Gas prices

"The market" predicts >$4/gal by summer, based on trading of oil futures. They are not always right, but they study many things and are betting their own money. While Western economies have been asleep, the developing world is almost booming. Brazil's economy will soon surpass Italy and France. Every Chinese and Indian family wants a car and there are 2 billion of them. It is not just oil, but all commodities like coal and metals are in demand. Mining regions like Western Australia are booming.

Whether the Federalis allow drilling off Florida makes little difference. It would not be "our oil", but just another supply to the world market where it would be just a drop in the bucket. Welcome to the world economy, where you must run like hell to remain King. We are getting old and tired. The U.S. will be OK as long as the world keeps buying our over-priced sugar-water (Coke, Pepsi), exciting movies (Brady Bunch II), and our marketing genius. We can't even make a rocket to return to the Space Station. This rant would be the same if John McCain was now President with Joe the Plumber advising him.