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Related: About this forumChris Hayes: The Cost Of Relying On Corrupt Regimes For Energy - All In - MSNBC
Chris Hayes: The United States, and much of the world in fact, has been relying on a coalition of often rogue petrostates to fuel our need for foreign oil production for decadeseven as every U.S. president from both parties since Richard Nixon has called for reducing our reliance on foreign energy. Aired on 03/07/2022.
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)Rhiannon12866
(206,718 posts)I remember when we worried they'd hit $3, but in my travels today I saw premium and diesel at a couple of places already broke $5!! And I was stopped by a nice lady from Connecticut who asked if there was a station where prices weren't so high, but I had to tell her that they all are within a couple of cents of each other.
alwaysinasnit
(5,082 posts)Mill Valley (Marin County) here in CA. Premium prices have already broken $6 a gallon. The oil companies are apparently making up for lost profits during the pandemic and taking advantage of the war situation in Ukraine.
Rhiannon12866
(206,718 posts)As soon as I saw premium at $4.99, I knew we'd soon be breaking $5. I had to drive to Albany (an hour away) and was only at half a tank, so anticipating I'd be caught in traffic, I added $20 worth before I left. That used to be what it cost for half a tank, but this time it only raised it a quarter. I need to stop for gas again tomorrow, so I stopped at the bank on my way home.
alwaysinasnit
(5,082 posts)about driving in small cars. She said she had to do two transactions because apparently the credit card companies limit the amount on a gas purchase to $100. The total she paid came out to $135 to fill up. D*mn!
This seems to be where we are headed with these greedy, rat-bastard oil companies.
Rhiannon12866
(206,718 posts)If I go to Sunoco - which is also a few cents less for cash - I get cents-off-a-gallon with my grocery store card. I get points depending on how much I've spent for groceries. But I added it up earlier and it would be $65 for me to fill up my tank with today's price, not counting my discount - and I thought that was bad. But prices keep going up every single day with no end in sight.
Last time I stopped, I told the young person at the station about the time my cousin gave me a ride back to college and when she stopped for gas on the highway, she looked at the price and decided it was too expensive there, that we'd have to stop once we got off the highway. And I remember that price - it was 47-cents! But that was the last century and we'll never see that again!
alwaysinasnit
(5,082 posts)accumulated at the grocery store (Safeway) which reduced the per gallon price by 20 cents. Yup, I see this as capitalism run amok.
I can't imagine how people can afford to commute in their cars nowadays. I'm so glad I'm retired.
Rhiannon12866
(206,718 posts)Fortunately, I don't drive all that much, either, and I have a regular mid-sized car, so I only get gas every other week or so. But I do have friends with a significant commute, plus some drive much larger vehicles (trucks are common here in the Adirondacks) and I don't know how they do it.
And last week when I drove down to Albany, I got stuck in commuting traffic that was completely stopped for quite a while just getting in the highway - and they do this every day! So I guess I really don't have all that much to complain about...
alwaysinasnit
(5,082 posts)I can't imagine how your brother deals with his fear, but at least he has a caring sister.
As to your trip to Albany, what a double-whammy; getting caught in commute traffic which consumes even more gas. I feel for you.
Rhiannon12866
(206,718 posts)For some reason the main road I take to get back on the highway was blocked by police cars so I had to drive further south and get on at the busy Albany entrance that I stupidly tried the other day. Three lanes of traffic were stopped for so long that I wasn't sure I was actually on the highway. There was a guy in a car next to me who was reading a book...
I knew something was wrong since a couple of police cars raced by on the shoulder, sirens blaring, but I had no idea what was going on until we rounded a curve and there was a lighted sign saying "Accident Ahead Stay Alert." And, sure enough, there must have been an accident on the major bridge that crosses the Mohawk River - which I usually try to avoid. We finally reached the bridge just in time to see a last car towed away. I checked the news that night, but never learned what happened.
And just when traffic was moving again, traffic suddenly was stopped again - all I saw was a school bus off the highway and more cop cars. I left Albany at 3pm and it was dark by the time I got home. I was born in Albany, but we moved when I was 6. I guess that was a pretty lucky move...
alwaysinasnit
(5,082 posts)to match some of your difficult driving experiences. We have about 7 major bridges connecting this geographical area and ALL are a nightmare to drive across during commute hours. They are only a smidgen less of a nightmare during the other daylight hours. Can you imagine, if we didn't have the ocean breezes blowing the smog toward the Central Valley (oh, those poor people), we might have the kind of air quality that people in Los Angeles enjoy. (Yeah, I'm a rotten person. haha)
Thanks for the chat Rhiannon! I enjoyed it. Stay safe and thanks for posting all those great videos.
Time for me to
Rhiannon12866
(206,718 posts)I used to still have family there, but the aunt and uncle I was closest to are now gone and my cousin, their daughter, is now in Connecticut. But I still go to the dentist there. When the dentist I'd seen since I got teeth retired, I intended to find a closer dentist since I had to take a day off of work - but my Dad talked me into seeing the dentist who took over his practice and he was right, she is very good - and she's "one of us," I often share DU with her...
Get some good rest! And I should too - tomorrow is my dog's semi-annual check up in Saratoga (where I grew up, only half the trip to Albany). *sigh*
Irish_Dem
(47,833 posts)Like Putin is threatening us with oil?
If China calls in the debt, U.S. interest rates and prices could rise, slowing U.S. economic growth.