I met someone yesterday who is the most optimistic person about the US economy that I have met in well over a year since all the bubbles started bursting. He was quite an intelligent individual who owns a print and copy shop and owns a masters degree in economics. No dummy. And what he said did make sense to some degree. He says that the crash of the dollar means that the US can export goods again and be competitive and that this will usher in a new era of revitalized manufacturing in America and ultimately cause a financial boom. I hope he is right. I am not so sure. But it was at least good to meet someone who has an optimistic viewpoint about the American economy and where it is headed. And this kind of viewpoint really applies to other things too including the price of gas.

There is one great benefit of the unprecedented price of oil which should be a cause of celebration amongst the environmental organizations: it is making alternative energy much more attractive, so much so that the rising price may just be thing that the facilitates a tsunami of alternative energy projects that will, in turn, lead to a greater share of the market and perhaps the movement of alternative fuel sources into the mainstream. This would be a great outcome.

The present scenario is that the high price of energy is having some pretty bad effects -- but if it can help shift the playing field to alternative energy, this silver lining may end up being an amazing turning point in history.

The longer gas prices remain at prices most people consider unacceptable, the more substantial potential consumer response. A 10% rise in gasoline prices lessens consumption by just roughly half a percent in the short term, but it reduces demand more significantly over a the long haul

As folks decide on the important things for the future, such as where they want to reside and what type of car they want, they are beginning to factor the price of gas into the equation. Some are selecting smaller cars or are relocating nearer to their offices to lessen drive time.

The recent "crisis" has delayed or slowed many new subdivisons, high fuel prices have lowered consumption and restrained purchasing of gas-guzzlers, and rising construction costs are restricting new coal and gas plants.

At the same time, economic incentives are creating a frenzy of new clean energy construction.

But the most fascinating aspect is that all that is going on while the real remedy for to lowering of fuel usage and helping the environment through cleaner emissions is RIGHT HERE AT