Okay, the big three auto executives are in Washington begging for their $15-billion get out of jail free card. Again. At a time when average Americans are being criticized (rightly so) for having entered into predatory subprime loans, what does this say about our system of justice where people are forgiven because they're part of an industry that is too big to fail? It seems that they will not be getting off completely scot-free, with President Bush planning to appoint a "car czar" to oversee how they spend the money. Last thing we need is another AIG scandal, although in fairness most of the people at that spa were not directly related to the company's financial woes. We're coming up on a new year and a new president. So maybe we should make our resolution a little early. I have a good one right here: We as a nation hereby promise to show a little common sense when it comes to financial investments. We won't mindlessly plow into questionable credit plans simply because they're available. We won't run our companies into the ground just so our executives get their golden parachutes or our union members can end up making $85 an hour. We won't think that trends are anymore more than short-term fancies and we won't be surprised when that trend quickly dies. We will be aware that the market is cyclical and nothing last forever, and not act surprised when companies that were basing their business plans on "oh I hope I get this cleared up before the market twists on me" end up going belly up. There, I feel like a weight has been lifted off me already. –Stephen Payne, Editor, Oil and Gas Investor This Week; www.OilandGasInvestor.com; spayne@hartenergy.com