Gas Shortage

Apparently 1/4 of the nation's oil and natural gas comes from the Gulf, whether it is actually drilled in the gulf or comes by boat is unimportant. Also, I thought gasoline was shipped in those tanker trucks but apparently there is some sort of pipeline that runs from Louisiana up the east coast and that pipeline has been shut off. Not only has our oil been shut off but the oil refineries have no electricity so no oil is being refined.

I watched the six o'clock news where we were informed of a possible gas shortage and they said Atlanta has reported that it will run out of gas shortly. Brad said that Hartsfield (Atlanta) airport might have to cancel flights because of lack of fuel and that planes are flying emergency jet fuel to Charlotte and Atlanta. Brad has spent the last two weeks in Wisconsin for training and he is supposed to fly home this Saturday but he may end up stuck in Wisconsin.

Later on the eleven o'clock news they warned that North Carolina might run out of gas. The governor has asked that people not drive unless they have to. The state is limiting the number and type of vehicle that responds to emergency calls and the governor has asked that no one make Labor Day travel plans. The eleven o'clock news further reported the enormous gas price increases.

OK, now you have my attention. I have a little less than half a tank of gas in my car and like most people I fill up when the gas light comes on but I decided that the longer I wait the more it will cost me to fill up my car and the less likely there will be any gas to put in it. So I told Penny to behave, grabbed my keys and headed down to the Shell station. The price for regular 87 is 2.99. It was 2.29 two days ago. It cost me $30.00 to fill up a little more than half a tank of gas. This is crazy.

I think the news stations are not helping matters. Of course a gas shortage is news but they also reported that there are reserves that should last a few weeks. I don't believe that anymore. I think all of their reporting is going to create a panic and there is going to be a run on gas stations a la the run on banks during the depression. It's gonna get ugly. Brad sent me an email stating that there was a riot up north when a gas station boosted the gas price by .50 cents while people were pumping gas.