For God's sake it's du jour, not du joir. How many languages do I have to correct you in?
Kermit | 04.22.08 - 2:12 pm | #

As many as your anal mind will hold.
Il Duce' | Homepage | 04.22.08 - 2:14 pm | #

kermit, I think Tracy enjoys bastardizing the FRENCH language.
A NON Y MOUSe;) | Homepage | 04.22.08 - 2:32 pm | #

30+ years of hard work, trying to convince policy makers that protecting the environment is worthwhile policy has produced less success than gas prices over $3/gallon. As they continue to go up and stay up, people will start to change the way they live their lives.

Unless our policy makers do something stupid and cut the gas tax, this will be the wake up call this country needs.

Do environmentalists hate cars? Absolutely not but cheap gas is over and its about time Americans, who use 1/4 of all the oil produced worldwide, start paying their fair share.

Happy Earth Day.
Al Gore | 04.22.08 - 2:34 pm | #

As many as your anal mind will hold.
I have cut it down to one in 20 or 30...
Kermit | 04.22.08 - 2:39 pm | #

Al 1 to 5; Since we produce some 30% of global GDP, I figure it's a fair deal.
Nobody | 04.22.08 - 2:40 pm | #

Weren't massive swarms of killer bee's scheduled to be all the way to Boundary Waters by now?

And wasn't a large section of California going to be in the ocean by now?

And all those people that built bomb shelters during the cold war? They must feel silly. At least they spent their own money and the shelters make a nice wine cellar.

Food for thought -- The Canadian goose was once believed to be extinct. Now you can't hit a 3 iron on any hole of any course in the state without braining at least 2 (well, for those that can hit a 3 iron).
Nordeaster | 04.22.08 - 2:44 pm | #

Al...this is just GREAT NEWS to you...isn't it? I mean, FUCK all those poor people who are going to be hit the hardest by all of this, right?

When oil prices goes up the cost of EVERYTHING goes up. As the costs of EVERYTHING goes up, people consume LESS of it. As people consume LESS companies SELL less. As companies SELL less, the fewer employees they need...and who are the employees that will be let go first?

If you didn't guess the workers in the shop and on the assembly line, you guessed wrong.

So...not that they could AFFORD $5.00 a gallon of milk to begin with, now that they don't have a job anymore, they can't afford anything.

THAT ought to be good for the economy...right?
Brent | Homepage | 04.22.08 - 2:51 pm | #

Al doesn't care about people. We are the problem, after all. Al is the perfect example of liberal misanthropy.
Kermit | 04.22.08 - 2:56 pm | #

So let's talk about oil a little. Oil supply shortages are another prediction punctured by reality, this time North Dakota:

"Western North Dakota has large oil reserves. By some estimates, it has more oil than the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. A federal government geologist estimated a formation called the Bakken shale holds 400 billion barrels of oil.

Ron Ness, president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, says that number is only a guess at this point, but it's still generating a lot of excitement.

"Even if it's a percentage of a percentage of a percentage of 400 billion barrels of resource, that's a big number," says Ness. "What's recoverable of that resource is the important number." " source http://minnesota.publicradio.org...06/08/18/ndoil/

I think the amount of oil in the ground is not the problem, but rather our inability to overcome the politics that prevent drilling. Regulations have made the building of new refineries prohibitively expensive. In short the problem is environmentalists obstructing delivery, not supply.

Anticipating your partially informed response, Al, of course we will face shortages eventually, but it's odd how more and more of the stuff shows up as the price rises. No wait, that's the way the market works. Did anyone notice that the real cost of gasoline has finally, after 26 years, reached its 1981-82 levels, back in Erlich's days of celebrity on the Tonight Show?
Elmer | 04.22.08 - 3:11 pm | #

Hey give Al credit, at least he's still pushing the liberal lie that high energy prices are good for us. Most lefties have gotten real quiet lately about $5 gas. They seem to know that after paying $66 to fill up the Jeep, most people just don't want to hear about paying $100.

As usual, liberal policies will hurt the poor the most. I can still buy gas and steak. My wealth will allow me to be more mobile and productive than those less well off. Ill be able to charge higher rents while acquiring properties at lower prices due to this government induced recession.

People wondered why the last recovery never really hit MN? Just look at our taxes and regulations. Capital and labor is more mobile than ever yet MN still operates like its 1972, or 1952 if you're a union worker.

Liberal policies will make me richer and the lower classes poorer. Thanks Al!
Il Duce' | Homepage | 04.22.08 - 3:33 pm | #

First of all, even the oil companies admit that pulling that oil out of ND is going to be expensive.

Second, and being the capitalists you all are you should understand this, whats to say that a lot of that oil wont go to China anyway. Its supply and demand and as their demand and willingness to pay higher prices go up, the oil companies will sell that product to the highest bidder. Unless of course we nationalize the oil industry here, a concept that makes some sense.

All the doom and gloom rhetoric about gas prices wrecking the economy is just that. Our economy is resilient and we will survive this by adapting our lifestyles. Once the prices stabilize at a higher amount, the economy will begin to bounce back.

And there are many new sources of oil. But the low hanging fruit has been picked -- we are now going to be paying more and more for exploration and recovery.

When's moving day? Offers still open to help you move south. Good riddance -- there's nothing worse than a whiny capitalist.
Al Gore | 04.22.08 - 4:21 pm | #

we will survive this by adapting our lifestyles
Which is the ultimate objective of liberal misanthropes like Al. They hate America and Americans.
Kermit | 04.22.08 - 4:28 pm | #

Yeah, those oil companies are estimating that pulling the oil out of the prairies will be REAL EXPENSIVE--a whole $40/barrel, if I remember correctly. I'm sure that's going to stop people from drilling when the international wholesale price is a mere THREE TIMES THAT AMOUNT.
Bike Bubba | Homepage | 04.22.08 - 4:31 pm | #

Low hanging fruit gone? NO! There is oil seaping out of the ground in ANWR. There are bilions of barrels off of the coast.

We could easily solve our energy problems if everyone told the Enviroweenies to STFU!

1. Add 50 Nuke power plants
2. Open up drilling everywhere
3. Build 5 new refineries
4. Cancel the federal gas tax and stop sending highway funds to Washington. Keep the money in the states
5. End all ethanol and soy diesel subsidies and elinate the ethanol tarriff.

This is a government induced recession, just like the Great Depression and the only way out of it is de-regulation.
Il Duce' | Homepage | 04.22.08 - 4:37 pm | #

Unless of course we nationalize the oil industry here, a concept that makes some sense.


Why do people on the left say stuff like this and then get offended if you call them socialists?
McGruv | 04.22.08 - 5:06 pm | #

1. Agree, assuming a place can be found for the waste. 2-3 --low liklihood of ever happening. 4. Never happen. 5 agree.

"This is a government induced recession, just like the Great Depression and the only way out of it is de-regulation." I would love to see the basis for this statement. If Government had stepped in and stopped the mortgage industry from giving away the store, this would not have happened.

The Great Depression -- largely caused by a lack of government oversight in the financial and banking markets. Republicans were firmly in control of White House and Congress for the years leading up to it. Once Democrats took over and implemented many of the regulations we have today, the economy and consumer confidence rebounded.

2009 will probably be a repeat.
Al Gore | 04.22.08 - 5:15 pm | #

All the doom and gloom rhetoric about gas prices wrecking the economy is just that.

This is rich!
Al's chicken little screaming that we're all gonna die has caused this whole mess, but we're bitchy whiners for trying to come up with solutions to Big Gay Al's Prophet of doom forecasts.

Al wants us all to look like we're right out of a Dickens story where we shiver in the winter in out dirty rags and ride bicycles like Chinese peasants so he can feel good about his prophet of doom scenario being alleviated.

And then he has the audacity to say if we don't like the plan by him and his cohorts to destroy the economy, put the lower middle class out of work, and generally fuck things up big time, that we can just leave. What a fuckin schmuck.

Even Al knows that if his solutions were implemented serious havoc would ensue; the preverbal shit would hit the fan.
Right now Al and his flockmates have gotten about 15% of what they want and look where we are now: Food riots, gas going way up, lost jobs. None of this because we don’t have gas, we just won’t drill it, pump it or refine it. The food problems are not because we don’t have enough, it’s because we changed crops and burn our food to so folks like Al can feel good. Fuck the consequences. But when this is pointed out we are whiney and should just move to Texas.


Policies that are almost guaranteed to starve millions of third world peasants, and wreck our economy are serious, and should generally be taken in a serious manor. This kind of jackassery makes me actually annoyed.
Sometimes snark would be better left off the thread.
Al thinks that by being such a complete and utter prick and driving the comment count up that somehow that's a success. Not always, sometimes sober back and forth in a 50 hit thread is a lot better that 100 hit thread of 5Al's bile.
Sequel | Homepage | 04.22.08 - 5:18 pm | #

Algore, Rothbard's history of the Great Depression reveals that both Hoover and Hoover 2 (FDR) intensively intervened in the economy, with a de facto regulation that was as strong as anything we have today, followed by de jury regulations.

As a result, the 1929 recession--one that would have ended in months if the government hadn't tried to help--lasted over a decade.

Remember that the Depression was the first recession we had in which we actually did have strong banking regulations--at least since Andrew Jackson ended the Bank of the United States in the 1830s (and that bank, like the Fed, also caused a depression in a hissy fit over its loss of charter).

Algore; knows nothing of science, nor of history, apparently. How's that fake Antarctic video treating ya?
Bike Bubba | Homepage | 04.22.08 - 5:21 pm | #

The fantasy the FDR's socialist programs allowed the "economy and consumer confidence (to) rebound" is pretty damn funny. It completely ignores that little blip at the beginning of the 40s, doesn't it?
Historical illiteracy is a plague.
Kermit | 04.22.08 - 5:29 pm | #

Once Democrats took over and implemented many of the regulations we have today, the economy and consumer confidence rebounded.
Nice revision, and attempt at partisan hackery.
Yeah, those democrats really saved the day. Yup that economy got going again right away, once FDR's socialist policies were in place.
1930 FDR get's started
1931 economy not so good
1932 economy not so good
1933 economy not so good
1934 economy not so good
1935 economy not so good
1936 economy not so good
1937 economy not so good
1938 economy not so good
1939 economy not so good
1940 economy not so good
1941 economy not so good
War in the last month
1942 WAR economy not so good
1943 WAR economy not so good
1944 WAR economy not so good
1945 WAR economy not so good
FDR finally gone
1946 War over, Economy improves a little
1947 Economy improves a little
1948 Economy improves a little
1949 Economy improves a little

Yeah, 20 years and a world war that's some quick fix Al
Sequel | Homepage | 04.22.08 - 5:37 pm | #

So, what will the next hand wringing event be?
It would be nice if libs would take the real threats seriously.
maxx | Homepage | 04.22.08 - 7:19 pm | #

Besides, you can't extort funding as well if there is no crisis.
maxx | Homepage | 04.22.08 - 8:23 pm | #

Sequel -- I wont attempt to respond to your remaking of history. Look at the historical economic numbers.

Regardless, gas prices will continue to climb and Americans will rethink how they live and drive. All good things, except to the dont touch my wallet or make me sacrifice crowd.
Al Gore | 04.22.08 - 8:47 pm | #

Al 1 to 5, Hoover raised taxes and FDR signed Hawley-Smoot-both prolonged the depression.

Nationalise oil? Truman tried that with the steel industry. Even FDR's court wouldn't let him. (Cincinati steel V US- help me out here BB)
Nobody | 04.22.08 - 9:49 pm | #

Nothing good will come of high energy prices. Our economy is based on low energy costs. We have a $14 trillion economy that can't change over night.

There is about $40 Trillion in Real estate equity based on the current economic model of affordable gas. Any sudden shifts will cause multi-trillion dollar inbalances that will hit the middle class the hardest.

Only a fool (or a communist) could wish for an sudden end to the current American (and by proxy global) lifestyle.

Food shortages and excessively high energy costs will only cause misery.
Il Duce' | Homepage | 04.23.08 - 12:10 am | #

Can anyone name even one major policy decision the left has gotten correct? Every socialist program is a disaster. Every domestic and foreign affairs policy has been disastrous, with the exception of the "Cuban Missle Crisis"
tomc | 04.23.08 - 5:53 am | #

I read 10 years ago that when oil got to $50-60 a barrel (that's probably $100 per barrel in today's dollars), other sources--petroleum & non--alternatives would become viable. If the government would just keep their grubby hands out of the mix the market will take care of the problem.

Hillary's continuing screed on taking the oil company profits is disturbing. Big oil's profit margins have gone down, though their profits have gone up. If government continues to takes incentive out of business the markets will not correct problems.
tomc | 04.23.08 - 7:40 am | #

Jack Kennedy also cut taxes. Go figure. He supported any friend and opposed any foe. Go figure. Today he would be considered a conservative.
pig/dog | 04.23.08 - 10:26 am | #

Well, Algore, if you want the historic numbers, unemployment didn't go below 15% from 1930 until Hitler marched into the Sudetenland, and France and Britian started arming for war. The running average was around 20%.

Things improved a bit in the 1940s, when the reality of war ended Roosevelt's insane farming policies, but it's correct to note that things didn't really improve until Truman took office and the war ended.

Sorry that the facts override what they taught you in the government's schools. Gosh, why would the DoED suppress knowledge that would argue against government intervention....this is a really tough one...not.
Bike Bubba | Homepage | 04.23.08 - 3:42 pm | #

Unemployment is but one measure and the 15% is too low. At the height of the depression, unemployment was close to 50% and began dropping as New Deal programs like the CCC kicked.

But back on track here (no pun intended) This news cannot make any of the pave over America crowd very happy. Another advantage of high gas prices and the impact on Americas life style choices

http://www.startribune.com/local...l/ 18059174.html

And to quote from the article:

"Light rail fueled the increased ridership rate, with a one-year jump in the first quarter of 16.4 percent (2.1 million rides). It's the first time light rail ridership has topped 2 million in its four years of service."
Al Gore | 04.23.08 - 5:33 pm | #

"There is about $40 Trillion in Real estate equity based on the current economic model of affordable gas" Which is why you are seeing property values drop the most the farther out you get from the inner city. If gas stays at sustained high prices, people will want to move closer in.

And the real estate boom is thankfully over. My partners and I stopped investing in residential real estate 5 years ago when the speculators moved in. Buy a house, borrow $20,000 from Home Depot and then sell it. It could not last and thankfully, the amateurs are getting spanked. And all they did was drive prices up to the breaking point.
Al Gore | 04.23.08 - 5:56 pm | #

Even if your bogus figure of 50% unemployment were true, New Deal programs didn't generate any economy. They just stripped money from people who actually could make it and created funny money for those who could not.
Kermit | 04.23.08 - 6:41 pm | #

"didn't generate any economy" That can be argued but its main focus was helping people who really needed it. Charity, a concept lost on most conservatives
Al Gore | 04.23.08 - 6:58 pm | #

Bullshit. Charity is never accomplished at gunpoint.
Kermit | 04.23.08 - 8:19 pm | #

Al 1 to 5, So in your utopia half of us dig holes and the other half fills them in? What a great economic modle. Lots of production and wealth building...Not.

As to charity, the last year the real algore had to make public his taxes I contributed about 5 times as much as he did. If I recall he gave a little over $200. Big whoop.

FDR was very good with other peoples money. His politics are still haunting us.
Nobody | 04.23.08 - 8:41 pm | #

Cmon, not even a little anger at how wrong you've been about mass transit, light rail etc? Apparently many of your fellow citizens are far more enlightened.
Al Gore | 04.23.08 - 9:01 pm | #

Nobody, what is it with your obsession with Al Gore. Even I admit he's a putz.

And as for FDR, well this nation needs another New deal or Great Society.
Al Gore | 04.23.08 - 9:33 pm | #