A sore topic

[dolluper]

Re: A sore topic

Too many toys that need gas, guess I will stop buying coffee at coffee shops as it costs more a gallon than the gas does.....one coffee cost equals a litre of gas ....me thinks gas is a better deal

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: A sore topic

YUP!.....
I never go to Starbucks.......:redface:
Shhhhhh....
Dont tell anyone..........​

 

[Caveman Charlie]

Re: A sore topic

Sometimes I can't help but wonder if I'm just plain nuts...

I gave up my consulting company 4 years ago and retired when parents were having health issues. That was the right thing to do. While self-employed the last 17 years of my career, I always put something away each month in a "rainy day" fund. That was the right thing to do, too. It never rained. Dad always said not to spend everything they paid me.

Dad (a retired U.S. Navy Captain) passed away in July 07. Mom is much improved after her surgery 3 years ago. Now I've got some time I can call my own.

So, and this is where my judgment becomes questionable, I decide to buy (well, order from the factory) the one thing I've dreamed about most of my adult life.

A boat. An aluminum boat. A new Lund 1750 Fisherman aluminum boat. With a 115hp Merc O/B and lots of goodies.

Good grief. Here in the Twin Cities area we haven't had a lot of snow this season, so not sure what lake levels will be like in May. And, yeah, now they're saying gas will be 4 bucks this spring. And, I don't know about you folks, but my portfolio is fairly conservative and the stock market downturn is starting to affect it.

And last fall I decided to get that new 4Runner I always wanted. I don't feel too bad about that decision, though. The truck is contented and assembled 100% in Japan, and the dollar has dropped 17% against the yen since ours was built, so it's like we made over $6 grand on the deal (!).

But the boat decision is something else. I know... maybe I can rationalize it by noting how the price of aluminum has skyrocketed since our order went in.

Gee, maybe I'm not an idiot after all. I'm a real genius!!

You'll feel much better next summer when you take the boat out.

You're lucky to be up closer to the bigger/nicer lakes.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: A sore topic

Diesel here jumped to $3.80 today. Guess what, get ready for across the board price jumps again. Everything that everybody uses gets there by truck.

Heard on the radio that OPEC said they will not increase production. Their reason, The American dollar is less than the Euro and that is why our economy sucks. NO NO NO It sucks because truckers/companies are having to pay dang near the $4 a gallon to get the products out. Ohhhhh how I feel like slapping a activest.......Not that I would do that,,,,,,thats illegal, considered a battery........Okay,,,,,,I'm done.........SS

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: A sore topic

Im not an economist but whats going to happin if OPEC starts pricing their oil in EUROS and not dollers.? No law saying they cant.

 

[bekosh]

Re: A sore topic

Im not an economist but whats going to happin if OPEC starts pricing their oil in EUROS and not dollers.? No law saying they cant.

You have hit on what is really going on. The price of oil hasn't gone up. The value of the dollar has gone down.
A year ago it was $1= €1 & oil was $65 a barrel or €65.
Now $1= €1.50 & oil is $100 a barrel or €66.

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: A sore topic

You'll feel much better next summer when you take the boat out.

You're lucky to be up closer to the bigger/nicer lakes.

Thank you for your encouraging words. I suppose if the price of fuel goes up much more, I'll just have to cut back on something else in the budget.

Like food.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: A sore topic

And now some mess down with ol' Chavez and his military has driven the price of oil up even higher. Great.

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: A sore topic

Im sure they can find hundreds of "reasons" to try and justify higher pump prices, but how do they justify the EXTRA BILLIONS IN PROFITS. If we were in a position of having to buy sand and the same crooks were in charge of prices they would find ways to drive the price up on that too.Im glad that my wife and I only have to buy 2 or 3 gallons a week but feel for those who arent as lucky

 

[bekosh]

Re: A sore topic

Im sure they can find hundreds of "reasons" to try and justify higher pump prices, but how do they justify the EXTRA BILLIONS IN PROFITS. If we were in a position of having to buy sand and the same crooks were in charge of prices they would find ways to drive the price up on that too.Im glad that my wife and I only have to buy 2 or 3 gallons a week but feel for those who arent as lucky

If you think that these companys are making such huge profits, buy stock. These are all publicly traded companies. The ones making those EXTRA BILLIONS IN PROFITS are you and me and millions of other people just like us.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: A sore topic

Well, get ready to pay a bit more for your groceries and other stuff. Our stores just raised the prices on the fast food we serve. I asked the owner/boss,,,,,he said that the price of diesel has gone up and the distributors have no choice but to charge more for delievery. Plus the material they need at the processing plant has raised because of the diesel jump. This is more serious than people know. This is what is killing our economy big time. Please stop and think about how stuff gets to where its going.

Stuff from China, the ship to the dock, the dock tenders to get the ship into dock. The spotter trucks and cranes that move it from the ship, the semi truck that hauls it to the distributor, then the semi to take it to other truck terminals, and then finally another truck to get it to the store. Uh,,,,yep,,,,that is a lot of diesel for that merchandise from China. Is it really cheaper?......I think it is more expensive for the price of oil that we are being forced to pay to survive and make a living. I still think is is purposely done to destroy our economy. Am I the only one that thinks this?.........SS

 

[v1_0]

Re: A sore topic

This is what is killing our economy big time. Please stop and think about how stuff gets to where its going.

I think this may be the start of a fundimental change to our economy. Of course, before the change comes the pressure to change, and with it the pain.

When the cost of shipping exceeds the cost of labor... then locally produced items are less expensive than foreign produced items. The jobs come back home. [Note: I'm not going to state anything on if this is 'good' (from a prosperity perspective).. Also, please exclude intellectual/knowledge items from this, as shipment is different for those.. ]

When Truckzillas/SUVzillas exceed the 'pain threshold' at the pump people will choose more fuel efficient alternatives. This will do more for the environment than the EPA could ever do.

When plastic things become more expensive, perhaps we will throw away our "throw away" mentality and expect things to last longer or be recycleable.

I'm positive it will happen - just not sure as to how long it will take. And, to paraphrase somewhat: getting there is all the pain.

-V

 

[arboldt]

Re: A sore topic

A fundamental change to our economy? I don't think so.

Many of us can clearly remember the first Arab oil embargo of thew 1970's, when gasoline first rose above $1.00 / gallon. Adjusting for inflation since then, we are no where near that cost. Even then, though, it pushed the country into prolonged 'stagflation' -- economy totally stagnating or worse, along with inflation of 15% or more. Lots of reasons, and we don't want to get political here.

After the 1980 election, things returned to a livable stability. Gas prices dropped slightly, incomes gradually caught up, and we were all happy. Now the cycle is repeating itself. Fuel costs have skyrocketed and the economy is in the pits.

As bad as it is, fuel costs still are less as a % of my take-home pay than they were in 1977-1979.

 

[CBC]

Re: A sore topic

Yea, they make the bikes with their headlights on all the time so people will see you better and that don't help.
You are invisible to 99% of the drivers today.

It's not that you're invisible Spinner.... we just don't care.

 

[thurps]

Re: A sore topic

Gas up to $3.70, diesil over $4.00. Going to install some oarlocks on the Whaler. Maybe I should be posting this on boat restoration and building.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: A sore topic

O.K. at the moment but each price hike makes it more difficult. Maybe start not going quite as far each boat trip and using the boat a lot less this season !!!!
JUST KIDDING !!!! LOL

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: A sore topic

O.K. at the moment but each price hike makes it more difficult. Maybe start not going quite as far each boat trip and using the boat a lot less this season !!!!
JUST KIDDING !!!! LOL

Hmmmm, Last season I didn't put in due to a major honey do list. The season before that I had it in for 2 months after all the repairs I did to it. Then, I only took it around the lake once. Guess I'll on go half way around this time and then stay tied up at the dock. Anymore it is as if I only use the motor to go from the trailer to the dock and back to the trailer at the end of the season. My boat is addicted to dock power

 

[v1_0]

Re: A sore topic

Many of us can clearly remember the first Arab oil embargo of thew 1970's, when gasoline first rose above $1.00 / gallon. Adjusting for inflation since then, we are no where near that cost.

Yes, we are no where near it - we are well above it.
And, per CNN/Money: "In 1981, the price peaked at $1.35 -- which, in today's dollars, comes out to $3.10 using the latest Consumer Price Index data... " (This was from 2007)
The current average gas price from gaspricewatch.com is $3.21, I just checked today.

After the 1980 election, things returned to a livable stability. Gas prices dropped slightly, incomes gradually caught up, and we were all happy. Now the cycle is repeating itself. Fuel costs have skyrocketed and the economy is in the pits.

The difference is that there is no endable embargo that is driving prices this time. So, yeah, it is the start of a fundimental change.

-V

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: A sore topic

Diesel is now knocking on the door of $4 a gallon,,,,$3.90 per gallon. I personally feel that the amount that you pay for the extra cost on products that one uses at home will be more than the extra that you pay at the pump per month.

Neccessity is the mother for invention,,,,,,,,,,It won't be long before someone comes up with a plan that will eliminate the need for petro powered vehicles. Our problem in the USA is that we love our bell & whistles. This is what is going to make it rough to sell to us Americans and others as well.

It sure is sad when you hear that there still are trillions of barrels of oil at our doorstep,,,,,,,,but cannot use it because of critter lovin activists.......I'm glad the dinosaurs are extinct because if there were just a couple left, there would be somebody doing their best to keep the species going. I think we are doing fine without them

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: A sore topic

Diesel is now knocking on the door of $4 a gallon,,,,$3.90 per gallon. I personally feel that the amount that you pay for the extra cost on products that one uses at home will be more than the extra that you pay at the pump per month.

Could be, but most people can buy locally grown foods, etc to help mitigate those costs. Still there will always be something that has to be shipped in, and that will cost more.

Neccessity is the mother for invention,,,,,,,,,,It won't be long before someone comes up with a plan that will eliminate the need for petro powered vehicles. Our problem in the USA is that we love our bell & whistles. This is what is going to make it rough to sell to us Americans and others as well.

Check out the SMART car... still petro powered, but it gets 60 mpg. Imagine if everyone drove those... opec would be choking on the stuff. It's just too bad that A: they can't make them fast enough (two year backorder/waiting list), and B: one car can never satisfy everyone's needs, after all, how would any of us tow our boats?

It sure is sad when you hear that there still are trillions of barrels of oil at our doorstep,,,,,,,,but cannot use it because of critter lovin activists.......I'm glad the dinosaurs are extinct because if there were just a couple left, there would be somebody doing their best to keep the species going. I think we are doing fine without them

Ever heard of the kimodo dragon? It's a perfect example of what you're saying.

SgtMaj