmen and Senators and ask them , Are you One of THEY ? Get THEY out of office. We need people who hear and see what the this country needs.

I have a truck that gets 30mpg and a motorcycle that gets 62 mpg. I use FUTURE FUEL TECHNOLOGY's fuel additives in both gas and home heating oil, that increases fuel BTU output by 10-20%. My wife works in human services, and drives everywhere in her 25mpg car. Even being compensated for milage isn't helping. Our gas bill each month has tripled, and heating oil has increased six fold in just the past six years. I agree with the comments left by Scott Baker, he has his thinking and priorities in the right place. Ever since Ronald Reagan took office we have seen the private sectors deregulated and the government encroach on our basic freedoms as citizens. We have been sold a constant treat of terrorism, when the reality is that the threat is miniscule. The real threat is that our poor and elderly may start freezing to death when this winter arrives and heating oil is at $5-$6/gal. So even though gas prices sting, it will be the cost of heating oil, here in Maine, that will be the killer.

Sure it has affected me. But I can change my driving habits to lessen that impact - not so for health insurance.

A LESSON TO BE LEARNED

This is a time that our politicians should take note. What is wrong with foreign dependency of oil. The Russian / Georgia conflict is a good demonstration of what could happen. Europe is now under the control of Russian oil , if they try to get involved in protecting the sovereignty of Georgia, we know what will occur. Russia will shut down the much needed pipeline to Europe, whom control much of their natural gas and oil. This would be a repeat of Russia’s last shutdown a few years ago. America, we also consume 20% of our natural gas and oil from Russia. This could also increase the price of oil here if we get involved. Russia would also have the cooperation of it’s alias, such as Iran, Yugoslavia and others. This could reduce supply in an enormous way to further destroy our economy. Right now President Bush must be careful in this present conflict. The American people has spoken out against the far left idiots. The speaker of the house and Senate Leader should come back from their illegal vacation and have a vote now. If not their should be an immediate impeachment of both and criminal charges brought against them. They have killed and harmed more people then any terrorist in our history, due to their ignorance and unconcern. They are freezing, starving and destroying many families and should be prosecuted for that. The only answer is to be oil independent and we must drill now. This letter should be sent to our inconsiderate Democrats and our president, and force him to exercise his executive power and release the ban on drilling. This is a national emergency. Please spread the word.

Al Duhan
New Milford Ct.

I agree with most of the comments made above. Our problem is not the people it is our Government ie: congress. I have yet to here the government talk about taking pay cuts and benefit deduction. Most people at one point or another are ask to give back a little but not the government they want to take more. Our Congress needs to get of their ass and do there job and that is making things better for the people.
When it comes to the oil people may not want to see drilling riges every were but if this country doesn't do something soon it will never get better. We are along way from replacing our gas and Diesel motors and if we as a country don't start drilling soon we will never see that oil and things will never get better.
Big oil and half of government don't seem to care what it cost the people because if they did they would gotten off there lame asses and had this problem under control by now?

I commute three days each week, drive in the slow lane at 60 and still get to my office about five mintues later. I happen to have a 4 cylinder Camry that gets 30 miles per gallon on the road and have given up all my youthful driving habits for slower starts, less braking and conserving on the AC as long as I can. Every good hint I have read I have taken advantage of and most of them make a difference. I am about to take a commuter bus two days per week to reduce gas costs on my budget. I come from the day when gas was rationed during my childhood and again in the 70s. We really can all pull together and have our voices and actions heard--we can conserve in many ways if we just put our minds to it. I want those foreign jobs back in this country where they belong. We deserve them!!

The price of gas is bad enough but the huge jump in costs for nearly everything else is what really hurts. We have downsized our vehicles as the old ones wore out to fuel efficient 4 cyl. engines, but my husband works in another town and is lucky to find work in his field so the commute is necessary. The tires are kept correctly inflated, tanks filled early in the day to prevent evaporation and we keep the tanks above one-quarter full, also to prevent evaporation. We have cut out eating out, buy no new clothes, and still are struggling to pay our bills. Medical and dental costs are ridiculous with costly insurance paying less and less each year. Prices are up but incomes are not. We are both college graduates with more than one degree apiece but we are struggling. How long will the average person stay afloat financially under these conditions?

I am so frustrated with the whole mess and wish congress would knock off the partisan squabbling and come up with a workable energy plan that makes sense. They also need to tackle the medical system that is increasingly unaffordable for even those with insurance. The only way to get them moving is to vote the current congress out and a new one in. At least, it would be a start.

This is so elementary. Gas prices out of contrlol= less money available to purchase goods and services=a cut back in production of goods and services=factory/service provider shutdowns=laid off workers=less payroll=less income taxes=dead in the water. Thank you to all you moronic environmentalist whackos, all you Sierra Club members for the total shut down of the American economy with your comical theories about global warming which actually turn out to be nothing more than LIES. Unfortunately the solutions to those lies get us even FURTHER behind! WINDMILLS?! They cost over 2million and only replace 4 barrels of oil per day!!!! Solar panels?! They are very expensive and no where have they shown to be viable. OIL?! The least expensive and best source of energy on the planet and we have a gazillion barrels of it under our feet! But of course the whackos think a goose somwhere might get its little webbed feet oily so we can't drill! We can drill effectively and still protect our environment! The idiot liberals portray oil people as evil villans who really intend to destroy the environment and all living things! Nothing could be further from the truth. The evil ones are the liberals!! Stomp them out like a runaway forest fire because they are threatening to destroy this country. Especially with the communist obama!

Great idea Scott, except giving the government more money to squander and use ineffectively is not my desire. Let the free market force our hand, and keep more moeny out of the hands of the government.

Same idea applies to health care. I agree we need to make sure everyone has some coverage, but the government has shown, over and over again, that they cannot manage these programs efficiently enough to be worth OUR investment.

Time to increase offshore drilling. The politicians keep repeating the same tired out excuse. "Drilling won't bring any changes or additional oil for years". SO what!!!! I saw a news cast on channel 4 (NBC) on 08-11-08 that showed a Chevron offshore oil rig which was started in 2002. Now in 2008 it is ready to produce 35,000 barrels of oil a day. If we don't start today we will once again fall victim to our own lack of intelligence.

From the desk of Al Duhan
Every time a hear a democrat speak, it makes me sick and angry. If they are so smart, tell them to resign from congress and produce these new renewable energy's. But someone must tell them that our experts, (not democrats) know that this would be years before we could produce them. Yes we could search for better technology and work vigorously to develop these. But we must first protect our sovereignty to become oil independent. We must drill now, while we search and produce any substitute. It is fine with the democrats that China and our adversaries are drilling off the Florida coast, but we can’t. The united States can not stop the greenhouse affect, while the rest of the world will continue the use of carbon based fuels. Russia now controls most of Europe, because and will eventually control the world if we leave it up to the democrats. I do not capitalize the word democrat because it is no longer of importance to America. Tell these idiots to drill now while we search for a better product. Don’t kill any more people because of your ignorance.

Al Duhan

From the desk of Al Duhan
I am saddened by Russia instigating such a cowardly aggression against such a small sovereign nation. If there is any religion there, they should all bend to their knees and say a prayer. To attack and deliberately kill innocent people is very barbaric and a shame of the human race. I totally condemn their actions and believe that there is no excuse. The Russian residents should raise in offence to this now, and make a stand against the aggression. They must know now that they are not safe in their own country, because where they are heading. Dictatorship is also barbaric and should not be ratified.

I suggest that all our alias should agree to installing the strategic defense missile initiative in their countries and help fund a U S Submarine employing this world wide protection, against any future aggression. Just knowing that this deterrent is employed in their back yard will help deter most savage acts of aggression.

We all know that the Russian economy and their abundance of warfare was directly funded by the contributions from trusting countries and the U S, that have stopped drilling for oil and allowed Russia and our adversaries to drill off of our shores. Then we purchase this same oil from them. This is more then adequate proof that we must drill now and stop sending billions of dollars to our adversaries. Someone must educate the democrats, and the far left liberals, because they are responsible for this past aggression. If President Clinton didn’t veto the offshore drilling ten years ago, Russia would not have this power now. And we would not be sending billions of dollars to the terrorist that want to annihilate us. “American People, Please Speak Out Now” and save our country, because the democratic party will lead us into socialism. Obama has been speaking as a socialist believer and I believe that is what took him to Europe. Under his order and the present trend, Europe will also become socialist.
Al Duhan

From the Desk of Al Duhan
I believe that the American people must show their true anger with the democrats. We have heard time and time again that they will block any offshore drilling for the much needed oil in this country. This goes back to the former president, Clinton when he vetoed the offshore drilling proposal. Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, along with many other democrats, appear to be edging toward a socialized state. They preach about sharing the wealth from the large corporations, and the windfall profits created from the gas companies. They don’t want us to be oil independent and while they watch our adversaries drill off our coast. This has nearly destroyed our economy and had forced many Americans to suffer. The American families had been forced to keep both Husband and Wife working, just to afford heating oil and gasoline. The children have very few new school clothes this year, no toys and junk cheap foods. They will be forced to wear sweaters in their homes and probably to bed. Yet the democrats need a vacation before they will think about it. They ignore that 78% of the American public are demanding "drilling now". They should also think about all the families that can’t afford a vacation, because of their hypocrisy to promise a substitute energy, which would be many years into the future. Their ideas are precarious and if they should win, I believe we will be a socialist or third world country, before they leave office. We must all repudiate any democratic election to save and protect our sovereignty.

Now we have movie stars calling the shots and educating Barbie Doll, Obama. These stars all live in a fictitious world and that would further the present conundrum. I suggest that we all should boycott any movie with these players. We had enough of Hollywood influence in our national security.

I believe that we all know why our economy is failing and people are suffering. Yet Russia with its massive drilling have again became a world super power. Yet this does not open the eyes of the idiot democrats. When the bombs start falling here they will probably move to Iran. Obama speaks Islam and he could lead them.
The above may lead you to believe that I am angry, But I don’t dare show my real anger.

Al Duhan

I find that I have to choose very carefully when I use my car. It is more difficult to give people who need rides to different places the rides as much as I would like to.

I no longer drive, I take public transportation as much as possible.
Being disabled allows me to take the bus and a trolley for 45 cents. The round trip to therapy costs 90 cents, it would cost me that to start the car. I only use the car for grocery shopping and things I really need and then plan my trip for the shortest route and try to make stops that are planned so it ends up that I am not wasting gas. I also keep the tires at the right pressure and do not use the air conditioning. I wonder if I will have my gas heat shut off this winter, because of the high prices. I do not believe the economy is going to get better, just worse. It leaves people with fixed incomes wonder if they will be able to survive?

I can Convert gasoline engines run powered only by compressed air.Air that it makes it's self.