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Author Topic: Gasoline Madness;When to Stop  (Read 351157 times)
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flintstone mop
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« on: May 22, 2008, 08:16:09 PM »

Hello Friends,
As luck would have it, I found a full-time job paying a whopping $10/hr. Not bad for Western Pa. I love the work. Repairing anything that can make or recieve RF. Portables, mobiles, base stations, pagers. Kenwood commercial commo equipment and some of the high priced spread from Motorola.
Vehicle useage is around 320 mi every 5 days WORK and INCLUDING family needs and chores. Vehicle getting around 27MPG. $48/fillup @ $4.00/ Gal as of May 22, '08
After Taxes I estimate clearing $320.00/Wk
Looks like I'll spend about $320/mo for fuel. When should I pull the switch on the job??? I'm tempted to put a "carpool ad" in the local paper and give someone a lift to their work, provided we're travelling in the same direction for work and return home.
If this craziness continues $4.50/Gal?Huh?, we'll have to cancel other plans for travel and renting a vehicle, figuring on the high side of 5 tanks of gas for driving visiting relatives and friends Las Vegas, Nevada and more visiting in Phoenix, Arizona ( about a 3 hr drive one way). Also guessing  $400.00 for fueling a car that fits our family needs of hauling a baby around. It can't be a sardine can.
What do you folks think?
Thanks...have a quiet weekend
Fred

Fred
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ka3zlr
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« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2008, 08:28:23 PM »

Hi Fred,

 Topic today on the rig radio was Fuel Tanker Safety, issues the Tanker Drivers are experiencing while on the Job. Those that yaked gave their responses around folks flipping them off to some drivers blowing their horns and some even out and out just passing them with no Respect as to driving safety on signaling.

 I broke in for a period and stated my concern with "When" the point is reached by some offended citizenry, by the obvious that in this country whose population is What, #. ?,  i don't know the number exactly but across the board , the potential exists for More outwardly actions against them as price increases which would entail a scare across the drivers in total not to pull... 

Thus create a shortage...it got quiet on the radio for a bit after my explanation...

one guy expleted that's all we need...

Think about it...

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N3DRB The Derb
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« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2008, 08:35:25 PM »

Phred,

hang on to that job. The park and ride idea is a good one, if you could get a rider or 2 that would drop the cost a hell of a lot. 27 mpg is not bad. I get 22 hwy with a full size Dodge Ram 1500, but it has the 3.7 V-6 and a 5 spd stick which is why.

See if you can get a car pool going in your direction. Jobs in that field where you are are not that common.

I'm getting ready to mount that big ass switch you sent me on the wall and hook er up - it will switch the open wire feeders from the operating bench to the repair bench.  Cool
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ab3al
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« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2008, 09:20:43 PM »

it could be worse..

me= self employed

miles per week 1100

miles per gallon= 18

gallons per week about 60 @ 4.70 per gallon

no i cant go smaller than a 2500 ram deisel carry 1400 lbs of stuff and a trailer once a week

little over $1100 a month in fuel

like i said.. could be worse



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AF9J
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« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2008, 10:50:34 PM »

You want to know fun?  Today, gas hit $4.20/gallon here!  I took a chance, and drove 11 miles over into the next county, where I got gas at "only" $4/gallon.  My car is a Chevy Prizm LSI (basically a rebadged Toyota Corolla), so its fuel economy isn't the worst.  But, it wouldn't hurt my feelings one bit, if they started exploiting that shale oil they found in North Dakota.

73,
Ellen - AF9J

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WD8BIL
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« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2008, 10:58:42 PM »

Quote
But, it wouldn't hurt my feelings one bit, if they started exploiting that shale oil they found in North Dakota.

You mean... actually USE some of our own natural resources ?
What about the snakes that'll loose their home ?
Boy... I don't think we wanna start down that path. It's... it's.....
sensible !!!
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AF9J
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« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2008, 11:00:49 PM »

Yeah, you're right about that Buddly.  Heaven forbid!!

Ellen - AF9J
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ka3zlr
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« Reply #7 on: May 23, 2008, 04:21:11 AM »

The module in place is perfect by design, what better environment could there be for a business, keep all activity off shore..bring your product to the market moguls...control the spigots. It's grand if your on the side that's producing, the product isn't manufactured, it's found drawn and processed.

It's not like creating plastics.

I like that, surviving with 1970 wages in 2008 inflation.

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Blaine N1GTU
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« Reply #8 on: May 23, 2008, 06:32:38 AM »

get a motorcycle, just taking it a few times a week makes a difference, my truck=15-20mpg the bike is 45-50mpg
the little vespa's get something like 80mpg



or maybe just a little scooter  Grin



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w3jn
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« Reply #9 on: May 23, 2008, 06:49:58 AM »

I'm used to paying $4/gal for gas, having done so when I lived in Cuba.  It is what it is, pissing and moaning ain't gonna change it.  One thing I do know:  buying a new car to "save money" on gas is a losing proposition...
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WD8BIL
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« Reply #10 on: May 23, 2008, 08:03:05 AM »

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I like that, surviving with 1970 wages in 2008 inflation.

Close Jack, but not quite.

More like trying to run a 2008 population on 1976 supply capability.
We ain't built a new refinery in 32 years. Thank you EPA and enviromental (heavy on mental) wacos.

Gasoline Co. profits are 8.7 cents a gal.
The Feds take in $1.26 in taxes per gallon. 18 cents at the pump alone !

Now.... who really gouging us Huh
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The Slab Bacon
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« Reply #11 on: May 23, 2008, 08:10:36 AM »

this whole scenario really sucks!! But what in the hell can we do?? I would rather have to pay the high price than have to sit in line for days to get it like we did back in the 70s. Lets face it time is money, no matter how you look at it.

What really pisses me off is that it is more profitable for the oil companies to buy foreign oil than pay American workers to bring up our own oil. The rich and powerful OPEC countries wouldnt be anywhere as rich and powerful if we didnt buy their oil. Those b@$#%rds need us as much as we need them. Without us, there would be no market for their oil! Yea, other countries would buy some of it, but not as much as we do.

If we as a whole country found a way to dramatically cut our thirst for foreign oil, we as a country could regain much better control of the market pricing. For many of us, there are memories of a time when the only things we imported were exotic stuff and gourmet foods. There is really no reason why we couldnt get back to that again. It would be tough for a while, but I believe that in the long run it would be well worth it.

I dont know about others in this day of the "me" generation, but I would be more than willing to make sacrifices to get this country back to what it once was!!

                                                         The Slab Bacon
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K3ZS
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« Reply #12 on: May 23, 2008, 08:48:25 AM »

Lower the federal deficit, increase interest rates=dollar goes up, oil prices crash, otherwise the economy will crash first.
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Ed KB1HVS
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« Reply #13 on: May 23, 2008, 09:03:12 AM »

The Exxon/Mobile dicks testified that we need to conserve more. They are making record profits. Why explore for new resources when you don't have to. They are laughing at us while we whine. Even if they would, do you think it will make much of a difference?
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WU2D
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« Reply #14 on: May 23, 2008, 09:09:28 AM »

I have had to work in Mass several times due to lay offs and good offers putting up with a long commute and paying taxes to another state even though I live in NH which has no income tax. This type of commute eats cars and people, but the pay in Mass is better...

I changed jobs and got back to working in NH several years ago cutting my commute from 110 miles per day to 44 and eliminating the tax, and feeling more human.

Last year I changed again due to a company buyout and got 8 miles closer to home.

That cut my commute down to 28 miles round trip. This last move was not planned but the savings are noticed.

Mike WU2D
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Ott
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« Reply #15 on: May 23, 2008, 09:19:03 AM »

this whole scenario really sucks!! But what in the hell can we do??

                                                         The Slab Bacon

Better get an idea soon... its summer now but winter is surely coming and a lot of people are gonna face decisions like heat or food or gas or kids medicine but with only enough money for one...

Ott



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WA1GFZ
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« Reply #16 on: May 23, 2008, 09:30:13 AM »

remember who you voted for last election, feel stupid yet?
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WD8BIL
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« Reply #17 on: May 23, 2008, 09:41:57 AM »

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remember who you voted for last election, feel stupid yet?

Nope... my senators both voted to build new refineries on the closed military bases out west to help with the supply/demand dilema. Which the Prez had promised to sign if passed.
BUT.... the envirowaco controlled senate voted it down.
So we're stuck with 30 yr old capacity for a demand that's more than tripled since!

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KA1ZGC
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« Reply #18 on: May 23, 2008, 10:26:53 AM »

The Exxon/Mobile dicks testified that we need to conserve more. They are making record profits.

Those "record profits" go to their shareholders in the form of dividends.

My parents have worked hard all their lives and just recently retired. A large portion of their retirment is in the stocks they own, a large portion of those stocks being in Mobil. When people hear "shareholders", they picture the Donald Trumps of America, not the hard-working backbone of this country who depend on those dividends for their survival. They are a publicly owned company.

I don't like the idea of the House and Senate punishing my parents because the price of crude oil is going up. They collect more in taxes (average $0.44/gallon) than the oil companies collect in profits (after you deduct operational costs like refinement and shipping).

Why explore for new resources when you don't have to. They are laughing at us while we whine. Even if they would, do you think it will make much of a difference?

Which "they"? My parents aren't laughing, and they're putting food on the table with the money ExxonMobil pays out in dividends.

There's no one "they" to blame, here. We are addicted to gasoline as a culture, the House and Senate are addicted to tax revenue by tradition, and the tree huggers are addicted to keeping places they've never seen (and couldn't find on a map) looking pretty for postcards in the name of ecology.

A publicly-owned company making profits for the public who bought in to that company is not the culprit.

How much money is being forked out to pay for these hearings, I wonder? Probably coming out of that 44 cents per gallon the gubmint has their hand out for.

Forget the profits going to the (millions of) shareholders, follow where the rest of the money is going, and you'll see it's totally different from (but still worse than) you thought.

--Thom
Killer Agony One Zipper Got Caught
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WA1GFZ
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« Reply #19 on: May 23, 2008, 10:42:40 AM »

based on that logic we all should pay $10/ga so Tom's parents can smile.
maybe I should ask my boss for another raise or maybe get a second job.
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KA1ZGC
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« Reply #20 on: May 23, 2008, 10:53:31 AM »

based on that logic we all should pay $10/ga so Tom's parents can smile.
maybe I should ask my boss for another raise or maybe get a second job.

Yeah Frank, it figures you'd ignore the point I was trying to make and focus on the fact that my parents bought Mobil stock with their hard-earned money some 40 years ago.

You seem to think I was justifying the current gas prices. Of course, if you'd actually read what I wrote, you'd see I'm blaming government and social policies for the mess we're in.

By the way, my folks pay the same price for gas that you do.

Please, don't let that stop you blaming them, though.
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Bill, KD0HG
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« Reply #21 on: May 23, 2008, 10:57:49 AM »

A month or two ago an oil company bigwig said that they all canceled plans to build new refineries because of the recent national mandate to use ethanol for motor fuel. As it is, the existing ones are running at only 85% of capacity in part because demand for gasoline has stagnated in the USA.

Of course, they don't mind if someone else gets blamed..
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KA1ZGC
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« Reply #22 on: May 23, 2008, 10:59:52 AM »

Blame me. I'm a Republican, so it's obviously my fault.
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W8EJO
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« Reply #23 on: May 23, 2008, 11:12:50 AM »

There is only one bogeyman in the oil & gas market & it is not the "greedy" oil company or the "wasteful" American consumer. Both are simply operating in the existing marketplace just as we all do every day as we either produce or consume various products.

The one and only bogeyman is the RADICAL ENVIROMENTALIST. The leaders of thesese groups (Greenpeace, Enviromental Defense, Audubon Society, et al) are  hard core. They'd just as soon bring down Western civiliation to ensure a "natural" environment. I love clean water & fresh air. I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t. In that sense we are all environmentalists but the supply of oil & gas & electricity is being kept artificially low by the radical environmentalists in & out of government while the demand keeps increasing.

Imagine any other market where as demand soared the supply was kept artificially stagnant. Take PC’s. We all own one or more & no one could argue that demand has not soared over the last 30 years. But unlike the energy industry the supply of PC’s has kept up to (and even surpassed) demand leading to lower market prices. It’s not that Intel stockholders are less greedy than Exxon stockholders. It’s that government has not artificially limited production of chips & software.

With today’s modern, clean drilling techniques we could successfully & cleanly recover the 10.5 billion barrels in ANWAR and the 115 billion barrels off the Florida coast . (For reference we’ll import about 4 billion barrels in 2008 meaning the ANWAR & FL reserves alone would add 31 years to our supply). This is just the oil. There is also 650 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in these reserves. We need to use these resources as we develop new technologies efficient alternatives. I haven't even mentioned the east & west coast offshore reserves & the massive oil shale deposits out west. But the radical environmentalists in and out of our government have stymied the recovery of this oil forcing soaring fuel prices and extreme economic hardship on us all.


Other envirorad policies such as no new refineries, summer boutique fuels and no new nuke plants in decades are also limiting energy supply leading to higher prices.

Our nation’s energy policies, bullied as they’ve been by enviro-radicals, are rapidly leading our nation and our way of life to an early and untimely demise. If continued, these policies will mean a dark hard future for our children and grandchildren.

We need to tell the EnviroRads to go to hell by calling our senators & house reps & demand they open up production in this country.

End of story!
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Terry, W8EJO

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Brrrr- it's cold in the shack! Fire up the BIG RIG


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« Reply #24 on: May 23, 2008, 11:13:13 AM »

Yes Thom,

I blame you.
You alone.

You you you you.

You did it.

'Fess up.

                   _-_-bear
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_-_- bear WB2GCR                   http://www.bearlabs.com
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