It's finally come to this: G8 governments are looking to reduce consumption rather than increase supply, for a change.

The G8 energy ministers -- not the presidents themselves -- recently announced their intention to focus on reducing oil dependence at next month's G8 summit in Japan. This past weekend, Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who won his election in no small part due to his promise to sign the Kyoto treaty if elected, was the only one advocating hitting up OPEC for more oil. Or at least that's what we think he meant when he said the G8 should, "apply the blow-torch" to the cartel.

The G8 nations, plus China, India and South Korea, account for two-thirds of global oil consumption, so if acting in tandem, they have the ability to make a significant dent in global demand, if not prices.

Closer to home, the Dallas city commission has been discussing such radical ideas as increasing the city's walkability and congestion pricing, in response to rising prices. Perhaps the commission is purposefully trying apply the blow-torch (or the middle finger) to a local oil company, whose headquarters are in Irving, just outside Dallas.