Gas prices for high test is $4 to $5 per gallon
 

I don't think this is political. Just heard the President's speech. He pretty much admitted that he doesn't have the short term answer. Said something about making gas out of algae. I think you need alot of algae to fill a tank. What about the fish? environment? cost? $100 per gallon?

I think gas will be $10 per gallon soon.

You're probably right. (We grow that stuff in the ground up here ;-))

Isn't it subsidized? How much will it cost when subsidies stop? Doesn't it increase the price of food when corn is diverted for gas?

Contrary to popular belief, presidents don't have a magic dial behind their desk that affects gas prices. Neither Democrats nor Republicans. ;) Obama's right in that there aren't any short-term solutions.

Policy certainly can effect gas prices, but it's more a mental game than an actual physical effect. Opening up the strategic oil reserve or allowing more drilling does calm the oil futures market, but only because people's fears & greed drive the market.

Really though, it's supply and demand. The rest of the world is using more and more oil, so prices will only continue to rise for everyone. 18 million cars were sold in China last year, almost 6 million more than in the US. I'd wager that a fair number of those 18 million cars are to people who have never had a car before. People who have never needed X gallons of gasoline a week. India is also emerging as a significant market as well. That supply has to come from somewhere.

This recent surge is because we're coming out of winter in the US and because many economists think the world economy is regaining strength (a topic for another thread... :roflpuke2: )

But it's not all doom and gloom.

The flip side is that supply & demand economics works both ways. As prices rise, there's more incentive for companies to tap new sources of oil. The oil is there, it's just expensive to get it from the ground to your tank. Deeper capacity rigs & more complicated (and expensive) extraction techniques become fiscally viable. More incentives to develop alternative fuels. And when those things happen, more oil is introduced into the system, which calms down supply fears, which tends to stabilizes prices. It's all a matter of cycles.

Hate to break it to you, but good ole petrol isn't exactly kind to fish or the environment. Bio fuels, like the algae-based methods is something that suppliments other sources, not replace them. Its just ethanol when you get down to it and the more alternatives, the better. There is no short term answer because the science is still in its infancy. It's a non-polluting & more importantly renewable energy source. You'd have to be nuts to still believe the "drill baby drill" mentallity is the sollution. The reason gas is so high is because the oil company has us by the balls. They can swing gas prices at will.

Natural gas prices are 80% down. The supply of nat. gas is great. Sypply & demand works there. We refine & export gasoline all over the world. Why don't we raise the taxes on the "big bad gas companies" on exported gas. Why don't we drill & develope our oil & work with Canada to develope their's. We would have enough for about 100 years. That would give us time to develope nuke & other forms of energy.

I want people in charge to find answers & take responsibility!!!!!!!!!

:iagree:, I was getting ready to trade my wife's Honda fit in this week for the juke but the gas price going to 5-6 or more has caused me to rethink trading abcar that gets 35mpg to one that gets 24ish (awd model) guess I won't be stimulating the econ this yr

The upside is cars like the Leaf! I may be in the minority but I really want to see the next Z go electric or hybrid at the least. MPG is becoming a bigger factor for me personally in buying cars.

Maybe prices are rising because Dubai is going broke? Lol

A huge portion of our oil does come from Canada and our own. 100 years also isn't a lot of time. What do you think will happen to gas prices when we reach the 90 year mark? Who gives a crap, you'll be dead right?:rolleyes:

Electric cars are no better, that's a gimmick to make people "feel" green. Where does most of the electricity come from? Coal burning plants.

They'll pry my gas burning engines from my cold dead hands.

The biggest mistake is allowing a gasoline/oil to be traded on the open market as a commodity like a stock. Anytime investors stand to make money, and the news propagates all this "gas will be $5 a gallon" of course they make it happen by buying up the price of the commodity on the market.

Supply and demand has less effect on fuel prices than the actual market does. That should be eliminated.

Unless, of course, you own stock in oil companies or are a commodities trader. :stirthepot:

;)

Hybrids are worse for the environment than gas engines. It does help get us away from oil, but in the end, we need to find an alternative fuel source. Electricity in the United States primarily comes from burning fossil fuels.

Or maybe Saudi Arabia is running out of oil... Supply and demand ;)

I agree, to an extent.


I think you guys should take a look at this documentary with Michael Ruppert. It's called Collapse and it's available for rent on Amazon.

Amazon.com: Collapse: Michael Ruppert, Chris Smith, Kate Noble, N/A: Amazon Instant Video



I'm not saying to take everything in that film as truth, but just being aware of the things mentioned in that film is a good start. Do your own research.

Exactly my point. It's not like this is some product that people can live without. These types of products shouldn't be traded on a market that influences the prices folks have to pay. Let real supply and demand dictate that.

Also those batteries in electric cars are toxic to make, and toxic to dispose of when they're belly up after 5 years. Expensive to replace too.