kraftdinner
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posted on February 6, 2008 01:57:05 AM new
Exxon announces that it makes 65 cents profit from every dollar you spend on gas. Huh?
P.S. Where's LindaK? Jail?
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profe51
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posted on February 6, 2008 05:36:05 AM new
Hi KD, long time no see. Yeah, Exxon just announced the biggest single annual corporate profit in U.S. history. $40 billion dollars.
Is it all right with me? On one hand, Exxon is doing what any good company does, minimizing it's cost and maximizing it's profits. In that regard it's all right with me. They pay their employees world wide very well and are looking out for their investors.
On the other hand, it makes me sick. It makes me sick that Americans think they have a god given right to as much gas as they care to consume. As a nation we haven't cut down, changed our habits, tried to conserve. We haven't done enough to pressure our gov't. to invest in alternative fuels. We still buy and drive great big vehicles when we don't need to. We still ignore the speed limit and tailgate like mad.
Gasoline is like cocaine. As long as demand is high, somebody will supply it to us and profit from it.
She Who Must Not Be Named is gone. Banished far, far away with her minions to the outer realms where she can't hurt anyone ever again. 
[ edited by profe51 on Feb 6, 2008 05:37 AM ]
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Helenjw
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posted on February 6, 2008 05:44:09 AM new
So good to see you Kraftdinner!
The price of gas is almost 3.00 a gal. here and I've heard that the cost of gas in parts of Canada is less than a dollar a gal! Is that true?
"She Who Must Not Be Named is gone. Banished far, far away with her minions to the outer realms where she can't hurt anyone ever again.
[ edited by Helenjw on Feb 6, 2008 05:45 AM ]
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coach81938
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posted on February 6, 2008 06:38:13 AM new
I haven't used Exxon since the Exxon Valdez spill, so they are not my favorite company anyway. Profe is so right. Our gas guzzling ways have got to change. I am amazed when I see all the huge SUV's and trucks on the road. Not only do I wonder how they can afford gas, but how they don't care how much gas they guzzle. Multiply that monster truck in front of you by millions and it is no wonder the earth is in trouble.
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pixiamom
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posted on February 6, 2008 07:21:25 AM new
No, it's not OK with me. I can cut down on excess driving, but if I eat food that's not grown locally, buy items not produced locally, I am feeding the Exxon greed machine and NOT happy with it! Even Hersey announced it's raising the price of chocolate {{GASP}} to compensate for the higher transportaion costs.
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roadsmith
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posted on February 6, 2008 07:50:42 AM new
The worst example of gas-guzzling gasaholics is in Southern California. There are commuter lanes (two or more, or, if you have an early Prius, one) on most major freeways. We use them when possible, zipping along quickly. And all those stalled miles and miles of vehicles have one person, the driver. More commuter trains would help greatly.
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coach81938
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posted on February 6, 2008 08:03:40 AM new
"Even Hersey announced it's raising the price of chocolate {{GASP}} to compensate for the higher transportaion costs."
Now that's going way too far!! Don't mess with my chocolate!!
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Helenjw
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posted on February 6, 2008 08:27:33 AM new
Most gas guzzling vehicles don't carry weight or travel over rough or unplowed terrain so there is no practical justification for their use.
My neighbor, for example has a huge guzzler which she uses to haul groceries and make an occassional trip to the local shopping mall. And she travels back and forth to a school {within walking distance} to deliver and pick up two children. That's typical guzzler use in my area.
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logansdad
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posted on February 6, 2008 08:29:25 AM new
I dont put all the blame on the cars we drive. People drive what the auto makers produce.
Do any of you believe the government is to blame in part or whole. Where has the government been the past 20 years? The government just recently changed the gas mileage standards but I do not think that will have much impact. What good will it be for automakers to improve gas mileage by 5 miles per gallon over the next 15 years.
Foreign automakers are already way ahead of us when it comes to producing cars with better gas mileage.
"In my experience, those who do not like you fall into two categories: the stupid, and the envious. - John Wilmot, the Second Earl of Rochester
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mingotree
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posted on February 6, 2008 09:53:15 AM new
Let's put the blame for high gas prices right on the people responsible...the oil companies. I have debated this in other chat rooms and have gotten complicated , convoluted explanations of how the market "works".
BUT when ya get right down to it...the oil companies can charge anything they want because of the "Golden Rule"...those with the most gold, rule.
The only defense is to invest in oil companies and/or drive more slowly and less often....EVERY alternative "green" solution has it's own share of problems.
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Helenjw
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posted on February 6, 2008 11:27:00 AM new
As Profe pointed out, "We haven't done enough to pressure our gov't. to invest in alternative fuels. We still buy and drive great big vehicles when we don't need to. We still ignore the speed limit and tailgate like mad."
"Gasoline is like cocaine. As long as demand is high, somebody will supply it to us and profit from it."
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hillbillymo
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posted on February 6, 2008 12:05:29 PM new
Aren't they just passing along the increase in the price of oil to the consumer. If true, the profit margin would remain unchanged. Hard to explain when you consider that the bulk of the consumers are most likely driving less due to the increased cost of gas. Which translates to less profit for the oil companies. It's really hard to understand how in this economic climate they are capable of generating record profits. Must be some fine tax breaks from the government or gouging
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Libra63
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posted on February 6, 2008 12:07:40 PM new
When has anyone in here wrote and voiced their opinion to their Representative? That is where the power is, not on a discussion board.
http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/congress/conemail.txt
It's great to discuss items like this but it doesn't do any good except get people upset.
I doubt if anything could be done about Chocolate though. We really don't need Chocolate but we do need gas. (for the car)
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mingotree
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posted on February 6, 2008 12:09:44 PM new
"""We haven't done enough to pressure our gov't. to invest in alternative fuels."""
Who has the most "pressure" ability...oil companies....not us.
Remember the Golden Rule.
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logansdad
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posted on February 6, 2008 12:47:40 PM new
Aren't they just passing along the increase in the price of oil to the consumer
No, the oil companies pass along a mark up.
And then add all the federal, state and local taxes to everyone's mark up.
http://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/1054.html
"In my experience, those who do not like you fall into two categories: the stupid, and the envious. - John Wilmot, the Second Earl of Rochester
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logansdad
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posted on February 6, 2008 12:52:25 PM new
She Who Must Not Be Named is gone. Banished far, far away with her minions to the outer realms where she can't hurt anyone ever again
Profe is this copyrighted or would you mind if I use it in my signature line.
"In my experience, those who do not like you fall into two categories: the stupid, and the envious. - John Wilmot, the Second Earl of Rochester
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profe51
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posted on February 6, 2008 02:23:09 PM new
I'd be honored logans
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desquirrel
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posted on February 6, 2008 09:59:27 PM new
"People drive what the auto makers produce."
100% incorrect. Auto makers produce what people want to buy.
70%+ of European cars are diesels. Reason we don't have them? Stupid greenies lobby against them because they think they're "dirty".
Those "huge trucks" move freight very efficiently.
Oil company contracts with OPEC are based on market prices. Exxon does not "jack up" the price of fuel. When Iran rattles a saber or market investors "lose confidence" the price of oil (and thus oil company profits) soars.
And while the "pickup trucks are driving us to perdition" theory makes a great sound bite, motor vehicles are a fraction of both the dependence on oil and production of emissions.
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kiara
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posted on February 7, 2008 08:24:43 AM new
Hi Kraftdinner!
The price of gas is almost 3.00 a gal. here and I've heard that the cost of gas in parts of Canada is less than a dollar a gal! Is that true?
Helen, I don't know about the rest of the country but here in B.C. prices have averaged from just under a dollar a liter to about $1.15. Now it's about $1.06 a liter which is about $3.83 a gallon.
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kiara
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posted on February 7, 2008 08:28:52 AM new
We really don't need Chocolate
We don't?
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desquirrel
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posted on February 7, 2008 09:34:06 AM new
The price for gasoline around the world is almost the same. The difference in the retail cost is mostly tax.
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coach81938
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posted on February 7, 2008 09:36:24 AM new
"We really don't need Chocolate"
Speak for yourself!
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logansdad
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posted on February 7, 2008 10:05:27 AM new
I'd be honored logans
Thanks profe
"She Who Must Not Be Named is gone. Banished far, far away with her minions to the outer realms where she can't hurt anyone ever again - the profe
[ edited by logansdad on Feb 7, 2008 10:05 AM ]
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kraftdinner
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posted on February 12, 2008 05:13:56 PM new
I'm sooo sorry but I had to take off on (monkey) business for a couple of days.
It's really great to see all the good ones are still here. LOL!!!
I agree Coach. Our gas-guzzling habits are more the fault of the North American car industry that failed to get on the band wagon with smaller cars in the 90's. The demand for smaller NA cars only seemed to produce a bunch of lemons.
As for chocolate, I'd pay any price. Geez! I'd rather have chocolate than a car.
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desquirrel
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posted on February 12, 2008 06:08:13 PM new
"the North American car industry that failed to get on the band wagon with smaller cars in the 90's."
They did. The public bought SUVs and trucks instead, which are "the bandwagon".
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kraftdinner
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posted on February 12, 2008 06:20:20 PM new
They absolutely didn't, Desquirrel. Instead of solely focusing on smaller cars like the Japanese did, the American car industry pretended, like many, there was enough oil to last until Jesus reappeared and continued making tanks. Now the NA car industry is suffering so badly because of it, even though it was all obvious 10 years ago.
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desquirrel
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posted on February 12, 2008 06:45:37 PM new
You really don't know what your talking about. And of course, auto sales are a thing of record. You should look them up.
And those Japanese "small cars" have been ballooning for the last decade. Toyota is not cranking out Corollas. They are selling Tacomas, Highlanders, and Lexus.
The theory that companies rush around building things people don't want is silly. You should get a subscription to Autoweek or Car & Driver.
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Helenjw
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posted on February 13, 2008 06:30:07 AM new
Squirrel writes, [i]" Auto makers produce what people want to buy."
But, it's importatant to point out that with the aid of advertising auto makers can create a perceived want or "need".
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desquirrel
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posted on February 13, 2008 08:44:14 AM new
Yes Helen. It's called marketing. It works on those susceptible to the herd mentality. But that really isn't germane to the thread. And the car companies may hype and cater to a demand, but they do not create it.
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mingotree
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posted on February 13, 2008 09:29:12 AM new
The market DOES create the "need". That's what marketing is for!
Most people DO have the herd mentality.
Hence , the large number of people buried under their credit debt....the large number who lost their homes because they bought one they couldn't afford in the first place, the large number who just HAVE to spend money because of some fakey holiday like Valentine's Day or Christmas, ....the list can go on forever...if these people had the backbone to ignore marketing they wouldn't be in those predicaments....sadly they don't.
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