High gas prices

[txwakejunkie]

Maybe we need to schedule a national day of protest, kind of like what was done in the Hispanic community.

You guys do realize that I was poking fun when I said this, right?

suuurrre you were

Edited April 22, 2008 by txwakejunkie

[oldfooter]

Maybe we need to schedule a national day of protest, kind of like what was done in the Hispanic community.

You guys do realize that I was poking fun when I said this, right?

Of course we did

But some of the other folks may not really think about what goes into producing a gallon of gas and should think about it BEFORE the bitching starts. I just wanted them to think about the same when they buy a gallon of milk. Anyone wish to start a boycott of the dairy industry?

[oldfooter]

How about this one for all you guys. What does it cost to refine the coffee a Latte? How about 3 min of time and about 3 cents tops. You pay $4 for that, talk about getting bent over. What would that cost per gallon ($100+).

Excellent point.....I think I am going to stop off at a convenient store on the way home (one with a Starbucks inside) and buy a case of water, a gallon or milk, and drink a cup of Latte while shopping!!!

Case of Water: $4

Gallon of Milk: $4

Starbucks: $4

Getting screwed without getting that warm wet feeling-------PRICELESS!

[WakeGirl]

How about this one for all you guys. What does it cost to refine the coffee a Latte? How about 3 min of time and about 3 cents tops. You pay $4 for that, talk about getting bent over. What would that cost per gallon ($100+).

Excellent point.....I think I am going to stop off at a convenient store on the way home (one with a Starbucks inside) and buy a case of water, a gallon or milk, and drink a cup of Latte while shopping!!!

Case of Water: $4

Gallon of Milk: $4

Starbucks: $4

Getting screwed without getting that warm wet feeling-------PRICELESS!

Not at a convenience store, it's got to be Walmart, right?

[Tory1340]

How about this one for all you guys. What does it cost to refine the coffee a Latte? How about 3 min of time and about 3 cents tops. You pay $4 for that, talk about getting bent over. What would that cost per gallon ($100+).

Excellent point.....I think I am going to stop off at a convenient store on the way home (one with a Starbucks inside) and buy a case of water, a gallon or milk, and drink a cup of Latte while shopping!!!

Case of Water: $4

Gallon of Milk: $4

Starbucks: $4

Getting screwed without getting that warm wet feeling-------PRICELESS!

Now that's funny right there...

[RTS]

But some of the other folks may not really think about what goes into producing a gallon of gas and should think about it BEFORE the bitching starts. I just wanted them to think about the same when they buy a gallon of milk. Anyone wish to start a boycott of the dairy industry?

You're right. People don't/can't think about these things.

People are filling up their cars, and it's taking a bite out of their budget right now...moreso than it did a few years ago. They want to PUNISH someone for it, and the only people they can think of are the big oil companies. Punish those bad people....make them pay....

They say they are charging too much for a gallon of gas. No, they are not, because we are buying it. They are selling what they have, and they will continue to charge these prices until ONE OF TWO THINGS HAPPEN....supply goes up, or demand goes down.

But taken to an extreme, if people got their wish and all the profits were taken away from big oil, one thing would happen as certain as the sun. The oil companies would go out of business. The people that work/invest in the oil companies don't do so because they want to make sure you have (cheap) gas for your car. They do it to earn a living/make a profit on their investment. Run these guys out of business, and then later on figure out where you're gonna get your gas seems to be the way they think.

[JohnDoe]

I don't have any fundamental problem with the oil companies making all the profit they want. But they have to do it fairly. Anti-trust violations, dirty political moves in Africa and Asia, and commodity futures manipulation are not examples of doing so fairly.

Whoever made the argument that Americans don't know what goes into the discovery, drilling, and refining of oil is uninformed I'm afraid. He is confusing profit and revenue and is also forgetting that the US government has done a large amount of work on behalf of the oil companies yet WE continue to subsidize further exploration.

[Bobby Light]

I don't have any fundamental problem with the oil companies making all the profit they want. But they have to do it fairly. Anti-trust violations, dirty political moves in Africa and Asia, and commodity futures manipulation are not examples of doing so fairly.

Whoever made the argument that Americans don't know what goes into the discovery, drilling, and refining of oil is uninformed I'm afraid. He is confusing profit and revenue and is also forgetting that the US government has done a large amount of work on behalf of the oil companies yet WE continue to subsidize further exploration.

How do you figure they are doing it unfairly. How about how bad they got screwed over in countries like Russia and Venezuala, they sustained huge losses there. Then you have states like Alaska telling an oil company oh by the way you owe us 300 million in taxes from last year, we forgot to tell you. How would you feel if the IRS called you up and said "I know you already paid your taxes for 2007 but we changed your tax base last June but didn't tell you" send us a check for 300 Million.

[txwakejunkie]

I don't have any fundamental problem with the oil companies making all the profit they want. But they have to do it fairly. Anti-trust violations, dirty political moves in Africa and Asia, and commodity futures manipulation are not examples of doing so fairly.

Whoever made the argument that Americans don't know what goes into the discovery, drilling, and refining of oil is uninformed I'm afraid. He is confusing profit and revenue and is also forgetting that the US government has done a large amount of work on behalf of the oil companies yet WE continue to subsidize further exploration.

How do you figure they are doing it unfairly. How about how bad they got screwed over in countries like Russia and Venezuala, they sustained huge losses there. Then you have states like Alaska telling an oil company oh by the way you owe us 300 million in taxes from last year, we forgot to tell you. How would you feel if the IRS called you up and said "I know you already paid your taxes for 2007 but we changed your tax base last June but didn't tell you" send us a check for 300 Million.

If i was making 20+ billion in profit a year i would just cut the check with a big

[Bobby Light]

I don't have any fundamental problem with the oil companies making all the profit they want. But they have to do it fairly. Anti-trust violations, dirty political moves in Africa and Asia, and commodity futures manipulation are not examples of doing so fairly.

Whoever made the argument that Americans don't know what goes into the discovery, drilling, and refining of oil is uninformed I'm afraid. He is confusing profit and revenue and is also forgetting that the US government has done a large amount of work on behalf of the oil companies yet WE continue to subsidize further exploration.

How do you figure they are doing it unfairly. How about how bad they got screwed over in countries like Russia and Venezuala, they sustained huge losses there. Then you have states like Alaska telling an oil company oh by the way you owe us 300 million in taxes from last year, we forgot to tell you. How would you feel if the IRS called you up and said "I know you already paid your taxes for 2007 but we changed your tax base last June but didn't tell you" send us a check for 300 Million.

If i was making 20+ billion in profit a year i would just cut the check with a big

Nice to know you would bend over and take it...

[txwakejunkie]

I don't have any fundamental problem with the oil companies making all the profit they want. But they have to do it fairly. Anti-trust violations, dirty political moves in Africa and Asia, and commodity futures manipulation are not examples of doing so fairly.

Whoever made the argument that Americans don't know what goes into the discovery, drilling, and refining of oil is uninformed I'm afraid. He is confusing profit and revenue and is also forgetting that the US government has done a large amount of work on behalf of the oil companies yet WE continue to subsidize further exploration.

How do you figure they are doing it unfairly. How about how bad they got screwed over in countries like Russia and Venezuala, they sustained huge losses there. Then you have states like Alaska telling an oil company oh by the way you owe us 300 million in taxes from last year, we forgot to tell you. How would you feel if the IRS called you up and said "I know you already paid your taxes for 2007 but we changed your tax base last June but didn't tell you" send us a check for 300 Million.

If i was making 20+ billion in profit a year i would just cut the check with a big

Nice to know you would bend over and take it...

Seems to me if Im making that kind of profit i would be the one giving it, not taking it

[Bobby Light]

I don't have any fundamental problem with the oil companies making all the profit they want. But they have to do it fairly. Anti-trust violations, dirty political moves in Africa and Asia, and commodity futures manipulation are not examples of doing so fairly.

Whoever made the argument that Americans don't know what goes into the discovery, drilling, and refining of oil is uninformed I'm afraid. He is confusing profit and revenue and is also forgetting that the US government has done a large amount of work on behalf of the oil companies yet WE continue to subsidize further exploration.

How do you figure they are doing it unfairly. How about how bad they got screwed over in countries like Russia and Venezuala, they sustained huge losses there. Then you have states like Alaska telling an oil company oh by the way you owe us 300 million in taxes from last year, we forgot to tell you. How would you feel if the IRS called you up and said "I know you already paid your taxes for 2007 but we changed your tax base last June but didn't tell you" send us a check for 300 Million.

If i was making 20+ billion in profit a year i would just cut the check with a big

Nice to know you would bend over and take it...

Seems to me if Im making that kind of profit i would be the one giving it, not taking it

We'll see how you feel if a democrat gets elected president and raises your taxes. Then you'll be on here

[txwakejunkie]

I don't have any fundamental problem with the oil companies making all the profit they want. But they have to do it fairly. Anti-trust violations, dirty political moves in Africa and Asia, and commodity futures manipulation are not examples of doing so fairly.

Whoever made the argument that Americans don't know what goes into the discovery, drilling, and refining of oil is uninformed I'm afraid. He is confusing profit and revenue and is also forgetting that the US government has done a large amount of work on behalf of the oil companies yet WE continue to subsidize further exploration.

How do you figure they are doing it unfairly. How about how bad they got screwed over in countries like Russia and Venezuala, they sustained huge losses there. Then you have states like Alaska telling an oil company oh by the way you owe us 300 million in taxes from last year, we forgot to tell you. How would you feel if the IRS called you up and said "I know you already paid your taxes for 2007 but we changed your tax base last June but didn't tell you" send us a check for 300 Million.

If i was making 20+ billion in profit a year i would just cut the check with a big

Nice to know you would bend over and take it...

Seems to me if Im making that kind of profit i would be the one giving it, not taking it

We'll see how you feel if a democrat gets elected president and raises your taxes. Then you'll be on here

I agree with that! I have put my truck in the garage and broke out the chevy metro! Cut my fuel cost in half to work so that i dont have to when filling the BU!!

[CLOUT1]

You make some good points oldfooter but one of the flaws in your arguement is that I DON'T NEED a gallon of milk to get to work and I can drink my coffee black made with dirty water from my back yard. I understand what goes into my tank (truck or bu) didn't come out of the ground that way from a drilling company in some Norman Rockwell town. I just think that there is a big difference between need and want. I admit that I don't NEED a gallon of gas for my BU...but I NEED a gallon of gas to get to work, to provide for my family, so I can buy that really expensive gallon of milk!!!

[Bobby Light]

I don't have any fundamental problem with the oil companies making all the profit they want. But they have to do it fairly. Anti-trust violations, dirty political moves in Africa and Asia, and commodity futures manipulation are not examples of doing so fairly.

Whoever made the argument that Americans don't know what goes into the discovery, drilling, and refining of oil is uninformed I'm afraid. He is confusing profit and revenue and is also forgetting that the US government has done a large amount of work on behalf of the oil companies yet WE continue to subsidize further exploration.

How do you figure they are doing it unfairly. How about how bad they got screwed over in countries like Russia and Venezuala, they sustained huge losses there. Then you have states like Alaska telling an oil company oh by the way you owe us 300 million in taxes from last year, we forgot to tell you. How would you feel if the IRS called you up and said "I know you already paid your taxes for 2007 but we changed your tax base last June but didn't tell you" send us a check for 300 Million.

If i was making 20+ billion in profit a year i would just cut the check with a big

Nice to know you would bend over and take it...

Seems to me if Im making that kind of profit i would be the one giving it, not taking it

We'll see how you feel if a democrat gets elected president and raises your taxes. Then you'll be on here

I agree with that! I have put my truck in the garage and broke out the chevy metro! Cut my fuel cost in half to work so that i dont have to when filling the BU!!

I'm charging gas money this summer. I usually only took it if someone demanded I do, now I will be requesting.

[txwakejunkie]

I don't have any fundamental problem with the oil companies making all the profit they want. But they have to do it fairly. Anti-trust violations, dirty political moves in Africa and Asia, and commodity futures manipulation are not examples of doing so fairly.

Whoever made the argument that Americans don't know what goes into the discovery, drilling, and refining of oil is uninformed I'm afraid. He is confusing profit and revenue and is also forgetting that the US government has done a large amount of work on behalf of the oil companies yet WE continue to subsidize further exploration.

How do you figure they are doing it unfairly. How about how bad they got screwed over in countries like Russia and Venezuala, they sustained huge losses there. Then you have states like Alaska telling an oil company oh by the way you owe us 300 million in taxes from last year, we forgot to tell you. How would you feel if the IRS called you up and said "I know you already paid your taxes for 2007 but we changed your tax base last June but didn't tell you" send us a check for 300 Million.

If i was making 20+ billion in profit a year i would just cut the check with a big

Nice to know you would bend over and take it...

Seems to me if Im making that kind of profit i would be the one giving it, not taking it

We'll see how you feel if a democrat gets elected president and raises your taxes. Then you'll be on here

I agree with that! I have put my truck in the garage and broke out the chevy metro! Cut my fuel cost in half to work so that i dont have to when filling the BU!!

I'm charging gas money this summer. I usually only took it if someone demanded I do, now I will be requesting.

at an est of 24 dollars and hour to run the boat, dues will have to be paid!

[UWSkier]

People keep blaming the oil companies. It's not their fault. It's all because of the speculative nature of the stupid market. Supply is outpacing demand currently, even with a rapidly-growing China. If oil were not handled on a speculative market, there would be no way it would be as expensive as it is now.

One other thing to consider is the weakened dollar. Oil would be $65/barrel if the dollar was still strong.

[Malibudude]

It's Mr. Nobody's fault.....

[JohnDoe]

People keep blaming the oil companies. It's not their fault. It's all because of the speculative nature of the stupid market. Supply is outpacing demand currently, even with a rapidly-growing China. If oil were not handled on a speculative market, there would be no way it would be as expensive as it is now.

One other thing to consider is the weakened dollar. Oil would be $65/barrel if the dollar was still strong.

Arguably, however, it is, given their role and manipulation of the futures commodities markets. It's not just "blaming" them, they're manipulating the prices. If regular old supply and demand forces were at work, I would have no issue, but that's not what's happening.

[Bobby Light]

People keep blaming the oil companies. It's not their fault. It's all because of the speculative nature of the stupid market. Supply is outpacing demand currently, even with a rapidly-growing China. If oil were not handled on a speculative market, there would be no way it would be as expensive as it is now.

One other thing to consider is the weakened dollar. Oil would be $65/barrel if the dollar was still strong.

Arguably, however, it is, given their role and manipulation of the futures commodities markets. It's not just "blaming" them, they're manipulating the prices. If regular old supply and demand forces were at work, I would have no issue, but that's not what's happening.

BS you have no idea.

[JohnDoe]

Whats your connection to the industry 06?

You really think the oil companies are squeaky clean? Because essentially all your posts defend it. I just want to know when Exxon is finally going to pay what they were ordered to after the Valdez spill.

[Bobby Light]

Whats your connection to the industry 06?

You really think the oil companies are squeaky clean? Because essentially all your posts defend it. I just want to know when Exxon is finally going to pay what they were ordered to after the Valdez spill.

They did pay already, it"s the several times they've been sued since then that are still in litigation. That Valdez spill was a disaster nobody can deny that and they paid a pretty penny for it, not only monitarily but also reputation wise. Alot of things have changed in the area of oil transportation since then. All oil tankers operating in Alaska have to be double hull. I think that's a good thing and think any oil tanker should be double hull. Let's just say I work in the industry and 90% of your facts are 100% false. What you say makes sense but it's just not true. That's why every single inquisition by every senator, state, etc.. have turned up absolutely nothing.

How can an oil company manipulate the price of oil when they don't control the market in any way. Just as you say the oil goes into a big pool that anyone can buy from. The weak dollar is not helping the issue, but just be thankful that oil is traded on the open market by the us dollar and not the Euro or British pound. If Iran or Venezuala had their way oil would not be traded on the us dollar but with the Euro. They will do anything they can to hurt the us economy and destroy our way of life.

Edited April 22, 2008 by 06vlx

[JohnDoe]

Whats your connection to the industry 06?

You really think the oil companies are squeaky clean? Because essentially all your posts defend it. I just want to know when Exxon is finally going to pay what they were ordered to after the Valdez spill.

They did pay already, it"s the several times they've been sued since then that are still in litigation. That Valdez spill was a disaster nobody can deny that and they paid a pretty penny for it, not only monitarily but also reputation wise. Alot of things have changed in the area of oil transportation since then. All oil tankers operating in Alaska have to be double hull. I think that's a good thing and think any oil tanker should be double hull. Let's just say I work in the industry and 90% of your facts are 100% false. What you say makes sense but it's just not true. That's why every single inquisition by every senator, state, etc.. have turned up absolutely nothing.

You are absolutely wrong. Jury verdict was entered 14 years ago, and Exxon has taken appeal after appeal after appeal and just this February the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the case. They already managed to get punitive verdict cut in half, because who has the money to continue this fight for 14 years? The oil companies.

"They did pay already"

And you're not even right about the double hull, thats not required until 2015!

With all due respect, I think you need to check your facts, sir. Perhaps you got them from Wikipedia before the Wiki scanner caught people inside Exxon Mobile making modification to the Vadez spill entry to make it seem less severe (true story, according to wikipedia)

Edited April 22, 2008 by JohnDoe

[CedarLakeSkier]

You make some good points oldfooter but one of the flaws in your arguement is that I DON'T NEED a gallon of milk to get to work and I can drink my coffee black made with dirty water from my back yard. I understand what goes into my tank (truck or bu) didn't come out of the ground that way from a drilling company in some Norman Rockwell town. I just think that there is a big difference between need and want. I admit that I don't NEED a gallon of gas for my BU...but I NEED a gallon of gas to get to work, to provide for my family, so I can buy that really expensive gallon of milk!!!

CLOUT1,

Good points, but I would add this. The volume has to do with profit margin as well. I can take a smaller profit margin if I am going to sell more.

Come back to me with this profit margin argument when I have to buy 18 gallons of milk (or bottled water) every 4 or 5 days in order to get to work. I think for my entire family, the most milk I've bought in a week is about 4 gallons. When I buy that much I usually try to find it on sale. The cost for a gallon of milk still ends up cheaper than a gallon of gas, even though the profit margin may be higher.

[Mike00LXI]

You make some good points oldfooter but one of the flaws in your arguement is that I DON'T NEED a gallon of milk to get to work and I can drink my coffee black made with dirty water from my back yard. I understand what goes into my tank (truck or bu) didn't come out of the ground that way from a drilling company in some Norman Rockwell town. I just think that there is a big difference between need and want. I admit that I don't NEED a gallon of gas for my BU...but I NEED a gallon of gas to get to work, to provide for my family, so I can buy that really expensive gallon of milk!!!

CLOUT1,

Good points, but I would add this. The volume has to do with profit margin as well. I can take a smaller profit margin if I am going to sell more.

Come back to me with this profit margin argument when I have to buy 18 gallons of milk (or bottled water) every 4 or 5 days in order to get to work. I think for my entire family, the most milk I've bought in a week is about 4 gallons. When I buy that much I usually try to find it on sale. The cost for a gallon of milk still ends up cheaper than a gallon of gas, even though the profit margin may be higher.

It's my understanding that all of the cows have unionized. They are demanding exorbinant salaries plus overtime, have very expensive taste in grass, will only milk when they don't have a headache and now require hourly leg massages by a liscensed masseuse when they work more than hours a day.

Let's stick to the facts and the real issues driving up prices in the dairy market.