I was thinking about all those blogs we entertained last fall about the high cost of heat and the cost of rent "last winter" when prices were "so cheap". Several individuals on this site were concerned about the city and county helping low income folks out with some of these costs. Has anybody even begun to imagine what the cost of heating homes in Northern Minnesota is going to be like next winter? Can you imagine a heating bill of $15.00 to $18.00 per day to heat your house with "cheap" natural gas, "cheap" propane or "cheap" fuel oil? Well whats the decision going to be today? Heat the house or eat? With corn going over $8.00 a bushel and its going higher with all that Iowa and Illinois flooding not to think about wheat, fruit and other vegtable costs and gasoline going over $5.00 per gallon I sure am glad I got my "incentive" check but am not sure just what it will buy. I'll bet the low income utility fund in the state will be out of money before we even hit the new year and that won't even count the folks who never even got a chance to enroll in the program. I sure am glad I don't smoke or drink but I am thinking I might try to learn the latter. I might not feel so bad if I am in a stupor and I know I won't feel so cold. Its going to be a long hard winter--might be a good idea to start planning now. Just a quick simple calculation--"IF" fuel oil hits $5.60 per gallon and it takes 7 gallons per day to heat your house, lets see, thats about $39.20 per day times 30 days equalls $1176.00 per month. Its nearly equivlent to gas or propane. Think on it some