Gas Has Gone Way Up (Knoxville, Columbia: to move, eat, cheapest)

[jsherman9901]

Originally Posted by mrradio

The larger issue really is the Federal Reserve's recent actions in providing emergency funding to Wall Street and dumping boatloads of dollars to help float the economy. This is only adding to the dollar's woes.

And now the Bush administration wants to give the Fed even *broader* powers than it has already. YIKES!!!! I believe the Fed is responsible for the mess we are in-- helping to cause the artificial housing "bubble" which inflated then deflated our economy, as well as being directly responsible for the falling value of the dollar and the increase in oil prices.

[mrradio]

The government is now complaining that overly zealous lending is the cause of this present crisis and that, along with many other contributing forces, is true. However, the government in the first instance also mandated lenders to lend, threatening them with charges of "redlining", i.e., not giving loans to certain areas deemed undesireable, if they didn't lend. Greed, of course, propelled the disaster to even higher levels; there's plenty of blame all the way around.

We have come to the point where owning a house is considered to be the primary goal in housing, and thus is one cause of our difficulties. Renting is just as worthy a concept and we would have been better served had everyone recognized its value instead of solely promoting house ownership. A town in which I formerly lived simply didn't permit apartments so here we have another governmental pressure toward private, single-family homes.

"Homeless" is not the same as not owning a house.

[mrradio]

One final comment on the gasoline situation: the use of ethanol to meet perceived environmental goals REDUCES the mileage per gallon of gasoline. Gasoline contains a great deal of energy per pound, on the order of 20,400 btu/lb while ethanol contains only 12,800 btu/lb.

When that sign on the gasoline pump says "May contain up to 10% ethanol", remember that you're essentially buying diluted gasoline; your car will go further on pure gasoline. A gallon of gasoline with ethanol bought today does not have the same energy as a gallon of gasoline bought 30 years ago, even without the lead additives commonly found then. The one today has around 4% less energy per gallon so you need more of it to go the same distance.

Fuel efficiency in newer cars has recovered this loss but people are driving more. Nevertheless, you are not buying what you bought years ago.

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by LauraC

For the first time since I have been living in TN, I paid over $3 for gas. Yesterday, I paid $3.06 and saw gas going for $3.11 further east of me. The time before that, I paid $2.99 a the pumps so this was a pretty big jump. Just don't want visitors to be shocked after telling them how cheap gas was here.

Just a friendly reminder to keep this thread on topic. I have quoted the original post above. Feel free to debate the politics behind gas prices, alternative fuels, etc. on other threads in the appropriate forum(s). Thanks.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by mrradio

One final comment on the gasoline situation: the use of ethanol to meet perceived environmental goals REDUCES the mileage per gallon of gasoline. Gasoline contains a great deal of energy per pound, on the order of 20,400 btu/lb while ethanol contains only 12,800 btu/lb.

When that sign on the gasoline pump says "May contain up to 10% ethanol", remember that you're essentially buying diluted gasoline; your car will go further on pure gasoline. A gallon of gasoline with ethanol bought today does not have the same energy as a gallon of gasoline bought 30 years ago, even without the lead additives commonly found then. The one today has around 4% less energy per gallon so you need more of it to go the same distance.

Fuel efficiency in newer cars has recovered this loss but people are driving more. Nevertheless, you are not buying what you bought years ago.

I buy TENNESSEE gas that does not have ethanol in it. I refuse to pay more for less. My car goes right through that gas.

It is possible to find gas that does not have ethanol in TENNESSEE!

Ingle's Markets and Shell are too stations that come to mind.

[TeeJayMaJay]

This gas price is getting too much, I agree! We (down here near Daytona Beach FL) are now at $3.30-$3.50 for the lowest - each level goes up 0.10. So forget premium. MY GOSH! I teach private music lessons in homes here and I may have to double my price just to pay the gas to get to the students! This is absurd! EEkk!

[Eat]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I buy TENNESSEE gas that does not have ethanol in it. I refuse to pay more for less. My car goes right through that gas.

It is possible to find gas that does not have ethanol in TENNESSEE!

Ingle's Markets and Shell are too stations that come to mind.

My wife occasionally gets her gas at Shell. She said they have recently put ethanol stickers on the pumps at the Shells she patronizes. It may not be at all Shell stations, though. I don't think I have ever seen an Ingles gas station.

[gemkeeper]

Originally Posted by Eat

My wife occasionally gets her gas at Shell. She said they have recently put ethanol stickers on the pumps at the Shells she patronizes. It may not be at all Shell stations, though. I don't think I have ever seen an Ingles gas station.

If our local Ingles is any example, they will have ethanol in their gas and not put the sticker up until "the man" comes and makes them do it!

[hiknapster]

Interesting observations, gemkeeper and Eat.

I haven't filled up at Shell in several months. I've been going to Ingle's because I spend horrendous amounts of money there and always qualify for their 10 cents off program.

The Ingles at Powell has fairly new pumps, so who knows. I do know that I can go to Pilot and be back for a fill-up in several days, or I can go to Ingle's and not have to go back for about a week-and-a-half.

[marmac]

$3.17 when I filled yesterday in central Minnesota along I-94

Diesel was at $3.89 ( the gap seems to be widening)

I have sympathy for independent truckers.