Let’s talk about gasoline…
The CNN article today says that “Gas prices have jumped nearly 20 cents over the past two weeks, approaching the all-time high…” of $4.11 set in July 2008. Publisher Trilby Lundberg said, “This doesn’t mean that we will get there.” “Crude oil will decide.”
I beg to differ. I think that we’ll “get there.”
Gas prices for regular increased 2 cents/gallon FROM YESTERDAY TO TODAY at the Costco in Livermore, from $4.039 to $4.059/gallon! I know because I topped off the tank on my Honda Civic yesterday before leaving to photograph Lake Tahoe, and I topped off the tank of my Honda Shadow Spirit motorcycle today. Yesterday, I also paid $4.179 at a Shell station in Davis, and I saw prices of $4.379 at a Shell station in Tahoe City.
What in the “blue blazes” 😉 is going on?
At a time when large numbers of Americans are out of work, when Republicans and Democrats are competing with each other to pass stupid laws and overturn GOOD ones, and vast numbers of American jobs have been offshored by “American” companies, we see outrageous price increases in gasoline that gouge the Americans who still have jobs and must commute! (Nevermind that the costs for college for their kids in California ALSO increased about 30% last year, with no sign of stopping…!)
The Lundberg survey taken last Friday found that the lowest average price for gasoline was in Tucson, AZ at $3.41 and the HIGHEST average price (BIG surprise! 😉 ) was in the San Francisco Bay Area, at $4.13!
Lundberg says:
“Unless crude oil relents and slips, we can expect a further rise at the pump because pump prices do not reflect all of the crude oil price hikes that have occurred.”
I long ago gave up trying to understand prices of gasoline. Mostly, it’s because I no longer believe the “authorities” who try to explain them! I know that I become very angry when an oil company reports profits of around $11 billion/quarter or $11.68 billion/quarter, and the profits make me question whether the reporting company has any credibility left, whatsoever. (Note, my earlier article, talks about Newt [“and the gang”] and the rest of his fellow Republicans threatening to shut down the Federal Government [in 2008!] to coerce Congress into dropping the moratorium on offshore drilling. Yes, they succeeded!)
“Let’s Do The Time-Warp Again!” Republicans in retrograde motion, once again….
A related article, in CNNMoney.com, says that some believe that high oil prices may negatively impact BOTH consumer spending and corporate earnings later this year and others believe that high oil prices might help stocks in the long run because the Federal Reserve may keep its rates near zero.
Personally, I revised the word “feel” in the CNN article to “believe,” because I don’t think that these folks “feel” ANYTHING (or THINK anything, for that matter). They are callously pursuing their greed and living their lives in their wallets.
Oh, why did I top off the tank on the Honda Shadow Spirit VT1100C? Because, at 50 miles/gallon, I think that I am going to be riding it A LOT over the next few months.
Good luck, my fellow Americans.
-Bill at
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