Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Help!!! Mommy, Daddy, Send Gas..... Asap!!!


Finding gas in Charlotte NC is like digging for gold after the gold rush ended. For individuals that are finding gas, they are finding long lines ahead of them. There were reports of trouble at the pumps, as drivers witnessed fights break out at local stations. Drivers across the American Southeast are dealing with the frustration of gas hunting due to a pipeline not producing at 100% capacity. Colonial Pipeline which delivers gasoline and other fuel from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama to major cities in the Southeast including Charlotte is the pipeline in question. North Carolina Governor Michael Easley has told Carolinians to conserve gasoline by carpooling and eliminating unnecessary trips. According to AAA, gas was averaging $3.98 a gallon in Charlotte as of Monday. Asheville NC still has some of the highest gas prices in the Carolinas, averaging $4.13 a gallon. With all that being said, I keep asking myself the same question. How did America elect an oil man President and we keep running out of oil?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

COME ON SOMEBODY!!!!

How'd we elect an oil man as president but we keep running outta gas!!!

For the TWO gas stations that have gas in Atlanta it's $4.29 a gallon, with regular only. Moreover, I think it's quite interesting that all the stations where white folk regularly fill up are empty, these three or four stations over here in West End around the AUC haven't run out of gas YET!

This shows me that a) black folks really haven't been all that affected by this damn recession. Times was hard five years ago, ten years ago, and 20 years ago! We didn't have the money in the first place to be running to the gas station and fill up our three cars. We were gonna put in $10 regardless if gas was $2.50/gal or if it was $5 bucks a gallon.

Real talk, not ONE single person I know has said they can't pay they mortgage and the majority of people at my school are older people--aint no one been affected except by gas. I'm almost convinced that if gas went down to like $2 a gallon, a normal inflation price, things would be a lil bit better.

Citizen Ojo said...

Very interesting observation from the "Black Side" of Economics.. but I keep hearing about black folks in Atlanta looking for gas. Can I assume that they are on the "white" side of town??? Either you know a)very wealthy people or b)those black folks are lying. No problems with their mortgages? Black folks in Ohio and Michigan are catching hell. What is really going on in Atlanta?

Anonymous said...

This is true, black folks in Detroit and Cleveland and Cincinatti are catching hell from the housing market. But I will say this, those cities were on a decline anyway, this national recession was merely pouring salt in an open wound.

I mean, just ask the people of Flint, Michigan. It's been bad since the last plant closed down there and that was back in 80's! I can only imagine what the problem is now.

Well, again, of the four stations that I see on a regular basis on this side of town in Negro-ville, Atlanta, they have yet to run dry. Now, I don't know what the case is in the collar counties and the suburbs where there are other heavy pockets of black folk like in DeKalb county or Clayton County, but here in the West End--the gas stations are open for bi'ness!

uglyblackjohn said...

The interesting thing here in Beaumont, TX is that many Blacks work at refineries (100k yr + and only with a high school education) and still live in the homes that their grandparents left them.
The economy is one based more on production and services and not speculation.
IMO - the whole situation is just an overdue market correction.

Citizen Ojo said...

100k yr + and only with a high school education??? How is the cost of living in Beaumont?? It seems as if working for or around oil is the way to go. Anytime someone mentions an electric car oil men have mild strokes...

uglyblackjohn said...

The economy is strong here. Although most people just spend the money and few actually build assets.
I couldn't do the refinery thing. The money was fine but as I said, many only have a high school education and a small time hustle mentality.
I just stayed retired and try to teach kids to be more than the limits their parents (here) tend to put on them. (I hear, "That's good for a Black person" way too often.)
Part-time workers at the refineries make $18 an hour with lots of overtime. The refineries are in the hood. I'm still wondering why the hood exists in this area.

Citizen Ojo said...

I take it the money from the oil refinery doesn't make it's way back into the hood.. ie beautification, grocery stores with quality products (fresh produce.. etc).