IKE STRIKES

Hey,

  The anticipated category 2-3 hurricane Ike has hit. The storm made landfall in Galveston, Texas and is threatening Houston. I saw Heraldo Rivera get blown into the water and there is certainly a lot of damage. We’ll know more tomorrow and we only hope that things end up better than some predict.

  The biggest thing we have witnessed which affects all of us is the price and availability of gas. Train and I were coming home and noticed really long lines at all the gas stations. I really wasn’t expecting that but panic had surely set in.I still didn’t understand the gravity of the situation until late tonight when I figured I better fill up just in case. Well, gas prices had jumped from $3.55 just a couple of days ago to $4.19 a gallon. I couldn’t believe it.

  I drove around and I was amazed to find that NO ONE had any gas to sell at any price. I don’t think we’ve seen that since the oil embargo days of the 1970’s. It was really frustrating and after about 6 stops a guy at the Shell station told me there might be some gas at a place called “The Golden Pantry” It was a 15 mile drive but I did it cause I was starting to worry. I got there and gas was $4.19 a gallon with a 7 gallon limit. I took the seven and headed home.I netted about 5 gallons of gas which cost about $33. I should have stayed home.

  The worst part was that two of the major stations I went to said they may not have ANY gas for at least 3 days. It seems that Gustav and Ike had shut in a ton of refined oil. Oil has dropped from $147 a barrel to $100 a barrel and gas is back to it’s highs. We obviously need more refineries, a bunch more.

  Our prayers go out to all of our brothers and sisters in Texas and the Gulf. The only thing that is positive right now is that our “rides” get high mileage.

  I am OVER IT with the economy, this ugly election,  but mostly with the people we elect to protect us from this kind of thing who for 40 yrs. have done NOTHING to develope new sources of oil, new refineries, and new alternaative forms of energy. Hell, we knew we were vulnerable all the way back to the 70’s oil embargo and our elected officials were too busy spending our money on themselves and their buddies.I say we need something we haven’t had in my adult lifetime. We need people who are held ACCOUNTABLE. ENOUGH BULLSHIT, ENOUGH greed and corruption.There are thousands of jobs to be created and our nation to be free of the Middle East and others who are ripping us apart and using our money to destroy us.We were strong when we were self dependent and NOTHING is more important. I’m pissed and hopefully you are too. I’m voting fot T.Boone Pickens.He’s the only guy I respect who GETS IT!!!

                                                                                          Beach