I was working on the books for the ranch yesterday and it sure isn't pretty with energy prices the way they are. Then this thing with the Alaskan oil fields happen and they expect prices to go <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/08/08/news/state/30-gas.txt">even higher</a>. We really don't need to see that happen. Cattle prices might be up nice for us cow-calf producers but it isn't doing us much good with the gas prices so high.<br />n<br />nThey claim that there is a small stockpile of oil available so as long as the Alaskan field gets back in operation fairly quickly it shouldn't affect prices to bad. Maybe that's true, I don't know. The other thing that could affect prices is if people start buying up extra supplies in anticipation of a shortage because of the field being shut down. You see, a shortage can be demand or supply driven and we might run into both here and prices will go up. That's the shits.<br />n<br />nOne last note, I've been a bad boy. Guess what I did Monday. Ordered gas and propane delivered before prices went up to far. Yes, I am one of those people that might cause prices to spike up even further. I have to protect my business though. The propane was delivered yesterday, almost 2000 gallons worth. Hopefully we will see the gas and diesel today. I had been holding off on the gas and diesel purchase hoping prices would come down. I have none in the tanks on the place and the tractors are getting a little low so I need some so don't beat me up to bad for the timing. It's just the way it is.<br />n<br />n<strong>Every man without passions has within him no principle of action, nor motive to act. Claud-Adrian Helvetius </strong>