Remember a couple months ago, when it was announced that oil companies like Chevron and Exxon made record profits in the wake of the “gas crisis” of Katrina? Yeah, be prepared for that to happen again, this time with the natural gas companies.

I just got my gas bill yesterday and I couldn’t believe how high it was! I’m used to paying around 70 or 80 bucks a month in the winter to keep the house warm, keep the hot water heater warm, and the cook my food on my gas stove. I usually have the temperature in the house set to 68 when I’m home, 64 when I’m not. When it gets *really* cold outside, I pump it up to 70 when I’m home. I don’t cook that often on my gas stove, cooking most of my stuff in the new microwave I just got and I have the hot water heater turned down to the “money saver” option.

My bill for last month was $225.74.

How in the hell is that possible?

The amount of gas I used wasn’t that totally different than last year, so it’s not a leak. It’s the natural gas companies gouging us post-Katrina. There were slight “warnings” about this right after Katrina hit, so you know they’ve been planning this for months.

I’m not the only one this is affecting… my folks (who have a much bigger house than I do, for whatever reason, I don’t know) are used to paying around $150 a month for their gas bill, and they were hit last month for $470.

There’s other bloggers all across the country who are experiencing the same thing.

Fuck Shell Energy, Fuck Scana… and fuck the state of Georgia for *ever* thinking that deregulating the natural gas industry would cause lower rates. That’s the biggest ball of bullshit this state’s ever been fed.

I think I’m going to see if I can grow icicles in the house by turning the heat off. Maybe then my heating bill will come down to a reasonable figure.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

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