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Vibecrewangel · #1

What the hell is wrong with my state?!?!?!!?

We are at nearly $3.00 a gallon?!?!?!

mburbank · #2

I keep thinking, well surely this is going to damage SUV sales. I mean, Americans are credulous, but they aren't mentally retarded. Not the ones with drivers licenceses. Then I go out to run erands, and I know I'm wrong.

GAsux · #3

Was just talking with a friend the other day and while pumping gas I was like, "Holy shit, it's almost $2.50 a gallon". It seems not so long ago that such shennanigans would have caused rioting in the streets. These days we're just like, "I'll be damn, look at that. Huh."

Same with real estate. All over California is pretty much the same. It's crazy to think that you can pay $300,000 for a "fixer upper" and that it sounds reasonable.

Command Prompt · #4

Wow if only there was a war going on that's costing billions of dollars that you could blame it on

you fucking retards.

Vibecrewangel · #5

$300,000 for a "fixer upper?

Can't even get a condo for that in the Silly Valley.

El Blanco · #6

Quote:

Originally Posted by El Mariachi

Wow if only there was a war going on that's costing billions of dollars that you could blame it on

That would be if the price was being raised because of taxes. Its not. Exxon isn't paying for our military.

It goes up mainly because of the demand and some of the countries it comes from aren't the most stable in the world. The price of oil always go up in the winter because we consume so much more.

Quote:

you fucking retards.

Are you familiar with irony?

MEATMAN · #7

We're only up to $1.79 here. In some places it's $1.69.

thebiggameover · #8

Its $2.00 here in arizona. prices were this bad during the gas line break last year, now its just the normal price. WTF is right...

Baalzamon · #9

two simple words...

PEAK OIL

Perndog · #10

Ugh..I'm already somewhat glad I don't drive because it's 1.79 here. I can't imagine living when it's $3 to the gallon.

El Blanco · #11

And who says the prices are so damned outrageous?

I pay for regular than whatever price Pern just mentioned.

The summer will come and it may go down. Unless everyone stays inside with their air conditioners and use up more energy.

This was one of the coldest winters ever in the northeast (I don't know about other regions). Simple supply and demand. The more people demand it, the more a provider can charge for it.

Perndog · #12

The prices are so damned outrageous because they increase so fast. Ten years ago they hovered around a buck where I grew up and now they've almost doubled.

MEATMAN · #13

Quote:

Originally Posted by El Blanco

And who says the prices are so damned outrageous?

I pay for regular than whatever price Pern just mentioned.

The summer will come and it may go down. Unless everyone stays inside with their air conditioners and use up more energy.

This was one of the coldest winters ever in the northeast (I don't know about other regions). Simple supply and demand. The more people demand it, the more a provider can charge for it.

You don't have a fucking clue at all, do you? Come here. Now, what I'm going to tell you may sound strange, but trust me on this.

Ready?

*in ear* OPEC IS SCREWING US OVER!!!

El Blanco · #14

Welcome to 1978.

Didn't we just invade an OPEC nation? Aren't we shooting dirty looks at 2 or 3 other?

If it was OPEC, we would know because the raise wouldn't be this damn gradual.

Its a raise in consumption. People driving more and using less efficient cars and using up lots of electricity at home. The oil companies raised the prices.

GAsux · #15

They probably raised it so much in Cali because a)so many more people are driving now here in the winter than they do in the summer. Im sure it's a proven fact or something that February forces more people onto the roads and b)because with the harsh winter we've been having, people are using gas more to heat their homes. Even more so than last year. I guess. So it makes perfect sense that gas would be 40-50 cents higher this year than last year.

DamnthatDavid · #16

Funny Story. First, here are the OPEC Nations.

Algeria - North Africa
Indonesia - Oceania
Iran - Middle East
Iraq - Middle East
Kuwait - Middle East
Libya - North Africa
Nigeria - Africa
Qatar - Middle East
Saudi Arabia - Middle East
United Arab Emirates - Middle East
Venezuela - South America

And yet, they do not make up the 50% of all our Oil Imports. we, roughly get only about 25-35% of our oil from OPEC.

Now, OPEC has decided to cut back oil exports by 10%.
What is 10% of even 50% of all oil imports for the United States?
And This 10% is split among all the other countries which will need fuel. Japan, Russia, Europe, etc.

Strange, ain't it, that our gas prices are jumping like this.
It all a surreal world ain't it? Domino effect price guage.

US Oil companies see that OPEC is lowering the exports of oil.
And the American people see this also. This tells them. "Gas Prices may rise" The US Oil decides this is the perfect moment to tack on an extra 10-20% price for each barrel. Figuring that Americans are already preparing for a increase in gas prices, and hell, they wouldn't ask to many questions over a higher increase. And if they complain, it's unpatriotic it is!

davinxtk · #17

Yeah, uhm. This has absolutely nothing to do with the cold in the Northeast. I live on Cape Cod, MA. You don't get much further east than here, and there are only three or four states that count as being further north, either.

My gas prices? $1.89 for premium. (my volvo doesn't like low octane. go figure.)

mew barios · #18

could someone explain how using more electricity or natural gas would increase gasoline prices? people keep sayin it, an i don't understand how there would be a relationship o.o

it's 1.51 here :o hurhur

El Blanco · #19

Because not everyone uses natural gas. I know my parents use oil to heat their home.

davinxtk · #20

Oil isn't gasoline.

mew barios · #21

actually i can buy the petrolbased heating idea. i've never seen it before o.o but it doesn't get very cold around here, and i guess people up farther north would never have seen things like heat pumps.

Quote:

Unless everyone stays inside with their air conditioners and use up more energy.

could yew explain that though o.o?

mburbank · #22

Here's my overall problem. For the last three years, my heating bill has gone up, running my car costs more, my car insurance costs more, my health insurance costs more. When you add those costs together they are significantly more than my anual raises.

And I at least AM employed, OWN a car and HAVE health insurance. So this is what things are like for someone who's lucky.

All this is taking place during a period of fairly low inflation. Every year I have less. So when I can I work a few more hours, I grab any freelance work I can get to keep up, and I know for a fact a lot of folks have it worse. I'm middle America and not only can I not get ahead, I can't keep pace.

And I'm faced with a presidential election that will almost certianly be a face off between two multi Millionaires both of whom could stop working right now and the interest on their money alone would keep them and their children comfortably afloat for the rest of their lives.

I'm a little skeptical that either one of them can understand my concerns.

Vibecrewangel · #23

As usual Max, you have said better than I ever could.

I work 40 hours a week at Stanford
10 hours a week stocking shelves at Longs Drugs
Do secret shops whenever I can.
And.....sell stuff on e-bay.

I have, including my car, nearly $30,000.00 in debt. Most of which piled up "robbing Peter to pay Paul" during the tech boom. Back when my 450sq foot studio apartment was over $800.00 per month

I have literally $104.39 in savings. The rest is in checking 'cause I have bills to pay and a lot of debt over my head.

It is only due to the support of my now ex-boyfriend turned amazing roomate that I can keep my head above water.

I am also middle class.....if you go by my wages. But I feel ignored and unimportant to those in power. I am one of the working class. The hard working class. And my voice, my needs, go completely unnoticed.