Gas prices going thru the roof, $3.00 for reg. and now meat prices rising due to ethanol demand for corn
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070309/...ge/crop_report

 

I was thinking your topic title was refering to the nor-cal vs so-cal shootout.

 

Yeah, gas jumped $0.10 in two days. And why?

Because Spring Break is about to happen. Then, prices will fall slightly and jump up again just in time for Memorial Day.

It's total B.S. The gasoline companies cite supply & demand, but honestly, when is the last time you saw a gas station with a "Sorry, sold out" sign on it?

That's their "theory". "Oh, on holidays more people drive, so to control the demand we have to raise prices". Funny, the number of people buying gas does not appear to decrease by much, if at all.

In the end, the same amount of people (if not more) buy gas. Hmmm, yet no stations run out of fuel. Double hmmmm, the gasoline companies make a windfall in $$$.

In reality, it's more of "Hey, we know sales are going to go up around holidays so let's see how much we can make."

With any other type of product, prices tend to drop around the holidays. Just check the local paper. Everyone has some kind of "Holiday Sale" to move product.

The difference lies in that with most products there is competition. Many sellers and manufacturers. They each want our business, so they use low prices as an incentive.

Gasoline is controlled by a small group that works together even though they fly a different logo over their buildings. Add to it that everyone uses gasoline everyday. They've got the market cornered.

When there's only one "drug dealer" in town, he can charge whatever he wants and the addicts will pay.

 

Every thing seems to have gone up in price. Its tough times for everybody now days. Will see this year how many people will be moving out of So. Ca.

 

True. I've noticed that grocery prices have increased slightly. Probably due to the high fuel costs. It now costs more to transport goods and that ulitimately gets passed on to the consumer.

The ethanol article Tom posted is interesting as well. That's one thing that has crossed my mind regarding ethanol.

Should it become the fuel of choice, is it possible for growers to supply enough corn to keep up with the fuel demand? Then there's the issue of how many back-to-back corn crops can farmers produce without depleting the soil?

 

Well it seems like we need some more countries to mass produce this corn, considering we are at a small start with Global warming issues. We might as well face it the standard rate of Gas is going to be 3.00 plus in the good months. They are seriously pushing us into diffrent alternatives for vehicles, and there just isnt enough yet for everybody to go for that better economic vehicle. Everyday our Country is just seeking Debt more than any thing to ever come. We all know the part of that, It's like and endless ordeal with that subject. But yeah where going to be hungry alright. Will see what 2008 has to offer this year is already set.

 

There are multiple crops that can be used fairly equally for ethanol. Corn is probably #2 on the list from what I've been reading, its just more abundant right now.

 

Corn is poor choice for making ethanol they should use Surgar beets and Sugar Cane.

 

The people with money are moving out, and the people without money keep moving in, and making it worse.

 

When I get money I'll be moving out. But then why do we whine, when other countries pay close to double for fuel?

Also, why does diesel rise slower in prices? I saw 2.99 for Reg and at the same station it was 2.87 for diesel.

 

Somewhere I read said the price of gas in CA is even more expensive than in Hawaii!

None of the news sources seem to agree on why. The likeliest reason I think is that speculators are trying to make a profit.

I was reading in the paper or that AAA magazine, way back in December and they said the price would start to go up in mid february, but I forget why. Recently I read some one saying the same crap, how it has to do with switching from summer to winter gas, but that's not what I remember they said before.

I swear I was watching the news tonight and they said it was all caused by an animal chewing wires at a refinery!

 

Julie you are right on all statements.

Those are smoe European contries that pay for social service programs with gas taxes. Countries in South America and Middle East pay a $1.00 or less for a gallon of gas.


The oil companies have a Army of fiction writers to come up with reasons to up the price of gas.
The cleaning of the storage tanks during the twice a year switch from summer to winter fuels is a joke. They dont clean the pipe lines, and I believe Bret said they send the fuel thru in "slugs" so there is some mixing. The stations never empty their storage tanks, so lots of fuel gets mixed there.

We in CA are hooked on cars and the oil companies are our dealers and they are a monopoly.

 

There was a story on the noews about some accident at a refinery in Texas, which is convieniantly being blamed for the recent increse in prices oin the western half of the US.

Yeah. I'm sure we all belive that.

 

Of course they pay less, Venezuela and Brazil are both exporters of oil. The Middle East is a no brainer

 

Wednesday morning 2.779. Wednesday night 2.839. Friday 2.879. Today Saturday it was 2.939. All at same Costco station. As of this week I'm fighting back by driving a couple of 4 cylinder cars (1983 Toyota Tercel and a 1991 Honda Accord) we've inherited as daily drivers for my errands around town. Both are low mileage with current tags and insurance. Tercel has just 53,800 miles the Honda has 46,000 miles. The Tercel idles a bit rough as it needs the carburator to be rebuilt. I've picked up the rebuild kit and a manual. Rebuilding isn't so scarry, but the hundreds of vacuum and fuel hoses I have to keep track of, yikes! They both get a lot better mileage than the Dodge V10 or Camaro.

Lon

 

People hardly drive in Europe. The Countries are a LOT smaller than the us(even california?). They have amazing public transportation. They're socialist. plus we're american, we dont have anything worse to complain about.

 

I only have 1 car my third gen! im gonna pay $3-4 5 6 10 11 dollars for gas! What ever it takes to get me to work. I ain't gonna drive no hybrids either. I don't give a **** about the enviroment, mira im the owner and thats Manuel!

 

well good for you.

huh?

 

Vote for those who will keep taxes low. Kevins right there is more poor coming in and somebodies got to pay for them and they vote liberal to get the money.

Turn the higher prices to your advantage. Buy stock in ethanol/batteries/etc. Done well for me so far. Hybrid batteries are going to start dying and at ~5k each thats nice profit

 

Hahah that was a joke, George Lopez character.

 

From todays newspaper

Cheapest gas Turkmenistan $0.08/gal
Most espensive Turkey $7.12/gal

Here taxes on every gallon of gas
$0.183 to the Feds
$0.18 to the State
$0.015 for underground storage tanks. This is another sneeky one. The land owner and gas station are legally liable for any spills or leaks so why the tax.

 

We also have a lot of expense for our roads incorporated into our gas taxes. When you travel a lot in the rest of the country, almost every major Turnpike has a LOT of toll booths on it, but here, they're called "Freeways", although we do pay for them in gas taxes.

I also use a "beater" as a daily driver ('94 Dodge Intrepid), it's much better on gas and keeps the miles off the "real" car. I also believe that you will see an amazing jump in value of these third-gen cars in the next 5-10 years, particularly rare, high perf, ad clean low mileage. They're a decision made with the heart, not with the head.