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enrico_dandolo
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14 Mar 2012, 4:44 pm

Oodain wrote:
meh,

better high prices now than a shortage before we become acustomed to alternatives

This.

I find the gas prices to be not nearly high enough, in view of the externalities.



TM
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14 Mar 2012, 4:45 pm

simon_says wrote:
And the real comedy is that the Republicans are beating the war drums. Obama told them to knock it off last week. That does nothing good for the price of oil. That might be the idea.

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/mar/06 ... n-20120306

Here is Reagan's former budget chief saying the same thing. Stop beating the war drums.

http://www.councilforthenationalinteres ... ainst-iran


The Republicans don't care what is best for America, they care what creates problems for Obama. When gas prices go up, people like Obama less so the Republicans would love a war just to make sure oil hits 150 a barrel and Christy McSweaterwest becomes the president.



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14 Mar 2012, 4:49 pm

simon_says wrote:
And the real comedy is that the Republicans are beating the war drums. Obama told them to knock it off last week. That does nothing good for the price of oil. That might be the idea.

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/mar/06 ... n-20120306

Here is Reagan's former budget chief saying the same thing. Stop beating the war drums.

http://www.councilforthenationalinteres ... ainst-iran


Yes we always need a diversion tactic via reason to go to war. Soon it won't just be complaints against gas prices but the way the economy is going as if it hasn't already taking a down turn.


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Magdalena
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14 Mar 2012, 4:50 pm

I don't think that gas prices should be high for non-U.S. countries either. In those cases as well as in the United States, a similar story exists: gas companies have the people by the balls, and creative solutions are needed.


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Oodain
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14 Mar 2012, 5:33 pm

Magdalena wrote:
I don't think that gas prices should be high for non-U.S. countries either. In those cases as well as in the United States, a similar story exists: gas companies have the people by the balls, and creative solutions are needed.


why bother creating solutions for a limited technology?

proper nano super caps would be a better option, thorium and alternatives would provide the power.


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14 Mar 2012, 5:46 pm

TheDarkMage wrote:
sorry but i find it hard to have sympathy for you americans because we are paying nearly $10 a gallon


Two wrongs don't make a right.
:roll:



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14 Mar 2012, 5:59 pm

ruveyn wrote:
AstroGeek wrote:
I actually welcome high gas prices. It always spurs investment and research into renewable energy and does make people drive less, lowering CO2 emissions. Perhaps if they stay high long enough the government will invest in mass transit. (Wait, did I actually say that? Pffft! Who am I kidding?)


People who work for the government could not run a grocery store properly and you expect them to produce mass transit? Look at the mess the subways are in in NYC. With a fare of over two bucks they still run at a loss.

ruveyn

Notice that last sentence in the parentheses?

Although the London Underground system seems to operate very well from the couple of times I've been there.



MDD123
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14 Mar 2012, 9:09 pm

OPEC wants to make money from the oil they have, it's their oil, if we want it, we pay for it, if we don't, we can look into other options.



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14 Mar 2012, 9:15 pm

I'd like a bullet train.


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goodwitchy
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14 Mar 2012, 9:17 pm

Raptor wrote:
TheDarkMage wrote:
sorry but i find it hard to have sympathy for you americans because we are paying nearly $10 a gallon


Two wrongs don't make a right.
:roll:


No, but three lefts do.


Sorry, couldn't resist.


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14 Mar 2012, 9:23 pm

Raptor wrote:
TheDarkMage wrote:
sorry but i find it hard to have sympathy for you americans because we are paying nearly $10 a gallon


Two wrongs don't make a right.
:roll:


One needs to be wrong way more than twice to be on the Right :P


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Bataar
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15 Mar 2012, 11:31 am

AstroGeek wrote:
I actually welcome high gas prices. It always spurs investment and research into renewable energy and does make people drive less, lowering CO2 emissions. Perhaps if they stay high long enough the government will invest in mass transit. (Wait, did I actually say that? Pffft! Who am I kidding?)

Riiiight, because no one is working on renewable energies, right? You do want the economy to get better right? If gas gets higher, we will be in another recession. I'm strictly in the middle class and I've had to cut back my spending considerably because of gas prices. Take a restaurant business for example. With the increased gas prices, they have to pay more for their supplies. To make up the difference, they have to raise prices on their food. Their customers are cutting spending because of gas prices so they eat out less. Combine that with the increased prices at the restaurant, they eat out a lot less which costs the restaurant more money. If they stay in business they definitely have to let people go because they can't afford to keep the full staff. How does this help the economy?



techstepgenr8tion
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15 Mar 2012, 12:33 pm

I heard a statistic today; every $10 increase per barrel of oil knocks off .2% of GDP growth. The US GDP is growing at just under 2% right now. That's a pretty big deal.


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15 Mar 2012, 2:23 pm

^Agreed, there's no doubt about the drag that high energy prices can put on economic growth. And we all know how cranky Americans can be when gasoline gets expensive. I guess the Republicans have finally found their election issue. But most thinking people understand that there's no short-term fix to this, that we can't bring down gasoline prices by passing a law.

It's a shame that we can't be moved to invest more in public transportation, for the sake of energy independence, curbing emissions, & for all the people who can't drive or can't afford to purchase, insure, fuel & maintain a vehicle. I know the "libertarians" would scoff at this, but all transportation involves subsidies, public support & investment - it's just a matter of political priorities as to which forms of transport get it. Motor vehicles are far & away the most subsidized form of transportation, while in many places there remains a social stigma attached to using public transportation.

That said, who among us would be willing to give up our automobiles? My pick-up truck allows me to go where I want, when I want, in comfort & privacy, to work, in pursuit of my obsessions, or just to wander about. To me, that's the very essence of freedom.



techstepgenr8tion
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15 Mar 2012, 2:31 pm

Billybones wrote:
^Agreed, there's no doubt about the drag that high energy prices can put on economic growth. And we all know how cranky Americans can be when gasoline gets expensive. I guess the Republicans have finally found their election issue. But most thinking people understand that there's no short-term fix to this, that we can't bring down gasoline prices by passing a law.

Short term would be allow Keystone and ramp up drilling in the US. Intermediate term; keep aiding research into alternative fuels and batteries for electric cars as well as stay on top of solar as that will be the future. Where emissions are a problem right now as well as a couple centuries of stacked CO2 we should expedite patent on a lot of the carbon sequestration technology that's coming on line right now.


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15 Mar 2012, 5:47 pm

The article I'm about to link to may be a bit dated and its title may scream "pinko Keynsian socialist," but I found this article to be an erudite perspective on why commodities like oil are priced higher than we'd expect them to be.

How Wall Street is Literally Killing Us