Posted by otterfan (anonymous) on June 6, 2008 at 12:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

But we MUST save the buck-tooth beaver!!(sarcasm here) Whatever happened to preserving human life BEFORE preserving wildlife?? The far-left nutjobs are ruining america and I can't wait for a democratic president to begin running this country and driving it even further into the ground. McCain isn't any better--my opinion. So we are screwed either way.

Posted by otterfan (anonymous) on June 6, 2008 at 12:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Why aren't we drilling in anwr? Read story here:

http://www.democratequalssocialist.wordp...

Posted by edrule3 (anonymous) on June 6, 2008 at 1:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Typical Republican "I want it all now!" rant. So what about future generations Culp . . . when there's nothing left for them because you used it all up in your lifetime? Oil isn't sustainable. It's already peaked. It's on the down slope of production. It will run out. What if there were a future catastrophe and the coal, oil and other unsustainables of today were all that could have kept the human race from extinction?

You Republicans have already burdened future generations of Americans with birth-debt in the thousands of $$$ to pay for Bush's war. Where do you guys get this arrogant attitude that you're the entitled generation and you can externalize all the costs associated with your rapacious appetite for Mother Earth's limited resources. Oh that's right, you guys have conveniently created in your minds a god to suit your desires and science is voo-doo if it won't make you rich. Without Democrats to limit your abuses you'd suck the world dry and leave it a barren spent-nuclear-fuel-rod dump, overflowing with asbestos and DDT, etc. for everyone else to deal with.

BTW - Bush has told the Saudi's not to increase oil production. They agreed. Less supply means higher prices. Bush comes from an oil-rich, oil-friendly family. If you had DishNetwork satellite TV you could watch a host of channels that show the world in it's true light. It would change your worldview. But since Reagan repealed the Fairness Doctrine in the 80's, which required the media to maintain 'fair and balanced' reporting, your worldview is obviously slanted to reflect the view they want you to have. This news is created to satisfy their shareholder's bottom lines. Who owns the media you subscribe to?

It's time to focus on sustainable energy sources and make that the only direction we go. Germany, Brazil, Norway and other nations are well on their way and leaving us in their dust.

Just one more thing, Culp - how does one 'demagogue' an oil company?

Posted by ANonnyMoose (anonymous) on June 6, 2008 at 2:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It's so hilarious when Republicans conveniently ignore the responsibility of the free market for high prices of consumer goods. Surely it must be higher taxes, and not the very system I hold so dear to my heart! Yes, the gas tax has increased, but that increase is a fraction of the additional price we're paying these days. Mr. Culp, the oil companies and their shareholders -- not the govt -- are the ones getting richer than ever off these prices, and that's exactly how your party wants it to be. Next time you open your wallet at the pump, thank yourself.

Posted by Mel (anonymous) on June 6, 2008 at 2:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Austin Culp is right, like it or not.

Posted by bigkahunaburger (anonymous) on June 6, 2008 at 3:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"Treasonous?" Wow. That's a pretty serious word. There went your credibility. It would be easier to make your point if you weren't so sensational about everything.

And no one, I mean NO one, has the right to lecture us on preserving human life. You think drilling for oil is the key to preserving humanity? We've been around a long time, and it hasn't been because we have oil to burn. Preserving human life... give me a break. Take a trip to Sudan, see if you can help out over there.

Posted by otterfan (anonymous) on June 6, 2008 at 3:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

bigkahunaburger we are in america...sudan may need help, but guess what SO DO WE. Yes preserving human life is not something environmentalists want to do, and they have the majority of congress playing their game. Nothing is being done in washington because they don't seem to get anything, or are simply being payed off. Wake UP WE THE PEOPLE don't matter anymore, but the WILDLIFE does. Strange isn't it?

Posted by edrule3 (anonymous) on June 6, 2008 at 4:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Speaking of preserving humanity, why is it that whenever "do-gooder Evangeical Christians" go to a third-world country to convert everyone, the next thing you know, that country suddenly becomes inundated with neo-colonialism once the coast is clear and the natives are feeling comfortable with their new buds? I wonder where in the chain-of-command of that organized sham the foolers vs. the fooled line is drawn. Religion is a business by the rich - for the rich. And always has been since the start. I guess if the only view of this world you get is from the creators of your god then you'll become whatever they want you to be.

Posted by BloopTriple (anonymous) on June 6, 2008 at 4:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Ah, yes, those omnipotent liberals just rolled over the Republican majorities to impose their will!

Darn those powerful, forceful liberals! And those poor, helpless Republicans who only controlled the presidency, Congress and the Supreme Court! If only they could have stood up to the powerful Democrats!

Give me a break.

High oil prices may have something to do with blocking more efficient cars and starting a war that destabilized the (already unstable) Middle East. Forgive me for being a conspiracy theorist, but putting two oil men in charge of the country and seeing oil profits rise may not, in fact, be just a big ol' coincidence.

Posted by cheif (anonymous) on June 6, 2008 at 4:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Just blame everything on the Democrats! Seriously, do Republicans ever do anything wrong?

Posted by bigkahunaburger (anonymous) on June 6, 2008 at 4:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It would be funny to hitch a ride to north-central Africa and tell the folks in Darfur that we need help fighting the life-hating democrats who have been secretly controlling the oil industry for 7 1/2 years, despite having no controlling intrest in any branch of the federal government. I bet they'd get a big kick out of it. Those Sudanese - long known for their priceless sense of humor.

Posted by Mel (anonymous) on June 6, 2008 at 7:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Who stops us from drilling in ANWR?
Who stops us from drilling off shore?
You know who you are,, stop using fuel!!

Posted by tippy98c (anonymous) on June 6, 2008 at 9:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

hahahahahaha...I love Repubs, comic relief.
Like when your cat chases their own tail.

Posted by mgdbottled (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 11:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The Repubs must keep the population uneducated and ignorant. And, they have done a pretty good job of that. That's the only base they have. The ignorant and uneducated and uninformed who cling to their religion and guns and vote against their own economic interest because they don't have the mental processes to see just what is going on in this country. If the dems and repubs ever had a civil war in this country, the dems would win by default cause the big mouthed chicken _____'s would show up.

Posted by Elizabeth (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 2:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Please educate yourself on what drilling in ANWR really means before you spout such drivel.

Posted by Mel (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 5:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Drilling in ANWR means 4.8 to 29.4 BILLION barrels of oil, and a great amount of natural gas. Polar bears are NOT in danger. Alaska is suing the dept. of interior to change the so called 'threatened' status.

Posted by Elizabeth (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 6:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Mel, that's an opinion, not a fact.

My most accounts, no one really knows how much oil exists in ANWR, and most informed estimates range around a 10-year supply. It's not enough to lower our gas prices and not worth destroying an entire ecosystem over. Our country is needlessly addicted to oil and consuming at an alarming rate. Drilling in ANWR would be nothing but a quick fix. We should be researching an inventing alternative fuel sources to reduce our dependence on oil, period.

I'd be willing to consider the possibility if anyone can point me to credible, non-biased sources showing how drilling in ANWR would reduce our dependence on oil, reduce prices, and help the environment, however, I guarantee you such doesn't exist.

Posted by Mel (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 7:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

ANWR has a very good grade of crude. The 10 year supply from there is the lowest estimate.(the dems like to quote). It will not destroy the entire ecosystem, very little of it in fact.
When the opponents of the drilling went out to convince everyone that "we can't destroy this pristine etc" with pictures of reindeer dancing around and polar bears smiling at you, the dept of interior posted photos of ANWR on the internet, no trees, no deer. So, the Dems. cried foul because the dept. on interior was not be partisant. I guess the truth is partisant.

Posted by edrule3 (anonymous) on June 8, 2008 at 1:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

And let's not forget oil queen Condi Rice, Bloop Triple. She was on the Board of Director's for 10 years and they even named an ocean-going oil tanker after her:

http://www.aztlan.net/oiltanker.htm

There was much controversy during her time there as to the tactics Chevron used in securing drilling rights in third-world countries. Many poor land owners died who stood in the way of the oil giant.

Posted by Norse (anonymous) on June 9, 2008 at 8:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)

And where exactly would these 'Oil Giants' be without the lowly overconsuming and wasteful citizens who act as if there is an endless supply of cheap fuel for every one of their power toys and travel plans?

The libz and bleeding heart protectionists (of forrest and predator) have reduced the ability to produce that which our economy needs, while at the same time contributing largely to the increase in demand. Then when the public is stretched to the limit by high prices for fuel, food, and everything related to each, the LIBz impose yet another tax to further decrease a person's ability to pay.

In an election year, wouldn't the osama supporters be better served by putting the squeeze on the voting public?....Indeed.

Posted by sametoyou (anonymous) on June 9, 2008 at 9:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)

First there was Rush. Now there is John Holley, Austin Culp, Mel, and Otterfan. The Dems don't have a chance a with a highly educated group as this. These guys have the right answer for every problem in the world. I wish they would run for office, instead of just running their brainwashed mouths!

Posted by BenDoubleCrossed (anonymous) on June 9, 2008 at 10:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Are you willing to accept an ever declining lifestyle? Choose:

FOREIGN WARS OR DOMESTIC OIL

A rapidly devaluing dollar, aggravated by the cost of the War in Iraq, contributes to recent rapid increases in the price of gas. And if the trillion plus dollars the US spent fighting that war had been invested in a Manhattan like project to produce oil from known reserves in the Gulf of Mexico, the Continental shelf and synthetic diesel/gas from America’s abundant coal fields, gas would be $2 a gallon or less.

And reducing trade deficits keeps jobs in America. Every billion of trade deficit costs 13,000 jobs. $400 billion for oil last year: do the math.

Plus declaring American energy independence is the neighborly thing to do. It would place downward pressure on world oil prices by making more OPEC oil available for the UK, France, Japan, Turkey, etc.

Harness your anger at the pump. Call Congress and demand domestic production in this decade. Raise your voice or the oil companies and politicians will assume you are ready to pay even more.

http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_...

Posted by rodentboy (anonymous) on June 9, 2008 at 12:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

according to CNN today that the reserves at ANWR at the high end would only last the U.S. two years and that it would take 10 years from the time drilling started to the time it hits the pumps. so why take the risk there at this point.

Posted by AmyO (anonymous) on June 9, 2008 at 12:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Cars-R-Coffins!

Ride a bike!

Posted by edrule3 (anonymous) on June 9, 2008 at 1:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Norse says, "And where exactly would these 'Oil Giants' be without the lowly overconsuming and wasteful citizens who act as if there is an endless supply of cheap fuel for every one of their power toys and travel plans?"

Who made that possible, Norse? Do you think your Republican king in the white house might have something to do with that? We are addicted to oil, as Bush says, but it's because the leadership of our country leads us all in that direction. We put them there to act in the best interest of all of us. Instead, they make it their lauch pad for foriegn policies that enrich the few, and the rest of us (including future generations) will pay for that.

In the 70's there was an attempt to change the direction of our country from unsustainable, fossil fuel sources towards more alternative and sustainable energies. What happened? Had our leadership gone that direction then, we wouldn't be in this addicted state today.

Posted by 89Heritage (anonymous) on June 9, 2008 at 8:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The need for oil is going to be here a long time. Since the shortages of the 70's, very little has been done as far as alternative's. The 70's did prompt exploration & the pipe line. Both were big boost to the economy. It also dropped the price of foreign oil. THATS what we need to do. I spent most of the 80's doing oil exploration. From Alaska to California & everywhere west of the Mississippi. The tree huggers & the Dems. were our biggest obstacle's. This country has a good supply of resorces. We need ANWAR & the coasts & the other area's not allowed. Yes , there are environmental risks, but they are rare considering the numbers. A lake home or farm is doing more damage to the environment than a functioning rig or pumper.

Posted by thethinker (anonymous) on June 10, 2008 at 12:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I blame the US Congress almost totally for the current oil situation. Mostly the democrats but several "liberal" republicans are also at fault. Explain to me why it is GOOD that no oil drilling, no oil refineries, and no new oil production has occurred on US soil for over 30 years? Why are the oil pumps 6 hours to our west sitting idle when the largest oil reserves in the continental US are sitting below them? Why are foreign nations drilling within 100+ miles of our own shores but US oil companies are forbidden to do so? Some of you want to blame Bush and the Iraq War; or blame SUV's and trucks; or blame the US gluttonous consumption of gas. No. Blame the last 30 years of Congressional blockage (due strongly to various conservation groups). Nobody disagrees that oil is not going to last forever - or that a better fuel source is necessary. But such a source is not currenlty feasable. The world depends on oil. We the People should DEMAND that Congress allows further drilling and developement of US based oil supplies to lessen the dependency on foreign oil. To do otherwise will only cause financial hardship as oil prices rise dramatically - oh wait....that's happening right now...

Posted by AmyO (anonymous) on June 10, 2008 at 2:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hey I know! How about we all just constantly complain about the price of gasoline and oil and point fingers at who we think is to blame, as opposed to actually changing our lifestyles and our behavior in an effort to actually do something about it?

I can't wait until oil hits $200 a barrel! People (especially Americans) will never DECIDE to change. They must be FORCED to. I say the sooner the better.

Car-R-Coffins!
Ride a bike!

http://www.finance-commerce.com/article....

Posted by Titor (anonymous) on June 10, 2008 at 4:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Poor Mr. Culp from Battle lake, MN. He listens to Rush Windbag and watches Fixed (Fox) News and believes he is informed. Blame the Democrats? That’s rich! When ignorant of facts it is better to remain silent. In reading the many responses to your opinion, seems most left out an important (fact), our US $ dollar is worth considerably less, ok it is, worthless! Been to Europe lately?
Mr. Bush and his war mongering cohorts have along with Congress had a blank unending check for Iraq. Now $350 million per day! Austin do you know what your share is? $4,681 per household and growing every hour! When you continue to run up an unpaid tab like this, the currency and the Nation suffer.
$5.00 a gallon gas is not hard to imagine when our US dollar is worth half what it was when Bush took office. Worse is yet to come Austin. Mr. Oil Man, (President) along with his VP Dick Cheney will strive to expand the war on terror or what ever they choose to call it, to Iran. Bush & Cheney care not about your heart aches, complaints or your pocket book. These criminal politicians will continue to bankrupt our country while they fill their pockets with defered payments from the likes of Haliburton and its subs KBR.
They are immune from criminal prosecution and free to do their will as they wish. Bush has sought to combine Mexico and Canada with the USA, but first must lower our standard of living by bankrupting us all. This is the only thing Bush has not failed at! To those Evangelical Bush (whackers) who saw the good Christian in Bush the war monger! You got your wish of 4 more years of Bush, high gas prices, high food prices, loss of Constitutional freedoms, unwarranted wire taping of your phones, and National Security letters, fixed electronic elections and hatred of America by the world! America is paying the price now for this greedy corporate war monger and his inept leadership. Suck it up Austin Culp, blame whom ever you want. But me? I blame you, for being blind and ignorant as a sheep!

Posted by pilsnerurquel (anonymous) on June 10, 2008 at 7:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Mr. Culp's analysis of the fuel crisis is laughable. What do you expect when you elect an oil tycoon as your President?! The only reason prices are so high is because the thugs at OPEC and Exxon continue to reap astronomical profits! It's greed pure and simple. It has NOTHING, I repeat NOTHING to do with either supply or demand or Democrats taxing oil companies.

Posted by Mel (anonymous) on June 10, 2008 at 11:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Thank you 89Heritage for your comments, You make sense.
To sametoyou, Yes I am almost always right, I take great pride in it, I don't take it lightly, hee hee ;)
Listen to Rush, Drill in ANWR.

Posted by edrule3 (anonymous) on June 11, 2008 at 3:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Welcome aboard Titor! Wish there were more people out there with their eyes wide open and not blinded by wearing Jesus glasses.

Posted by BloopTriple (anonymous) on June 11, 2008 at 10:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

People who think we're going to pump our way out of this oil crisis need to Google the term "peak oil" and get informed.

Also, I challenge anyone to look at the oil production and consumption numbers by country at the link below and tell me conservation and efficiency shouldn't be part of the picture. We consume the most oil per capita of any country. But we're not just #1 in that category -- we consume as much as numbers 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 on that list COMBINED.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0922041.h...

Posted by thethinker (anonymous) on June 11, 2008 at 10:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Someone above keeps saying Cars-R-Coffins...ride a bike...it must be pleasant to live in a fantasy world all day long. Allow me to state this obvious fact (not a fantasy): 95% or more of ALL GOODS in the USA travel via a diesel powered engine so they can arrive at your local stores/vendors for yours and my consumption. Hmmmmm.....tell the trucking industry to ride a bike. Ask the railroads to pull freight with those handcars. Fact: gasoline usage in the USA has dropped steadily since late last year. Fact: mass transit usage has risen steadily since mid 2007. Fact: diesel fuel usage has remained roughly the same (as has been the case for many years). Fact: the price of gasoline/diesel has risen beyond all historic proportion over the last 6 months. Speculators on global stocks have caused the majority of the price increase. If the USA were less dependent upon foreign oil-in other words, if we actually allowed our own companies to drill for oil in our own nation, we would not have such a big mess on our hands. Prices would still be higher but the govt could realistically affect them - within our borders. Ride a bike....lol....

Posted by Woodtick (anonymous) on June 11, 2008 at 2:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree with you thinker. Ride a bike indeed! What a joke. I may have missed something, but as far as I know the US Presidency isn't a dictatorship. How anyone can truly believe that one man can control the price of a barrel of oil is laughable. While I agree that we need to get aggressive with the development of alternative fuels I also believe we need to get aggressive with domestic drilling to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. If AMYO wants to ride her bike and can't wait for oil to hit $200 a barrel that's her problem. Just don't expect me to join in on the excitement.

Posted by AmyO (anonymous) on June 11, 2008 at 2:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Right. The trucking industry uses transportation burning non-renewable fuels on a daily basis; the railroad industry uses transportation burning non-renewable fuels on a daily basis, so why shouldn't I be able to use transportation burning non-renewable fuels on a daily basis? I'm an American too, right? And my neighbor buys all their goods for consumption from sources in other parts of the country or most likely in other parts of the world and everyone else in this town does the exact same thing, so why shouldn't I buy my goods from non-local sources too? Isn't it my right as an American to have what everyone else has? Give me a break. Maybe when the price of an avocado (and the gas it takes to get it here) hits $10 we might think about eating the carrots and peas from our garden (or Blue Bird Gardens ) instead? So gasoline usage has dropped steadily since late last year? How much of that has been because of you? Mass transit usage has risen steadily since mid 2007? Again, how much have you or the people you've voted for contributed to this trend? How much have you hindered it?

I liked this quote... "If the USA were less dependent upon foreign oil-in other words, if we actually allowed our own companies to drill for oil in our own nation..." Brilliant! Just replace our addiction to foreign oil with an addiction to entirely domestically produced oil. Of course! Talk about living in a fantasy world. That’s like telling someone who’s trying to stop drinking to just start smoking meth. Why is it that the solutions to the problems that we all love to complain about so much always rest on the shoulders of someone else? Why do we always ask what can they do about this problem instead of what can I do about it? Perhaps because it’s easier?

You are correct however, in your assertion that I am also living in a fantasy world. Namely, in that by encouraging people to “ride a bike” I am essentially encouraging people to CHOOSE to change their lifestyle for the betterment of themselves and their country. And as I’ve stated, this WILL NOT happen. People must be FORCED to change. Also, I don’t think it’s just a coincidence that most of the people who are now all up in arms about the price of gas were and are the very same ones who have an absolute hissy-fit about the smoking ban. Change because I should? No way. But change because if I don’t I’ll be broke? Fine. But I’ll be kicking and screaming the entire way.

Did you know that if everyone who lives within 5 miles of their workplace left their car at home just one day a week and biked to work, nearly 5 million tons of pollution would be saved every year — like taking about a million cars off the road.

Cars-R-Coffins!
Ride a Bike!

Posted by AmyO (anonymous) on June 12, 2008 at 10:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Oh, and woodtick, believe me, it's not a problem at all. It's one of the best parts of my day. ; )

Posted by Woodtick (anonymous) on June 12, 2008 at 11:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Life must be simple in Oz.............

Posted by AmyO (anonymous) on June 12, 2008 at 12:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Right, cause if you just dismiss me as “crazy” you won’t have to actually think about anything I just wrote. Oooh, this person lives in some “fantasy world” where their car is not an essential part of their life. Where they can actually get from point A to point B by using their own two feet instead of an internal combustion engine. Wow, must be nice in “la-la-land.”

How sad are we? How pathetic have we, as a society, become when being environmentally conscious and pro-active in the fight against our wasteful ways is not only uncommon, but it’s actually scoffed at and ridiculed? The guy in the article I posted above actually had someone yell at him out the window of their car one day, “Get a car!” How dumb are we? Not only are we addicted to our own wasteful lifestyles, but we will actively discourage others from living any other way.

Don’t worry, Woodtick, I don’t expect you to join in on the excitement of riding your bike, or walking, or finding some other, less damaging, more cost-effective way of transporting yourself to where you need to go. In fact, I’d be absolutely shocked by it.

Posted by thethinker (anonymous) on June 12, 2008 at 12:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

AmyO - go ahead and TRY and grow all the food you need in your garden. Enjoy. Or should I say, you won't enjoy ANY of the following: avocados, pineapples, bananas, ANYTHING MADE FROM RUBBER, bamboo, water chestnuts, many types of beans and numerous other foods that just don't grow in this climate. Furthermore, I hope you enjoy salting or pickling your produce as it most likely won't do too well in January in MN. Of course, you could build a greenhouse - but wait! You will need to use electicity to keep it warm and using electric uses up, you guessed it: carbon based fuels like oil and gas. (Less than 10% of all electric comes comes from wind, solar, or other "clean" fuels).

Currently there is no viable substitution for the internal combustion engine fueled by gas or diesel. None. E85 is not an option as it actually costs MORE to produce a gallon of that than it does for gas. Everyone should try and conserve energy as much as possible (and, AmyO, I have driven less and used far less electricity, but my commute to work is 30 miles so a bike is well outside of the equation). If the USA had more home-drilled oil we would be less dependent upon foreign oil. There would be more available oil globally. Does this alleviate the need for gas? No. But until a new form of energy is created we are stuck with gas and diesel. That is a fact.

Posted by BloopTriple (anonymous) on June 12, 2008 at 6:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I think we're setting up a false dichotomy by pretending our only two options are drilling more or abandoning cars for bicycles. There are hundreds of things we can do that aren't that inconvenient. We don't need to go back to the Stone Age to solve this problem.

Posted by AmyO (anonymous) on June 13, 2008 at 8:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"Less than 10% of all electric comes comes from wind, solar, or other "clean" fuels" - I like how you just throw that in there like it's not part of the problem. "Less than 10% of all electric comes from "clean" fuels, so let's drill for more oil!!!

"Currently there is no viable substitution for the internal combustion engine fueled by gas or diesel." - In over 75% of what people do in their lives on a daily basis, there absolutely is. And I've mentioned it several times here. It usually has followed the phrase "Cars-R-Coffins!" ; )

"If the USA had more home-drilled oil we would be less dependent upon foreign oil. There would be more available oil globally." - This would also be the case if everyone who could, rode a bike to where they needed to go instead of driving a car (the guy in the article I posted above is not a super athlete, he's no Lance Armstrong and he commutes 33 miles to work every day), but let's not concern ourselves with what you and I can do. Let's just continue to harp on what everyone else can do.

Also, Bloop, I've never advocated "abandoning cars for bicycles" (though I wouldn't be opposed to it), only that cars should be used in cases of absolute necessity, not case of absolute convenience.

Posted by thethinker (anonymous) on June 13, 2008 at 9:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I said: "Currently there is no viable substitution for the internal combustion engine fueled by gas or diesel."
AmyO said: In over 75% of what people do in their lives on a daily basis, there absolutely is.
Her ascertion is inaccurate. This is a rural area where people often work 25+ miles from home. There is no mass transit system. The only feasable way to get to work is via a car. Perhaps in Fargo/Moorhead more people could use mass transit or bike to where they need to go. Not here. Not in Ottertail, Becker, Wilkin, Grant, Douglas, Polk, Todd and several other nearby counties. You seem to think I believe the answer is to drill more oil. That is not true. The answer is to develope a more efficient, more available, less polluting, and cheaper fuel source to power the transportation needs of the world (maybe hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe). I reiterate, currently no such option exists. Oil is the only realistic option and it will eventually run out. In the mean time, while science looks for a better way, we need to acquire as much domestic oil as is possible. Drill off our coasts. Drill in ANWR. Start up the rigs in western ND. Whatever it takes we should be doing it so we are not reliant on crazies in Nigeria, Iran, Argentina, etc.

Posted by Lala (anonymous) on June 18, 2008 at 5:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well I guess we'll just see how this all pans out when we get a 'new' president in office...... Don't really think it's gonna change much. Everyone is so quick to jump on the 'ragging on Bush' campaign. I personally think the Bush administration isn't so bad.... that's my personal opinion though. I respect yours, so you can respect mine. Thank you