I went out this morning to run some errands. When I went past the Shell station, gas was $2.64. As I went past again on my way home it was $3.09 a freakin gallon!!!!!

I realize there is no electricity to process the oil right now down south, but really? This soon?? The only good thing about it is that it will encourage more walking than driving.

My DD's boyfriend is a truck driver & is in Canada right now. He said gas is around $1.50 per liter. (A gal. is 3.89 liters.) So that's around $6.00 per gallon.

Just needed to vent. It's not like I really have anywhere to go.

It's crazy!!! Yesterday my in laws went to the hardware store to price supplies for thier home rennovations. The price had gone up three times yesterday and b/c they wanted to actually buy the stuff today instead of yesterday they were told to add probably 10% to the estimate. The price of lumber is going up as fast as gas. Of course we don't need lumber on a daily basis for the most part.

I am so glad I filled my car up yesterday!

Still I hope they are able to recover quickly and that the looting and stuff that is going on stops soon. I pray for all of those still trapped or stuck without basic needs. I hope there are no more deaths. I think about those mother's with tiny kids like I have wondering how they are making it. It's hard enough when you have all the perks, can you imagine doing without even basic stuff?

Yes, I hope those affected by the hurricane can recover quickly. I was watching news and I feel so bad for them. The people I saw on the news just look so terrorized and in shock. I can't imagine what they went thru.

What gets me is not the price increases, I know that is coming because of them being unable to manufacture products, gas, etc. What really irks me is people using the misfourtunes of others to further their own greed. Yes, I know prices would have to go up, but we know that right now, be it gasoline, building supplies, whatever - that inventory on hand was most likely bought at pre-hurricane cost.

There are always those human "vultures" swooping down on the unfortunate to wring as much profit out of a situation as they can. That's my real gripe.

Kitty you are right on the mark. I feel like those people raising the prices are just as bad as those people looting. All of us are in total support of those poor people and what they are going through and would gladly pay more later when it is necessary but the gas that is already in the tank was already there before Katrina!

I guess we should all feel blessed and grateful and thankful and we do. But the wealthy should not take advantage of the poor working bee here.

The stories coming out of the gulf region sure are heart wretching. Sure lifting prayers for those people.

The resident Southerner will say something. Lol. First, I am so shocked the gas prices are affecting y'all up north. That's insane! And I heard just now on the news that a couple of gas stations in South Georgia did end up running out of gas, not because the pipes were emptied but because of mass panic. They just didn't have enough of a daily supply to handle so many hundreds of people fighting (literally throwing punches) over gas. As far as ol' Auburn, I drove past one of our cheapest Mom & Pop chains and saw that yesterday morning the gas cost $2.49 for regular, which is pretty much normal for these past few days. And then by 7 p.m., the gas at that particular location increased to $2.79. According to the news, a gas station in South Georgia actoually raised the price to $5.00 for regular. That's ridiculous.

I don't think we're going to see the same kind of crisis that people are worrying about (something akin to the 70s). Yeah, prices are going to increase. Of course they're going to increase. But I don't think we're going to run out. People are just finding reason to panic, latching onto rumors, and creating even more mass hysteria.

As to the people who are in a worse situation than us, it is so devastating...and definitely a helpless feeling. My thoughts are always with those people who are in trouble. I have a dear friend in Mississippi who is currently without water and electricity and all their perishable food has long gone spoiled. According to the mayor of their town, they'll be lucky to be returned to normality by the 10th.

Hey ladies....well we just got word that there are stations running out of gas here. I wondered if that would happen being so close to New Orleans. It is just amazing. I guess I should go fill up while I can. I can't believe the way the prices are going straight through the roof. Although I guess we'll pay it before we run out of gas. This is just so awful.

*shakes head* It really is just terrible. Marcie, I take it that you're far enough north in LA that you weren't hurt too badly? And hopefully the entire state won't lose gas. According to the president (all personal comments withheld in light of politeness, lol), the emergency supplies should kick in to help out. But I do imagine LA and MS will be seeing the worst of it, though GA's problem is coming mostly from panic. As far as I know, over here in Auburn, AL, we're not losing stations, though Opelika's beginning to receive some refugees.

I just wish there were something I could do. They say not to offer goods, that people are in desperate need of money. If I had money, I'd give it. But I have goods. I have shoes that I don't wear any more, but that are definitely wearable and still pretty fashionable and in good condition. I have clothes that don't fit or that I don't particularly want any more. I have canned goods and nonperishables that I'm not eating because of their high POINTS values. I've got goods! I just wish I could give them to the people who are without their personal belongings and without food and water.