TheScooterScoop

Billy Joel is no Innocent Man when it comes to getting caught rolling his scooter around town (Miami). Years ago I remember when he and Christy Brinkley’s Italjet Velociferos were up on the auction block, looks like he’s moved on to another love… Vespa. Credits to DailyMail UK for the scoop!

NPR Reports -
Prepare to fork over $5 for a gallon of gasoline by 2012, former Shell Oil president John Hofmeister says. That’s nearly $2 more than the current average price of $3.05 per gallon, according to the Department of Energy.

American demand for gasoline has returned to pre-recession levels, while demand from Asian countries has increased beyond levels in 2007 and 2008, says Hofmeister, author of Why We Hate the Oil Companies: Straight Talk From an Energy Insider.

“There’s a psychology of oil pricing based on fear — fear of shortage, fear of lack of supply,” he tells NPR’s Jacki Lyden. The Obama administration sent a shock to the world trading marketplace when it said the U.S. is not going to pursue more off-shore drilling at a time when the world needs more crude oil.

Drivers’ sticker shock will be only one of the consequences of a gas price jump driven by higher crude oil prices. “The higher cost of fuel touches everything in our lives,” Hofmeister says. “We have all kinds of crude oil applications in everyday life, from the Chapstick to the lipstick, to the fuel in our gas tanks.”

Hofmeister advocates for a more pragmatic approach to meeting U.S. energy needs. “I’m not proposing we drill 20 million barrels a day [domestically],” he says. “I’m proposing we produce 10 million barrels a day — 3 million more than today, equal to what we used to produce 35 years ago. The oil is there. There’s plenty of it if we would give ourselves permission as a people to go make it happen.”

Alternative energy sources are the future, he says, but in the short-term, “we really have no choice — with the 250 million cars on the road today — but to put gasoline and diesel into those cars.”  Unless you ride a scooter, then you’re still in pretty good shape. ;)

A little Christmas video from the Vespa Club of Korea (that’s where my pops is right now). I hope you all have a WONDERFUL holiday and we wish you a 2011 filled with joy, love and laughter.

From Reuters:
With 2010 demand showing the biggest gains since 2004 and expectations of a modest increase in 2011, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries could be pressured to open the taps next year, another Reuters poll showed.

The poll of 12 top oil-tracking analysts showed that oil demand this year had recovered far faster than anyone predicted earlier in 2010, and while growth is expected to slow in 2011 it will still reach a new all-time high.

This year “turned out to be a year of recovery, with economic and oil demand growth clearly beating expectations”, David Wech at JBC Energy in Vienna said.

With non-OPEC supply expected to rise by only 200,000 barrels per day next year, OPEC could have to increase output by 800,000 bpd to keep pace with demand, the poll showed.

Ministers from the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC), which includes OPEC members such as Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Kuwait, will meet for two days starting on Friday to see how they need to fix prices to get their 2011 diamond studded Benzes before Springtime.

Like a magical, mystical electric unicycle with a training wheel, the YikeBike that me mentioned back in March, is ready to make its under-tree debut this year.  The good news?  It’s only $3595 (down from the originally estimated $4500 and if you order it with accessories like carrying case, extra charger and US standard plug the total will run you $3768 + Shipping.), the bad news?  It probably won’t make it here from New Zealand by Christmas.  :(

Still not convinced that mom / dad/ wife / Santa will get wrap one up for ya?  Show ‘em these videos!  (be sure to jump up and down with excitement and “Oh my GOSH!  THIS IS IT!  I WANT IT!  I WANT IT!” while they watch).

Ok, sure I’m feeling a little sick with jealousy over Brad Hasemeyer’s trip to Tokyo to chat with the locals about custom rides but that’s not gonna stop me from sharing the experience with you. Check out Translogic 8.3 from AOL (and the Chevy Volt) where Bradley tries to do the Japanese scooter scene some justice in less than 2 minutes. My favorite quote? “Why can’t these guys just leave this stuff aLONE!?”. *sigh*
Shouts to Drew Sawyer for the scoop! :)