Today the price at the pump in my area went up 17 cents a gallon. This, despite the fact that crude oil and gasoline futures have been on a steady decline over the past few days. What could possibly explain this phenomenom except oil company greed?
There was a twenty-cent nationwide drop something like a week ago... or less. So it's all over the place. And, yes... greed is exactly what it is. Or at least a huge part of it. But it gets worse: Less than two weeks ago, California news outlets were quoting PG&E as saying that heating bills (for those with gas furnaces) will be up to 40% higher for Californians this winter. Listening to this morning's news, that figure had jumped to -- better sit down, everyone -- 70% higher! Seventy percent. It's difficult to even get one's mind wrapped around that number. In my case, though, that won't be quite so bad. As a part-time (and former full-time) Midwesterner who is used to real winters on the Great Lakes, I don't find that I need heat at all when I'm in California... no matter what time of year it is. So what it will mean, for me, is that it'll cost me more to cook on my gas range, and heat water in my water heater. But at least I won't have to endure 70% heating bills, 'cause I don't "heat." But it's clearly gonna' be a huge problem for a lot of people. I've seen native Californians wear heavy jackets -- and shiver -- at temperatures that were still shirt-sleeve for Chicagoans. Now, those folks will be in a world-o-hurt.
Depressed I'm depressed on way our country is going right now and I think it is going to get worse before it gets better.
