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Real Name: BRYAN JACKSON Gender: male Date of Birth: April 19, 1983 Member Since: March 14, 2006 Last Signed In: September 04, 2008 Profile Views: 3297 Blog Views: 3789 What sports shouldn't be in the Olympics? What sports should be added? Danica Patrick...Feisty competitor? Hothead? What do you think? You CAN help make Bakersfield a better, cleaner place to live! My thoughts on "My Super Sweet Sixteen" type of parties What are your favorite (and not-so-favorite) TV shows? Why won't recycling centers in Northwest Bakersfield accept recyclable items that aren't CRV? Bakersfield needs more bike-friendly roads Long Beach Grand Prix Part 3-Sunday Long Beach Grand Prix Part 2-Saturday Long Beach Grand Prix Part 1-Thursday & Friday December 06 January 07 February 07 March 07 April 07 May 07 June 07 July 07 August 07 September 07 October 07 November 07 December 07 January 08 February 08 March 08 April 08 May 08 June 08 July 08 August 08 September 08 
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Oil companies gouging us
I don't drive a car, but that doesn't mean that I like seeing these insanely high gas prices. I get a ride from my parents to and from work and other places, and will start paying them for gas soon. It now costs over $3 per gallon and experts say were one mishap away from $4 per gallon gas. They say that high demand and usage is shrinking supplies. I don't know if I can fully agree with that. In 2004 OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) continuously cut production to the point where it reached record lows. And they want to blame us for it. Lawmakers should do something. And the proponets of that proposition that failed last yr. (the oil tax one) should try again to get another one on the ballot in 2008 or 2010. OIL COMPANIES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS, NOT US CONSUMERS! THEIR GOUGING IS CAUSING SHIPPING PRICES TO GO UP, WHICH MAKES EVERYTHING GO UP. 21 comments from 9 users
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posted by
ronmexico
on Jun 7, 2007 at 07:41 AM
I suggest you take a class in economics.
posted by
Hardliner4freedom
on Jun 7, 2007 at 07:50 AM
I'm a Business Major enough to understand the concept of "inelastic demand."
posted by
robbwillis
on Jun 7, 2007 at 08:04 AM
"Lawmakers should do something." Ah, the innocence of youth... posted by
anonymous
on Jun 7, 2007 at 09:24 AM
I hope gas reaches $5 a gallon.
posted by
jfrancais
on Jun 7, 2007 at 09:54 AM
US Consumption is a big part of the drug deal, Bryan. Our insatiable need for oil allows oil companies to name their price, basically.
posted by
randomfactor
on Jun 7, 2007 at 09:57 AM
I bought a high-mpg car expecting this. I'd laugh at those filling Hummers and such, except that in a couple of years those living week-to-week will be the ones struggling to fill the gas tanks of the SUV's they bought used, as a last resort for transportation to-and-from work. They won't be buying shiny new hybrids, and mass transit won't be available as an option.
posted by
jfrancais
on Jun 7, 2007 at 10:01 AM
Maybe in about ten years they can buy used hybrids or attitudes towards mass transit will change.(sigh) One can only hope.
posted by
robbwillis
on Jun 7, 2007 at 11:33 AM
"Our insatiable need for oil allows oil companies to name their price..." Actually, that's what Congress always has its investigations over, but they never catch the oil compaines in collusion. They know it's against the law. Funny thing is, when people beg them to set their prices artificially lower, they're asking them to break the law. But let's conduct another investigation anyway... posted by
antiextremism
on Jun 7, 2007 at 01:03 PM
But Random, in a couple of years, people will be able to buy a Ford Excursion for 1000 bucks, then rent it out as an apartment for 500 bucks a month. A return of investment in only two months, that will then end up paying the gas bill for your hybrid....almost.
posted by
Shsrebel10
on Jun 7, 2007 at 02:06 PM
I would boycott every single oil company if I could. When Shell tried to shut down their refinery here in Bakersfield, they did so to try to charge us more at the pump. It doesn't help to have a president who has everyone in his own administration catering to the oil companies.
posted by
jfrancais
on Jun 7, 2007 at 03:18 PM
Well according to my basic understanding of Capitalism, the "invisible hand" is supposed to set the price. How can you catch the companies in collusion when they have profits equal to the GDP of some developed nations? They have enough financial, legal, and political resources to hide any appearance of it, assuming that it exist. Setting the price artificially lower than it already is is the wrong answer as well. That would be ignoring the problem of lack of short term supply and the transactional cost involved. Diversifying or creating new energy resources might be the right direction to lower the price.
posted by
bryanjackson
on Jun 7, 2007 at 08:30 PM
>> Diversifying or creating new energy resources might be the right direction to lower the price. We could use more ethanol plants and stations that provide ethanol. I've heard only one station (which is in San Diego) provides ethanol. We must also not allow oil companies to seize control of the ethanol business. Also, we should encourage more usage of mass transit and even using a bicycle (at least for short trips) or maybe try carpooling. By doing these, we would benefit in 2 ways: using less gas and crude oil, and there would be less traffic. To encourage riding bicycles more often, cities (including Bakersfield) could build more bike-friendly roads and more bike paths. (But thats another subject for a future blog). posted by
jfrancais
on Jun 7, 2007 at 08:42 PM
Ethanol is derived from oil so I could see the oil companies having a hand in that. I thinking more along the lines of several different energy sources; not just one magic solution to oil but several to prevent nations from being at the mercy of other nations or multinational corporations.
posted by
bryanjackson
on Jun 7, 2007 at 08:53 PM
What about solar power? Some people use it for their homes, so why can't solar-powered cars be made? Didn't they try that already? posted by
Shsrebel10
on Jun 8, 2007 at 10:35 AM
Ethanol is derived from our crops, not from oil. In Brazil they use the Sugar Cane plant to make ethanol, here we use corn. The only reason why the oil companies are charging so damn much is because they know they're about to go out of business with cleaner fuels like ethanol emerging.
posted by
jfrancais
on Jun 8, 2007 at 11:04 AM
Is not ethanol a corn/gasoline mixture? So you're using less gasoline but using it nonetheless.
posted by
bryanjackson
on Jun 8, 2007 at 03:25 PM
Well, this E-85 ethanol that is used in some states is a mixture of gas and ethanol. I think it is either 15% or 85% ethanol. However, the IndyCar Series started using 100% ethanol this season and it seems to be doing well there. So why doesn't someone try to find a good, reliable, renewable resource (such as hyrdrogen or water) and sell it as a way to get us out of the OPEC business?
posted by
bryanjackson
on Jun 8, 2007 at 03:33 PM
I know if 100% ethanol was consumed like gas is now that the price of corn would be SUBSTANTIALLY higher. >>In 2004 OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) continuously cut production to the point where it reached record lows. I know this because I always (every day) listened to the business reports on the radio on my way home from work mainly to see what the price of oil did that day. posted by
Hardliner4freedom
on Jun 8, 2007 at 03:37 PM
I hope that I live to see the day when propelling a vehicle by igniting flammable liquids is as antiquated and crude as shoveling coal into a locomotive. I think our eventual destiny is with the most efficient converter of energy into work: electricity. posted by
bryanjackson
on Jun 8, 2007 at 10:25 PM
>> I think our eventual destiny is with the most efficient converter of energy into work: electricity. Good thought, but just to remind you, California has had just as many problems with electricity shortages as it has with gasoline shortages over the past few years. posted by
Shsrebel10
on Jun 10, 2007 at 12:23 AM
Yes, you can mix ethanol with gasoline, or you can use 100% ethanol as they do often in Brazil. Prices of corn would be higher, which is correct. Thats why it needs to be heavily subsidized. The problem is, with the labor shortages in the agriculture industry, I have no idea where we would find enough workers to produce enough of the plant for over 300 million people.
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