8 JUL 08: FOUR-EVER AMBER

No no no - it's not supposed to work this way! The big Independence Day weekend is over, and now gas prices go UP?!?! You know, maybe the convenience store operators are more patriotic than I realized....

Columbus gas stations made history Monday, as most of them succumbed to the pressure and hiked their prices above four dollars a gallon. Truly times have changed for drivers. What used to be "four on the floor" is now four in the tank.

The price of regular unleaded at a Circle K store in my neighborhood went up 12 cents, to $4.03. That extra three cents puzzles me a bit -- because I thought only two cents of local sales tax were disappearing this year.

I walked (no, I didn't drive) to that Circle K for a snack, and told the cashier I was disappointed with the gas price breaking the four-dollar barrier. The woman talked as if she never knew it happened. She's keeping her cool, by facing the fountain drink spigots all day.

And to think that in the last few days, the Chevron station at 13^th and Veterans Parkway actually lowered its price. After jumping to $4.10 a gallon less than two weeks ago [29 Jun], it had dropped to $3.97. I could praise this station for being a pioneer - but that would be a bit like praising the first person to buy Enron stock.

Many years ago, I started using credit cards which offer rebates for discounted or free gasoline. For several years, this was a good deal - although one of my cards is from Exxon, and I have to drive to Opelika for the lower-priced gas. Hypermiling was easier, before Smiths Station added those traffic lights.

But it's getting to the point where the oil company rebates don't do much good. Unless there's a special promotion, the "cash back" is one or two percent. And I guess I'm a little weird these days - because I chose NOT to charge the limit on a shopping spree, when my credit line reached $23,000.

In fact, some of my Exxon rebates have been expiring before I can use them. But with gas at four dollars a gallon, a round-trip to Opelika can burn up to eight dollars' worth of gas. So I'd like to apologize to the Tigertown Kroger store, for not using all those coupons it's mailing me....

So high gas prices have me approaching the point where the oil company credit cards may no longer be worth it. I'm not sure what kind of cards I'd use instead. I could try an airline card - but by the time I earn enough frequent flier miles for a round-trip flight, they might only cover checking two suitcases.

It's curious that Columbus gas prices went up on a day when oil futures markets had a big drop - below 140 dollars a barrel. Maybe more convenience stores need Internet connections, so they can respond the right way more rapidly.

With the Georgia primary only seven days off, Is anyone bothering to ask the candidates what they would do about high gas prices? Well, maybe we can avoid asking the candidates for Muscogee County Coroner. The "gas" they tend to use is probably a little different.

The evening newscasts are offering all sorts of helpful ideas for saving on your gas bill....

+ Putting advertising on the side of your car. But you have to drive 1,000 miles a month -- so this sound like an idea from a tire store.

+ Car-pooling. This is a better idea than it was years ago -- now that people can put on iPods, to avoid the lousy music other drivers like.

+ Four-day work weeks. Plenty of governmental bodies across the area are trying this during July. But wait until people find out the Europeans thought of it first.

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BLOG UPDATE: Just when it seemed Hurtsboro had calmed down, its police chief was arrested. WXTX "News at Ten" reported Monday night Marvin Christian is charged in Union Springs with kidnapping. How IS that search for a full-time chief going - the one which was announced back in February?

Your blog was first to reveal Marvin Christian's personal police record, including a series of six speeding convictions [14 Jan]. It also included a July 2007 menacing charge, which was dropped after a month. Perhaps the Union Springs Police decided to wish Christian a happy anniversary....

Marvin Christian posted bond to leave jail - but this will not help the people who want Hurtsboro to remain a city. A public hearing on dissolving the town is planned later this month. If last winter is any indication, the Hurtsboro police chief could outlast Hurtsboro itself.

E-MAIL UPDATE: One week to go - and around here, the primary pressure mounts....

Hello Richard,

I was just reading on your blog about Senator Harbison's ethical problems. As I recall, the Ledger-Enquirer endorsed him during the last election even after hearing about the ethical violations. The Ledger-Enquirer also stated that if Senator Harbison did not address the allegations quickly, they would lead the call for him to step down. Well, it has been two years and we still have not heard from either Senator Harbison or the Ledger-Enquirer. He will not have to step down if he's NOT elected.

Kindest Regards,

Herman Andrews Jr.

Ohhhh - so you mean I'm supposed to pay attention to the Ledger-Enquirer's political endorsements?

There still are seven days for the newspaper to take a stand in the District 15 Senate race. And since the Ledger-Enquirer endorsed the LOST question Sunday, we know it still has enough staff members for an editorial board.

But really now - how many people have you met who base their votes in an election on a newspaper? After all, Rush Limbaugh's pleading didn't stop Bill Clinton from winning two Presidential elections.

This e-mail reached us on the opening day of advance voting in Columbus. Nancy Boren of the Muscogee County Election Board told WRBL she expects a bigger turnout for the state primary than for the Presidential primary in February. But it appears all the Democrats running for U.S. Senate can't afford the gas to drive to Columbus and campaign.

But anyway: State Senator Ed Harbison had the floor to himself for a couple of minutes Monday on WRBL. The station is letting primary candidates give short speeches during the afternoon news, without any reporters asking questions. Apparently they learned a lesson from asking Paul Olson one simple question about the sales tax issue.

Ed Harbison offered several reasons why you should re-elect him....

+ He's committed to "hard work and honesty." You've seen how hard he's worked to avoid paying that state ethics fine.

+ He supports smaller school class sizes. Georgia has gone back and forth on class size for decades - and now they may have to become smaller, due to child obesity.

+ He has a bill to ensure parking for disabled veterans. But aren't spaces reserved now for ALL disabled people?! Will drivers have to wear official American Legion hats, to get extra-special spots?

We've also heard yet again from Josh McKoon, concerning Ed Harbison - but we decided for variety to let someone else do the finger-pointing today. While we let McKoon's latest e-mail sit for rest and research, we'll check other Monday headlines:

+ The Chattahoochee County Public Library was kept closed an extra day, because of a septic tank backup. We're told the mess was confined to the bathroom - so none of it contaminated those filthy paperback romance novels.

+ Popular Mechanics magazine announced its next issue will honor Weston resident Donald Shaver. Shaver invented an automatic can shaker - the perfect gift for pulling a practical joke on your buddies, the next time you bring beer to a party.

+ Atlanta's baseball team recalled outfielder Jeff Francoeur from its AA farm team in Mississippi. Francoeur spent a grand total of three games in the minor leagues - making the Columbus Catfish look like long-term tenants at Golden Park.

(Meanwhile, ESPN's baseball "insider" declared Atlanta first baseman Mark Teixeira could be traded in the next few days. It would be sad if this happened - but then again, maybe the team would get some players with easy last names to spell.)

+ Instant Message to WLGA TV-66: You're kidding, right? I mean, your last casting call for "America's Next Top Model" was at Peachtree Mall - and later this month, it will be at Zoo City USA? The Miss Georgia pageant sends contestants to bowling centers, but it would never hold a swimsuit competition there.

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BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 762 (+ 16, 2.1%)

The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author -- not necessarily those of anyone else in Columbus living or dead, and perhaps not even you.

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