WTF Gas Prices

[quakana]

There has to be something we can do! Maybe stop buying from the giants like Shell and Exxon/Mobil or something. They are shitting all over us and we have no choice to pay. WTF can we do to make a difference?

[Monster]

i was thinking of riding a bike, but said why waste my strength.. save that for playing guitar...lol

i agree 3.00 bucks a gallon for gas... is crazyyyyy

[YetAnotherOne]

This latest spike is in response to reports that the supply of refined gasoline in the US is a bit low. The world supply of crude is also tight and there are several areas where production is routinely interrupted by war, skirmishing, sabotage, and/or other political instabilities.

This is absolutely pure supply and demand, it's not the oil companies sticking it to us it's us sticking it to ourselves by refusing to change our usage / habits no matter the cost. The silver lining is that long-term prices over $40/bbl for crude make a *WHOLE* bunch of alternatives suddenly look economically feasible where they never have before.

[fett]

Better get used to $3 gas. At $72/barrel; no new refining facilities; Nigeria; Iran; you still keep driving; the oil companies aren't going to give you a break; Venuswallia (sp); the global demand; speculators and international tension. It doesn't matter that there really is a glut of oil. Those guys will get what they can. Then, demand drops and tensions ease and the price of oil goes down. I hope!!!!!!!

[fett]

Yet, we think the same and post at the same time. Iran is going to be the big" ?". Oil, as gas, is no great shakes 'cus we're all rolling in dough. But oil is used for much more in the products we take for granted. If oil stays at this price or goes higher, trust me, you will get hit most everywhere. I, being a former stockbroker and wrong most of the time, think that the price of oil will drop just as soon as OPEC sees that it is hurting our economy.

[FusionFarmer]

Heard George Bush was singing an old Beach Boys, Song you know... Bomb, bomb, bomb,,,, bomb, bomb Iran, Bomb, bomb, bomb,,, bomb, bomb Iran,,,,,

[jgcable]

The oil companies can make gas $10.00 per gallon and we still would be driving as much as ever and SUV sales would be the same as always. I personally know 5 families that just purchased Expeditions, Excursions, Dinali's and an Escalade. These are middle class families. Gas prices unfortunately don't bother enough people. When you see how friggin expensive it is to take a family of 5 out to the local hamburger joint, gas prices don't seem all that high. Its up to the consumer to change it and unfortunately... thats not gonna happen.

[quakana]

Its just funny to me that last year they stated the prices were so high because of Iran/Katrina, but at the same time the oil companies posted record profits last year? I think they are just getting us used to 3 bucks a gallon so when it goes to $2.50 we are happy and content, and they stay at a record high profit. Fuck I am pissed, because it does effect everything else...shipping costs... construction costs, people who are in landscaping raise prices...heavy construction goes up....transportation...you name it...everything goes up. I think the economy crashes before it gets better

[YetAnotherOne]

OPEC lost the ability to set world crude prices several years ago. They still have influence but they can no longer even come close to naming a price and enforcing it. Hence the wild fluctuations induced by speculators that are really only playing around with the (razor thin) margins of the world's oil supply.

From a strategic standpoint Iran is interesting because while they're a huge crude exporter their industrial base is seriously underdeveloped and they actually import almost 2/3 of their refined crude products. They also don't have massive cash reserves so there's definitely room for a scenario few are considering to play out there. IMHO the only outcome there that will lead to a long-term drop in oil prices is their acquisition and use of nuclear weapons, nothing else could really put a long-term damper on the global economic growth that's driving oil prices.

IMHO a massive global recession / depression is the only thing that will really bring oil prices down for more than a very short time, at least in the near term.

[Misanthrope189]

The only thing is, talking about our "habits" refers to our necessity to work. My parents can't help having to drive the 15 or 30 miles to their only place of work. I'm in college, and when I'm home for breaks, if I can't find work near my house, I end up driving the 30 miles back to the college area where I have a job. It isn't as though we're just taking nature tours every day for 2 hours and blowing gas. We're locked into our system of economy to work, make money, and provide a home, food, and clothes. I would like to get a better fuel-efficient vehicle; perhaps a motorcycle, instead of driving the pickup truck I have, and do use. But I don't have hardly enough money right now for another vehicle, so I'm stuck driving my only vehicle, that I bought because it's good year round, for any weather, and all purposes, a pickup truck.

Many reports say that it is very feasible to obtain ethanol from corn, grown here, and produced here in the US. We could become more self-sufficient, stop relying on unstable foreign sources of oil, and protect the environment. The argument as to why the government doesn't push towards ethanol production is political: Bush is rooted in the traditional, old money of Big Oil. I don't want to start a political debate instead of talking about gas, though.

Our situation is tough, especially for anyone in the Maryland area that partners with BGE. A 72 percent rate hike? I especially noticed the increase in the cost of living over wages earned because earlier in my relationship with my girlfriend, I could drive to work, pay for gas, and afford much more in the way of dinner, gifts, and outings than I can now. My old gas reciepts show 1.55 for gas...now it's up above 3 dollars. It is almost to the point that driving to work costs as much as we earn.

Cheers,
Nick

[El_Kabong]

$3/ gallon is still cheap. In Japan, it's $5.

[horns666]

This Summer is just going to be one blatant ass fuggin'..PERIOD.

yeah, there is something we can do..stay home at all oppurtunities like I do..I think I bought a quarter tank of gas like a month ago..

I keep my errands down to the bare minimums..and my Cobra is pretty decent on gas..and I drive it just to and fro from the local car meets..I put a whole 500 miles on it last Summer..

Ahhhhhh Fuggum!

Between Gas and Health care...this is the worst I've ever seen this crap..it truly sucks ass..

I'm getting pretty fed up with this "endless" war for a fucking excuse!

Ahhhh Fuggum twice..

It's getting pretty bad ..ummmm...I think...ummm..I can't believe what I'm about to say...ummmm..I think I'm going democrat for the first time in my life guys..in the next election..because THIS shit isn't doing me, you or anyone ANY fuggin' good.

Besides Bush's daughters being hot and he's always hilarious to watch and listen to..he' dropped the fuggin' ball somewhere..I see zero light at the end of any tunnels here..

I could be wrong..but do ANY of you..anyone see any light here..I sincerely don't.

about 80% of the people I know lost their job, have no health insurance, and living paycheck to paycheck because everything is so damn expensive..it's pretty bad.

[fett]

OPEC lost the ability to set world crude prices several years ago. They still have influence but they can no longer even come close to naming a price and enforcing it.
IMHO a massive global recession / depression is the only thing that will really bring oil prices down for more than a very short time, at least in the near term.

I disagree and agree with you. OPEC " aka the Saudis" can flood the market with oil if they want. Iran will keep pumping and the rest have a vested interest in not killing the "Oily Goose" I really don't think the "Oilers" will throw the world into a recession. It's not in their best interest.

[khabibissell]

All the excuses/theories are empty BS. The fact of the matter is, we (the consumer) are getting ripped off. End of discussion.

[fett]

All the excuses/theories are empty BS. The fact of the matter is, we (the consumer) are getting ripped off. End of discussion.

You commie. you, (just kidding ). Consumers have all the power. All we have to do is stop buying. The US economy is 2/3 consumer spending and 4/3 debt. Just stop buying gasoline. That is, shorten the trips; combine the trips and keep your car in tune.