Daily Video #11 - Cheap Gas!!!

To the best of my recollection, this is the lowest price for gas locally since I moved here 4 years ago.

Daily Video #4 - Less than Two Bucks

This is a very short clip celebrating the price of gasoline dipping below $2 a gallon for the first time since who knows when!

This is at the GetGo in Logantowne Centre, Altoona, PA

Rationing in World War 2

Recently my mother, who is now 76, came across a couple of her World War 2 ration books that she had as a young child. I was fascinated to see these artifacts which are still in very good condition despite being more than 60 years old. I wanted to share these rare items with you.

During World War 2, American citizens at home were asked to conserve everything. The government found it necessary to ration food, gasoline, rubber, and many more commodities, even clothing.

In the spring of 1942, the Food Rationing Program was introduced with the goals of preventing public pique at shortages and to preclude people with more means from acquiring an unfair portion of scarce goods.

Rationing controlled the amount of commodities that persons could buy. Not all items required rationing, however. All meats, butter, fat, and oils, and most cheese were regulated with "Red Stamp" rationing. Each individual was allowed a number of points weekly. "Blue Stamp" rationing controlled the distribution of canned, bottled, and frozen fruits and vegetables, plus juices and dry beans; and such processed foods as soups, baby food and ketchup.

Rationing also employed a point system. But many Americans grew frustrated and confused trying to decide what coupons went with which items, how many points they needed to purchase them, and that some coupons did not require points at all.

Rationing also controlled the distribution of clothing, shoes, coffee, gasoline, tires, and fuel oil. With each new coupon book came new rules and deadlines. Rationing of gas and tires depended on the distance to a person's job. X stickers on cars permitted their owners unlimited supplies and were obviously highly prized.

An unintended and serious side effect of the rationing programs was the rise of a "black market" dealing in the illicit sale of rationed goods at inflated prices. Meat, sugar, and gasoline were the staples of the black market trade in the US.

In 1944, ration coins were introduced. These pressed cardboard coin-like tokens allowed vendors to make change on purchases made with ration stamps.

For more images of World War 2 rationing items, visit this site World War II Rationing.









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About Off-shore Oil Drilling

A Department of Energy report issued last year predicted that it would take two decades for drilling in restricted areas to have a noticeable effect on domestic production, and that, even then, “because oil prices are determined on the international market,” the impact on fuel costs would be “insignificant.”

John McCain noted just a few months ago that offshore resources “would take years to develop.” The Oklahoma oilman T. Boone Pickens has stated, “This is one emergency we can’t drill our way out of.” Pickens is a strong advocate of wind power.

The DOE estimates that there are eighteen billion barrels of technically recoverable oil in offshore areas of the continental United States that are now closed to drilling. This sounds like a lot, until you consider that oil is a globally traded commodity and that, at current rates of consumption, eighteen billion barrels would satisfy less than seven months of global demand.

Note: Estimating the amount of technically recoverable oil takes into account the industry's current state of technology for extracting oil, without accounting for the potential cost to accomplish this. An estimate of economically recoverable oil takes into account the quality and market value of oil, the costs of exploration and drilling, the financial costs of extracting and transporting the oil, and the financial rate of return expected at particular oil prices.

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100 Fuel Economy Tips from EcoModder.com

The spiraling cost of filling your tank busting your budget? EcoModder.com suggests more than a hundred ways to improve your fuel efficiency. Some examples ...

• Clean out your trunk
• Remove roof racks
• Check tire inflation
• Avoid drive-thrus
• Combine errands
• Close sunroof and windows
• Use cruise control appropriately

See more tips...
Hypermiling, Fuel Economy, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com

Outta Control

New local record high gasoline prices, $3.359 for 87 octane.

This thing is out of control. Last week oil company execs appearing before Congress tried to defend their record profits and their tax breaks.

The new GM electric car

GM seeks a green jolt with a green Volt - MSNBC.com

"General Motors already has five hybrid vehicles on the road, but it is banking its future on a radical departure onto the green road: By 2010, the automaker hopes to have a plug-in electric passenger car in customers’ driveways."

See my earlier post about the film Who Killed the Electric Car?

We have the technology ...

I just watched a powerful, important movie, Who Killed the Electric Car?, which I would vigorously recommend seeing.

At one time, General Motors, Ford, Honda, and Toyota were manufacturing and leasing all-electric plug-in cars, primarily in response to California's 1990 Zero-Emission Vehicle Mandate. This film tells the history of the electric car in America.

Somewhat in the manner of a murder mystery, this informative, entertaining, and easily watchable film investigates the inception and demise of the electric car almost entirely through interviews with people from the auto industry, the oil industry, environmental organizations, government, and owners of electric vehicles.

For more information about electric plug-in vehicles visit PlugInAmerica.com.

Dozens of Tips to Save Money on Gas

wikiHow offers a pretty comprehensive listing of ways you can reduce your fuel consumption and pay less at the pump.

Some simple, easy to implement tips include -

• Don't drive a car when you don't have to
• Avoid idling
• Get a better air filter
• Slow down and drive at a consistent speed
• Anticipate stop signs and lights
• Accelerate slowly from a stop

How to Save Money on Gas - wikiHow

Oil by the Numbers

FYI: In the past few days, the price of gasoline at the pump has risen approximately 4%. I read a news story this morning indicating the prices of crude oil for August delivery rose between 0.12% and 0.18%.

Interpret these numbers as you will.

Americans and Energy

A recent Gallup Poll showed energy as the fourth most-important priority for Americans , below Iraq, terrorism and national security, and the economy.

Americans prefer energy conservation over increased production, and a majority also favors tougher emissions standards and developing alternative energy sources.

I don't think anything clarifies the attitude of many Americans as much as the following statement --

"It's not that Americans don't want to be environmentally friendly, it's just that we don't have much of a choice," Cristian Crespo wrote. "As an SUV driver, telling me that my only alternative is a Toyota Prius or a Honda Civic is like telling me to eat beef jerky when I'm used to filet mignon."

Have we reached the energy tipping point? - CNN.com

Running Your Car on Water and Aluminum

Clean energy claim: Aluminum in car tanks - MSNBC.com

A Purdue University professor and engineer says he and students have invented a way to extract hydrogen "on demand" from water using an aluminum alloy.

The hydrogen would be generated in a tank (similar in size to a current gas tank) onbard the individual vehicle eliminating the need to transport or store the hydrogen.

"It's a simple matter to convert ordinary internal combustion engines to run on hydrogen," Woodall said. "All you have to do is replace the gasoline fuel injector with a hydrogen injector."

Basics about hydrogen

Gasoline use up 2.8% since early time change

By Barbara Hagenbaugh, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — In a bid to save energy, Congress moved up daylight-saving time by three weeks this year. But so far, the change appears to have backfired after Americans last month used record amounts of gasoline as they got out to enjoy the extra hour of sunshine.

Average daily gasoline demand for the three weeks after the time change rose 2.8% from the same period a year ago and was the highest ever for the period, according to the Energy Department.

Some observers say the surge is linked to the earlier start for daylight-saving time, which began March 11 instead of the customary first Sunday in April.

"Daylight-saving simply pushes us out of our houses," says Michael Downing, author of Spring Forward: The Annual Madness of Daylight Saving Time. Downing, a critic of daylight-saving time, argues that the extra hour of light at day's end leads people to drive to places, such as golf courses, parks and shopping malls, that they otherwise wouldn't.

"We simply know that when Americans go to the mall, they don't walk," he says.

Read More ...