An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and that goes for money
problems too.

I’m not against biodiesel – quite the opposite – I’ve got a batch that I’m currently washing down at the moment. I just don’t see it as an economical alternative to solve the gasoline price ‘crisis’.

If we’re going to go that far, why not reinvent the wheel and strap on a homemade wood gasifier to the front of the vehicle and use wood gas to power it? Hey, if it can power a genset, it can (and has) provide fuel for a car engine.

I’m way too young to ever retire

David in late youth

You are correct
Living where you want in relationship to the distance of your Job, has been a luxury in America due to cheap gas prices. Unlike most European and third world countries, were workers live within walking or bicycle distance of their job. And most of Europe has a fantastic mass transit system in place, and has for years. Think of New York City for the U.S. and it is a joke compared to overseas.

As these previously suppressed countries evolve, they tend to copy our western ideas and lifestyle, hence creating a huge demand for our once “cheap oil”.

The idea of alternative energy sources is feasible, and will happen, because it will have to, in time.
The problem lies with the time it will take to build infrastructure to support any type of alternative source, and the demand for oil will outpace new technology at an alarming rate.
A pipeline from Canada, or anywhere else will not amount to a hill of beans as far as gas prices go. It would only pipe oil to the gulf coast refineries where, after refining be sold to the highest buyer, and most likely exported overseas.

If any of you that think all the oil that was pumped out of Jay over the years went back in a tank at a local Gas Station, think again! It went to whoever offered the most money for it.

It’s not going to get any better folks.
Those of us that have had the privilege to live out in the woods 40 to 50 miles away from our job are the last ones, and we might not all be able to continue to do so. Unless, like David, are retired and don’t need to leave the house much.

One benefit:
You will see the “Mom and Pop” general stores evolve again. And more bartering with the neighbors on other goods. Gas prices will force us to “Go to Town” once or twice a month, like our kin folks did years ago.
My Grandmother lived until 1985 at the age of 93, and NEVER bought one drop of gasoline in her entire life! Bought some Kerosene from time to time.

When they go up, folks tend to blame manipulators.
When they go down, folks tend to not notice although some still suspect some form of world-wide conspiracy to keep folks from switching to thorium based nuclear.

Higher prices do not constitute a crisis unless the prices get so high that there is no way to buy as much as is absolutely needed to live. (Choosing to live a hundred miles from work and choosing to drive a 5 mpg tank would be an example of a self-created crisis. Even then there ARE simple solutions, just not necessarily pleasant ones.)

Inability to get necessary fuels and feedstocks is a crisis whether it is caused by depletion of reservoirs, shutdown of refineries, hijacking by pirates, destruction of war, terrorist attacks against pipelines, not enough money to buy, government regulations keeping supply blocked or any other thing keeping supplier from user.

Dependence on limited sources makes crises more likely. Being able to switch to Bluff Springs nuclear powered electric or clear day daytime solar thermal or compressed natural gas or Pensacola Beach wind turbine power would yield flexibility but might not be favored for a variety of reasons. It’s all a trade-off. Avoid one thing you dislike and get stuck with something else you also don’t like.

David for wise choices