THE WINDMILL IN CLAYTON, GA

Out of a cheap 1950's horror flick, the windmill appears to fit that age more closely than today. Is it functional? It should be. And we should have tons more of them. Along with solar panels.

I received an e-mail that was making the rounds on the internet that posted the price of different kinds of liquids in relationship to a gallon of gasoline. You've seen them. Evian, white out, Pepto Bismol--all much more expensive than gasoline.

But our country has a real problem with oil. We just don't have enough to sate our demands. If you don't think we demand, then just start counting cars, SUVs, and trucks next time you're in traffic. At my last stop light, I counted 14 of the big guys, oops, I didn't count my own--15, compared to 2 automobiles. That was just a random sampling, obviously, but try it and see what you find.

Since the late 1990's we have imported more oil than we produce. The greens won't allow Arctic drilling, off-shore drilling, or encourage more drilling with tax incentives. In fact, oil companies have done such a poor job of public relations that most hate Big Oil and windfall profits. Even when Big Oil includes farm owners who have mineral rights and who still have stripper wells.

And the same people hate the Middle East and claim we're in a war because of oil. "Blood for Oil" they call it.

So let's see if I have this right. People in Big Oil should drill for more in the USA. But not in most places. They should bear the cost/gamble and not pass that on to the already strapped consumer. We should not import oil from the Middle East or Venezuela. And, yes, finally, it's our right, our entitlement to cheap oil and gas to run our Hummers which get 9 miles per gallon. Don't forget our heating costs to keep our houses at 76 degrees.

Windmills and solar panels. We need them bad.