Good question, and so far, the answer is “NO!”  There are all sorts of questions about this issue and they all lead to trying to figure out what is going to happen with the airlines.  Many of us thought that when the fuel crisis eased a bit, we might be able to run off on a short, quick vacation because it would be affordable for a minute or two.  Those of us who thought that were apparently wrong.

According to numerous statements by numerous airlines in answer to all the questions about what will happen to fares in the wake of fuel prices that are falling, the airlines cannot afford to lower fares.

Here’s how it theoretically works.  David Castelveter spokesman for the Air Transport Association has explained that because the fuel prices were so high and kept the airline companies way over budget most of this year up until a few weeks ago, the airlines are still struggling to catch up because they are still in the hole.

Castelveter stated that “you don’t recover from multi-billion dollar increases in your fuel bill in a few weeks.  The carriers are on line to lose $5 billion this year.”  Part of the reason for this is that they were slow to react to rising fuel prices and once they did react, they acted slowly and cautiously trying to save money for customers in order to keep people traveling, and also hoping that fuel prices would level off or go back down sooner than they did.

There are still some good deals to be found, especially if you live in an area that is served by Southwest Airlines or other airlines that are known for their low cost flights.  Overall, however, air fares have increased 20% to 40% depending upon the airport, where you are traveling and how far in advance you book a flight.  In addition higher and more taxes and fees, and fees for baggage (how can you be expected to pay for your one and only suitcase?).

The airlines are simply trying to survive.  They have cut down on the number of flights they offer so that they can save money flying half-empty planes by consolidating more passengers to fill up fewer flights. 

The Air Transport Association and some of the airlines feel that once everything levels out, the fuel crisis eases and the economy becomes balanced, we can look for some gradual decreases in fares.  Until then, all we can do is wait.

Atlanta is one of the large, solid business centers in the United States.  It is also in a very difficult situation when it comes to fuel for commuters – there is a dire shortage.  It’s not just that prices are high – it’s that people are having a hard time finding gasoline.  Commuters are often traveling 10 to 20 miles out of their way to find a gas station that has fuel, then waiting in line for 30 to 60 minutes to be able to fill their tanks.

Employers have taken note and are trying to use some creative ideas when it comes to dealing with the commute – or non commute – and getting the work done.

One way that employers are dealing with the situation is by doing two things that other cities and some businesses in Atlanta had already been doing as the fuel crisis has been increasing.  Some businesses have gone to a 4 day, 10 hour per day work week, eliminating one day of commuting which saves gas and money for employees.  Many businesses have implemented a system of telecommuting so that unless employees actually have to be in the office, they can perform their regular duties from home.  Telecommuting has been around for a while now, but some employer have been reluctant to try it for various reasons, including the fact that they feel it is not as effective, efficient or productive.  Actually, employers that have been using telecommuting for some time now report just the opposite – employees are getting more done and doing a better job.  The current fuel crisis is forcing some employers to try telecommuting and/or the 4 day work week, and that may be the norm for the future.

Other ways that employers are trying to get the work done and help employees at the same time include providing van and carpools, subsidizing or paying for bus or rail passes so employee do not have to drive and even other employers are offering employees $500 if they buy a car that has two cylinders less than they are driving now and $1,000 if they buy a hybrid.

The Clean Air Campaign in Atlanta,  is so busy trying to field questions and help employers and employees with ideas in the face of the fuel crisis, that they have had to add several employees to handle the overflow.  Though the fuel crisis is creating difficulties and inconveniences for commuters, employers and employees alike, it  is also creating opportunities to develop short term and long term ideas that can prevent this type of situation from happening again.

It is unfortunate that things had to get to this point and people have had to find answers to hard questions very quickly, however, necessity, as they say, is the mother of invention.  Now that the necessity is upon us and the inventions are coming to the fore, we should continue to develop them, improve them and stay focused on them, unlike the way we forgot many of the ideas and lessons of the gas shortages of the 1970’s and 1980’s.  Let’s take the opportunity – like Atlanta is doing – to be creative and to get it right this time.

It’s no secret.  We’re in a fuel crunch reminiscent of the 1970’s.  The difference is that since we didn’t do some of the things to follow up after the 70’s and 80’s, the crunch is bigger and there are many more cars and other vehicles involved.  To top that, since we are in the midst of just about the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression, the fuel situation is simply one of the critical issues we are facing.

Lawmakers and automakers have begun talking about how working together might help everyone and everything out of the entire mess.  It is essential that since the country did not take the warnings of the 70’s and 80’s seriously and begin to make changes, the time to make those changes is now.

People cannot afford fuel at current prices.  In addition, the United States uses 25% of the world’s fuel, but only controls about 3%, not a good combination.  The environment is also being affected by fossil fuels and autoworkers are losing jobs because all of a sudden, there is no fuel for gas-guzzling SUV’s so nobody is buying.  It’s like dominos, or, as the President said recently, “a house of cards.”

What if the lawmakers in their power to help bail everybody else out – including other countries (even ones who have attacked this country) started really helping the automakers make the changes necessary to control the fuel crisis?  For instance, subsidies or tax incentives for producing hybrids and other cars that are more fuel efficient and do not depend on fossil fuels to run, could help failing automakers stay in business.  This help could also keep thousands of autoworkers from losing jobs and possibly create thousands of additional jobs, strengthening the economy.

At the other end of the spectrum, creating incentives and making it easier for individuals to get car loans with lower interest rates (without being careless or ridiculous), would help wean people out of their fossil fuel cars and into alternatives that would be good for the environment and the economy, as well as the fuel crisis.  Helping people convert cars to be able to use ethanol if possible could also be another way to approach the situation.

These are but a few small ideas from a few individuals among the millions who are hurting from the fuel crisis and the economic crisis we are all currently dealing with.  Maybe they would be workable ideas.  Maybe not.  But working together to save jobs, put money into the economy, find and use alternatives for fossil fuel and help the environment at the same time can’t be all bad.

We all know that we are in the midst of a fuel mess.  Not enough fuel.  No way to get it fast enough.  No real plan in place.  You know the deal.  So, what is the answer to solving the crisis?  In a few words, there are a lot of suggestions but not one answer.

At the Republican National Convention there were loud chants of “Drill, baby drill!”  To some, this seems like a good idea, and it may or may not be.  The issues that have come up from both sides of the aisle regarding drilling are that drilling takes a long time to set up.  There is the task of finding the right spot, ecological studies, permits, test drilling, building platforms and more.  Experts, researchers and many others say that it would take nearly 10 years to see any usable fuel from new drilling.

Since right now, the United States has about 3% of the world’s oil but uses well over 25% of the world’s fuel, waiting 10 years doesn’t seem like a helpful short-term option.  This is not to say that drilling should not be part of the equation to address the fuel crisis.  It is to say that other forms of fuel and energy need to be researched and probably combined into a complete plan that will evolve over time.

There are ways to use ethanol and biofuels in certain cars now.  Production could be increased on these cars and incentives could be given to both the automobile manufacturers and the individuals who purchase these autos in an effort to offset costs for both.  Change of this magnitude is not free, and it’s not cheap, either.

There are cars that are already hybrid and cars using solar and electric power.  Other cars in the wings are hydrogen cell powered.  All of these are less harmful to the environment and will conserve energy and eliminate the need for at least some amount of fossil fuels.  Some of these are being used now, and their use can be increased with the right marketing and incentives.

Researchers are looking at ways to use recycled solid waste to power cities and transportation.  There are ways to use nuclear energy to create power, and we have been doing this for decades.

As for drilling, those who say that it won’t work also say that most of the usable oil is located within 50 miles of the shoreline, but the new energy plan, if passed, will not allow drilling any closer than 50 miles of the shoreline, so there may not be many oil rich areas out there, according to some.  Also, even though the lawmakers will allow the moratorium on drilling to lapse so that the possibility of drilling can become a reality, it ultimately remains up to the individual states as to whether they will approve it or not.

Drilling is a viable option and should not be dismissed.  The current fuel crisis was not created overnight, and just like losing weight after gaining it over a period of time, the solution will not be finalized over night either.

On top of everything else that is going on in the world there is now information from experts, including AAA Automobile Club regarding how to save money on gasoline.  One of their spokesmen made the comment that lower grade or lower octane fuel can be used and it “probably won’t hurt your car.”

There are a few ideas behind this.  For one thing, in some areas, especially due to the hurricanes, there is only lower octane fuel available, so drivers often don’t have a choice right now.  For another thing, with the cost of Premium fuel at about $4.29 per gallon in South Carolina versus the cost of Regular fuel at $3.93 per gallon, that can save a little money.

AAA spokesman Tom Crosby says that “generally speaking higher grades just improve a vehicle’s performance.  Regular gas (87 octane) pretty much won’t hurt your vehicle.”

There are some questions about that.   For instance, if the manufacturer of a vehicle designed it to use higher grade fuel and you don’t use that particular grade or quality how could that be good for your car and not create any problems?  Was there any research done on the subject?

Now, if that is what you can afford and you have no other choice due to financial reasons or short supply of fuel in the area, you have to do what you have to do.  Many of us are in that situation right now, hopefully, temporarily.  However, if you can fill up your tank with the right grade or at least split the tank between the low grade and medium or premium grade, that is best to do if possible. 

Whether the AAA states it or not, there can be some negative effects on the engine’s timing by using lower grade gasoline than recommended and there could also be compression issues.  If you choose to use lower grade gasoline, call the car’s manufacturer and/or mechanic at the local dealer and ask what could happen.  Make sure that if your car is under warranty you will not lose coverage due to not using recommended fuel.  Some warranties are very strict.

No matter what you decide, make sure you understand the consequences in advance.  If there are no major long-term issues, do what you think is best.  After all, if there’s a 40 cent difference between premium and regular and you need 20 gallons, that’s an $8.00 savings per fill up.  If you fill up once or twice a week, the savings could be substantial.  Just make sure the tune up, cleaning the injectors, fixing the timing and the compression if there’s a problem later won’t end up costing you a lot more in the long run.

NASCAR and the Detroit automakers used to be connected at the hip.  Whatever was going on in Detroit made its way onto a NASCAR track and there was instant advertising.  That is not so much the case any more.

NASCAR certainly uses plenty of cars and plenty of advertising, but times have changed, and in the wake of the current fuel crisis, times at NASCAR may have to change even more.

It’s not as if NACAR will be slowing down their races or using alternative fuels tomorrow.  After all, NASCAR reluctantly started using unleaded fuel long after the public did, and it certainly hasn’t hurt the sport any.

There are some ideas about what NASCAR can do to help with the current fuel crisis.  They have long since gone to smaller engines, but it has been suggested that less horsepower might be a good idea.  Nearly 900 horsepower is a ton of horsepower which is probably not really needed to run a good race.  NASCAR is reportedly looking at the issue to see if less horsepower is a viable proposition.

One thing that NASCAR is beginning to do is to look at the idea of using pace cars that run on alternative fuels.  This is a great idea in many respects.  First of all, pace cars don’t affect the actual race, so speed won’t be a factor.  In addition, General Motors has given out some hydrogen powered SUVs to major racing figures, such as Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon just to ride around town in. 

This high-visibility, low-key, low-pressure approach to getting vehicles – especially popular SUV’s – powered by alternative energy out into the community, especially when driven by NASCAR legends, is an intelligent marketing campaign which could help people in a subtle way become aware of the fact that there are choices when it comes to the vehicles they drive.  In the back of their minds they will be thinking of this as they determine what type of vehicle to purchase.

Who knows if NASCAR will ever race hydrogen-powered cars, but the idea of driving around town in them and hopefully using pace cars with alternative fuel could be NASCAR’s contribution to helping solve the fuel crisis.

The current fuel crisis is affecting everyone from limo drivers on Wall Street to municipal bus systems to individuals simply trying to get to work.  While lawmakers in Washington are grappling with the issue, everyone else is trying to just get through on a daily basis.

Since the warning was not heeded 30 years ago, people are just now having to figure out what to do to conserve fuel and to afford to purchase it.  The problem is that it is much easier to plan in advance than it is to come up with workable solutions once you are in the middle of a crisis.  And since the administration has been denying that there is a crisis up until the recent outcry became deafening, it left people at an even greater loss.  How can you plan for a crisis that the government says doesn’t exist?  Exactly.

Some of the latest victims of the fuel crisis are schools – and the kids that attend them.  Many school districts have had to curtail or eliminate activities that involve transportation. 

Of course, hurricane Ike and all of his previous hurricane relatives have not helped the situation, either, because the supplies of oil have been interrupted in the Gulf.  Even before the hurricanes there were cuts in driving activities.  Now they are mandatory.

One school district has curtailed the driving portion of driver’s education to save fuel.  In addition, there is a moratorium of sorts on field trips.  For now, unless a trip is for an essential athletic event, any other types of field trips are cancelled.

There are serious budget issues involved in these decisions to curtail or eliminate trips.  Busses get about 8 miles per gallon in city traffic and about 10 to 11 miles per gallon on the highway.  When even a small school district transports children it can be up to 7,000 miles per day to transport over 5,000 students, the cost can average about $3000 per day.  This is quite a hardship on districts that struggle with small budgets and are trying to stretch every dollar.

For now, for some school districts, this is the only answer.  Lawmakers are now seriously working on the fuel crisis issues and have finally passed a bill to try to begin fixing the problems.  This is a step in the right direction; however, you can’t fix 30 years of problems that have been ignored, overnight.

In the meantime, schools and other businesses and individuals will continue to have to suffer.  It’s unfortunate that our kids are losing out because it has taken so long to start working on the problem.

We’ve been skirting around the issue since the current fuel crisis started getting serious.  Then came the hurricane season – especially the last two in the past two weeks. 

Availability of fuel was getting pretty tight before all that, and the prices, well…forgetaboutit.  Many of us remember the late 70’s and the 80’s when fuel prices went up, supplies went down, and most of us waited in long lines for our turn to buy gas.  Even days then odd days, and every time we went to the pump, we seemed to have to go earlier and earlier to get gas before it ran out.  In fact, in our community, many of us parked our cars in line late at night or at 2 a.m. and came back in the morning before the station opened so that we could purchase what we needed.

With the closing of some of the oil sources in the Gulf of Mexico due to the recent hurricanes, some experts are recommending possible rationing again.   Here we are 30 years later and we haven’t moved 30 years forward.  It’s not as if this is a new idea.  We have known for at least 30 years that we should be gradually reducing dependence on fossil fuels and replacing them with alternative sustainable sources of energy. 

Now that the fuel crisis has caught up with us again touching off other types of crisis, food issues, mortgage problems, unemployment and more, the idea of rationing is back.  Former Shell Oil Company President, John Hofmeister, told the Washington Times that ‘we need a president and Congress who is willing to make some courageous decisions regarding oil supply.” 

Hofmeister, who is chairman of the National Urban League, also made the comment that the fuel crisis and the economy is disproportionately hurting middle and lower income families.  He blames the politicians, pointing to the fact that president Bush purposely waited 7 and ½ years to deal with the gas crisis that was spinning out of control and not until it has become an economic catastrophe has he even begun addressing lifting the moratorium on offshore drilling.  He added that Congress has only made feeble attempts and “token gestures” to solve an energy crisis that requires significant action. 

Hofmeister feels that just as corporations have short, medium and long term strategies, so does the U.S. regarding the energy and economic crisis.  For now, he feels that in light of hurricanes that affect the availability of fuel in certain areas, there should be a limited – possibly six week – period of rationing fuel. 

These ideas will be explored further, as will many others, while lawmakers and oil companies look for solutions.  In the meantime, anyone who has a car should be forewarned and forearmed that rationing is a real possibility.  It could happen here again.

It makes sense that in times of a fuel crisis where we are being told to conserve fuel by carpooling or riding the bus, ridership would go up.  On top of conserving fuel, some drivers simply cannot afford to drive their cars because of high fuel prices, so they are also using mass transit to get from one place to another.

Even this, however, is causing problems.  According to a U.S. Government report regarding rising fuel costs and the impact on mass transit, the majority of mass transit systems are experiencing an overflow that they cannot keep up with.

Because people are opting to use mass transit – especially buses – the system is overcrowded and can’t handle the number of individuals it now needs to serve.  One would think that because there are more riders, there is more revenue and, as a result, there could be extra buses on heavily used routes, especially during peak hours.

The issue is that fuel prices have increased for everyone, not just individuals.  Mass transit systems are paying much more for fuel than they had projected in their budgets.  Many cities, such as Denver, have had to eliminate various routes or scale back from ongoing service to service only once or twice per day.

American Public Transit Association (APTA) William Millar has stated that the “mass transit system in the United States is woefully underfunded.”  That, plus the skyrocketing costs of fuel has caused some cities to cut their routes more than once this year as well as increasing fares, in an effort to continue service.
Millar says that Congress needs to provide financial assistance to help the mass transit systems provide services for those who need it, and he says that Congress needs to do this “now, before the recess that will go into next year.” 

With ridership on the rise – in most cases as the only means of getting to work and maintaining employment – it is essential that these services are continued to avoid adding to the financial woes that the country is already in.  More unemployment will only increase the problems, and if people can’t get to work because there is no public transportation their unemployment is in jeopardy.

Hopefully Congress will hear Millar’s plea and help mass transit now before their fall session ends and leaves transit systems and their riders stranded until next year.

Everyone is looking for an alternative to fuel that harms the environment, costs too much and holds the country hostage to the handful of countries that control fuel supplies.  There are numerous ideas being considered. 

As the presidential election inches closer, we are hearing about everything from drilling to ethanol to natural gas.  Of course, any of the alternatives to fossil fuels would require major adjustments – and possibly major costs – to the vehicles that these fuels are made for.

There are, however, some alternative fuels that have not been mentioned much and that many of us do not know much about.  Algae is the basis for one of those bio-fuels.

According to researchers, algae can be grown inexpensively and it can be grown in areas that are unfit for crops.  As a result, crops that are raised for human or animal consumption would not be affected by the growth of algae, which has been a concern when dealing with using crops for the development of ethanol.

Experts in the Department of Energy and in the Bio-Fuel industry estimate that algae for fuel can yield up to 30 times more energy per acre than soybeans and other crops, thus using less land for higher results.  In addition, there are thousands of types of algae world wide that could be adapted to be grown and harvested for fuel.

Algae is extremely rich in oil and scientists have been able to isolate the types of algae that have the most oil and the best suitability to be used for fuel.  Extensive research has been done from the 1970s through late 1990s, especially during the Carter administration.  In fact, there are existing patents for using algae as a base for fuel.  Funding and budget shortages ended research at that time.

There is good news, however.  With all eyes on the fuel crisis, there are three U.S. studies being performed regarding the viability of using algae to create alternative fuel.  Additionally, there are studies being performed in Japan, Australia and other countries involving major oil companies.

Algae may very well be a big part of the solution to the fuel crisis affecting the U.S. and the world.  Though there are no immediate answers and though it will probably take a combination approach, algae could alleviate a substantial part of the fuel crisis at a reasonable cost, and the good news is that it is available everywhere. 

The current fuel crisis is not new news.  It has been escalating for quite some time now.  In fact, since the late 1970’s and 1980’s, the world has had fuel issues that have needed to be addressed.  During the severe crisis and shortage of the 70’s and 80’s there was talk by researchers and lawmakers and citizens alike stating that it was essential to find alternative fuel and alternative ways to find fuel.

The crisis at that time died down, and so did the talk and the money for research.  It seems that the trauma of those years, the long lines, leaving your car at the gas station the night before your even or odd license-plate day, or showing up at 4 A.M. to wait your turn, were forgotten once there was a “fix” for the oil we depended upon.

The result is what we are seeing today.  When things were so difficult, the promises of a race to find the alternatives to fossil fuels were freely flowing.  Fast forward to now, and the alternatives are not here or they are not available.  Even Congress has been baffled as to what the answers are.

In May, in an effort to understand the crisis as much as possible, Congress invited truckers, consumer advocates and energy industry analysts to offer testimony regarding the effects of the fuel crisis.  The reason for this, according to Congress is that “oil impacts every aspect of our life.” 

Truckers, gas station owners and refiners have all been hurt severely by the current fuel situation.  The President of the National Association of Small Trucking Companies stated in his testimony before Congress that “high fuel costs affect everything – everything in this room came on a truck at least once.”  Testimony placed some of the blame on gas station owners, and squarely on oil companies, who are making more profits than ever.  Fifty years ago, oil company shareholders received 1% of the profits.  Twenty years ago, 10 to 15%.  Ten years ago, 15% to 20%.  And now, with the worst fuel crisis and highest prices in history, shareholders are receiving 50% of the profits and oil companies are paying little or no taxes.

Congress listened to the testimony of these individuals who know how hard the crisis has hit.  Lawmakers have spoken about the problems in the months since, and it is even an election issue.  It is time for us to see what will actually be done to fix the problem this time – once and for all.

During the past year, fuel prices have shot up to hefty triple digits, making it impossible for many people to travel on vacations the way that they used to.  As a result, many are simply staying home. 

Add to this scenario the fact that jet fuel isn’t exactly inexpensive, so that puts the world’s airlines in a dilemma, as well.  They say they can’t lower ticket prices because they cant afford to.  However, because ticket prices are so high, travelers can’t afford to buy them.  As a result, airlines have been closing operations and many have gone out of business during the past year or two.  In fact, more airlines have gone out of business during the past year than after 9/11 when people were afraid to fly.

At least 26 airlines have gone out of business and nearly 200,000 jobs have been lost in the airline industry during the past year.  Airlines that had been hoping to hold on until fuel prices and other economic factors settled, could not hold on long enough and had to close their doors.

Some of the airlines are major international carriers, such as Alitalia, the Italian airline that has been a staple in travel to and from Italy for decades.  Part of the dichotomy is that travelers who could still afford to fly to their vacation destinations but cannot afford the fuel for a rental car to explore the destination once they arrive there.

There are ideas on the table about how to make things work and how to keep other airlines afloat.  Researchers are looking for ways to create biodiesel jet fuel and feel that it is a real possibility, but it will take time and money.

Meanwhile, the fuel situation in the world has forced us to look at the obvious problems and search for realistic solutions.  Researchers must look for alternative fuels, lawmakers must work with airlines, manufacturers and others to find ways to produce and distribute those fuels.  Individuals must do what they can to conserve.

It is important to note that when the world’s airlines are going out of business, this is no small crisis.  For now, if you want to fly on vacation, watch for specials, go on EBAY or one of the discount travel sites, find a good price, and go for it while you can!

There was a saying when I was in my teens that everything and everyone is connected in one way or another.  It was similar to “If a tree falls in the forest and nobody is there, does it still make a sound?”

There is no right or wrong answer to either question, however, everyone seems to have an opinion and a viewpoint of their own for each question.  As we look at the global economy, these questions come to mind. 

During the past few years, we have watched as oil prices have skyrocketed from double digits to over $4 per gallon in the U.S., and higher prices in other countries, with the forecast of prices going even higher before long.  As a result, we have seen a substantial rise in food prices, a decline in stocks, a large increase in layoffs and lost jobs and families losing their homes more than ever before in history.

These issues are so important that both the Democratic and the Republican National Conventions spoke about them in the past two weeks. 

Looking at the bleak situation, there are connections between many of the problems.  Let’s start with the fuel crisis.  The cost of fuel has become so high that many people are leaving their cars at home and opting to take the bus to work if there is a bus line available.  The problem is that many cities, including major cities such as Denver, are eliminating bus routes just when people need them most, because the cities can’t afford the gas to get to some areas.

The fuel crisis has affected manufacturing to the extent that many auto makers have laid of thousands of workers because the demand for luxurious gas guzzlers of a few years ago has evaporated.  There are talks of converting plants to start manufacturing hybrids and other fuel efficient cars, but that will take time, money and training.  Meanwhile, people are out of work.

Adding just one more thing, farmers and truckers are being hit hard, as well.  It takes fuel to plant and harvest crops and it takes fuel to transport them to the market place.  With costs going up, some trucking companies and farms have gone out of business while others are simply trying to hang on and wait it out.

There is no need to go into the rest of the story.  We all know what’s up.  What is important to think about is the answers to the questions at the beginning of this article.  If we are all connected – even by a small, thin thread – it is time to work together to find solutions to this crisis.  Even if we each do one tiny thing – recycle, conserve, carpool – it could add up to the difference between a trucker or farmer staying in business or having to close their doors.

With the fuel crisis looming large around the world, people everywhere are looking for answers and solutions.  Those of us who are not mechanically minded or do not have scientific backgrounds can simply do some research, do our part to conserve and hope that the folks who know how to make science work will be able to come up with viable solutions to the problem.

One man, a former Chrysler Canada employee in Windsor, Canada, has not waited.  He has taken his knowledge and put it to good use. 

The result is an electromagnetic piston motor that will eliminate dependence on oil and reduce greenhouse emissions at the same time.  Its inventor, Michael Axford says that there are no fuel tanks, fuel lines or exhaust systems in the vehicle, but all other parts of it are the same as in any other car.

Basically, there is a spool in the center of the cylinder head and it is wrapped with copper coils.  When the key is turned to start the engine the battery sends voltage to the coil which makes the coil electromagnetic.  As a result, instead of using spark plugs, the pistons are driven by the magnet.

Other cars that work along these same lines are being created by other companies and individuals, but Axford says that his is unique from the rest because his uses magnets of identical polarity and the force that they create is strong enough to drive the pistons through the cylinder to make the car run.

Currently, Axford has a Mexican patent on the car and a patent pending in Canada.  He says that magnets are strong enough to run cars, especially since they are used to pull trains, which are much heavier.  He plans to retro fit his motor to a Saturn and begin doing demonstrations to show what his engine can do.  He will be offering the engine to the three major auto manufacturers and, if accepted, will work on production deals with them.

There are some skeptics, but even they have said that the best way to find out if this will work is to finish building it and see what happens.

Last week many of us watched the Democratic National Convention and this week the Republican National Convention, both to nominate their respective party’s candidate for President and Vice-President of the United States.

There were record numbers of people at the conventions and record numbers of people who watched on TV.  Lawmaker after lawmaker gave speeches about all of the issues that need to be addressed, changed, rearranged, fixed and overcome in this country and around the world – sooner rather than later.

One of the issues that was brought up time and again was the fuel crisis.  Though it is a bad situation, it is good news that the topic was noteworthy in speech after speech.  It means that at least there is acknowledgement of the problem even if there isn’t agreement by lawmakers for the solution. 

There are obviously a lot of ideas swirling around as to how to fix the problem.  One of the main ideas is that it is time to become less dependent upon – or independent of – foreign oil.  This is not a new idea.  We’ve been hearing it on and off since the fuel shortages of the 70’s and 80’s, but this is the first time in recent history that everyone agrees that this dependence must change somehow.

Science and research have brought us many new alternatives since the 1980’s and there is the opportunity in this current crisis to explore a variety of ways to hit the fuel crisis head on, long term and once and for all.

In watching the conventions it was obvious that this issue was vital and that with some forethought, direction and actual study and communication across party lines, across ideologies, across education and background, there is enough fuel and energy from enough sources to make sure that it is used wisely and distributed so that everyone has what they need.

There are far-reaching implications to using some of the various sources of fuel that were mentioned including solar energy, wind energy, plant energy, nuclear energy, coal, oil and more.  With the right balance, not only could the fuel crisis be solved once and for all, but it might just help the environment as well.

Now that we have the attention of lawmakers who were willing to speak about the issue on international TV, that is a start.  It’s time for them to move forward and start really speaking to the experts and to each other and come up with a workable solution.

No matter where we live or what our background or situation is, the fuel crisis affects us.  Unless we are counted among that small percentage of people or families that makes a ton of money, we can literally feel the effects of the fuel crisis at the gas pump.  Studies show that these days, even the uber-rich are feeling some of the pinch.

If we are not feeling the pinch because we have oh so much disposable income, perhaps we are feeling the need to make sure that global warming and other issues that are harmful to our environment and our planet do not increase.  Or, it might just be a matter of not being dependent on foreign oil in order for this country to function properly.

Regardless of our reasons, most of us – including the government – are looking for alternatives to fossil fuels.  There are a number of them out there – more than meets the eye.  Many of them are in various stages of research and development and others are close to being ready for use or are already being used.

Much of the current research available suggests that a combination approach is necessary to dig out of the current fuel crisis and create an independence when it comes to producing and sustaining fuel.  There are many sources that are being investigated for various reasons including environment, availability, efficiency or cost effectiveness.

Drilling for oil is one part of the equation.  America has numerous sources of oil, both offshore and in various areas on the mainland.  In addition, there is plenty of coal.  In fact, the U.S. has over 25% of the world’s coal reserves and these could be used for fuel, especially through coal liquefaction, which creates synthetic fuel that can be used the same as gasoline made from crude oil.  This is not to say that these are the only answers.  There are finite amounts of coal available, and if we are trying to eliminate certain types of pollution, it is essential that we limit  and balance the amounts of certain fuels.

In addition to coal and oil, solar and wind power are available, but need to be developed further to be viable sources of energy.  Nuclear power is another source of sustainable energy, and the country has the capability to expand nuclear energy.  Bio fuels are also a good alternative to oil, and there are various types that can be grown and generated right here in this country.  Also, automakers can work to create more solar powered cars, hydrogen powered cars and battery powered cars.

With lawmakers and researchers working on all of these sources at the same time, there should be developments that will sustain us far into the future.  If these alternative choices were made available, there would be enough fuel to go around and people could chose what is right for their situation.  For now, we must wait for developments while encouraging researchers, scientists, inventors, farmers, lawmakers and others to keep working to develop as many alternative fuel sources as possible.

Pakistan is yet another country that has been hit by the fuel crisis.  It is somewhat ironic since they are located in the midst of the richest oilfields in the world.

Even with their proximity to oil, the country is looking to alternative fuel in the form of bio- diesel and bio fuels to help them in many areas.  The results of starting a bio-diesel program would be a positive use of marginal land, work for more farmers, reduced pollution, an extra source of renewable energy, and a more eco friendly country.

The bio-diesel can be obtained from chemically converting non-edible oils from plants and turning it into balanced, organic fertilizers that are rich in nitrogen and have less negative effect on the soil.  These plants can be planted and grown on marginal land that can be cultivated with saline and waste water.

In addition to all of these positive effects, one of the best effects would be the positive effect on the economy.  Since over 60% of all of Pakistan’s land lies barren, the potential for growing these crops is tremendous.  In other countries it might be too difficult and costly to undertake a change like this, but because of Pakistan’s land situation, the costs would not be as great in Pakistan.

There are about 100 million barren acres of land in Pakistan that are available to be planted and by using non-edible plants the costs will be low and price hikes for products yielded from the program should be negligible, or there could possibly be no price increases at all in the marketplace.

Pakistan State Oil has already begun planting non-edible plants on parts of the 100 million acres.  The bio-diesel can be used for buses, wagons and trains, reducing harmful emissions that lead to serious pollution.  Additionally, like every other oil-dependent country that imports much of their oil, by fully implementing the program, Pakistan will not have to depend on imported oil for as much of its fuel.

We should all look to Pakistan to see what the outcome is and how it could help the fuel situation in our own country.

When fuel prices began to rise, most people didn’t really notice.  When they finally did notice that the prices were continuing to rise and not coming down, they thought that there would be a solution before things got too bad.  When they started getting bad, folks hoped they would not get out of control, but they didn’t start to panic.

Well, things are as close as they can be to being out of control, and though people are not totally panicking, they are fearful and worried.  One of the areas of the country that is extremely worried is the East Coast, as well as other areas of the country that rely on fuel to provide heat in the freezing cold of winter.

In an effort to deal with these worries, local, county and state officials gathered with the United Way in Bath, Maine to determine emergency plans for the cold weather of winter in advance.  The Governor’s office, along with other offices, officials and organizations, described the programs that are available or will be available to homes during the coming winter, and any other emergency provisions are being considered. 

One of the most important issues that the gathering was trying to deal with the process of identifying individuals and households that will need extra assistance because they have extremely low income.  Not only is it important to find these households to get them assistance, but also to provide them with any information available regarding programs that are available to help them in addition to energy assistance.

The fact that officials on the East Coast are working to procure assistance for people months in advance of the winter/snow is heartening.  After all, there are things that individuals can do to winterize and weatherize their homes while the weather is still good.  Working on these issues in advance also gives people plenty of time to be able to do any work necessary to prepare.

Hopefully, wherever you live, if there are extremely cold winters, the same types of information, assistance and preparation will be available.  If you need information contact your local energy or utilities office well in advance of the onset of cold weather.

There are a million things one might think of when they think of the fuel crisis.  Many of us think of higher prices for travel, higher prices for food, a four day work or school week with added hours each day, bills that are harder to pay, and other results of the issues we are having with fuel.

One thing that we might not have thought about – and I certainly have not, until now – is traveling carnivals.  Yes, these carnivals are being hit pretty hard because traveling carnivals need fuel for most of what they do.  Fuel is, of course absolutely necessary for the carnivals to actually travel.  A lot of fuel.  Many of the traveling carnivals drive by trucks that use diesel fuel – which has become very pricey lately. 

Traveling across regions, states and even the country, is expensive even without the fuel crisis to deal with.  Consider, though, the fact that food, lodging, fuel for rides and other costs have gone up accordingly. 

This has become enough of a problem for some carnivals to reduce the amounts of miles they have to travel.  They have cut out some of the cities they visit and they have decided to stay within smaller areas to contain costs.  They have also cut some of the rides they offer in an effort to save fuel and money.

This may seem like a frivolous issue when compared to the fuel crisis itself, issues with the economy, wars, politics and other problems, but it is not.  It shows that some of the things that we take for granted have been affected by high prices for fuel.  When we are at the point where the neighborhood carnival – a tradition that has rolled into towns across the country for decades – is diminishing, it is time to take note and try harder to fix some of the problems. 

If not, what’s next?  Will we end up losing the ice cream man, too?

The fact that the cost of fuel has skyrocketed has been a tremendous problem for consumers, making everything – especially travel – more expensive.  It has become too expensive for many, and as a result, less people have been traveling this summer.  In fact, in June, alone, travel dropped nearly 5% from last years amount of miles traveled, in what is usually a busy travel month with kids out of school.

We continue to hear about new and amazing effects of the fuel crisis, and the latest effect is the potentially negative effect on the roads themselves.  How could less travel have a negative effect on the roads?  In a not so obvious way.

The tax on fuel contributes to the nation’s highway fund.  As consumers buy less fuel, there is less money from taxes to contribute to the Highway Trust Fund.  Taxes on all types of fuel are contributed to this fund.

A major source of funding for infrastructure, repairs and other necessities on the roads and for the roads, is that very fund, and the less consumption of fuel actually will create more issues that could plague our nation’s roadways.

There have been calls for making repair and maintenance of the roads less dependent on fuel taxes.  This is not necessarily a simple idea.  There are many ideas swirling around including creating a Metropolitan Investment Fund to reward cities that improve traffic and deal with other issues related to congestion.

Other ideas include a National Infrastructure Bank that would work like the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and fund civic building projects for everything from bridges to sewers and more.  The funding would come from bonds, and the agency would be nonpartisan.

This is a complicated issue that needs to be addressed.  It is good that lawmakers are making a concerted effort to deal with the effects that the fuel crisis has created – even the ones that are not that obvious.

As with most economic woes around the world today, the fuel crisis has affected those who are most vulnerable.  It makes sense that individuals with the most income and savings are able to afford more than individuals without those assets.  That is not to say that the well off do not experience any issues due to economic problems, but they are in a much better position to absorb the losses than the average person making just above minimum wage.

Bill Gates understands how these things work, and he understands the concept of helping those who need it most.  Aside from being a gabillionaire, he is a philanthropist and a humanitarian who is using his money for good.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced today that they are providing $17.6 million in grants to help the hungriest people around the world, as well as nursing mothers and small farmers who have been hurt by the fuel crisis.  Many of the individuals who will be helped are people who have lost their jobs due to the fuel crisis, and others simply cannot afford the skyrocketing prices of food.

According to the United Nations over 950 million people worldwide are at risk of hunger and malnutrition.  This is especially true of young children and nursing mothers.

In addition, costs of fertilizer and fuel have hampered small farmers’ efforts to grow food.  Some of these farmers are losing their farms, others cannot afford to grow and sell food at market prices because of the high costs involved in growing and developing it.  The grants will help supply everything from seeds to soil to farm management and market access, helping the farmers to have a more even playing field in the world market and to be able to sustain their farms.

Until the fuel crisis developed to this point, many around the world have not truly paid attention to the side effects of not having affordable fuel or enough fuel.  It is important that we all pay attention to this issue, as it effects everyone from the largest farmer to the smallest consumer.

Here in the United States, even though we are coping with fuel costs that are too high, we are somehow muddling through.  The costs are ridiculous, and they are having a disruptive effect on many families, some who cannot afford the gas to get to work and are worried about how to heat their homes this coming winter.

The fuel crisis here is also affecting municipal transit, especially bus lines in various cities.  Some bus lines are being curtailed or eliminated because fuel costs are too high.  The irony is that this is happening just as more people need to commute on mass transit because they can’t afford the price of fuel for their vehicles.

It is important for lawmakers and concerned citizens to continue looking for answers in this crisis before the situation here becomes as critical as it is in other countries around the world. 

It has been reported that in some countries essential services such as ambulance and police have been cut back due to fuel shortages and fuel prices.  In addition, people cannot afford the high cost of food because of the high cost of fuel.  In addition, farmers hare finding it difficult, if not impossible, to grow their crops because they can’t afford fertilizer nor can they afford fuel for their equipment.

The United States is experiencing great difficulties due to the expense of fuel, however, they are still doing much better than many other countries in the world.  It is essential that lawmakers, oil companies, energy companies, inventors, carmakers, scientists and others who can help, get together and come up with a solution to the crisis before the economy of the U.S. is as bad as it is in other places in the world.

During the past couple of weeks, the soaring cost of fuel has gone down a bit from an average of around $4.50 per gallon to a little over or under $4.00 per gallon, depending upon where you live. 

Every little bit helps, so we are not complaining about the savings we are seeing lately.  However, there are predictions that fuel prices will begin to climb again, and that this climb may be steeper than the last.

This is a difficult situation to fathom.  When prices went near $3 per gallon, people were stunned, and when they went above $3 it really started to hurt consumers.  Now that we have been over $4 per gallon, it has not only hurt consumers at the pump, but created an economic mess in the United States and other countries, as well. 

The cost of fuel has affected the cost of food, clothing, air travel and just about everything else we can think of.  It has become overwhelming for many, and there is already great concern about what various areas will do about heat this winter, and what farmers will do to be able to afford fertilizer for their crops.

If this isn’t bad enough, there are news articles and reports coming out of everywhere stating that gas prices will continue to rise and could get to as high as $7 or $8 in the United States and $11 or $12 in Europe by early 2009. 

There is no way of knowing if these reports are based on anything but fear, however, it is certainly possible that fuel prices will continue to rise until a solution to the crisis is found.  The technology is available for creating and using alternative fuels, as well as creating other fuel and energy sources.  In addition, the idea of more drilling has been tossed about a lot lately. 

Regardless of what method or methods are used to deal with the fuel crisis, it is likely that prices will waver up and down until they finally level off, hopefully at a number that we can all find a way to live with somehow. 

In the meantime, lawmakers will keep going back and forth about the appropriate solution, and we will be keeping our eyes on the pump and watching how much we drive. 
 

Perched in the Rockies, Denver has grown from a small town to a bustling city.  It has become one of the cities that tourists visit in Colorado  in part due to its proximity to Denver International Airport, and in part, due to the fact that it has kept many aspects of its small town charm even as it has grown. 

Even with these attributes, Denver, just like other cities across the United States, is not immune to the effects of the fuel crisis.  Just like other cities who are struggling with the balance between paying for fuel and eliminating mass transit services, Denver is dealing with the same issues.

Denver has become a commuter city, where people from the mountain communities that surround it drive or take the bus into the city for work and other reasons.  The paradox right now – just as in other areas across the country – is that as people are using mass transit more and bus ridership has gone up, rising fuel prices make it nearly impossible for the system to keep up.

The result: some of the routes that are needed the most are in jeopardy of being cancelled.  On bus line that has been in peril has been the commuter line from Park County into Denver.  The commuters that use this line live in mountain communities and have no other means of transportation into the city.  The route runs along highway 285 and is a lifeline for the people who use it.

Because of the fuel prices – even though ridership has surged – the route was scheduled to be terminated, which left its commuters in an uproar and left them in a situation where they would be stranded.  They had to beg the transit officials to keep the route going, which, at this time, it still is. 

The Denver Transit System will be $6 million over budget this year due to fuel alone.  They are budgeted for $2.60 per gallon but having to pay $3.20.  With 100 million passengers last year and estimates for more this year, the price of fuel to get them where they need to go in the eight counties that are served, could be staggering. 

For now, the route on 285 is safe.  Officials are looking at various ways to help fund the deficit including surcharges to cover fuel costs.  This scenario is being played out in communities throughout the country with little or no help.

It is time that lawmakers take some of the good ideas that have been heralded for year and put them into practice.  Even one small community on a mountaintop in Colorado can effect the economy.  The country needs to work together to overcome the fuel crisis so the economy in big cities or small towns can work.

Here we are in the 21st century with inventions that boggle the mind.  In addition to computers that are outdated in a nanosecond, we have been offered – and some people have already put deposits down for – the first commercial trip to the moon.

All of this and we are unable to deal with the fuel crisis.  It is interesting that the fuel crisis is not a new idea or situation that just landed on the horizon.  As far back as the late 70’s we were being warned that this time would come, and it would happen sooner than we think and affect us much worse than we thought it would.  Those who predicted this were right on the money, no pun intended.

In around 1979, Jimmy Carter, who was president at the time, stated that there should be alternative energy, such as solar power.  He even went so far as to have solar panels installed at the White House.  No word on whether they are still there or still in use, but it seems that he may have been a visionary who was ignored, as many visionaries are.

Carter had a few other ideas, too, such as pushing automakers to increase the mileage to somewhere around 48mpg by 1995.  Well, a few of the hybrids, like the Prius that has been out a couple of years now, boast 50mpg.  Carter suggested offering windfall taxes to oil companies so that they could look for alternative fuel and energy sources.  He also felt that at least 20% of our energy should come from alternative sources – especially solar power – as soon as possible.

Here we are 30 years later listening to the very same arguments by lawmakers while the price of gas has gone up from under $.50 per gallon to over $4.00, partially due to inaction on some of the logical alternatives to dependence on fossil fuels.  Then again, there is also the fact that for years, America has been far behind the curve in manufacturing cars that perform like those that have been manufactured in Japan.  Only recently have U.S. automakers been catching up.  And only recently – with an election looming and with gasoline prices that have skyrocketed – have lawmakers across the aisles been actually seriously talking, and some of them have stopped arguing long enough to actually communicate about getting things under control.

The worst of the issue is that we could have avoided getting to this point to begin with, so getting things under control now will not be quick or easy.  It’s like trying to keep ice from melting after it has sitting on the counter for an hour or two.  It can be done, but it has to go back into the freezer. 

The fuel crisis can be remedied, but it will take going back to some of the ideas that have already been proposed and actually implementing them and adding to them to get started.  It’s good to know that at least part of Congress is finally talking together and working together to move forward and get things done before it’s really, really too late.  Hopefully, the rest of Congress will stop arguing and join in solving the problem.