Gas ... Why is it so expensive?

[andrew_the_fox]

Why?

[Clarksist]

Because capitalist rulers have decided to fill their pockets by raising the prices so that the Middle Eastern oil regimes have more money. That way they can invest in the proper banks and support the proper people to perpetuate the capitalist machine.

That and our reserves are running DANGEROUSLY low. And within five years we may be out of oil.

[Urban Guerrilla]

Someone told me that around election time (around November) the price of gas always increases... but apparently it stayed this time :che:

[h&s]

I take it your talking about petrol (a liquid!) not gas. :P
'Gas' in the US is not expensive, you lucky bastards.
'Gas' prices in the US are less than half of our prices in Europe. You just drive around in the most un-economical cars ever.


That and our reserves are running DANGEROUSLY low. And within five years we may be out of oil.
Bollocks. Its at least 30 years till that happens.

[Kleng]

high gas prices is a good thing.
The enviroment can't handle the gas consuption we have atm. Hopefully more expencive gas causes people to use puplic transportatin/walk a bit more.

[h&s]

High prices take no account for class though. A lot of working class people would be priced off the road, while borgeios people would still drive around in their Bentlys not caring.
The only solution is to replace fossil fuels.

[qazonkgb]

OK, H&S, your dumb.
Yes we need to work twords outher directions but right now 'Petro' is the easiest answer and we don't have the... well in your words " in the most un-economical cars ever." that would be China. I am sure you would know that wouldn't you. The Best answer is Bikes, but now who wants to do that?

[redstar2000]

It seems to me that, a few months ago, I ran across an interesting piece that suggested a more prosaic explanation for high gasoline prices.

Both the U.S. and China are buying as much oil as they can to fill up their "strategic reserves"...and that's "a lot" of oil.

Much of the oil that's being taken out of the ground in "Saudi" Arabia or Venezuela or wherever is being put back in the ground in the U.S. and China.

As if that were not enough, the bellicose statements and actions by U.S. imperialist politicians are perceived as threatening to the world's oil supply.

Iraqi oil production, for example, is now lower than even the wretched levels of the Hussein regime. The possibility of U.S. aggression against Iran or Venezuela is seen as a further threat to oil supplies.

All of this serves to drive up the "spot oil price" -- currently, I believe, around $60/barrel.

One thing I've never seen mentioned on this subject. Do you imagine the commercial purchasers of oil actually pay the "spot oil price"?

It seems to me that most resource purchases are purchases by long-term contract. Corporation X contracts to purchase amount Y of some resource for Z number of years at a contracted price. The "spot oil price" is what a corporation would pay if it wanted to buy oil today...not the contracted price that was agreed on two or three or five years ago.

This obviously represents an enormous "windfall" profit for the sellers of gasoline and other energy products. They can raise their prices based on the "psychological effect" of today's spot oil price...although, in fact, their own purchase price was far below today's price when they signed their contracts.

And likewise for the energy corporations themselves; their production costs have not increased (about $9.00/barrel on average -- according to another board member here). But as contracts for $20 or $30/barrel expire, how sweet it is to charge $60/barrel.

There's nothing like an "oil crisis" to make oil corporation profits explode...those guys haven't been so happy since the 1970s.

Oh, by the way, the reason gasoline prices are so high in Europe is that gasoline taxes are so high. If gasoline were taxed at rates similar to those in the U.S., your prices would likewise be about the same.

http://www.websmileys.com/sm/cool/123.gif

[piet11111]

and to add to redstar's post american oil barons have been oppressing alternative energy sources since the times of nikolai tesla (1900)

also the oil is not going to run out in 2010 about that time we hit the critical point where we depleted half of the earths known oil supply.
from that point on extracting oil will become increasingly difficult and expensive.

and if you fast forward into the future you will know that at a time within our lifetime (well maybe not for redstar sorry just kidding) there wont be enough oil to go around for everyone.
i am curious how violent things will get and what strategy will be used to get those last drops.


america takes the first step by securing iraq and aghanistan establishing a strong pressence in the middle east.

russia as i heared is digging in building nuclear shelters like mad (so what are they planning to do :lol: )

china is upgrading their army and we know they need to go to war to solve their energy crisis.

and europe is just sitting there with their thumbs up their you know what (im european so its not bashing or anything)

and japan is building some crazy stuff they saw in some of those wacky anime series perhaps some of it might actually work.

[spartafc]

That and our reserves are running DANGEROUSLY low. And within five years we may be out of oil.

Bollocks. Its at least 30 years till that happens.

what happens then?

[piet11111]

Originally posted by [email protected] 27 2005, 10:13 PM



That and our reserves are running DANGEROUSLY low. And within five years we may be out of oil.

Bollocks. Its at least 30 years till that happens.

what happens then?
option A: total breakdown of human civilisation (afrika suddenly becomes one of the most developed continent because they still know how to survive with nothing :D )

option B: some miraculous new energy source is found and used as the new milking cow of the capitalists.

option C: according to the godsuckers we are at the end of time and the new christ will come near a place called megiddo (close to jerusalem) and establish his heavenly kingdom on earth.
and most of us forummembers will be send to hell for our refusal to accept the existance of "god" and we will be having a real blast at the bbq because all the interesting poeple are already there (seriously why talk to ghandi when you can talk with ghenghis khan)

[Ownthink]

Originally posted by piet11111+Jul 27 2005, 06:22 PM--> (piet11111 @ Jul 27 2005, 06:22 PM)
[email protected] 27 2005, 10:13 PM



That and our reserves are running DANGEROUSLY low. And within five years we may be out of oil.

Bollocks. Its at least 30 years till that happens.

what happens then?
option A: total breakdown of human civilisation (afrika suddenly becomes one of the most developed continent because they still know how to survive with nothing :D )

option B: some miraculous new energy source is found and used as the new milking cow of the capitalists.

option C: according to the godsuckers we are at the end of time and the new christ will come near a place called megiddo (close to jerusalem) and establish his heavenly kingdom on earth.
and most of us forummembers will be send to hell for our refusal to accept the existance of "god" and we will be having a real blast at the bbq because all the interesting poeple are already there (seriously why talk to ghandi when you can talk with ghenghis khan) [/b]
I'm gonna go with A or B ;)

[andrew_the_fox]

C sounds fine. I'm up for a BBQ. Who likes pork roll?

[h&s]

Originally posted by [email protected] 27 2005, 02:53 PM
OK, H&S, your dumb.
Yes we need to work twords outher directions but right now 'Petro' is the easiest answer and we don't have the... well in your words " in the most un-economical cars ever." that would be China. I am sure you would know that wouldn't you. The Best answer is Bikes, but now who wants to do that?
WTF are you on about?
I am saying that we need to stay with petrol for now.
They may not be the worst (I don't know about China), but US cars use basic technology compared to European and Japanese cars.
The best answer is not Bikes, it is cars running on different fuels.


I'm up for a BBQ.
Now officially just as carcinogenic as smoking. :rolleyes:

[Mr Flibble]

why do US cars tend to be pretty damn crappy compared to European (german ;) ) cars or asian cars espacaly when it comes to the gas per mile

[bunk]

US cars are the largest, un-economical cars.

[which doctor]

Because soccer moms need to haul 8 kids in her ford excursion to soccer practice because they think they are saving gas by carpooling.

[KrazyRabidSheep]

Do you really think it's expensive?

Try buying petrol in Europe.

It's been 75-80 pence a liter a while now.
That's roughly £4 a gallon.
£4 is about $6USD.
You ever wonder why the London subway or bicycles in Rome are so popular?

American politicians have been using tax money to keep prices low for decades. The U.S. also hardly has any gasoline tax at all.

Last time I passed a filling station it was about $2.30USD per gallon.
People would go bananas over prices like that back home.

The U.S. enjoys just about the cheapest petrol in the world.

[OleMarxco]

(large un-enonomical cars)...called for SUV's, made by soccer mom's driven by them ;)
Anyways, there's alot of substitues for petroleum - But not of the
same quality, alas. There aught to be the climate for a staged-revolution
soon :D *sharpens blades*

[(R)evolution of the mind]

I'm very happy with petrol prices going up. Maybe a few more people will turn to bicycling and public transport and cities will be designed with more that in mind and us bicyclists don't have to be as much afraid of being driven over by some petrol fascist. And there would be less pollution too.

[h&s]

Last time I passed a filling station it was about $2.30USD per gallon.
People would go bananas over prices like that back home.
If you want cheap petrol, stop by a US air base like RAK Lakenheath. The petrol at those places is subsidised by the USAF - last time I saw they were selling it for 35 pence a litre!
Everyone was driving massive V8 pick-ups!


I'm very happy with petrol prices going up. Maybe a few more people will turn to bicycling and public transport and cities will be designed with more that in mind and us bicyclists don't have to be as much afraid of being driven over by some petrol fascist. And there would be less pollution too.
For gods sake, why do you people think that cars are so bad?
Apart from the pollution they are the best invention ever.

[mo7amEd]

Originally posted by [email protected] 29 2005, 03:20 PM
Do you really think it's expensive?

Try buying petrol in Europe.

It's been 75-80 pence a liter a while now.
That's roughly £4 a gallon.
£4 is about $6USD.
You ever wonder why the London subway or bicycles in Rome are so popular?

American politicians have been using tax money to keep prices low for decades. The U.S. also hardly has any gasoline tax at all.

Last time I passed a filling station it was about $2.30USD per gallon.
People would go bananas over prices like that back home.

The U.S. enjoys just about the cheapest petrol in the world.
Actually in Iraq I would say it's cheaper...

[Samuel]

Originally posted by [email protected] 27 2005, 01:36 PM
high gas prices is a good thing.
The enviroment can't handle the gas consuption we have atm. Hopefully more expencive gas causes people to use puplic transportatin/walk a bit more.
well, its good and bad.

In the long term, it will encourage alternate energy sources, but in the short term it will simply fatten the walets of the OPEC governments and the oil importers.

[KrazyRabidSheep]

Originally posted by h&[email protected] 30 2005, 08:58 AM

Last time I passed a filling station it was about $2.30USD per gallon.
People would go bananas over prices like that back home.
If you want cheap petrol, stop by a US air base like RAK Lakenheath. The petrol at those places is subsidised by the USAF - last time I saw they were selling it for 35 pence a litre!
Everyone was driving massive V8 pick-ups!
I don't even own a car. :P
That's one of the beauties of inner-city living: we've got trains and buses :D

Nearest base to where I live is way out across the river and in the suburbs anyway.

http://websmileys.com/sm/cool/269.gif

[andrew_the_fox]

Gas has continually gone up since 911, which scared people off of planes. Than there was the train attack in spain, which scared people off of trains. Than there was the subway, and bus attack in London, which scared people out of the subways and off the busses. It just seems like people might only feel safe in their cars. It all just seems way to convenient for the gas companies.

<_<

[Rasta Sapian]

yes, gas prices are high, I am now paying around 1 daller for a litre of gas, that is nucking futz.

Smart cars, hybrids, scooter, motorbikes are the answer if you want to save &#036;&#036;
I ride a 1976 honda myself.

4 sure the fat cats from North and South America as well as the ones in the Middle East are getting much fatter with these high prices, but like the others said, it is the market and the damand that is causing alot of the increases, I bet the fat cats in Iraq are pissed off&#33;

[h&s]

yes, gas prices are high, I am now paying around 1 daller for a litre of gas, that is nucking futz.
That is fucking cheap&#33; :rolleyes:

[__ca va?]

Gas has continually gone up since 911, which scared people off of planes. Than there was the train attack in spain, which scared people off of trains. Than there was the subway, and bus attack in London, which scared people out of the subways and off the busses. It just seems like people might only feel safe in their cars. It all just seems way to convenient for the gas companies.

dry.gif

I think this is not true. In fact people are using planes/trains/buses/subways even after the terrorist attacks. Even more, they are less afraid of a plane hijacking for example, because they know there are higher security standards than they were when 911 took place.




yes, gas prices are high, I am now paying around 1 daller for a litre of gas, that is nucking futz.

That is fucking cheap&#33; rolleyes.gif

There are cheap gas prices in Europe too&#33; In Ukraine a litre of gas is about 0.75&#036; &#33; :rolleyes:

[Vallegrande]

I think a major reason gas prices are raised is to counter the amount of protection needed to secure those gas lines, like deploying troops.

It is important to know that car fuel (in the early 1900&#39;s) was also derived from plants, like peanut oil, and most definitely hemp oil. But of course, Rockefeller, and other corporate pigs found ways to keep these alternatives out. The war on drugs is an example of keeping hemp out of business.

[piet11111]

in indonesia there are a bunch of rebels fighting against the government they let banana&#39;s rot and the liquids they get from fermenting that is good enough to use as a fuel.


http://www.diesel-therm.com/veggie-kit.htm

http://www.mountainx.com/news/2002/0320altfuel.php

also In the UK Diesel fuel is up to &#036;7.50 a gallon according to some site i found while looking for links to these alternative fuels.

[Vallegrande]

The standards for making cars is shit compared to how they use to be made. Less durable, breaking down in about 5-10 years, it gets us going out to buy new cars. They can last a lifetime if the industry wanted to, which would basically run them out of business. I dont know how many cars are produced each year, but dumpyards seem to have plenty at hand. I think it&#39;s just a way to get more jobs for people. Because once cars last a long time, jobs will be cut.

[piet11111]

Originally posted by [email protected] 1 2005, 08:38 PM
The standards for making cars is shit compared to how they use to be made. Less durable, breaking down in about 5-10 years, it gets us going out to buy new cars. They can last a lifetime if the industry wanted to, which would basically run them out of business. I dont know how many cars are produced each year, but dumpyards seem to have plenty at hand. I think it&#39;s just a way to get more jobs for people. Because once cars last a long time, jobs will be cut.
does it matter really if they lasted longer ?

factory&#39;s in america are closed so they can build them in low wage country&#39;s that have lax environmental regulations.

it doesnt matter its all just deciding how you want to get scr**** by the cappies.

[Vallegrande]

That&#39;s true that factories go to places where people need jobs more than anything else, especially where the environment is not important, and also that every car is made by a cappie. Everything we have is made by cappies. I&#39;m just thinking of a way to screw them back, by not having to buy any of their products the rest of my life, I&#39;m am making it harder for them to get me to buy their shit. Wouldn&#39;t efficiency be a way to fight back against corporations? Even with gas, a car can use it to its fullest potentia, so we dont have to buy so much gas either. I think it matters how long a car can last.

[piet11111]

really it would not matter at all.

they would just shift their markets to say electricity and drive the prizes up like crazy.

its wrong to think that a single person can fight capitalism without violence.
because we live in a world so entangled with it that we cant even take a leak without benefitting the cappies wallet.

the simple fact we are all discussing here on a forum is proof that we have yet to find an effective way to fight capitalism in a way that wont get us killed in a pointless way.

just sit back get stuff that will help you and others through a "revolutionary" situation" and wait for the cappies to push things so hard that their mask falls off in public.
and really the cappies are pushing things hard to get a strangle hold on the middle east if things go right their mask falls off showing their true face to the public.
then we can take the fight to them.

where i live its rather easy as a communist to get things as the cappies think we are already gone.
funny thing is they rank animal activists as the biggest threat from the left :D

[Super Mario Conspiracy]

Or maybe, just maybe, this is a huge conspiracy against all people. I mean, look:

1. Gasoline prices goes up.

2. People don&#39;t have the money to buy gasoline, so they use public transportation.

3. "Terrorists" target public transportation for maximum kills.

4. The attack then gives the rulers the power/image to insert more oppresive laws against the people.

Cheeses... :D

[Commie Rat]

1.50 a litre in australia is fucking nuts,i dont drive i live in a small(ish) city and i can ride to anywhere in it i under a 1hr