• 2h51 drive, round trip $27 ($3.00/gallon @ 30mpg)
• 3h40 bus, round trip $66-77
• no train service
• 4h14 plane, round trip $337 (1 mo. advance purchase)

Huntington, WV to Louisville, KY (pop. 699,827): 198 mi / 319 km

• 3h10 drive, round trip $40 ($3.00/gallon @ 30mpg)
• 12h45 bus, round trip $107-115 ($82 with 1wk. advance purchase)
• no train service
• 4h08 plane, round trip $232 (1 mo. advance purchase)

Huntington, WV to Pittsburgh, PA (pop. 331,310): 279 mi / 449km

• 4h21 drive, round trip $56 ($3.00/gallon @ 30mpg)
• 11h35 bus, round trip $124 ($82 with 1wk. advance purchase)
• 22h10 train, round trip $244-250 (only alternate-day service)
• 1h00 plane, round trip $220 (1 mo. advance purchase)

Huntington, WV to Cincinnatti, OH (pop. 316,718): 281 mi / 452 km

• 4h44 drive, round trip $56 ($3.00/gallon @ 30mpg)
• 8h50 bus, round trip $107-115 ($82 with 1wk. advance purchase)
• 3h51 train, round trip $46-52 (only alternate-day service)
• 0h53 plane, round trip $370 (1 mo. advance purchase)

“Our drive-offs are up probably 100%” this year, says Jeff Miller of Norfolk, Va., president of a company that operates 88 gas stations and convenience stores selling gas. “We’re on track to lose about a quarter of a million dollars” in 2005.

Gas retailers lost $234 million to theft in 2004, more than double the amount in 2003, the National Association of Convenience Stores reports. The annual loss averaged $2,141 per store.

As usual, it’s worthwhile going to the source. The NACS PR Kit which appears to be the source of USA Today’s figures prudently includes the following footnote on the trend:

For 2003, gas theft was reported to be $112 million. While theft certainly increased in 2004, the difference in theft over the two years is also attributable to a more accurate measurement of the problem.

Incidentally, I wonder why USA Today reports the NACS’s $2,141 per store figure, but gives a $234 million total as compared to the NACS’s $237 million estimate? In any case, theft does appear to be going up to some extent, and the increase in gas value is at least a logical culprit. (It’d be nicer to have some longer-term historical data to draw conclusions against, though.)

Meanwhile, evidence about whether fuel prices are affecting car-buying decisions is less conclusive. CNN Money quotes several sources which claim that while there appears to be a drop in recent large SUV sales figures, it may have more to do with buyers shifting to other types of vehicles within the “sport” segment. If there is a trend, we’re probably still to close to the cusp of it to see it clearly.

As the title suggests, the book is mostly concerned with what our other energy options are as crude oil becomes more scarce. As a geologist, he wisely sticks to his area of expertise, covering natural gas, coal, tar sands, oil shale, uranium, and hydrogen–he doesn’t spend much time discussing solar, wind, or tidal energy. Clearly an experienced lecturer, Deffeyes spices up the dry science with digressions, like an anecdote about how he got access to good uranium mining records by plying the night computer staff with pastries and soda.

After enumerating the problems with most of the alternatives (for instance, tar sands have high capital costs and require expensive hydrogen to convert into more usable lighter crude), Deffeyes concludes that our most promising prospects for the near future lie with coal and uranium. Though they both have significant environmental costs, they’re both proven fuels that we have in plentiful supply.

Under the measure, 2,400 yen [US$23] will be levied per tonne of carbon contained in fossil fuel. For the motorist, that will mean paying an extra 1.5 yen per litre of petrol, or an additional 3,000 yen per household per year.

I like that they’re doing it by carbon weight, rather than specifically as a gasoline tax. If I understand right, it pushes the burden onto heavy industry–which will make infrastructure investments to save itself the cash–instead of onto ordinary citizens, who can’t do that.

That one’s actually not too bad.

Although a little too gender-conflicted for a pop star maybe.

A large chunk of Wyoming has lost Greyhound service.

single dad down the street from campus needs RELIABLE person to get two charming children out of bed, fed and out the door to school. one needs to be dropped off, so car is necessary. only two hours in morning and two hours in afternoon. but if you can only do half, I can find someone to do other half. pay is negotiable and contingent on RELIABILITY! qualifications: like or, at least, tolerate eight and 13 year old kids. can make instant oatmeal and/or waffles. can put plates in a dishwasher. can drive a kid to nearby school. BE RELIABLE!!

“What we call problems of culture are usually problems of architecture” –Francisco Perez

Perhaps some deus ex machina technology or discovery will swoop in and prevent us from having to care about how much our lifestyles are dependent on cheap energy–but it’s worth thinking about how the world will change if that doesn’t happen.