Tornadoes whipped up by wind, not climate: officials

http://www.france24.com/en/20110428-tornadoes-whipped-wind-not-climate-officials

Tornadoes whipped up by wind, not climate: officials

In the aftermath of a severe tornado, owner Frank Evans stands on the rubble that was the Quik Pawn Shop in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. US meteorologists warned Thursday it would be a mistake to blame climate change for a seeming increase in tornadoes in the wake of deadly storms that have ripped through the US south.

AFP - US meteorologists warned Thursday it would be a mistake to blame climate change for a seeming increase in tornadoes in the wake of deadly storms that have ripped through the US south.
"If you look at the past 60 years of data, the number of tornadoes is increasing significantly, but it's agreed upon by the tornado community that it's not a real increase," said Grady Dixon, assistant professor of meteorology and climatology at Mississippi State University.
"It's having to do with better (weather tracking) technology, more population, the fact that the population is better educated and more aware. So we're seeing them more often," Dixon said.
But he said it would be "a terrible mistake" to relate the up-tick to climate change.  (REST OF STORY AT LINK)

WHERE'S ST. AL? (Gore)

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2011/04/028902.php

The Last Days of Ethanol?

The Last Days of Ethanol?

First fuel bank futures peek.

this is a site located in ST. Cloud, MN that I check once in a while to see future fuel price trends.  It is too far away to be be practical for me but interesting.  The left column is the prepaid cash or check  "price good forever" prepay lock in.  The middle column is "spot market" credit card and right column is prepaid "spot".  The best "futures" indicator is th left and right columns.  For example unleaded lock-in is

now $4.279 versus rolling prepay of $3.689:  A fifty-nine cents per gallon "spread".  Dyed fuels are off road use diesel that have dies to prevent on road use.

Enjoy!

http://www.firstfuelbanks.com/V3/FuelPrices.aspx

Current Prices - Friday, April 15, 2011

Pre-Pay Lock-In Prices (Cash or Check Only)
Diesel #1:	$4.889
TT111:	$7.599
N91:	$4.629
Diesel #2:	$4.589
E85:	$3.779
Unleaded:	$4.279
Premium:	$4.559
Dye:	$3.899
Dy1:	$4.199
Dy2:	$3.89

Rolling Account Prices (Cash Only-Not Locked-In)
Diesel #1:	$4.299
TT111:	$7.099
N91:	$4.039
Diesel #2:	$3.999
E85:	$3.189
Unleaded:	$3.689
Premium:	$3.969
Dye:	$3.549
Dy1:	$3.849
Dy2:	$3.549

Gas Prices Climbing Toward $5 Per Gallon

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/04/11/gas-prices-climbing-toward-5-per-gallon/

CHICAGO (CBS) – At one time, $5 per gallon gas seemed like a far-fetched idea, but that is no longer the case.

As of Monday, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in the Chicago area is $4.11, compared with $3.71 a month ago, and about $3.10 a gallon at this time a year ago.

Some experts say $5 per gallon gas is possible by Memorial Day-or sometime in summer. Others caution that reaching that mark is unlikely over the next six weeks. In Chicago, the prices keep rising to near-record levels–with no relief in sight.

Right now, oil markets are so skittish that records set in 2008 could fall.

Drivers Monday morning were practically numb to the price spikes.

“What are you going to do?” said Shannon Thompson. “We’ve become so gas-dependent in this country. There are so many SUVs. I mean, I’ve had a hybrid. It worked great. Right now, I’m just going to deal with it.”

Prices at some gas stations outside the city were still below $4, a bargain compared to the $4.29-$4.40 range at some service stations downtown.

LISTEN: Newsradio 780′s Bernie Tafoya reports

“It’s painful,” said Lamar Magee. “You’ve got to make a decision on where you drive and where you go nowadays.” He said he is “definitely” making changes to his routines.

Magee says it will cost him about $120 to fill up the 30-gallon tank on his van.

But even that pales in comparison to the big rigs. Truck driver Mark Kanarowski says his truck holds 200 gallons.

“It’s got to be a huge expense for the company,” Kanarowski said. “I went to St. Louis over the weekend to fill up my own car, and I was paying about $4.13 a gallon. It hurts.”

A limo driver shared his thoughts as he filled up his tank at the Des Plaines Oasis.

“Normal-sized tank, big price – when you get done at the pump, it’s killing business, and a lot of one-way trips now,” he said, “like I’m going to get somebody this morning, and I’m not bringing him home. His wife will probably bring him home, because everyone’s trying to save a little bit here, a little bit there.”

The Lundberg Survey says the national average for a gallon of regular unleaded as of Monday was $3.76. That is up 19 cents since March 18, and up 91 cents since this time last year.

The sharply rising prices hearken back memories of the summer of 2008.

That year, oil prices were driven well above $100 per barrel, and in June of that year and gas prices were well over $4 a gallon. The highest average record price was $4.34 per gallon, set July 2008.

No one is eager to break that record. But with no end in sight to the turmoil in the Middle East, analysts say we’re likely to do just that – and just as holiday travelers hit the highways for Memorial Day weekend.