Gas Prices Down, Guzzlers Up

As the prices go down at the pumps, people are going back to their gas guzzlers, according to the TV news, which say sales are up. Maybe so - people apparently forget $4-per-gallon and $150-per-barrel prices. I was impressed by the people getting high-mile-per-gallon vehicles for during the week and saving their big-ego vehicles for the weekends.

Long ago are the days when a pickup was for work and weekend activities - hunting, fishing and such. Are we so naive to get back into the who cares mode because the gas prices are at the $1.95 range. Barrel prices went from $140-$150 with $4 gallon down to $50s a barrel and $1.95 a gallon.

The alternative fuel choices need to be worked - each has good and bad, but need to continue to move away from using the liquid dinosaur fuel:

Electric vehicles - low miles before charge - but putting a gas engine to support the electric motor.

Hybrids - high mileage - but still using gasoline.

Air power - about 120 miles per air charge - possible option, but need compressors.

Compressed natural gas - high octane at 118 - but infrastructure not sufficient to support mass use.

Propane - lower pressure than CNG - available but technology not promoted.

Solar - for homes not transportation.

That leaves us with fusion reactors ó the technology is with us ,but big gas won't let it happen and safety concerns will stall the development. Remember Mr. Fusion from the 'Back to the Future' series? That must become a reality for the world to survive.

Time to wake up, civilians. Time to put the industry into the mode of working for us, not paying for their mistakes.

ALAN DARR

Lakeland