The militant muslims have vowed to kill us all. An idea making the rounds is an ultimatum. Let them know if they succeed in destroying something as sacred to us as, for example, the statue of liberty, we will utterly destroy mecca. While we are at it, I think we should take over the oil. Naturally, this will piss a few people off.

Nah, I think what we otta do, is completely cut our dependence from oil. Dedicate the money now used to subsidize oil producers and put it toward solar, wind, and wave power generation, and further the development of the fuel cell Then when we don’t need their oil anymore we can tell them to take their oil, and all the sand the can find and go pound it up their a$$es. That would also cut off the money pipeline used to finance all their international shenanigans. It would be the patriotic thing to do.

I'm not in favor of such threats nor am I much of a fan of retaliation ... I don't think we should raise the topic of their "hitting" ANY target, or specifying what we'd do if they did ...

I think we need to develop the collective mind-set and will-to-act that if something like you suggest were to happen, we'd go after Mecca, or any other appropriate target, not only for strategic but also psychological purposes ... it's pretty G-D sad, but we've come to a kill-or-be-killed fork in the road ...

I think that rather than wait to react to what THEY do, we need to take action ... yes, I know it's not the traditional American posture to strike first, but do you really want to wait until the Statue of Liberty, the Golden Gate Bridge, Disneyland, The Alamo, St Louis Arch, Trademart, or whatever has joined the Trade Center in a pile of rubble??

A fork in the road is right! ... fork THEM!!

Oh, right!! ... let's cut off oil. Let's put money into raising a mast through the roof of the car and let the gentle breeze blow us to work ... In your DREAMS maybe ...

I'm all in favor of technology and am not welded to the internal combustion engine, but frankly, you can waft on the breeze to wherever you're going if you like, but I'm sticking with oil until a realistic alternative comes along ...

Steve, I’m not saying “cut it off.” What I’m saying is we, through our tax dollars, should stop paying to keep it as cheap as it is. Conservatives always claim they want the market to dictate what happens in the economy. Fine, then stop subsiding oil, and let the market bear the true weight of its cost. It makes no difference to me if I have to pay at the pump to the oil companies, then again on April 15th or pay it all up front But if people saw the true cost of oil, they would demand a change. Then we could, after a period of time, wean ourselves from oil as we develop new technologies and then eventually never need it at all. By the way, there are realistic and workable alternatives right now. When I was in Iceland a few years ago I was surprised to see almost no smokestacks on any of the buildings, you know why? Most of their power is generated thermally. Islay not only turns out darn fine Scotch, but they also have a plant that generates power with clean and cheap hydrogen. You may also want to check out a Scottish company called Wavegen. People are afraid of change, but the journey that takes the longest to complete is the one you never start.

Ok, everybody in! We're going on a road trip! I want to check out your claims CC. Oh, and CC, you're in charge of the sails (I'm assuming my car floats), when we get to the Atlantic. Maybe I'll have the first amphibious 'Vette! Otherwise, we split the cost of gas til then!

We only use about 10% Middle Eastern Oil. A lot of people dont realize that. We use most of our own anyway. The trouble is that our ALLIES use a TON of Middle Eastern Oil and that spells trouble for us economically. We dont need the oil. Our allies do and if we sever that tie, then we cut off our allies hands. Now think from there.

No that’s okay we can fly there e-chick, for a lot less. The reason why is that the newest jets in service, like the Triple 7 are the most fuel efficient planes ever built. Know why? Because their customers, the airlines, demanded it! In fact in 98, NASA and Pratt and Whitney redesigned the engine, creating one half percent greater fuel efficiency. Know why? Their customers demanded it! Meanwhile the CAFÉ ratings of the big three have been flat for the last 20 years. Why? Because we’ve been willing to listen to their bulls**t whining about how expensive it would be, and how hard it would be and how it would cost jobs. It’s all a load of horse crap. All they want to do is protect high rate for return for investors. All I’m saying is, why don’t we demand better? Even one half a percent better. Is that too much to ask?

Oh...

That's true Dave. But, the we have already drilled up and produced around 90% of the oil under the ground right now in the lower 48. That leaves only 10% left. That does not count Alaska of course, which will be harder to get to and move out to transport. I imagine that Driller ****** will have us dropping shafts into the ANWR soon enough though.

Weve been using that much of our own oil forever. What makes you think that this oil will deplete anytime soon? The govt doesnt seem too worried about it. Im not sure that 10% is an accurate number because we as a govt arent worried about us as much as we are worried about our friends. Yes, we are worried about our friends BECAUSE of our stability, but im trying to keep it simple here. It will probably then last us for another 150 years. By then hopefully we will have some better ideas about what we will use as fuel.. Im glad that hybrid cars are coming out when they are.

http://www.eia.doe.gov/ .)

That's a great answer, and one I also have advocated. While we're at it, let's also get the Israelis to make Palestinian mothers take care of the bodies of the dead Israeli children who get blown up. If they are force to deal with the bodies of dead children, they hopefully will see that dead children are dead children, and perhaps begin to feel that another road is the answer. After all, a mother is a mother and children are children

You guys keep missing my point. I’m not saying close all the gas stations this weekend and break out the horses. What I’m saying is that we as a nation are doing nothing to further the cause of alternative energies. On September 12th, 1962 JFK said “We will go to the moon.” At that time the technology to go to the moon did not exist. Less than seven years later, Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon. Now all we do is listen to how hard everything is, and how it can’t be done. I say BULLS**T! Where’s that America? Where’s this America?
“We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too. “ John F Kennedy, Rice University 1962

We never went to the moon. Probably the biggest hoax that this earth has seen next to War of the Worlds. Did you ever see that show that dispells all the moon stuff? I did a little research as well after that and all that they said is true. You have to see that theory show. I think youll think differently after that. I think it was a huge movie production to claim our spot as the biggest superpower.

I have heard about that and here’s the problem I have with it…do you imagine a government that couldn’t keep 4 guys breaking into a hotel room a secret and let it lead to the downfall of administration, is gonna be able to keep what would have to be the most massive and complex conspiracy ever devised, a secret? There is no way one of the hundreds of people who would have had to be involved in it would not by now have spilled the beans and has incontrovertible proof to back it up. Besides, institutions with telescopes can see the equipment that was left on the moon, and people with short wave radios could pick up signals that came from space. Plus, don’t think for a minute that if the Soviets had even gotten the SLIGHTEST wind of the fact that this was a hoax, they wouldn’t have absolutely busted their balls to rat us out. I guess we can all find out in the next few years when the Japanese land their people on the moon, if they do in fact go forward with their stated goals of doing so.

CCB: relating to the alternative energy sources, why should Government dictate the research with our tax dollars? You yourself stated that the reason for the more fuel efficient aircraft was the CUSTOMER. That is how a Capitalistic society works. We don't need to stretch our over-taxed nations resources to appease oil hating tree huggers. "Alternative" fuel sources will manifest themselves by choice or by necessity. They don't need to be forced with my tax dollars.

I am sure that the big three already have working models of alternative energy vehicles and extremely fuel efficient vehicles. However, a shift in production would cost millions of dollars in order to retool the engine plants or to build new plants and lay off the old workers. To do that they would be battling the UAW, and that is not a union you can push around. The end result would be higher production costs, higher costs to the consumer, and layoffs in the oil industry as well as the auto industry. Because of these factors, I do not feel that we will see the alt fuel vehicles anytime soon. They will buy the rights to new patents and shelf them as well to protect their current interests. When there is no alternative, and fuel reserves are truly depleted (20 to 30 years from now) we will see the shift to new types of fuels. Not to mention the very powerful oil companies that will not reliquish market share to a new fuel.

We shouild just simply take the entire Middle East and call it New Texas or Was There's and do what the Romans did to Carthage, plough it under and salt it! Charlie