Bladestunner316
Puritan Board Doctor
Turn the manure into a fertilizer for a garden.
blade
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Gas Prices
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Bladestunner316
Puritan Board Doctor
Ok here we go again top off your gas now refineries are allready shutting down on top of the downsize in production over Katrina.
This is without Rita hitting and doing damage yet.
Blade
This is without Rita hitting and doing damage yet.
Blade
heartoflesh
Puritan Board Junior
Better fill er' up now, could be $4.00 a gallon by Saturday.
Bladestunner316
Puritan Board Doctor
Puddleglum
Puritan Board Sophomore
No . . . I'm moving this week-end (= lots of driving), and gas prices have finally come back down . . . can't they stay down for a little longer?
Bladestunner316
Puritan Board Doctor
Probably wont go up till 24 hours after the storm.
Filled Up at 2.57 this evening. All the way to the brim.
Bladestunner316
Puritan Board Doctor
Smart Man
Reporting Gas Price Gouging
FYI, I haven't read all of the posts so if this information has been past along already forgive me.
To report Price Gouging, if you look at ANY Gas Pump there should be a sticker on it, the sticker has a 1-800 # for the U.S. Department of Agriculture within each State, you call that number to report it. It's all automated so you won't get to yell at them.
Now, they only consider it price Gouging IF it is $1.00 to $1.25 more than the gas stations within about a 2 block area.
Anyway, just thought I'd pass this information along in case anyone didn't know.
[Edited on 9-23-2005 by BJClark]
FYI, I haven't read all of the posts so if this information has been past along already forgive me.
To report Price Gouging, if you look at ANY Gas Pump there should be a sticker on it, the sticker has a 1-800 # for the U.S. Department of Agriculture within each State, you call that number to report it. It's all automated so you won't get to yell at them.
Now, they only consider it price Gouging IF it is $1.00 to $1.25 more than the gas stations within about a 2 block area.
Anyway, just thought I'd pass this information along in case anyone didn't know.
[Edited on 9-23-2005 by BJClark]
Bladestunner316
Puritan Board Doctor
So then all you would need is all the gas stations to price goug for them to not be considerd price gouging.
Thank you for the info
blade
Thank you for the info
blade
Poimen
Puritan Board Post-Graduate
Why would you waste tax payers money by using that government service when you could simply use your foot to drive over to another station that was cheaper? If people are too lazy to find cheaper gas then they only have themselves to blame when they purchase more expensive fuel.
Average Joey
Puritan Board Junior
Watched Bill O`Reilly the other night.He and some people did some studies and found that for as high as gas prices sell the oil barrels should be at around 95 dollars.Currently it is around 67 dollars a barrel.Doesn`t that show that oil companies are price gouging?
Filled up today at cheapest place I saw 2.49.
Can`t Bush put a cap on the prices if he wanted to?
[Edited on 9-23-2005 by Average Joey]
[Edited on 9-23-2005 by Average Joey]
Filled up today at cheapest place I saw 2.49.
Can`t Bush put a cap on the prices if he wanted to?
[Edited on 9-23-2005 by Average Joey]
[Edited on 9-23-2005 by Average Joey]
They could drive to another station, I know I have, but they could also report those who are price gouging, I don't consider that lazy, I call that being responsible.
Companies get fined for EVERY sale, that's some $20,000 for each register receipt where they were price gouging. If they were reported you can guarantee those businesses would suffer. And you can bet they would feel THAT in their pocketbooks.
Bladestunner316
Puritan Board Doctor
Daniel,
What if your in atlanta and all the stations are out of gas, or are charging between 4 to 6.5 dollars a gallon?
Blade
What if your in atlanta and all the stations are out of gas, or are charging between 4 to 6.5 dollars a gallon?
Blade
Poimen
Puritan Board Post-Graduate
As Bobbi mentioned:
Just because they are charging an large amount for the gas does not mean they are price gouging. Gas stations have to stay in business too.
Do we have evidence that they are gouging? Are they inflating prices because of demand or because of supply?
Bladestunner316
Puritan Board Doctor
If a gas company is recording record profits then why cant they keep prices down for the consumer?
blade
blade
Puritanhead
Puritan Board Professor
Crude Politics and Crude Science
Crude Politics and Economics
The simple answer is that oil profits are too lucrative to pass up.
No, one is a bigger fan of free-markets than I am, but gas companies don't embrace laissez-faire (i.e. hands-off approach,) and they conspire to rig prices and production under the auspices of OPEC and in the U.S. they use their political influence for patronage. Needless, to say I am not a big fan of crude politics, and I hope to see market innovations displace our dependency on oil in the coming years in favor of alternative energy sources.
Gas companies don't operate on a strict competitive basis in the least... It's frankly a racket and OPEC is little more than a cartel. A cartel is nothing more than a group of producers whose goal it is to fix prices, to limit supply and to limit competition. Cartels typically collaborate in secret and set an occasional accord on prices. In the case of OPEC, their collaborative efforts come in the form of limiting production or setting production quotas. They've been maintaining such an arrangement pretty steadily since World War II. At times, new entrants into the market didn't play ball, but generally at our present juncture, most oil companies are perfectly content to limit production. Because of the large quantity of imported oil the U.S. receives, American oil prices are heavily influenced by OPEC. Sometimes, OPEC has their prices undercut by rogue cartel members that break rank to increase production quotas which was the case briefly in 1990s. However, in the last five years, the cartel solidarity has been unprecedented. It would be conceivable that our anti-trust law could be applied to outside producers operating, but oil companies enjoy some powerful political influence and they stave off the risk of anti-trust suit by the federal government. Though, they pay a price in that some politicians have threatened to fix or limit prices at various times in history... Some are doing it now... Though this would only cause shortages in long-run.
Ironically, if OPEC were based in the U.S. than what they do would be considered illegal and the Feds could feasibly invoke restraint of trade, price-fixing and antitrust laws. Though, oil companies used their palm-greasing influence among international institutions like the UN, to solidify the idea that by virtue of the doctrine of state immunity under public international law, Anti-Trust laws cannot be applied to foreign oil companies distributing oil within any country. It is crude production that is limited by production quotas set by the producer cartels,. However, the gas refining business is slightly more competitive than crude production but utilizes the crude as a raw material from OPEC-limited supply of crude nonetheless. America has increased it's refining capacity steadily in recent years. Though, it remains to be seen how 2005 hurricanes will impact production by impairing or damaging our capacity.
One of the bittersweet ironies is that even if we were to reduce our dependence on foreign crude imports, our environmental and labor regulatory red tape is so costly that we cannot possibly hope to cut consumer prices even modestly because of operating costs. Some oil companies are subsidized with perks from Washington (that they lobbied for) to make up for the red tape and supposedly to make them competitive with foreign oil.
Despite price-fixing, gas prices in the U.S. still have a somewhat broad price range, however, the biggest factor in state-to-state price differentials is often gasoline excise taxes. On average, in most federal and state jurisdictions, gasoline excise takes up to forty percent of the sticker price of a gallon gas.
Geological Myth and Reality
Another prevalent myth that serves the oil cartel's purposes is the their myth of the biological origin of oil -- the biogenic theory holds that oil is essentially organic matter (i.e. dead plants, animals, etc.) that were entombed in the folds of the earth and buried by layers of rock as the Earth's surface shifted and folded over millions of years. I find that theory that fossilized ancient organic matter suffices to account for all the abundant oil resources to be untenable. Even if biological or fossilized matter has been found in surface oil deposits, it does not vindicate the bionic theory, and there may be simpler explanations for the biological matter mixed with oil deposits. I personally do not buy the fossil fuel argument and believe it is myth perpetrated by geologists on the payroll of oil companies; it also is a corollary to the dogma of evolutionary theorists. Obviously, the idea that oil is not a renewable resource serves the purpose of conveying extreme scarcity and in perpetuating the myth that oil may be exhausted, it better enables them in conspiring to limit production becomes less of a crime. Oil of course produces pollution which may be an argument for limiting production or at least consumption, but with technology investment, refining techniques have improved the clean-burning quality of fuels over time and automotive engine technology has greatly improved in time while reducing overall pollution. Air pollution has greatly decreased in the U.S. over the repugnant levels that were sustained in the 1970s. Again, I'm all for alternative energy sources, so air pollution concerns are beside the point.
Of course, oil wells can be exhausted but they most replenish themselves when left alone overtime. I believe that oil emanates from within the earth and believe in the so called abionic origin of petroleum which states that petroleum is produced by non-biological processes deep in the Earth. Oil composed of hydrocarbons seeps out of deep pockets within the crust, and the process of its formation perhaps involves earthen magma, or at the very least owes to the extreme heat of subterranean earth.
Having said all that, I do acknowledge there are organic fuels (i.e. peat in bogs rich in nitrates) but they account for scant portion of our energy resources. I just think the bionic theory is spurious and absurd... the idea the primordial ooze from dead biological matter (whether ancient plants or dinosaurs) has led to the production of billions upon a billions barrels of oil harvested from the earth is just plain asinine.
I loathe crude politics and crude science, but I love earth science and geology! It's fascinating!
[Edited on 9-27-2005 by Puritanhead]
Crude Politics and Economics
The simple answer is that oil profits are too lucrative to pass up.
No, one is a bigger fan of free-markets than I am, but gas companies don't embrace laissez-faire (i.e. hands-off approach,) and they conspire to rig prices and production under the auspices of OPEC and in the U.S. they use their political influence for patronage. Needless, to say I am not a big fan of crude politics, and I hope to see market innovations displace our dependency on oil in the coming years in favor of alternative energy sources.
Gas companies don't operate on a strict competitive basis in the least... It's frankly a racket and OPEC is little more than a cartel. A cartel is nothing more than a group of producers whose goal it is to fix prices, to limit supply and to limit competition. Cartels typically collaborate in secret and set an occasional accord on prices. In the case of OPEC, their collaborative efforts come in the form of limiting production or setting production quotas. They've been maintaining such an arrangement pretty steadily since World War II. At times, new entrants into the market didn't play ball, but generally at our present juncture, most oil companies are perfectly content to limit production. Because of the large quantity of imported oil the U.S. receives, American oil prices are heavily influenced by OPEC. Sometimes, OPEC has their prices undercut by rogue cartel members that break rank to increase production quotas which was the case briefly in 1990s. However, in the last five years, the cartel solidarity has been unprecedented. It would be conceivable that our anti-trust law could be applied to outside producers operating, but oil companies enjoy some powerful political influence and they stave off the risk of anti-trust suit by the federal government. Though, they pay a price in that some politicians have threatened to fix or limit prices at various times in history... Some are doing it now... Though this would only cause shortages in long-run.
Ironically, if OPEC were based in the U.S. than what they do would be considered illegal and the Feds could feasibly invoke restraint of trade, price-fixing and antitrust laws. Though, oil companies used their palm-greasing influence among international institutions like the UN, to solidify the idea that by virtue of the doctrine of state immunity under public international law, Anti-Trust laws cannot be applied to foreign oil companies distributing oil within any country. It is crude production that is limited by production quotas set by the producer cartels,. However, the gas refining business is slightly more competitive than crude production but utilizes the crude as a raw material from OPEC-limited supply of crude nonetheless. America has increased it's refining capacity steadily in recent years. Though, it remains to be seen how 2005 hurricanes will impact production by impairing or damaging our capacity.
One of the bittersweet ironies is that even if we were to reduce our dependence on foreign crude imports, our environmental and labor regulatory red tape is so costly that we cannot possibly hope to cut consumer prices even modestly because of operating costs. Some oil companies are subsidized with perks from Washington (that they lobbied for) to make up for the red tape and supposedly to make them competitive with foreign oil.
Despite price-fixing, gas prices in the U.S. still have a somewhat broad price range, however, the biggest factor in state-to-state price differentials is often gasoline excise taxes. On average, in most federal and state jurisdictions, gasoline excise takes up to forty percent of the sticker price of a gallon gas.
Geological Myth and Reality
Another prevalent myth that serves the oil cartel's purposes is the their myth of the biological origin of oil -- the biogenic theory holds that oil is essentially organic matter (i.e. dead plants, animals, etc.) that were entombed in the folds of the earth and buried by layers of rock as the Earth's surface shifted and folded over millions of years. I find that theory that fossilized ancient organic matter suffices to account for all the abundant oil resources to be untenable. Even if biological or fossilized matter has been found in surface oil deposits, it does not vindicate the bionic theory, and there may be simpler explanations for the biological matter mixed with oil deposits. I personally do not buy the fossil fuel argument and believe it is myth perpetrated by geologists on the payroll of oil companies; it also is a corollary to the dogma of evolutionary theorists. Obviously, the idea that oil is not a renewable resource serves the purpose of conveying extreme scarcity and in perpetuating the myth that oil may be exhausted, it better enables them in conspiring to limit production becomes less of a crime. Oil of course produces pollution which may be an argument for limiting production or at least consumption, but with technology investment, refining techniques have improved the clean-burning quality of fuels over time and automotive engine technology has greatly improved in time while reducing overall pollution. Air pollution has greatly decreased in the U.S. over the repugnant levels that were sustained in the 1970s. Again, I'm all for alternative energy sources, so air pollution concerns are beside the point.
Of course, oil wells can be exhausted but they most replenish themselves when left alone overtime. I believe that oil emanates from within the earth and believe in the so called abionic origin of petroleum which states that petroleum is produced by non-biological processes deep in the Earth. Oil composed of hydrocarbons seeps out of deep pockets within the crust, and the process of its formation perhaps involves earthen magma, or at the very least owes to the extreme heat of subterranean earth.
Having said all that, I do acknowledge there are organic fuels (i.e. peat in bogs rich in nitrates) but they account for scant portion of our energy resources. I just think the bionic theory is spurious and absurd... the idea the primordial ooze from dead biological matter (whether ancient plants or dinosaurs) has led to the production of billions upon a billions barrels of oil harvested from the earth is just plain asinine.
I loathe crude politics and crude science, but I love earth science and geology! It's fascinating!
[Edited on 9-27-2005 by Puritanhead]
Puritanhead
Puritan Board Professor
VirginiaHuguenot
Puritanboard Librarian
Mistake Leads to 29-Cent Gas Price Mon Oct 10, 7:37 AM ET
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - One gas station manager's mistake paid off for Lincoln drivers who were in the right place at the right time Friday.
For 30 to 45 minutes, three of the Kabredlo's Convenience Store's four pumps sold premium unleaded gas for 29 cents a gallon.
Gas hasn't been that cheap since 1955, according to AAA Nebraska.
As news of the cheap fuel spread, lines formed at the store at 2305 R St., said Max Wolfe, who was doing landscaping for Kabredlo's.
Wolfe and his co-workers took time out to fill up. "I was on E, and I filled my tank up for $4," Wolfe said. "It made my day."
Nathan Olson said he usually pays $72 to fill his gas-guzzling 1998 Ford F-150. Friday, he filled the tank three-quarters full for $3.50.
The store manager who said she made the mistake didn't give her name.
On average, Lincoln gas stations are charging $2.93 a gallon for gas, according to AAA.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - One gas station manager's mistake paid off for Lincoln drivers who were in the right place at the right time Friday.
For 30 to 45 minutes, three of the Kabredlo's Convenience Store's four pumps sold premium unleaded gas for 29 cents a gallon.
Gas hasn't been that cheap since 1955, according to AAA Nebraska.
As news of the cheap fuel spread, lines formed at the store at 2305 R St., said Max Wolfe, who was doing landscaping for Kabredlo's.
Wolfe and his co-workers took time out to fill up. "I was on E, and I filled my tank up for $4," Wolfe said. "It made my day."
Nathan Olson said he usually pays $72 to fill his gas-guzzling 1998 Ford F-150. Friday, he filled the tank three-quarters full for $3.50.
The store manager who said she made the mistake didn't give her name.
On average, Lincoln gas stations are charging $2.93 a gallon for gas, according to AAA.
Bladestunner316
Puritan Board Doctor
$2.89 another station posted at $2.77 its been steadily going down.
Blade
Blade
Average Joey
Puritan Board Junior
Hey guys(and gals),check out the first page of this thread and be jealous of ourselves several months ago.
Bladestunner316
Puritan Board Doctor
:bigsmile:
Puddleglum
Puritan Board Sophomore
Joe . . . did you have to do that? You've just encouraged me to break the 10th Commandment! Oh well, at least they are coming down a little.
Oh well, at least they are coming down a little.Joseph Ringling
Puritan Board Freshman
2.04 Get it while the getting is good.
Anton Bruckner
Puritan Board Professor
$2:45. that's NYC for you.
Average Joey
Puritan Board Junior
$1.94
Anton Bruckner
Puritan Board Professor
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh, I'm jealous. with gas prices like that, you can drive a ford expedition, lincoln navigator or one of those gas guzzling bohemoths.
Average Joey
Puritan Board Junior
Originally posted by Slippery
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh, I'm jealous. with gas prices like that, you can drive a ford expedition, lincoln navigator or one of those gas guzzling bohemoths.
I drive an Explorer and with the current price it costs me currently a little over 40 to fill up every two weeks.A couple of months ago it costed me between 50 and 60.
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