Hurricane Katrina Causes Gas Prices to Soar...

Holy crap...I paid $2.75 per gallon last night when I filled up. Two hours later, the same station was $3.10. Several stations have been guilty of price gouging b/c NC is under a gas shortage. Katrina hit the coast of Louisiana and Mississippi and devistated New Orleans and Gulfport. The estimate thousands dead, there's no power, no water, no food and the looters are causing a huge problem. There's people even shooting at the rescue helicopters. People are dying in the shelters b/c there's no food or water. The water's contaminated and 80% of New Orleans is under water. People don't even have anywhere to use the restroom and they're having to move people out of the hospitals to the triangle and other areas b/c of it. There was even a sniper at a hospital shooting at the building. What the hell is wrong w/ people!?!

NC's problems is that 90% of our gasoline comes from the Gulf pipelines, and they have no power, so we have no way to get more gasoline pumped in. There's something like 9 refineries down there that are without power or damaged. Also, a lot of the oil rigs were damaged in the hurricane...so gas prices just shot straight up. In Sanford, 2 stations across the street from each other went from $2.45 to $2.80 overnight. I should have gotten it at 2.45 before the hurricane hit, but I didn't even think about it. I'm so pissed off! Why don't these refineries have nuclear generators to run them when the power's out?? Is it just so they can have a reason to jack up oil prices? They said it would probably hit $5 a gallon before it starts coming back down..and I know that's just so that when they lower it to $3, we'll think that's cheap. What the fuck ever dude.

Another think that chaps my ass is that the prices went up immediately after the hurricane. What we're using now was made weeks ago at a cheaper price...so we shouldn't be having to pay higher prices on that..they're just doing it b/c they know we need it and they have us by the throat. Brooke and I are going to start commuting and just suck up the 2 hours OT every week so our hours can be the same. On the weeks we work w/ Bonnie, we can commute w/ her too. There's so many of us in the same area, it's a shame our hours or shifts aren't the same..we could save a LOT of money..if there were 4 of us on the same shift, each of us would only have to drive once a week.

I'm really considering getting a smaller car, like another Civic, or a Jetta TDI. Diesel is just as expensive, but the gas mileage is much better and they're meant for people who drive long distances. Since I drive 52 miles just to and from work, I think I qualify. My Nissan will need some work before I sell it though, and I don't think I can afford that right now. I do get my raise on my 2nd check this month, and it'll be back payed to July 1st...but it still won't be a whole lot.

Anyway, I'll update again when there's more..I have to quit talking about this now or I'll get angry again..