[Recovering Ex-hippie]

We need that "Oh, no not this S..t again" guy picture!

[oceanview]

they are preparing us for $5 gasoline.

[sgtbono2002]

Priming the pump for the rip-off to come.

[Dallas59]

It'll take me an hour to get to work...But I can drive 50.

[Puddleglum]

I blame Halliburton.

[Revolting cat!]

BUSH'S FRIENDS ARE LINING THEIR POCKETS. HALLIBURTON, FREE HEALTH CARE IN CUBA!

[Lazamataz]

It is amazing, but it seems that every single possible negative thing is happening all at once.

[sean327]

When are we gonna sack up and tell the envirowackos to go pack sand, and build more refineries!!!!!!

[rattrap]

Rita may be 'national disaster overfilling my wallet': oil CEO

[Cicero]

Could we maybe take away some of the most onerous government regulations, so maybe we could build a few more refineries in the United States? It's not healthy to rely on foreign refiners and to be running regularly at 100% of capacity.

Could we maybe even build a few refineries in California and in the Northwest, so we don't need to pipe and ship so much across country?

The environmentalists and bureaucrats are largely responsible for the problems they are now trying to blame on Bush. If we had a little extra capacity we wouldn't have to worry if a few refineries went down for a while for repairs.

[richmwill]

"Well over $3 a gallon"- I've been paying over $3 since about a week before Katrina hit! It hit a high of $3.41/gallon here right after Katrina, and even now it's at $3.02. So- ooohhhhh, over $3 a gallon. What a "threat" that is.

[B Knotts]

Trying to boost profits, I reckon.

[hgro]

One more reason to drill in Alaska. The enviros have been leading this country into a national disaster and building refineries in Illinois and Iowa.

[hgro]

One more reason to drill in Alaska. The enviros have been leading this country into a national disaster and building refineries in Illinois and Iowa.

[msnimje]

But is Bush and Rove are in charge of the Weather machine, how can it be NATURAL??

[SF Republican]

Dude, its okay, California has a bunch of platforms with wells already dug, ready to pump oil off of the Santa Barbara coast if the country is in dire straits. I am sure Mrs's Boxer and Pelosi would twist arms so they could get them pumping for the good of the country. Now, where did I put those mushrooms?

[Trust but Verify]

This sounds like a lot of CYA. There was a graphic posted that showed the track of Rita well to the south of most of the offshore oil rigs, etc. The loss of refining capacity, not the longer-term loss of production is where the biggest threat is. Somehow, and maybe this is just wishful thinking, I don't think it's going to be that bad.

It looks to me like the oil people have learned a thing or two about overheated rhetoric from the 'stuck on stupid' press mob.

[Petronski]

Yeah, like that crap Valero sells is actually gasoline. Riiiiiight.

[b4its2late]

Justifying the upcoming rounds of price gouging......

[RightWhale]

The BP manager at Prudhoe didn't mention Rita this morning. Whatever, we pay world OPEC market here in our town alongside the Alaska Pipeline.