Monday, September 18, 2006

Bad News


Gas prices in my area have fallen over $.80 per gallon in the last 3 weeks. Good news, right? I don't think so....

As long as we are dependent on fossil fuels for our energy needs we will be riding the roller coaster of gasoline/diesel price swings. The price swings occur in both long and short term cycles and the result is we spend a lot of time dealing with the dislocations from swings BOTH ways.

What is most worrisome to me? With the easing of pump prices, our elected village idiots in Washington will not feel the urgency to create a coherent and forward looking National Energy Policy that could free us from dependence on fossil fuels.

So, a low pump price is bad news.

9 comments:

Dave said...

Mal,

You ain't just whistling Dixie.

I feel very fortunate to have a patent on the binder technology used in the synthetic fuel process.

Saur♥Kraut said...

The only reason prices are dropping is because Americans were getting antsy and loud. Big Oil knows which side their bread is buttered on. They realized that they couldn't continue to rape the American consumer forever with the government's blessing, so they've compromised. For the moment.

Grant said...

I'm sure if you offer to pay more, they'll accept it.

mal said...

Mr Gator- good for you *L*

Chrissie- to add more pain for you, I filled up today at $2.09. I am puzzled why gas costs $.30 more in Wisconsin just 30 miles away. I bet the answer is the same as Californias

Saur- you give big oil too much credit for brains. Greedy they are and if they can charge more and still move product they will. Smart enough to manipulate the markets? I doubt.

Grant- *L* that I am sure of!

Balloon Pirate said...

It's $2.68 here in New York.

There is no coincidience that this is happening just before elections, either. BO is deeply in bed with the GOP.

Yeharr

Ed said...

Because I live close to work and drive a fuel efficient car, I only fill up about once a month and thus don't pay much attention to gas prices. But about three weeks ago, I started noticing a lot more SUV's and Hummers on the road. I then days later read about the falling gas prices and realized that I already knew. What a shame.

Chris Gaubatz said...

Last time I checked it's not illegal to buy hybrid cars, motorcycles, or cars that run on chinese food grease. When people start voting with their wallet/pocket book things will change. It's easier to sit around and whine about our societies' dependence on foreign oil than it is to take action. I for one have a car that gets great gas mileage and drive a motorcycle in the summer. But I'm only one man! Good topic, Mal!

Anonymous said...

I love doing these calculation...

Converting your $2.19 per US gallon (yes there is a difference in volume between uor gallons) and then converting dollars to pounds and comparing what we are paying per litre in the UK (yes we have to measure everything in litres now, damn those europeans)...

I reckon we are paying the equivalent of $8.22 per US gallon here in the UK.

Can we swap ?

sage said...

what's most worrisome to me is that the masses will forget and come November re-elect our village idiots (but I also agree with your other observations)