I hate to do it - total fiend for stats that I am - but I'm thinking about scrapping the last leg of my current tank to keep raising that average per tank dealy and fill up tomorrow after work before Rita blows.

 

Is it wrong of me to hope gas goes up to $5.00 a gallon? We are sooooooooo wasteful, a higher price would get people to reduce waste in a hurry. Instead of stupid plastic single use forks, people might actually bring a stainless fork to work and wash it in a little water.... Nah that is crazy talk.

 

Higher gas prices won't stop anyone from using plastic, you're right, that's crazy talk

If anything, it would encourage using plastic because not as many people would drive out for lunch but rather stay in the office and use plastic utensils.

 

Lakedude, I get the drift. Yeah, unfortunately I think you're a little overly optomistic. You're not wrong - we should all think in the manner you've suggested - but it's not going to happen. I saw something in here earlier tonight with comment on the ludicricy of the average American's short-term memory...if people haven't taken the clue post-1967 that we need to start conserving and in turn living in a manner that is beneficial to all living organisms, then sadly a meager storm this week won't do it. And yep: I'll be bringing my silver spoon to work this week, same as any other.

 

Even today in a 60mph zone, a fast moving sporty Mercedes flashed their headlights so they could do 80mph. Yes, I confess I should have been in the right lane even at 65mph - I honestly forgot about these road warts (want to use different language, but I'll be polite....) I did get the pleasure of eventually passing by this recreational speeder five miles later. Again, I should have been over farther right, but is flashing lights 75 yards behind someone already speeding ever justified?

I have mixed feelings about the gas prices. It will hurt the economy and a lot of good people, but I hope GM, Ford, Chrysler will start to seriously stop depending on SUVs for their existance.

I'm still working on a really good picture of guys leaning way back in a huge pickup truck or SUV with one stiff arm on the wheel. (I have 2-3 decent ones) Eventually I'll get a picture of these "High and Mighty" that act like $10 a gallon gas is nothing....

 

Gack, I thought *I* was the only person who did that! I keep an entire set of cutlery (knife, fork, spoon) in my desk, and use it almost every day. I hate those plastic things (though they are useful for kids, I can't imagine how many sets of silverware I would have gone through if I'd sent "real" forks to school with my kid every time his lunch required it).

But back on topic, I have to admit that I am SO happy about one particular effect of Katrina (and now Rita) - the New York legislature is seriously working on some energy bills, to cut the absurd taxes WE pay on gasoline (I'm sure many other states are similar, but our 8% sales tax is one of the highest in the nation, and the others follow suit), and (drum roll please...) extend the TAX CREDIT for hybrid vehicles, which expired about 3 months before I purchased mine... no, I didn't realize this at the time... AND, they are considering other aspects of a "state-wide energy policy", which might have some good aspects.

I'll keep you all posted as I follow this development.

No doubt gas is going up again around here - they will take any opportunity...

 

mmm, I remember living in NY. You're lucky- in general NY has some of the best energy incentives in the nation, excepting CA and maybe a few others. I've got old friends putting in solar and geothermal systems on LI for less than 25% out of pocket, thanks to various breaks and grants in NY, although many are county-specific. And wait for the wind farm off the South shore! We had solar hot H20 growing up- installed free by LILCO back in the day...

NY seems to be one of the few places that has recognized it has a limited ability to add generation capacity, and is actually trying to incentivize end-users to foot some of the load with real breaks, not pittances that most areas give out.

 

That's funny, *I* remember living in MD! Grew up just outside of Baltimore. Can't beat that 5% sales tax. And be thankful that it so rarely gets below zero in the winter (if I remember correctly, it rarely gets below 25 down there, and you're further south than we were).

Yeah, I guess you're right about the energy policy up here. It is nice that they've adopted the tougher emissions standards, too. I wonder what (besides the hybrid tax credit, and gas tax limits) they're working on this time, in terms of policy? I will try to check it out today, if I get a chance.

 

The latest news is that 20% of US refining capacity is now offline. Bummer! The story doesn't give a target price nor indicate what gasoline inventory levels are at right now unfortunately. If gasoline inventories are high enough, we can still be without a huge amount of refining capacity for a while, but it's not like that can go on for months at a time.

So has anyone else found any articles that list our current gasoline inventory levels in the US? We could calculate from there what we're up against probably. In one of the other stories, granted it wasn't a reliable media outlet and named no source, they claimed that although the region was responsible for something like 20% of gasoline refining, it was over half of the diesel and jet fuel refining. If true, trucking/shipping and airline costs are set to skyrocket far higher than anything we've seen with gasoline prices.

 

{Hans und Franz line} Don't be no girly mann! Push a Hummer and get in shape! It's better than BAS!