Have you noticed that after a slight lull, gas prices are back up again?

No wonder. Crude oil just hit an all-time high of more than $93 a barrel.

That's not good. In fact, even though I drive a car that gets pretty decent mileage, I found myself looking at a more fuel-efficient vehicle that boasts 40 miles a gallon and isn't a hybrid!

Maybe it's too much to hope for, but when the government established fuel efficiency standards, auto manufacturers complied. But now, they fight them, though there's been little interest in raising the standards by the current administration, coincidentally made up of two former oilmen. Why should we be surprised?

It's not just a matter of politics, though some "leaders" have politicized science in general and energy consumption in particular. Maybe those of us in the reality-based community need to raise our own consciousness — and fuel standards. Why wait for the government to catch up?