"Think About It"

[reconeil]

"Think About It"
by N.R. Filidei (June 19, 2006 - commentary)

Whether one is a conservationist believing the elk, caribou, polar bear, tundra or whatever in frozen Northern Alaska are all important and all that actually matter (or not?), truly doesn't matter at all.
The American Consumer/Citizen/Taxpayer will forever be held hostage to greedy price-manipulators and price-gougings of "Their" very own National Resources. Think About It.

Even if one of the largest known oil and natural gas reserves were opened and tapped TOMORROW,...nothing would change. The Big Boys, Commodity Barons, speculators and even governments (Local, State & Federal) would merely have more to profit GREATLY (most believe obscenely) from. There would just be more to be daily excused by an obviously contrived and manipulated: "Supply & Demand" and/or outright grand scale public thievery.

Naturally, not all governments in The World are as resource exploiting in collusion with large corporate giants as are America's political leaders,...acting more so like Political Rulers. Other large oil exporting nations charge their respective citizenries quite reasonably for a gallon of gasoline. Saudi Arabia charges $0.91, Kuwait $0.78, Egypt $0.65, Nigeria $0.38, and much closer to home Venezuela charges Venezuelans 12 CENTS per gallon of gasoline.
WOW!!!,...and "They" are supposed to be The Bad Guys???

Would that both America's Leaders (of whatever BENT) and America's Oil Barrons (of whatever BENT),...were just a similarly citizenry-friendly towards Fellow Americans?

Regardless, and even if this: "Government (resources also) Of The People, By The People and For The People" were by some strange fluke switching to an ethanol type fuel TOMORROW,...here too very little (if anything?) worthwhile for the captive American Consumer would change.

After all, both large corporations and governments historically profiting greatly from what fuels, drives, heats and even cools in America,...would most certainly prefer the status quo and/or making ethanol THE NEW: "Golden Goose" or new commodity to be manipulated and price-gouged at whim.

Also, and normal American leadership and corporate behaviors aside, let's get a bit more realistic here. No one could honestly believe that a large exporter of crude oil (plus natural gas bonus) such as America is, will ever kiss-off gasoline and diesel for both travel and heating fuels, in favor of ethanol? There's just too much money at stake for: "The Fat Cats", "The Big Boys", "Oil Barrons" and governments. Well,...at least none will change gears or refineries until every last drop of crude oil in America has been depleted.

Still, Caveat Emptor and/or Let The Buyer Beware.
Even the gallon price of ethanol can be quite easily and greatly inflated, obscenely priced, controlled and manipulated as desired or wanted. Ethanol (likely even cereals also) pricings can also be cavalierly excused by that standardly typical and quite bogusly contrived: "Supply & Demand" NONSENSE.

Whatever, Demands known to The Ounce and so are Supplies known to The Ounce,...and both quite likely known and projected for oil even to The Year 3000.
Think About It.

The End

Neil

P.S. Have at it, Folks.
Or even better than that,...express some solutions
or ways of getting away from forever being held captive and
at the mercy of Society's Giants (both corporate and government).

[Advisor]

By all means, lets have state controlled economies.

[reconeil]

Why not? We already have one.

Still, I would much rather have a
more citizen-friendly:
"state controlled" and/or governmental
policies dictated type: "economy",...
rather than (corrected 6/20/06) what having now.

Neil

[39mto39g]

Just take oil off the futures market and it will fix itself.

[reconeil]

Good idea for The American Consumer.
But, and realistically, such will never happen.

Besides, and since America is also a LARGE OIL EXPORTER,
there's just to much money involved for both Big Oil and
The American Government to loose.

After all, not only do America's 5 big oil companies profit
greatly from our standard and pretty-much like clockwork and
expected at every opportunity profiteerings and price-gougings,...
so do America's politicians and/or U.S. Governments
(both State & Federal) welcome such just as well.

Hell,...of The Many Billion$ in QUARTERLY EXCESS PROFITS,
The Feds alone glean about 47% in taxes,...and without having
any business expenses whatsoever or doing any exploration.
Thus, U.S. Government also loves such Public Rip-offs and/or
status quo,...and so do The States for their piece of The Action.

Neil

[39mto39g]

with all the oil exporting countries there would have to be a price war. After all, Mexico would want to sell there oil to the US and if some other country under bids Mexico, then Mexico would have to under bid them. This would encourege new refineries and much bigger output, thus lower prices. When Caseco first made a digital camera it was not very good, 180x380 , I bought one for around $500. But the more people got into the manufacturing of digital cameras the lower the price where you can now get a 5 meg camera for around $150. Compitition works. If you let it. there is no incetive to sell for less if you already sold all you have 10 months from now.
price-gougings take two people two work, If your dumb enough to pay $10.00 a gallon for gas I would say you put yourself in that spot or your just not watching out for what it is your buying, in any case I would also like to sell you some $5.00 bricks. I don't see anything wrong with price gouging. Your electricity goes out and I have ice , why should I sell it to you for $1.00 when you don't buy it from me for $1.00when you have electricity. You should have a generator or pay $5.00 for ice.
Ron

[Boats]

Neil,

If I recall when working in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in 76 - I believe the gasoline prices were 8 cents a gallon.

[reconeil]

Good analogies for purchasing: "Cameras" & "Bricks".
But,...such certainly way-off-track with ANY: "Compitition"
WHATSOEVER & that; "Price-gougings take two people two work".

With fuels,...there is NO COMPETITION WHATSOEVER.
Plus, "We The (Schnooks)" and/or the captive consumer
get daily victimized,...whether realized, liked, accepted (or not).
We just have no choice. Want to drive? Pay as dictated.
Want to stay warm or cool? Pay as dictated.

Besides, and since don't believe you are an Oil Barron or
Politician either,...what's so bad about having: "Compitition,
"New refineries" and "Price wars" for The American Consumer
and The American Economy??? I believe such would be the
greatest things ever for both America and The World.

When I was a kid after WWII, gasoline: "Price Wars" at about
15.9 and 17.9 cents a gallon didn't cause We The People any
problem at all. Besides being welcomed by most all, such
helped produce the greatest economy and greatest and most
powerful nation on planet earth.

Still, "Price Wars" most certainly aren't great for Oil Moguls,
stock & commodity manipulators, politicians and governments.
But,...SO WHAT??? GREAT FOR PEOPLE & ECONOMIES.

Neil

[39mto39g]

either you didn't read my post or you chose to ignore what I wrote.
You wrote"
Besides, and since don't believe you are an Oil Barron or
Politician either,...what's so bad about having: "Compitition,
"New refineries" and "Price wars" for The American Consumer
and The American Economy??? I believe such would be the
greatest things ever for both America and The World."
I wrote the same thing.
"This would encourege new refineries and much bigger output, thus lower prices"

And your first paragraph I just don't undersatnd,
"But,...such certainly way-off-track with ANY: "Compitition"
WHATSOEVER & that; "Price-gougings take two people two work".

But then I have that problem with a lot of people hear that read my post, Somehow I write "I win" And they read"I lost" Or whatever!
Ron

[reconeil]

Re-read your post starting with:
"Don't think so neil"
So, and with such a start-off point, automatically assumed you
were knocking competition and gasoline price wars, and
basically weren't on the same page.

Plus, and even after re-reading same, I still see no valid
comparison to either competitive pricing of cameras or
bricks,...to any pricings of fuels in America whatsoever.

There just simply are no competitive pricings for fuels
and/or gasoline and diesel (both driving & heating) in America.
Prices here are dictated by The Big Boys pretty-much to the
tenth of a penny,...and that's that.
BUY IT or WALK.

Neil