Can Gas Cost get any Higher ?

[Kaiser_von_Nuben]

I agree absolutely on both points. The realities of corporate politics play directly into the problem: Why should an oil company change its approach to the "problem" when the "problem" is pushing their stock prices up? R&D is the prudent way to spend extra resources, but all too many corporate managers would rather inflate their golden parachutes a little more than, say, look into the algae or wind or solar solutions.

Americans have a serious consumption problem, which in turn fuels the credit crunch. Their obsession with collecting unnecessary trinkets leads to maxed-out credit cards, hopeless loans and bankruptcy. Advertising mystifies people and makes them think they "need" that iPod. This is a Nation of debtors; there can be no wealth generation when most of the population is saddled with insurmountable financial burdens. I am no exception: My education has rendered me a virtual indentured servant to my student loan creditors. After more than two years of paying the monthly payment, I actually owe MORE now than the amount I originally took out. The bank wins again!!!

If only I were a Dutch person in AOE 3... I would spend 350 wood and 350 food on a bank, and just enrich myself

[Lokelo]

There is a old concept called "tragedy of the commons".

I learned it in the context of overfishing. Fish were considered a common good and people tried to fish as much as possible on one day so the "competition" can't fish as much on the next day. Since everybody was doing it, overfishing occurred easily. If they had restricted their fishing to a certain amount, they would have had much more fish in the long run. But they were only concerned about the moment.

I think in some countries, some people do the same. At the moment there is oil. They live now. So they use as much oil as they can, often senselessly. Just because they want to use THEIR share of the oil, before somebody else uses it and they will end up with nothing. Naturally, this uses the oil at a much faster rate.

Hmm... I hope I was able to make my point here. It is early in the morning and I'm not fully awake, yet.