alternate energy
| Why is gas/oil going so high?
I heard the other day the arabs plan to raise the cost of a barrel of oil to $200 US dollars. That would equate to approx $10. a gallon for gas! I don't think that will happen this summer, but it still will probably hit somewhere between $4 and $5 dollars a gallon this summer (East Coast - probably over $5 West Coast). So why is this happening? And what do you people plan to do about it? |
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GunnarDanne
join:2002-12-02
Crown City, OH | Crusade |
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cocothebean
Elect all new people in 2008
Premium
join:2002-11-16
Carson City, NV
 ·Charter Pipeline
| reply to alternate energy
Driving up oil so the price will justify proccessing corn That is just as bad for the ozone layer as regular oil is!!!
And the people in government could care less what the price is, as they have a credit card issued to them from their propective states, Free gas for them and the family!!!
What a wonder life!!!
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Hayward
K A R - 1 2 0 C
Premium
join:2000-07-13
Key West, FL
moderated:
May 8th, @11:37AM
| reply to alternate energy
Why is gas/oil going so high?
Checked what the rest of the world is paying... even civilized Western Europe.... we are STILL dirt cheap, they are paying for a liter what we are for a gallon and have been for decades... though maybe FINALLY less of a differential now... but the world NUMB (no one but us even matters mentality) US just doesn't get it 
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»haywardm.com (Hayward's Key West)
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bcfromfl
join:2007-09-06
Youngstown, FL
| reply to alternate energy
I'm a futures trader. Your question has a complex answer, but can be boiled down somewhat.
Increased international wealth has pretty much exhausted conventional investment into new large businesses and industries. There is a "laziness" to this new wealth, such that wealthy investors don't want to actively manage their funds or be involved in creating something new. Thus, it gets funneled largely into hedge funds which "guarantee" a better-than-average rate of return from existing investment vehicles.
A huge influx of buy-side capital into any futures market, without corresponding sell-side pressure, will force prices higher. While it is true that these hedge funds must close out their positions (i.e. sell their long contracts) when that contract month closes, the upward pressure from forward months keeps the prices up.
Crude is also priced using the U.S. Dollar as a standard. Since the relative strength of the U.S. Dollar has been falling against foreign currencies, this devalues the purchasing power of the Dollar for a barrel of crude. In some markets, the Euro is now being used as the new standard because the Dollar is so pitiful. (So much for the "strong Dollar policy" by the U.S. Treasury...)
Now, for the conspiratorial side of things...
There is some suspicion that governments such as Nigeria back the militants that attack oil concerns, which spike prices higher with a "terrorist premium". These premiums don't entirely back out of the futures markets when the violence subsides. So, by giving some hoodlums a relatively small sum of money, the government can benefit from millions in increased revenues.
It's also possible that oil-rich countries are manipulating oil futures for their benefit. Similar to the above example, by taking a relatively "small" amount of money (say, $25 million) and buying futures contracts, they can boost prices a few cents, or even a dollar or two, and reap many millions -- or even billions -- in increased revenues.
Even with increased demand from India and China, I've heard several knowledgeable analysts claim that considering the present international supply and demand, crude should only be trading in the $50-$55 range.
Publicly-traded oil companies only account for about 10% of the world's oil production...the rest are government-owned. The increased cost of a gallon of gas is essentially a "tax" that benefits shareholders of oil companies, pensions and hedge funds that invest in energy stocks and/or futures markets, and oil-rich nations. Since the poor and middle-class are hit hardest by such increased weekly expenditures, this becomes yet another example of the funneling of wealth to the rich.
The disparity between the amount of wealth controlled by the top 1% of the population and the rest of us, is indeed getting larger and larger. |
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Hayward
K A R - 1 2 0 C
Premium
join:2000-07-13
Key West, FL
edit:
May 7th, @03:33AM
| And we no longer have the reserves to back up the BS for more than a few months we have gotten so gluttonous....
For a while went to small efficient cars (late 70-early 80'2.... but right back to the gluttonous 2 ton SUV/no really day to day fuctional pickup BS.
Though this is mine... 24mpg+ putting around town and rated to carry just under its own weight 1/2 ton (dog is well under that )
This done up for the KW Conch Republic Celebration Parade.... CR K9... not a real one... though the vehicle fit the role.... when I got it steering wheel had definately been chewed up by a bored NYC K9 put in th cab rather than bin!!!
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»haywardm.com (Hayward's Key West)
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M3 Me
@247realmedia.com
| reply to alternate energy
said by alternate energy :
I heard the other day the arabs plan to raise the cost of a barrel of oil to $200 US dollars. That would equate to approx $10. a gallon for gas! I don't think that will happen this summer, but it still will probably hit somewhere between $4 and $5 dollars a gallon this summer (East Coast - probably over $5 West Coast). So why is this happening? And what do you people plan to do about it?
There's an aspect of this that I'm surprised no one has mentioned yet. And that is that the assholes who keep printing money....keep printing money.
People don't seem to pick up on the fact that money is like anything else: as the supply of it increases, it's value diminishes.
So while I'm sure we're all grateful for those $600 checks we're getting, it might be a good idea to examine just how it's possible for a government that's $9 Trillion in the hole to suddenly cut everyone a check for six small.
Anyway, to answer your question: the reason it takes more US Dollars than ever to buy gas is because there are now more US Dollars than ever in circulation.
(I'm sure it's just a coincidence that M3 [money supply] is no longer reported.) |
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CylonRed
Premium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County
 ·Speakeasy
| reply to alternate energy
No - they don't decide the price and the story you say merely said that Goldman Sachs could see a super spike possibly coming down the line: »www.cnbc.com/id/24481509
The official estimate, barring any unusual circumstances, is a more reasonable $3.66/gal average for the US. This is more inline with what will happen and a better estimate than they have had for the last couple of years. |
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lennyCrane
@covad.net
| reply to alternate energy
It is a governmental program to help fat, overweight American cows to lose weight. The theory is they will spend less on food, lose weight, get healthy, which will result in car manufacturers to make smaller cars.
Cars have to be made big otherwise the springs and tires blow out from fat tubs.
Have you seen how American woman have declined in beauty in the past 20 years ? Who wants to mate with a fat cow ? Do you ?
The Arabs have America's best interest at heart, have faith, praise Allah. |
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Hayward
K A R - 1 2 0 C
Premium
join:2000-07-13
Key West, FL
edit:
May 8th, @03:12AM
| reply to alternate energy
nm |
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punker
deleted by moderator
Premium
join:2004-06-21
Palmdale, CA
clubs:
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| reply to lennyCrane
said by lennyCrane :
It is a governmental program to help fat, overweight American cows to lose weight. The theory is they will spend less on food, lose weight, get healthy, which will result in car manufacturers to make smaller cars.
Cars have to be made big otherwise the springs and tires blow out from fat tubs.
Have you seen how American woman have declined in beauty in the past 20 years ? Who wants to mate with a fat cow ? Do you ?
The Arabs have America's best interest at heart, have faith, praise Allah.
hey but if you get in an crash in an small car you are DEAD
now if you got an BIG SUV you will not be dead |
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CylonRed
Premium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County | Hardly true - sorry but this is basic, unadulterated FUD. Plenty of folks live from crashes in small cars and plenty die in large cars. If cars were smaller and the differences were smaller it would be a complete non-issue. |
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Cabal
Premium
join:2007-01-21
02101
edit:
May 8th, @11:48AM
| reply to punker
said by punker  :said by lennyCrane :
It is a governmental program to help fat, overweight American cows to lose weight. The theory is they will spend less on food, lose weight, get healthy, which will result in car manufacturers to make smaller cars.
Cars have to be made big otherwise the springs and tires blow out from fat tubs.
Have you seen how American woman have declined in beauty in the past 20 years ? Who wants to mate with a fat cow ? Do you ?
The Arabs have America's best interest at heart, have faith, praise Allah.
hey but if you get in an crash in an small car you are DEAD now if you got an BIG SUV you will not be dead Completely false. Some of the safest cars on the roads are small cars, because they're built like tanks. Start your research here. For example, the Subaru B-pillar is so strong, the Jaws of Life can't cut through it, and neither will your SUV. (This has lead to revised approaches by fire departments on these cars.)
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Interested in open source engine management for your Subaru? |
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cocothebean
Elect all new people in 2008
Premium
join:2002-11-16
Carson City, NV
·Charter Pipeline
| said by Cabal :said by punker :said by lennyCrane :
It is a governmental program to help fat, overweight American cows to lose weight. The theory is they will spend less on food, lose weight, get healthy, which will result in car manufacturers to make smaller cars.
Cars have to be made big otherwise the springs and tires blow out from fat tubs.
Have you seen how American woman have declined in beauty in the past 20 years ? Who wants to mate with a fat cow ? Do you ?
The Arabs have America's best interest at heart, have faith, praise Allah.
hey but if you get in an crash in an small car you are DEAD now if you got an BIG SUV you will not be dead Completely false. Some of the safest cars on the roads are small cars, because they're built like tanks. And they feel like you're riding in a tank too!!!
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TexasPlus
join:2004-06-16
Bedford, TX
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| reply to punker
said by punker :hey but if you get in an crash in an small car you are DEAD now if you got an BIG SUV you will not be dead Pay attention, learn to drive, don't get in a crash.
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"The world is a book; those who do not travel read but a single page." -St. Augustine |
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GunnarDanne
join:2002-12-02
Crown City, OH | Yea, pretty much. All the extra weight in SUVS that make you feel so "safe" makes you more likely to get into in accident or not be able to avoid one. |
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Mchart
Tech Control
join:2004-01-21
Gurnee, IL
·RoadRunner Cable
·AT&T Yahoo
| reply to M3 Me
said by M3 Me :said by alternate energy :
I heard the other day the arabs plan to raise the cost of a barrel of oil to $200 US dollars. That would equate to approx $10. a gallon for gas! I don't think that will happen this summer, but it still will probably hit somewhere between $4 and $5 dollars a gallon this summer (East Coast - probably over $5 West Coast). So why is this happening? And what do you people plan to do about it?
There's an aspect of this that I'm surprised no one has mentioned yet. And that is that the assholes who keep printing money....keep printing money. People don't seem to pick up on the fact that money is like anything else: as the supply of it increases, it's value diminishes. So while I'm sure we're all grateful for those $600 checks we're getting, it might be a good idea to examine just how it's possible for a government that's $9 Trillion in the hole to suddenly cut everyone a check for six small. Anyway, to answer your question: the reason it takes more US Dollars than ever to buy gas is because there are now more US Dollars than ever in circulation. (I'm sure it's just a coincidence that M3 [money supply] is no longer reported.) You forgot the best part about this 'free' money too; The majority of people are spending this money to purchase items overseas - mainly China. So not only is the government drastically increasing the rate of inflation, the citizens of this country are then throwing this money straight into China which further de-values our economy and strengthens theirs. |
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Lwilliams
join:2008-05-08
Seattle, WA
moderated:
May 8th, @10:26PM
| reply to alternate energy
As far as I can tell there is no logical reason for it. It just shows me that in this country (and maybe many countries), the rich get richer & the poor get poorer.
Linda ... |
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safe driver
@Level3.net
| reply to TexasPlus
@ Texas Plus
There's no way you can possibly see every situation that could occur on the road. Ever hear of drunk drivers for example? Many accidents happen to people who are very very safe drivers. Just because you pay attention doesn't mean you can't have an accident on the road. |
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DracoFelis
Premium
join:2003-06-15
| Small car safety.
said by safe driver :
There's no way you can possibly see every situation that could occur on the road. Ever hear of drunk drivers for example? Many accidents happen to people who are very very safe drivers. Just because you pay attention doesn't mean you can't have an accident on the road.
True. However:
1) As others have pointed out, smaller cars are generally much more maneuverable, and otherwise LESS LIKELY to get into accidents in the first place. And the best way to survive an accident, is to not get in it to begin with!
2) As others have said, it's not true that small cars don't have safety features that work amazingly well in a crash. And while I'm not proud of this experience by any mean, I can give you one small example from my own experience:
Many years ago (back when I was an inexperienced teen driver), I survived with little more than a few bruises an almost head on HIGHWAY SPEED (Winter) crash between the family COMPACT CAR (sliding over the dividing line and) hitting a full size pickup! Yes, the whole front end (i.e. the engine compartment) of the small car was collapsed to less than 1/2 it's normal size, and the car I was in was TOTALED. But the COMPACT CAR I was in was designed (as many small cars are designed) to sacrifice the engine compartment (i.e. everything in front of the so-called "firewall" in the car) in a crash, in order to protect the car occupants from harm. And that worked so well, that my only "injuries" were minor bruises from my safety belt keeping me with the car, during these very violent forces in play. Sadly the driver of the pickup (a vehicle MUCH BIGGER than the one I was driving) didn't fare so well. While he recovered, he had to go to the hospital for is injuries (which included broken bones)! And my story is by no means unique.
So really, while the auto makers have been parading that myth of the big vehicles being safer for years (in part, because it helps them sell bigger, higher profit, vehicles), small cars can still do a good job of protecting the occupants should a crash occur. Sadly, I know first hand about this little fact!
3) And while it is true that all other things being equal (and as already pointed out, all other things may not be equal), the vehicles with the crash advantage in a collision is the bigger/heaver one, that DOES NOT mean that bigger heaver vehicles are "safer". Remember, the only reason why a bigger/heaver vehicle might make you SLIGHTLY SAFER in a crash, is because your vehicle may be the bigger/heaver one. i.e. any increased "safety" for you, comes at the cost of making other drivers "less safe" (more likely to suffer injury in an accident, due to your big/heavy truck ramming into them)!
But (and this is key), it's not the extra weight per se that may make you "safer", it's the weight differential between your vehicle and the other vehicle in the crash. As surprising as it sounds to some, two heaver trucks hitting each other are noticeably more likely to have everyone involved in the crash hurt, than two light cars hitting each other (under the same road conditions and speed). And the reason is simple, adding weight to the vehicles actually increases the damaging forces involved in a crash!
[SOAPBOX]
So if you really want to make it safer for people on the road to survive crashes, work to get those big heavy (so-called "safe") trucks/SUVs/etc off the road, so that most crashes occur between light (more fuel effect) vehicles, and therefore are less serious (and more likely to be survived) crashes! Because (as surprising as it is to some, given the prevalence of "the big vehicle is safe" myth, our highways would actually be MUCH SAFER if many of those vans/SUVs/pickups/etc were replaced with smaller commuter cars...
[/SOAPBOX] |
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