Gas Price
This is certainly a timely and interesting topic, but (correct me if things have changed) as far as I know the truth is that our gasoline prices (although suspiciously raised for holiday/summer seasons) are still lower than in most countries. We are addicted to fossil fuels; we must temper that addiction by making fuel economy, not engine power, the sexy choice. We can't simply convert our SUVs to hybrids to get more perfomance from the same excessive use of gas (there are heavy metals in those batteries, you know). I live in dread of the day they introduce a hybrid Hummer! :)
It's human nature to want to blame someone, and god knows that the big oil companies have committed their share of sins, OPEC doesn't help (but if we had the resource everyone wanted, wouldn't we want the price to raise in the "free market" we praise?) I'm off topic here, so let me get back by suggesting a series on innovative ways for the nation to generate energy, with scientific/economic/social cost/benefit evaluations (not just the bottom line, but also quality of life), the result of average energy use pricing rather than higher pricing at peak periods, success stories such as Cambridge, Mass.'s campaign to become a green city, starting with municipal buildings and vehicles, etc. (on which PBS program was that aired?), would definitely help the national dialogue we must have. Inspire people with what can be, rather than focusing on what's wrong with the status quo. I don't mean to be an ostrich; a good investigative report into the effect of multinational oil companies and weak or corrupt politicians is welcome, but at the same time we must go ahead and solve the long-term problem.
