Gasoline Paradigm Shifting Fast

Oh the howling and wailing we have heard in the news lately. The price of gasoline is just cents away from $4/gallon on average. Well I say "put a skirt on it people?"

Finally market forces have caught up with those people that have had their heads in the sand. For the first time in history various petroleum forecasting organization have started estimating the supply of oil available. This is a major shift in market attitude since prior to now it was assumed OPEC could just pump faster or more oil to fill demand. With oil hovering around $120/barrel that no longer seems to be the thinking around the world. Hence my assertion that we have hit a shift in our current gasoline paradigm.

Those that failed to plan for the future(which seems to have arrived now) by buying gas guzzling cars, shunning or failing to invest in public transit, buying a McMansion or living miles from work in sprawling suburbs are paying a steep price. Our culture of cheap gasoline fueled development and mega stores available to only those that can drive long distances to reach them is coming home to roost. Remember the parable about the ant and the grasshopper? You know what, I don't want to hear it any more from the grasshoppers.

I just filled up my car this morning and I did pass a new milestone. Total charge to the credit card for one tank of gas, $53.69 for 13.666 gallons. However, I live in the convenient part of the city, close to public transit if I need it (as bad as our bus system is locally), and shop and live locally as much as I can. With that said, the impact to my life has been minimal so far and hopefully the price rise will make us all think about what kind of city we want to live in in the very near future, how we will get around and what it is going to cost us starting now (read investing in the future rather than for immediate gratification).

Fuel for thought...

Gifford Park Community Garden (35 & Cass)

This must be close to the first produce of the season grown in the local Community Garden (my plot). I recently heard a new term Locavor. The environmental movement says that embracing this concept is more important that eating Organic foods. To be a locavor is to eat food grown locally which in turn sustains our local farm economy and doesn't waste energy moving food from place to place. Sounds like a good idea to me. Go plant a vegetable garden!

Lets Start Beating

Can I say that even though I have no kids of my own, I think this nation needs to start beating children again. I just replaced 4 windows shot out by a pellet gun. We know how the culprit is and he is a snot nosed spoiled punk that his single parent mom has spoiled to his own ruin. This child has never known a days work in his life. The entire time that they have lived next door, the mother has mowed the lawn while the kid would sit and watch. WHAT? The kid was also the drunk driver who ran into a tree in Benson Park and killed the passenger. Note, this kid is not old enough to legally drink. This kid sure thinks someone owes him something and certainly gets kicks out of causing his neighbors money.