Prices at the pump hitting budgets hard

We can thank George W. Bush and his cohorts for the slipping value of the dollar, our unpopular reputation in Europe, which caused the dollar's value to sink and caused lack of interested investors from Europe and elsewhere, for giving his contributors in the oil and gas industries tax cuts in the billions, and an unregulated red carpet to extort the American people of their hard earned bucks at the fuel pump. Where are those hydro-fuel cells he was rambling on about in his State of the Union Speech a few years back along with his planned exploration of Mars? I thought I heard him say Ethanol and Bio-Diesel, so where is it? Ethanol is being made from sugarcane in South America and it is fueling millions of vehicles there. The US jumped on the corn based Ethanol boat, but it has driven food prices up for consumers and the Ethanol made has yet to make it out of the Midwest to California. Dark days for America, dark days indeed.

When GW Bush took office, gas prices were about $1.42 a gallon. Now we're headed for $4/gal..."Mission Accomplished!"

Its'time for the US to change the culture of big and decadant vehicles.China and India are only going to continue to fuel the high oil prices.

Consider midsize or compact vehicles.Too bad the American big three basically force people into buying full size vehicles.Anything less than full size is basically junk.Some midsize pickups and SUVs on par with the full size would be great.

Geee thanks Mr. Bush

anyone want to blame liberals or potheads for this one? I know who wont chime in on this one....pick-up truck drivin toothless goobers, thats who...

www.prisonplanet.com

read the truth!

We as a society have no one to blame but ourselves. The convenience of having our personal vehicles or way of transportation is instilled in us from the day we learn to walk.

We have public transportation, which is often under-used due to the inconvenience of having to wait a little longer, or the need to walk a couple of blocks. If society wanted to change the need on high priced fuel, we first need to change our habits.

We shouldn't be punished for not driving back forth to work every day from our insurance companies and paying higher insurance costs because we drive less. Same as using public transportation, our employers should not punish one for using public transportation to run errands and it takes longer.

Public transportation is inconvenient, but instead of using this as an excuse, provide information to HCOAG on what can be done to make it convenient; then use it when it is provided. Develop more car pools or parking for transit buses to carry employees to work from central points and back at the end of the day.

Instead of driving to the chaaper store for smal grocery items, walk a couple blocks to the small store for small items needed.

It is society and its need for "now" that needs to change our dependency on fuel. As long as "now" is in our thinking, we will always be complaining about about high fuel costs.

Well, well, well, the old pocket book a little lightweight these days.

Take a look at this link:[http://new.music.yahoo.c om/videos/--2146292]

Click on the small video screen and enlighten yourselves.

Have a great day.

Jeffrey Lytle
McKinleyville - 5th District

I see the same dimmers that comment on the schools closing also are here blaming Bush for jumping up the price of oil. Right on one hand, but wrong on the other hand.Price of oil-gas is way up for the following reasons:

1. World-wide demand is way up with India and China using more,
2. Every time we drop interest rates here to stave off a recession it won't work much longer by the way, we drop the dollar's value on the worldwide currency mkt. and we have to pay more $$ for a barrel of oil,
3.We refused to drill in US fields, such as ANWAR, 15 years ago and now we don't have that oil.A 5% increase in our supply would make a difference, since the price of oil is set at the margin, and a 5% decrease in our imports would make a large difference in world prices.

Besides.if Eureka keeps losing population your prices should go up more with a smaller mkt to service.

I agree with Charlie. We all continue to pay for this ridiculously priced gas, even when it gets as high as it is. If people weren't so busy trying to keep up with the Joneses, buying bigger SUVs and trucks, having to have the biggest, nicest, most gas guzzling vehicles, we wouldn't be complaining so much. There are plenty of cars and vans that are more than accomodating as far as number of people (or kids) are concerned, so that's no excuse. They just might not be as "cool." Everyone should get off their lazy asses and walk for a change, a little fresh air might do them good...

Elmer Fudd wrote:

I see the same dimmers that comment on the schools closing also are here blaming Bush for jumping up the price of oil. Right on one hand, but wrong on the other hand.Price of oil-gas is way up for the following reasons:
1. World-wide demand is way up with India and China using more,
2. Every time we drop interest rates here to stave off a recession it won't work much longer by the way, we drop the dollar's value on the worldwide currency mkt. and we have to pay more $$ for a barrel of oil,
3.We refused to drill in US fields, such as ANWAR, 15 years ago and now we don't have that oil.A 5% increase in our supply would make a difference, since the price of oil is set at the margin, and a 5% decrease in our imports would make a large difference in world prices.
Besides.if Eureka keeps losing population your prices should go up more with a smaller mkt to service.

Very well stated points and facts regarding oil consumption.

My personal wants are sustainable resources and energies. All of the money being created for this war on terrorism adds up. A substantial proportion of taxpayer's generated revenues could be going into alternative energy sources. This is our planet's future along with technology and innovation.

Question - In your opinion, why is this country still fixated on oil? Is it because it is easier than change?

Jeffrey Lytle
McKinleyville - 5th District

TMK wrote:

I agree with Charlie. We all continue to pay for this ridiculously priced gas, even when it gets as high as it is. If people weren't so busy trying to keep up with the Joneses, buying bigger SUVs and trucks, having to have the biggest, nicest, most gas guzzling vehicles, we wouldn't be complaining so much. There are plenty of cars and vans that are more than accomodating as far as number of people (or kids) are concerned, so that's no excuse. They just might not be as "cool." Everyone should get off their lazy asses and walk for a change, a little fresh air might do them good...

Great Points! Lower the demand.

Jeffrey Lytle
McKinleyville - 5th District

For an election year, why aren't the candidates kicking **** on the enviros for not allowing to punch holes in Mother Earth's local available resources on U.S. soil? Add a few more refineries. Every time a refinery sneezes, the (temporary) price increases go up & then seems to stays there. The public has short memory on these issues. No politicians seem to have any balls and stand up to the Eco Nazis.
I rest my case...I need to finish here at work so I can afford to drive home.

Thank you to those on the Left with extremist views about energy. You have successfully stymied the drilling for oil in and around the U.S., stymied the building of new oil refineries, and foolishly increased designer fuel by using America's food supply for the production of ethanol.

You continue to allow for the most dirtiest means of electrical production, coal fired power plants and have denied, what France has successfully utilized for years, nuclear power plants.

You have boned headed ideas that have never been perfected and usually end up costing much more to use then it saves.

Take a bow! The ship is sinking and you're going down with it.

charlie wrote:

We as a society have no one to blame but ourselves. The convenience of having our personal vehicles or way of transportation is instilled in us from the day we learn to walk.
We have public transportation, which is often under-used due to the inconvenience of having to wait a little longer, or the need to walk a couple of blocks. If society wanted to change the need on high priced fuel, we first need to change our habits.
We shouldn't be punished for not driving back forth to work every day from our insurance companies and paying higher insurance costs because we drive less. Same as using public transportation, our employers should not punish one for using public transportation to run errands and it takes longer.
Public transportation is inconvenient, but instead of using this as an excuse, provide information to HCOAG on what can be done to make it convenient; then use it when it is provided. Develop more car pools or parking for transit buses to carry employees to work from central points and back at the end of the day.
Instead of driving to the chaaper store for smal grocery items, walk a couple blocks to the small store for small items needed.
It is society and its need for "now" that needs to change our dependency on fuel. As long as "now" is in our thinking, we will always be complaining about about high fuel costs.

Charlie you are completely right! All you a--holes that are blaming Bush and everything else better start looking at yourselves! You want lower gas and oil prices? Start living without them a little less! Thats the answer! It's called supply and demand! Ever heard of that before? Haven't any of you a--holes ever taken economics while in school? Do you even know the deffinition of the word? "Economics" Maybe you people need to take a refresher course in it and then will understand what Charlie and I am saying here! Stop the blame game and start conserving!

What is Arcata's next move??
(#1) Not fix the roads? First cutback? he he he!!
(#2) Implement a new creative tax on business.
Oh yeah. An absolute must.
(#3) Increase their already phony storm-water drainage run off tax.
(#4) And the list goes on and on & on &.....

we really should be thanking renner petroleum for our abnormally high gas prices in this county. what a crook

Adjusted for inflation , gas prices were just as high or higher in the 1970's when JIMMY CARTER was president. His solution was to wear sweaters. Mike is correct that we need nuclear power plants. Japan and France have been nuclear sound for decades and China is planning to build hundreds of nuclear plants. Humboldters continue to live in their outdated 1970's nightmare. What's next , a hemp car powered by soy?

Elmer Fudd wrote:

3.We refused to drill in US fields, such as ANWAR, 15 years ago and now we don't have that oil.A 5% increase in our supply would make a difference, since the price of oil is set at the margin, and a 5% decrease in our imports would make a large difference in world prices.

We export as much oil as we import. Instead of further drilling why don't we just choke back on our exports?
Do you think that once we start drilling Anwar, that oil will be 'ours'? That oil will enter the world market like all the other domestic oil and, like you alluded, will likely end up in India or China.

Specifically tell us how drilling in Anwar will help Americans and not just oil company shareholders? Do you know of some provisions that state it must stay for domestic use? Even if this was the case, wouldn't a 'california lottery' scam occur whereas the Anwar oil would stay but we would increse exports from other domestic sources for a net zero gain?

Really, prove to us this Anwar hoax isn't just a way for the oil industry to make more money with no direct benefit to the American pocketbook.

Mike wrote:

Thank you to those on the Left with extremist views about energy. You have successfully stymied the drilling for oil in and around the U.S., stymied the building of new oil refineries, and foolishly increased designer fuel by using America's food supply for the production of ethanol.
You continue to allow for the most dirtiest means of electrical production, coal fired power plants and have denied, what France has successfully utilized for years, nuclear power plants.
You have boned headed ideas that have never been perfected and usually end up costing much more to use then it saves.
Take a bow! The ship is sinking and you're going down with it.

I disagree with some of what you said but agree on other points. First, we need to get away from fossil fuels. Thats why we are in this mess! Remember the Exxon Valdez? We have to protect the last vestiges of our wildlife and oceans. Haven' you heard about what is happening with our oceans? Not to mention to the planet as a whole! Now I agree with you on what you were saying about coal power! This should be stopped! But again Nuclear is not the answer! You say nuclear power is clean? You really need to do your homework here! Where do you think all the spent nuclear fuel rods go? Do they somehow magically dissappear? Think about that one long and hard!