Author Topic: World Affairs (Read 2372 times)

ExLibrisMortis · « **on:** February 20, 2012, 11:59:59 am »

Well, as much as it sucks to acknowledge this...

Average gas price in america is now $3.51/gal. With the possibility of an Iran conflict in the near future, and the cutting of the trait of Hormuz, among other things, gas prices may well come to $5/gal. At which point not only with the American economy, which heavily relies on trucking its good's around the country, but also it may be the killer for AvatarMeet too. As dedicated as some may be, I know that our group is starting to doubt whether we'll be able to make it at all now.

It's a definite thing we have to consider here. Of course, now its a waiting game to see what really happens...

Niri Te · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2012, 05:36:48 pm »

We are still in it, unless it gets serious bad.
Niri Te

Ateyo Te Syaksyuk · « **Reply #2 on:** February 21, 2012, 02:37:29 pm »

When Niri Te and I were riding with a biker club in Phoenix, we learned of a tradition called TOO BROKE FOR STURGIS. If the fuel prices get too exhorbitant, perhaps those of us in the southwest could convene for a TOO BROKE for SEATTLE camping trip. It won't have all the glitz and glamour of the larger meet-up, but maybe we could camp? There was some conversation earlier about camping when we mentioned Las Vegas. If we did it in Reno, we could tour 'Eylans zoo and meet his ayfalulukan, and then see his solar powered radio station. It would be awesome to see how that much power can be generated ecologically. That would be a proper Na'vi related tour.
Niri Te says she can get a hunting license in Arizona for small game and we can roast something over a fire. Or we could camp by Apache Lake and serve aypayoang.(fish)
If we make a campsite, Niri Te and I will build a Toruk skull for our campsite!
I am so psyched up for the Seattle meet-up, that I would NEED an alternative just to assuage my troubled nerves. Let's not give up hope right now, but an alternative could be fun!

`Eylan Ayfalulukanä · « **Reply #3 on:** February 21, 2012, 02:55:13 pm »

Actually, I wonder if Las Vegas would be closer geographically for everyone. There is camping in the Spring Mountain campgrounds, and I think in Red Rocks. Both are beautiful areas, well away from the city lights.

But if Na'vicon falls through, I will be going to a very different camping trip that week, the Golden State Star Party, which is about two hours northeast of here. http://www.goldenstatestarparty.org/ This is a multi-night, camping style astronomical observing party, where some pretty serious amateur astronomy is done. There will be telescopes up to 30 inches in size available, sophisticated astrophotography setups, and solar observing during the day. There are also lectures and programs during the day, and activities for family members of astronomers. At dinnertime, we feast on grass-fed talioang that lived their lives in the very pasture we use for observing! Our club will have our 20 inch 'scope there, and I may even bring the 24 inch 'scope we have (which needs some work, but that is the place to do it). You'all are invited to come (no 'scope is necessary, there are plenty available to look through). I will probably get a ticket just in case something happens, as they are relatively inexpensive, and usually can be sold right beforehand.

But I am thinking that we will not have to worry too much about alternative plans. If something happens in Iran to cause a oil price spike, the worst of it will probably be past by July. I, too want to see Na'vicon happen, and am working on some contingency ideas to keep this entire operation happening.

One note on the solar powered transmitter site. It is so remote that visiting it is not practical. We have to use a specially modified 4 X 4 land crawler or a helicopter to get there! But the falulukan always enjoy visitors!

Ateyo Te Syaksyuk · « **Reply #4 on:** February 21, 2012, 03:20:50 pm »

SAN~ But the falulukan always enjoy visitors!~ SIK
Niri Te saying, SAN~why? Because they taste good?~SIK

btw, not a bad alternative, the Star Party
Niri Te studied astrophysics at Cornell, so I know that would appeal to her!
Me? I'm the artist but enjoyed several star parties while in California.
I remember laying on my back watching a meteor shower til I fell asleep!
OH PUUUURRRRRRRDY!

`Eylan Ayfalulukanä · « **Reply #5 on:** February 21, 2012, 09:32:30 pm »

Quote from: Ateyo Te Syaksyuk on February 21, 2012, 03:20:50 pm

SAN~ But the falulukan always enjoy visitors!~ SIK
Niri Te saying, SAN~why? Because they taste good?~SIK

They have a special taste for syaksyuk.... Just kidding. But a local trapper has been bringing us wild jackrabbits for cat snacks. The cats think these are the best thing happening, and the wild meat is especially good for them.

The cats enjoy the company of the keepers, and always look forward to getting attention from us. Or, playing games. Or, sometimes, they are happy when we just hang out with them. I count every moment I can do this as precious!

Quote from: Ateyo Te Syaksyuk

btw, not a bad alternative, the Star Party
Niri Te studied astrophysics at Cornell, so I know that would appeal to her!
Me? I'm the artist but enjoyed several star parties while in California.
I remember laying on my back watching a meteor shower til I fell asleep!
OH PUUUURRRRRRRDY!

Hopefully, this contingency will not be necessary, but I will keep it in mind.

Ateyo Te Syaksyuk · « **Reply #6 on:** February 22, 2012, 12:51:24 pm »

Praying for the resolution of the tragic situation in the middle east, that reason pervades, and other oil exporters shut down the maniac who is trying to block the Straits of Hormuz!
Yaweh Oengahu! God be with us!
OH. I just realized that Netanyahu means with Nathan. sort of.

Ateyo Te Syaksyuk · « **Reply #7 on:** February 22, 2012, 12:54:27 pm »

I want to visit your ayfalulukan someday. I will bring a peace offering so that not consider Ateyo as snack food. An informal camping trip for those of us in the SW seems like an appealing eventuality!

`Eylan Ayfalulukanä · « **Reply #8 on:** February 22, 2012, 03:04:48 pm »

Quote from: Ateyo Te Syaksyuk on February 22, 2012, 12:51:24 pm

Praying for the resolution of the tragic situation in the middle east, that reason pervades, and other oil exporters shut down the maniac who is trying to block the Straits of Hormuz!
Yaweh Oengahu! God be with us!
OH. I just realized that Netanyahu means with Nathan. sort of.

If you mean 'with us in general', rather than 'you and me', you would say

Yaweh awngahu!

I should send you a pronoun table I put together to help you remember how to properly use the pronouns. The table also includes the prenouns, like fì- and tsa-.

Ateyo Te Syaksyuk · « **Reply #9 on:** February 22, 2012, 03:11:21 pm »

SRANE! RUTXE!!!!!!

Txonä Unil Stä'nìyu Rolyusì · « **Reply #10 on:** February 23, 2012, 02:09:10 am »

Gas is already over $4 here in CA. Last week my car...my tiny Kia Spectra...cost $41 to fill up. That's the most it's EVER cost me. My mate and I will probably be taking Amtrak from my house in SW WA to Seattle. I looked up a ticket and it's like $52 round trip. Idk how much the rising fuel prices will affect Amtrak fares but I'd definitely suggest it as an alternative to driving.

To give an idea of how great Amtrak fares are currently, I looked up a round trip ticket from Oceanside, CA to Portland, OR and it's only $214! That's a steal!

-Txonä Rolyu

Niri Te · « **Reply #11 on:** February 23, 2012, 04:58:07 am »

Well, I just spent 15 minutes going around in circles being told that I CAN'T get tickets from El Paso, Texas, (A large Amtrak station), To Seattle Washington, (An equally large station), but then another portal on the Amtrak site that the fare for two people round trip would be ONE THOUSAND EIGHTY DOLLARS!!!! No WONDER NO ONE travels by train in America anymore.
As I remember, Greyhound was going to be a little over 440 for the two of us, but with the fuel that WILL go up.
If this gets too expensive for our little car pool to go up, then Ateyo and I will just wait till 2013 for the Lost Wages meetup, if there is one there. That is less than HALF the distance of the trip to Seattle. Besides, by THEN even MY Na'vi should be pretty impressive.
ta Niri Te

Quote from: Txonä Te Unil Stä'nìyu Rolyusì on February 23, 2012, 02:09:10 am

Gas is already over $4 here in CA. Last week my car...my tiny Kia Spectra...cost $41 to fill up. That's the most it's EVER cost me. My mate and I will probably be taking Amtrak from my house in SW WA to Seattle. I looked up a ticket and it's like $52 round trip. Idk how much the rising fuel prices will affect Amtrak fares but I'd definitely suggest it as an alternative to driving.

To give an idea of how great Amtrak fares are currently, I looked up a round trip ticket from Oceanside, CA to Portland, OR and it's only $214! That's a steal!

-Txonä Rolyu

mikkowilson · « **Reply #12 on:** February 23, 2012, 01:09:10 pm »

Worth noting here, that any tickets purchased now will of course hold their prices once you've paid for them.

So if possible, I recommend booking tickets (be they airline, bus or train) as soon as possible before rates have a chance to go up. - many places even have a "lowest price guarantee" where they'll refund you if the price goes down after you've bought a ticket.

Remember that the hotel costs are already locked in with our agreement with the hotel, and you don't have to pay for any of it until you check out. So you can (and should) book your hotel rooms now at no cost - you can always cancel (until a few days/weeks? I don't remember off the top of my head) the hotel with no penalty.

I booked my flights recently to lock that price in as soon as possible. Now I have 5 months to save for the hotel and other costs.

- Mikko

Niri Te · « **Reply #13 on:** February 23, 2012, 02:24:13 pm »

Ma Mikko,
I already have our room in Seattle reserved with my Debit card, so that is taken care of. I can not get tickets for a Greyhound, as I am duty bound to the promise that I made to the rest of the carpool that will be traveling from Phoenix to Seattle and back, so Ateyo and I will either be going with them, or not coming up this year.
ta Niri Te

`Eylan Ayfalulukanä · « **Reply #14 on:** February 23, 2012, 03:51:38 pm »

Quote from: Niri Te on February 23, 2012, 04:58:07 am

Well, I just spent 15 minutes going around in circles being told that I CAN'T get tickets from El Paso, Texas, (A large Amtrak station), To Seattle Washington, (An equally large station), but then another portal on the Amtrak site that the fare for two people round trip would be ONE THOUSAND EIGHTY DOLLARS!!!! No WONDER NO ONE travels by train in America anymore.
As I remember, Greyhound was going to be a little over 440 for the two of us, but with the fuel that WILL go up.
If this gets too expensive for our little car pool to go up, then Ateyo and I will just wait till 2013 for the Lost Wages meetup, if there is one there. That is less than HALF the distance of the trip to Seattle. Besides, by THEN even MY Na'vi should be pretty impressive.
ta Niri Te

I just recalculated your route and got approximately the same price. If it were just me, this would be comparable to airfare, and without the hassles of air travel. But 53 HOURS ONE WAY TRIP. Although the train is a relaxing way to travel, and I would enjoy the downtime reading, etc., that is loooong time to spend getting there (and then 53 hours back).

From Reno right now though, the train is a bargain. And, if I traveled light, I could do this trip in the time I already have off and not miss anything. However, a go-no-go decision would have to be made soon to get this good rate. And I don't think anyone is in a position to give up on this until we see what happens with fuel prices.

Right now, fuel prices in Reno are in the high $3.70's. They have been fluctuating in this price range for a few weeks now.

ExLibrisMortis · « **Reply #15 on:** February 23, 2012, 03:53:22 pm »

Just filled up my tank at $3.60/gal here in AZ... wtf...

mikkowilson · « **Reply #16 on:** February 23, 2012, 07:46:21 pm »

Gas is under $4/gal?

Not in Alaska.

- Mikko

AketuanNavi · « **Reply #17 on:** February 23, 2012, 10:23:29 pm »

2.86 here in CO

and according to the charts, my town is rated #1 out of a spread of 200 cities. I guess I'm just lucky.

'Oma Tirea · « **Reply #18 on:** February 28, 2012, 01:01:08 am »

Quote from: AketuanNavi on February 23, 2012, 10:23:29 pm

2.86 here in CO

and according to the charts, my town is rated #1 out of a spread of 200 cities. I guess I'm just lucky.

Only behind those small towns to the north of us in Wyoming

We're not exactly lucky, it's just that we're in an the empty quarter of the US.

`Eylan Ayfalulukanä · « **Reply #19 on:** February 28, 2012, 02:59:43 pm »

I suspect that prices are higher in Nevada because 1.) we get our gas from California, and 2.) Nevada is constitutionally prohibited from having an income tax, so they tax the %$#$$#& out of everything else they can get away with.

Although July is still a long ways off, at the moment, gas prices are stable at around $3.80/gal. A report from a source that is not sensationalist suggests that prices will top out in the low $4's here, something undesirable, but manageable.