Wizard Needs Fuel Baddly

Final day, I was with this from the start. And I figured I’d give you a run down of what happened to me during my lost week.

Many of you noticed I went home. This in part, was the end of my story. If that was it, this is my epilogue.  

I drove home from Pennsylvania State College, to Hudson Massachusetts. Packed up all my stuff, put my gun under the seat bought about 100 dollars worth of gas just to fill up. This was about a week ago.

Halfway there across PA My car broke down…

It was a clear OMGWTF, OH crap moment, Stranded in the middle of no where. And I had my life in the car.

I would find out later that when I stopped to get gas prior before, The chemical had less crude oil and more aromatic chemicals then what it should have to be called ‘gas’. My fuel injector became clogged, carbon and stress hit the engine, and it just collapsed.

I was towed and taken to the nearest shop. The engine was fried.

I had 120 dollars on me. Cash. No car, and 200 miles away from home.

I went to my car, took out my hard drive in my computer. Took my backpack and added a few things; A book (Neil Gaiman’s Anansi Boys), some food (left over cans from home.), and water. I sold a few things to the locals. A LCD monitor, a year old printer, some school books, and my surroundsound speakers. I bought a water purification tablet set, some perishables, a tent, a world atless and some other little things here and there.

I went to the repair shop and asked them how much they would give me for my car. I felt lucky to get 600 for the 1998 Altima.

I took out my bike and I rode. 280 miles and it took me 4 days.

I didn’t sleep much at all, half in fear of robbers, half in shock of what I saw.

I rode and felt like this wasn’t the America I had driven by so many times before.

Gardens had sprung up where there were once green lawns trimmed to the inch. Filled with lush colors of red and yellow as food grew. 

Cars were parked, some had a visible sheet of dust on their windows, in some poor communities, they had been there long enough for people to write “Drive me” in the dust

At one point, I spotted a few putting a hose into a Toyota to a pump as they sucked the gas out of it.

I was invited to a neighborhood cook out, where everyone used the same grill to cook and share their meat.

You see the country life coping with little power and little resources, and the cramped city life dealing with the frustration.

It was one of the most eye opening things I’ve ever done.

It is one thing to read the news, it is another to experience it. To live it. My legs still ache from all that work.

I was given shit from my dad for selling the car like that. But my mom felt it was the right thing to do.   

So with no computer, this last message is being written from a friends house, it might be a bit til you get another one.

I’m not sure how I’ll get back for my last semester in college, nor how I’ll be able to make up that class online. I don’t know exactly what I’m doing at all now.

I told this to my friend josh, and he laughed.

“You’re in good company, because with the way things are, a lot of people are like that. We’re just hoping for the best, and praying not to have the worst.”

It made me smirk.

(OOC: my apologizes for this last week without an update Life took control. But to all the readers, thanks.

Note: I really didn’t want this to turn into a political argument against anyone.  I honestly didn’t, but it really came out that way. I’m frustrated and I really don’t want to make a ‘life blog’ turn into a political blog.

Bit of a double post. I wrote last week’s entry on a lappy when then the power went dead.  No power=no router= no interweb.  I’m on campus right now. The power is on here due to the campus wide generators, but very sparingly. It’s like those third world counties you read about. Only a few hours of civilization, then back to the dark ages.

We talked about the National Mass Transit Initiative in class today, its pros and cons.  What it means to the US, and the world and the future. Interesting stuff. We are in a true transitional period. A moment of great change in history, where suddenly life is different from one year ago in dramatic ways. It happened once, to a lesser degree, for 9/11. But this is different, this is a true lifestyle change.

And from there, the class spiraled WAY off topic, here is the jist of it:

As for the record profits of the oil companys, like it or not, that just makes sense. Demand is out of control, with many places, simply unable to keep up with availability. High demand means higher prices, higher prices mean more profits. Basic economics, and the fact that these oil companys are not a good will, or Chinese self profit companies, tell you that are after money when doing business. Under these circumstances, they are gonna charge what supply and demand tell them. With America dragging its chains in the form of oil barrels, with no other short term alternative there, it’s buy or don’t buy, either or, this product will sell due to its insane demand levels. When you have shortages and you are an international cartel (psh, Cartels are illegal under NAFTA), who is gonna stop you?

Strangely enough, the Iraq war does give us a little leverage in those OPEC meetings. Weee, half a trillion dollar war and countless lives so we can have a word with OPEC

We do have an “alternative” Someone brought this up, and the teacher looked it up right there in class. Read it outloud and we debated this.

Here is the ‘Transcript”

Many plans to eliminate fossil fuels depend on developing new energy technologies. But we don't have to wait for that, according to chemical engineer Reuel Shinnar of the City University of New York. He and Francesco Citro recently published a thirty-year plan to replace 70 percent of our fossil fuels, using only current technologies like storable solar power, safer nuclear plants, and methanol from crop waste.

Reuel Shinnar:
Because as a researcher, I have always believed that if you have to solve a problem, you have to use what you have. And to my surprise, I found we have it.

He says the switch would cost about 200 billion dollars a year. It's not pocket change, but it's less than half the current defense budget and doesn't factor in savings from reducing fossil fuel imports, pollution, and global warming.

Thirty years? This change over is going to take 30 years?! Still, at the cost the War in Iraq cost, or even a cut in defenses (remember, US spends more on defense then the just about everyone else combined.

If we have thirty years like this… it’ll bring in a dark age of man kind.

Even if we had enough oil to last another 30 years, no one is really even talking about this. The big wigs just believe this will blow over. Here is the hint. It is not. And as we all know from the social security crisis, putting the burden on the unborn does not work.  Something needs to be done, and the congress’ displaced minds, simply don’t care as we’ve seen.  They have more important things to worry about. What is a military budget going to do for you when you don’t even have fuel to move your ships. A million dollars to a mile to move those big things.

I digress, I guess

Anyway, on the bright side, I’ve started working out again. Serious this time. It’s an enjoyable diversion. No matter where I look and what I do, some new, depression piece of news arrives.

Come on world, give me something that makes me smile.

Didn't have a chance to post here yesterday, power went dead the whole day.

It is still dead in my apartment.  City hall made some suggestions. Unplug everything not in use. Get involved in car pools.

Oh, and my apartment complex, the ones who included 'free power! no utilities cost!" int here ads are receding it. Offering us 50 dollar off our already too high rent, and deciding to charge us for the power cost they were paying.

They say this is because they want us to have an incentive to reduce our power supply. To know in these trying times, we have to conserve and that if we do a good job, we’ll save money!

The actuality is that they are getting burned with power costs and want to pay it forward on us. Fricken bull crap. (edit: yes I edited out what That was before.). They have informed us that the apartment pool, would not be filled and put into use this summer,  and that during the day, most of the hallway lights would be turned off.

So now I want the mile and a half to get on campus to use a computer. It’ll be like this til next week when I start summer classes.

You never think it would happen like this.

The day the vast number of students got out of there last finals and gas prices hit 6 dollars. (oh! and on side note, 2 b's so far!)

The environmentalists protested. A big, group deal at the campus' old clock tower. It is illegal for any group to meet  after the last day of classes. The cops got involved and tried to break up the protest.

Very, bad, move.

This town hates the cops. Bless the men in blue for all that they are. They put their jobs on the line daily. But this is why we hate the cops in town, they make problems worse when trying to fix them.

Here, breaking up a 200 student march lead to chaos. We don't know exactly what happened. 3 were arrested, 5 were sent off for medical attention. Pepper stunk in the air for hours afterwards in what is a historical, symbolistic structure of our campus.

I missed this rally, but I caught the march. The event of the day brought an even bigger crowd, atleast 300 students, more then likely a lot more marching down in protest.

They walked a solid mile, their final point the local gas station that had put up the fences.

The protesters demand the barricades to be removed. You know, the one I mentioned yesterday They said it was insulting to be treated like criminals when they were paying customers.

Something happened. I was too far away.  A loud bang.

I ran, lost my camera and very nearly was trampled away under the fleeing crowd. I was maced or hit with a control bomb or something… I gagged got to the ground in a huddled corner, desperately clawing at my eyes and nose in a natural reaction to what was happening. Only after the feeling turned to fire did I realize I was making it worse. I dug down into a huddled mass and covered my face.  Focusing on the pain and nothing else. I somehow Not the screams, the bangs and yelling. An act of sheer iron will took me to my feet. I ran forward in what I hoped was the right direction. The air cleared and I was able to get out. If I had picked the wrong direction, I would have met head first with the baton and shield from the crowd control unit

I found later friend of mine wasn't so lucky. She has a broken leg and cracked ribs. We are thankfully she’ll be ok. But others... the local paper is reporting it as a ‘minor incident’. Like hell it is! My eyes are still red from the tear gas.

I came back yesterday. It was like something you see in the movies. Something akin to a disaster show. I had walked these streets hundreds of times. They were clean, shining, and wonderful. Now… smashed windows and stolen items. The whole street smelled like pepper. Little stains of red or yellow marked on the sidewalks. I couldn’t stomach any more.

About 60% of the student population has left town since that event.  I’m sticking around for another day or so. Then might go back home to Boston.

My dad is really advising for me not to go home.  People are getting carjacked out on those open roads. It is like something out of madmax. He told me to stay here, take another summer class and don’t worry about coming home. It isn’t worth the risk.

I miss my dad, I miss my mom. I miss siblings. I miss my family.

And that 400 mile track home is now like the Atlantic sea for the colonists. A journey filled with risk and worry.

What should I do?

It’s been a few days since I’ve lost posted? Why? Finals! Duh. I’m a college student first and an environmentalist second. If I don’t get this work done, then I’m going to be out on the street eating with the rocks and berries of the environment.

but while I was in my hibernation, I have just come out to a sea of chaos.



Terrible image, blame my camera phone and but they are putting up a barricade to this gas station. I was yelled off before I could get a image of the final product.

Too many run offs and this local gas has had enough. They are herding cars in like cattle back and forth. You don't pay and you'll stay in this lot til they call the cops and you'll get towed. Or so they threaten. This all just in time for the big college rush tomorrow with gas prices spiking dangerously close to 5 dollars.

I expect a riot today and am brining my real camera to scout out the area.

I was also given the go-head from my folks just to stay here in Central Pa for another week or two. Let gas prices drop and let things settle down. 

My dad, an ex-marine told me to get my self a weapon and stock up on some supplies. Just in case he told me.  I have enough cans and water to keep me going for atleast 3 weeks. (thank you innate ability to eat raw beef noodle products)

But a weapon? I've shot paintball guns and bb-rifles before. I know how to shoot and manage a weapon. I'm a blackbelt and I've trained in advance defense. But what does he think is going to happen? Zombies are going to come and try to pound on the door for my supplies?

Then again, it's finals week, that statement might not be that far removed.

The S word was in the paper today.

Shortages.

With finals just about over, people are a little ancy. about 40k students over the next week or so are potentially getting up, and moving somewhere else.

This means travel costs, lines at the pump, and people who want to get the hell out of here.

Never has gas been this high and has so many people tried to go at once.

This is coming from a town with a long standing history of riots and bad behavior... Last year's big homecoming game I need not remind you. We're fined 5 dollars for everyone that owned a student football ticket last semester because of it.

I already read about a fist fight last week at a pump when someone took someone else's pump right out from under another's car, and started filling their car up! A local gas radio station had a promotion going. Gas for 99.3 cents less (the station's mhz id). Within 3 hours, the gas station was completely dry. Utter madness.

An old economics/political science teach once told the class of a piece of semi-economical science called 'the Big Mac index' A notion of purchasing-power and economy indicators. It is not set by major economists or political fat cats, it's set by Mc'D and a local office. A piece of bread, meat, and veggies that is a better indication for the economy then any 20 page report.

My burger today cost me 3.63 flat, and an extra dollar for the soda (I skipped the fries). It was close to 3.10 last week.

Absolute madness.

In other news, I have my finals this and next week.  Wish me luck folks! Sure as hell need to do good, less I’ve been told I’m walking home.

Edit: and oh, slight chance I might just stay on campus for the summer.

I walked to class today. I wasn’t alone.

It could have something to do with the 70 degrees of perfection we are experiencing outside, but the sidewalks were packed with smiling college faces.

My International business teacher touched on the topic today, this whole, gas debate. With nations bidding left and right oil contracts are made and set. Meanwhile, little nations with absolutely no buying power are effectively shut out. She asked us to share our thoughts on this. Some students said it was the market system playing out, others said that it was immoral how an oligopoly like system could rule the world’s oil.

The teacher playfully posed us the question then. What would happen if they go up to 5 dollars and the bigger counties started competing against one another?

No one had an answer.

After nearly being run over by a biker, I peaked at the campus external parking lot, where all the off-campus students parked. You could actually find a few open spots in the first few rows today, a rarity at the hour I went. As a whole, the lot looked a little thinner.

I’ll bring my camera tomorrow and take a few shots. Teach said she’d give us a little extra credit if she said we could bring in something that shows the effects of an increasing oil costs.

It is more of a little stupid thing. I drove up to the local gas and gulp place. You know, the kind that has gas and a nice little computer order system to get semi-acceptible food. I get my self a little ham and cheese. I'm munching on the thing as I go outside, start pumping the gas. I generally just get my ten gallons and go. About 20-25 bucks later I fill up my tank and lasts me for about 2 weeks given how little I drive.

Today was a little different.

I peak at the cost and nearly dropped my debit car.

$42.23? Are you serious?

Ok ok so it was more like 10.25 gallons, but what the heck!(or hell, can I say hell on a live journal?)

Well this is going to make going home a pain in the ass after finals next week... Gas hit over 4 dollars a gallon? I'm a broke college student. I'm hoping this is just one of those short term spikes. You know, like what happened back during those hurricanes.  Next week it'll be down to 2 dollars-ish, I hope. Well it better be! My worry is my little computer repair business, which I get paid a flat rate on, is going to start taking a hit in profits due to these gas prices.

Can you imagine if it isn't? 40,000 students, 10 gas stations, everyone trying to get home at once and they have to pay these prices? What about all the parents and friends coming into town for graduation? We are out in the middle of nowhere PA, a good 3 hours from either of the major cities on either side. Even with a flux of a dime and you start to notice prices change around a bit.

Given how I have a sparkling 18 dollars in my bank account now and campus is only about a mile away, I'll walk in to campus tomorrow. Grab a bite at the local sub shop I haven't visited in since last fall.

Edit: Oh, and I can't get this bloody sound out of my head..