Being Rich must be cool

Yes, being "Rich" is cool. I thought I'd beat Mr. Pepper to it.

$1.09. That’s how much gas is right now (give or take a few cents) per litre. I knew it would happen, but it still made me angry to see it. And they did it in true big oil style. Whenever I start worrying that the gas is going to increase, let’s say for example from 80 cents to 90 cents, it starts at 80 then it inches it’s way up to 85 then up to 87, 88… BAM! 99 cents. Then it goes down to 90 cents and everyone says “Phew! At least it’s not at 99 cents! C’mon! Let’s go buy gas while it’s down!” When in reality, gas was only up that much to make it appear that gas prices are going up and down, when really they are only making a steady increase.

What are we to do? I was pleased to find that when the “war” against Iraq started up that people weren’t buying into the gas companies excuse that gas prices were rising because of the war. We all knew. We all knew that it was a lie, but what could we do about it? Imagine turning on the TV one day and there is the head executives of several big oil companies, and one of them picks up a sheet of paper and reads “Dear Consumers, we’d just like to say that we’re making 800% profits. Thank you very much, you poor bastards.” and then he proceeded to club a baby seal to death. They might as well do this, because it wouldn’t make any difference. We know what is happening but we are all too apathetic and helpless to do anything about it!

“Buy a Hybrid or an electric car, or at least sell your car and get a more fuel efficient one.” You first! What difference will it make if one person cuts their fuel consumption by let’s say 25%? Will it even make a ‘blip’ on the gas company’s radar? Well the obvious answer is: “No, but if everyone was doing it, it would!” Well, everyone is never going to do it! Everyone as a whole, whether you are the consumer or the big oil company, needs incentive to do the right thing. If Hybrid cars suddenly became the cheapest cars on the market and the government continued to give tax refunds to people who bought hybrid cars (note: this past year the Government of Canada was giving people $2000 refunds for buying Hybrid cars) then more and more people would buy them. If I could afford to buy a car that was better on gas, I would.

As a side bar: Did you know that the Japanese are developing an electric car… With Balls! It’s an 8 wheeled car called the Eliica. It’s said to be able to reach up to 400 kph and accelerates 0-100 k in 4.0 seconds. Unfortunately it goes right now for around $320,000 U.S. Anyway, it’s progress. Now back to my rant…

“Walk.” Sure! Meanwhile, I have to go to bed earlier and get up in the morning earlier to get to work on time if I’m going to walk. The “walk” argument is a hard one to argue with because it does have rewards. It saves money and it’s good for you. But does that really make my complaints about fuel being too expensive void? I do walk sometimes to the video store and I’ve walked to Maltese. I guess I could walk more, but then why do I even have a car?

Here’s my idea. Cover your license plate with some paper or something and wear a ski mask to the gas station. Fill up your car. Calculate what 60% of the price is and leave that much in an envelope taped to the pump.

As a fuel consumer, I actually have it pretty good. My commute to work is about 3-4 minutes and I take minor excursions around Thunder Bay. I still have to fill up my car with gas every two weeks, which costed around $95 per month before the most recent gas price hike. With prices going up even more, winter coming along before you know it, which means I’ll be running my car heater and walking even less how am I going to afford gas for my car? Plus I will no longer be working full-time, as I’ll be going to school! So gas for my car is going to be $100+ per month, my rent and utilities are going to be harder to pay, groceries, there's my expensive crystal figurine collecting hobby (j/k), clothes and just to give me an extra kick in the balls, Lakehead has increased the price of parking passes quite significantly. Way to go, Dipshits. Because life as a student isn’t hard enough. One of the great things you have to offer students: cheaper parking compared to other schools, and you take that away. I come here, why? Oh, that’s right, because I happen to live in Thunder Bay. If you’re going to take all kinds of money away from me, the least you could do is have wireless internet on campus! Why don’t you figure out better ways of making more money (i.e. more students enrolled) than just taking it out on the students who come here? Things like having a clean campus, offer wireless internet, operate offices that work together and aren’t poison to each other. Why give students more incentive to go elsewhere?

That said; I actually like going to Lakehead. I like that it’s a small campus, I feel like I am getting a good education and am learning some very worthwhile things… Except for Stats, which I’m not learning so well in. But I’m angered that everywhere I turn, someone is trying to take my money and when I finally commit to giving someone some of my money they demand I give them more. Maybe this is why it’s so easy to ignore the bleeding hearts that tell me not to shop at big box stores like Wal-Mart. Why would I shop somewhere else? So I can pay more, meanwhile it won’t make any difference. Wal-Mart will keep on growing, the store I’m supporting will either have to uproot or raise their prices and take more of my money. My money can only be stretched so thin.

Question of the Day (2 Points, for Women ONLY): Which NHL Hockey Team recently signed John Leclair?