Atlanta Opinion

By RJ

April 21, 2008 8:40 AM | Link to this

Indeed, this city is far too SPRAWLING to create a useful transit system. Unless we flood an entire county or two and use them as an additional water reservoir.

I’m so out of here.

By FultonMommy

April 21, 2008 8:42 AM | Link to this

Due to the increase in gas prices, I only drive when absolutely necessary. I drive to work, come home and stay. No more weekend trips or unnecessary trips to the store. And now groceries are more expensive. We are having to re-think how we spend every dollar. No more ordering pizza for the kids every Friday; frozen will have to do. Went to Publix yesterday and spent $3.00 for a loaf of bread! Incredible. Unfortunately I won’t even be able to send my kids to some of the camps that they wanted to attend because it would be too expensive to drive. This is insane!

By wyme

April 21, 2008 8:43 AM | Link to this

John McCain the expert on economics recently came up with this great idea for all of us consumers!

He wants to eliminate the federal gas tax for three months during the summer. Which should play well in Peoria.

Here’s how it works out!

The national average for a gallon of gas is $3.38, and it could hit $3.50 or even $4 before long. Cutting the cost by 18 cents amounts to a 5 percent reduction.

The Arizona Republic - McCain’s hometown paper - says the average Phoenix commuter will save $23 under McCain’s proposal. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials says the average American will save $28.

Wow. $28 huh? Thanks, Sen. McCain!

By jbmlaw

April 21, 2008 8:46 AM | Link to this

Goof morning all. The short term answer to Jim�s question is �no� as there are many causes for the current price spike. (1) The Fed�s cheap dollar policy, initially implemented as a short term measure during the dot com bust, was never reversed. The dollar supply inflation reflects in all commodity prices, not just oil. (2) The US Congress prohibits drilling in the ANWR desert of Alaska, and in the fertile Gulf of Mexico, thus limiting supply. (3) The US Congress mandates uneconomic production of 50+ different summer grades of gasoline, in a vain hope of achieving some immeasurable reduction in air pollution. (4) The US Congress has made it nearly impossible for an oil company to build a new refinery in the US. (5) The US Congress mandates use of uneconomic food-based sources of ethanol, which leads to higher prices both in food and in gasoline. (6) Production of gasoline is primarily controlled by government dictatorships � Saudi Arabia, Russia, Mexico, Venezuela, Iran, Kuwait. The US is the only significant producer with a free economy and with competitive forces in the supply market.

In addition to the short-term misery inflicted by government overlords onto the citizenry, there is a semi-legitimate long-term issue also, decline in the production of oil fields all over the world, as there is less oil available for plunder. While there is no particular economic reason that decline should be manifest now in the form of higher prices, it would be dishonest for me to fail to note that there will be a long-term upward pressure.

By Aquagirl

April 21, 2008 8:48 AM | Link to this

Of course I’m as prepared as I can be…I’m not as stupid as Republicans who think oil prices will drop significantly in the future. China is industrializing at a fast rate, unless they stop, demand will continue to increase. Duh.

My only problems are caused be dinosaurs like McCain and Wooten, who continue clinging to cars like children cling to their favorite blankie. In return for oil, they keep throwing money (and bodies) at nations that just don’t like us much. What patriots.

By jbmlaw

April 21, 2008 8:49 AM | Link to this

�Goof� indeed, reflects the way my week has started.

By bronco

April 21, 2008 8:53 AM | Link to this

I wish the gas prices would go ahead and rise to the level of Europe. They will eventually anyway. That way there there would be no more guessing what they will be next week. People could adjust their lives and get on with it.

By PartyLine

April 21, 2008 8:55 AM | Link to this

Jim,

Are you from around here? Have you not heard about the over-crowded buses running to and from Atlanta and the surrounding counties. There are people out there literally begging for more buses so they can sit down on their ride. I remember when I was a teenager in Clayton County — it’s been a few years now. My teenage friends and I would get a lift to the nearest bus stop and ride into Atlanta so we could go to the FOX Theater. I think that’s where I first saw Planet of the Apes. After high school, I even rode the bus to classes at Georgia Tech for a while — until I could afford my own car, gas, etc. Public transportation can do a lot of good if you and others can just get past your biases and stigmatisms. Heck, don’t you get to carry those guns on the buses to protect us with. Now, my wife does more traveling than I do so we take advantage of the rail up Ga 400 when she heads out of town (we no longer live in Clayton County). I just wish the rail ran the full length of 400. We would probably use it even more often. It sure would have been nice to have a train from Forest Park to say Griffin even back when I was a child. I’m sure my family would have taken advantage of it on Sunday afternoons, after church, to head down for a nice A&W in a frosted mug. I can almost still taste it. Jim. Why do I get the feeling that you and so many others just don’t understand what life is all about.

By Larry

April 21, 2008 8:56 AM | Link to this

Thank you, Mr. Keynes.

2 billion people in China and India aint speculating, they’re consuming.

Man it didn’t take much for China’s patriots to start rioting for war against the west.

They’ve been indoctrinated against us as virulently as the N. Koreans have. Once again, it shows how important curriculum in schools is.

History has a bad habit of repeating itself. The Berlin Olympics in 1936 preceded the Big One by only three short years. The Beijing Olympics may bring the torch a little too close to the oil that china has drenched itself in.

China may find herself in the peculiar position of clamping down harshly on the monks and the monk’s detractors, (the same way Hitler had to assassinate his most loyal supporters to appease the army, the banks and the defense contractors.)

Ignorance. Lets keep our children ignorant about science and politics and then see how fast we can envelop a war footing with China.

Yes, Jimmy, cavemen rode the dinosaurs like cowboys rode horses. The dinosaur bones only carbon date to 300 million BC because God thought he’d test us all about the Six Day Creation, just to see which of us he should condemn to roast in hell forever. You Jimmy? You want to roast in hell forever? And make the baby jesus cry? Bad Jimmy. Box your ears! Box your ears!

Bad Jimmy.

By Road Scholar

April 21, 2008 9:01 AM | Link to this

I have been “chaining ” together my destinations/stops on trips for many years. Not only does it save gas, but time.

McCain’s idea of suspending the gas tax is a joke. How will transportation improvements, esp those which reduce congestion/ increase gas efficiency be funded. The Federal funding level is down already (not up to the latest transportation bill levels) and this state refuses to address reality (inflation, price of oil, loss of jobs, mobility, air quality,value of the dollar etc.)

With food prices up why not suspend all taxes on food also…fresh and at restaurants? With salaries not increasing since the 1970’s based on inflation, why not suspend the income tax?

The need for transportation funds is acute. They create jobs. They reduce unemployment. They create opportunities for reseach and development/ new technologies. The funds “turnover” many times, thus trickling benefits to other sectors of the economy. They spur investment, including in our infrastructure.

Haven’t we learned anything from history? Instead of hand outs and coporate welfare, put the people to work!

Perdue’s statement that since GDOT overprogramed projects/cost increases are the reason to not allow the citizenry to vote on raising the local regional tax is ridiculous. If we are short the money we need to address transportation, don’t we need more?

By Ray

April 21, 2008 9:01 AM | Link to this

We have only ourselves and our self serving politicians to thank for this debacle. The politicians won’t tackle the problem for fear of loosing PAC dollars from the oil and automobile lobby which keeps them re-elected. The soccer moms with their Yukons and Tahoes can afford to pay most anything for gas just so the supply is not restricted. Yet someone has taken a Ford Explorer and changed the engine to a four cylinder and installed a bank of batteries that plug into a socket in your garage. Gets up to 150mi on a charge and since most trips taken are under 30mi, uses no gas whatsoever. And it doesn’t look like a toaster. No emissions. Hydrogen powered cars are making 200 mile trips on a quart of water with no emissions too. Why are we not exploring some of these alternatives? Are we that afraid of the auto and oil industries that we will expose our jugular to the world because of our dependence on Arab oil? Wake up America. These politicians will be the death of this country but they will get re-elected.

By jbmlaw

April 21, 2008 9:02 AM | Link to this

I neglected to answer Jim�s second question, on lifestyle changes. I suppose I will fly more to remote destinations rather than using my preferred mode, privately-owned vehicle. I was unable to drive my last vacation, as the bridge is not yet complete, but that did not dampen the trip, and we flew the last time we went to see the Ensign. Otherwise I rarely fill my tank more than once/month. Mrs. jbmlaw uses somewhat more gasoline than I, and we refill her car every 10 days or so. I cannot make fewer recreational trips inside the perimeter, as we have that down to zero now.

By Bob

April 21, 2008 9:06 AM | Link to this

DOnt wine we’re paying the equivalent of $4.52 per gallon in Canada! $1.20 canadian per litre.

By Gary H. Harrison

April 21, 2008 9:11 AM | Link to this

As long as people continue to be passively stupid prices will increase. Passively stupid? Yeah, continuing to elect the same corrupt politicians. Don’t you realize that everybody political from the President on down are in bed with the oil barons or ARE oil barons themselves? Why would they reduce their own profits? Anyways, THEY don’t put gas in their vwhicles - we do because they are driven around in chauffuered limousines which OUR tax dollars keep fueled. I believe that capped off wells in Texas could be re-exploited; that Alaskan oil could also be used domestically; that we could stop selling oil to other nations; that export of American technology and services should be tied to oil prices and used to OUR benefit. Do you not see that the ultimate (and seemingly successful) goal is to bring America to its knees?

By Redneck Convert

April 21, 2008 9:12 AM | Link to this

Well, I’m back from Panama City and I know you all missed me. Looks like the intellecshual level has went down since I left. Anyway, it was a fine vacation. We done a bunch of fishing but nobody caught nothing. Except for Joe Bill. He pulled in a 50 pounder. It was a boy and his mommy sure raised a ruckus. But we told the kid not to swim in the area where we was fishing.

Anyhow, the high gas and food prices are all the libruls fault. Stupid stuff like using good corn as fuel. No wonder the price of food is sky high. We need to set up oil wells everywhere. In that place in Alaska. In your back yard. At schools. That way we won’t need to buy oil from the towel heads.

It will get worser if this Obama gets elected. Jim Earl says Obama is a post turtle. He don’t know how he got up there, he don’t know where he is, and he don’t know how he is going to get down. Joe Bill says anybody that votes for a N* is just a trader to the US of A. Joe Bill is kind of crude. He don’t know how to use Those People like us more cultured rednecks do.

Anyway, its good to be back. And thats all I got to say. Except I hope nobody died while I was away. Course, it wouldn’t hurt none to go to a good funeral. I reckon Sister Dusty or jbmlaw would draw a good crowd and there would be some fine eats after the preaching and planting.

Have a good day everybody.

By RCH

April 21, 2008 9:15 AM | Link to this

We should have been drilling in Anwar,off the coast of Fla. and California. Building nuclear power plants as fast as possible.Developed coal and oil shale techniques. Built more refineries.

Yet at every turn the environmentalist made those options more difficult. Yet we blame the oil companies. Even though Americans have made efforts to conserve, other emerging countries ( China,India,…) have put pressure on world supplies. The price of oil will continue to rise. B*** all you want. Its basic economics; supply and demand.

By Mid-South Philosopher

April 21, 2008 9:20 AM | Link to this

Good morning, Jim,

When I was a very, very young man, an economics professor (not talking to me directly, but sharing some ideas with his parents) stated that the “grand conspiracy” was to reduce the American population to a four class system. There would be an elite extraordinarily wealthy class…about 8% of the population …that would control about 70% of the nation’s wealth. There would be a small middle class…about 12%…that would be the managers. Their control of the nation’s wealth would be about 15%. Then there would be 70% of the populaton that would make up the working poor…but…they wouldn’t realize that they were poor as they would have more stuff than ever before, but virtually NO individual liberty! The fourth class would consist of the extremely poor and the dregs on the dole.

This professor went on to prophesy that the indicators of the implementation of this conspiracy would be the massive increase in the cost and availability of food and the restriction of travel…via economic constraints…as opposed to legislation.

I thought he was an idiot, but I am beginning to think that his notions might need to be reviewed.

By Harold

April 21, 2008 9:20 AM | Link to this

Harold is still riding his bike and snickering at everybody the whole way.

By JJ

April 21, 2008 9:27 AM | Link to this

These prices are really hurting my wallet, as my 17 year old just got her driver’s license, and wont be getting a job until school is out.

Our vaction this year will be local. No big deal, last year’s vacation was enough to hold us over for another year. I will take time off from work, but we will stay local, and look for “free” entertainment.

By hillbilly ragger

April 21, 2008 9:27 AM | Link to this

Build the mass transit (or just put reasonable bus lines on the major arteries) and people will use it.

In the meantime, we get this kind of carefully considered analysis from the right wing:

“uses and trains don�t connect one in a hundred of the starting and destination trips for, I�d say, 95 percent of the people who live in Metro Atlanta.”

Good lord.

By Jackie

April 21, 2008 9:30 AM | Link to this

Our underutilized technical achievements have been stunning. The maglev technology was invented at GA Tech, yet we have failed to build a comprehensive transportation system in the metro area.

The automobile companies have been aware of improvements in the current automobile configurations for years, yet they have failed to put those items on the market. Did you notice that Ford has a SUV that gets more than 30 miles per gallon?

We must make the government and transportation providers aware of our displeasure with the current status quo by withholding our transportation dollars. If we do not purchase automobiles until CAFE standards are raised we will continue to be offered what we currently have.

By SpeedRacer

April 21, 2008 9:34 AM | Link to this

Harold,

Was that you I just passed? I blew your spokes off dude. That was me on the 16-speed titanium racer with the extra padding on the seat — just like Casey did his.

By Larry

April 21, 2008 9:36 AM | Link to this

The chinese dragon in the year of the rat. A woman wins an indy race. Wooten distancing himself from a republickan president.

The monks have attracted all the homeland security attention in China. If there is still any vestige of the Tiananmen Square Liberty Party, the olympic games would be a great place to start a new event: statue of liberty sculptoring. I understand the high hurdles make good tank traps.

It could get real interesting this summer. That’s no statue, that’s my wife.

By Just Nasty and Mean

April 21, 2008 9:42 AM | Link to this

Our illustrious politicians have put us into a precarious position of subservience to the very nut-cases that want to destroy us. Bending to the ecological and corporate lobbyists have put the needs of the nation Last and served the needs of special interests.

As a society and as a nation, we are ALL going to have to compromise.

The ecologists are going to have to compromise on new drilling (ANWR, Western Dakota, Gulf coast), new refineries, and nuclear energy.

Conservation will come from increases in prices—although with our anemically weak economic situation we find ourselves, I don’t know how much more we can pay without severe downturn—costing jobs, security, and government viability.

Government—via taxes—earn more from the sale of gas than the oil companies. They should have to forgo their free largess, also.

Is this going to happen? Hell NO because nobody—-on either side is willing to compromise ONE INCH to do what is good for the country.

By SpeedRacer

April 21, 2008 9:43 AM | Link to this

Speaking of Casey. He doesn’t usually have anything worth talking about but he may be on to something now. We need to expand on his latest transportation plan. We can all buy speedos and titanium bikes and start blazing our own trails. Oh wait. We aren’t elected officials so we can’t afford that titanium bike. Hey, the speedos are still cheap. We’ll just have to suit up and run real fast instead.

By Dennis

April 21, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this

I’ve forgotton exactly which “oil crisis” this point was made, but a letter writer to the AJC once wrote to the idea that “If we could find a cheap substitute for oil and the Arabian economy was suffering because of it, we would help them out. Wanna bet?”

Could we also wonder that if Saudi Arabia was under a real threat of attack from another Mid-East nation or wherever and needed US help that they would not not get it?

If in the Arab view, there is enough oil, then why the ever increasing prices on American people? Some might be due to new “emerging nations”, but isn’t that just a part of the story? Nor is the cause just a shortage of oil refineries.

Whatever it is, it’s not just the above. And whatever it is, Saudi Arabia isn’t going to help us out.

And we can all bet, just like the original plans to attack Iraq that made the American military so angre when Donald Rumsfeld tossed them out the window in favor of his own (now failed) version of attack, that this “crisis” has been on somebody’s drawing board for years just waiting to be implimented.

It’s no “sudden thing.”

You don’t have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.

By ron

April 21, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this

Good morning Jim,Due to the price of gasoline,life here has changed quite a bit.Any trip with the Ranger has to be essential.We’ve cut our weekly gas consumption from $50 to $20 just by not going anywhere.Each week we save $30 on gas,about $60 on not going out to eat,at least $15 on tips.We save about $40 dollars by not going to the coffee shop in the evenings.We’ve been doing this for almost 6 months now and the bank account is growing by leaps and bounds.

By Gary

April 21, 2008 9:53 AM | Link to this

235 years ago we said that the higher taxes was enough! A brave group of men dumped a bunch of Tea into Boston harbor letting them know we were tired of paying these high Taxes! What’s happenned to that USA? The Sons of Liberty are probably turning over in their graves at the way “We The People” bend over and take it without so much as a whimper now a days. This is what we get for voting morons into political office. Just remember…..right now Abdullah el al-Badri and all the rest of OPEC are laughing at us as they become even richer. Lest we forget the Oil companies here as well and their “affiliations” with politicians. “The Consumer sets the price” and we’ve done a good job of it.

By Glenn

April 21, 2008 9:56 AM | Link to this

Good morning, everyone. (And jbm, goof morning to you too.) Jim’s asking about price relief. That means short-term.

It’s too bad, because it ain’t a short-term problem and we all know it ain’t. So most of us would prefer to move out of Jim’s kiddie pool into the deep end of long-term policy. But, as Jim, points out, there are grown-ups in the shallow end just now, and proposals have been floated.

I personally resent McCain’s tax-suspension proposal. Somewhere in the ’90s I grew to despise quick fixes to complicated problems requiring a lot of thought or a lot of money, or a lot of time or a lot of planning. For about ten years ending in 2002, I’d looked in vain for a quick fix that hadn’t exacerbated the problem.

Our post-Reagan leaders dare not take even half-measures. At best they take quarter-measures upon quarter-measures. Do the math. (Hint: it’s diminishing returns.) McCain’s Bernanking of prices and markets amounts to p!ssing in the Pacific. He should charter a boat and go fishing. And take Phil Gramm and the Fed Chair with him.

By Gary

April 21, 2008 9:57 AM | Link to this

235 years ago we said that the higher taxes was enough! A brave group of men dumped a bunch of Tea into Boston harbor letting them know we were tired of paying these high Taxes! What’s happenned to that USA? The Sons of Liberty are probably turning over in their graves at the way “We The People” bend over and take it without so much as a whimper now a days. This is what we get for voting morons into political office. Just remember…..right now Abdullah el al-Badri and all the rest of OPEC are laughing at us as they become even richer. Lest we forget the Oil companies here as well and their “affiliations” with politicians. “The Consumer sets the price” and we’ve done a good job of it.

By Gary

April 21, 2008 9:57 AM | Link to this

235 years ago we said that the higher taxes was enough! A brave group of men dumped a bunch of Tea into Boston harbor letting them know we were tired of paying these high Taxes! What’s happenned to that USA? The Sons of Liberty are probably turning over in their graves at the way “We The People” bend over and take it without so much as a whimper now a days. This is what we get for voting morons into political office. Just remember…..right now Abdullah el al-Badri and all the rest of OPEC are laughing at us as they become even richer. Lest we forget the Oil companies here as well and their “affiliations” with politicians. “The Consumer sets the price” and we’ve done a good job of it.

By Gary

April 21, 2008 9:57 AM | Link to this

235 years ago we said that the higher taxes was enough! A brave group of men dumped a bunch of Tea into Boston harbor letting them know we were tired of paying these high Taxes! What’s happenned to that USA? The Sons of Liberty are probably turning over in their graves at the way “We The People” bend over and take it without so much as a whimper now a days. This is what we get for voting morons into political office. Just remember…..right now Abdullah el al-Badri and all the rest of OPEC are laughing at us as they become even richer. Lest we forget the Oil companies here as well and their “affiliations” with politicians. “The Consumer sets the price” and we’ve done a good job of it.

By Gary

April 21, 2008 9:58 AM | Link to this

235 years ago we said that the higher taxes was enough! A brave group of men dumped a bunch of Tea into Boston harbor letting them know we were tired of paying these high Taxes! What’s happenned to that USA? The Sons of Liberty are probably turning over in their graves at the way “We The People” bend over and take it without so much as a whimper now a days. This is what we get for voting morons into political office. Just remember…..right now Abdullah el al-Badri and all the rest of OPEC are laughing at us as they become even richer. Lest we forget the Oil companies here as well and their “affiliations” with politicians. “The Consumer sets the price” and we’ve done a good job of it.

By Gary

April 21, 2008 9:58 AM | Link to this

235 years ago we said that the higher taxes was enough! A brave group of men dumped a bunch of Tea into Boston harbor letting them know we were tired of paying these high Taxes! What’s happenned to that USA? The Sons of Liberty are probably turning over in their graves at the way “We The People” bend over and take it without so much as a whimper now a days. This is what we get for voting morons into political office. Just remember…..right now Abdullah el al-Badri and all the rest of OPEC are laughing at us as they become even richer. Lest we forget the Oil companies here as well and their “affiliations” with politicians. “The Consumer sets the price” and we’ve done a good job of it.

By Aquagirl

April 21, 2008 10:01 AM | Link to this

Right-wing nuts search for new oil drilling sites like heroin junkies search for new veins between their toes. It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad.

By Glenn

April 21, 2008 10:11 AM | Link to this

Larry, you think like Norm Crosby talked.

Gary, you just cut a swath of destruction through this blog. You are the embodiment of blurbin’ blight.

By Road Scholar

April 21, 2008 10:13 AM | Link to this

Actually MAGLEV was invented by Germany… they got it to work (No induced currents).

Honda suspended their work on a hybrid Accord and is suppose to come out with a new energy source driven vehicle!

By Larry

April 21, 2008 10:15 AM | Link to this

Yeah, Gary, and the folks what done the tea party were injuns. Everyone knows that. Only a traitor would be an injun lover after custer got ambushed like that.

By Public Transport

April 21, 2008 10:18 AM | Link to this

My wife and I use public transport every day. We live about 500 feet from the National Forest. So, we use our feet to publicly transport ourselves to the forest where we hike. Of course, we always carry a BIG gun while in the woods just in case we run across a natural-born killer while hiking or in case a convenient meal crosses our path. A bullet to take down a deer or other tasty treat is a lot cheaper than a trip to town for a lousy hamburger. It would be different if the only game out there were black bear. That stuff is lousy. It’s tough and greasy. Besides, there’s only so many bear rugs a person can use. But if they show up in my garden again, I’m just going to have to sell me some bear rugs at the fall festivals this year. If I have any for sale, you won’t be able to miss them. They’ll be right there between the log cabin furniture and the pottery with the scary faces. Just check to make sure the tag doesn’t say “Made in China”. My bear rugs are grown fresh in North Georgia. Dang black bears love corn — almost as much as I do. Hey, by the way, has anyone ever seen a hungry black bear chasing one of those speedo-wrapped bikers down a North Georgia road before? Now, that would qualify as cheap entertainment — especially if it were Casey on the bike. Faster, Casey, faster. He’s catching up.

By wyme

April 21, 2008 10:20 AM | Link to this

Gary..

Stop, already with the same post. Five times is enough…OK?

By Scott

April 21, 2008 10:22 AM | Link to this

well let me tell you. I am so tired of hearing people on tv say that gas is not affecting people and their driving habits. It is not true. my wife and I traded the suv (which we got raped on because suv’s and trucks are rapidly losing value due to gas prices)and bought a used VW beetle. We have cancelled two vacations in the last six months. We do not drive nearly as much as we used. Overall gas consumption for the US is down if you read the energy reports. Public transportation numbers are at all time highs So supply and demand - BULL! We as americans are being taken advantage of. I hate being taken advantage of. We need to act fast. Our whole economy is hinging on this. It is not just the gas that we put in our tanks but it is everything that is touched by fuel. groceries, general retail items everything is going up. What do we do?

By Larry

April 21, 2008 10:27 AM | Link to this

Anyone else notice how wooten felt he had to provide a link in his piece to prove that gas prices were high and going higher, like we wouldn’t believe him or his piece wouldn’t have the background it needed to have the impact he wanted.

By Gary

April 21, 2008 10:29 AM | Link to this

Apologies for the multiple posts. AJC as usual froze up during the posting. Like about 5 minutes total time before I just closed the browser to clear the page.

By doctor do right

April 21, 2008 10:31 AM | Link to this

Watching George W. fly over his handle bars while riding his titanium bike is my nightly entertainment…This uncordinated monkey can’t even mount a Sedgway without falling off…Jeez, no need to spend money on gas, I get all the laughs I need from watching this moron speak, or attending to his athletic endeavors.

By lovelyliz

April 21, 2008 10:32 AM | Link to this

Last year I sold my 6 cylinder Taurus and bought a 4 cylinder Corolla. In January a started a new job working for the same company as my sister/post-divorce room mate. We split the cost of gas.

Everytrip is planned and combined when possible. Errands that we used to to on Saturday are now accomplished Friday on the way home from work. Sure we get home l;ater, but what we save on gas makes it worth the effort.

By Glenn

April 21, 2008 10:32 AM | Link to this

MEMORANDUM

TO: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

FR: Road Scholar

RE: MAGLEV

Actually MAGLEV was invented by Germany� they got it to work (No induced currents).

By Larry

April 21, 2008 10:34 AM | Link to this

A solution to the drought would be to hold a beer drinkin’ contest at Lake Lanier. There’ll be plenty of water in the lake after that.

By Dusty

April 21, 2008 10:35 AM | Link to this

Well, it is such a nice morning that I shall expound only happiness and more sunshine. Liberals get so fussy when you tell them the truth, I’ll try to whisper softly when I get to them. Let’s see:

Fulton Mommy @8:42…don’t go to expensive groceries if you don’t want to pay three dollars for a loaf of bread. Believe me, there are other places.

Wyme@8:43…At least McCain has a plan for high gas prices. I’ll take your $28 if you don’t want it.

jbmlaw@8:46..You place the blame correctly on * Congress led by Democrats* for some increases in the price of gasoline.

AquaGirl @8:48…Was that you I saw pushing a grocery cart to work or do you use a bicycle?

MidSouthPhil@9:20..I’m not sure I go for that citizens leveled out like a woodpile with the poor sticks on the bottom…eeeeequality??

Jackie@9:30..Gena Abrahams, head DOT engineer, got her PhD at GaTech I believe. Give her a chance to do something (if she doesn’t get fired for falling in love.)

RedNeck..You’re back? Oh well, weeds among the flowers. I did like your post turtle analogy. You will lose your undercover job if you keep that up.

Ray, Larry(PoFo) & other liberals…What oil barons? Oh.. you mean anybody from Texas who is smart enough to make money? Oh nevermind.

I forgot one. PartyLine has a pleasant reminisce about the good ol days. Nice.

Now…sorry I’m posting a long one but I am leaving shortly. Seems a bit slow here this morning anyway. Have fun and be SWEET!!! If we don’t have oil, we certainly do have FREEDOM!!!! Celebrate!!

By George Washington

April 21, 2008 10:39 AM | Link to this

This is just the start of energy price increases, they will continue with growing intensity as far into the future as I can see, and I can see far indeed. Iron ore is up 65% over last year, coking coal is up 200% over last year…That will drive up the price of natural gas and oil, as drilling platforms and pipelines consume vast amounts of steel…The proposed BP natural gas pipeline from the North Slope of Alaska that is currently in the planning stage may never be constructed, as the 30 billion dollar price tag underestimates the true cost of steel…China and India will coninue to grow and consume more oil and natural gas every year. The Wall Street Journal last week had an article on liquid natural gas….Mostly, America built the infrastructure for liquify natural gas in indonesia, the Persian Gulf, and the Gulf of Mexico, with ten year agreements to buy the gas at very low rates and resell it in America. The going rate in America is five bucks per unit, but Japan is willing to pay ten bucks plus, as is England, and Spain, with some prices going as high as 20 bucks per unit. So the host countries renegotiated their contracts with the American companies for the remainder of their ten year contracts: they agreed to share the excess profits with the American companies in exchange for being able to sell the liquid natural gas to the highest bidder. So today our large expensive terminals for gasifying the liquid natural gas are underutilized, with more than one terminal in danger of bankruptcy, and our natural gas in storage is dangerously low. Hot summer, hurrican damage to Gulf gas fields, or a long cold winter will result in sever shortages of natural gas. My advice to all is to change your lifestyle now while you still can…in a few years you will not have that option, supply and demand will lock you in where you are, the suburbs will become economically unlivable (too much supply of suburban homes for sale, too litte demand plus too much inner city demand for apartments and too little demand)…At least in the inner city, you can walk, or bike, or take marta to work…In snooty snob land, those options will not work, time and distance are too great….Jimmy the idiot’s question as to anyone changing their lifestyle yet is meaningless, as we have just begun the journey from the 20th Centuary back to the 19th. Never, ever rely on a journalism major for professional advice….

By ghost rider

April 21, 2008 10:40 AM | Link to this

Larry

RE: Your solution….

You’re my kind of guy!

By lovelyliz

April 21, 2008 10:40 AM | Link to this

It doesn’t help matters that there is absolutley no incentive for BIG OIL to refine any more crude. The more they refine, the less we pay and the less they make.

It’s supply and demand. Until we change our demand there is not reason for BIG OIL to change theur supply.

By Joe Ga

April 21, 2008 10:40 AM | Link to this

I got a great idea! Go Fish Sonny should act seriously about allowing state employees to alter their work weeks to either telecommute or work 4 x 10 hour days per week. With his pee-poor pay raises, it would allow state employees to save gas and money, and takes several thousand cars off the road…

By Gary

April 21, 2008 10:41 AM | Link to this

Here’s one they tried to sweep under the rug but couldn’t. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WhoKilledtheElectricCar%3F) This Wikipedia page has all the details of the movie. Watch the movie, it will enlighten you on our fine govt…..Oil companies and car companies affiliations. Caution, it just might tick you off!

By Storm

April 21, 2008 10:43 AM | Link to this

Since gas prices are skyrocketing, we are staying home ALOT. However, I probably have the cleanest house on the block, and the nicest yard. Since we are home alot more, we can work in the house and out in the yard.

When one door closes, another opens..so we may not take a vacation this year, but we will enjoy the garden, and have lots of parties.

By Wally Sutton

April 21, 2008 10:47 AM | Link to this

Oil is still cheaper than in 1973.

Who woulda thought that the price of tea in china would ever be so relevant?

By Scott

April 21, 2008 10:50 AM | Link to this

to lovely liz

supply and demand is crap. yes ideally it should work that way realistically we are getting raped. We are whining about it but not fighting back.

By Changing Currents

April 21, 2008 10:50 AM | Link to this

Alternating is the way to go you idiot.

No, direct is the wave of the future. Just admire the simplicity of the circuitry when the applied EMF is held steady. Sine waves are for cyclists. I prefer the more direct approach.

Wait a minute. There can be no wave in the direct approach — it’s flatlined.

Can’t we just get along anyway. You stay on your side of the rectifier and I’ll stay on mine.

OK. But if you are ever transformed, you will induce me to change course. I sure hope you have the capacity for it.

By educatedman

April 21, 2008 10:57 AM | Link to this

I asked for a raise last week. Problem solved..

By Scott

April 21, 2008 11:00 AM | Link to this

I agree that we need to think of a long term approach instead of a several short term approaches. To John Mccain I really appreciate the 28 bucks it will buy a loaf of bread, 1 lb of ground beef and a gallon of milk but it is only temporary.

By The Boss

April 21, 2008 11:06 AM | Link to this

If you were truly educated, man, you would have stayed in my office and waited for my answer. Now, clean out your desk.

By Skeptic Tank

April 21, 2008 11:06 AM | Link to this

Pssst…why not MEXICO? It’s sitting on some of the largest oil reserves in the WORLD. The way I see things, Mexico owes us big-time. We’ve allowed them to siphon off their “best and brightest” (sarcasm intended), at no cost to them, but at a great cost to US. The time for paybacks is NOW. We need to end our dependence on Saudi oil, we need to bring the Mexican leadership to its knees and demand affordable oil as a partial rebate for their complacency, and we need to get cracking on a long-term alternative energy solution…NOW. Why are our leaders so weak when it comes to dealing with Mexico??

By George Washington

April 21, 2008 11:11 AM | Link to this

Right Skeptic, we should have invaded mexico, not iraq…..stupid chimp…

By Scott

April 21, 2008 11:13 AM | Link to this

because our leaders are more concerned with being politically correct with everyone else worldwide. America and Americans is not a priority any longer it is about looking good to other countries.

By givenup

April 21, 2008 11:17 AM | Link to this

No mention of the oil companies? How about they make $10billion per quarter rather than $20billion.

By Tamika

April 21, 2008 11:20 AM | Link to this

I Love my Lady Hillary!! —

BUT WE DUMB AHoles Dems need to drill for Oil in America NOW!!

By RCH

April 21, 2008 11:24 AM | Link to this

George Washington

Hey! What a great idea. Lets send all our out of work individuals to Mexico. Eventhouh they are undocumented workers they can demand rights, including the right to vote. Then vote all oil contracts to the United States. Since we have taken care of their people for all these years turnabout is fair play.

By Scott

April 21, 2008 11:24 AM | Link to this

I recently read an economist proposal that if 20% of US companies were to implement a 4 - 10 work week or allow workers to telecommute one day a week. The oil companies would take a major hit. Now the way I see it is those people getting this opportunity would have to stay at home those days.

any suggestions on how to promote this?

Does anyone think it would work?

By Regurgitator

April 21, 2008 11:25 AM | Link to this

There’s only two solutions to gas difficulties, belching and the other.

By Skeptic Tank

April 21, 2008 11:26 AM | Link to this

GW, Mexico has harmed us more over the past 20 years than Saddam could’ve ever dreamed of. The fact that our invaders did not arrive in full combat gear was a stroke of genius on their part…the ultimate slow-leak sneak attack.

By Tamika

April 21, 2008 11:27 AM | Link to this

There is 3 Trillion Barrels in Shale Oil in Utah— 2.6 Trillion Barrels off Florida (which by the Way is being pumped out by Cuba and China)

VOTE HILLARY 2008 for Cheap Oil!!!

By RCH

April 21, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this

George Washington

Hey! What a great idea. Lets send all our out of work individuals to Mexico. Eventhouh they are undocumented workers they can demand rights, including the right to vote. Then vote all oil contracts to the United States. Since we have taken care of their people for all these years turnabout is fair play.

By RCH

April 21, 2008 11:32 AM | Link to this

George Washington

Hey! What a great idea. Lets send all our out of work individuals to Mexico. Eventhouh they are undocumented workers they can demand rights, including the right to vote. Then vote all oil contracts to the United States. Since we have taken care of their people for all these years turnabout is fair play.

By Boris

April 21, 2008 11:33 AM | Link to this

Before you start drilling anywhere, how about something called CONSERVATION. Sell your gas guzzler. The Germans ran the Luftwaffe off synthetic fuels during the war almost 70 years ago - why can’t we have a Manhattan Project to develop alternate fuels, pull out of the Middle East and let the Arabs revert to being desert Bedouins?

By amy

April 21, 2008 11:35 AM | Link to this

Right on skeptic tank.

The US is just now catching up to the rest of the world-by experiencing such high gas prices. I Traveled through Europe in 2003 and everywhere we looked were these funny little smartcars, fiats, people on scooters, bicycles, and GASP—people using public transportation.

Driving is a PRIVELEGE, not a right, and you’ll just have to deal with the prices. If that means taking public transportation, moving closer to your job or to a city where you can actually utilize the public transportation, buying a smaller more eco-friendly vehicle, then so be it. Yes, MARTA is lacking on route volume and variety, but you just have to try to make the best of what’s available to you. And if you all are so unhappy with these polititcians you are blaming, then go try living in another country. You will get bit in other ways. The US has the least taxes than any other country so, in the end these high gas prices are just a price we have to pay. If you are so unhappy then write your congressperson and go vote, instead of this griping on this blog site.

By jm

April 21, 2008 11:35 AM | Link to this

jbmlaw@8:46 - while environmental restrictions have had a part, the main reason that no new oil refineries have been built in the last 25 years or so is that it did not make good business sense. Building a new refinery is very ($$$$) expensive (even when you factor out the environmental issues). Oil prices were low and the existing refineries (through consolidation) were able to meet demand (though they did not have much extra capacity).

By Scott

April 21, 2008 11:36 AM | Link to this

TAMIKA

You idiot do you really thinking that Hilary will bring gas prices down. Do you really think that the president alone can choose the price of gas? I wish that people would take a little time to educate themselves.

By You

April 21, 2008 11:40 AM | Link to this

know, Skeptic is on to something here. What, with all the atrocities commited by the Mexican government and the potential for WMDs right across the border and the fact that the cost to occupy Mexico will be just a fraction of that to occupy any country across an ocean, what are we waiting for. Why hasn’t GW recognized this threat. We cannot build a fence when we need to be building bridges — our tanks and troops need easy access. We could even run long hoses from those Texas refineries right into the fuel tanks of those armored vehicles. It’s so obvious. Why hasn’t GW seen the light.

By Tamika

April 21, 2008 11:41 AM | Link to this

Its OK Iran Says OIL is still very Cheap!!

Only going to get worse with Moonbats like that running world Oil Supplies— IRAN ARE POOP HEADS!!!

By jct

April 21, 2008 11:43 AM | Link to this

Hey Scott, Did the report discuss productivity on the 4-10 week? I left a position that required everyone to work a 4-10. I hated it. I felt like I had no life. Except in the summer - you leave for work when it’s dark and get home when it’s dark. Also, after about 8 hours, I was on auto pilot. It did not help my productivity.

I find it amazing that most folks are ignoring the second question. I can see that people are changing driving habits because the 7:00 a.m. MARTA (east-west) is packed. I get on at Indian Creek. A few weeks ago the train was not packed until Decatur or Eastlake; there is standing room only at Kenisgton.

We need mulitple solutions such as more transit options, more fuel effienct vehicles and better road planning (tunnels, paid for lanes, etc). I am not sure that gas pricess are going to come done. We need options so that you can choose the way you wish to spend your money to get around.

By Mike

April 21, 2008 11:46 AM | Link to this

This whole crude market is going to bring the U.S. economy to its knees. And when the American people demand relief out of a desperate need to survive there will be nothing sacred on the table, including the environment, climate control or national sovereignty. When the U.S. finds it necessary to take possession of the Saudi oil fields by force what will happen then? The worst thing to ever happen was to allow crude oil on the commodities market back in 1983. Sooner or later the speculators were going to get hold of it and drive up the price for no real reason. You may laugh at all this but you won’t when it happens.

By fuldawg

April 21, 2008 11:46 AM | Link to this

Mr. Wooten says “the reality is that buses and trains don�t connect one in a hundred of the starting and destination trips for, I�d say, 95 percent of the people who live in Metro Atlanta.”

Why sir do you cite this particular percentage? Where is your data base, do you have an oracle with which you consult?

Or do you just enjoy making figures up in hopes that someone will quote you as fact?

By phil

April 21, 2008 11:47 AM | Link to this

Got out this weekend and started up a little Toyota Tercel my wife quit using over a year ago. It was out of gas so I filled up the lawnmower gas can (maybe a gallon and a half) and put it in the car. It gave me almost a quarter of a tank!!! Guess what Ford 150 is getting parked!

By Jim's a Cherry Picker

April 21, 2008 11:48 AM | Link to this

Hi Jim,

Boy, my decision to move walking distance to a Marta station and to maintain employment with a company headquartered near one with a transit subsidy is really paying off.

I filled up my truck for the third time this year yesterday.

Too bad there aren’t more marta stations, or at least more transit.

By fuldawg

April 21, 2008 11:48 AM | Link to this

Mr. Wooten says “the reality is that buses and trains don�t connect one in a hundred of the starting and destination trips for, I�d say, 95 percent of the people who live in Metro Atlanta.”

Why sir do you cite this particular percentage? Where is your data base, do you have an oracle with which you consult?

Or do you just enjoy making figures up in hopes that someone will quote you as fact?

By fuldawg

April 21, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this

Mr. Wooten says “the reality is that buses and trains don�t connect one in a hundred of the starting and destination trips for, I�d say, 95 percent of the people who live in Metro Atlanta.”

Why sir do you cite this particular percentage? Where is your data base, do you have an oracle with which you consult?

Or do you just enjoy making figures up in hopes that someone will quote you as fact?

By Scott

April 21, 2008 11:52 AM | Link to this

you know I am not sure about the productivity aspect. I am asking a lot of questions. I do that my father in law was a plant manager and about ten years ago he proposed a one year trial 4 - 10 work week at his plant and it went over so well that it has been that way ever since. I have to assume that if productivity were down the board would have recified that.

i agree that public T needs to be enhanced I love it but it does not come near my neighborhood.

By fuldawg

April 21, 2008 11:55 AM | Link to this

Mr. Wooten says “the reality is that buses and trains don�t connect one in a hundred of the starting and destination trips for, I�d say, 95 percent of the people who live in Metro Atlanta.”

Why sir do you cite this particular percentage? Where is your data base, do you have an oracle with which you consult?

Or do you just enjoy making figures up in hopes that someone will quote you as fact?

By wyme

April 21, 2008 11:56 AM | Link to this

Per the USGS there is an estimated area in western North Dakota that holds up to 4.3 billion barrels of recoverable oil! It is referred to as the Bakken Shale.

according to the USGS, the Bakken Shale is the largest “continuous” oil accumulation the agency has ever assessed. It is larger than any other USGS oil assessment in the contiguous United States. The next largest contiguous oil accumulation in the United States is in the Austin Chalk of Texas and Louisiana, with an undiscovered estimate of 1.0 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil.

By carlaven

April 21, 2008 11:57 AM | Link to this

mr wooten we have heard every thing from washington except a person saying to opec that enough is enough . bring your price down or we will bottleneck your ports.it might not work ,but the nation can not continue this spiral carl m aven

By GREED

April 21, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this

Gandhi once said that commerce without morality was one of the seven deadly sins. For non-essential items, capitalism works very nicely. For foodstuffs, water, oil, oxygen and the like, the profit factor should not be allowed to go unchecked. When I hear the Neal Boortzs and Herman Cains of the world telling all of us to grow up and get over ourselves, because Shell Oil is delivering a profit to its shareholders, and the rest of us be damned if we can’t afford the basic necessities of life because of it, Gandhi’s admonition rings true.

By jct

April 21, 2008 12:02 PM | Link to this

@Scott hmmm… I could see a 4-10 working very well in a plant/manufacturing setting. I am a desk jockey. You could not tell by the spelling in my last post, but I am paid to think :). After 8 hours, I just want to zone out and not think about anything in particular.

By Glenn

April 21, 2008 12:03 PM | Link to this

So how is it that for more than seven years we’ve had an upstream oilman for President and a downstream one for VP and in all that time the federal government has not occupied the matter of establishing formulae for the mixture of gasoline? If a restaurant has to serve more than 50 recipes every day, each dish is going to be expensive. The feds could have and should have shoved the states and their subdivisions and interstate covenants out of the way and established the minimum necessary number of formulae. Like, three would have been nice. A universal ONE would have been better.

The justification for the assertion of federal authority over the states is right there in the President’s remarks from the outset (onset?) of his incumbency: the national security interest, both economic and military.

My ancestor Joe Bayliss died defending the Alamo, but I’m damned if I’ll go down continuing to defend the Texan in the Oval Office when the man has found every excuse for doing nothing in particular about energy and thinks it’s cute to attend the Beijing Olympic Games simply because he’s an unapologetic “sportsman” and “sports enthusiast”. It’s got to the point where if that guy were to show up in Roswell I don’t know that I’d cross the street to shake his hand.

By Jackie

April 21, 2008 12:04 PM | Link to this

@ Dusty,

These were your comments yesterday: “I see liberals have spent the day telling conservatives that we are not �patriotic� because we support our President and our military fighting for us. Yes sir, we are so evil because we fight terrorists instead of sitting at home crying about it. Yes sir, we sent our sons and daughterS to fight for us because we don�t care if they get killed and wounded! So says Jackie who does not want us to actually fight terrorism. Somebody gets hurt! Tom tom the liberal �bomb� says if you support our elected president and the USA you are nothing but a jingoist, (a mindless supporter). Uh huh�what did our fallen heroes know!! So it goes. If you don�t want to hide under your bed in a fight, disregard the flag, sneer at the President, insult McCain, lie about Petraeus and Iraq, say the USA is not so �hot� and declare your confidence in an anti-war man who wants to be president, you cannot be an honest-to-goodness liberal Democrat. You just don�t have the qualifications to act like an Anti-American liberal. Meanwhile, the rest of us keep right on supporting the country, the President and the military. Now aint that something!!!”

I think we have had this conversation previously about YOUR pronouncements of what YOU BELIEVE is the best thing for OTHERS.

I fail to understand why you think it is the “patriotic” thing for one to send their family members to war in defense of a policy that is corrupt and non-productive. You seem to think that YOU are the final arbiter of what is right and wrong.

I told you previously, there is a difference between being ignorant and stupid. I do believe you have a bad case of stupidity.

What gives you the right to pontificate about my or anyones lack of you flavor of “patriotism?”

You have no compunction about placing folks in harms way, yet, you do NOTHING to exhibit your “patriotism” but have an extreme case of diarrhea of the lip.

You words, in my humble opinion, place you in a category the is “lower than whale gravy.”

You stated that you attempted to join the military but were turned down. Was it because you were constantly putting your lip in motion before you put your brain in gear?

Do you ever stop and wonder why most of the vets on this blog find you abhorrent?

By Scott

April 21, 2008 12:08 PM | Link to this

I hear people all the time say we have oil here we have oil there and it is this much and that much. Having the oil to drill is not the question. The question is:

How do we drill here and there?

By Honest Injun

April 21, 2008 12:15 PM | Link to this

Somewhere in a dark corner of the White House, methinks a handful of energy companies are standing in a pile of dough, cramming their pockets as full as they possibly can before the guys who let them in, loose their keys to the nation’s house.

Once that happens, they might well be standing at the garden gate, waiting for a glimpse of the opportunity they squandered in their haste to pad their precarious futures.

November can’t come soon enough.

By Justin

April 21, 2008 12:20 PM | Link to this

Tamika……I too am a Hillary Clinton supporter, but the President (not even Bush) has any control of the oil prices.

By wyme

April 21, 2008 12:21 PM | Link to this

Scott re: “I hear people all the time say we have oil here we have oil there and it is this much and that much. Having the oil to drill is not the question. The question is:”

“How do we drill here and there?”

In answer to your statement and question….Why would Exxon, Shell or any of the other companies that are recording record amounts of money want to drill for oil? It’s called supply and demand! They want to keep it at a premium. As long as other countries such as China, and Japan buy….hey! The Skies the limit!

By taz482

April 21, 2008 12:21 PM | Link to this

a four-day work week won’t help. the dems have invested too much time and energy into lowering the american work ethic. constant supervision is required to insure productivity.

By Scott

April 21, 2008 12:23 PM | Link to this

IT IS NOT 100% the fault of the president

By Dennis

April 21, 2008 12:32 PM | Link to this

By Gary April 21, 2008 9:58 AM “235 years ago we said that the higher taxes was enough! A brave group of men dumped a bunch of Tea into Boston harbor letting them know we were tired of paying these high Taxes!”

That’s what the public school texts teach, Gary, but actually, it was a bunch of drunks “just having a little fun.”

And only 3/4 were killed at the “Boston massacre.”

At the end of the Revolution about a third of the population, who were opposed to it, went back to England.

Only about a third of the population participated in the revolt againist England, and another third didn’t give a damn one way or another.

And the act itself, was an overthrow of a legitimate government.

You have to get out of public education and read some “real” history to learn these things.

You don’t have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.

By robo

April 21, 2008 12:36 PM | Link to this

If the criminal mortage borrowers and mortage lenders had played by the simple rule: “If you can’t afford it, you can do with out it.” we would have a MUCH healthier dollar.

And guess what folks, a healthier dollar buys more energy than a tanked one. Since the oil market is in dollars, figure to pay even more as the crooked mortage crisis pulls the dollar down further.

By Scott

April 21, 2008 12:37 PM | Link to this

TO Tamika you said and I qoute

“VOTE HILLARY 2008 for Cheap Oil!!!”

which is it?

for the re on how to drill here and there

screw the big companies let the US drill it We need to work on a little more indpendence.

By jbmlaw

April 21, 2008 12:40 PM | Link to this

Dear Glenn @ 9:56, some days are diamonds. Today is a stone.

Dear jm @ 11:35, I substantially agree with your argument, at least to the extent that you are saying oil companies would have built refineries, notwithstanding the additional hassles and costs from environmentalism, if those refineries would have been profitable. I think all observers, except our hard-core leftists, would agree that the relatively free US supply market has been unable to produce profits sufficient to persuade the oil companies to construct additional refineries after consideration of regulatory add-on expenses. You are correct that I cannot affirm that oil companies would have added capacity if those additional regulatory costs did not exist; I will affirm that when any industry runs @ 100% for 30 years, someone usually adds capacity.

Dear Greed @ 11:59, we note your belief that the pre-1990s communist paradises never suffered from shortages of essentials.

Dear Jackie @ 12:04, the Ensign would find you and your fellow travelers abhorrent. Just kidding, the Ensign usually just mocks those who lack sufficient vision to see the end game.

Dear Scott @ 12:08, answer: two drills. Of course, since Congress generally restricts, and often forbids, drilling, only an outlaw would drill. Time to drill some congressmen.

By Mark

April 21, 2008 12:40 PM | Link to this

The only reasons the Canadians and Europeans pay more for gas than those of us in the USA is because Canada and Europe tax gasoline higher than the USA does. No need to thing the USA is “lucky” when the price of the gasoline net of taxes is basically the same.

By Jackie

April 21, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

@taz482,

Don’t know where you get your info.

The Dept. of Labor indicates that over the last decade labor productivity has increased by 20% and inflation adjusted wages have fallen.

That being said, the American worker is the most productive in the world; manufactures some of the best products in the world; takes less vacation than any other industrialized worker; has few benefits than most industrialized workers; is the only industrialized country in the world that does not have universal health care; participates in the most expensive health care system in the world, not the best.

By lovelyliz

April 21, 2008 12:44 PM | Link to this

By Scott suppply and demand is crap. yes ideally it should work that way realistically we are getting raped. We are whining about it but not fighting back.

There is also one of the primary laws of capitalism and commerce: Charge as much as you can for the product/service you provide. If we keep paying the increasing price of gas and other petroleum based products without significantly altering our purchasing behavior, those who provide such product/service are going to continue to do raise their prices.

By Tamika

April 21, 2008 12:46 PM | Link to this

GW & Dickey Chaney are sitting in the whitehouse making millions on the price of oil. They are OILMEN after all. They don’t give a crap about us suffering. They are making money hand over fist..

By robo

April 21, 2008 12:48 PM | Link to this

Who here thinks Alaskan oil is “kept” in the US and refined for our exculsive use??????

Look into it and you will find that Alaskan oil is SOLD mostly to the Japanese and South Koreans. More profit to sell it to them, than transport it to our refineries. We buy ours mostly from the Persian Gulf and South America.

Now, does that pop your energy dependence bubble?

By Jackie

April 21, 2008 12:51 PM | Link to this

@jbmlaw,

I can only SALUTE the ENSIGN.

Don’t know how he obtain a CLOWN for a parent?

BLINK, BLINK, BLINK!!!

By Scott

April 21, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this

lovely liz if you research it you will see that gas consumption for americans has been down for the last several months. so that would make demand go down increasing the supply correct? tell me why are gas prices continually going up if we have indeed slowed our fuel consumption?

By Jackie

April 21, 2008 12:57 PM | Link to this

@jbmlaw,

I hope that you are paying attention to what is going on in the Pentagon.

News reports indicate that Mr. Gates feels the Air Force and Navy are not doing enough in the effort in Iraq, i.e., he wants more of them to volunteer for ground duty.

Hope that your son does not get caught in this conumdrum, but, you so-called conservatives need to get-a-grip! The simplicity of your contentions do not match the reality.

War and is real and the ENSIGN will find it to be a different can of worms when he gets in the situation where he does not have the opportunity to speak of doing, he will have to do about when the bullets start returning his way.

I hope he does not have to meet that test, for your sake, blowhard!

By Glenn

April 21, 2008 12:58 PM | Link to this

jbm,

True. But at least we took our shots, on the terms given, at Jim’s question.

Wanted to let you know that I’m delayed by a breaking development. My partner and I were approved for takeover of one of the worst schools, in one of the deadliest neigborhoods, in the country. We hadn’t expected it, but are now honor-bound to jump right in and get things in shape before the Fall. Two deliverables from my end for now; one due COB today, the other by Noon Wednesday. On Thursday I can resume our stuff.

Oh, and in re petitioners with standing. Not a problem now! Exactly how telegenic do you want them to be?

(Sorry, but gallows humor runs in my family going way back.)

By Christine Hartley

April 21, 2008 1:00 PM | Link to this

GA Gal Gouged Getting Gas/OPW-Fueling Components/ Premature Breakaway line shock/ Consumer Injured. Consumer seriously injured during normal fueling… due to line shock, pre mature breakaway…..Consumer was struck(120-240 psi)flattened against car with breakaway coupling,gouging,cutting top of scalp, spraying left eye & side with gasoline.(causing permanent damage to left eye)

BUT,due to consumers head tilted toward pump this blunt force trauma missed striking her temple. Thus the industry is not faced with DEATH of an unsuspecting consumer.

However, as the industry strives to make changes new patents and safer delivery of fuel…consumers are left in the dark as to the danger that lurks during normal fueling.

Even the CDC holds blame as they keep Benzene poisoning on the top 10 TOXIC Chemical list for over 15 years. Teaching, giving trainings to Medical personnel that in this Injured Consumers case: contacts immediately should have been removed, thrown away,eyes flushed, clothes taken off safely disposed of.

But without consumer KNOWLEDGE she wore Benzene poisoning for the next 18 hrs…subjecting herself to Leukemia, liver/spleen damage….along with an array of other lab rat findings.

April 23-24Th at the Trade Show in Indianapolis,IN the INDUSTRY has an opportunity to make a difference… EDUCATING buyers to WARN: PUBLIC, EMPLOYEES, Gas Station OWNERS/OPERATORS, of Hazards, Dangers facing ALL phases of gasoline handling…

How many precedent’s does the industry want to leave unaddressed??? (Jeffrey v. Thibault Oil Co., 94-851 (La. App. 5 Cir. 3/1/95), 652 So. 2d 1021, writ denied, 95-0816. (La. 5/5/95), 654 So. 2d 330.

File # 07-ST-CV-332-I PENDING now in GA : Hartley vs. West Curahee Inc. d/b/a Mt. Mart #1, Shell Oil Corporation US, Dover Corporation d/b/a OPW Fueling Components.)

Widening the door for an UNPRECEDENTED NATION WIDE CLASS ACTION suit.

The evidence is plentiful to industries prior knowledge of the “present danger” evident and documented in every new patent. Even shown from internal struggles of industries desire to Change, improve, enhance breakaway safety features. Constant desire to AVOID breakaway dangers.

However, UNTIL the industry OPENS the floodgates to the PUBLIC acknowledging, educating, warning, signing,supplying cleaning agents at each pump, this “KNOWN DANGER” hidden from the Public is a ticking time bomb.

Jeff Pyle”Gasoline Equipment Consultants gemc” Commented:

“I still contend the only way to help prevent accidents like yours is to lobby the Federal, State and local (Fire marshal) officials responsible for public safety and environment to put together a uniform training, inspection and maintenance process nationwide. Currently there is no Federal process and the states are all over the board at best. Most states do not have anyone with the proper training to enforce, let alone implement a meaningful inspection and maintenance process.

BUT I strongly believe the laws are flawed at best and that there needs to be a nationally recognized and enforced training, inspection and maintenance process put in place to force owner/operators to “properly” maintain their gasoline equipment.

I also believe you have an opportunity to work with OPW and others in the industry to lobby and get this done. This has long been a point of contention with service providers, manufactures and others to get a uniform installation, maintenance and inspection process in place that is not open to interpretation, as many of the existing rules are. I will also help with this however I can. I have spent a lot of time and energy over my years trying to convince owner/operators that a piece of equipment should be replaced due to potential safety hazards and some do but still other subscribe to the if it ain’t broke don’t fix it mentality.”

Also Commenting on Consumer Injury:

From: “Robert Renkes”> To: “‘chris Hartley’” Subject: RE: FW: (Fwd) Breakaway gas hose injury Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2005 12:32:22 -0600

That’s interesting. The organization I work for is coming out with a recommended practice Monday on how a service station owner should inspect this stuff—it’s not being done too well now and there is nothing out there to tell him how to do it. Bob

So who’s it going to be that is going to make the RIGHT CHOICE and make consumers aware????? Husky, OPW/Dover, CDC, Public Citizen, Attorney General, the evening news?

Chris Hartley Concerned Citizen Survivor