Please don't think that way - that gas prices will cause a depression.

We might be in for a rough time over the next few weeks, but preliminary
indications are that the energy/gasoline problems coming from Katrina will
be temporary. The issue is not really the oil supply, but distribution, and
to a lesser extent, refinery capacity.

Regarding distribution, the broken pipelines in LA are being repaired as we
speak. Although port and rail out of NO harbor will take longer to restore,
they will be a priority. And the EPA has temporarily waived all of the
special fuel blend requirements for different parts of the country, so that
distributors can get gas from the places that have it to the places that
need it.

Regarding refining capacity, all of LA only has 8% of the nation's refinery
capacity - even if LA's refineries were out of commission for an extended
period (which they won't be), we could manage to conserve 8% of our gasoline
without too much hardship. Higher prices for gasoline hurt people's wallets,
and I know that they will be a hardship for some. However, they also will
encourage people to conserve - by planning ahead, limiting unneccessary
trips, etc.

Unfortunately, panic about gas supplies has exactly the opposite effect:
people go stock up on gas, including filling upevery container they can find
and hoarding gas. This causes an artificial shortage, which causes more
panic, which causes more people to hoard what they can find, and perpetuates
a vicious cycle. If we could get people to calm down and just take some
reasonable steps to conserve gas, we'd be fine. But given human nature, I
fear at least some areas will end up rationing gas over the next few weeks.
I really hope I'm wrong.

What's criminal is that the nation has not added any refinery capacity since
the 1970s. Don't you think we use just a *little* more gas now than we did
30 years ago? If we had some headroom in our petroleum refining and
distribution system, we wouldn't be in such a fix now.

My two cents' worth,
Laura


"BetsyB" wrote in message
...
The stores are reflecting what they are being charged for delivery by
truck, for all our food and household products. I am thinking we might be
heading into a depression. I was born durning the last one. NJ is jacking
gas prices by 50 cents in the next couple days. We are retired and don't
really need to go anywhere we don't choose. We are fortunate in that way.



"madgardener" wrote in message
...
there's a problem Betsy........the prices have already hit $3.29. I use
regular since there's no way I can afford the "premium" gasoline at $3.59
per gallon. At Exxon stations, the premium gas is almost $4! I saw the
local Exxon showing prices for premium as $3.89. My best bet would have
actually been to have followed my instincts (too late now) and top off
the tank, again, and saved myself almost $4 for the total savings.

And that doesn't mean that $3.29 is the lowest price it will stop at
before the oil reserves are processed. That might take a little bit.
Enough time to clean me out of anything I have to go towards gasoline.
At least my son gets paid Friday, but that's every two weeks. So we have
to figure that yesterday's half tank of gasoline which cost $24.30 will
today cost us $32.90. That's $8.60 difference. Now factor in that
unless I jump on the $3.29 now, and wait until tomorrow morning, the
price might actually be HIGHER. And gas buddy's website is showing
prices relevent to Monday's prices when it was still a DOLLAR cheaper
than it is three days later................................... I don't
know where you are, but where I am, I'm feeling screwed and it ain't even
getting started. Here's the insult. I knew prices were going to go up. I
even anticipated higher everything prices eventually because of the cost
of transporting. But what I didn't expect was when I decided not to run
the very necessairy errand this afternoon after seeing the huge price
increase, I stopped at the local grocery store and they had ALREADY
RAISED PRICES ON STORE ITEMS..............yesterday I could have gotten
the meager items for much less. So gouging is already in progress before
the set cost of all this has become evident. I see a long season and
winter ahead of me with lots of rice and beans and
cornbread...............

(you might think this is being extreme, let me give you the example:
yesterday, a good medium sized bottle of orange Dawn liquid detergent
would have cost me $1.89 with my Food City discount card. Today, that
same bottle was priced at $2.99. Now I know that bottle was there
yesterday. It wasn't brought in today by the truck. I went to get a
couple of microwave dinners for supper. Monday I could have gotten them
for 2@$5. today those same dinners were 2@$6 so you see, it hasn't even
begun and the stores are already taking advantage.

Now add insult to injury. My son's friend and his mother and aunt's
headed to Houston Sunday in the path of the hurricane. They checked into
the hotel and paid $52.95 + tax for their rooms each. Yesterday, Antonio
told my son that they were notified by the management that their room
rates were higher. They figured since they were approaching Labor Day
weekend, and went down to pay for a week in advance until they could find
a condo to rent. They were informed that the room rates were now $134.95
per night, and this was no Marriott either. It was a nice average hotel
on the outskirts of Houston. He and his mother and aunt's are now
frantically searching for a condominium to rent to save money that the
hotel is gouging them for now.....................

'nuff said. And I figure there will be more attrocities in the upcoming
days and weeks and months. I won't bore anyone with updates on it. I've
said enough.
madgardener
"BetsyB" wrote in message
...
Oops! Here's an address to find your better gas prices.
http://www.gasbuddy.com/

BetsyB


"madgardener" wrote in message
...
and we ain't seen nothing yet on the effects this is gonna have I
realize,son works at Lowes at night stocking his store he used to work
days in plumbing......he doesn't have a CLUE what is about to unfold in
regards to products, deliveries, availabilities,
etc................life is about to change in ways people haven't seen
since Depression days. good thing I'm a pack rat when it comes to food
supplies.........which reminds me, I need to hit Wally world for arse
wipe and liquid soap while I can and while gas is ONLY $2.69 a
gallon...........sigh...................
maddie
"Marsha" wrote in message
...
It's horrifying
"madgardener" wrote in message
...

"Marsha" wrote in message
...
Hi Marilyn, we were asking this same question in another group

I just wonder what it's going to take to wake people up to the
inevitability of gas rationing, and astronomical prices of food,
products, etc. I mean, do they realize that despite we're still in
the end days of summer, we're approaching fall, and there are a lot
of people who heat their homes with oil? (I have a heat pump that
works off of electricity, and for back up during power outs, a simple
fireplace in one room with an electric blower which of course won't
work during a power outage, but at least I can open the doors g)
and that oil will be so highly priced they'll have to decide wheather
to be cold or buy high priced food?

sigh.................we ain't seen nothing yet on how this hurricane
has affected the country.................................(I was
horrified yesterday by them showing the main pipeline that runs from
New Orleans up thru to New York that has a major break in it....... I
mean, wanna just send flyers out to potential terrorists for strike
targets?? Geeze! and no, I don't normally worry about stuff like
that, I mean, I live less than 60 miles from Oak Ridge for crying out
loud, I won't have time to do more than put my head between my knees
and kiss my arse goodbye if something were to happen over
there............

Howze yer gardening going, lady? haven't heard from you in awhile.
I've been laying low, myself letting the weedy grasses overtake the
pathways, and enjoying the multitude of flowers that persist despite
my lack of involvement. Depression and disaster are interesting
bedmates. I've been struggling all summer. But at least I'm safe. I
feel badly for the people down in the gulf. And if it weren't for
the fact that I am the transportation for my son's job
responsibilities, I'd pack up and go down there and do what I could
to help. I'd feel much better doing that, believe me.

thanks for hollering back.
maddie