On Tue, 01 Jun 2004 21:18:20 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:

I'm no expert in the field, but one of my best friends is.

Thank you for taking the time to write a most enlightening post.

One thing though: You're going to ruin Usenet's reputation for hyperbole if
you keep this up!

I still maintain until the average American learns to conserve, gas is
going to be a problem.

No I do not believe that the average American has done much if
anything to reduce their use of gas. It is the attitude they think
they have that creates the problem.

We are going to get few, if any more refineries. Maybe for shale oil
reclamation and technology added to bring out fields that are no
longer good producers, or never were like the ones in central
Michigan.

The problem with those big numbers on reserves is the stuff is not
readily obtainable/available, or still leaves the US at the mercy of
foreign oil. Maybe not the same foreign oil, but foreign never the
less.

There is a real problem with what is defined as current identified
reserves, developed reserves, and accessible reserves.

Regardless we need to get away from our present dependency on gas and
particularly on some one else's. Nor do we want to use our own
reserves as that would leave us even more dependent later on.

Over 20 years ago my wife and I decided we didn't like spending so
much for day-by-day travel. What did we do? As we both worked we
moved from a very nice and relatively new home into a smaller one that
was located in between our work places and the kids had to settle for
changing schools. That alone cut our driving by half.
Was it convenient? No, but it made economic sense.

No, not every one could do that, but a lot could and more could over
time.
Most of us do not need to make 5 trips into town every day. If the
kids have to go to soccer practice, hockey practice, music
lessons...etc, work out schedules with others on any thing that can be
worked out.It may not be nearly as convenient, but it may become a
necessity. Work out different times with the music teacher so trips
can be combined. At least make an effort.

Just remember, what ever the reason the price of gas is high, if we
only use half as much *they* (whether they is OPEC, or the refinery)
won't have the leverage to charge as much.

I quit work and went back to school at age 47. Got a degree and after
graduation got a job that was less than half the distance I had been
driving. No, I never did make the cost back, but it was worth it.

One other energy savings we all need to take a realistic look at is
recycling. Recycling some products makes sense both from economic
and energy standpoints. Recycling some other products is inefficient
from an energy, resource, and economic approach and serves nothing
more than "make work" that has the appearance of being economically
correct.

We tend to blame every one but ourselves. We "claim" we've done all
we can, but that is an out and out excuse.

Even if the refineries had lots of slack and were artificially setting
the price high it is the demand *we* create that allows them to do so.
If they had surplus capacity the price would come down by supply and
demand, but that won't happen as long as we keep coming up with
excuses as to why we have to use as much as we do.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

:-)