Some areas of South Carolina are reporting gas prices soared to over $5/gallon tonight as news of a possible gas shortage in the Southeastern States hits home. Some reports are showing that major gas chains in TN have been out of gas since Monday of this week and have been begging and pleading for gas regardless of price.
Photo from Fort Mill SC Gas Station September 11, 2008
Oil refineries closed in the wake of Hurricane Gustav reporting to remain closed due to Ike's pending presence in the Gulf causing what some say will be a temporary fuel shortage. Irregardless of how temporary it may be, folks have been lining up tonight at local gas stations and depleting some local supplies and causing a sharp rise in fuel prices.
The EPA has also has approved for "winter fuel" to be used early and suspended corresponding emission controls for some Southeastern states including SC.
Let us know what's going on in your neck of the woods.
Lines at the local gas pumps all the way to the street this evening due to reports of a gas shortage in the Southeastern US. Apparently it started sometime earlier today with some TN gas stations running out of gas. While coming home tonight it was very apparent that the panic had reached Aiken, SC.
Every gas station filled with customers waiting to fill their tank. Some stations rationing the gas and only allowing customers to purchase 10 gallons/purchase. Plastic bags covering many pump heads and prices are soaring.
I am hearing from friends as I type that some local stations are already up over $4/gallon if they have any at all and it's expected to hit $5/gallon before morning. Could be rumor or politically contrived, and I certainly don't want to be a panicmonger, but just wanted to keep everyone informed.
When asked what do you do when they bully you? He replies "I just carry on singin'". So in today's remembrance of September 11, 2001, I agree! Carry on Singing!
I recently was shown this video for the first time, and I can't seem to get it out of my head. If you have never heard Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Pie Jesu" from Requiem, prepare to be moved in a way that music rarely moves you. This is not a video of Mr. Webber's show, but an audition by a 13 year old boy for the British talent show "Britain's Got Talent". This young man's story and this song serves to show a reminder that an Angel's voice can take down any Bully!
Mason and Bexley Pharmaceuticals new product proves in clinical trials to be a safe and effective anti-depressant. Those who participated in the clinical trials related no lasting harmful side effects, however the user may be inclined to feel a slightly "addictive" state set in upon introduction to the product. Producing sometimes, uncontrollable laughter, warm sensations throughout the chest, and the urge to take long naps in the middle of the afternoon.
This new line of products can be self administered at home without the need for Physician monitoring, however it would be wise to have someone monitor your Petzsmart shopping sprees until the user becomes accustomed to the sometimes uncontrollable urge to purchase the latest pet fashions.
These two "pills" are guaranteed to bring much happiness to your life and after one dose you just don't know how you made it this long without them.
I must confess, the strong urge to "over-medicate" is there, but Mason and Bexley Pharmaceuticals assures you that it is virtually impossible to overdose, and you really do need that pet fashion you past up last week in order to make your car payment.
One user reports "This is some strong stuff. My life was just a day in day out routine with little to no entertainment value, but once I was introduced to Mason and Bexley Pharmaceuticals it has been a non-stop party of a good time."
"Mason and Bexley have improved my quality of life ten fold."
"Mason and Bexley have hit the mark with this combination."
"I LOVE MY LIFE!"
"My life has balance now, and more laughter than I know what to do with."
There you have it folks! Unfortunately, production was limited to just a prototype, but I have heard that there are plenty of generics in circulation, so it should not be too hard for you to find a similar product in a town near you.*
*Results will vary from person to person and according to which generic you are using. Use only as directed. Please check with your physician before starting this or any other mood enhancement regimen.
This info-mercial was brought to you by Aiken Atlas Team. Proud contributors to Mason and Bexley Pharmaceuticals, and without which clinical trials would not have been possible. If you would like to contribute or participate in future trials similar in nature please visit Molly's Militia (if you are in the CSRA) or your local Animal Shelter.
Gustav, Fay, Hanna, Ike, and Josephine. Although it sounds like I am introducing characters in a film or novel, I am listing the "stars" of the 2008 Hurricane Season to date. We have all witnessed the devastation that Hurricanes cause, and we seem helpless when in the path of one of these monsters. Although the coastal towns are the ones receiving the initial force from one of these storms, the impact is felt far inland.
It is not uncommon for those of us who live several hundred miles from the shore to feel the sting of these storms. One of the most common issues that arise during these times are power outages, and live downed lines.
SCE&G Customers Call :
Power Outage/Downed Lines : 1-888-333-4465
Gas Leaks : 1-800-815-0083
South Carolina Electric & Gas has provided a great online resource to prepare for the season's weather. Problem is without power, most of us won't be able to get online to use it during the actual emergency. So, you might want to print some of this information out for later reference. You can also find additional resources on SCE&G's website.
Below are links to some of SCE&G's Storm related resources. These might be nice to include in a newsletter to your clients, or on an information sheet in a closing package if your clients are going to have service with SCE&G.
I don't know if any other agents are currently utilizing SCE&G's Real Estate Agent Resource but you might want to check this out. They have free newsletters for your clients, and several marketing tools for your use. Of course the newsletters are also promoting their services, but there is also some nice information here to pass along to others.
I truly hope that none of us have to utilize any of these resources provided here, but in the event that you find yourself at nature's mercy, I hope that you find some of these resources to be of use to you.
I hope you weren't expecting to read about a big SC scandal or another unpleasant experience with a fellow agent because I hate to disappoint. In this case, the agent is me, and I hope this is as close to scandal as I come in my career! Everyone has little intricacies that make them unique as human beings, and it's usually those intricacies we share or admire in others that we choose to call friends. Sadly, interacting with each other as agents, we rarely get to know those things about one another, or at least not often enough for me.
I guess I will break the ice and introduce my alter ego. She has a passion for art and beauty, and tends to find beauty in various places. She loves photography and painting, but has done a sculpture or two that she displays in her living room for her own enjoyment. It's a small plaster sculpture of a human figure kneeling and holding his face in his hand. She finds comfort, physical and spiritual, in rubbing his smooth head as if to comfort him in some way. The cold plaster feels good under her hand, and it reminds her once again to feel something everyday, so as not to get so focused on the past, or caught up in the future that you don't enjoy this moment. Funny thing is she wouldn't call herself an "artist". I'm not really sure why. It could be that she has a great respect for the title, and doesn't quite find herself worthy of it yet, but I'm guessing it's more complicated than that, but she has never been one for labels. She had an art professor one time who told her "People will let you down in life, but this (art), this will never let you down in life because it comes from inside you, from a place only you and God reside." She has never heard words spoken to her, that even now after 15 years, ring so true, and while she paints she hears those words like a recording playing in her head. She feels connected and at peace.
This holiday weekend she wanted to share some of that peace with you. Wishing you a safe and wonderful weekend, I hope you enjoy my alter ego's Labor Day Art Show.
Labor Day typically marks the end of Summer and many people use the long weekend as a vacation before school gets into full swing. As a result, Atlanta is a hot spot for small getaway weekends for those of us living in the 3-5 hour drive radius. However, traveling to one of those "hot-spots" over a holiday weekend has it's downside, and one of those is TRAFFIC.
First thing you should know about this weekend in Atlanta is the the GA DOT is expecting heavy traffic (about 533,000 through the downtown area/normal is about 430,000) with long delays, so you might want to pack some patience as well as your walking shoes, but following some simple steps can help alleviate some of the stress and give you some valuable time to enjoy your weekend.
Marta stations have secure parking decks with security patrolling them, so you can park away from your target location and take MARTA in. The fares are reasonable, and if you've never experienced Atlanta from MARTA, it is a really nice way to see the city without the hassle of worrying about the traffic. With Georgia DOT expecting traffic back-ups of up to two hours or more in some areas MARTA could mean the difference between seeing the whole game or arriving just past the half time show!
Tip#2 : If traveling from SC from I-85 GA DOT is urging motorists to take I-285 east to I-20 West to access GA Dome and downtown Hotels. Motorists coming into Atlanta on I-20 from any direction should stay on that course into town. If traveling from Alabama on I-85 follow signs to downtown area.
Tip#3 : Georgia DOT is conducting construction in and around Atlanta in several high traffic areas. So don't rely solely on your map. Check ahead for road closings and construction. Watch for road signs indicating that your route of travel may have to change suddenly! You can visit www.511ga.org for additional information or call 511 for updates.
Tip#4 : Safety-DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE! This will be a heavy weekend for law enforcement in Atlanta. If you have never been in Atlanta over a major holiday weekend you will be shocked how many officers you will see along the interstate running radar, which brings up the next safety tip DON'T SPEED! In Atlanta it may be hard to know where the line is drawn because you certainly want to flow with traffic, and most times traffic on the interstates in and around Atlanta move at much higher rates of speed than posted. So use your good judgment here. Go with the flow not ahead or behind!
There are two events in Atlanta over Labor Day weekend that are expecting to draw in over 50,000 attendees each! This will ultimately lead to traffic congestion and thin patience but if you exercise good judgment and opt to use some of the services available to you I have no doubt that you will have a wonderful Labor Day weekend in this great Southern City!
Aiken Small Business Development Center at USC-Aiken is a great resource for any small business owner. They offer various classes throughout the year. Some for minimal fee and others are absolutely FREE. When I first joined the Real Estate Community I attended their Small Business Tax Workshop and found it to be a wealth of knowledge on how to establish good record keeping skills for my personal as well as my business. They offer up informational books and other material and answer any questions you might have. I saw where they were offering a class in September and thought that I would pass it on. The Tax Workshop is one of the FREE classes they offer. I guess I could try and be funny and say that it was worth every penny, but I feel like that would be insulting the quality of this class!
You can click on the link above to see additional information about this or other classes being offered by the Aiken Small Business Development Center, but you HAVE TO REGISTER FOR THIS CLASS BY PHONE. You can contact the center at 803.641.3646 or email at SBDC@usca.edu.
If you don't live anywhere near Aiken, SC you might want to look into the SCORE program. SCORE is a mentoring program where they can schedule for you to meet with someone who is familiar with your business or your specific business question and they may be able to direct you to somewhere in your area that assists small business owners. Business.gov and the Internal Revenue Service Official Website are also great resources when you are first starting and as an ongoing resource.
If you haven't seen or used Clipmarks you need to check this out! Clipmarks have proved to save me both time and money, both of which I consider a valuable commodity. I probably consider time more valuable than money because it is limited every day!
So what is clipmarks? It is an on-line "bookmarking" site. I know you are probably thinking "I don't need another bookmarking site, I am already using 100 of them". Well if you aren't using this one, you owe it to yourself to at least check it out. Clipmarks is unique in that you can "save" only the information you want from an individual site. So if you have to print out information from the web you don't waste costly ink printing out other things that you don't need. Plus, if you are printing something out for a client, let's say you found somethingonline that is a FSBO that you are going to show your buyer client, but at the top of the web page is a competitors banner ad. Simple you just clip the information you want and from there you are given the option to save it,blog it, email it, or other. You can keep private clips as well as public clips. You can also use the widget to have clips appear on yourblog or other sites!
No, I don't get any type of referral for this, and no I don't sell Clipmarks for a living. As a matter of fact it's totally FREE to use. It's easy to install, and the toolbar is one small box at the end of your url search box.
So, what do you have to lose except time consuming other methods or your next trip to Staples for ink!
For eleven consecutive years USC-Aiken has ranked in the top three Public Baccalaureate Colleges in the South according to US News and World Report's yearly rankings. This year is the fifth time that USC-Aiken has landed in the number one spot!
USC-Aiken is a vital part of our community uniting people from around the world. It wasn't until I attended USC-Aiken after High School that I really appreciated the richness and beauty of our community. Meeting people from all over the country and all around the World while attending USC-Aiken, and knowing just how far they came to get an education from here made me appreciate my town and my educational experience at USC-Aiken even more.
So congratulations old friend on your accomplishment, and for putting Aiken on the map once again!
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
Photo from Fort Mill SC Gas Station September 11, 2008
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