stay home guys

We just have to think of ways to get the rest of folks across this continant to do the same. We can do the same with them as society did with smokers. Look what that campaign did to the tobacco industry. Tell them you don't mind them burning their gasoline, if they can do it without using the publics oxygen.

We have placed far too much of our buying dollars in the hands of multi-national corperations. Society does that almost everywhere they shop. Got to start asking the retailer how far the item was trucked. Tell him you don't buy products that have been trucked more than 200 miles. Think about that one, it would revitalize small towns and rural economy. I know we are not going to build tractors, cars or trucks in every little community. But we sure as heck don't need to truck Ontario tomatoes to British Columbia, nor do we need British Columbia tomatoes in Ontario. That going on right now, same truck hauling tomatoes both ways.

"Without using the publics oxygen"??? If that is the best rationale you can find to justify not using gasoline, then you might as well save your breath. I must confess I spend precious little time worrying about whether I have exceeded my "fair share" of oxygen use each week--but I comfort myself knowing the government is working hard on finding a way to check up on each of us and distribute it more equitably.

I'm not in the habit of wasting money, be it through the purchase of fuel or otherwise. Most people aren't. Advice to "just stay home" or combine errands might pass for wisdom to some but I'd hazard a guess that most people try to do that the price of gas not with standing.

As to asking the retailer how far items have been shipped....come on Hugh. I'm sure that's just what we'll all start doing.

The fact is that average citizens are harried enough with regard to trying to juggle family, time, work, and other responsibilities. Simply put, I know I have bigger fish to fry then agonizing over a gallon of gas that isn't going to make a dimes difference to the economy or the people of New Orleans. If something has to be done or purchased than I get it done as expediently as possible. For those who don't, I guess they are welcome to sit at home and try and come up with a schedule to use their trips at peak efficiency. They must have more time than they know what to do with. It's a wonder that some of these same people find their way home each night.

With a family and the jillion activities and errands that come with it, time is perhaps one of the most pressing concerns. Not following through on essentially anything that requires the frequent trips we have to take just isn't in the cards. Though I envy those who have the luxury of time who have not had children as well as the wisdom of those who raised theirs in a different time as being quite knowledgeable on what it takes to operate in the current society.

Some people might be able to kid themselves for a week or so that they are doing somebody some good if they sit at home and let bigger issues stack up, I'm afraid I can't. Likewise, I guess it gives some people a warm feeling to not buy gasoline on September 1st. It might even last long enough to still be a memory as they are filling up their tanks on September 2nd. But it's effectiveness is better compared to trying to bail the ocean with a sieve.

My grandfather grew grapes near Nauvoo, IL. I remember that he would stay on the place for weeks on end, except for Sundays. Church, meetings in town, dry goods, and a quick stop at the local tavern (Red Front Inn?) combined in one trip. Our habits sure changed the last forty years with decades of cheap energy.

They had a big garden, canned for the winter, chickens, a dairy cow and a couple of hamburg cows, hand pump well, catfish pond, deer hunting, and a wood stove. Hardly used a drop of gas. Come to think of it he never even had a tractor - stuck with a pair of draft horses through the 1960's.

Here are a few things to consider - 641 rigs were shut down due to Katrina. Of them, 20 received damage. Of the 20, 19 was minor damage (knocked off its moorings, disconnected from pipeline, etc.) 1 received major damage and is sunk. However, it was a crude unit (which is in abundance) that only pumped 1500 BPD. All rigs, even the undamaged ones will take at least a couple of weeks to get back to full pumping. It's not light turning on a light switch, it as to be done slowly.

Facts from the DOE:
We have 194.4 million barrels of gasoline vs. 208.8 a year ago - this puts us in the low end of the normal range.

We have 135.2 million barrels of distillates (heating oil, diesel, kerosene, JetA, etc.) vs 129.1 a year ago, which puts us in the middle of the average range.

We have 321.4 million barrels of crude (excluding strategic reserve) vs 281.7 a year ago - puts us in the high end of the normal range.

scotty

Bobg