This article describes what has been going on in Charlotte for a while now. You see gas stations that don’t display any prices and have plastic bags over their pumps because they have run out of gas. Wow. Apparently this area relies on refineries in the Golf of Mexico and they are still super slow from the two hurricanes. I’ve had friends tell me they had to wait in line for 2 hours to get gas after finally spotting a station with gas. Luckily my car takes diesel and they’ve had that at most of the normal stations (you don’t get it everywhere during normal times to begin with). So I filled the car up last night for 3.29$ a gallon. Not too bad I guess but daham, SCARY! Oh and just for fun, it would take me 1.5 hours to get to work by bus (17 by car)if I ran out of gas. Not to mention the walk along a big road together with sketchy looking shady people. Let’s hope they can catch up with demand again soon!
This article here in German talks about the chaos that supposedly happened yesterday after the congress voted against that big bail out plan for the banks. Well, my internet was still working and it felt just like any other day. It seems like people here have gotten very used to hearing bad news and are just kind of lethargic. And this is Charlotte, the second biggest finance city in the US. Now what with Wachovia being bought up, I’m not sure how we’ll be affected but there was nothing like the drama written in the Spiegel. Actually I am kind of curious how so many European politicians were talking about how they were alright and not badly affected and bla. I mean when did we learn that the entire world’s economy was connected? Uhm like yesterday or what?!
So anyway, I wish the government would give my company a bit of money, too, and it’s kind of upsetting that bad decisions would be rewarded with this bail out plan but in the end we’ll all have to bite the bullet and do something to get the money flowing again. So stupid congress people, who cares about the election at this point?! Just do the right thing and do something. Arg! Yes I’m annoyed and we’ll see where this all leads to…
4 Comments
Also von einer “Panik” kann hier auch nicht die Rede sein… alles geht seinen geregelten Gang, zumindest äußerlich. Internet und Handy taten es gestern bei mir auch noch.
Trotzdem: ich verfolge auch seit Tagen die Nachrichten und irgendwie ist es doch irgendwie krass, was im Moment hier abgeht.
es ist überall irgendwie alles seltsam und unglaublich geworden. hier gings ja auch ab wegen der klf bank, die am tag, an dem sie insolvent gingen mehrere millionen in die usa überwiesen haben. aber so sachen wie, daß tankstellen schließen müssen, weil sie kein benzin mehr haben, dann wird einem schon angst. wir bewegen uns alle auf echt ätzende zeiten zu.
Here in Sweden it’s a real scare! We all see our pensionfunds diminishing – -30% this year. Volvo (owned by Ford) is laying off thousends of people in Gothenburg, not to mention the effects on all the contractors that deliver to Volvo. Houseprises are diving and with the Volvo insecurety will possibly really crash… The future doesn’t look too bright!
You could always carpool :).
The bailout is disgusting pandering to a grip for power and gaining favour for a Presidential win, though it’ll end up just biting the eventual President in the butt.