Today news....gas prices going up to near $5 tomorrow

[DrivingMissLazy]

I believe that the most common practice on pricing is:

"Whatever the traffic will bear"

Richard

[Sojourner]

More homework for you yall!

It has the guide line as to thy why's on prices & the fluctuation market: All of the information that in the web are answers to great many questions we have asked.

Gasoline   http://www.eia.doe.gov/bookshelf/brochures/gasolinepricesprimer/index.html

Example...Why do gasoline prices fluctuate?  Retail gasoline prices are mainly affected by crude oil prices and the level of gasoline supply relative to demand. Strong and increasing demand for gasoline and other petroleum products in the United States and the rest of the world is exerting intense pressure on available supplies. Even when crude oil prices are stable, gasoline prices fluctuate due to seasonal demand and local retail station competition. Gasoline prices can change rapidly if something disrupts the supply of crude oil or if there are problems at refineries or with delivery pipelines.

Diesel   http://www.eia.doe.gov/bookshelf/brochures/diesel/index.html

Example.....WHAT ARE THE MAIN FACTORS THAT AFFECT DIESEL PRICES?  Besides excise taxes, the following are the main factors that affect diesel fuel prices:
Cost and supply of crude oil: Crude oil prices are determined by worldwide supply and demand, and over the past few years increasing demand has put intense pressure on available supplies. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) exerts significant influence on prices by setting an upper production limit on its members who produce about 40 percent of the world's crude oil. OPEC countries have essentially all of the spare production capacity, and possess about two-thirds of the world's estimated crude oil reserves. Prices spike in response to disruptions in the international and domestic supply of crude oil, such as the Arab oil embargo in 1973, the Iran/Iraq war in 1980, the current war in Iraq, unrest in the Niger River delta region of Nigeria, and the hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico in 2005.
Tight refining capacity and international diesel fuel demand: U.S. refineries have been operating at around 90-percent capacity over the last 10 years. Most other countries rely even more heavily on distillates and diesel fuel than does the United States, and refining capacity is tight worldwide. U.S. diesel fuel prices are more and more affected by competing international demand for refined distillates.

The Bottom Line is to be free from the middle man fuel and thinks alternative to travel roam nearly free. 

Today gas is 4.699 as of Sept 16, 2008 at Holly Hill, SC 

Sojourn for Christ, Gerald

[cody]

Interesting side note that warrants concideration are the effects of knee jerk reactions and the allowable profit motive, an example is where somebody burps in an oil producing country, instantly it's reflected in the price at the pumps by a major increase, the same person takes a Tums and now the stomache is settled, no more burps, this all transpires over a time frame of a few hours, now, how many weeks or even months will it take for the price to return to the pre-burp level.

[Lin]

I saw diesel posted at $3.99 today.  That is the first time I have seen in "under" $4. since it went up.  If it drops another dollar, it will be at the acceptable limit of unreasonable.

By the way, I feel offended that no one was offended by the camel toe remark.

[RickB]

KT,

It would be worthwhile for a person with a heart for your "fellow man" like you to consider, if you haven't already done so, taking on the poor, vilified tobacco companies as clients. They need men of conscience like yourself to protect their right to unbridled greed that you so eloquently pointed out to all of us uneducated folks is good for us. I'm glad that you pointed out that within all corporations is a self regulating, foolproof kind of corporate greed that is indeed, contrary to what our eyes and ears and lungs may say , "good' for us" as well. Whew... for a minute there I actually believed that corporations actually have the capability of group sinful behavior. I guess all the worlds evil must just abide in the individual. I for one am sorry that I didn't realize that I was the reason that oil companies have had the largest profit margins in history. Silly me... what was I thinking?

I'm sure big tobacco needs "unopinionated" fellows like yourself to add to their rank of corporate litigation attorneys to make sure that the government doesn't step in to make them pay what every court they have presented their case to, say that they owe and which to a large extent they still haven't paid

I for one believe that individuals with your blind trust of groups of individuals to "do the right thing" is harming this countries taxpayers every attempt to monitor their business practices and leads to an inability to have anything remotely resembling transparent accountable behavior. Also, the fact that it's acceptable as long as they are not groups of government employees is judgemental and elitist. Do you feel that same way in a car accident when that "government employee' risks his life to save yours? Those firemen in the twin towers were employed by tax dollars does that mean that they were/are part of the problem?
Those government folks put on there socks and shoes just like you do. Although I doubt many of them are wearing the same brand as a litigation attorney with a "not so small" staff.

I for one am mad as hell at your argument, which we have had shoved down our throats by the greedy of this world for too long, to justify ridiculous, selfish and thoughtless behavior.

I am however called by my maker to separate you from the behavior that you embody and condone.

So I apologize in advance for any harm my opinion of your behavior may cause you as a person.

Rick

[buddydawg]

What in the world was that all about?     Time to start passing out the meds!!   

I sat my butt at the house when the prices skyrocketed around here.  It looks like they are starting to return to their previous levels as the week goes.  All I know is the more the government meddles in the world of economics the worse things get.  As a consumer you wield an enormous amount of power.  That being said, it does not mean you won't have to make tough choices.  Mostly you have to break a habit, you can make it without a lot of things that you think are a necessity, fuel included.  I think what sets fuel apart is people feel it is something they cannot do without.  You can.  I have cut my usage by nearly half in the past year.

[HighTechRedneck]

I am however called by my maker to separate you from the behavior that you embody and condone.

This civilized approach is also what enables us to have these discussions in here.  We need to ensure that we keep the debates on the philosophy, and not let our strongly held positions turn into personal attacks.  Any personal attacks and I am sure the moderating team will lock down the thread and be less flexible on future philosophical discussions.  I would hate to see that as I enjoy them, as long as they don't turn personal.

[niles500]

RickB - Where did that come from? - Are you mixing religion with politics? You'd be better off mixing Tanqueray and Tonic - This was a fairly reasonable and respectable argument until you popped in - If you want to know the most recent "scientific" evidence concerning smoking and cancer, I would be glad to forward the info to you off board - if not I suggest that you are not "unopinionated" but rather uninformed - Please forgive my candor - FWIW

[VAN]

Hi, any one know the price of tangueray these days I'm ready for a Drink after that,LOL Great disscusion guys

    Van

[RickB]

Alright,alright, I'll go "take my meds".
Because your responses to my reply all point to a personal foul having taken place, I obviously have overstepped my bounds and for that I apologize... I have avoided all the "political" discussions to this point because I have found them to be biased, "know it all",  mean dialogues that were personally offensive and so what do you know, when I respond to one, I do the very thing I have found offensive. So I apologize KT. I also apologize to all you other folks who had to read my angry rambling. I'll do my best to not let it happen again.

Above all it pains me to think it appears to at least one reader  here that I have dipped God into politics. God is not only so undeserving of that, He is also so much greater than that... I should have known better.

Hope that helps...


Rick

[kyle4501]

If Joe happens to own the last gas station before the bridge out of town and raises his price to $10.00 after an evacuation order, then he should simply be shot.

What an open minded & compassionate idea.

What about those that rush out to fill up with gas even tho they know they won't need any for a week (thereby making the local shortage worse)?
What about the incentive (reward) to those that did plan ahead?
What about location, location, location. Should people selling high demand realestate be shot for charging what the market will pay?

There is a difference between this & the football stadium, movie theater, etc that won't allow you to bring food in & then charge high prices. On the way out of town, you had several other stations to choose from. It could be argued that anyone in a possible "evacuation area" that doesn't have 3/4 tank of gas during a storm watch should be punished by having to pay higher prices.




What ever happened to personal responsibility? The storm wasn't a surprise, so why didn't more fill up sooner?
My grandmom said "stupidity comes with a price". There is often a monetary reward for planning ahead.

It's a shame people want to try to legislate morality.


From observing the traffic around here, there is no problem with the price of gas because:
1- no one is carpooling.
2- the roads are still crowded.
3- people are still driving like jack rabbits.
4- if you try to drive at the posted limits you'll get run over.


So, It seems to me that if gas really was "too expensive", you'd see a difference in the commute practices.

BTW, for the record, I'd really like the gas to be cheaper & to be able to go places without thinking of the cost . . . . . But, times, they are a changin'

[ktmossman]

Wow...

A couple of thoughts:

oil companies have had the largest profit margins in history

The oil companies did NOT have the largest MARGINS in history.  Please make sure you understand the difference between a.)net/gross and b.)profit/profit margin.  The profit MARGIN did not increase, which is why people are way out of line with the demonization of the oil companies for their profits.  Their margin is the same as it always has been, which, in fact, is well BELOW most reputable publicly-traded companies.  In the company I work for, if the profit margin for a division is consistently that low, the exec for that group is soon looking for a new job, regardless of what the total $$ are.

taking on the poor, vilified tobacco companies as clients

Now, that's funny...

Three things about the tobacco companies:

1.) The tobacco companies DELIBERATELY concealed the dangers of smoking (that they had discovered from their own research) in order to sell their product. In fact, they touted "health benefits" in their ads.

2.) They manufacture a physically addictive product, which has been proven scientifically.

3.) If you use their product AS IT WAS DESIGNED TO BE USED, it is deadly to user (and others).

This disqualifies them from any sympathy.  However, if someone starts smoking NOW and decides to sue the tobacco companies when he gets cancer 20 years from now, I'm not so sympathetic.  There is no way a person in this country doesn't now know the dangers of smoking.  It is printed on every package.  If one still chooses to smoke, in spite of the warnings....  If I go to the laundry room and decide to drink the bleach, my estate shouldn't be able to sue Clorox.

However, there is a "slippery slope" here as well.  Arguably, drinking too much Coke is bad for you.  Eating too many cheeseburgers from McDonalds is bad for you.  Where do you draw the line between corporate malfeasance and personal responsibility?

Don't get me started on the stupid lawsuits against gun manufacturers...

[Lin]

If Joe got shot, wouldn't it be the free market at work?  It's only government interference that makes it illegal.  It would just show that he was stupid to raise the price too much and had to pay the stupidity tax. 

[cody]

KT, check your facts closer, your not even in the same ballpark on the profit, or post the stats to back it, also post the source.

[luvrbus]

Guys Wal-Mart makes as much profit as some of the oil cos and never is anything ever said and they have less than 5% of the investment and EPA rulings have no affect on them