Gas war - Bring down prices

[BenderGonzales]

I TIVO'd that program on CNN "We Were Warned" and just finished watching it. To be honest I was extremely impressed with Brazil, who will be energy independant in just a few years by using sugar ethenol.

What amazed me was that the reporter was driving an ethenol powered CHEVY!!!

The auto manufacturers have the technology. We are paying farmers NOT to farm and subsidizing failing crops. Why can't we begin the work of creating corn, cellulose, or sugar crops within the united states and begin working towards that goal ourselves? Even if just 20% of our current oil import could be home-grown (no pun intended) it would be helpful.

I'm concerned about the impact of higher gas prices on the economy. The price of food. The price of everyday goods. I'm not some environmentalist wacko. I'm concerned about the American way of life.

Good program though it pissed me off that CNN is intentionally trying to frighten people.

 

[FN FAL]

Ask your leaders in Washington to pass a law making it illegal to travel on one specific day of the week. No vehicle movement except for emergengy, police or military.

I'd agree with something like that, if the law also included language which excluded shooting the tires off of the "emergengy", police or military vehicles, from being a crime on that day.

 

[V-1]

I tried setting the cruise control at 60 on the highway the other day. It's a big difference in RPM on my little subaru. 2600 vs. a little over 3000 at 70mph.

No idea what that would translate to in fuel savings, but it's not terribly safe! I was being passed like I was standing still by SUVs, semi trucks, and middle-aged women giving me the finger from their minivans!

I wonder if they've considered lowering the national speed limit 5 or 10mph?

I drive about 75 miles per day, 90% of which are on the interstate. My V-8 powered Thunderbird gets 21 m.p.g. when I consistently drive it 70-75 m.p.h. When I choose to be disciplined and drive the 55-65 m.p.h. speed limits in my area, fuel efficiency increases to 28 m.p.g. - a 33% increase. It's like buying $3.00/gallon gasoline for $2.00/gallon.

I agree that sometimes I wonder if I should reinvest the savings in increased life insurance protection.

 

[Pantherjon]

Ask your leaders in Washington to pass a law making it illegal to travel on one specific day of the week. No vehicle movement except for emergengy , police or military. This would definitely hurt the oil companies expanding retirement fund.

DONE...National No Drive Day will be on Febuary 30th...

 

[414Flyer]

If we all purchased cars that got 40mpg or so it would make a huge difference. They're out there. I don't mean to bash the SUVers, but we are our own worst enemy.

Its like the people who buy hybrids to "feel good" about themselves, and yes they do burn less fuel, than normal cars. However, there i takes a lot of energy and resources to make a new car.

One can find a used turbo diesel or even an older honda civic hf, get about as good of mileage as a hybrid too

 

[JohnDoe]

quote:
"Good program though it pissed me off that CNN is intentionally trying to frighten people."


I agree. I started to watch it, but I think they went a little overboard with the fake "scenarios" and the "world-is-gonna-end" approach.

I also got tired of what seemed to be 3 minutes of program, then 10 minutes of commercials......




V-1's post perfectly illustrates what I was talking about in reducing the national speed limit. Something as simple as that would result in real fuel savings and wouldn't kill the economy. Yet it was left out of our fearless leader's supposed attempt at energy reform with his bill. Guess we have seen where his true priorites are with the billions in tax breaks for oil companies.

 

[jetflyer]

John Doe,

I personally as you know think the oil problem will get worse than now in the future.

I think they're saving the "Change the Speed Limit" option till there are real shortages that develop like what might happen when we go to war with Iran.

Jet

 

[BenderGonzales]

Why wait? Lower the speed limit today and have an impact on the oil-companies bottom lines tomorrow.

 

[Smacktard]

If we didn't want to see $70/barrel and $3/gallon, maybe we shouldn't have elected an oil-man president. I for one find it hard to believe that the prices we are seeing are simply a result of supply and demand. They are the result of an industry with high barriers to entry taking advantage of an economy that is reliant on their product, knowing they have many friends in DC who will turn a blind eye.

We'd be better of with another horny lawyer.

Or we shouldn't have voted in all the Democrats over the past 30 years that pandered to the environmentalists and restricted our ability to serve our own energy needs.

 

[matt7723]

Or we shouldn't have voted in all the Democrats over the past 30 years that pandered to the environmentalists and restricted our ability to serve our own energy needs.

You really think ANWR is gonna save your ass? Do you realize how wasteful we are? Do you realize how no amount of drilling will help us become energy independent? Do some research before making such stupid posts.

 

[414Flyer]

You really think ANWR is gonna save your ass? Do you realize how wasteful we are? Do you realize how no amount of drilling will help us become energy independent? Do some research before making such stupid posts.

So should we just give up all petroleum exploration then? No one is saying ANWR will make us independent, but its a huge field for US petroleum production. if ANWR is too small, then what is the proper size in order to extract petroleum?

 

[flyer172r]

Times ahead will be difficult, but I'm pretty sure we'll survive, even though we'll have to give up our SUVs. Why anyone would buy one now I don't understand. I did see today that Congress has authorized the Dept. of Energy to increase fuel efficiency standards. It's a start, I just hope it's not too late.

Interesting article: http://www.earth-policy.org/Updates/Update43.html