Anyone else notice....

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Gas prices are creeping right back up our asses? Not many people bitching about it but it's $3.05 a gallon for 87 around here now. I haven't even heard mention of the price of a barrel of oil, not even on the news. That's probably because they're hiking the price for the Holidays and not because oil prices are up.


:flipoff:

[sean]

If theres anything that needs to be regulated across to board its gas prices. Its bullshit that one gas station is lower than one half a mile away. Its bs that one state is different by so much than another. Hike the prices during peak travel times because they know people will spend it. When the towers fell and gas went up so high is true testament to the greed of some of these people. Lets get to drilling here at home and regulate what gas stations can charge.

[Ranger50]

Paid 2.769/gal here today..... :D

[marauder]

Gas prices go up, internet / cable go up, interest rates on cc goes up, car insurance goes up, utilities like gas/ water/ electric, health insurance goes up, groceries go up, taxes from my check are now over 1/4 of my wages, not one single thing I've seen go down in cost...the kids going door to door in our neighborhood wanted to charge us $15 to shovel our driveway from the snow... lol

But every year I take on more work at my job, only to hear the "our salaries are competetive to the economy...but the economy...blah blah blah blah..."

Meanwhile, we have a cousin on welfare who has been on unemployment for 2.5years is getting food stamps, free rent, college paid, $3k grant money every semester, $5k in spring, $7k tax returns... It's just backwards.

[Jeff88coupe]

Oil prices are up....think over $90/barrel. OPEC is lowering it's production ='s more demand for what is available='s higher oil prices. Oil is a world traded commodity...the US and the US government has very little influence on the price per barrel. It also doesn't help when the value of the US dollar is weakening.....1 dollar is worth less...so a barrel of oil cost more in US $$. Very simple economics. Bitching about is all we can do. I highly doubt we will ever see gas under $2/gal ever again.

[beefcake]

it's simple, they say the economy is doing a little better.

so the oil companies are going back after it.

I blame them for the mess the economy is in anyway. everyone wants to blame the mortgage companies, but the $4 a gallon is what did it

[bobtsgt]

I just filled up for $2.74. Shell didn't change their sign yet. I agree on the price increase right before the holidays hit.

[sean]

Wouldnt be so bad if they didnt tax the shit out of us on our paychecks. Why the hell do i have to pay someone my money for the work I do? I get up and spend time away from everything else so I can give my money to someone who just taxes the shit out of everything else i buy? What the hell is that about? Get out of my check and raise the gas prices.. I am dumb enough to at least feel like I have some control. Im just asking for a deal on lube before the government sticks it to me.

[Mista Bone]

pay attention to the RBOB prices on the CNBC news channel, then add .60 and that is what the price should be at the pump.

Ohio has .485 state/federal tax per gallon, the figure .10 per gallon for the retailer to cover their costs. Credit card transaction is 3.5% which means the retailer isn't making any money on gas.

Oil is back down under $90 a barrel, it was hanging around $80 a barrel for a long time. RBOB is around $2.40 a gallon, plus taxes and retailer profit to cover costs, it works out to $3.00 a gallon.

I just paid $2.879 at local Speedway, they change their prices at local station at midnight.

[Blackout]

I have noticed that the prices have been inching up little by little in order for people to not get sticker shock.

In my opinion, I think that america needs to find a solution to the gas and oil price fluxuation. I doesn't much matter if there is a 5-10 cent increase but 30 is definately getting up there. You figure that if you only have a 10 gallon tank, it's an extra $3 to fill. That don't sound like much in the great sceme of things, from $2.00 a gal to $3 is crazy really.

What is really bad is that the american economy is influenced on the petroleum industry. So as soon as the prices go up, all the consumer goods also go up and it makes it real hard on the wallet.

I could rant about this all day.

[05yellowgt]

I'm all for cheaper gas prices, but I can't agree with Federal regulation of the prices. There are variances in prices from station to station for a reason. Proximity to the refineries has a large effect. The farther that the gas needs to be transported before it gets into the tanks at the station increases the costs. If costs were fixed, the gas station owners would have to eat that extra cost. Fixing prices would do NOTHING to decrease the profits that the oil companies see.

What really urkes me is to see gas prices go up instantly when oil prices go up. It takes around 6 months for a barrel of oil to show up as gasoline at the pump. we should be paying prices based on the price of oil from 6 months ago, not what the price is now.

[cstreu1026]

Oil prices are up....think over $90/barrel. OPEC is lowering it's production ='s more demand for what is available='s higher oil prices. Oil is a world traded commodity...the US and the US government has very little influence on the price per barrel. It also doesn't help when the value of the US dollar is weakening.....1 dollar is worth less...so a barrel of oil cost more in US $$. Very simple economics. Bitching about is all we can do. I highly doubt we will ever see gas under $2/gal ever again.

Unfortunately the quantitative easing BS that the Federal Reserve is doing will have a direct impact on oil prices. The plan calls for reducing the value of the dollar and the US Dollar is currency used in trading oil so oil prices will go up as the value of the dollar goes down.

[Black92LX]

The reason gas is going up is because it's traded as a commodity. The dollar is already in the can and the Federal Reserve announced they are going to print more money, sending the dollar even further in the whole.

Therefore people move their investments towards different commodities. Gas, food prices are going up as well because gas costs more to ship the food and many foods are traded as commodities to.

[blown86lx]

In my opinion since I grew up on a farm and know a little about it. We supply about 3/4 of the worlds crops corn, wheat, soybeans ect.. If they want to charge us 3.00 a barrel for oil then the price of soybeans just went from 8 to 10 dollars a bushel to $30 a bushel. I bet they would start pumping that shit a little faster if they were all starving!! Thats just my thought

[big cheif]

In my opinion since I grew up on a farm and know a little about it. We supply about 3/4 of the worlds crops corn, wheat, soybeans ect.. If they want to charge us 3.00 a barrel for oil then the price of soybeans just went from 8 to 10 dollars a bushel to $30 a bushel. I bet they would start pumping that shit a little faster if they were all starving!! Thats just my thought

X2!!:bigthumb

[Black92LX]

In my opinion since I grew up on a farm and know a little about it. We supply about 3/4 of the worlds crops corn, wheat, soybeans ect.. If they want to charge us 3.00 a barrel for oil then the price of soybeans just went from 8 to 10 dollars a bushel to $30 a bushel. I bet they would start pumping that shit a little faster if they were all starving!! Thats just my thought

The problem is "they" don't exactly choose how much it is sold for. It is sold on the open market as a commodity just like stocks same with a lot of our food products, corn, wheat, etc.

While supply and demand as some what of an effect on price it's more the investment market.

If it were a true supply and demand thing prices would be dropping in a large amount currently as Iraq's sanctions have been lifted and they can sell on the full market again. So supply is going to go way up.

But currently the supply is not only going to increase because we have a large seller allowed back in the game. But at the same time the dollar is in the toilet so people are moving their investments to non-monetary investments making the price of oil go up. When the price of oil goes up demand goes down and supply goes up, so in a normal supply and demand scenario the cost would again drop but that will not be the current case.

[beefcake]

The problem is "they" don't exactly choose how much it is sold for. It is sold on the open market as a commodity just like stocks same with a lot of our food products, corn, wheat, etc.

While supply and demand as some what of an effect on price it's more the investment market.

If it were a true supply and demand thing prices would be dropping in a large amount currently as Iraq's sanctions have been lifted and they can sell on the full market again. So supply is going to go way up.

But currently the supply is not only going to increase because we have a large seller allowed back in the game. But at the same time the dollar is in the toilet so people are moving their investments to non-monetary investments making the price of oil go up. When the price of oil goes up demand goes down and supply goes up, so in a normal supply and demand scenario the cost would again drop but that will not be the current case.

agreed, worst thing they can do is trade oil as a commodity.

[may93]

it's simple, they say the economy is doing a little better.

so the oil companies are going back after it.

I blame them for the mess the economy is in anyway. everyone wants to blame the mortgage companies, but the $4 a gallon is what did it

Exactly! Cant figure out why all these experts cant figure this out..

[Black92LX]

Exactly! Cant figure out why all these experts cant figure this out..

because the cause for our current state of the economy is our OVER REACHING FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
They are overspending once they finally cut spending and start spurring business and production in the states again allowing for the production of real private sector jobs and not "shovel ready government jobs." While government jobs are needed they do not spur the economy in the way do private sector jobs do.

The other problem is the government forcing banks to give loans to people who could not afford them. Therefore encouraging those that had no business buying a house to buy one because they could finally get a loan. In the past they never would have gotten the loan because the banks knew they could not pay it.
Then people who could afford a house bought too big of a house and defaulted on the loans.
Leaving the banks with less assets and a bunch of real estate in a bubble market. Locking up liquid assets that would be better suited in a business loan than locked up in an empty house that no one wants to buy.

Overspending is the problem not the oil companies.
I don't like spending $3.00 on gas either but it does not make the oil companies evil or the reason for the problem.

[beefcake]

because the cause for our current state of the economy is our OVER REACHING FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
They are overspending once they finally cut spending and start spurring business and production in the states again allowing for the production of real private sector jobs and not "shovel ready government jobs." While government jobs are needed they do not spur the economy in the way do private sector jobs do.

The other problem is the government forcing banks to give loans to people who could not afford them. Therefore encouraging those that had no business buying a house to buy one because they could finally get a loan. In the past they never would have gotten the loan because the banks knew they could not pay it.
Then people who could afford a house bought too big of a house and defaulted on the loans.
Leaving the banks with less assets and a bunch of real estate in a bubble market. Locking up liquid assets that would be better suited in a business loan than locked up in an empty house that no one wants to buy.

Overspending is the problem not the oil companies.
I don't like spending $3.00 on gas either but it does not make the oil companies evil or the reason for the problem.

I still believe gas prices had a huge impact.

The fuel prices ran my brothers and mother both out of business. They both had decent dump truck business's and the doubling of the fuel prices 2-3 years ago bankrupt both of them.

[RIXXX93GT]

3.19 a gallon in Troy today, went up .25 a gallon overnight.

[beefcake]

3.19 a gallon in Troy today, went up .25 a gallon overnight.

when gas prices go up, people panic and do not buy, when people don't buy, that's when you have trouble in the economy.

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

If gas prices were to drop to $1 overnight, people would blow their gas funds on other things, which would theoretically boost the economy. I think it would even drive gas sales because people would be out driving way more and therefor buy more gas. No?

[INSANEBA]

If gas prices were to drop to $1 overnight, people would blow their gas funds on other things, which would theoretically boost the economy. I think it would even drive gas sales because people would be out driving way more and therefor buy more gas. No?

PREACH BROTHA PREACH! He's right ya know:cool2:

[84stang]

I still believe gas prices had a huge impact.

The fuel prices ran my brothers and mother both out of business. They both had decent dump truck business's and the doubling of the fuel prices 2-3 years ago bankrupt both of them.

I heard the same thing from some small trucking companies. It was either fold up shop or stop doing maintenance on the trucks till they fell apart. Either way they were out of business. When a company runs on small margins a small increase in costs kills them. Fuel surcharges cannot make up the difference.

[beefcake]

If gas prices were to drop to $1 overnight, people would blow their gas funds on other things, which would theoretically boost the economy. I think it would even drive gas sales because people would be out driving way more and therefor buy more gas. No?


PREACH BROTHA PREACH! He's right ya know:cool2:


I heard the same thing from some small trucking companies. It was either fold up shop or stop doing maintenance on the trucks till they fell apart. Either way they were out of business. When a company runs on small margins a small increase in costs kills them. Fuel surcharges cannot make up the difference.

100% true all the way around.

I honestly believe the gas prices had more of an effect than the mortgages.

People didn't quit paying mortgages because they shouldn't have had them. Most of those people had to pay rent somewhere anyway. Same thing.

The problem is the gas prices causes many companies to fold, layoff, etc.. Which caused people to not have money to pay the mortgages.

That in turn led to the mortgage crisis.

Some people run on thin wages, especially the min wage. When their cost of transportation doubled. Making $8 hour or so, and now it cost them an extra $40-50 a week to get back and forth to work. For those people it is a huge increase and put them in a situation they couldn't afford.

Granted you shouldn't be running that thin, but a lot of people are.

[93snake]

If gas prices were to drop to $1 overnight, people would blow their gas funds on other things, which would theoretically boost the economy. I think it would even drive gas sales because people would be out driving way more and therefor buy more gas. No?

On this point I disagree, IF gas prices dropped a $1 a gallon overnight, I do think people would rush out to fill up their cars and extra gas cans, which would cause a "run" on gas. Which would then lead to people painicing. (Kind of what happens when people think the bank is out of money)
But if gas prices were the leading economic factor then you might be on to something. However this is more of a supply and demand kind of thing. World demand is up for oil (which is used for more than just gas production) and those pumping/saleing oil know that they do not have an unlimited suppy, so they want to make as much money as they can for as long as they can.

[beefcake]

On this point I disagree, IF gas prices dropped a $1 a gallon overnight, I do think people would rush out to fill up their cars and extra gas cans, which would cause a "run" on gas. Which would then lead to people painicing. (Kind of what happens when people think the bank is out of money)
But if gas prices were the leading economic factor then you might be on to something. However this is more of a supply and demand kind of thing. World demand is up for oil (which is used for more than just gas production) and those pumping/saleing oil know that they do not have an unlimited suppy, so they want to make as much money as they can for as long as they can.

If gas prices slowly crept down, we'll say, to $1.89 a gallon or so. People would buy. If they were confident it was staying at that price, under $2 a gallon, people would buy.

Supply and demand is BS, there is more than enough, it's all on the trading. When "based on demand" is the last time you seen pumps dry?

None that I can ever remember in my lifetime of 37 years. You want gas, you go get it. It's all a scham

[INSANEBA]

They just wanna line their pockets with our money, at whatever costs to us. Rich get richer, poor get poor'er if there is such a thing. All I know is I would love to have a big ass diesel, but my 1/2 gasser 4x4 takes it's toll on me enough in the winter...

[beefcake]

They just wanna line their pockets with our money, at whatever costs to us. Rich get richer, poor get poor'er if there is such a thing. All I know is I would love to have a big ass diesel, but my 1/2 gasser 4x4 takes it's toll on me enough in the winter...

yep

top 2 2009 profitable companies

oil

Top companies: Most profitabl
Profits
Return on revenues
Return on shareholders' equity

Rank Company 500 Rank 2008 $
(millions)
1 Exxon Mobil 1 45,220.0
2 Chevron 3 23,931.0

[Mista Bone]

Paying an extra $5-7 a day for gas now with a shorter route.

I now budget $150 a week for gas in a Civic instead of the $120 I used to back in Sept.

[93snake]

If gas prices slowly crept down, we'll say, to $1.89 a gallon or so. People would buy. If they were confident it was staying at that price, under $2 a gallon, people would buy.

Supply and demand is BS, there is more than enough, it's all on the trading. When "based on demand" is the last time you seen pumps dry?

None that I can ever remember in my lifetime of 37 years. You want gas, you go get it. It's all a scham

Ok, frist people will buy gas as long as they need it. We are like a bunch of druggies and gas is our addiction.... and we let the oil companys do this too us!
My grandfather walked to work (and that was when gas was cheap). When he changed jobs, he moved. He lived close to downtown so he or my grandmom could walk to the stores. People just dont live like that now. (I know I didnt buy my house because of where my job is located) But I know people will say thats not the way it is now, but again because of cheap gas and the way cars effected people, we moved out away from our jobs and stores, etc.
Still there is more to the way people spend money than just gas. Wages have not gone up as much as expenses. Jobs are not like they were years back. And spending more than you make, has become a way of life.

[thecollector]

I will start by saying that $3.00/gallon sucks, that being said I dont have to buy it. Noone puts a gun to my head and forces me to purchase it. I choose to drive a 50 mile round trip commute in a truck that gets 10 mpg. I could live close to work, I could walk, ride a bike, take a train or drive a vehicle that get's better mpg's. In a country that has been structered around truck transportation everything I purchase will go up as well however it will not bankrupt me. If you have a problem with the profit margins any company makes or the causes they support either stop or limit the products you buy from them. "Big Oil" is making <15% among one of the most heavily regulated industries in the world, how does it compare to the Dell/droid/Iphone you are looking at this with now or the beer your drinking while doing it? Does anybody know the margin on a set of under drive pullies or a Borla Exhaust?

How many people on here have retirement accounts with ING? What about City/State employees? Unless you micromanage your funds yourself around oil investments your all "Big Oil."

The milk I purchased on the way to work this morning was $1.49 for a pint. The milk was squeezed from a cows tit within a 150 miles radius and bottled/processed in covington.
The miller beer I bought Saturday night was harvested from Indiana, brewed/bottled in Trenton then Sold to me in Fairfield.
The skyline chili I had for lunch was made in Cincy then laddled onto my plate in clermont county.
Loaf of hostess bread, baked @ Interstate bakery downtown then trucked to kroger.
All of these items have the same/ higher margin than oil, yet no one was complaining about purchasing any of them.

While @ circle K in Ft Wayne tuesday a guy is ripping the store clerks ear off over pump prices, he carries out 4 "polar pops"(70% margin) and several $.89 donuts(40+% margin) and gets into a lifted H2:cool2:. The whole time he's bitching about gas prices when someone drilled a 5 mi deep well into the earth, pumped out crude, transported it 12,000 miles around the world refined it into layers then trucked a hazardous material to his neighborhood and delivered it to him for 10% profit so he can make a mid morning donut run in a schoolbus to offset his lifes other short comings. One of America's greatest overlooked freedoms. Just remember it's your choice How much you participate/ patronize.

I Barrel of Crude oil= 42 Gallons @$91.00/barrel = $2.16 a gallon for raw materials. Now forgetting that neither hydro cracking or catalytic cracking refining methods yield all gasoline we will assume no waste and that all settled levels are useful as heating oil, diesel etc. Add tax to the $2.16 @ 0.47 and you come to $2.63/ gallon to show what your paying @ the pump. Meaning any oil company has to purchase, transport, refine and distribute a hazardous product for < $0.50 profit per gallon? How much should they make?

If you want to be mad @ someone blame oil producing countries for fixing the costs of oil or politicians for doing horrid trade deals and giving away agricultural exports from our farms, or the government for taxing something at a higher rate than its gross profit margin. I won't blame companies providing jobs, 93 octane for my mustang, and padding my retirement accounts.

Just my $0.02.

This thread just reminded me the ram needs fuel....:rolleyes:

[beefcake]

Ok, frist people will buy gas as long as they need it. We are like a bunch of druggies and gas is our addiction.... and we let the oil companys do this too us!
My grandfather walked to work (and that was when gas was cheap). When he changed jobs, he moved. He lived close to downtown so he or my grandmom could walk to the stores. People just dont live like that now. (I know I didnt buy my house because of where my job is located) But I know people will say thats not the way it is now, but again because of cheap gas and the way cars effected people, we moved out away from our jobs and stores, etc.
Still there is more to the way people spend money than just gas. Wages have not gone up as much as expenses. Jobs are not like they were years back. And spending more than you make, has become a way of life.

i agree, but i still believe gas prices have much more of an impact than you believe

[93snake]

thecollector, I agree! and wells said, but most have no idea how little profit per gallon is made. At the risk of getting beat up for saying it... its about what we choose to do! I personally dont want to drive a prius. My choice and therefore I spend more for gas! Also I have been questioning "Big Milk" for almost a year (just ask 347sc how I have bored him with the details lol) and you are correct no one seems to question it as much as they just say its more because of shipping (i.e. gas prices)

[beefcake]

thecollector, I agree! and wells said, but most have no idea how little profit per gallon is made. At the risk of getting beat up for saying it... its about what we choose to do! I personally dont want to drive a prius. My choice and therefore I spend more for gas! Also I have been questioning "Big Milk" for almost a year (just ask 347sc how I have bored him with the details lol) and you are correct no one seems to question it as much as they just say its more because of shipping (i.e. gas prices)

i understand the profit per gallon, it's the cost that is "manufactured" and heavily inflated

and the whole "demand" thing as well. yeah, we need it, we want it, and theres plenty of it.

just because they "cut production" doesn't change squat, it's still at every pump you go to

[thecollector]

How many vehicles would Beef sell if taxes were 16+%????

[thecollector]

thecollector, I agree! and wells said, but most have no idea how little profit per gallon is made. At the risk of getting beat up for saying it... its about what we choose to do! I personally dont want to drive a prius. My choice and therefore I spend more for gas! Also I have been questioning "Big Milk" for almost a year (just ask 347sc how I have bored him with the details lol) and you are correct no one seems to question it as much as they just say its more because of shipping (i.e. gas prices)

:) Yeah Michael Moore should do a documentary on Big Dairy.

[93snake]

i agree, but i still believe gas prices have much more of an impact than you believe

Can we all at least agree it is OIL prices that are the impact (even fuel oil, asphalt,tar, grease, plastics, etc) All of which have gone up too. And I understand that this all has to do with the cash we all have to spend. But I guess what I have a problem with is everyone says IF gas went down.... I am saying it would have to be CRUDE OIL (and if we are going to dream) down to $15 per barrel. Then we would all have more dollars to spend.

[93snake]

:) Yeah Michael Moore should do a documentary on Big Dairy.

LOL... a bangerz documentary on BIG MILK.... call it "Gotten By the Tits, How Milk is taking us to the cleaners!"

[thecollector]

yep

top 2 2009 profitable companies

oil

Top companies: Most profitabl
Profits
Return on revenues
Return on shareholders' equity

Rank Company 500 Rank 2008 $
(millions)
1 Exxon Mobil 1 45,220.0
2 Chevron 3 23,931.0

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2009/performers/companies/profits/index.html


If you click on the return on revenues tab neither appear on the list of top 50. As far as profits/sales go of course they will be at the top of the list in the worlds most oil dependant countries. Sales will be high with that volume of business. If they had that type of profit margin my retirement would be champaign wishes and caviar dreams. Don't forget what they will pay in taxes on those types of revenues as a business as well as what Americans paid @ the pump in fuel taxes in 2008.

Selecting return on Shareholder's revenue nets the same result, no oil companies at all in top 50, autozone is up @ #1.

I have no doubt that high energy prices stiffle the economy, however if your running that close on personnel finances for fuel to bring you to ruins you need to re-evaluate your budget and hire an accountant. Fannie and Freddie also had no business giving you a mortgage.

Small business was/still is hammered by fuel, as someone who drives 50k+ miles a year you are preaching to the choir on that. That being said the only thing you can do is pass it on to the customer(s). I was fortunate enough to have a sustainable margin on travel expenses and padded it prior to the increases.

[thecollector]

LOL... a bangerz documentary on BIG MILK.... call it "Gotten By the Tits, How Milk is taking us to the cleaners!"

:lol::lol::lol:

[motox159]

I filled up this morning @ 2.99 a gal, when I drove back by on my way in to work...it was 3.20...FTW!!!!!

[Jeff88coupe]

Want to beat "the Man"...buy stock in oil companies.

[02mingryGT]

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2009/performers/companies/profits/index.html


If you click on the return on revenues tab neither appear on the list of top 50. As far as profits/sales go of course they will be at the top of the list in the worlds most oil dependant countries. Sales will be high with that volume of business. If they had that type of profit margin my retirement would be champaign wishes and caviar dreams. Don't forget what they will pay in taxes on those types of revenues as a business as well as what Americans paid @ the pump in fuel taxes in 2008.

Selecting return on Shareholder's revenue nets the same result, no oil companies at all in top 50, autozone is up @ #1.

I have no doubt that high energy prices stiffle the economy, however if your running that close on personnel finances for fuel to bring you to ruins you need to re-evaluate your budget and hire an accountant. Fannie and Freddie also had no business giving you a mortgage.

Small business was/still is hammered by fuel, as someone who drives 50k+ miles a year you are preaching to the choir on that. That being said the only thing you can do is pass it on to the customer(s). I was fortunate enough to have a sustainable margin on travel expenses and padded it prior to the increases.

Smartest post in this entire thread.

[Ranger50]

I have no doubt that high energy prices stiffle the economy, however if your running that close on personnel finances for fuel to bring you to ruins you need to re-evaluate your budget and hire an accountant. Fannie and Freddie also had no business giving you a mortgage.


I have to disagree on this blanket statement. Some people are now running their family on $12/hr or less vs the previous $20/hr & driving 30 min vs 10 min. There just isn't any more money left to absorb any more expenses, much less hiring a $1k/wk or month PNG bookkeeper.

That is also BS on the mortgage statement. See previous statement.

[beefcake]

Mark my words, this time you won't have the mortgage companies to blame.

$3.18 today, talking $4 by next week and 5 by 2012.

Watch the economy in the toilet. 100% guaranteed. I'll be bringing this thread back up in a year or 2, if I can afford internet at that time.

Jobs will be gone, we'll be worse off than we ever were, and it will be 100% to blame on Gas!

[Mista Bone]

RBOB is still 2.40 a gallon, wholesale price hasn't changed.

[Gene]

Mark my words, this time you won't have the mortgage companies to blame.

$3.18 today, talking $4 by next week and 5 by 2012.

Watch the economy in the toilet. 100% guaranteed. I'll be bringing this thread back up in a year or 2, if I can afford internet at that time.

Jobs will be gone, we'll be worse off than we ever were, and it will be 100% to blame on Gas!

Panic much?

Oil is up, so gas prices are up. Markets fluctuate...the economy is starting to improve, so demand is going up. Add the blizzard on the east coast and a generally cold winter so far and you're going to have supply issues.

Every time gas prices rise, the media finds someone who says "It'll go to $200 a barrel, mark my words".

Drive a little less, combine some trips and you can make it through a price spike. But it's not going to cause the whole world to come crashing down.

[05yellowgt]

Don't blame anyone but the Fed for putting another 600 billion in US Dollars into circulation. The value of the dollar will continue to tank and prices for everything are going to go up. Gas and oil are only the beginning.

[beefcake]

Panic much?

Oil is up, so gas prices are up. Markets fluctuate...the economy is starting to improve, so demand is going up. Add the blizzard on the east coast and a generally cold winter so far and you're going to have supply issues.

Every time gas prices rise, the media finds someone who says "It'll go to $200 a barrel, mark my words".

Drive a little less, combine some trips and you can make it through a price spike. But it's not going to cause the whole world to come crashing down.

I'm not panicking, but everyone else will. Transportation business's will fold again, etc...

[Gene]

I'm not panicking, but everyone else will. Transportation business's will fold again, etc...

I really doubt it. If nothing else, you guys will probably see an uptick in business as people panic and buy Fiestas. :)

Gas realistically won't go to $5.00 a gallon...the market has proven that that's an unsustainable price. When gas went to $4.00 a gallon a couple of years ago, people cut back on their driving dramatically. The oil companies and OPEC saw that, increased production and the prices fell. The same thing will happen this time if it gets that high.

And while high gas prices didn't help the economy, they didn't cause the mortgage crisis. If Gas jumps $1.00 a gallon, it cost you about $10-15 more a fill up for a normal car. Most people in this market drive less the 30 minutes to get to work (http://www.zillow.com/local-info/OH-Cincinnati-people/r_4099/)...assuming you get halfway decent fuel mileage, that's what? 250-300 miles a week max? So you're spending an extra $40-50 a month. That's not going to make you unable to pay your mortgage...that's going to make you unable to go out to dinner one night.

[Rabnud]

http://money.cnn.com/2010/12/27/markets/oil_commodities/index.htm?hpt=T2
Thought that was worth posting in this thread.

I'm kinda with Gene on this, yeah... it will cost a little more for gas and blow, but people will find a way to adapt. I do think it sucks that gas prices will go up though.

[05yellowgt]

$5/gallon gas at the pump is scary but can be lived with if that was the extent of the effect. The problem is that high gas prices find there way into the price of nearly EVERYTHING we buy. Every single item we buy will go up in price because of increased gas prices. EVERYTHING we buy is transported by something powered by fossil fuels. Be it by plain, train, or automobile the increased cost in fuel is going to be passed down the line from the top of the supply chain all the way down to the consumer.

[Black92LX]

Mark my words, this time you won't have the mortgage companies to blame.

$3.18 today, talking $4 by next week and 5 by 2012.

Watch the economy in the toilet. 100% guaranteed. I'll be bringing this thread back up in a year or 2, if I can afford internet at that time.

Jobs will be gone, we'll be worse off than we ever were, and it will be 100% to blame on Gas!

No one is blaming the mortgage companies. It's the government that forced them to make the loans.
Our government is to blame. Yes gas prices are high and only going to get higher. Europe has had $4.00 a gallon for almost a decade now. And it did not cause them to collapse. If one owns a business they should be prepared for this and have it built into their businesses financial plan.

Gas prices are not 100% of the problem our government is because they have their straw too deep in our Kool-Aid.

You bring up the profits our oil companies. As someone else has pointed out they aren't really as high as you depicted in your post.
Even if they were they are private companies and guess what they get to make as much as they want. As long as people will pay it they can charge what they want. Though their profit base is slightly different than your standard supply and demand it still factors in.
Just because you don't like paying X amount for gas they are evil and the root of our problems so the government should step in and say what they can charge and how much a profit the can make.

Flip that a bunch of people don't like how much they are paying for cars. Should the government come in and say you can only sell X amount of cars at an X amount??? I think not. You will find the price that is the most profitable. Same with the oil companies their economies of scale and how they determine their profits are more complex then your standard supply and demand purchase.

Gas prices suck and are going to hurt the economy but there are three things looming on the horizon that should scare you even more.

Illegal Immigration - Which has been upon us for awhile and is sucking this country dry. Thank goodness the dream act was voted down

The new Health Care Bill - Not only is it dealing with taking more of your money and giving you less care. It's your life and well being that are ultimately at stake.

The new 35% Estate/Death Tax. You think companies folded from gas prices. This thing is going to kill so many small businesses it's going to get very scary.

The sky is not falling and gas is not 100% in control of the world economy the Illuminati is:lol:

[05yellowgt]

Illegal Immigration - Which has been upon us for awhile and is sucking this country dry. Thank goodness the dream act was voted down
Agreed 110%


The new Health Care Bill - Not only is it dealing with taking more of your money and giving you less care. It's your life and well being that are ultimately at stake.
Don't even get me started. I'm paying over $900/month for health insurance premiums and money into an HSA to try and cover out out of pocket expenses. this year which is highway robbery for a family of 4. It is only going to get worse.


The new 35% Estate/Death Tax. You think companies folded from gas prices. This thing is going to kill so many small businesses it's going to get very scary.
Estate taxes are nothing new. They just happened to have expired for the 2010 year and are now back in effect. Companies didn't collapse because of this before 2010 and won't collapse because of it in 2011. I am sure that there a quite a few people out there hoping their rich uncle, parent, etc kicks the bucket in the next 2 days though so they can get in under the wire and avoid paying that tax.

Don't get me wrong, I think an estate tax is criminal. A person has more than likely payed taxes 3 or 4 times on their wealth at a minimum before the government swoops in and collects their cut before giving it out to the rightful heir's. The government did nothing to deserve that money and will do nothing good with it once they get their greedy little hands on it.

[beefcake]

No one is blaming the mortgage companies. It's the government that forced them to make the loans.
Our government is to blame. Yes gas prices are high and only going to get higher. Europe has had $4.00 a gallon for almost a decade now. And it did not cause them to collapse. If one owns a business they should be prepared for this and have it built into their businesses financial plan.

Gas prices are not 100% of the problem our government is because they have their straw too deep in our Kool-Aid.

You bring up the profits our oil companies. As someone else has pointed out they aren't really as high as you depicted in your post.
Even if they were they are private companies and guess what they get to make as much as they want. As long as people will pay it they can charge what they want. Though their profit base is slightly different than your standard supply and demand it still factors in.
Just because you don't like paying X amount for gas they are evil and the root of our problems so the government should step in and say what they can charge and how much a profit the can make.

Flip that a bunch of people don't like how much they are paying for cars. Should the government come in and say you can only sell X amount of cars at an X amount??? I think not. You will find the price that is the most profitable. Same with the oil companies their economies of scale and how they determine their profits are more complex then your standard supply and demand purchase.

Gas prices suck and are going to hurt the economy but there are three things looming on the horizon that should scare you even more.

Illegal Immigration - Which has been upon us for awhile and is sucking this country dry. Thank goodness the dream act was voted down

The new Health Care Bill - Not only is it dealing with taking more of your money and giving you less care. It's your life and well being that are ultimately at stake.

The new 35% Estate/Death Tax. You think companies folded from gas prices. This thing is going to kill so many small businesses it's going to get very scary.

The sky is not falling and gas is not 100% in control of the world economy the Illuminati is:lol:

Transportation business's can't take into effect a double in their fuel cost with no increase in revenue.

Lots of companies have contracts for set pricing and such, and can take into effect a small increase. But when you have a vehicle getting 6mpg driving what some of these vehicles do, and the fuel cost literally doubles. It is crippling.

And as John said, the gas prices affect the prices of every thing that we buy.

I do agree on the health care, and illegal immigrations. There are definately things that affect people.

But the avergae joe living his day to day life that doesn't even keep up with the "news" sees gas prices, and thats about it.

[thecollector]

I have to disagree on this blanket statement. Some people are now running their family on $12/hr or less vs the previous $20/hr & driving 30 min vs 10 min. There just isn't any more money left to absorb any more expenses, much less hiring a $1k/wk or month PNG bookkeeper.

That is also BS on the mortgage statement. See previous statement.

Software to manage your finance's is < $50. I was exaggerating w/ the accountant statement. You can buy a $5.00 organizer from walmart and do it yourself like I did. You don't need a degree to balance a checkbook. Dave Ramsey doesn't cost a thing.

I understand cuts in income. My wife's work was cut back from 4 days to 1 day. She is a full time student who now actaully spends income instead of generating it. She used to drive to work, now she drives to Dayton, Downton Cinci or College Corner In for clinical trials for school. I am a field service rep who has only been on 3 jobs the past 8 weeks.... I KNOW WHAT BROKE IS. My dog is @ the colerain animal clinic on an I V for 4 days because my white trash neighbor threw a turkey carcass over the fence for her to eat (that will be a rant thread). My car was in an accident which I am paying to repair out of pocket and my trucks battery died yesterday morning and the tires are barely holding air....

Times are tough for everyone. I cancelled the Y membership dialed back the direct TV. I've been shoveling snow more than a kid in JR high. My pallet has been honed to love Ramen and El Monterey burritoes. The only gifts exchanged at my house last week were to my son. I Re welded a snow plow that broke in the parking lot of the grocery store to make a few bucks of a contractor 2 weeks ago. I've been doing any side work that comes my way, even exhaust work:eek:, out in my cold snow covered driveway. A few times ive even been that guy giving cars back to the bank under the cloak of darkness. I like my house a little to much to give it back w/o a fight.

Bottom line= Everyone makes their own financial decisions. This city is chock full of $50,000/year millionaires.
I understand financial cuts, I also understand18 hour workdays. Many people however understand neither.

Whats the legitmate cost of delivery in everything we buy? I only know of certain products cost in specifc industries. Something we can all see the delivery cost of.... Cars. A new van has destination fees of $900. If that doubled to $1,800 (with a sticker of under 30k) would the vans stop or even slow in sales? Doubtful. If the Fusion transport fees went from 600-1200 would someone suddenly not be able to afford the car? NO.

When Big dairy gets hit with a fuel surchage and milk goes up another $0.28 will I have to stop buying it? no.

High prices drive technology and give us better vehicles and better lives. It forces companies to find better ways of doing things even if that thing is something new altogether. While it may cost us more right now we will all benefit in the long run. Can you imagine if we were all driving around 6 MPG 460 powered 78 ltd's right now?

[05yellowgt]

Increased delivery fees are minor in contrast to the additive cost of shipping every single nut, bolt, body panel, interior, drive train, etc to the plant to be assembled. All of those add up and the manufacturer have two choices. Keep their prices the same and lose profits, or raise their prices. They have bills to pay and employees to pay salaries and benefits for so of course they are going to raise their prices to compensate.

The same thing is going to happen for EVERYTHING we buy. Doesn't matter if it is a loaf of bread, xbox 360, or an entire house. The cost of oil affects the price of EVERYTHING.

[Blackout]

Yeah, I see this first hand working at DMAX/GM in Morain. As fuel goes up sales go down. Everyone starts looking at trading in the 20-25 mi per gallon for the 30-40 mi per gallon car. So truck sales go down wich means there are possible layoffs for me and now 400 people for part of the year.

We as a country relly on gasoline and other fuels much more than other countries. Europe is almost completely diesel, that is if you can afford a car. Thier cars average 50 mi per gallon unless they are wealthy.

Between the inflation, minimum wage increasing and petroleum price rising, we are in serious trouble. There are alot of americans who require fuel oil to keep warm in the winter. For example: My sister filled her tank (fuel oil) when prices were down and it cost her $750, but when it went up a year or two ago it went up $1500.

In order for prices to go down we have to show them that we don't need to buy thier oil. But at the same time I don't think that the american economy could handle that demonstration. We can rant and bitch forever but unfortunately we are not able to do anything about it yet.

[Mista Bone]

We as a country relly on gasoline and other fuels much more than other countries. Europe is almost completely diesel, that is if you can afford a car. Thier cars average 50 mi per gallon unless they are wealthy.


When tested the same, our US cars get almost the same mileage.

A) Their test is different
B) The imperial gallon is about 1.25 US gallons, aka a 5 quart gallon.

[Black92LX]

Transportation business's can't take into effect a double in their fuel cost with no increase in revenue.

Lots of companies have contracts for set pricing and such, and can take into effect a small increase. But when you have a vehicle getting 6mpg driving what some of these vehicles do, and the fuel cost literally doubles. It is crippling.

And as John said, the gas prices affect the prices of every thing that we buy.

I do agree on the health care, and illegal immigrations. There are definately things that affect people.

But the avergae joe living his day to day life that doesn't even keep up with the "news" sees gas prices, and thats about it.

Fuel cost has not double over night or even in a one year time span. Again, it goes back to the financial plan. If they are agreeing to contracts and not taking into account fuel prices properly they are going to be hurting.

I agree the costs of oil has an effect on everything but so do standard utilities and they are rising at a rate even higher than that of oil. But it's not the main problem of the economy. Some industries are more effected by it than others, but those industries know that and should prepare accordingly.
If their revenues aren't increasing something is flawed somewhere in the business and that needs to be addressed. A company that stays flat in their revenues for multiple years needs to figure out what they can do to cut costs or gain revenue. A business has to change and adapt to stay alive.

[beefcake]

Fuel cost has not double over night or even in a one year time span. Again, it goes back to the financial plan. If they are agreeing to contracts and not taking into account fuel prices properly they are going to be hurting.

I agree the costs of oil has an effect on everything but so do standard utilities and they are rising at a rate even higher than that of oil. But it's not the main problem of the economy. Some industries are more effected by it than others, but those industries know that and should prepare accordingly.
If their revenues aren't increasing something is flawed somewhere in the business and that needs to be addressed. A company that stays flat in their revenues for multiple years needs to figure out what they can do to cut costs or gain revenue. A business has to change and adapt to stay alive.

I have to disagree, when the gas spiked like 3 or so years ago. The prices went up very fast in relation to what they had historically changed over time other than 911 and that was a major panic situation. The increase came very fast and quite a large amount. People were used to seeing a 20 to 30 cent change over a few month period and then going back down. It was much more dramatic than that.

[05yellowgt]

Funny you bring up standard utilities, my budget billing for the year just went down $33/month because Vectren's natural gas costs dropped substantially.

[beefcake]

Fuel cost has not double over night or even in a one year time span. Again, it goes back to the financial plan. If they are agreeing to contracts and not taking into account fuel prices properly they are going to be hurting.

I agree the costs of oil has an effect on everything but so do standard utilities and they are rising at a rate even higher than that of oil. But it's not the main problem of the economy. Some industries are more effected by it than others, but those industries know that and should prepare accordingly.
If their revenues aren't increasing something is flawed somewhere in the business and that needs to be addressed. A company that stays flat in their revenues for multiple years needs to figure out what they can do to cut costs or gain revenue. A business has to change and adapt to stay alive.

EVERY SINGLE BUSINESS is affected by fuel prices. EVERY SINGLE ONE. Because every business is either a product or a service, and products and services have to be manufactured / delievered, or delivered, then manufactured, then delivered somewhere else, etc...

Fuel prices affect the average person on a daily basis more than just about anything.

[Black92LX]

EVERY SINGLE BUSINESS is affected by fuel prices. EVERY SINGLE ONE. Because every business is either a product or a service, and products and services have to be manufactured / delievered, or delivered, then manufactured, then delivered somewhere else, etc...

Fuel prices affect the average person on a daily basis more than just about anything.

While we agree on this. We disagree on the reason for the poor economy. Gas prices are not the reason.

Again if our government would stop taking so much of our money we would have more to spend on fuel, fun, etc.
Gas prices are not the problem they are an effect of the problem.

[05yellowgt]

While we agree on this. We disagree on the reason for the poor economy. Gas prices are not the reason.

Again if our government would stop taking so much of our money we would have more to spend on fuel, fun, etc.
Gas prices are not the problem they are an effect of the problem.
The problem is not just the taxes that are collected but the sheer number of dollars that have been printed to support stimulus after stimulus. There has been OVER 1.2 TRILLION new dollars printed in the last 2 years. Just think about how much that has killed the buying power of the dollar. Gas prices are just one of the easiest and most visible areas of the economy to see the effects.

[04 Venom]

While we agree on this. We disagree on the reason for the poor economy. Gas prices are not the reason.

Again if our government would stop taking so much of our money we would have more to spend on fuel, fun, etc.
Gas prices are not the problem they are an effect of the problem.

Agree regarding gas prices.

Federal taxes as a percentage of personal income is at the lowest point since 1950. Also, borrowing money from the Chinese to pay for the the Bush tax cuts is great politics, but a major contributor to the federal deficit. The great expansion of the stock market during the 80's and 90s occurred when federal taxes were considerably higher than now.

[05yellowgt]

For anyone who was interested in seeing what 1 trillion dollars would look like.

http://www.dailycognition.com/index.php/2009/03/25/what-1-trillion-dollars-looks-like-in-dollar-bills.html

[04 Venom]

For anyone who was interested in seeing what 1 trillion dollars would look like.

http://www.dailycognition.com/index.php/2009/03/25/what-1-trillion-dollars-looks-like-in-dollar-bills.html

And, the national debt is over $12 trillion---and growing.

[05yellowgt]

Agree regarding gas prices.

Federal taxes as a percentage of personal income is at the lowest point since 1950. Also, borrowing money from the Chinese to pay for the the Bush tax cuts is great politics, but a major contributor to the federal deficit. The great expansion of the stock market during the 80's and 90s occurred when federal taxes were considerably higher than now.
The Bush Tax cuts resulted in the highest tax Revenue's in the history of our country. The problem was spending has been steadily increasing and setting records since 9/11.

We are at a major tipping point. The economy cannot handle ANY tax increases at this point. We are much closer to the verge of collapse than anyone in Washington is willing to talk about. The 1 year decrease in Social Security Taxes is going to help give a small boost to the economy this year, but it does nothing in the long term since there will be ZERO spending cuts to cover the losses.

What needs to happen and happen very soon is that there needs to be a MASSIVE decrease in Federal spending across the board as well as either a permanent extension of the Bush tax cuts or even better a new Tax plan with cuts across the board (or even better yet get some Politicians with balls to start getting the ball rolling on pushing the Fair Tax Act through and get it passed) . This is the ONLY way that our country will begin to turn things around.

[may93]

Comparing what we pay for a gallon of gas to other countries is not always an accurate comparison seeing as they have taxes factored into their gas prices that we already pay taxes in other ways for. Social security was cut by 2% at the same time gas prices have increased. So who benefits? Definitely not the retired individuals living on a budget. Gas prices affect everyone and its money that could be spend elsewhere if people had it. The speculators increase the cost and will continue to do so. The Oil companies have a monopoly just like the steel companies did years ago and it needs to be regulated.

Myself I'm selling my truck and purchasing a new 2011 Mustang GT. I'll be stimulating the economy and myself while at the same time screwing the gas companys out of some cash by the better gas mileage I will be getting...lol