Cherry Grove Realities: Oil Price Realities

New York Times columnist Paul Krugman writes today:

If Europe’s example is any guide, here are the two secrets of coping with
expensive oil: own fuel-efficient cars, and don’t drive them too much.

We just came back from a trip to Spain during which we rented a car and drove it for about 300 miles. The car was a Nissan compact but it had plenty of room for the two of us and our bags and it got great gas mileage. That was a good thing because gas was probably about $7 or $8 a gallon. It way past time for Americans to abandon their gas guzzlers, trucks and SUVs. Pretty soon they will have no choice. Our own car is a Saturn compact SUV with a manual transmission and it gets excellent gas mileage, when we drive it, which is less and less. Krugman is right: this is the future for Americans - smaller cars and less driving. Get used to it.

At our Community Association meeting yesterday, it was announced that there would be no Daminex program this year because there is no money for it. Daminex is a pesticide that kills deer ticks that carry Lime Disease. The program costs $8,000 a year for the entire community. Funny how there are some very wealthy people here in Cherry Grove...wealthy enough to buy and refurbish big businesses like the Ice Palace, Top Of The Bay, etc. but there is no money for programs that benefit the people who live here. As usual, what really matters in Cherry Grove is what is good for the bars and businesses. The people who own homes here are just a footnote to what is the real reason d'etre for the Grove.

Jim

PHOTO: Beach Plum in bloom on the Fire Island dunes