Jun
09
The “thrill of victory and agony of defeat* as history was made this week” edition of the weekly unpredictable TennViews roundup featuring primary reaction from Tennessee’s best bloggers.
• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera:: It’s done. It’s over. It’s an historic night.
• Cup Of Joe Powell: : Clinging to past prejudices in light of change is a sure sign of extinction.
• Don Williams:: It also delivered a message in a bottle to future historians. In a speech she surely knew would be history-making, no matter what she said or how she said it, she said and did all the right things.
• TNDP: Last night the votes were counted. All across the country, from Maine to Montana, two superior candidates drew voters into the Democratic fold in record numbers. As a Democratic Party, we are ready to unite. We are ready to work. We are ready to win.
• KnoxViews: These are some kick-ass numbers across the board for Democrats.
• Lean Left: It is truly a remarkable achievement and an unalloyed good. There is a lot more work to be done, that is true, but we should take a moment to stop and appreciate what has been achieved.
• Left of the Dial: 2008 wasn’t supposed to be this difficult. This primary season has made the hanging chads and Supreme Court decision of 2000 and Swift Boat ads of 2004 seem like pleasant memories.
• LeftWingCracker:: Joy, sadness, apprehension.
• Sean Braisted: Its been a long time coming, and we are glad to have been a part of this historic victory.
• Sharon Cobb:: Tears are just streaming down my face. This is one of the most extraordinary moments in my life, and in the lives of millions of Americans.
• Silence Isn’t Golden:: There will be talk in the coming days about how to best unify the party. But in the meantime, it’s time to celebrate!
• Vibinc:: I know I’ve been hard on you. I know I said some things that, perhaps cross the margins of polite discussion. Still, despite it all, we are Democrats, and I thank you for your unequivocal support for the Democratic nominee.
• WhitesCreek Journal:: It’s now time to turn away from the divisiveness of this Primary contest. Sexism did not cause Hillary to lose… And, Racism did not and will not keep Obama from winning
(*RIP Jim McKay)
I’m not on the list but I talked a lot about aliens and Bigfoot this week. That’s how I hang. 
Jun
09
Rural Areas Impacted By Gas Expenses
Posted by newscoma | Posted in Newscoma | Posted on 09-06-2008
I’ve been telling you this for a couple of months right now. I guess the New York Times telling it to you will give it more validity.
But the pain is not being felt uniformly. Across broad swaths of the South, Southwest and the upper Great Plains, the combination of low incomes, high gas prices and heavy dependence on pickup trucks and vans is putting an even tighter squeeze on family budgets.
Here in the Mississippi Delta, some farm workers are borrowing money from their bosses so they can fill their tanks and get to work. Some are switching jobs for shorter commutes.
People are giving up meat so they can buy fuel. Gasoline theft is rising. And drivers are running out of gas more often, leaving their cars by the side of the road until they can scrape together gas money.
The disparity between rural America and the rest of the country is a matter of simple home economics. Nationwide, Americans are now spending about 4 percent of their take-home income on gasoline. By contrast, in some counties in the Mississippi Delta, that figure has surpassed 13 percent.
As a result, gasoline expenses are rivaling what families spend on food and housing.
Recently, I went to court. Gas theft was an issue. Farmers are having to watch their implements. It went from people stealing anhydrous to stealing gas.
When people get boxed into a corner, they get desperate.
This is more dire than people think. I can’t say that enough.
