Check The Oil
07. Aug, 2008 
12 Comments
Sign of the Times
Yes this sign says it all. Even though gas prices have fallen recently we’re still paying at record levels for the precious go juice. All (supposedly) because of the price of crude oil. Now in this election year the candidates are debating whether to allow off shore drilling to increase the amount of oil available. They say this will make gas prices retreat. In MY opinion I doubt it very much. Big oil will just do the Texas T Two Step; two steps forward, one step back. Raise the price until everyone complains and then partially roll back price. We feel better but they gain another foothold for the next price increase. I think all letting them drill offshore will do is increase the supply of oil that they’ll price gouge us with.
What really jerks my chain is that the oil companies report record profits every quarter and then they say the profits are because of the price of crude. Excuse me but isn’t the definition of profits the funds left after all expenses have been paid? I remember back when there were about a dozen oil companies they would have price wars among themselves. Of course that was back when this country had laws against monopolies.
Catch 22
During this unprecedented surge in gas prices all forms of government have tried to get us to cut back on consumption. They ask us to drive less, car pool, take public transportation and use fuel efficient vehicles, i.e. motorcycles. Now some states who use gas taxes to fund highway infrastructure programs are starting to feel the crunch because of less revenue coming in because we’re doing what they ask us to do. Their proposed solution? Raise the amount of the taxes on gas.
BTW
Even with record profits the government gives big oil huge tax breaks so they can line their pockets. How about giving us one so we can fill our tanks or put food on the table? That’s MY opinion, what’s yours?
Just wanted to say HI. I found your blog a few days ago on Technorati and have been reading it over the past few days.
Can you tell me who did your layout? I’ve been looking for one kind of like yours. Thank you.
Something needs to done, just don’t know what. You’d think the gov would step in on the pricing, which makes me think that someones getting some kickback!
A coworker sent this to me, thought I’d share. Not sure whey there are only 9.
1) Get a tune-up (can improve gas mileage by 6 to 20 percent)
2) Align and properly inflate your tires. (can improve gas mileage by 3 percent)
3) Replace your air filter
4) Plan ahead and combine trips
5) Slow down, Avoid rapid accelerating and do not tailgate
6) Use cruise control
7) Turn off the air conditioner
8) Use the lowest octane petrol suitable for your car
9) Fill up early in the morning
When you talk about drilldrilldrill, remember that more than half the oil pumped off the Alaska Pipeline never made it to the U.S. and was sold in Asia, mostly. Also, back when they could pass any law they wanted with bulletproof majorities, Republicans in Congress several years ago voted down an amendment to require that any oil pumped out of ANWR be refined and sold in the U.S. I even read the other day that U.S. oil companies are now exporting more oil than ever to Asia thanks to growing demand from India and China.
If we’re gonna do a lot more drilling (and we probly will), it needs to be American oil for Americans, not American oil for oil companies or foreign countries.
There’s a precedent for restricting commodity exports from federal lands—log exports off national forests are prohibited, as are some strategic minerals off federal mining concessions. You’d think oil would definitely fall in the “strategic” category.
You can dream of Yosemite Sam gushers in your backyard, or maybe jacking the Iraqis, Iranians and even the Saudis against the wall. Throw your money in with the abiotic crowd if you want. But long term the price of oil/gas ain’t going down. (The good news is bikes are major gas sippers.)
Even though petroleum products are going to remain a big part of the energy equation in the near future, biofuels are where it’s at, and the sooner we can invest in infrastructures and systems that blend petro/bio and utimately transition to mostly renewable fuels, the better off we’ll be in the long run. And if we’re gonna drill, drilling American oil for Americans is a definite part of the puzzle.
By the way, dude, love your new blog. Cool layout.
bigaubdan
I don’t believe the entire responsibility of this energy crisis rests on the shoulders of the Republican party or government as an institution. A great percentage of this is the direct result of the greed of the American people. Until we as Americans realize the need for conservation, this kind of problem will only continue to be a reality.
2005 StreetGlide = 49 MPG
I pay enough taxes! Uncle Sam needs to bite the bullet and lower gas prices for the good of all Americans. Snakebit knows as well as I do that this economy is getting bad. It’s costing us more than at the pump. My brother just got laid off from a job he’d been working for 14 years. The reason? Gas prices and a poor economy. I won’t say it’s Bush and not just because I voted for him, but I will say this war has made it more difficult on everyone. I’m no politician or economist, but something has to give and I believe it’s the governments responsibility to make the first step.
I agree with bigaubdan except the biofuels being our savior at least when using food. Converting corn, soy, sugar, etc crops to biofuel is one factor in the rising food cost. Many other factors raise food prices but this has a big impact as it is more lucrative for farmers to sell to biofuel refiners rather for food. Its gonna take a lot more hybrids then transition to electric/alternative non-petro power vehicle manufactured to help fuel prices go down. Not just in the US. If China only sold hybrids, hydrogen, electric, etc, then I know that gas prices would be a lot lower. Manufacturing cost has be reduced for the car companies to make a good profit on these autos. Just cause we in the US can reduces gas prices by driving a few billion less miles compared to last year I can see if the gas goes even lower, many Americans will have amnesia and then screw it up by driving even more. SUV sales might increase. Then the cycle with continue again.
Exactly Brad!
All forms of technology can be selected to help with this problem, but the one thing that is sure to improve the future is conservation by Americans and the rest of the industrialized world. If only America, China and India could work harder to conserve fuel consumption and promote the use of new technologies, there would be a drastic change in the world and the demand on natural resources.
Buy a motorcycle. Problem solved.
We are an oil economy. It drives the engines of our way of life, always has, always will. At least until we all assume room temperature. There is no alternative energy source to replace oil on the horizon. At best, the wind farms and the solar cells etc., MAY replace 1-3% of our energy needs in the next 20 years so get used to it.
There is domestic oil everywhere, but we have to drill for it. Colorado, N & S Dakota, the Gulf, California and for sure Anwar.
Using corn for ethanol is a huge hoax and has led to higher food and other products prices. It is not the answer. There are other better sources ie sugar, grasses, wood biomass etc.
Nuclear is the answer for electric power and we need to start building yesterday. This will free up zillions of tons of coal which can be used (if the Green Weenies let us) for a multitude of energy needs.
It’s a good thing we have the hydro electric dams in place, because we sure as hell wouldn’t get away with building them these days.
Quiz Question: What are the three countries that we buy most of our oil from?
One more thing. There is only one law that determines the price of oil, supply and demand. If you think that the government can lower the price of gas, it tells me that you weren’t around back when Carter and then Nixon decided to regulate distribution of gas throughout the country. The result was, NO GAS. The last thing we need is some nameless bureaucrat sticking his fingers into the machinery of the oil industry. Gas is expensive but there is NO shortage, be thankful for that.
Sure we need to continue to work on alternative energy sources be it, wind, water, solar or whatever but in the meantime we need to drill ,drill, drill.
Be careful out there, keep the shiny side up.