Vote Socialism, Freeze in the Dark.

Got a little message from our utility company the other day, the people whom we rely on for our gas heat and stove and water heater and electricity. 

All the years I've lived here, through times of pricey fuel and reasonable fuel, I've never seen a message like this. So let's ask: Can you explain the high prices in more detail? 

The rising cost of natural gas supplies has increased customers’ natural gas and electric winter bills for Orange & Rockland (O&R) and the rest of New York State’s electric and gas utility companies.

The cost of natural gas has been driven upward as:

Demand for the commodity has risen,

Exports have increased, and

Supply is limited. 

These and other factors have caused a decline in the amount of natural gas in storage in the United States.

So, I looked to the Web to ask, Why could exports have been increased? Why is supply so limited? And the first hundred hits were all of the Don't Blame Us CYA variety of government data spewers and their flunkies in the press, along with environmental groups that are dancing in the cold for the high price of natural gas and petroleum. So I checked some of the sites of people actually in the business of natural gas production and sales, like Shell. I was surprised but not shocked to see that China is the world's largest importer of liquefied natural gas, which means that once again China's activity is helping ruin things for the rest of us. The United States leads the world in LNG exports, but it seems like we could use some of that stuff closer to home right now. I'd rather we had more fuel of our own and less cheap crap available in Walmart.

Then there's the problem of Europe getting its gas cut off by Russia because of the sanctions imposed over the invasion of Ukraine. "Europe demand for LNG sets off global competition for supplies," says the International Energy Agency, and that "Russia’s continued curtailment of natural gas flows to Europe has pushed international prices to painful new highs". Gee, didn't someone give Russia a kind of backhand green light to invade Ukraine? I seem to recall something like that.

Of course, European leaders who have been bragging about dropping nuclear energy and going to solar and wind while really running everything on Russian natural gas are in for a colder winter than we are. How much does woodfire contribute to global warming? 

So long, Black Forest; nice knowin' ya. 

Speaking of which, New York closed its Indian Point nuclear power plant last year -- seems like we could have used some of that nice, clean, cheap nuclear-generated electricity this winter. Thanks, Governor Cuomo! Another win for you!

 

We could have been drilling for more natural gas, I suppose, but we're not supposed to do that anymore. Some folks like to say, "We can't drill our way to lower gas prices." And yet we're told that our high prices now are due to low supply. Gosh, doesn't that mean... help me out here... that if we made more supply by drilling... gas would cost... could it be?... LESS? Man, math is hard.

So, since O&R can't get more fuel, its only answer for us is "managing usage." In other words, freeze in the dark. 

Some of the tips they give are fine, and worth doing even when fuel is inexpensive. Get your heating system inspected and cleaned? Sounds great. But it's not free. It's another expenditure when homeowners are being stretched by inflation, but maybe it would pay for itself in fuel savings. Maybe. Also: tighten up insulation, switch to LED lights, use smart thermostats, and so on. That stuff is free, right? 

You ever get the feeling that the world is being run by the stupidest, most vile people imaginable? Some are just stupid; some are just vile; most are a happy combination of both. Vote them out before we aren't allowed to do it anymore.