Gas here just went up the other day to $1.239 per liter (that's $4.69 per US gallon or $5.63 per Imperial gallon). WTF?!? If the Auto industry had kept up with progress and R&D like the Computer industry has we would all be driving 500 HP cars that get 80 MPG at 80 mPH. But the government and big oil won't let that happen now, will they...
As someone once said, "There's no such thing as a free lunch," so goes it for the auto/big oil industry.
Those computers that whiz you much faster these days also consume a lot more energy than that Commodore 64 of yesteryear. Still, speed is good... sometimes.
Regarding oil prices.. It's the speculators who determine prices based on hysteria, greed public gullibility. Add to this poor energy policies by the guv'ment and our insatiable appetite for motor vehicles, and well, you gits what you got.
I for one took action a couple years ago in the form of "reconditioning" an old '82 Honda Civic that gets around 42mpg in mixed driving. It's paid for and I have a ton of spare parts. Studebakers now are the luxury occasional experience.
JT
Dale J. wrote:
Do you mean the big government that passed all of those overly restrictive environmental laws that led to the higher prices, distribution problems and fewer refineries? The same government that makes more on the gas you purchase at the pump, than the oil company that provides the gas? That big government that sill will not allow drilling our countries vast oil and natural gas reserves? The price of crude is determined by the speculators that invest in the commodities market, not the oil companies or the government
Every time the price of fuel goes up the Congress or the Senate holds hearing and browbeat the bosses of the American oil companies that are owned by those Americans that invest in those companies. Have you EVER seen a report from any of the Congressional or Senate hearings? Did it ever occur to you why you never read any of their conclusions in the press? The results of those hearing is ALWATYS the same, the price increase is the result of supply and demand LOL.
The computer industry? The same industry that built my X60 laptop that takes a very expensive Li-Ion battery that will run for about 5 hours on a charge? The same industry that built my Tandy 100 that will run for WEEKS on 4AA batteries?!?
Plus if your car was like a PC (or even a MAC) every once in a while it would quit running or all it's controls would lock up for no apparent reason.
Annoying in a computer, disastrous in a car!
And in spite of the hardships imposed by the fuel prices, NOT ONE taxing agency, has offered to back down on taxes.
Seems that the oil companies are not the only greedy organizations about these days.
"But the government and big oil won't let that happen now, will they..."
I find your theories intriguing, and wish to subscribe to your newsletter.
Unfortunately, fuel prices aren't the only thing affected by oil prices. I suffered major sticker shock Saturday when I got a fertilizer bill. Urea (nitrogen)- $515.79/ton, 18-46-0- $925.32/ton and potash (potassium)- $605.26/ton. Fewer than five years ago the 18-46-0 was $249/ton and potash was $157/ton. Paul Johnson
If you are contending that the "taxing" agency(s) are those that collect gas taxes, don't expect any relief there. In fact gas tax collections are way down when viewed from a historical and actual perspective.
Traffic counts are down in most areas and when coupled with more economical cars, funding for highways (new and maintenance) is dropping.
OTOH, gas price is governed by hysteria (speculation) and manipulation by big oil. For example, last year when oil prices fell below $50 per barrel, they managed to manipulate gas prices upward to around $3 per gal and this year even with the high oil prices, claims of shortages are just not true. There is plenty of product but again, manipulation is taking place.
But, this is nothing new, right?
JT
jimandkathiekrise wrote:
Um, jis wot do youse plan w' all dat urea?
JT
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