IF YOU WANT THE PRICE OF GAS TO GO DOWN...

President Bush is making a lot of noise about wanting higher fuel efficiency in the vehicles we drive. Seeing as how a lot of experts say the world is running out of oil and that there is a scandal waiting to explode regarding 100,000 to 300,000 barrels A DAY unaccounted for in Iraq for the last FOUR YEARS, what President Bush is advocating is one of those, "Duh, YEAH!" proposals that unfortunately we'll remain skeptical about until it happens.

This Iraq missing oil business amounts to something in the neighborhood of $5 MILLION to $15 MILLION a day for the last four years. Go ahead. Do the math. Some of that money is money that was supposed to pay for this idiotic war in Iraq. And like everything else about that mess, our "Brownie, you're doing a great job!" people in Iraq have been unable to keep their eyes on the prize. The oil. Or have they? And that's an even scarier thought.

Here's the deal gang. Gas prices continue to go up. $4 a gallon or more here in the Los Angeles area. Experts believe the best way to reduce oil consumption is to keep raising the price until we (the people) say, "Enough!" and start driving less.

But here's a way we could START to conserve! By getting rid of these trucks, SUV's or whatever you want to call what has replaced a CAR. I mean, who really NEEDS these monstrosities. Getting a truck of some kind has led a lot of people to then get a bigger truck and then...Well, it looks like it's one of those keeping up with your neighbors kind of thing, right?
OR...Is it perhaps more like these sexual enhancement ads we're bombarded with where we're convinced that not only is bigger better, bigger is the ONLY thing that's accepted?

Well how about these BIGGER gas prices?

And before I switch to entertainment stuff which is further down this page, let me bring up something entertainment related to make a point.

Are any of you familiar with a film in the 50's, "The Rainmaker" which starred Burt Lancaster and Katharine Hepburn? No? To be honest, neither am I, but I think it was about a con man type who had everyone believing he could make it rain and at the end, he got lucky when it DID rain.

President Bush, right? Except for the luck part? Well, yeah, but the people who made me think of this are these highly paid talk show guys and gals who do this administration's bidding by constantly telling us it's going to "rain", that "life is good/great" for everyone here BECAUSE of this administration, but they ignore things like the inconvenient fact that nearly half of all full time private sector workers get NO PAID SICK DAYS. Gas prices? An inconvenience. The outrageous cost of health care? Another inconvenience. I could go on and on but take a bow, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and the rest of you administration enablers. And by the way guys, how are the book sales and big money speaking engagements going?

Are you ready for some news about REAL entertainers?

NBC announced their schedule for the fall season yesterday. "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" will not return. The remaining episodes for this season will begin showing near the end of this month. I know I'm in the minority, but I liked that show. A lot! "Bionic Woman" will be one of NBC's new shows in the fall, Wednesday nights at 9 and followed by a show called "Life" that sounds like it might be pretty good. "Law & Order" will return for an 18th season but it won't begin until after the football season ends. There was a terrific episode of "Law & Order" this past Friday about the disgraceful conditions returning Iraq veterans have had to endure in military hospitals.

ABC announces its new season today and I was very happy when I heard that "October Road" will be returning. The critics savaged that show, but I loved it.

Lindsay Lohan's in the news again. According to Maxim magazine, Lohan is the hottest woman in the world. Number 2 is Jessica Alba. This issue of Maxim will be available everywhere this Saturday.

Did you see "24" last night? That show is really getting revved up again. The season finale will be a 2-hour show next Monday.

Goodbye Christopher! Tony killed him on The Sopranos this past Sunday. Is everybody ON that show gonna get killed?

"American Idol" tonight. Only 3 are standing. Will YOUR favorite survive?

If you have any comments, feel free to write to my home e-mail address. scottstjames@sbcglobal.net

Tomorrow:

"American Idol" and a surprise.