Szyjakowski Posted May 18, 2004 Posted May 18, 2004 not sure if this has been posted...nor do i really want to go thru all the drivvle: > > IT HAS BEEN CALCULATED THAT IF EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES DID > > NOT PURCHASE A DROP OF GASOLINE FOR ONE DAY AND ALL AT THE SAME TIME, > > THE OIL COMPANIES WOULD CHOKE ON THEIR STOCKPILES. > > > > AT THE SAME TIME IT WOULD HIT THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY WITH A NET > > LOSS OF OVER 4.6 BILLION DOLLARS WHICH AFFECTS THE BOTTOM LINES OF THE > > OIL COMPANIES. > > > > THEREFORE MAY 19TH HAS BEEN FORMALLY DECLARED "STICK IT TO THEM" > > DAY AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS NATION SHOULD NOT BUY A SINGLE DROP OF > > GASOLINE THAT DAY. > > > > THE ONLY WAY THIS CAN BE DONE IS IF YOU FORWARD THIS E-MAIL TO > > AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN AND AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN TO GET THE WORD OUT. > > > > WAITING ON THIS ADMIINSTRATION TO STEP IN AND CONTROL THE PRICES > > IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REDUCTION AND CONTROL IN > > PRICES THAT THE ARAB NATIONS PROMISED TWO WEEKS AGO? > > > > REMEMBER ONE THING, NOT ONLY IS THE PRICE OF GASOLINE GOING UP > > BUT AT THE SAME TIME AIRLINES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES, TRUCKING > > COMPANIES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES WHICH EFFECTS PRICES ON > > EVERYTHING THAT IS SHIPPED. THINGS LIKE FOOD, CLOTHING, BUILDING > > MATERIALS, MEDICAL SUPPLIES ETC. WHO PAYS IN THE END? WE DO! > > > > WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IF THEY DON'T GET THE MESSAGE AFTER > > ONE DAY, WE WILL DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN. > > > > SO DO YOUR PART AND SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO > > EVERYONE YOU KNOW. MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND MAKE MAY 19TH A DAY THAT THE > > CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES SAY "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH" Quote
willstrickland Posted May 18, 2004 Posted May 18, 2004 What a load of shit. Two fundamentals here: Supply. Demand. Govt price controls are not a fix. Tell the companies they have to lose money on the product to sell it here and guess what? You went from expensive oil to NO OIL AT ALL. Congratulations asshat democrat politicians, with no oil or even a severly restricted supply we have an economic depression that makes the 1930's look like high times indeed. The problems here are two: 1. Price manipulation by OPEC 2. Political instability in Venezuela This tactic in the orgininal post above would work...but not by "sticking it to the oil companies". It would simply decrease demand. We could all carpool, take the bus, bike, etc and achieve the same result...until the prices dropped and everyone started driving again. Do you even know what the profit margins of the large oil companies are? I'm talking ExxonMobil or ChevronTexaco. Exxon has a profit margin around 7.9% and ChevTex around 6.5%. What does Starbucks have...ab out 7%. Quote
Off_White Posted May 18, 2004 Posted May 18, 2004 Yes, but don't forget that 7.9% of $2.35 per gallon is more than 7.9% of $1.68. Same effect in my business, if the clients select more expensive bathroom fixtures, I make more money too. Profit is a good thing, and business offers plenty of risk too. Quote
iain Posted May 18, 2004 Posted May 18, 2004 isn't that one of the canadian monthly 3-day weekends? Quote
willstrickland Posted May 18, 2004 Posted May 18, 2004 Offwhite, your point is well taken to an extent. When oil prices are high it is because: 1. Demand is high, in which case shipping costs go up because the companies must lease tankers at on the spot market who's rates rise along with demand. or 2. Supply is decreased, in which case the companies variable costs are higher per production unit (working more/harder to obtain same amount). In either case, the profit margin is not rising linearly with the price of oil. It's not quite the same situation as your example. Quote
assmonkey Posted May 18, 2004 Posted May 18, 2004 Amateurs. http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/nogas.asp - a s s m n k e y Quote
bird Posted May 18, 2004 Posted May 18, 2004 When I clicked on this I was really hoping for some type of poo thread that would keep me entertained for the next few hours at work. Quote
jjd Posted May 19, 2004 Posted May 19, 2004 Offwhite, your point is well taken to an extent. When oil prices are high it is because: 1. Demand is high, in which case shipping costs go up because the companies must lease tankers at on the spot market who's rates rise along with demand. or 2. Supply is decreased, in which case the companies variable costs are higher per production unit (working more/harder to obtain same amount). The marginal costs are rising when oil demand shifts and firms increase production. I think this is the biggest driver of current oil prices. Here is a link to consumption figures from the DOE: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/ipsr/t24.xls Now look at production figures: http://www.eia.doe.gov/mer/pdf/pages/sec11_2.pdf and http://www.eia.doe.gov/mer/pdf/pages/sec11_3.pdf Increased production from Iraq more than offsets any possible loss from Venezuela. Also take note of the increased production from Russia. Average fixed costs per unit increase when firms reduce output, not average variable costs (decreasing average variable costs would contradict your earlier statement that costs increase from tanker leases, which I agree with). If you want to talk about political instability, I would be looking at the recent terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia as a possible source for worries. As this week's Economist notes, "...over 60% of the world's spare capacity sits in the Kingdom itself." They also note "...the producers' cartel is still producing over 2m barrels per day over its quota." This is not surprising, as the incentive to cheat is high with prices at current levels. Lastly, prices in real terms are nowhere near their historical highs of ~$60 in 1991. Quote
scott_harpell Posted May 19, 2004 Posted May 19, 2004 Here's an actual good idea. STOP driving your cars for a year. I am into 8 months of not driving a car and have saved shit load of money, kept in shape and can feel good about my transportation habits. There are no easy out solutions to life's problems. Quote
cracked Posted May 19, 2004 Posted May 19, 2004 Here's an actual good idea. STOP driving your cars for a year. I am into 8 months of not driving a car and have saved shit load of money, kept in shape and can feel good about my transportation habits. There are no easy out solutions to life's problems. How do you go climbing? With a friend's car? Quote
scott_harpell Posted May 19, 2004 Posted May 19, 2004 Here's an actual good idea. STOP driving your cars for a year. I am into 8 months of not driving a car and have saved shit load of money, kept in shape and can feel good about my transportation habits. There are no easy out solutions to life's problems. How do you go climbing? With a friend's car? Well taking over 50 semester hours this year AND working has left me little time to climb. I have cycled to climbing spots numerous times of merely joined in with people who I was climbing with. Quote
barkernews Posted May 19, 2004 Posted May 19, 2004 Yep, F*** OPEC. I've been biking to work since gas hit $2.00/gallon. But all the money I've saved I spent on gas for one weekend trip to Smith. We need a bus to Smith or Frenchman's Coulee from PDX every weekend. Seriously. If we all banded together... think how much that would save... But you can't share my tent. Quote
Ratboy Posted May 19, 2004 Posted May 19, 2004 1. Price manipulation by OPEC 2. Political instability in Venezuela 3. Increasing demand from Asia, particularly China. Quote
willstrickland Posted May 19, 2004 Posted May 19, 2004 Actually, this might be less of an issue in the near term. China's govt economic folks have stated repeatedly that they will cool the Chinese economy which is consuming huge amounts of oil, iron ore, steel, and aluminum in it's double digit economic growth. However, the cooling of the Chinese economy could be offset by improving Japanese climate and the explosive growth in automobile ownership in China. Quote
Ratboy Posted May 19, 2004 Posted May 19, 2004 The numbers I remember (don't have a source, sorry, was in the news a few days ago) were that China currently makes up 9% of global oil consumption, but 37% of last year's growth in consumption. It didn't give any hard numbers. If the growth continues increasing at similar rates, they could put a hefty increase on demand. And if i recall correctly, there has only been one new oil field discovery in the last 25 years. It's time to crank up the nuclear plants to produce hydrogen and get off oil, IMO. Quote
Skeezix Posted May 20, 2004 Posted May 20, 2004 I don't know, but I'm laughing at all the fat morons driving excursions and hummers right now. Quote
Mountain_Luvin Posted May 20, 2004 Posted May 20, 2004 I don't know, but I'm laughing at all the fat morons driving excursions and hummers right now. No shit.. likely leased that up to their eyeballs and are now having to dumpster dive for beer cans to pay for gas. Precious! Quote
assmonkey Posted May 20, 2004 Posted May 20, 2004 (edited) Anyone have first hand experience with BIOdiesel? I know there is a shop in Ballardville. http://www.theseattlesun.com/2003news/0305may/homebio.html http://www.biodiesel.org - a s s m * n k e y Edited May 20, 2004 by assmonkey Quote
chucK Posted May 20, 2004 Posted May 20, 2004 I don't know, but I'm laughing at all the fat morons driving excursions and hummers right now. Why? This is probably hurting you way more than this even phases them. Someone driving a Hummer is not going to even blink at a $50 fill-up. If anything, they're just contributing to higher demand which jacks up the prices which hurts you and me way more than they will ever feel. Quote
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