An entire month has blitzed past....now it's Saturday morning and the tail end of May is staring me in the face. Blustery and gray this morning in contrast to the several days of seventy degree weather we have had. In May! I have been too busy for words....ha ha ha...I guess that's a pun. What a lot has happened though. The revelation that prisoners are or were being abused at Abu Ghraib. How sad for all of us and for the tens of thousands of Americans trying to do the right thing in Iraq. It doesn't take much to do real damage. And for many people around the world, those pictures are their reality. It will take a lot of work to counter this.
And here at home. Gasoline is now $ 2.24 or more a gallon. I am shocked to think that people are shocked! And so I can't help but comment on what seem to be looney perspectives. Man interviewed on radio says, of course he's planning to drive the 200 miles each way trip to see his daughter graduate- high gas prices or no. As I calculate it, a 400 mile trip in a car burning off a gallon every 20 miles would use up 20 gallons of gas. If gas has risen $.70 a gallon this last year- or 30%- that makes his cost....uhh.....$ 14.00. Is this really an issue? If he drives 1,000 miles a month, his increased cost is $70 by my calculation- not a small amount but no more than many people spend on lattes. It's the POOR who are really affected by this.
Oh...and why are gas prices up? At least in the short term it's because the US lacks the refining capacity to make as much gasoline as we consume....not an oil shortage per se. Why does this lack exist? Well, US oil companies haven't built any new refineries for years nor increased capacity. They have complained a lot about the money they have to spend or would have to spend on environmental protections if they did such construction. But, they are also turning substantial profits. What's the incentive to produce more gasoline? I'm not sure I know. But this situation isn't going to easily get better. And I'm angry when I hear people debating it in ways that ignore the realities...err...make that politicians. God!
ok. will rant more later. gotta take daughter to choir.
And here at home. Gasoline is now $ 2.24 or more a gallon. I am shocked to think that people are shocked! And so I can't help but comment on what seem to be looney perspectives. Man interviewed on radio says, of course he's planning to drive the 200 miles each way trip to see his daughter graduate- high gas prices or no. As I calculate it, a 400 mile trip in a car burning off a gallon every 20 miles would use up 20 gallons of gas. If gas has risen $.70 a gallon this last year- or 30%- that makes his cost....uhh.....$ 14.00. Is this really an issue? If he drives 1,000 miles a month, his increased cost is $70 by my calculation- not a small amount but no more than many people spend on lattes. It's the POOR who are really affected by this.
Oh...and why are gas prices up? At least in the short term it's because the US lacks the refining capacity to make as much gasoline as we consume....not an oil shortage per se. Why does this lack exist? Well, US oil companies haven't built any new refineries for years nor increased capacity. They have complained a lot about the money they have to spend or would have to spend on environmental protections if they did such construction. But, they are also turning substantial profits. What's the incentive to produce more gasoline? I'm not sure I know. But this situation isn't going to easily get better. And I'm angry when I hear people debating it in ways that ignore the realities...err...make that politicians. God!
ok. will rant more later. gotta take daughter to choir.
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