UP, UP AND AWAY, (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Atlanta Conservative Examiner)
Did you ever wonder how the hard cold steel of a gas nozzle going up your butt feels.....neither did I. But that's exactly what happened to me yesterday afternoon when I pulled up to my usual gas station to fill my gasoline can with regular gas. Thankfully the can was half full, wait, lets see, "is that half full, or half empty" I can never remember which is the correct way to look at that, oh well, I digress.
Whether half full or half empty, it doesn't matter, what does is what the price was at, $4.09.9 a gallon. What the hell is going on, just Sunday, one day earlier the price was $3.99.9, how could the price go up by a dime in a bit more then 24 hours. Could the summer mix be almost a month early, could the Alaskan pipe-line have sprung a leak, could another war have broken out in the Middle-East, or....could a combination have, of any of the problems, driven the price of a gallon up, or could it have been the old excuse, "cats and dogs living together," "I don't know."
But we need to return to the scene of the initial crime, my rape. There was no kiss, no hug and sadly no Vaseline. I was left prostrate, my pants around my ankles, sobbing uncontrollably, with a strange pain that I had never felt before, coursing through my body. The worst part of the whole experience was the fact that the gasoline wasn't even for me, it was for my daughter, who had foolishly ran out of gas. The price for a gallon and a half of gas, $6.09, my cost probably $3 because my pig truck doesn't get any kind of gas mileage.
I decided then and there to wage war on the petroleum company and the not so gentle rape at the gas pumps. For me, this was to be a do or die confrontation, no prisoners taken and no holds barred war, I was ready.I would need the inter-net and my compute, so you can imagine my surprise, when I discovered that to sit down was a painful and delicate proposal for me. None the less, I am sitting here, writing this blog, a testament to the pain I will endure in search of information.
Experts say the price of a gallon of gas will continue to raise for at least the next month or so, reasons cited, the weak dollar and it's value against other currencies such as the euro and the pound. The severe weather in Texas and Alabama and the seasonally adjusted gas tax, work to raise the price as well as the un-rest in the Middle East.
Historically gasoline prices have risen because of situations in the Middle East, the OPEC oil embargo in the 1970's, the Iraq-Iran war in the early 1980's and the Iraq invasion of Kuwait in the early 1990's. Of course since 2001, to a degree oil prices of been adjusted by our own war making policies throughout the the oil bearing regions of the east.
To many of us, the word OPEC is a dirty word, evoking all sorts racial connotations like towel heads, sand rats or ants, turban toppers, or petroleum jockeys, which are offensive and unnecessary. The United States has similar organizations that set the pricing structures from fruit to vegetables to the price of iron ores.
The original members of OPEC, which incidentally stands for Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, were the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Venezuela. Over time OPEC grew to include Qatar, Indonesia, Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Nigeria, Ecuador, Gabon and Angola. With the reduction of Gabon and Indonesia, current membership totals 12 countries.
OPEC ministers expressed concerns over high oil prices in world oil markets, but claimed that there is no shortage of crude supplies. The market is overbalanced remarked Ali I. Al-Naimi, Saudi Arabia's petroleum minister, citing production figures of around 9 million barrels per day. 9 million barrels of anything a day is a hell-of-alot of liquid, black or clear.
Do you really want to get down and dirty, literally, with crude oil I mean, well hold on to your pantie-hose, or Jockey underwear. The total daily output of OPEC members in March was a staggering 29.17 million barrels of oil a day. This figure represents a plunge by more then 930,000 barrels per day of Libyan crude because of the political strife in that country.
So now you why some of the problem that is causing oil prices to go by the up is because of the unrest in Libya. That however does not explain away the horrific raise of gasoline prices from the March 1st. 2011 price just over $3.50 a gallon. A year ago the average price for a gallon of regular gas was hovering around the $2.90 mark, so when prices go up by almost a $1.25, it seems the logical thing to do, is to ask questions, unless your telling me you like the bending over and the gas nozzle deal.
As a nation, we are connected at the hip with crude oil products to get around during our daily activity. Sure we can cut back, we can conserve, we can share ride and all of the other crap government and active groups tell us to do and I don't have an argument with any of that, conserving can become a lifestyle that we can all embrace here in America. I do however have a problem with the suggestions that come from government when they turn around and spend billions to drive around in their limos and the fuel and gas that they use to make war all over the place. The tree-huggers and advocates for clean air, while they have valid points, have silly and unachievable solutions, they need to either get a life, or a real job.
The real problem is simple, easy to understand and could be easily solved, we just need leaders with real intestinal fortitude, or a set of really big kahunas. I can remember a time when $5 could put gas in the car, take a girl to a dance, the A&W and then-----, well, you fill in the blanks. Now I remember when I was doing those kinds of things, I was making a $1.25 an hour, but my wages gradually went up and gas remained about the same and everybody seemed happy.
Now we have graphs, charts and all sorts of figures, over-sea's gasoline prices are brought into the equation, I guess so that we can feel a little better, you know, like Croatia, $7.08 a gallon, or Eritrea, $8.06, or Finland, $8.71, or Italy, $8.29. I don't care, it's not my fault, or my problem, hell I never even heard of Eritrea, sounds like some sort of dysentery you get from eating to much Mexican food.
Thank God I retired, now I can sit in front of my computer, here at Chronicle headquarters.....and think. What I think, (sometimes) is right on, and interesting. A big solution to gasoline consumption here in the United States would be to reduce the number of really colossal vehicles that we drive around. I drive a pick-up truck, but I only drive about 6 thousand miles a year, that gets me off the hook, "remember this is my solution."
I know there is a safety factor connected with those big SUV's, but hey, sacrifices are necessary to solve the problem of consumption. Get over equating man size, or boob size to the vehicle that you drive around, nobodies impressed. Let's all get into a gasoline saving sized car to ride around in.
Next we need to impress on those governing bodies that we do not need really colossal vehicles to be produced here in the United States and in fact will phase their production out in five years, and within seven years they won't be allowed on U.S. roads, except during old car shows.
If the truth be known, here in America we are paying more for a gallon of gas then anybody else. If you add in the cost of all the foreign aid that we hand out to crude oil producing countries and the wars that we wage to protect "our interests," well hell, were probably paying $12 to $15 a gallon, you never thought about that , did you? That's exactly why I'm your editor & chief.
Did you ever wonder why are elected officials look more like are friendly clergy do during Sunday worship, well I can tell you, there selling something and they want our money. Politicians and our taxation systems depend on taxes and a goodly portion of the price of a gallon of gas, 12-15% goes to state(s) spending of different types.
One analysis looks at how the price of a gallon of gas can be looked at to further spread an appreciation of what a gallon of gas actually can do for a driver and also ease the pain at the pumps. Say you take the family to the pizza shop for a little Italian pie, there's the wife and Johnny and Jimmy and you look at yourself only as the driver. The trip is 10 miles round trip and you charge your wife and your two kids .25 cents each, that amounts to $7.50 and it takes you a half gallon of gas for the trip. You actually turned a profit of around $3.25 if gas is sold for $4 a gallon.
Not a bad deal, providing your wife will allow it and your kids have the money, if not.....well your back to square one. Another possibility would be to offer your work-mates a ride to work and home and charge them a fee of, oh say, $10 each a week. You'd be surprised at how many people you can squeeze into one of those little economy cars, the trunk, rear luggage area and even the bumpers.
Sadly until we eliminate greed and the pursuit of the almighty dollar, or whatever form of cash a country uses, highs and lows will continue to dog the petroleum consuming countries around the world. As long as a few oil producing countries can dictate what prices are going to be to the rest of the world, we are going to have trouble. Evidence is in the way a barrel of crude oil can fluctuate from as low as $30 a barrel one month, to as much as $60 the next. It doesn't cost anymore to get the oil out of the ground, but the profit just went up.
Remember, when you stop at your friendly neighborhood gas station and you figure your going to pay the same for gas as you did just the other day, be prepared, the attack of the price raise monster may be ready to strike. Oh by the way, as I painfully learned, do not, and I repeat, never turn your back to the gas pump, because the next sensation you might be feeling is your pants dropping to the ground.
Historically gasoline prices have risen because of situations in the Middle East, the OPEC oil embargo in the 1970's, the Iraq-Iran war in the early 1980's and the Iraq invasion of Kuwait in the early 1990's. Of course since 2001, to a degree oil prices of been adjusted by our own war making policies throughout the the oil bearing regions of the east.
To many of us, the word OPEC is a dirty word, evoking all sorts racial connotations like towel heads, sand rats or ants, turban toppers, or petroleum jockeys, which are offensive and unnecessary. The United States has similar organizations that set the pricing structures from fruit to vegetables to the price of iron ores.
The original members of OPEC, which incidentally stands for Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, were the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Venezuela. Over time OPEC grew to include Qatar, Indonesia, Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Nigeria, Ecuador, Gabon and Angola. With the reduction of Gabon and Indonesia, current membership totals 12 countries.
OPEC ministers expressed concerns over high oil prices in world oil markets, but claimed that there is no shortage of crude supplies. The market is overbalanced remarked Ali I. Al-Naimi, Saudi Arabia's petroleum minister, citing production figures of around 9 million barrels per day. 9 million barrels of anything a day is a hell-of-alot of liquid, black or clear.
Do you really want to get down and dirty, literally, with crude oil I mean, well hold on to your pantie-hose, or Jockey underwear. The total daily output of OPEC members in March was a staggering 29.17 million barrels of oil a day. This figure represents a plunge by more then 930,000 barrels per day of Libyan crude because of the political strife in that country.
So now you why some of the problem that is causing oil prices to go by the up is because of the unrest in Libya. That however does not explain away the horrific raise of gasoline prices from the March 1st. 2011 price just over $3.50 a gallon. A year ago the average price for a gallon of regular gas was hovering around the $2.90 mark, so when prices go up by almost a $1.25, it seems the logical thing to do, is to ask questions, unless your telling me you like the bending over and the gas nozzle deal.
As a nation, we are connected at the hip with crude oil products to get around during our daily activity. Sure we can cut back, we can conserve, we can share ride and all of the other crap government and active groups tell us to do and I don't have an argument with any of that, conserving can become a lifestyle that we can all embrace here in America. I do however have a problem with the suggestions that come from government when they turn around and spend billions to drive around in their limos and the fuel and gas that they use to make war all over the place. The tree-huggers and advocates for clean air, while they have valid points, have silly and unachievable solutions, they need to either get a life, or a real job.
The real problem is simple, easy to understand and could be easily solved, we just need leaders with real intestinal fortitude, or a set of really big kahunas. I can remember a time when $5 could put gas in the car, take a girl to a dance, the A&W and then-----, well, you fill in the blanks. Now I remember when I was doing those kinds of things, I was making a $1.25 an hour, but my wages gradually went up and gas remained about the same and everybody seemed happy.
Now we have graphs, charts and all sorts of figures, over-sea's gasoline prices are brought into the equation, I guess so that we can feel a little better, you know, like Croatia, $7.08 a gallon, or Eritrea, $8.06, or Finland, $8.71, or Italy, $8.29. I don't care, it's not my fault, or my problem, hell I never even heard of Eritrea, sounds like some sort of dysentery you get from eating to much Mexican food.
Thank God I retired, now I can sit in front of my computer, here at Chronicle headquarters.....and think. What I think, (sometimes) is right on, and interesting. A big solution to gasoline consumption here in the United States would be to reduce the number of really colossal vehicles that we drive around. I drive a pick-up truck, but I only drive about 6 thousand miles a year, that gets me off the hook, "remember this is my solution."
I know there is a safety factor connected with those big SUV's, but hey, sacrifices are necessary to solve the problem of consumption. Get over equating man size, or boob size to the vehicle that you drive around, nobodies impressed. Let's all get into a gasoline saving sized car to ride around in.
Next we need to impress on those governing bodies that we do not need really colossal vehicles to be produced here in the United States and in fact will phase their production out in five years, and within seven years they won't be allowed on U.S. roads, except during old car shows.
If the truth be known, here in America we are paying more for a gallon of gas then anybody else. If you add in the cost of all the foreign aid that we hand out to crude oil producing countries and the wars that we wage to protect "our interests," well hell, were probably paying $12 to $15 a gallon, you never thought about that , did you? That's exactly why I'm your editor & chief.
Did you ever wonder why are elected officials look more like are friendly clergy do during Sunday worship, well I can tell you, there selling something and they want our money. Politicians and our taxation systems depend on taxes and a goodly portion of the price of a gallon of gas, 12-15% goes to state(s) spending of different types.
One analysis looks at how the price of a gallon of gas can be looked at to further spread an appreciation of what a gallon of gas actually can do for a driver and also ease the pain at the pumps. Say you take the family to the pizza shop for a little Italian pie, there's the wife and Johnny and Jimmy and you look at yourself only as the driver. The trip is 10 miles round trip and you charge your wife and your two kids .25 cents each, that amounts to $7.50 and it takes you a half gallon of gas for the trip. You actually turned a profit of around $3.25 if gas is sold for $4 a gallon.
Not a bad deal, providing your wife will allow it and your kids have the money, if not.....well your back to square one. Another possibility would be to offer your work-mates a ride to work and home and charge them a fee of, oh say, $10 each a week. You'd be surprised at how many people you can squeeze into one of those little economy cars, the trunk, rear luggage area and even the bumpers.
Sadly until we eliminate greed and the pursuit of the almighty dollar, or whatever form of cash a country uses, highs and lows will continue to dog the petroleum consuming countries around the world. As long as a few oil producing countries can dictate what prices are going to be to the rest of the world, we are going to have trouble. Evidence is in the way a barrel of crude oil can fluctuate from as low as $30 a barrel one month, to as much as $60 the next. It doesn't cost anymore to get the oil out of the ground, but the profit just went up.
Remember, when you stop at your friendly neighborhood gas station and you figure your going to pay the same for gas as you did just the other day, be prepared, the attack of the price raise monster may be ready to strike. Oh by the way, as I painfully learned, do not, and I repeat, never turn your back to the gas pump, because the next sensation you might be feeling is your pants dropping to the ground.
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