I'll stick with what I can afford to maintain.
gas prices...
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Originally Posted By: Nick R
You want someone to blame, blame oil companies and the speculators that drive up the prices at the mere hint of trouble anywhere in the world.
The speculator and distributor/middleman have more control of the gasoline price than oil/refinery companies.
You want someone to blame, blame oil companies and the speculators that drive up the prices at the mere hint of trouble anywhere in the world.
The speculator and distributor/middleman have more control of the gasoline price than oil/refinery companies.
Originally Posted By: mechanicx
What's as annoying or more than the high gas prices in the first place is how the price changes significantly 10-20% so quickly, literally over night. Last night gas was $3.18/gal and the next morning it's $3.49/gal. Surely, real supply and demand isn't changing this fast. Imagine if everything else changed in price 10-20% daily.
I still say the big speculators and market makers are are big part of the reason for high oil prices and volatility than is just real supply and demand. Oil prices suddenly almost double a few years ago and have stayed high. It wasn't a slow and gradual increse that you'd see from real demand increases.
Then you have the media reporting "gas will be $4-$5/gal by Summer hehehe". It sounds like they are just conditioning consumers for the planned and engineered price increases. It all seems fishy and suspect.
Bam! Right on.
Sad part is you ARE going to see others stuff jump 10-40% at a time. Why? because they can.
Works for the oil companies....
What's as annoying or more than the high gas prices in the first place is how the price changes significantly 10-20% so quickly, literally over night. Last night gas was $3.18/gal and the next morning it's $3.49/gal. Surely, real supply and demand isn't changing this fast. Imagine if everything else changed in price 10-20% daily.
I still say the big speculators and market makers are are big part of the reason for high oil prices and volatility than is just real supply and demand. Oil prices suddenly almost double a few years ago and have stayed high. It wasn't a slow and gradual increse that you'd see from real demand increases.
Then you have the media reporting "gas will be $4-$5/gal by Summer hehehe". It sounds like they are just conditioning consumers for the planned and engineered price increases. It all seems fishy and suspect.
Bam! Right on.
Sad part is you ARE going to see others stuff jump 10-40% at a time. Why? because they can.
Works for the oil companies....
Originally Posted By: brelandt
whens the election again?
You think that's going to change things?
Keep dreaming.
whens the election again?
You think that's going to change things?
There's only two things that would bring down oil/gas prices and stablize them; one would be to drastically increase the amount of their own money traders are required to use when purchasing oil vouchers. Currently, they only have to front a very small portion of their own money, something like 5%, the rest is made up of other people's money. Change that amount to 90 or 95% and they won't be so quick to be jacking prices around like they do. The second would be to remove energy products from the commodities market altogether. This would allow prices to be determined totally by supply and demand. No more wild price fluctuations caused by feelings, which is completely asinine. Unfortunatley, this will never happen as there are too many middle men making money from Joe Consumer using the current process...
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The US dollar is losing value, and other nations are bidding on the same limited supply of oil. Only the first item can be controlled.
I doubt it...$Oz is around $1.07 US at the moment, and petrol is $1.409 Oz per litre ($5.70 US/Gal).
All of those "rules of thumb" that the oil companies, Govt, etc. "educated" us with when oil was $100US, $Oz was 60cUS, and petrol was $1 Oz per litre mean nothing.
All of those "rules of thumb" that the oil companies, Govt, etc. "educated" us with when oil was $100US, $Oz was 60cUS, and petrol was $1 Oz per litre mean nothing.
I just saw a story on Fox news, about all the uncertainty around Iran. The Fox business experts said to expect $4 gas by June. That doesn't surprise me.
Stabilizing gas prices would be easy, the market is being manipulated, supply and demand have nothing to do with it.
Require people who trade in oil futures to take delivery, like we did forever until about oh 2002 under Bush.
Problem solved.
Require people who trade in oil futures to take delivery, like we did forever until about oh 2002 under Bush.
Problem solved.
Get a more fuel-efficient vehicle/fuel-efficiency mod the existing vehicle, and change driving style if one genuinely needs the capacity/capability offered by a less-efficient vehicle.
I chose to get a more fuel-efficient vehicle when my old car rusted out. I also know how to drive efficiently.
Gas must not be expensive enough yet. There were many people traveling well above the speed limit on I-90 this weekend during the 300-odd miles I traveled it with the cruise control set at just under the 65 mph speed limit.
I chose to get a more fuel-efficient vehicle when my old car rusted out. I also know how to drive efficiently.
Gas must not be expensive enough yet. There were many people traveling well above the speed limit on I-90 this weekend during the 300-odd miles I traveled it with the cruise control set at just under the 65 mph speed limit.
Too add some fuel to the fire, the US is consuming the same amount of fuel we did in 2000. It has gone up and down since then but the last year or so the consumption in the US is plummeting. So demand is NOT driving the price increase.....
http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=pet&s=wgfupus2&f=4
http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=pet&s=wgfupus2&f=4
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Stabilizing gas prices would be easy, the market is being manipulated, supply and demand have nothing to do with it.
Require people who trade in oil futures to take delivery, like we did forever until about oh 2002 under Bush.
Problem solved.
1000% right. This is the reason why prices go up $0.20/gal in two days because Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sneezed. After the last time gas/oil ran up to sky high levels, there were several studies that showed supply and demand had absolutely nothing to do with it. It is all hedge funds and other speculators manipulating the market because they can. Heck, it was done by basically one man a few years ago with the natural gas market.
Unfortunately both parties are spineless lapdogs for Wall St. and corporate interests, so as long as they are happy, your local pol will just tell you and your neighbors how "concerned" he is and how he promises to do something about it. Since most people don't understand how anything works, they will push for some token gesture like releasing oil from the strategic reserve, which essentially is good for nothing.
Rising gas prices also always bring out a marketing push from the API and the "drilling hawks". Domestic crude production won't solve this problem one bit. Crude recovered off the coast of Virginia or in some new Alaskan field is sold on the global oil market (the same one being manipulated today) by Exxon or whomever does the drilling. Nothing will become more affordable. The only way domestic production directly affects our domestic prices would be if they nationalized oil production.
Stabilizing gas prices would be easy, the market is being manipulated, supply and demand have nothing to do with it.
Require people who trade in oil futures to take delivery, like we did forever until about oh 2002 under Bush.
Problem solved.
1000% right. This is the reason why prices go up $0.20/gal in two days because Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sneezed. After the last time gas/oil ran up to sky high levels, there were several studies that showed supply and demand had absolutely nothing to do with it. It is all hedge funds and other speculators manipulating the market because they can. Heck, it was done by basically one man a few years ago with the natural gas market.
Unfortunately both parties are spineless lapdogs for Wall St. and corporate interests, so as long as they are happy, your local pol will just tell you and your neighbors how "concerned" he is and how he promises to do something about it. Since most people don't understand how anything works, they will push for some token gesture like releasing oil from the strategic reserve, which essentially is good for nothing.
Rising gas prices also always bring out a marketing push from the API and the "drilling hawks". Domestic crude production won't solve this problem one bit. Crude recovered off the coast of Virginia or in some new Alaskan field is sold on the global oil market (the same one being manipulated today) by Exxon or whomever does the drilling. Nothing will become more affordable. The only way domestic production directly affects our domestic prices would be if they nationalized oil production.
Originally Posted By: sciphi
On I-90 this weekend during the 300-odd miles I traveled it with the cruise control set at just under the 65 mph speed limit.
In Miami Dade County the other drivers will literally run that little Cruze right off the road if you set your C.C. under 65 mph when the speed limit is 65 mph..In certain areas where the speed limit is 55 mph no one is doing under 70 mph when traffic is lighter then normal like on the weekends.
In areas [like the Fla Turnpike&I-75] where the speed limit is 70 mph no one is doing under 80 mph..Most of the wrecks are caused by drivers going too slow.
On I-90 this weekend during the 300-odd miles I traveled it with the cruise control set at just under the 65 mph speed limit.
In Miami Dade County the other drivers will literally run that little Cruze right off the road if you set your C.C. under 65 mph when the speed limit is 65 mph..In certain areas where the speed limit is 55 mph no one is doing under 70 mph when traffic is lighter then normal like on the weekends.
In areas [like the Fla Turnpike&I-75] where the speed limit is 70 mph no one is doing under 80 mph..Most of the wrecks are caused by drivers going too slow.
Originally Posted By: subiedriver
I just saw a story on Fox news, about all the uncertainty around Iran. The Fox business experts said to expect $4 gas by June. That doesn't surprise me.
We were headed to $4 (and beyond) anyway...the Iran uncertainty just gives the oil companies/speculators an excuse to raise prices quicker and higher...
I just saw a story on Fox news, about all the uncertainty around Iran. The Fox business experts said to expect $4 gas by June. That doesn't surprise me.
We were headed to $4 (and beyond) anyway...the Iran uncertainty just gives the oil companies/speculators an excuse to raise prices quicker and higher...
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Stabilizing gas prices would be easy, the market is being manipulated, supply and demand have nothing to do with it.
Require people who trade in oil futures to take delivery, like we did forever until about oh 2002 under Bush.
Problem solved.
It will never happen because it would cut too many of manipulators out of the equation...and then they'd have to go out and get a real job...
Stabilizing gas prices would be easy, the market is being manipulated, supply and demand have nothing to do with it.
Require people who trade in oil futures to take delivery, like we did forever until about oh 2002 under Bush.
Problem solved.
It will never happen because it would cut too many of manipulators out of the equation...and then they'd have to go out and get a real job...
Originally Posted By: CROWNVIC4LIFE
Originally Posted By: sciphi
On I-90 this weekend during the 300-odd miles I traveled it with the cruise control set at just under the 65 mph speed limit.
In Miami Dade County the other drivers will literally run that little Cruze right off the road if you set your C.C. under 65 mph when the speed limit is 65 mph..In certain areas where the speed limit is 55 mph no one is doing under 70 mph when traffic is lighter then normal like on the weekends.
In areas [like the Fla Turnpike&I-75] where the speed limit is 70 mph no one is doing under 80 mph..Most of the wrecks are caused by drivers going too slow.
LOL. I guess gas is too cheap down there, even at its current price. When I lived in SC, when gas went up to $4/gallon the last time people did slow down on the interstates, and drove a little nicer. That behavior vanished when gas fell back down in price.
Originally Posted By: sciphi
On I-90 this weekend during the 300-odd miles I traveled it with the cruise control set at just under the 65 mph speed limit.
In Miami Dade County the other drivers will literally run that little Cruze right off the road if you set your C.C. under 65 mph when the speed limit is 65 mph..In certain areas where the speed limit is 55 mph no one is doing under 70 mph when traffic is lighter then normal like on the weekends.
In areas [like the Fla Turnpike&I-75] where the speed limit is 70 mph no one is doing under 80 mph..Most of the wrecks are caused by drivers going too slow.
LOL. I guess gas is too cheap down there, even at its current price. When I lived in SC, when gas went up to $4/gallon the last time people did slow down on the interstates, and drove a little nicer. That behavior vanished when gas fell back down in price.
Originally Posted By: sciphi
Gas must not be expensive enough yet. There were many people traveling well above the speed limit on I-90 this weekend during the 300-odd miles I traveled it with the cruise control set at just under the 65 mph speed limit.
Noticed this myself. Had a 2000 mile road trip this past week due to required meetings. Had the cruise set at 65MPH (which is where my personal vehicle starts shedding MPG quickly when I got faster) and got right at 30 MPG. Which for an all time AWD wagon, I can't really complain about.
The folks driving 90+ MPH is a Suburban type huge SUV or racing from red light to red light...I don't see how they can complain about gas prices. SLOW DOWN and watch your MPG get better.
Gas must not be expensive enough yet. There were many people traveling well above the speed limit on I-90 this weekend during the 300-odd miles I traveled it with the cruise control set at just under the 65 mph speed limit.
Noticed this myself. Had a 2000 mile road trip this past week due to required meetings. Had the cruise set at 65MPH (which is where my personal vehicle starts shedding MPG quickly when I got faster) and got right at 30 MPG. Which for an all time AWD wagon, I can't really complain about.
The folks driving 90+ MPH is a Suburban type huge SUV or racing from red light to red light...I don't see how they can complain about gas prices. SLOW DOWN and watch your MPG get better.
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