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[Max White]

But how does this relate in any way to a failed government program?

[NinjaBoot]

But how does this relate in any way to a failed government program?

That was a video about another topic, in hopes of de-railing this thread again!

But I has failed

[Max White]

It works a lot better if you are more overt about it. My ring of +5 focus ensures it take more than that to swing the topic.

[NinjaBoot]

It works a lot better if you are more overt about it. My ring of +5 focus ensures it take more than that to swing the topic.

I shall quest to find the legendary +10 book of pithy insults to try and dissuade you from your current stance!

[Andir]

It works a lot better if you are more overt about it. My ring of +5 focus ensures it take more than that to swing the topic.

I shall quest to find the legendary +10 book of pithy insults to try and dissuade you from your current stance!

You could just ... oh, I don't know... pull out your professional title and link to a long wordy post showing your arguing prowess (incredible ability to bore a person to death) to try to win any argument. /snark

[Truean]

http://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/2012/02/28/consumer-confidence-climbs-to-1-year-high/

Hopefully this dismal economy might actually turn around soon? Of course, high gas prices are a real risk to that, as is an unknowable future, and persistent foreclosure problems.

[Rose]

As a dirty foreigner, who pays more per gallon but only uses three gallons a month, I laugh at you Americans.

[Truean]

As a dirty foreigner, who pays more per gallon but only uses three gallons a month, I laugh at you Americans.

You especially are hardly dirty Japa. We appreciate your numerous efforts for DF. Yeah, I can sorta see a bit of the US v. foreign gas arguments.... I dunno.

The thing that keeps me on the fence about the foreign gas is higher thing is: a.) currency conversion rates (a math issue), b.) amount used v. price, c.) realistic alternatives (we don't really have public transit in a lot of places, and certainly not good public transit).

a.) It's not just the exchange rate itself but also the frequency which that rate changes.
b.) Even I lower prices if I know there's a greater volume involved. Why yes Real Estate Brokers and Art Houses/institutions who have access to a steady stream of people who will be my repeat customers. I will look at things for you incredibly cheap. I'll make it up on the volume of work you refer to me with house transfers and artists. Realtors deal with lots of people buying real estate needing purchase agreements and deeds done, and art houses deal with lots of artists who (if they know what's what) need contractual work to retain copyright to their work and also who are we kidding, drug charges....

The volume of work, or product (in this case gas) matters to the price. This is an unfortunate, unforeseen downside to conservation rooted in economics and division of costs. It is one semi legitimate argument against conservation/environmentalism. (I'll happily explain this if anyone cares).

Speaking of that, the bail bondsmen! O heck yes.... Why what's that you say? Turns out the guy has finally figured out he doesn't stand a chance without a lawyer.... O my.... This happens all the time you say...?

c.) Can you take a train over there at a reasonable price? Because honestly we don't have many passenger trains in the US. Same thing with busses in a lot of areas even. Yes, you're implicitly paying for the cost of fuel in public transit, but due to greater division of costs and very possible public subsidies, it ends up being cheaper, at least traditionally.

[MonkeyHead]

Had a rant about petrol prices in the UK before now, and the huge amount of tax slapped on it. Thing is, since our public transport was privatized by successive governments, the cost of using public transport (trains in particular) has spiralled. Granted, the service quality has gone up, but not in proportion to the cost increase. Service providers appear to fix thier prices very close to that of the cost of petrol for a journey, kind of negating its benefit when compared to the convenience of your own car.

[Truean]

Had a rant about petrol prices in the UK before now, and the huge amount of tax slapped on it. Thing is, since our public transport was privatized by successive governments, the cost of using public transport (trains in particular) has spiralled. Granted, the service quality has gone up, but not in proportion to the cost increase. Service providers appear to fix thier prices very close to that of the cost of petrol for a journey, kind of negating its benefit when compared to the convenience of your own car.

As for trains and privatization, it's a lot like the airlines here really. They say they are private but really the government wouldn't let trains compete with them. It's crony capitalism at best.

Yeah, you know, the more I look at it, the more I kinda think we're sorta screwed no matter how we do transportation really. I just.... Profit is not a dirty word really, and I'd love to make lots of it. Of course whatever you're buying is going to track the cost of the inputs. If you buy a cookie, you can bet the cost of the ingredients factor into whatever price you get it for. That is another reason why I'm a fan of centralized living, transit costs....

That said, it seems like everyone has to stick their finger in every pie and have a piece of everything. I can easily remember gas being well below $1.00/gallon, and people tossing about predictions of doom and gloom when it hit that mark. Now we're saying $5.00/gallon in the US this summer for... what?

We've got lower demand for gas in the US (and I posted an article showing we were actually exporting it a bit ago), so how is the price going up when demand is going down and supply is relatively constant?

Rampant speculation just means anytime anyone hears a rumor about anything the price jumps. Why? Now we're basically going off tabloid economics. Especially concerning possible US invasions, which have never meant crap. We invaded Iraq the first time with no significant oil supply disruption. We invaded the second time with no significant oil supply disruption and though there is still no oil supply disruption the cost is going up.

What is holding up the current price of oil? Rumors about possible supply disruption from months ago that never came true, and though these rumors never came true the price never dropped? Yes there's a cartel with the oil thing, but really it's panicky investors who know nothing that keep driving the price up.

I submit there is a magic pill to lower oil prices: Prozac and/or other anti anxiety/mood disorder drugs. Let's prescribe some to these investors.

[Nadaka]

I was fortunate enough to become a driver in the renaissance of gas prices in 98. I once got 0.79 a gallon, but it was typically 0.89 to 0.99 at the time.

[Durin Stronginthearm]

Had a rant about petrol prices in the UK before now, and the huge amount of tax slapped on it. Thing is, since our public transport was privatized by successive governments, the cost of using public transport (trains in particular) has spiralled. Granted, the service quality has gone up, but not in proportion to the cost increase. Service providers appear to fix thier prices very close to that of the cost of petrol for a journey, kind of negating its benefit when compared to the convenience of your own car.

And the irony of this is that privatisation was supposed to increase competition, which in turn was supposed to increase efficiency and bring costs down.

And yet the free market ideology which led to this ridiculous state of affairs is still endorsed by all three major political parties in Britain.

[NinjaBoot]

The EU and United States are all suffering from uncontrollable price shocks to the oil supply. 

That war in Libya?  Yeah, having the 8th largest oil reserves in the world didn't factor in at all.

[Virex]

The EU and United States are all suffering from uncontrollable price shocks to the oil supply.

As far as I can see, they've been rising pretty constantly. The shocks are only noticeable at the short term.

[NinjaBoot]

The price of oil won't be coming down anytime soon! 

Strange how Libya all of a sudden turned into a humanitarian mission to save the people from an evil tyrant and dictator!