That is especially true when the "random knowledge seems to be in error based on what we already have as data. Some folks seem to make up such data and pass it one to unsuspecting people who believe it and use it in discussions such as this.
To prove my point, this is the current statistics on the US oil reserves and oil consumption per day. http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/ene_oil_res-energy-oil-reserves United States: 22,450,000,000 barrels http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/ene_oil_con-energy-oil-consumption United States: 20,730,000 bbl/day The reserves at the current usage rates would not last three years. This report in an energy site detaling the reserves would not last even 14 years at the current rate of domestic production, much less the total US needs. http://www.ogj.com/display_article/...-&-Young-study:-US-oil-reserves-holding-flat/ Estimated proved oil reserves held flat in 2007 at 16.1 billion bbl, however, said Ernst & Young, which complied and analyzed annual reports filed with the US Securities & Exchange Commission. <snip> Oil production has held steady at 1.2 billion bbl/year since 2004. The study showed production of 1.3 billion bbl in 2003. Production figures include condensate and natural gas liquids.
