After 20 years of near-inertia, the oil price jumps and bolts like a rodeo horse. Hitting over US$50 a barrel, this November it is calming down somewhat, but is still way above that when the Middle East situation was at its hottest, namely the USled attack on Iraq at the start of this year. The oil subsidy for sure will suck Indonesia's State Budget dry. Will the face of next year's economy be even darker?