I don't know how real peak oil is, but without a doubt, we need to use the oil we have now to build the infrastructure to convert to solar or hydrogen or what ever.  Not only will this be more difficult when oil blasts past $200+ but we will also be contending with huge amounts of starving people as the world struggles with inadequate energy sources to feed to world's population.

... lies in being able to take care of basic needs.  Food security.  It would be nice not to have so much of the world's energy supply coming from the volatile middle east.  Maybe even head for some improvement on the climate change front.

I just read an article from November in New Yorker.  About tar sands, twice the carbon footprint per gallon of gasoline.  Talk of being not dependent on foreign oil, and they don't often mention Canada (from tar sands) as the US #1 source of imported oil.

There's been some proposals to subsidize US tar sands development.  Perhaps not a smart move.  Pretty good article.  Link to an abstract.

we could just go back to the Carter energy policy.

I live in Kansas and am very impressed that with the focus on windpower, there's a program to try to get schools in places in the state with good wind source to power with wind.  Some of the community colleges and other schools are doing it.  Greensburg, KS is going to be a green town as they rebuild.  They're going with wind and there will be a biofuel plant there.  The school they are building is supposed to be the most green built school in the country.  This is the way we have to go.  I'm hoping they will be able to make Ethanol with something other than corn soon.  We cure have plenty of prairie grass here.  Might as well make fuel out of it.  The farmers burn it in the spring before they plant.  I feel certain Kansas could also put solar into the mix as well.  Finally, Kansas is leading the way on something important.

damn you to Helllllll!!!

the part about me winning the lottery and getting laid. Not necessarily in that order.

I didn't even get the last oil diary before $100 Was ready for a good one for tomorrow. Oh, well.

Might as well note that wholesale gasoline is up another 7 cents, heading for $3.50 retail this spring. Heating oil is still setting records, & it's turning out to be a cold winter.

to present high oil prices as something that can somehow be avoided, or that can be blamed on "the other side." Corporate greed CAN be harnessed to develop other energy sources, if government imposes the way. "Corporations should not set policy" would be a better way to frame it.

And using the strategic reserves to lower costs in the short term is a terrible, terible idea.

"if" we have an extended recession/depression it'll get very ugly. And "they" could very well be the targets of that frustration.
But then again "they" may realize this and now have Blackwater to protect "them".

But actually I agree.

At least the Euro is worth something.

comparatively so. But also in comparison the consumption in the US used to allow for the volume to offset the difference. With the expansions of other markets that is not the case anymore.

Our gasoline taxes are amazingly low, while the European governments are making money while encouraging sensible energy policy. It would make a lot of sense for the US to raise the federal gasoline tax substantially, both to encourage conservation as well as to finance some infrastructure repair, but it would be politically very difficult. Here in Minnesota, we haven't raised the state tax since 1988; it's at a puny $.20/gallon. Our governor, Tim Pawlenty, has vetoed raises of 5 and 10 cents in the last two years while trying to stick to his "no new taxes" pledge (and hoping for a VP shot on the Republican ticket). And people wonder why we have a problem with our bridges!

more or less. And I presume you never had Firestone, Ford et al buying up all your mass transit and dismantling it for buses and highways.

you get health care via the taxes on yours. we get nothing.

taxes you pay that make it cost that much.

I think you do anyway...

And you have so much less country to drive...

more cold related deaths from our northern most cities. Which is more shame on us.

mined recently from the air, so it's recycling and not contributing to the rising CO2 caused by fossil fuel releases.

Two, you add particulates which evidently have actually been suppressing warming in the modern era.

Of course, not so good for local asthmatics.

we might hit oil at 200 dollars and at 100 Euros at the same time :-(

love that sky high euro. of course the spanish cheeses that i crave have gone up too. i may buy some goats.

Most commodities are destructive to the environment Whether it be gold, iron ore, coal, natural gas, crude oil, lumber, etc.
  Yet modern life wouldn't be possible without that stuff.

 More importantly, even if you disapprove of, say, gold, crude oil, and lumber, its still going to get exploited.
 

 So here's the dilemma: You can not avoid investing in these commodities on principle, and become poorer in the process. While Republicans do invest in this bull market and become richer.
 Thus progressive people will be poor, and conservatives will be rich.

 Or, you can hold you nose and get wealthy in this bull market. Then you can put your new wealth to use in progressive causes - like more environmentally friendly mining practices.

  Either way, there is a bull market in commodities and it is going to continue whether you invest in it or not.