Reading harold_maude's journal

This afternoon as I was out and about I saw it. The numbers, 2.89.
It's not done, and what happens next is pretty sure.
The cost of food will go up due to the cost of gas so that the trucks that trasport it will still be able to do so.
The businesses that rely on people being able to afford to drive there will suffer.
And one by one, the dominos have begun to fall.
The space between the rich and the poor grows wider.

I heard from one of the neighbors this morning that the gas station up the way had 12 drive offs.

It has begun. Unless there is a repealing of the gas tax or a ceiling put on how high the price can go, they've done it in Hawaii, we are headed for a fincial crash.

Without those two things, there is no time to adjust, refigure things, and go on.
Next will be the people who are barely making enough to take care of the bills and buy food. They will either have to take a second or third job to make ends meet, (one of the jobs will be just to pay for gas to get to all three) or they will have to quit their jobs, and subsequently face being homeless...

There are several people I know who are thrilled at the concept of everything crashing and this mess we've made finally staring at us in the face and there is nothing to do but simplify how we live.
All of it makes me want to get rid of my car, get a quad bike and go slower.
Makes me want to find a place out in the boondox and grow my own food and learn how to hunt with a bow and arrow and simplify everything around me.
Makes me want to escape from the city...completely.

I know it's comming. And depending on what happens over the next few months, what is possible will show it's self.

..funny thing is, I used to spend hours dreaming about being out in the middle of nowhere and living off the land and seeing if I could survive.
Seems that I may end up seeing that dream become the reality not only for me, but many other people.

It's very, very close now. This may sound strange, but in a way I tend to look at katrina as mother nature showing us who really is in charge here.
The question is are we listening?

It only looks that way because your standing on your head.

This afternoon as I was out and about I saw it. The numbers, 2.89.

On monday I bought gas for 2.50. Today the price is 3.05, that is a 55 cent increase in 1 day. Can you believe that? The shit is hitting the proverbial fan... There is talk here in North Carolina of 4 dollar a gallon gas very soon.

I'm gonna make a prediction here. Mark my words, very soon you'll hear on the news about how some people went into a Gas station somewhere in the US and started shooting up people and the motive will be because they are sick of hearing about how much gas is and seeing it raise every damn day.

This post was edited by majic on Sep 01, 2005.

I can see that happening, people being sick and tired of hearing it and seeing it and having it shoved in their faces.

4.00 a gallon. We are catching up with the rest of the world in the cost of gas.
All of this makes me wonder what it will take for the american consumer to begin to make changes in their own lives.

In the morning when I'm taking my other half to work we see miles of cars heading to the factories with only one person per car.
It reminds me of a funreal procession. Kind of ironic, going off to the factory looking like a death march.

After the G8 summit when the president said that he wouldn't support changes to help the enviorment because the american people wouldn't go for it and it would hurt our economy, I was pissed.
But it seems that mother nature is having the last word on the subject.
We will have no choice but to change.
The really sad part of all of this is that it seems that many people won't start doing anything unless the issue is forced.

It only looks that way because your standing on your head.

On monday I bought gas for 2.50. Today the price is 3.05, that is a 55 cent increase in 1 day. Can you believe that? The shit is hitting the proverbial fan... There is talk here in North Carolina of 4 dollar a gallon gas very soon.

heh, you should be living in my country - we had ~23 raises of gas costs in ONE year. and now some kinds of gas cost even as much as ~210% of what they did before. and now....more raises inbound propably :/

"Life is a queue. You come in, hang around for a bit, get some service, then depart."

heh, you should be living in my country - we had ~23 raises of gas costs in ONE year. and now some kinds of gas cost even as much as ~210% of what they did before. and now....more raises inbound propably :/

Yes but other countries are more suited to alternate transportation than the US. There is no alternate means of travel from my house to my place of work, well unless I ride a bicycle 20 miles one way. There is no bus, no subway, no train, nothing. I either drive or I don't go. That's the problem with suburban US, there is plenty of land and everything is spread so far out. These high gas prices are disrupting life as we know it. Pretty soon we will be on the verge of a crisis because of it.

Yesterday gas price: 3.05
Today price: 3.48

PS - Regarding the free trance link. I did not know 2 of the websites were posting illegal music. I was under the impression it was legal, I cannot find anywhere on the sites anything to tell me that they are illegal to download music from. If you have ideas, let me know.

This post was edited by majic on Sep 01, 2005.

I'm in the same boat as you. I live on one side of town and where I worked was clear on the other side.
I figured out by writing down the odomoter numbers that I was traveling more than 50 miles a day round trip just to go to work.
The places that are closer are mostly factories and they run between 10 and 12 hour shifts, nothing less.
When they do thoes long runs it's generally a four day run.
I'm of the mind that after a certian number of hours a person becomes less and less functional on the job.

I ended up leaving one job because of how many times I kept almost getting run off the road by semis halling ass in the middle of the night.
What finally cut it for me was almost hitting another car.

Subsequently the jobs that arn't factory are on the other end of town, and the bus dosen't come out this way, we have a shitty transportation system here.
The closest thing that I could get to using a bike is a bike path that goes right through town but has no side bike path roads, and it's down a very long stretch of highway where lots of crazy people get pissed off if they have to slow down.

After this last thing that happened, I was employed for exactly two months and because of a series of events and business in the evening has been dying and I was the most recient hire, it didn't matter that after a week I was in charge of the kitchen at night, (and I'd never done resturant work before) the general manager that works for this guy loves to stand with his thumb up his ass, none of that mattered.
What did matter to the owner is seniority.
So another job down the toilet.
And now having to get out there and look is going to be really fun, as the budget for gas is shit...
I'm going to be living in the trees eating leaves..

Back to how fast the price of gas is rising. I agree with you completely, there hasn't been time to adjust, let alone breathe.
If it keeps going up this fast no one, except the very rich who don't have to work will be driving cars.
(If I have to live in the trees, I want a view of the ocean, instead of all this flat land with kind of sort of hills most of the time)

Everything is going haywire because of this.
side note, I heard that what the president released was barrels of crude oil, and the military isn't doing anything down there.
people can't drink the water, and there is no food.
What a mess.
Lots more people are going to die as this goes on.
My question is this, if the president is basicly acting like a turtle in doing anything, and the military is just sitting there watching shit go on, what does that tell you about what's really important to our goverment?

Why wasn't the president down there as soon as possible? Instead of waiting and then making the decision to cut his vacation short. (Ah poor baby, I guess he'll just have to finish that golf game when he gets back...and the american people are paying for this)

He's not good for this country. He keeps proving that over and over again.
I can hardly wait until he's out of office. I'm so glad they can't be in the white house for more than two terms.

Sometimes it feels like some giant is sitting on the chest of every american and eating cheetos while we sofocate under their butt.

It only looks that way because your standing on your head.

Clicky :-)

The alternative to cheap fuel would of course be be more fuel-efficient cars.


PS, gas is between 5 and 6 dollars per gallon in Europe.

"*sigh* Some men are really hard to manipulate!" - Orchid

It's amazing, gas prices being between 5 and 6 dollars a gallon there.
Of all the travel shows I've seen on Europe I've noticed something that seems to be very common there, alternative travel. Trains, people touring by bike and lots and lots of people walking.
I've seen some cars, but they don't seem to be the main way to travel.
Am I seeing this right?

Seems that we here could very easily follow the same pattern.

Speaking of alternative modes of transportaion, I've got several bookmarked sights about that subject.
I've been reading up on how to convert the gas engine to one that burns ethonol.
I've looked into something called a quadraped bike. 4 wheels and designed to steer like a car, and it has power assist, a battery that helps with hills. The top speed, if I remember right was 12 miles per hour.
That may seem really slow, but that's a good thing.
You actually get to see the landscape as you travel. What a novel concept.
It reminds me of how I've read and seen how meals are treated in Eroupe. An event to be enjoyed not just shoveled in and then swallowed.

I love watching movies and cooking shows where they show these people laughing and talking and it's this celebration of gathering together to eat, and be together.
Food just happens to be the great catalist that is shared among the group.
It makes me want to have all the meals I eat here be the same.
Can you immagine what that would do for drawing people together?

How can you share bread with someone and be angry at them at the same time?
How can you drink from the same bottle and not be changed by the sharing?

I see people here, in their cars, going into resturants, impatient irratble because it takes a bit to get there.
It is the general custom here to eat fast, eat in speprate rooms, many times in front of a T.V.
I'm inclined to believe that many families would benefit from taking time to enjoy the food, and inturn learn to enjoy the company of the people they are eating with.

...so many things that this country needs to take stock of and change. Maybe in the big picture this disaster will serve a positve purpose. One can only hope.

It only looks that way because your standing on your head.

Man, I wish Europe was as perfect as you paint it. What a nice picture that would be.
The truth is, we've also got lots of stressed people driving to fast food places in their cars.
(Our cars have a better mileage tho :-P )
But Europe is very diverse (and I'm sure so are the USA), and if you know what you're looking for, you usually find a place you like. The trick is to separate the things that are important to you from the things you can do without. I think that is what's getting harder, and something we truly need to keep in touch with if we want to stay faithful to ourselves.

Oh look, I'm starting to digress. :-) Anyways, take care. It looks to me as if you have a pretty good attitude towards life.

"*sigh* Some men are really hard to manipulate!" - Orchid

Oh well, there goes my immage of europe as a grown up place to be.
Sounds just as nuts as here.

Your right about deciding on what's important and not important.
The trouble is the stuff that is important is being run over by people in a hot damn hurry to get to the next stop light so they can wait and get as close as they can to your bumper.

...actually I really wish I could be on an island somewhere, (now that you've informed me that living in Eroupe is just as nuts as here) and not have to think about rent and gas prices and making sure that I have clean clothes for work....it wouldn't matter then. :)

You take care too..:)

It only looks that way because your standing on your head.

Oh, I didn't want to spoil the fun for you. In most, if not all European countries you'll find many places where (according to your own preferences) live is beautiful. You need lots of highways and big buildings around you, you move to the city. You want to see the stars at night, there's a rural area somewhere near you. What I was trying to say is that I don't think this is exclusive to Europe. :-)

The trouble is the stuff that is important is being run over by people in a hot damn hurry to get to the next stop light so they can wait and get as close as they can to your bumper.

Always remember, they may have the faster or more intimidating car, but as long as they can't overtake you're still the one who sets the pace. (And if they do overtake you won't have to mind them anymore anyway.)

I really wish I could be on an island somewhere

Does that island come with hi-speed internet, good cellphone coverage, a DIY store and a DVD rental? If it does, count me in.

"*sigh* Some men are really hard to manipulate!" - Orchid

Of all the travel shows I've seen on Europe I've noticed something that seems to be very common there, alternative travel. Trains, people touring by bike and lots and lots of people walking.
I've seen some cars, but they don't seem to be the main way to travel.
Am I seeing this right?

We just pay more for the gallon, everyone drives like an asshole and there is no parking space anywhere. While all that might make it less fun, many people still drive everywhere. In any case it's very possible to survive without a car.

'Yeah, That's what Jesus would do. Jesus would bomb Afghanistan. Yeah.' - snowlion

This post was edited by Jaz on Sep 01, 2005.

I agree, it is very possible to live with out a car, here they have communities of people who live and work together in a communal setting, and everyone has a hand in making things work.
I've read some about them, but I haven't found any of them to be the place where I'd like to be.

It only looks that way because your standing on your head.

everyone drives like an asshole and there is no parking space anywhere.

You live in the wrong place, my friend. When I'm forced to slow down to less than 20km/h during rush hour, I already consider that a traffic jam. :-)

"*sigh* Some men are really hard to manipulate!" - Orchid

PS, gas is between 5 and 6 dollars per gallon in Europe.

To calculate this yourself:

a) 1 US gallon = 3.7854118 litres (according to Google)
b) 1 Euro = 1.23410 US Dollar (according to Classic Currency Converter)
c) 1 liter of fuel = 139 Cent (Euro cent!) = 1.39 EUR (according to my local Aral site)

So the price for 1 gallon of fuel would be: 5.23 Euros = 6.398382 U.S. dollar

Another one: Diesel is always cheaper, so it'll cost you only 1,16 EUR per liter, which would be 4,3732 Euros = 5,35017288 U.S. dollar ;)

And you poor folks are whining about some 2.89 USD? Are you nuts or what!?!

cu, w0lf.

Multiple exclamation marks are a sure sign for a diseased mind!

This post was edited by ginsterbusch on Sep 02, 2005.

And you poor folks are whining about some 2.89 USD? Are you nuts or what!?!

Our society is not setup to deal with this kind of increase in fuel costs. It's not that we are whinning per se, it's the fact that our budgets, our monthly pay, our transit system is not built to support these high costs.

I cannot jump on a bus or train or subway and go to work. I have to drive. I don't live near any of my coworkers so I cannot car pool. It's 20 miles one way to my job, it's not possible to ride a bicycle or walk and it's not possible to car pool.

Millions of Americans are in the same boat. We have lived with low fuel cost and our society is built around it. We simply cannot sustain this society with rates as high as other countries. Things will definitely have to change but calling us whiners is pretty damn silly in my book. We have every right to whine at least until things get fixed and other more managable and effecient ways to get to work are developed.

Yep, I have to agree. I was going to save up and buy a car, but now cars are officially on my shitlist. If i can walk or bum a ride there, it isn't worth going.

I should be ashamed of myself.

The problem is it's going up so fast there is no time to adjust.

It only looks that way because your standing on your head.

1 liter of fuel = 139 Cent (Euro cent!) = 1.39 EUR

Wow, I know that gas is more expensive in neighboring countries, but 1.39, are they nuts?

Yesterday lead-free 95 (95 octane obviously) cost CHF 1.63/l in my part of Switzerland, which would currently translate to about USD 4.92 per gallon.

Diesel is actually more expensive in Switzerland than regular gas (CHF 1.71/l), but since current diesel engines are more economical (buy a VW Lupo TDI to get 80mpg) it's still way cheaper to drive a diesel car.


So if any of you USAians would like to join the next NAO meeting, bring gas! :-)

"*sigh* Some men are really hard to manipulate!" - Orchid

I don't care what anybody says, when I have to pay over $20 to fill the mouse-hole sized tank in my car, there is a 'cowboy' somewhere who needs to be "grilled" on the range...maybe I'll throw some broccoli on his Dad's lawn too. They can use it for the shish-kebab today...on Labor Day, when a lot of Americans will be working, and...driving in towns with no public transportation to speak of...

Yeah, I soooo wanna take the MetroLink to the East Side. That sounds like skads of fun. Maybe I'll just bring along the bathroom plunger and the brick that will be used to murder me...

But in all seriousness, and half-assed sarcasm aside: This has to top off somewhere. If not, I am moving to Canada, where I distinctly remember feeling safe on the subway. Oh, and wait, there actually was a subway...unlike here in lovely St. Louis where nobody gives a patootie about public transport...yet. There's a bench for the bus right around the corner from me, but that is just suicide if I get on it. I don't wanna die just trying to get to work. I wish I could be a cartoon and just blast myself out of a cannon on the top of my apartment building, straight to work.

I guess the honest truth is...my optimism doesn't extend to feeling safe on the bus or the MetroLink. Hey, pretty soon it will be cheaper to take a 'cab' than to fill my tank; but I really hope not. In fact I am going to consciously envision a gas station with the numbers $1.10 for regular! on their billboard. The other two bucks I'll spend on chocolate. Yay!!!!

If mountain goats like living at high elevations, why do none live in high rise apartment buildings?

This post was edited by rosyxxx on Sep 05, 2005.

Well in Italy gas is a little over 4 euros per gallon, and the governement is about to pass a law (well it's not called law exactly, but I don't know the technical term) in order to decrease the price.

Fortunately for us, here there is no competition between gas sellers, and so the price is basically the same everywhere; I think it varies of a few cents on the autobahns though, where it costs a little less than in the city. The governement CAN decide to lower the price of gas, and the petrol companies that sell in Italy have to respect that. This is the reason why we aren't as worried I think; we know that it can't go higher than this. And right now it is 1.17 for unleaded gasoline.

Also another interesting thing... here diesel costs less than gasoline. I know that in the States is viceversa, but what about in the other parts of Europe? Does gasoline costs more or less than diesel?

Un bacio è un'apostrofo rosa scritto tra le parole "ti amo".

This post was edited by andromacha on Sep 02, 2005.