Header PromotionEveryone-has-been-floating-ideas-about-what-to-do
to-bring-down-gasoline-prices.Where-does-all-that-profit
go?State-taxes-should-reap-a-lot-of-rewards-from-the
high-prices.
I-did-hear-one-person-say-that-speculators-who-bid-on
oil,corn-and-wheat-futures-are-the-cause-of-the-prices
increasing.This-is-all-connected-with-the-stock-market.
If--speculating-on-oil-were-restricted-or-banned,gasoline
prices-would-drop-immediately.
What-do-you-think?Is-there-anyone-who-understands-how
the-market-works?
Aurelene
Is-there-anyone-who-understa
Is-there-anyone-who-understands-how the-market-works?
The rich buy stocks and they get richer. The poor buy stocks and they get taken to the cleaners.
"Perhaps what the average member of a group is capable of doesn't limit what a given individual can accomplish." -- Boston Globe, letter to the editor
March's Member of the Month!
Xcel energy really has the robber baron thing down to perfection
energy companies.... In BOulder COlorado the power compny is now going to use the batteries in people's hybrid cars..imagine that...they get to charge you $$$ to charge your car...and then they take the electricity out of YOUR battery that YOU paid them to charge and then they get to sell it on th power grid...and Boulder just let this happen and now every house in Boulder by mandate has to have a 2 way switch.... I can't believe how far this thief thing has gone. Is there no end to what the power companies can do?
So when rates are low... they store it in your battery..but when rates are high, they get to suck it out of your battery. And people the town council thought this was a good thing?!?! I won't even get into the effect BPL has on the ham radio and othershortwave radio bands in term of interference that is supposedly illegal according to FCC rules but the FCC has gone into the pockets of speculators too.
And for those with a bit of paranoia --...sounds more and more like George Orwell's 1984...the technical possibilities could easily be an invasion of privacy with a 2 way switch to your house controlled by someone other than you and mandated by government. Especially since the power companies want to do BPL (broadband throuygh power lines)...which could be internet, etc.
“’Tis the good reader that makes the good book; a good head cannot read amiss: in every book he finds passages which seem confidences or asides hidden from all else and unmistakably meant for his ear.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
Stock market?
My DH is an assistant operations manager in an assets management firm that handles the stock market trading for companies and businesses (not individuals). But don't ask me exactly what he does because I have no idea - LOL. That stuff goes way over my head! He also has his real estate license, because he believes that real estate is much, much more of a safer investment than playing the stock market - not that we own any land except what our current home sits on. And in spite working along with the stock market and banks, he invests very little of our hard-earned dollars.
Speaking from what little I do know, I agree that the majority of these gas issues hinge on the decisions and mistakes of the super-wealthy-Bill-Gates-people of this world. They don't blink an eye on the current gas prices. They literally live in a different world. Billions and billions pass through DH's office. At the end of the week, he brings home a mouse-sized morsel of it. And you've guessed it! Most of it goes into the gas tank, and back into those same people's pockets. Talk about completing a vicious circle! Geez!
Not sure about the corn and wheat, but the oil goes without saying. I wish I had a better answer for you, Aurelene. But I'm figuring that the gas dilemma is like one of those impossible to unravel yarn balls. Or maybe like a Rubiks cube - it can be done, but only by a genius. And heaven knows that leaves me out! LOL
"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see."
- Mark Twain
Two-direction??
I-remember-in-the-late-'70s,President
JimmyCarter-discovered-that-if-people-had
the-televisions-with-the-fisheye-lens,which
adjusted-to-the-light-in-the-room,cable-companies
could-reverse-the-polarity-of-the-signal-and
see-inside-subscribers-homes.President
Carter-contacted-the-FCC-and-set-a-law
banning-such-activity-of-the-cable-company.
Shouldn't-this-same-law-cover-the-type
activity-of-the-electric-company-reversing
the-electric-flow.That-is-an-intrusion.What
about-people-who-have-solar-panels-on-their
roof-who-supply-their-own-electricity?
Speculators-on-the-market-predict-what
prices-may-go-to.Right-now-another-company
is-trying-to-force-the-family-owned-beer
company-Anheusher_Busch-to-sell-to-them.
The-stocks-are-worth-maybe-$58-and-the
speculators-say-it-could-be-$65-if-the-sale
happens.Who-are-these-"speculators"?What
gives-them-the-right-to-'set'-prices??
They-are-the-ones-predicting-what-natural
gas,corn,wheat-and-barrels-of-oil-should
sell-for.If-they-would-keep-their-mouths-shut
the-market-wouldn't-be-led-like-sheep-to
go-higher-or-lower.
Aurelene
Aurelene....
Again, I'm guessing that these 'speculators' are the major money-holders of this world - the super wealthy tycoons who've probably made their fortunes from the commodities you just listed. It's not a pretty scenario. It's the rich getting richer, the poor getting poorer, and the middle class diminishing. I was blogging with someone else on eharl recently, and I said that what we need are a few powerful Robin Hoods to set this world straight on it's axle.
"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see."
- Mark Twain
I may be off base...
The price of gas willl not go down while there is such a need for it. I am glad to see a blog not blaming the oil companies for once. Those companies only make 4% off every gallon sold while the federal government makes 15% in taxes. OPEC could drill more, but why should they?
There have always been speculators. More govt oversight is not always a solution. Don't get me started on what the solution is because it is easier for us to blame everyone else rather than drill and let the oil companies use their profits to build refineries.
Angel
"I can fix a bad page, but I can't fix a blank one." Nora Roberts
www.angelinabarbin.blogspot.com
Amen, Angel....
BTW, I like your Nora Roberts quote.
"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see."
- Mark Twain
Amanda
We have IRA's, money market accounts and 529's for our kids but we don't speculate. There is always a potential to lose when you speculate so maybe some people will get a big bite in the butt if they don't pull out of oil before we see a fluctuation.
I think I saw the Nora Roberts quote on Sabrina Jeffries' website and I thought it hits the nail right on the head.
Angel
"I can fix a bad page, but I can't fix a blank one." Nora Roberts
www.angelinabarbin.blogspot.com
Unrest-in-Nigeria
Supposedly,the-unrest-and-possible-warfare
in-Nigeria,the-9th-largest-oil-producer-is-one
cause-of-gas-price-increase.Uncertainty-that-the
oil-production-can-be-maintained-and/or-they
maintain-their-deliveries.
Many-people-have-stoppped-driving-and-are
taking-public-transportation.California-has
shown-a-marked-decrease-in-driving.But,when
demand-goes-down,usually,the-prices-fall.The
news-reporter-just-said,because-of-the-volatile
conditions-in-the-world,it-will-take-a-while
for-the-prices-to-fall-due-to-less-demand.
Exxon-says-they-are-selling-their-Exxon/mobile
stations-because-they-aren't-making-any
money????
Sounds-like-they-are-jumping-out-to-keep
from-getting-blamed.Or,they've-made-enough
that-now-they-will-turn-towards-the-next-best
thing.
Aurelene
Exxon/Mobil
What you have to understand about our oil companies is that most of the time they are either drilling in foreign countries or buying the oil from those same countries. Valenzuela just upped the price to access their oil fields and Exxon can't afford to pay the price.
Our gasoline does not magically appear for the oil companies.They have to pay to access oil fields, drill and then refine the oil. As I stated earlier they only make 4% of the price of a gallon of gas as profit. They have to pay for exploration, development and the stations/people to get the product to us. There are taxes tacked on every step of the way.
What I don't understand is why not get mad at the ethanol folks who are driving up food prices? I have family in the cattle business and it is more expensive to buy the feed because so much corn is mandated for ethanol. There is a cycle here.
I side with business: why would anyone be in the oil business or any business if they are not allowed to make a profit? I would hate to see the government decide to start regulating what I can charge in my home decorating business.
Angel
"I can fix a bad page, but I can't fix a blank one." Nora Roberts
www.angelinabarbin.blogspot.com
Angel
I don't agree, but since eHQ is prolly not the best place to "discuss" this issue further, I will desist.
"Perhaps what the average member of a group is capable of doesn't limit what a given individual can accomplish." -- Boston Globe, letter to the editor
March's Member of the Month!
New_Idea
While-watching-the-"Today"-show-they
showed-a-story-from-Japan.They-have-a
small-car-that-runs-on-water-for-2-hours.Its
very-tiny.
I-know-that-ethanol-can-be-made-from
saw-grass-as-well-as-corn-and-wheat.Its
unfair-to-raise-the-prices-of-wheat-and-corn
when-there-is-an-alternative.Many-of-the
city-busses-and-government-cars-run-on
natural-gas-or-methane.Since-all-garbage
dumps-produce-methane,there-is-an-endless
supply.The-solutions-will-come-from-many-sources-not-just-one.
Aurelene
Fake Frenchie.
You are right- it was getting too close to politics. I get defensive since I have a home business and most of my extended family are in cattle, logging and farming. (All affected by gas/corn prices.)
Angel
"I can fix a bad page, but I can't fix a blank one." Nora Roberts
www.angelinabarbin.blogspot.com
(No subject)
"Perhaps what the average member of a group is capable of doesn't limit what a given individual can accomplish." -- Boston Globe, letter to the editor
March's Member of the Month!