Gas is CRAZY/ It's our own Fault *gasp*

Nobody likes to take the rap for a crime. In this case, it's necessary. The simple fact that gasoline prices have spiked (and to a lesser extent heating oil, natural gas,and even coal) is...Americans use too much of it. We never like to admit that. It's our God-given right. We're good Christian fighters for freedom. It matters not that we consume (never to recover) more than 25% of the world's petroleum production, yet comprise only 5% of the population. "So what?" you say?" It's precisely that arrogance that got us here in the first place.

The August 24 Washington Post has a piece proclaiming "Obesity Rates up in Most States." We like to eat, and that's okay, 'cause food is good. But we eat too much, and most of it's crap. Too much low-quality food that doesn't really taste good...you just like to tell yourself it does. Not to mention, most of our food is actually petroleum. "HA!" You say. "More liberal treehugger poppycock." Not really. I won't bore you with numbers...so check out this humorous article in Harper's-"The Oil We Eat"

All of this to say...all of you complaining about high gasoline prices, high heating oil prices, high electricity costs due to rising natural gas prices...get over it. It's your fault and mine. As long as we go on like this, don't expect any relief to your bank account. I got so fed up I sold my Land Cruiser 2 months ago. Now, I can't take leisurely top-down Sunday drivse down the George Washington Parkway, nor leave late for work. I do miss this. All of my poor, poor freedoms are gone! Death to OPEC! Luckily, I have this Smartrip pass and a metro timetable, as well as nice friends who allow me to carpool when I chip in for gas. Do ALL of us really need cars?

As much as I live/breathe/dream about automobiles, sitting in the mall parking lot the other day I found myself overheating with anger; there were too many CARS. They were everywhere. In the recent flick "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," our buddy Mos Def is almost run over by a car as he stands in the middle of a busy roadway. He has a bouquet of flowers in his hand. The reason? He was an alien, and thought that the earth was inhabited by cars.