Science fiction writer Jerry Pournelle is a thoroughly grounded scientist, and when he lived in Seattle during the late Fifties and early Sixties (before I knew he was even interested in writing science fiction) we had many an interesting discussion while bending our elbows and wetting our noses in the notorious Blue Moon Tavern near Seattle's University District.

Jerry made the comment back then that "when you consider, first, all of the things that are made from petroleum . . ." (he then enumerated a long and surprising list of everyday products and necessities: everything from life-saving pharmaceuticals to the barrels of ball-point pens) ". . . and second, how limited petroleum reserves are—when it's gone, it's gone—and third, all the possible alternatives, it is a crime against the future to burn petroleum simply to provide energy."

I remember the Arab oil embargo back in the early Seventies, sitting in the gas lines and being allowed to purchase no more than a few gallons at a time. U. S. oil resources were simply insufficient to meet the domestic demand. I had a Toyota Corona back then. About 25 mpg. I have a 1999 Toyota Corona now. About 30 mpg. And it only has about 12,000 miles on it. If folks are going to keep running their SUVs, the U. S. must have Middle East oil. In the meantime, I have a friend with a Toyota Prius (hybrid). He fills the tank with an eye-dropper, gets incredible mileage. Neat little car. He loves it! He can drive five to eight times as far on a gallon of gas as someone with the average SUV.

As Jerry said, "When it's gone, it's gone!"

Don Firth