A Preview Of Things To Come...?

Talk about being held hostage by the folks with the goods!

I know that many think something like this can never happen to us...but you know what? It could! In fact, in slower increments, it is happening as we speak!

Like it or not, this could happen as long as we continue to be reliant on fossil fuels to power our vehicles. something like this only shows that somehow we must find alternatives to powering our lifestyle, or else we all could wake up some day and find ourselves in the same boat!

High gas prices fuel anger in McGrath, Alaska

© 2010 The Associated Press
April 28, 2010, 1:11PM


ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Residents in the town of McGrath went to bed Friday with the price of gasoline at just under $6 a gallon.

When they drove to McGrath's lone pump the following day, the price was $9.20, prompting shock in the Kuskokwin River town 415 miles northwest of Anchorage.

"Outraged would probably be the best one-word description," said Kas Healy.

The spike follows a winter that nearly drained the city's unleaded fuel supply. Crowley Petroleum Distribution had to fly in a supply Friday, and a company official said the cost increase reflects the difference between flying the fuel and shipping it on a barge.

"When I get a bill from the company that flies in the fuel and it says what the price is, I at least have to pass that on or we're not going to be in business," said Bob Cox, vice president of sales.

The earliest Crowley would be able to send a barge is early June, so the high prices will likely stick for some time. The barge could also be delayed by the same shallow river levels that prevented it from delivering its final load of fuel last fall.

Angry residents have formed an anti-Crowley Facebook page and are trying to boycott the company.

"For people who basically are living at subsistence levels, I think it's criminal that this is not regulated," Healy said.

Mayor Dustin Parker said he hopes McGrath will find a way to fly in fuel at a lower cost.

"Yes, we expected a little bit of an increase for sure, around a dollar, but no one expected over $3 a gallon," Parker said.

I can't blame the supplier, really! After all, everyone is entitled to make a profit. However, it just seems to me that there is a hint of "profiteering" going on here.

I can only wonder if the folks in the town, or at least the leaders of the community, were given any notice of such a hike? One thing about it, being the only pump in town sort of gives you a captive market, don't you think?

I don't think I'll complain too much about the 25 cent increases locally for a while...but we all know it's not only possible, but probable this will happen in some form or fashion in the future!

And the Future, my friends, may be a lot closer than we think!

Now, let's have some fresh coffee on the patio. We'll try and NOT think about the next winter's cost of heating fuel, right?