Memorial day gas prices

[Rodney Bullock]

I think for memorial day week end I am not going to drive a car , buy gas or do anything car related. I am so disturbed by the gas prices. I have no one to complain to, with Ma bell they broke up the phone company because it was a monoply. What can I do who do I complain to, I can't switch companies, just nothing no recourse. I am going to just sit on the porch and watch the world go by. man and people act like there is nothing wrong. what on earth can a guy do.

[PatS....]

I know the feeling, Rodney. Up here they say Alberta has the largest oil reserves second only to Saudi Arabia (theres some good company to keep) and yet we are paying $1.26 per liter ($4.77 gal) this weekend. Not only that, after local gov't has added their taxes, the feds tax the whole lot...yes, taxes on taxes.

They TELL us we own it and it's right under our a$$e$ and we still get f...well...we get it and good.

And we just grin and bear it.

Got an extra chair on that porch?

[Norm's Coupe]

Rodney,

I usually don't make trips on holiday weekends. Gas prices is one of the reasons. The other is, too many people in a hurry and drunks on the roads then too. Works out pretty good that way. Prices usually drop a little after the holiday weekend. It's not so bad staying home on the holiday weekends either. If you check around the local area, you'll usually find a lot to do nice and close to home.

[claybill]

its your government ' dummy' ! legislation is in favor of oil profits.

i cant wait to vote!

bill

[Uncle-Pekka]

F.Y.I.: The gas price in Finland is USD 7.2/gallon this week and going up.

How 'bout that?

Also during the highest peak if Iraq war and after the Katherine disaster in gulf of Mexico the gas price raised more in Europe than it did in USA...

[Merle Coggins]

That's interesting. They keep telling us it's not an oil shortage that's driving up the prices. It's because the refineries are down for maintenance, or can't keep up with demand. So how do the US refinery problems effect your gas prices over in Europe? Sounds like a scam to me.

[Norm's Coupe]

That's interesting. They keep telling us it's not an oil shortage that's driving up the prices. It's because the refineries are down for maintenance, or can't keep up with demand. So how do the US refinery problems effect your gas prices over in Europe? Sounds like a scam to me.

Merle,

Even back in the 60's the gas prices in Europe were about double or triple to what we paid in the US. Use to buy gas ration tickets at the PX each month for my car when I was stationed in Paris. That allowed me to use the tickets at any Esso station and pay US prices for my gas. Just gave them the ration tickets to pay for my gas instead of money.

[Don Coatney]

I am just going to just sit on the porch

Rodney;

Be glad you have a porch to sit on. Lots of folks in this world do not have such things. And lots of folks do not have a barn or two full cars filled with snakes. Count your blessings! What goes around comes around. These inflated prices will soon pass. Life is too short to not enjoy the things in life you have worked hard to have. The beer truck could hit you tonight and you would die not having eaten the pepperoni. Pay the price and drive as life is too short to not do so.

One reason I can say this because I know what a wimp your are when you drive:D

I am in your "hood" as I write this. Hopefully we can connect while I am here. If we do give me your keys so i can see what your car is good for:cool:

[James_Douglas]

The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves" JC(I, ii, 140-141).

Gas prices are the fault of each and every American. We have collectively allowed ourselves for 50 years since WWII to build an America that is one large collection of low density sprawl.

Given that reality, the only way to move goods and people is to use portable energy in personal transportation devices (read gasoline & cars).

The results of that collective decision are that we now have global warming, more and more land paved over, and a myriad of other affects that are not healthy for any living thing.

In addition, we have jeopardized the safety and security of the ourselves, our children, and coming generations of Americans.

The entire financial order of this country is wrapped up in the sprawl and if we needed to roll it back we could not without a lot of pain and a level of courage that no longer exists in this country.

If at any pint in the last 30 years we had acted on what was happening; stopped all the sprawl and ordered in-fill higher density development. We would have been in a position to service the country's needs for moving goods and people with mass transit and heavy rail.

All this could have been powered by things we have right here in the USA. Nuclear, Coal, ethanol, Wind, Solar, bio-mass,Hydro.

In essence we would not need but a fraction of the gasoline we now use.

Yes, the rest of you, like Sondra and I, would have walk or take transit to work, the local corner store, the post office, and the like. We only drive 3000 miles a year combined.

Americans have made their choice to drive, drive, drive. That has and will lead to higher gas prices, box stores that can only be accessed by cars, and the tertiary affects of jobs and cash going over seas to support that lifestyle.

As many of you know, I love Automobiles. However, the way I can justify being a small hypocrite is to live in such a way that I don't NEED a car. If we all were in that situation then we would have the power to tell the oil interests around the world to Go to Hell.

For now, Americans are nothing but slaves to their sprawl lifestyle. Certainly they are not even close to "the land of the free and the home of the brave" or they would change it.

Best,James

[Norm's Coupe]

James,

I agree with most of what you are saying. People should move closer to their work. However, city apartment/condo living is not for everyone, my self included in that one. I would feel too confined in a compact apartment/condo unit, in a high density setting. After all, when I grew up the population was only about half what it is today. Always lived in a house with a nice yard and a little space between us an our neighbors. Plus, the American dream is to own property for most people. So, buying a house with space between you and your neighbors is the American way. It's the same as our right to bear arms, free speech and travel freely within the country at will.

Last year between my wifes car and mine, I don't think we put on more that 7,000 miles between both cars. That included a driving vacation trip down to Tennessee that we put about 1,700 miles one car and another trip to Kentucky that we put about 1,000 miles on the car. We have all the stores we need for shopping within about 5 to 7 miles of us and use those. The only time we actually go into downtown area of the city is on the 4th of July to watch the fireworks on the lake front. We do zero shopping downtown because it's too much trouble finding a parking place, plus you have to pay for parking. Takes too long to take a bus downtown too. We could do that if necessary but never do. By doing our shopping around the house we don't have to pay for parking or spend half a day hunting a parking spot.

So, even though I don't live in the high density part of the city, I don't burn a lot of gas. Actually, I only fill up my van about every 3 to 4 weeks. My wife only fills up her car about every 2 to 3 weeks. Her tank only holds about 12 or 13 gallons.

So, people don't have to live in high density locations. They just need to shop and work closer to where ever home is.

If you want to see life with high density living, find and rent the movie "Soilent Green". It came out sometime in the late 60's and was a fictional movie about how life would be someday when the population would be very high and people living in high density cities. You may change your mind after seeing that movie.

[PatS....]

Here, the zoning won't allow industrial to be close to residential, the subdivisions are designed for the car...no corner store anywhere near walking distance...some collector streets have no sidewalks.

Residential streets are just a sea of double garages

The old inner city neighborhoods with apartments above retail are a great thing. Narrower lots with no setback and porches so people can see each other and parking for the car in the alley is the way it should be.

[DAVE KNOXX TENN]

I think for memorial day week end I am not going to drive a car , buy gas or do anything car related. I am so disturbed by the gas prices. I have no one to complain to, with Ma bell they broke up the phone company because it was a monoply. What can I do who do I complain to, I can't switch companies, just nothing no recourse. I am going to just sit on the porch and watch the world go by. man and people act like there is nothing wrong. what on earth can a guy do.

COOK OUT Whith Family and consider it a win for the good guys!!!!. Uncle sam has ben dead for years but his spirit still lives in the WHITE HOUSE!!

[james curl]

James, I live in what was once a small town. My house sits on a quarter of a block which originally was my neighbors feed lot for their cow and horse that pulled their buggy. They also had a garden on their property and collected all the rain water into two large cisterns. The house next door was built in the 1870's. My house was built in 1921, when the town was about 2500 people, now it is above 40,000 and growing. From the begining this town was never designed for dense living as were most small towns. I have travelled and seen many small to medium size towns in the mid west and non were designed for high density living as most residents were farmers who lived in town and farmed outside of town. When I moved here in 1976 I could get on my bicycle and within 10 minutes in any direction I was in open country, cannot do it now. From the start San Franciso was a densely populated city unlike the center of the nation. Both coasts are more densely populated than the rest of the nation and that works for them.

[Norm's Coupe]

James Curl,

Your small town sounds like the area I live in, in Milwaukee. When we bought our house in 1973 you only needed to go about 1/2 mile and you were in the countryside. There were no shopping districts within at least 5 to 7 miles. Now I feel like I live in the middle of the city and I'm actually on the county line. Luckily everyone in the neighborhood likes the rural setting we still have though. City tried 3 times in the 70's to put in curbs, concrete streets, street lights and sidewalks. Each time, we all got together and petitioned it not be done. So, we about the only section of the city that still has no curbs, ditches between the street and front yard, no sidewalks and only one street light at the corners of each block. Streets are still narrow two lane asphalt. City hasn't bothered us about anything since the 70's. They gave up. We don't want all that, that's why we live where we do.

So, I know how you feel when everything gets built up around you and you get sort of boxed in by what they call progress.

[Rodney Bullock]

In Pomonkey maryland where my Grandfathers place is and my car collection resides there has not been any development or houses built in 30 years, the only addition was a house that was bought at auction and moved to it's location. I was 8 years old and remember it well, the kids that lived there are my friends to this day. There are no street lights,curbs or anything like that, only the sound of chickens crowing. I am very proud of that and the fact that I was givin the task long ago to be the caretaker. I also remember the fact that you would see only 6 cars a day on that road. The world is changing and I do wish for the old days however you can't go back , if you have a heavenly spread hold on to it, rejoice in the splender of the grass, smell the roses and for god sakes feed the deer they keep the snakes away

[40phil41]

Rodney,

Now that is a beautiful photo. By mid-June I will have all four of my cars in one (very cramped) place for the first time ever to take a family photo. Since it will be 4 cars in my 3 car driveway it will not be as picturesque as yours

Phil

[H Suhling]

James

My sister and brother-in-law live in Georgetown he is the Pastor at Faith Luthren, John Selle. If you happen to run into him or my sister Cheryl tell them "hey" for me.

Thanks

Harvey Suhling