Bring 'em On

News seems to imply that oil prices will be on a slow decline in the coming weeks.

It seems a shame to stop the show so early. Just one more little disaster? No, not flooding cities by hurricanes, but something relatively harmless, besides to the world oil reserves?

I still wonder how calm people are until we really know how much production will be lost from the gulf. How much production was lost? How long will it stay down? I've not heard the answer to any of these questions.

I know one thing - if there's an interest by "terrorist" to attack oil production facillities now, they've got our rapt attention.

Maybe I'm a fool for thinking "one more disaster" will make a difference in changing our ways. If what's happened isn't enough, perhaps nothing short of economic collapse will do it? Who knows?

For me, I'm willing to stop hoping for disasters when:
1) There's gasoline shortages and serious talk of rationing
2) There's laws passed to reduce consumption:
a) Increased gasoline tax
b) Reduced Speed limits
c) New CAFE standards for vehicle fuel efficiency
3) An "Apollo mission"-type vision for cutting U.S. oil consumption 20% by 2015.

I wonder what I'm missing. I mean I'm sure I can't think of everything at once, but this is a good start. Any combination, and any one of these three would be a grand start.