Profiteering?

[Thumper]

The lines at the local gas station/convenience store are around the block now. My sister in law rushed right out to top off her tank saying as she went that gas was supposed to go to $5 a gallon.

Now, my sis-in-law is a bit loony and prone to exaggeration but there still were the lines of other people.

Just wondering why the oil companies feel the need to raise prices.

Preying on the fear of the public maybe? If so, I find this totally despicable. Entirely within character but still despicable.

I can just see them twisting their mustaches, wringing their hands and cackling maniacally.

Is there an explanation for this? If there is I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

[PacificBlue]

Gas is already .20 cents more a gallon than it was two days ago here, that's not a huge leap. No long lines though, every thing is pretty calm. Our Governor has done a good job of keeping people informed. I'm proud of him.

 

[Purple Haze]

Television executives have their work cut out for them, now they have to rename their "news" shows,.......oops they already did. Here comes the dramatic music and slow motion video, every architect and engineer will get a little interview time as they run out of new developments. The parade of "experts" is underway.

Brace yourselves for a barrage of heart-wrenching interviews of fatherless families, and we'll get a few educational spots on the inner workings of a 767. The "Today Show" has a couple of couches for sale.

I can hear the violins already,

Opportunity knocks.

 

[Gilly Bean]

From what I have heard, the reason behind the price raise in gas, is that with the WTC going down, all trade for oil/gasoline, has stopped. Nothing will be coming into the US for a few days, at least. The best thing they are doing to stop this, is all the gas stations, and cities that are closing down to prevent this.

People in charge are speculating that if gas stations remain open, then gas prices can rise up to as much as $5 a gallon in some of the bigger pricier area's. In my area, they were projecting it will go to $3 a gallon.

Our town closed off gas at 6pm.

 

[Barb Dwyer]

It is despicable, but it isn't much of a surprise. This tragedy has vast implications...

Of course the injured and the dead remain a top priority. Cleaning up the rubble is a must. Sifting through the mess to find clues and evidence of the crime is also of utmost importance.

But we do need to start thinking of some of the surefire repercussions. Already this attack has seriously damaged the financial world. Markets like the DAX, FTSE, Hang Seng and others are showing tremendous weakness.

The NYSE and NASDAQ will most likely remain closed for the rest of the week.

But we are already feeling the impact in the business world. My company, like so many others, shut down early and sent all the shocked, grieving and stunned workers home. This happened in every city across the nation.

We already know all air traffic was halted. This impacts not just businesspeople traveling to meetings or appointments but also the commerce involved. The Post Office, UPS and FedEx are all grounded. So no packages are sent. No goods are flown. No food or medical supplies- by air.

Ground transport can certainly pick up the slack but it will take so much longer for these things to reach their destinations.

News reports here do show that gas prices have already shot up tonight in response to the price of crude oil rising $3 a barrel today. So, of course, that means everything we purchase in stores will cost more. Don't kid yourself that stores won't pass along the costs to everyone as well.

If these people wanted to cripple an already shaky worldwide economy, they have certainly managed to do a good job.

I have often wondered in the past why they always just hit one target and sat back to admire their handiwork. It always seemed to me that it would be much more effective to attack multiple targets for the greatest impact. Today demonstrates that their organizational skills and strategy are much greater than we have given them credit for.

While it's true that they don't have a country or military, they do have a homebase. They do have soldiers in their 'war'. They do have patience and planning skills. They have success. They have victory. Let's make it a short-lived one.

It is up to all of us- and I mean that in the global sense- to keep our wits about us. Find strength to get through this. Investigate and find proof and then retaliate. We must demonstrate that the United States is not going to roll over and play dead. It is up to us all to prove that our name is accurate. United States.

That also includes industries and companies keeping a handle on costs for goods and services. That includes every single American pitching in to volunteer in one way or another- from praying, to donating blood, to sending money to relief agencies, to giving our time where it will do the most good.

It also requires the cooperation of our allies around the world.

So we don't have to worry about profiteers and gougers. And instead we can be proud of our fellow inhabitants of this big blue ball.