We were on our way to church last night and noticed a lengthy line at the corner station for gas at $2.99 per gallon. Further down the road, we noticed a longer line at a station offering gas at $3.09. Somewhere around two hours later we came back by the same stations, and the higher-priced one was up to $3.19, with a slightly longer line. The cheaper station was still at $2.99, but the line had nearly doubled. Insane.
Apparently it's common in the Charlotte area to hang something white out your window if your car is on the side of the road for one reason or another. I would assume that the car I saw today (complete with mostly white gym sock in place) ran out of gas, but that's just an assumption.
It could have been anything. Does anyone know the significance of something white (either in Charlotte or elsewhere)? I mean if it's important, I'm thinking that I ought to make sure I have something white in the car at all times. Just in case.
Americans love their cars. I don't know about too many other cities, but this is especially true in Charlotte. Charlotte has buses, and we're even building a multi-billion dollar light rail system that no one will ride. This is so we can be World Class, because that's important or something. But we still have our cars, and they still need gas to go.
As you may have surmised, I had to fill up today. I was hoping to avoid it, but the little light had been on for at least 20 miles and the needle was at the bottom of the gauge too. It simply had nowhere to go. It was so close I took a half can of lawnmower gas that is who knows how old with me, just in case. So I risked it, especially since my wife said that the lines weren't that bad. Once I got out there, I found out why.
As reports continue to flood in (pardon the pun), it looks more and more to me like the catastrophe that is New Orleans isn't going to get better anytime soon. While on the road this morning, I heard a report that gunfire was reported in the city, which isn't new information. What was new is that it apparently was focused at rescue helicopters. That makes no sense. Obviously the only hope some of these people have is that the bullets will run out before their lives have ended.
But even so, how can a city go on what is essentially a massive forced lunch break for such a long period of time? Engineers report that the saturated levees are now even more likely to suffer failures than they were before. And they can't get the water out that's in there now! Apparently the pumps that clear the water are barely running, and can't make any headway. The problem is that other pumps that could help need electricity to run. But because 80% or so of the city is now underwater, I don't see electriticy getting to them anytime soon. Sounds like they're in a bit of a pickle.
This isn't meant to make light of the situation - I'm just wondering at what point it happens that New Orleans as a city will have to be written off and rebuilt more inland (if at all). Even if the water should be cleared and the roads, plumbing and power be rebuilt, how many companies that were there are going to be able to recover, because they had a forcibly-imposed 3-month sabbatical? It seems to me that any of those companies that can will be moving their operations elsewhere - so why on earth would they want to move them back just as they get going again?
And perhaps most importantly, will we see Kurt Russell come back to the role of Snake Plissken for part 3 of the Escape series?
I was just handed a note from our older son, who is in the 5th grade in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). This form lists 3 measures that will take effect starting tomorrow, September 2, in order to conserve fuel.
The first measure is that all field trips will be canceled until further notice. The third is that middle school athletic programs are suspended. Both are clear enough. I'm puzzled about number two, however. Perhaps you can help.
