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[apocalypsos]

There ... all signed up for NaNoWriMo. Well, that's one less thing I've got to do. (Except, you know, for the actual writing. ;))

Getting strangled at the gas pump -- Giving up healthy food and doctors because of the stupid gas prices? *sigh* You know, the gas prices are most of the reason my mother keeps trying to get me to get a job at the factory I used to work at that I left mostly because the place was making me physically ill on a regular basis. But, hey, it's only ten miles away, right? *eye roll*

Teacher clings to mother in life and death -- EWWWWWW.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go mail my resume to everybody on the planet. *headdesk*

Comments

[whitetower.livejournal.com]

Now, maths is not my strong point, but you guys are still getting away with much, MUCH lower fuel prices than most of the western world. The average price in California right now is 2.80 a gallon. (I just took CA as an average.) Convert that to litres and you're paying 70c/litre. In Australian money, that's 90c/litre. But here, we've already been paying between 1.10 and 1.40 a litre for the last six months.

So don't complain. :)

[drewbeartx.livejournal.com]

Actually, according to this governmental site, national gas prices are averaging $2.941 for regular grade and $2.924 for Texas, where I live. They update the stats every Monday, so you may be working off old information.

Also, I know that the US has much lower prices than most of the rest of the world, but we also have extensive oil deposits on hand in Texas, Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico. Of course, the Gulf supplies were badly disrupted by the hurricanes, which partially explains the recent spike.

I'm not trying to denigrate the situation in other parts of the world, but in inflation-adjusted dollars, this is rapidly becoming the worst oil crisis in American history. And it's worsening so quickly (tripled prices in 3 years), that people aren't prepared for it.

Finally, the majority of the population live in areas that require cars or trucks to do anything. Most of the Midwest and Southwest was urbanized after the advent of the car, and the cities are. Not. Built. for pedestrians.

In my town, the closest grocery store is a mile and a half away. The next closest one is 5 miles away. The post office is about 3.5, the closest high school is 4, etc. And I live in a fully developed section of the city, not on the edge.

Also, public transportation in the Midwest and Southwest tends to be shunned and therefore underfunded because the popular perception is that "it's just for poor people". Except for downtown areas, there aren't bus stops every block. You may see them every few miles instead.

Again, I'm not trying to denigrate the situation in Australia, just point out the fact that the US has and is going to contiue to have massive problems adjusting to the increased gas and heating oil prices, not all of which are the fault of the current administration or even the current generation.

[whitetower.livejournal.com]

this is rapidly becoming the worst oil crisis in American history. And it's worsening so quickly (tripled prices in 3 years), that people aren't prepared for it.

I'm not trying to denigrate your situation either, but the bottom line is - the same thing is happening here. Petrol prices dominate our news stories, there have been industrial strikes, threats of legal action against opportunists. Three weeks ago, our prices literally jumped up 40c a litre overnight.

Finally, the majority of the population live in areas that require cars or trucks to do anything. Most of the Midwest and Southwest was urbanized after the advent of the car, and the cities are. Not. Built. for pedestrians.


Ever been down here? It's exactly same, only toss in a larger urban percentage than you guys. 80% of us live in cities and towns (despite the popular Outback mythology) and our public transport system is a fucking shambles. Basically, we're in the same boat - except right now, even with adjusted prices, we are paying more than you are, with a weaker dollar and far fewer resources. You might be fucked, but we're fucked right alongside you.

[drewbeartx.livejournal.com]

I apologize. The US media tends to ignore any news from outside the country unless we're involved and I didn't realize that it was that bad in Australia as well.

[whitetower.livejournal.com]

Dude, you don't need to apologise. :) We're getting that way ourselves. Those Bali bombings the other? Our headlines were: TERROR IN BALI, THREE AUSSIES DEAD. And then every sub-heading after that had something to do with US and how WE were helping Indonesia and Indonesia was thanking US and AUSSIES were leaving the country in droves and AUSSIES were cancelling their flight plans, etc.

You teach us well! :)

[drewbeartx.livejournal.com]

Ack. That came out a lot more long-winded than I had intended. Sorry.

[whitetower.livejournal.com]

No worries, mate. :D

[elessar.livejournal.com]

I signed up for NaNo, too! :D :D

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

*dances around the room with you like a maniac*

But I want to start writing NOOOOOOOOOOW! :)

[elessar.livejournal.com]

ME TOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! *dances*

I still haven't got the slightest idea what I'm writing. But I have two long classes today and no desire to pay attention ^_^

[all-ephemera.livejournal.com]

I signed up too! I've never done it, I haven't done any serious writing since high school, I don't know what I'm writing, I don't think I'm much good and I'm terrified - but damn it, I signed up and I'll do it!!

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

Oh, you'll love it. It's stressful and crazy and you spend the entire month tearing your hair out and it's just generally a good time. :)

This year, I'm going to try not to do what I did last year when I stayed home by myself on Thanksgiving and pounded out ten thousand words in a day. *sigh*

[all-ephemera.livejournal.com]

I still keep thinking to myself that I'm insane to do this, but that's ok. I warned my boyfriend that I'll be bitchy and to keep me well-supplied with booze and cupcakes.

50,000 words, right? Oh my God, I'm doomed. *lol*

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, booze and cupcakes will help. I know I had my share of Smirnoff and chocolate last year. ;)

And yup, 50,000 words. It's not as bad as it seems, really. It averages out to a little less than two thousand words a day, and if you get bigger chunks done on the weekends -- which was my best trick last year -- it evens out nicely. It really helps that you can spend the rest of November figuring out the plot, making story notes and planning everything out.

[glitter-ninja.livejournal.com]

I signed up for NaNoWriMo again -- hope to make it past 600 words this time. :)

As for the quotes on the CNN page, well, some of these people are getting their just desserts if you ask me. The last one, where someone sold their 'dream home' because gas for their 4x4 and SUV was too expensive -- someone call the waaaahmbulance! They couldn't sell their gas hogs for a couple of Geo Metros and save that way?

[idadebeautreux.livejournal.com]

Ditto. And the people who are like, "Oh, we have to actually budget ourselves now" are idiots. The people who are REALLY screwed are folks like me: poor grad students already living on miniscule budgets, already walking to campus and taking the bus and have no chance of their stipend being raised to cope with the new stress and debt. :(

[anne-jumps.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I don't feel sorry for people who bought gas hogs -- especially the people who are very snotty about their SUVs (we have a lot of those in Atlanta).

[tinylegacies.livejournal.com]

PLEASE tell me you're writing the sequel to Something Biblical for NaNo :)