My quote is taken a bit out of context. I was implying that we should be hurrying up spending billions a week on developing alternative fuels instead of this war or a pointless excursion to Mars (and don't get me started on the space program and war being responsible for all technology's advances in the 20th century- the money could be spent on a focused R&D program). No, no real other/better place to get oil. Face it, the entire Middle East would be left with no income. They would be at our mercy in short order. Wars are won with economics too.

"W'" talked about investing in research for alternative fuels so we aren't so dependent on foreign oil, but many presidents before him have said the same thing. We've faced all kinds of problems with OPEC and oil shortages, but we're still in the same predicament because of our own selfishness. Face it, we love our big, fast cars, and some of us love big, slow, gas-guzzling SUVs, so the problem starts with US. Most European countries, faced with much higher fuel costs, are driving the tiniest, most fuel-efficient cars they can find, while we come up with the Hummer 2? WTF is that all about? I agree that we could do a lot of things better, but Americans, at least most of us, are apathetic and don't worry about such things until the well has run dry. Then it's "OH MY GOD, WHAT HAPPENED??!! That's our society. We have it very good, but things could take a turn for the worse if we don't change our ways.

Swish (how am I gonna sleep tonight with all this on my mind?)