Which is worse, the heat or the gas prices?!
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that doesn't apply to a necessity product. fuel will always be in demand. if less is used, then prices will still go up. There's no shortage in oil, just a shortage of honest politicians.onesickpsycho said:
-a|ex
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There is some partial truth to this, however complaining about it does no good... the only choice we have as consumers is to either take it or hit them where it hurts...Back _Marker said:
There is a shortage of honest politicians... Actually there are plenty out there, but they don't get votes because people vote for that R or D next to the name they hear on TV... not bothering to listen to what anyone's saying...
My question is, where are all the consumer advocacy groups who are quick to jump all over the big corporations? Don't mind the fact that most are huge 800lb gorillas themselves...
Just to recap... Oil companies are sticking it to us, complaining does nothing, and the political landscape is an utter joke... Thank you, please drive through...:dthumb:
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Own and operate a truck for a living? You sound like you have a basis to complain... Complain away my friend...:cheers:jeeps84 said:
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Like I said, I transfer the cost of doing business down to my customers and they roll it on down the line. I guess I can handle it too.Gas Man said:
The problem with them making these huge profits fall on the guy/gall flipping burgers for a living trying to get started in life. They spend their whole pay day on gas bills alone while driving POS econo cars. No cost of living raises for these guys unless the government steps in. The price of those burgers will go up shortly before or afterwards.
Its a loss loss situation! :cursin:
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Heat I don't mind. When I grew up, the only place that was air conditioned was the movie theatre. Everywhere else used fans. I grew up on an island where the temp was 90 degrees and 90 percent humidity. I've never even owned a vehicle with air conditioning. Wimps.
But gas. Before the first gas crisis in 1973, Sunoco 260, which was like 102 octane, was only 36 cents a gallon. When I was stationed in Oklahoma in 1971, I saw regular at 19 cents during a (good) gas war. What I can't believe is those 3-ton SUV's doing 85 on the highway. They must be getting 5 MPG.
But gas. Before the first gas crisis in 1973, Sunoco 260, which was like 102 octane, was only 36 cents a gallon. When I was stationed in Oklahoma in 1971, I saw regular at 19 cents during a (good) gas war. What I can't believe is those 3-ton SUV's doing 85 on the highway. They must be getting 5 MPG.
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Heres what I think. (Great, just what you have all been waiting for) If it wasnt gas prices it would be something else. The economy is fluctuating constantly, interest rates are going up, etc... Statistically gas is still considered very affordable when compared to other comforts of life in America. We will adapt, we will overcome.:twfrox:
Heck, it could be worse. We could be living in the 20's & 30's during prohibition and the depression. Not to mention we wouldnt have such cool bikes to ride!!
Heck, it could be worse. We could be living in the 20's & 30's during prohibition and the depression. Not to mention we wouldnt have such cool bikes to ride!!
I think this is just the wake up call... and call me paranoid, but I think a large portion of the "oil crisis" is being manipulated by the government. (ok, conspiracy theorists attack).
The fact is, we as a working economy are dependent on a finite resource. The earth is not producing new deposits of oil. What we have is what we get. Electric cars have been available for 20 years or more (Yes the have / had serious issues), but without a demand curve, there was no cost incentive to improve the existing designs, and to do the R & D on new alternatives.
People bitch about the "oil" president. But I don't underestimate him or his staff. If he personally has to be the scape goat for the rising oil prices, but the end result is a number of new viable technologies for replacing our dependancey on gasoline and other Petroleum products. I think he'd take the hit on personal approval to save the future for his kids.
My mother drives a Honda civic Hybrid, she's had it about 6 weeks now, and is averaging (city and highway) 47 mpg - while running her air conditioning. yes it's a more expensive car. Society as a whole wouldn't have considered the cost reasonable before the current crisis. But she had to wait 7 weeks and put a significate down payment just to get this car becuase demand is currently out stripping supply in Michigan. When they marry the current Hybrid vehicles with the Multi-fuel engine, we'll have cars getting 35-40 mpg (the ethanol is slightly less efficient), but only 15% of that energy will be comming from oil. (the other 85 % from any starchy vegetable - the US currently uses Corn, but one of the south american countries exclusively uses sugar cane) 70% of the population switches to a hybrid / ethanol vehicle, we could run our ecomony solely on the petroleum deposits owned buy the US on soverign soil.
Before the current crisis, the public wasn't paying any attention to this, but we were rapidly using up a finite resource. Now we're aware of the options, and with fuel prices this high, willing to invest in the R & D necessary to make them truely functional. Whether this is a natural development, or a government conspiracy to do what's best of us... it could explain why the gov't is looking the other way on current oil company profits... in another decade or so...they won't be the ones in control... and they won't have the product we need. :2cents:
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The fact is, we as a working economy are dependent on a finite resource. The earth is not producing new deposits of oil. What we have is what we get. Electric cars have been available for 20 years or more (Yes the have / had serious issues), but without a demand curve, there was no cost incentive to improve the existing designs, and to do the R & D on new alternatives.
People bitch about the "oil" president. But I don't underestimate him or his staff. If he personally has to be the scape goat for the rising oil prices, but the end result is a number of new viable technologies for replacing our dependancey on gasoline and other Petroleum products. I think he'd take the hit on personal approval to save the future for his kids.
My mother drives a Honda civic Hybrid, she's had it about 6 weeks now, and is averaging (city and highway) 47 mpg - while running her air conditioning. yes it's a more expensive car. Society as a whole wouldn't have considered the cost reasonable before the current crisis. But she had to wait 7 weeks and put a significate down payment just to get this car becuase demand is currently out stripping supply in Michigan. When they marry the current Hybrid vehicles with the Multi-fuel engine, we'll have cars getting 35-40 mpg (the ethanol is slightly less efficient), but only 15% of that energy will be comming from oil. (the other 85 % from any starchy vegetable - the US currently uses Corn, but one of the south american countries exclusively uses sugar cane) 70% of the population switches to a hybrid / ethanol vehicle, we could run our ecomony solely on the petroleum deposits owned buy the US on soverign soil.
Before the current crisis, the public wasn't paying any attention to this, but we were rapidly using up a finite resource. Now we're aware of the options, and with fuel prices this high, willing to invest in the R & D necessary to make them truely functional. Whether this is a natural development, or a government conspiracy to do what's best of us... it could explain why the gov't is looking the other way on current oil company profits... in another decade or so...they won't be the ones in control... and they won't have the product we need. :2cents:
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I think you give them too much credit... as I see it the oil companies are major lobbyists and our elected officials are just ignoring the issue.justpucky said:
And more than half of our nation's power comes from coal... Another finite resource... Also keep that in mind the next time someone preaches about reducing air pollution by moving to electric vehicles...justpucky said:
Wow... You give him some serious credit... You'd think that if this were the case he would talk more about increasing the need for alternative fuels...justpucky said:
Hybrids are a step in the right direction, but most of the current potential soluntions are really viable on a large scale... The nation's power grid could not handle a massive switch to electric vehicles, plus you're still using a finite resource and polluting the hell out of the air... Hydrogen takes more energy to derive than it produces, so it's not economically viable to convert to hydrogen power (yet)...justpucky said:
As for ethanol, I agree that it's probably the best option at this point. The South American country you mentioned is probably Brasil as they are the largest manufacturer of ethanol... I think I remember reading somewhere that they have reduced their dependency on foreign oil by 40% or so... Impressive... Of course they don't use 400 million gallons of gasoline each year like we do...
That's a nice thought, but don't think for a second that these companies are going to go away... They will evolve to cover that market as well...justpucky said:
Either way, it's not going to change the cost of fuel at the pump... What motivation would a company have to reduce the price at the pump? We are currently paying out the nose and not doing a damn thing about it... Why reduce profit margins if we will continue to pay to keep them up?
There are only three things that will reduce the cost of fuel... Government intervention... Change in consumer habits... Or the apocalypse...
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I for one am having a hard time seeing how any of this has to do with gas prices????:scratch:
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:scratch: ummmmm... i dont get it
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