Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee

[WSB]

Officials said some metro Atlanta drivers are calling 911 to find out which gasoline stations have fuel.

“911 is for emergencies, and gasoline shortages — as important as they may be to some people — are not emergencies,” said Well Tallon, Douglas County director of communications and community relations.

Tallon said 911 operators have no way of knowing which stations are open and which stations are not, and do not know when deliveries are scheduled.

“Most of the gasoline stations themselves do not know when their next gasoline delivery will arrive,” said Tallon.

Officials said the gasoline calls could interfere with life-and-death emergency calls that need the immediate attention of 911 operator.

Read more here.

[From me]

I wouldn’t call 911 but I can see why people are panicking.  I told you that I filled up last Thursday @ $3.99. I was extremely tired from a draining week that I will share more about this week. I would have loved to have slept in on Saturday but I had to take my son to his football game all the way across town.  It was raining but not lightning and thunder so we knew they game would still be on, right?  Ha, he plays in the the “Keystone Cops” league.  Usually games start 2-4 hours late.  So I brought a book with me and drove him to the game.  No one was there!  I called the coach and he said, “you didn’t get the phone call?  And told me to check the website next time.  You don’t call football games for drizzle!  So I wasted gas and sleep driving to a game that wasn’t.

Last night Cassandra said her tank was empty and we couldn’t find gas anywhere. So after Fusion last night I drove up to to Denver, NC then Huntersville  with a 5 gallon can looking for gas.  When I finally found some in Huntersville, it was scary.  People were rude and ugly.  I was really concerned for my safety as one man ripped into the gas station attendant for closing the station while he was waiting in line.

I don’t understand what is going on.  I’ve heard in the Midwest people are paying $3.09 a gallon and our gas when you find it is $4.09.  I think it is high time America get off it’s dependence on foreign oil.  We need to find alternatives that are reasonable.  Why not make a law that by 2020 every vehicle must run off of _______ alternative fuel. That way the oil companies know it is coming and can invest in alternative fuels.  

I honestly believe that we could have a revolt in this country over gas.  The last time I felt this helpless was living on the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina. People were acting much the same way as we are seeing here in NC.  Crazy times!

What do you think? 

Before Hurricane Ike hit the Gulf Coast the prices of gasoline were going down.  I actually paid $3.69 a gallon which I know is high but for NC that was low.  Then in the course of a few hours it rose by $1 a gallon.  After the hurricane in dropped down to $4.29 and even as low as $3.99 in some places.  

On Wednesday of this week for no reason I can think of I couldn’t find any station with gas.  I was almost out and had to pay $4.09 a gallon but I only put $20 in the tank.  Yesterday on the way into the coffee shop I saw station after station closed except for 2 and the lines were a half mile long and this was at 5:30 AM. So when I got off at 11:00 AM I figured I had better get some gas or I may run out over the weekend.  I finally found a station not far from my house that had gas.  I passed at least 10 stations that were out.  I ended up waiting 30 minutes for gas so I filled up at $3.99 a gallon. 

What is the deal.  I had someone tell me yesterday that they were paying $3.25 in Kansas City.  Why are we paying almost a dollar more?  Why in a place no where near the hurricane are we having panic, long lines and being ripped off?  I know I won’t get it but I want answers.

What do you think?

[AP]

The price of oil recorded its biggest weekly drop ever, and a gallon of gas finally pulled back from its record high. So is it time to declare the energy bubble popped?

Read about it here.

[From me]

Where is the biggest drop in gas prices?  When crude goes up the price at the pump goes up immediately.  Why don’t thy drop the price now that they had the biggest drop ever?

What do you think?

[Fox Orlando]

Fed up with the high gas prices? A central Florida church says it wants to bless you by giving you a discount on gas.

For a few hours on Saturday the members of the New SpringChurch will pay $.50 cents of every gallon sold at the 7-11 on Red Bug Lake Road. It’s certainly a smart way for their new church to get its name out but Kirk Henman, pastor of New Spring Church say it’s not the main reason why they’re doing this. 

“For the two hours on Saturday people will come, whether they know we’re having this gas buy down or not,” Henman said. “You know they may just be coming to 7-11. There is no catch. We simply want to show the love of Jesus Christ in a positive way.  There’s no bait and switch. There’s no catch whatsoever.”

And Henman says there’s no lecturing either. 

“Nope, no preaching,” he said. “We’re just here to serve the community. We’re just here to pump the gas and wash the windshield, that’s it!”

Source

[From me]

Me likey!

What do you think?

[NY Times]

Arjun N. Murti remembers the pain of the oil shocks of the 1970s. But he is bracing for something far worse now: He foresees a “super spike” — a price surge that will soon drive crude oil to $200 a barrel.

Mr. Murti, who has a bit of a green streak, is not bothered much by the prospect of even higher oil prices, figuring it might finally prompt America to become more energy efficient. An analyst at Goldman Sachs, Mr. Murti has become the talk of the oil market by issuing one sensational forecast after another. A few years ago, rivals scoffed when he predicted oil would breach $100 a barrel. Few are laughing now. Oil shattered yet another record on Tuesday, touching $129.60 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Gas at $4 a gallon is arriving just in time for those long summer drives.

Mr. Murti, 39, argues that the world’s seemingly unquenchable thirst for oil means prices will keep rising from here and stay above $100 into 2011. Others disagree, arguing that prices could abruptly tumble if speculators in the market rush for the exits. But the grim calculus of Mr. Murti’s prediction, issued in March and reconfirmed two weeks ago, is enough to give anyone pause: in an America of $200 oil, gasoline could cost more than $6 a gallon.

Read about it here.

[From me]

Today I drove my new Honda Scooter to work.  Yes, I’m sure there are those who think I’m crazy.  I’m sure there were some who passed me that think I’m driving a DUI scooter.  (I don’t drink)  I would rather drive my car any day.  But with gas going to unthinkable prices I wonder who will have the last laugh?  

What will you do if gas goes to $6-7 a gallon?