My predictions are that 3-5 major hurricanes slamming the Gulf coast will rocket gas prices up to about $6/gal by Labor Day, then the oil price rise's rate of increase will resume back to normal and gas will hit near $7/gal by Christmas. Then a year later, it will be $10-15/gal. By 2011, gas will exceed $20/gal, all major airlines and oil companies, including Shell, will file for bankrupcy and go out of business, vehicles on roads will become scarce, and gas prices will be forced to drop to below $0.25/gal due to a total collapse in economy as well as oil demand. Making preparations for the Great Depression II right now.

That guy is as much of an idiot if he thinks that by undoing the system any of us would be any better off... I know enough myself if I printed the garbage it would destroy the church, the prison system, the Telco and other big corporations too, matter of fact the entire music and petrol industry can shut down also.

Oh I forgot, I would personally be all for shutting down the Internet first thing, before anyone else closes their doors I would be so in favor of pulling the plug.
Just think of all the energy we would save by not operating this silly little system of servers and routers and crap we have built more worthless stuff on here all of it is nothing but a big waste of time... So lets shut it down already, that will bring the price of fuel down without all these servers consuming the very power we need!
I like this idea a lot, but do you?

So the big question is, why?
Why would anyone do such a thing, why destroy the belief and the systems that, flawed as they may be, nevertheless provide millions of jobs the world over, things for us to do, they keep the economy going even if they drag us down at times...

That we've built ourselves into one entirely finicky Tower of Babel there is no doubt in my mind... But keep going, keep on down this track and soon we destroy a vital piece that brings the entire infrastructure down, then the farmers have to shut down since they have no fuel for the harvesters, so don't tell me to be afraid when it's about your food, too.

What about the criminals and the insane folks, would anyone have a problem with them coming over to the house for food and shelter? Because they'll need to be housed someplace, without the government's prison and judicial and social / mental health services we've destroyed the very system that keeps us safe, so go on and see what happens.

Then in the Yin and the Yang of things, one has to consider also...
Even if the truth is revealed, does anyone really believe that millions of people will simply accept this truth, shun the very basics that keep us going and walk away from it all?

It is best, in my opinion, to let sleeping dogs lie.
In this system there be dragons,
that it even works is a true wonder,
but work it does,
so leave it be.

I thought gas would hit $5 a gallon when Katrina hit. It just took a few years longer, that's all. More drilling won't help the price, it will just mean that people can keep stomping the gas peddle and think they never have to adjust their driving habits. I live in the county that pumps the most oil in California, and we pay about $4.75 a gallon right now. If America pumps more oil, it doesn't mean cheaper oil for Americans.

The price will continue to climb until demand is significantly affected... but demand will only increase in my opinion. Even in the movie Mad Max where gasoline was more valuable than gold, all the people were still driving gas-guzzling super-charged monstrosities just trying to find even more gas to guzzle.

Glug. Glug. Glug.

I don't believe we will see any huge rise in prices that surpasses what we have seen in the last 7 years, but most likely without government intervention, they will continue to climb.

I just think it's interesting how those with more conservative leanings are for such involvement when it actually affects them. It currently is a free market, with increasing consolidation, wherein Exxon-Mobil raked in $110M PER DAY last year. Their CEO recently retired with over $400M in compensation. Yet, 'the free market' will take care of everything to listen to the talk of the conservatives. Wrong, the free market only takes care of itself! Those standing on the sidelines are only left to stand there as the major shareholders and corporate executives figure out ways to further pilfer the wealth from the rest of society.

The CEOs of the oil companies like to profess that windfall profits taxes or other means of controlling fuel prices and their impact on the economy 'would stifle exploration', yet at least one companies continues to take profits of $121 BILLION DOLLARS. That's not money that is reinvested in finding additional supply! That's $121 BILLION dollars delievered into the coffers of the shareholders and executives of Exxon-Mobil - at barely more than a 15% tax rate for most of them.

What was your tax rate this last year? How hard did you work for your money? The unregulated trade of the free market is really working out so well for the majority of us on this issue isn't it?!?

My theory here is that oil companies see the coming reality that oil is about to see a huge hit in demand as cleaner transportation technologies are brought to market. People and governments are becoming increasingly interested to that end as well with the threat of global climate change. So the oil companies are essentially making their last great run at the market before it becomes 'just another energy option'.

The bottom line: If you want to do something about the future cost of energy, vote for candidates who are pushing for change. If you don't mind the ever rising cost of fuel relative to the published rate of inflation and wages, vote for more Republicans.

The Democrats won't save us all, but the Republicans aren't even trying.

my apologies. perhaps i made the mistake of thinking you lived in the US and were aware of the difficult times of not just low wage earners, but the middle class as well.

yes, altho congessmen live in a bubble(not understanding the struggles of the working class), it is ABSOLUTELY their duty to help fix our problems.

fuel prices alone are not what i take issue with. it's the price increase of many things that they affect. yes, you could call my situation fragile as my wife is not able to work. but we're TRYING to make it w/out assistance.

there will not always be an opportunity to downsize. we, like many others, are nearing that end!

Are the people predicting 5$ plus still out there or did they move to the hills and off the grid? Maybe they don't have internet access up there.

$5 is coming, it is just a matter of time. I am not a conspiracy theorist. I just know that simple inflation will push it that high in a few years if other factors don't do it first.

I remember when people used to talk about how bad europe had it paying $2.50 a gallon and how lucky we were and that we would never see that. that was only about 8 years ago.

*edit* that is when gas was just over a buck a gallon

This thread is ridiculous. So much "information" that is just.....out there. Over the left field wall.

Well, its the day after Labor day, and I paid $3.55 a gallon for gas on Labor day.

I predict gas prices will go up...