Its a bubble and will burst soon (at around $150- the world breaking point), whats killing us (the US) is the developing countries such as China, that subsidizes oil and gas for its population. There is no way a $1.00 and hour employee can afford $4.00 gas, so the government of these countries pays for the rest (steady buyer no matter what the price is). This does nothing to bring the (oil) price into check, so the rest of the world gets screwed. And since we are the lap dog of the Saudies there is nothing we (US) can do to pressure them to over produce and bring the price down. They just point and laugh at our stupid Eco-freak, Hollywood driven politicians and population. Throw on top of this the pathetically weak dollar and bingo, over priced oil. Investors are using oil as a hedge, its sure thing right now, people need to drive, fly, mow, heat, and produce products. We could OUT produce them (OPEC) and control the market if Scaredy-Cat politicians would come out and say (and vote) "Earth first---then drill the other planets!". But they have no backbone, and are scared the Sierra Club or some other Tree-hugger group will protest them. I'm all for saving the environment, being a big out door guy myself, but enough is enough, the friggin caribou will get over it.

And I do believe this is coming, there are a lot of really smart people trying really hard to figure out how to get the hard to get oil out at a cheap price. And the US has vast reserves of this type of oil, larger than Middle East put together. Heck the oil shale deposit of Western CO is larger than the entire Saudi field(s).

Hang tough, its going to get worse, then better I think. I know I have personally hit a fuel expenditure limit. No driving vacations this summer, and I'm commuting on the Bike which gets 50MPG..rain or shine. I'm also selling the old Bonanza and getting into a Sonex Kit plane that sips fuel.

-nitro