Can someone tell me why I’m paying $2.36 a gallon for gas? No, really, I have no idea. There're no hurricanes in the Gulf or Atlantic, there’s no oil refinery fires, there’s not actual shortage that I’m aware of so I’m curious, Dear Reader, as to why gas keeps going up.
The reason I think it’s going up is because there’s a possibility of these things happening so the oil companies are raising prices just in case. And if that’s the case, then what the fuck? Why the hell am I paying now for something that may or may not occur in the future? This is not insurance, this is gas. If I’m completely wrong, then please excuse my ignorance. It’s never occurred to me since gas has always been cheap, relatively speaking. Has the Bush Administration decided to do anything to lower prices or are the oil/gas lobbyists doing a fine job of keeping everyone focused on something else like health care or Social Security?
Speaking of which, is anyone doing anything about either of them? Does anyone care that older folks have to decide whether to buy groceries or medicine? And who in the hell ever heard of taking 17 different prescriptions? That’s what the ex-mother-in-law takes. 17. Any idea how freaking expensive that is? Any idea if anyone is going to do anything besides pay lip service to “The American People” about it? And Social Security? C’mon folks, either decide to save it or do something else. It’s why we elected you. We didn’t elect you to give X million to your state for beaver trapping studies or in my state, $200,000 to construct a bicycle path in Petal, Mississippi (thanks, Trent, much appreciated there, buddy). We put you there to solve the problems, not create more.
I think bringing democracy to other nations is great, but hey, how about focusing a bit more on your own backyard. I’ve recently begun reading the paper again and quickly realized why I stopped in the first place. There are some seriously whacked out, fucked up people in this world. Every day I read about kids killing kids, kids killing adults, adults killing kids, adults killing adults, and I just can’t seem to comprehend all of this stuff. How did we end up here? And please, don’t tell me it’s video games…if I ever heard a bigger bunch of crap in my life, it’s that video games cause kids to kill one another. That’s the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard and I don’t care what kind of research you pull out of your ass to show me, I still won’t believe it.
I don’t normally rant about this stuff, but hell, it’s never bothered me before. I guess the closer I get to, gasp, 40, the more the world makes less sense to me. And if you tell me I’m getting like my parents, I’m going to drive to your house and stick a video game up your ass…a non-violent one, of course.
PS – Please don’t tell me the Dems can or will do a better job than the Republicans. I doubt either group really gives a crap about John Q Public because, if they did, this crap would have been resolved a long time ago.
PPS – This is my OPINION…if you don’t like it, that’s fine. Feel free to leave a rebuttal.
Right on Brother!
Posted at August 11, 2005 02:55 PMI love the subway.
Posted at August 11, 2005 03:08 PMWow, you're almost *gasp* 40?
Posted at August 11, 2005 03:14 PMGas isn't that expensive yet. Just ask all the people who drive Ford F150s, Chevy Suburbans, GMC Tahoes, Range Rovers, and similar gigantic gas guzzlers.
Oink.
Posted at August 11, 2005 04:08 PMAt least they could name the legislation properly, that would be a start. Like instead of "ground-breaking highway bill" how about "spineless cowtowing to pork bill"?
Posted at August 11, 2005 08:08 PMBe thankful. I got 87 grade last night for $2.77. I'd drive miles and KILL for $2.36. Seattle has the 4th highest gas prices in the nation.
Posted at August 12, 2005 11:29 AMI'm reading a book from 1981 called Paper Money. It's by an economist and it gives some amazing insight into the rise of OPEC and the amounts of money that moved out of our country when they began their rise to power. The main reason that they still have us by the nads is that we didn't do anything in 1974 to reduce our oil consumption. Or in 1984. Or 1994. Or 2004.
Now China's economy is coming alive, and they're sucking up huge amounts of steel and oil, raising the demand and prices. Throw in the possibility of terrorists disrupting the Saudi oil supply, and you have a world teetering on the edge of some really bad shit™.
Have a great weekend!
Posted at August 12, 2005 03:38 PMYou know what the gas price is in Iraq? 5 cents a gallon. A NICKEL!
Posted at August 17, 2005 07:37 PMYou know what the gas price is in Britain?
$6.50 a gallon.
(I did some math - below)
I'm not saying it's wrong to complain about the rise, but the US has an artificially maintained low price on gas - heavily subsidised by government to promote trade and transportation.
Current price in UK: 0.95 UKP/Litre
1US Gallon = 3.785 Litres
therefore
that's 3.59UKP/Gallon
at an exchange rate of $1.8 to the pound,
that's $6.47...and round up.
I think the UK has an alternative strategy - load the petrol with taxes to try and limit road system saturation and environmental degradation, and to promote public transport. At least, that's the political line. they could just be running the country off the back of the motorist...
Posted at August 26, 2005 09:10 AM