You are so right, Murphydog. But I'd debate one point -
So many of you seem determined to force your will on the masses with grand schemes.
I think the automakers in the past forced the will of the nation on how to design the civic infrastructure, making the people dependent on a car to earn their livelihood. They still do, for every grand scheme.
After I made so many suggestions on how to reduce our consumption, I believe that NONE of them will be implemented anytime soon. So we do nothing, just sit around, and let the market forces dictate what kind of cars we drive.
I still wish they made covered parking for compact cars close to the entrance and make the SUV drivers walk across the lot. My next car would definitely be a sub-compact.
Hey, I am just throwing out ideas - have you ever heard that a bbq tastes better if you raise/slaghter your own cow?
Actually, it worked pretty well for smoking. Remember the 60's and 70's? It was so hip to smoke or chew on a cigar. Fast forward to the 90's and 00's - if you smoke at the street corner, people (and kids) will look at you in disgust.
My cousin believes that. He started out with a patch and hope it floated special when he was about 8. Last I looked he was up to a 34 foot, 2BR, 2BA special....
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
Two of the happiest days of my life. The day I bought my big boat and the day I sold it. Never again will I invest my hard earned dollars into a hole in the water. Unless of course I could afford a boat like Bill Allen's new one. There are exceptions to every rule.
Yeah. Bob is cool with it and certainly well off enough to not worry about it. He is also insanely (in a good way) in love with boats. He also has been known to restore a car or two. Definitely beyond my level of patience.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
When I lived on Lake Havasu an average day on the lake would take 50-60 gallons through that 454 Chevy V8. It was fun, just not that much fun. Sold the house and the boat and moved to Kona. Much less expensive for me. I rode my bike all up and down Alii Drive.
I will continue to drive my full size GMC Sierra and my speedboat. I will not let $4/gal gas dictate my life's pleasures. Life is too short to sacrifice the luxuries and the recreational things you enjoy. What are we supposed to do, buy a econobox to commute back and forth to work, hole up in our cold house under a warm blanket (to save energy) and wait to die? NO way!!! Not me, I will be out on the water enjoying my life while most of you are sitting idle and hugging trees. Just my .02, sorry for the rant.
Oh, that's not a rant. Hang around and you'll hear some REAL rants. That was just an opinion...
I'm just a little divided on the question and mostly because of how much of the oil comes from people who hate us and actually use to money to harm us. I have no desire to give them more money.
On the other hand I promised myself that part of not letting terrorists win is to alter my plans in any way in fear of them. My time will come when it comes and they will have no say in the matter.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
50-60 gallons and a truck to pull it. That's why I got a small boat that I could pull w/ my Honda. The gas prices are curtailing boating down here. Most bass boats get 3-5 mpg so the high gas prices really affect use.
Gas for the truck was nothing. We were less than 2 miles from the boat launch ramp. I used more gas in the jet boat than in my truck by far. It was a beauty though. If I were to get a boat today it would be like an Avon for getting into secluded beaches on the Big Island. Probably never happen. I do agree with our new poster. He should have the right to do as he sees fit with his money. All you have to do is drive down along the San Diego Bay and all along the coast of SO California and it is wall to wall pleasure boats. These are not boats that you pull out of the water after a day in the sun. These puppies use some serious fuel when they go out from the dock. If one is allowed to use fuel like that we all should be allowed. If a Senator has a house bought with tax dollars that uses $30,000 per year in electricity we all should have the right to pursue that dream. Unless we want a kingdom where only the rich are allowed to do as they please.
Sounds like stuff I've read from New Urbanism (I know a few AICP planners).
Others are thinking along these lines, too. That must be some Govt. org. Do you think the US Govt. is becoming Communist, too? Many CA cities allow Prius on the HOV lane (so I heard) - lots of folks in Boston/NY/Chicago/SF Bay area use public transportation a lot - are all these cities and people communists?
Here is the point - the high price of gas is due to a high demand and low supply. So lowering the price has only 2 solutions - increase supply and/or lower demand. Not rocket science, is it? I have already suggested building more refineries in New Jersey. Now we are talking about how to lower demands by incentives, and not coercion. From all the posts I am reading here, high price is certainly one of the best incentives.
In this country we have a system of free speech and exchange of ideas. We are just discussing stuff. Besides, I never claim that I am always right. I might be wrong in my arguments, so correct me. Calling me a communist is not going to solve anything. Of course, we could just sit back, [non-permissible content removed] and moan about it, and let the market forces take over, that is a possible solution. Then there is no point to this discussion.
Now, lets see - if I look at my neighborhood, the right side has a Durango, the left a Tundra. On the opposite, a Camry, an LX 470 and a Merc. The 2 houses behind us - an Excursion and a Sienna. So more than 80% drive an SUV or a truck, and no one has more than 2 kids. Like everybody else, I am beginning to think bigger and more comfortable is better, too. I don't see any incentives, and my next car is going to be an SUV. I am not going to take any gas saving measures while my neighbor burns it. I have outlined a few incentives that would work for me for not buying a gas guzzler. And, once I save up enough money, I am going to buy a boat, too. The hell with conservation if nobody else is doing it. I think another reader just echoed that sentiment, too.
Basically, I am going to lead a lifestyle that is more convenient to me. We are not a herd of cattle, and I think that is true for pretty much everybody. I make the decision what is more convenient for me. If I can walk to my workplace in 15-20 mins, I will prefer that to driving for 45 mins, thats all. If buying a gas saver car gets me shaded parking and high speed HOV lane privileges, I will be in the line for a Yaris or a Versa or a Fit. YMMV, but thats YM.
Anyways, lets keep the ideas coming. Debate with your points please, please try to have a sense of humor, and pretty please dont call me names in your one-liners. It doesnt help anybody, and I have nothing personal against any of you. Best wishes, - MS.
In about 18 mos. you can have your cake and eat it too. Diesel SUVS will begin to be available. Best to be defensive in this high and potentially higher gas price environment. Just keep what you have till you can go diesel.
I've been reading some of these messages and one thing that comes to mind is that, for good or bad, our government "defends" our oil sources in the Mid-East with U.S. troops - - quite a few who die - - - for the "god-given right" of the rest of us to drive at 80 mph or idle unnecessarily or heat our homes so we can run around indoors in shorts in the winter. Maybe if we all just conserved a little (and I don't mean extreme sacrifices - -we're Americans - - we individually waste so much energy it should be EZ to cut back 10-15% without any real lifestyle impact!) then having troops in dangerous places wouldn't be so necessary.
So, in a roundabout way, all the folks who refuse to conserve because "my neighbor doesn't do it" or "my time is so valuable I can't slow down to 60 mph" are partially responsible for endangering the lives of our troops.
A stretch? Yes - - but there is some truth to my comments.
With those wages it does not leave much to buy a newer vehicle. No wonder you have so many older cars and trucks that spew black smoke.
We have one station close to me here in San Diego that is selling diesel for $2.79. Most sell diesel for $2.99. Cheapest gas is $3.13 today. Still pretty cheap by comparison to you in the Philippines. Kids here make $8+ per hour at McDonald's. We should be in pretty good shape till gas hits $8 per gallon.
I think the real squealing will start when gas passes $6 per gallon. Congress won't let that happen. They know they will be voted out no matter which party. You will see the doves become hawks to save their seats.
There is a lot of truth to what you say. It would be interesting to know how much we, as a nation, could reduce our consumption if half the passenger car and light trucks were diesel and everyone made a concerted effort to conserve fuel. My guess is as a nation we could reduce our consumption by as much as 35% without denting peoples recreational life styles. All it takes is planning. A person on the in-law side of the family goes to the store every day to buy food for diner. Refuses to get more than one meal at a time and has done this most of her adult life. I have no idea how much fuel she wastes in the course of a year let alone a dacade because of this. She is older now and drives very little so her food comes in week lots by other family members.
Down here, most use is bass fishing. Typically the guy tows his $40,000 boat 200 miles rt with his $35,000 color matched pickup. They then run say at least 30 miles on the water at 3 to 5 mpg. So it really adds up for most guys 'cause they ain't rich. Much less lake traffic after May as it then becomes hot and expensive.
With those wages it does not leave much to buy a newer vehicle. No wonder you have so many older cars and trucks that spew black smoke.
We have one station close to me here in San Diego that is selling diesel for $2.79. Most sell diesel for $2.99. Cheapest gas is $3.13 today. Still pretty cheap by comparison to you in the Philippines. Kids here make $8+ per hour at McDonald's. We should be in pretty good shape till gas hits $8 per gallon.
I think the real squealing will start when gas passes $6 per gallon. Congress won't let that happen. They know they will be voted out no matter which party. You will see the doves become hawks to save their seats.
I've lived here for 4 years now and it's true most vehicles are surplus used cars from Japan. But there are new cars on the street but not many as new car dealerships offer no discounts, take no trade-ins and the sales people are paid about P200 or so a day. That's around $4 a day.
There are Emission stations but for a few peso's they will give you a sticker without testing it. Of course many used cars are not all death traps on wheels but the Jeepneys are borderline. Most working people here do not buy cars, unless they make a lot of money and there are still many many cars on the road. Manila is as crowded if not more so than any other Metropolitan city what with something like 12 million+ people in it.
The current crop of politicians should all be voted out when it hits $4 a gallon! The only reason for high gas prices is the oil companies want record breaking profits every year.
Once the current administration is out it might level out, at least I hope so.
Anyone seeking to understand why the US, more than 30 years after (what should have been) the wake-up call of the oil shocks, STILL wastes and uses TOO much of FOREIGN energy need only to read this forum. The backbiting; the petty comments; the questioning of other's motives, politics, personal values; veiled accusations of being a communist (the horror the horror!) - it's enough to make one fear for the future of the Republic.
ALL of us can do LOTS of things to reduce our use of all kinds of energy. We all need to do what we can and then do more. The politicians are not going to save us. We're going to have to do that ourselves.
And by the way, gas is already costing us more than $4 per gallon. I seem to recall a study done by a think tank that factored in all the government spending required to deliver our gasoline to the pump. I think they pegged it at about $12 a gallon. We're paying for it through the tax code - especially war-mongering spending.
I am a verteran of active duty and the Air National Guard. My nephew is serving in Iraq. We need a Manhattan-style effort to reduce our consumption of oil, and to develop alternate sources of energy. Wouldn't it be great if the US developed new sources of energy and then sold it to the rest of the world? We could put out of business a lot of dictators.
You go girl! On CNN they said that if every U.S. car got only 1 more mpg it would save 375,000 barrels of oil per day. Yet some refuse to just slow a little and they're mad about the suggestion. Go figure!
tooth and nail for supremacy around the turn of the century. Some of the Chicago World's Fair buildings from what, 1893, remain today and are magnificent buildings housing the museum of science and industry and field museum. They really wanted to reign supreme over NYC..think of the cash outlays. Think of the taxes paid by Chicagoans. I bet they loved that. I remember one time in town in 2003 I only wanted to cross the street on the West side near the Brickyard mall. I had some business to do at the library. I waited to cross that street for 5-10 minutes, I'm not kidding you!
The cars and buses are nonstop. The People's Republic of Chicago is busy and prosperous and their streets are kind of nasty in the city. One thing I like about as much as going out in my BIL's boat on Lake Michigan is the food in Chicago. Great gyro's, beef sandwiches, pizza and hot dogs. Umm!
As far as ghastly prices, I think we're screwed. They're not gonna drop...I made this comment on the 'Report your Local Gas Prices' thread about 6 months ago and the general consensus was that ghastly prices would drop down below $2.00/gal for 87 no-lead again. I said that IMO they will never again drop below $2.00/gal for 87 no-lead. Look where they are now! Yikes.
As to what I will do when ghastly prices rise above $4.00/gal..drive and enjoy my '08 Lancer GTS that gets around 31 mpg on the highway and 22 in town. We only have one rig and during my work weeks I only drive about 10 miles since I live about a half mile from my work, so there's a small contribution to conserving fuel.
I seem to recall a study done by a think tank that factored in all the government spending required to deliver our gasoline to the pump. I think they pegged it at about $12 a gallon.
$12/gallon seems a little high to me but I do agree that the price of gas is artificially low in this country. I'd like to see the price at the pump reflect the actual cost. If it ends up being $6/gallon so be it. If this is really the actual cost no one can claim it is a result of some personal agenda. Clearly the taxpayers have been spending a lot of money securing the oil supply out of the Middle East. This cost should be shouldered by the oil companies and passed on to their customers.
"This cost should be shouldered by the oil companies and passed on to their customers."
You're kidding me, right? Americans don't care if we lose another 58,000 plus young men (and women) in an unwinnable war or that thousands of Americans die prematurely every year because we claim that we can't afford to provide basic health care to every American. As long as we have cheap gas, too many of us fat rat happy with the status quo.
Here in Virginia, every seat in the General Assembly is up for grabs this year. I'm quite active in politics. The Virginia GOP fears that if gas goes above $4 a gallon and stays there, they will lose control of the General Assembly. If the price at the pump reflected the actual costs, Americans would demand that our governmnet wean itself from the teat of the oil companies, and start implementing policies that protect and serve our long-term economic interests.
Some of the Chicago World's Fair buildings from what, 1893, remain today and are magnificent buildings housing the museum of science and industry and field museum.
The Museum of Science and Industry is from the Colombian Exposition (1893 Worlds Fair). The Field Museum was from the Century of progress (1933 Worlds Fair).
Now they are trying for the 2016 Olympics :sick:
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
First off we are not in the middle east to secure oil. Face it they will sell it no matter what is going around there. Secondly its not an unwinable war and the Tokyo Roses of this world should stop saying it is as it emboldens the enemy and causes more to be killed. Finally its not the governments responsibility to provide us health care. Sorry but I don't want the same group of people who can't keep the elevators running in public housing buildings running (or is ruining a better word) my health care.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
The price we pay for gas at the pump really isn't the price we pay for gas. We should keep that fact in mind when we think about energy costs.
In early 2001, my BF and I sat down and decided to reduce our use (and therefore save $$$) of energy of all kinds. We had a five-year goal of: making the house more energy efficient by replacing windows, resealing doors, replacing all major appliances with more efficient models, adding more insulation, adding strategically placed trees to aid in cooling the house, and a whole host of other things. We have laid out a lot of $$$ initially, but we have more than recouped the costs.
Six years ago, I had a Honda Accord. It later died, and I drove my business Ford SUV for several years. I HATED that SUV. It drank gas and was as agile as an elephant on roller skates. Several months ago, I purchased a 2007 Matrix with a manual transmission. Nirvana! I slip into neutral at every opportunity, and I am saving big $$$. My last tank of gas - a trip to Philadelphia, driving there, and back - clocked in at 41 MPG. (And no, I'm not stupid. I NEVER drop below the speed limit, and I always maintain a safe speed on the Beltway and other freeways in the DC area.) I'm getting better at this, and I expect my next tank will get close to 50 MPG.
We don't travel in the summer. We are careful to plan our errands to minimize wasted driving, etc. Frankly, we are running out of relatively pain-free ways to reduce our use of gas and energy.
My wife was an energy auditor in one of her many careers (that was back in the Exxon "Oil Overcharge Settlement" funded weatherization days). Replacing windows is more for looks than saving energy, unfortunately, although the payback may not take as many years as solar currently does.
My energy bill last month (admittedly a light usage time of year) was $45. One tank of gas for the minivan costs more than that, and it doesn't have a hot tub like my house does. :P
Agree, window replacement is popular but not most economical. Best bang for buck is to use great stuff,caulk,socket sealers,whatever, and seal every air infiltration point in your house. Cheap and saves.
snakeweasel said..."The Museum of Science and Industry is from the Colombian Exposition (1893 Worlds Fair). The Field Museum was from the Century of progress (1933 Worlds Fair)."
You make a statement about stately old buildings in the Windy City and you get to the truth about it all. Thank you for that...all this time I was under the impression that both of those cool old museum buildings were from the 1893 World's Fair, the Columbian Exposition. Another tourist trap I kind of dug was Navy Pier. On that Pier was a ride that I will never forget, it was one of those rides where you strap yourself in(fairly small craft, white on the outside and dark inside, shaped kind of like a submarine) and the craft you are in stays mounted on the ground yet you are tossed left and right and up and down(big-time hydraulic action going on) while you look straight ahead at a screen watching forward movement at about 300mph. We were on a rollercoaster in space. It was only five bucks for the ride(half price)and I was absolutely tweaked out by it, in a fun sort of way. Whoa!!
steve, is there some extrapolary meaning to the fact that Canada is our #1 oil supplier, then Mexico? Why the freak out over Middle East oil then, except to excessively worry about energy sources for 15 or 20 years from now? Solar or water-based power for our rigs ought to be developed as dino sources start to cease. The sooner the better, but try to keep prices in the Kia or Mitsubishi range, K?
Re-fitment prices are huge in this new transportation technology. How much to re-energize me and how often, etc.
Lots of people think we here in the US get most of our oil from OPEC nations but it's a bit less than half currently. (link and link).
If gas goes over $4, we should be seeing more refined products from Alberta oil shale and if it goes way over, maybe I'll start distilling ethanol in my back yard. Your "re-fitment" comment is true; just think of the infrastructure in place to move gas around. I bet it's going to be cheaper to drill holes in the ground for crude for a long time to come.
Oh yeah, I changed the oil in my minivan this afternoon (fun job when it's 98 outside!). I went 10,000 miles between oil changes this time, so there's another way to save on crude costs.
This thread is going too fast to keep track. Anyway, I remember someone proposing we are to be told how much gasoline we could use. I will not support that. Reason - This reeks of communism, with the state controlling how much the individual citizen is allowed to consume. I am all for free market, and agree with our host that a reduction in gasoline usage should come from incentives and not coercion.
Is there something really wrong with my "I will not conserve if nobody else will" attitude? We are all in this together. Why should I sacrifice the comforts of a gas guzzler if I do not get any incentives? Is $$$ my only incentive? This is where the govt. steps in, and makes law everybody is unhappy about.
Here are IDEAS for more incentives, social in nature...
[1] Bumper stickers: My honor student beats yours at gas guzzling. My fill up costs $50 now. How are you doing with your truck? (I am sure bumper sticker writers can come of with funnier ones)
[2] On invitations to backyard bbq-parties, weddings, children's birthday parties - just put a line on top of that RSVP line - "Gas guzzlers not appreciated in my neighborhood". Or on the phone, "Could you please not bring your SUV? I like it, but the neighbors will ridicule me if they see such a tank parked in front of my house". (This will pretty much boycott those drivers).
Like I said before, we can do so many things to conserve gas together. But I'd like to see a sizable number of people do it visibly, around me, in my neighborhood, on the news and at work before I jump on the bandwagon. Cheers, - MS.
There is still tons of oil around but a lot of it is too expensive to extract at current oil prices.
My dad has all this survey books full of oil reserve charts and an estimate of the price per barrel of oil necessary to make the indicated reserve profitable.
I was also thinking about battery replacemnt costs for the electric rigs and such. And, does it seem to you that a hydrogen powered rig is going to cost not only so much to develop the vehicle but how much will the mechanism, "motor" if you like, that takes water and converts it to energy going to cost?
The water for exhaust is a great conservatory move but gentlemen, we all don't have Bill Gates' income, ya know? I don't see alternative methods blasting right up on us very fast.
Why do you think that conserving energy is so important? Energy is abundant and all around us. I guarantee that more solar energy strikes your roof every day than you could possible use. The hell with conservation. Let's just get smart about where our energy comes from.
Comments
So many of you seem determined to force your will on the masses with grand schemes.
I think the automakers in the past forced the will of the nation on how to design the civic infrastructure, making the people dependent on a car to earn their livelihood. They still do, for every grand scheme.
After I made so many suggestions on how to reduce our consumption, I believe that NONE of them will be implemented anytime soon. So we do nothing, just sit around, and let the market forces dictate what kind of cars we drive.
I still wish they made covered parking for compact cars close to the entrance and make the SUV drivers walk across the lot. My next car would definitely be a sub-compact.
A. People who drive a prius 200 miles a day are heros, but people who drive an SUV a few miles a day are felons?
B. Boats are like crack, if you have one it is up to society to kill you?
C. etc, etc.
Remind me not to live anywhere near you! :sick:
Actually, it worked pretty well for smoking. Remember the 60's and 70's? It was so hip to smoke or chew on a cigar. Fast forward to the 90's and 00's - if you smoke at the street corner, people (and kids) will look at you in disgust.
Later, - MS.
My cousin believes that. He started out with a patch and hope it floated special when he was about 8. Last I looked he was up to a 34 foot, 2BR, 2BA special....
I'm just a little divided on the question and mostly because of how much of the oil comes from people who hate us and actually use to money to harm us. I have no desire to give them more money.
On the other hand I promised myself that part of not letting terrorists win is to alter my plans in any way in fear of them. My time will come when it comes and they will have no say in the matter.
Sounds like stuff I've read from New Urbanism (I know a few AICP planners).
Others are thinking along these lines, too. That must be some Govt. org. Do you think the US Govt. is becoming Communist, too? Many CA cities allow Prius on the HOV lane (so I heard) - lots of folks in Boston/NY/Chicago/SF Bay area use public transportation a lot - are all these cities and people communists?
Here is the point - the high price of gas is due to a high demand and low supply. So lowering the price has only 2 solutions - increase supply and/or lower demand. Not rocket science, is it? I have already suggested building more refineries in New Jersey. Now we are talking about how to lower demands by incentives, and not coercion. From all the posts I am reading here, high price is certainly one of the best incentives.
In this country we have a system of free speech and exchange of ideas. We are just discussing stuff. Besides, I never claim that I am always right. I might be wrong in my arguments, so correct me. Calling me a communist is not going to solve anything. Of course, we could just sit back, [non-permissible content removed] and moan about it, and let the market forces take over, that is a possible solution. Then there is no point to this discussion.
Now, lets see - if I look at my neighborhood, the right side has a Durango, the left a Tundra. On the opposite, a Camry, an LX 470 and a Merc. The 2 houses behind us - an Excursion and a Sienna. So more than 80% drive an SUV or a truck, and no one has more than 2 kids. Like everybody else, I am beginning to think bigger and more comfortable is better, too. I don't see any incentives, and my next car is going to be an SUV. I am not going to take any gas saving measures while my neighbor burns it. I have outlined a few incentives that would work for me for not buying a gas guzzler. And, once I save up enough money, I am going to buy a boat, too. The hell with conservation if nobody else is doing it. I think another reader just echoed that sentiment, too.
Basically, I am going to lead a lifestyle that is more convenient to me. We are not a herd of cattle, and I think that is true for pretty much everybody. I make the decision what is more convenient for me. If I can walk to my workplace in 15-20 mins, I will prefer that to driving for 45 mins, thats all. If buying a gas saver car gets me shaded parking and high speed HOV lane privileges, I will be in the line for a Yaris or a Versa or a Fit. YMMV, but thats YM.
Anyways, lets keep the ideas coming. Debate with your points please, please try to have a sense of humor, and pretty please dont call me names in your one-liners. It doesnt help anybody, and I have nothing personal against any of you. Best wishes, - MS.
So, in a roundabout way, all the folks who refuse to conserve because "my neighbor doesn't do it" or "my time is so valuable I can't slow down to 60 mph" are partially responsible for endangering the lives of our troops.
A stretch? Yes - - but there is some truth to my comments.
In the Philippines I pay P34.45 per liter for diesel and I think regular gas is P38.20 per liter. Figure about P46 to the dollar.
So in the Ukraine gas is $3.80 per US Gallon.
In the Philippines it's $2.84 per US Gallon for diesel
and it's $3.15 per US Gallon for Regular gas.
We sure get a deal here compared to the US but wages here average $120 per MONTH!
We have one station close to me here in San Diego that is selling diesel for $2.79. Most sell diesel for $2.99. Cheapest gas is $3.13 today. Still pretty cheap by comparison to you in the Philippines. Kids here make $8+ per hour at McDonald's. We should be in pretty good shape till gas hits $8 per gallon.
I think the real squealing will start when gas passes $6 per gallon. Congress won't let that happen. They know they will be voted out no matter which party. You will see the doves become hawks to save their seats.
A person on the in-law side of the family goes to the store every day to buy food for diner. Refuses to get more than one meal at a time and has done this most of her adult life. I have no idea how much fuel she wastes in the course of a year let alone a dacade because of this.
She is older now and drives very little so her food comes in week lots by other family members.
We recently went to Lake Geneva and It didn't look like boat usage was down any. But then again lots of big money up there.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Well people do refer to it as the Peoples Republic of Chicago, but for different reasons.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
We have one station close to me here in San Diego that is selling diesel for $2.79. Most sell diesel for $2.99. Cheapest gas is $3.13 today. Still pretty cheap by comparison to you in the Philippines. Kids here make $8+ per hour at McDonald's. We should be in pretty good shape till gas hits $8 per gallon.
I think the real squealing will start when gas passes $6 per gallon. Congress won't let that happen. They know they will be voted out no matter which party. You will see the doves become hawks to save their seats.
I've lived here for 4 years now and it's true most vehicles are surplus used cars from Japan. But there are new cars on the street but not many as new car dealerships offer no discounts, take no trade-ins and the sales people are paid about P200 or so a day. That's around $4 a day.
There are Emission stations but for a few peso's they will give you a sticker without testing it.
Of course many used cars are not all death traps on wheels but the Jeepneys are borderline.
Most working people here do not buy cars, unless they make a lot of money and there are still many many cars on the road. Manila is as crowded if not more so than any other Metropolitan city what with something like 12 million+ people in it.
The current crop of politicians should all be voted out when it hits $4 a gallon!
The only reason for high gas prices is the oil companies want record breaking profits every year.
Once the current administration is out it might level out, at least I hope so.
ALL of us can do LOTS of things to reduce our use of all kinds of energy. We all need to do what we can and then do more. The politicians are not going to save us. We're going to have to do that ourselves.
And by the way, gas is already costing us more than $4 per gallon. I seem to recall a study done by a think tank that factored in all the government spending required to deliver our gasoline to the pump. I think they pegged it at about $12 a gallon. We're paying for it through the tax code - especially war-mongering spending.
I am a verteran of active duty and the Air National Guard. My nephew is serving in Iraq. We need a Manhattan-style effort to reduce our consumption of oil, and to develop alternate sources of energy. Wouldn't it be great if the US developed new sources of energy and then sold it to the rest of the world? We could put out of business a lot of dictators.
Shame on us!
The cars and buses are nonstop. The People's Republic of Chicago is busy and prosperous and their streets are kind of nasty in the city. One thing I like about as much as going out in my BIL's boat on Lake Michigan is the food in Chicago. Great gyro's, beef sandwiches, pizza and hot dogs. Umm!
As far as ghastly prices, I think we're screwed. They're not gonna drop...I made this comment on the 'Report your Local Gas Prices' thread about 6 months ago and the general consensus was that ghastly prices would drop down below $2.00/gal for 87 no-lead again. I said that IMO they will never again drop below $2.00/gal for 87 no-lead. Look where they are now! Yikes.
As to what I will do when ghastly prices rise above $4.00/gal..drive and enjoy my '08 Lancer GTS that gets around 31 mpg on the highway and 22 in town. We only have one rig and during my work weeks I only drive about 10 miles since I live about a half mile from my work, so there's a small contribution to conserving fuel.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
$12/gallon seems a little high to me but I do agree that the price of gas is artificially low in this country. I'd like to see the price at the pump reflect the actual cost. If it ends up being $6/gallon so be it. If this is really the actual cost no one can claim it is a result of some personal agenda. Clearly the taxpayers have been spending a lot of money securing the oil supply out of the Middle East. This cost should be shouldered by the oil companies and passed on to their customers.
What will Congress do? Since oil is a global commodity they certainly can't force the oil producers to sell it at a discount to Americans.
You're kidding me, right? Americans don't care if we lose another 58,000 plus young men (and women) in an unwinnable war or that thousands of Americans die prematurely every year because we claim that we can't afford to provide basic health care to every American. As long as we have cheap gas, too many of us fat rat happy with the status quo.
Here in Virginia, every seat in the General Assembly is up for grabs this year. I'm quite active in politics. The Virginia GOP fears that if gas goes above $4 a gallon and stays there, they will lose control of the General Assembly. If the price at the pump reflected the actual costs, Americans would demand that our governmnet wean itself from the teat of the oil companies, and start implementing policies that protect and serve our long-term economic interests.
The Museum of Science and Industry is from the Colombian Exposition (1893 Worlds Fair). The Field Museum was from the Century of progress (1933 Worlds Fair).
Now they are trying for the 2016 Olympics :sick:
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
All this MidEast talk reminds me that the US's biggest crude supplier is Canada. Then Mexico.
My wife and I sold out in '99 and did a year long road trip. Next time the urge hits, we may sell the cars too, and go walkabout. That'll show em. :P
In early 2001, my BF and I sat down and decided to reduce our use (and therefore save $$$) of energy of all kinds. We had a five-year goal of: making the house more energy efficient by replacing windows, resealing doors, replacing all major appliances with more efficient models, adding more insulation, adding strategically placed trees to aid in cooling the house, and a whole host of other things. We have laid out a lot of $$$ initially, but we have more than recouped the costs.
Six years ago, I had a Honda Accord. It later died, and I drove my business Ford SUV for several years. I HATED that SUV. It drank gas and was as agile as an elephant on roller skates. Several months ago, I purchased a 2007 Matrix with a manual transmission. Nirvana! I slip into neutral at every opportunity, and I am saving big $$$. My last tank of gas - a trip to Philadelphia, driving there, and back - clocked in at 41 MPG. (And no, I'm not stupid. I NEVER drop below the speed limit, and I always maintain a safe speed on the Beltway and other freeways in the DC area.) I'm getting better at this, and I expect my next tank will get close to 50 MPG.
We don't travel in the summer. We are careful to plan our errands to minimize wasted driving, etc. Frankly, we are running out of relatively pain-free ways to reduce our use of gas and energy.
It is at that. FWIW I have noticed that gas prices are coming down a bit. Saw it at $3.50 where it was as high as $3.65 a week or so ago.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
My energy bill last month (admittedly a light usage time of year) was $45. One tank of gas for the minivan costs more than that, and it doesn't have a hot tub like my house does. :P
You make a statement about stately old buildings in the Windy City and you get to the truth about it all. Thank you for that...all this time I was under the impression that both of those cool old museum buildings were from the 1893 World's Fair, the Columbian Exposition. Another tourist trap I kind of dug was Navy Pier. On that Pier was a ride that I will never forget, it was one of those rides where you strap yourself in(fairly small craft, white on the outside and dark inside, shaped kind of like a submarine) and the craft you are in stays mounted on the ground yet you are tossed left and right and up and down(big-time hydraulic action going on) while you look straight ahead at a screen watching forward movement at about 300mph. We were on a rollercoaster in space. It was only five bucks for the ride(half price)and I was absolutely tweaked out by it, in a fun sort of way. Whoa!!
steve, is there some extrapolary meaning to the fact that Canada is our #1 oil supplier, then Mexico? Why the freak out over Middle East oil then, except to excessively worry about energy sources for 15 or 20 years from now? Solar or water-based power for our rigs ought to be developed as dino sources start to cease. The sooner the better, but try to keep prices in the Kia or Mitsubishi range, K?
Re-fitment prices are huge in this new transportation technology. How much to re-energize me and how often, etc.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
If gas goes over $4, we should be seeing more refined products from Alberta oil shale and if it goes way over, maybe I'll start distilling ethanol in my back yard. Your "re-fitment" comment is true; just think of the infrastructure in place to move gas around. I bet it's going to be cheaper to drill holes in the ground for crude for a long time to come.
Oh yeah, I changed the oil in my minivan this afternoon (fun job when it's 98 outside!). I went 10,000 miles between oil changes this time, so there's another way to save on crude costs.
Is there something really wrong with my "I will not conserve if nobody else will" attitude? We are all in this together. Why should I sacrifice the comforts of a gas guzzler if I do not get any incentives? Is $$$ my only incentive? This is where the govt. steps in, and makes law everybody is unhappy about.
Here are IDEAS for more incentives, social in nature...
[1] Bumper stickers:
My honor student beats yours at gas guzzling.
My fill up costs $50 now. How are you doing with your truck?
(I am sure bumper sticker writers can come of with funnier ones)
[2] On invitations to backyard bbq-parties, weddings, children's birthday parties - just put a line on top of that RSVP line - "Gas guzzlers not appreciated in my neighborhood". Or on the phone, "Could you please not bring your SUV? I like it, but the neighbors will ridicule me if they see such a tank parked in front of my house". (This will pretty much boycott those drivers).
Like I said before, we can do so many things to conserve gas together. But I'd like to see a sizable number of people do it visibly, around me, in my neighborhood, on the news and at work before I jump on the bandwagon. Cheers, - MS.
My dad has all this survey books full of oil reserve charts and an estimate of the price per barrel of oil necessary to make the indicated reserve profitable.
The water for exhaust is a great conservatory move but gentlemen, we all don't have Bill Gates' income, ya know? I don't see alternative methods blasting right up on us very fast.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
The actual countries we get our oil from is somewhat meaningless It's like saying that I'm only taking water out of the shallow end of the pool.