Then don't use words like vapid in the wrong context. Vapid, meaning dull or lacking briskness doesn't really seem like the right word now does it?

 

It hasn't, at least not too much. The RAW MATERIAL (oil) has increased in price 50%. Which is why their finished product (gas) has increased.

The "rest of the money" is going to the Middle East to buy things like 24 kt. plated Rolls Royce's with platinum plated dub-twos.

 

Someone mentioned here that the Government took 41% of what Exxon made last year while the oil companies take 10% of what we pay them (profit margin).

Who is screwing who?

Oh and by the way, while Exxon paid 41% in taxes last year, we as consumers paid that tax. If you tax Exxon at 75%, guess what happens? They raise their prices to preserve their profit.

Consumers pay all the tax in America. Corporations pay nothing, they just pass it on, especially at the commodity level.

Increasing taxes is the WORST thing you could do.

If you truly want to "screw" the oil companies, stop buying gas. "I just can't do that". We don't have many options here. Pretty much the only reasonable ones these days is either a LPG car (Honda) or buying a diesel and converting it to run on vegetable oil.

 

Maybe we should mark ticket prices up a bit. Seems like in business you pass along increased costs to the consumer. Airlines can't seem to figure this out.

 

That is a great idea, but considering we'd have to do it almost EVERY DAY, it might get a bit expensive AND start turning off the passengers. Oil is becoming such a big PITA for airlines I wouldn't be surprised to see a few of them out of business very soon. I do find it interesting that $500 million in employee concessions in totally wiped out by two or three days of oil trading.

 

I meant it more in the "stale" or "lacking significance" context, which is how personal attacks in leu of relevant discussion appear to me.

But now that you have mentioned it, it does also seem "dull" and "lacking briskness" to attack instead of discuss, as in "lazy" or "unstimulating" (which is actually a synonym for "vapid"), so thank you! JP

 

I think JetPiedmont and Jungle are right on target so far re: their statements about oil prices. I can tell JP is a retired airline pilot because I believe his sentiments reflect some of the concerns that pilots from his generation may have about the continued viability of our industry...they've seen some dramatic changes in their time, to say the least. Rather than moaning/groaning and trying to direct blame re: oil, these guys are simply telling it like it is...it hurts, but sometimes the truth hurts.

Complaining about oil prices is sort of like complaining about the weather...blaming politicians for the high cost of oil is sort of like holding 'em accountable for the weather. Politicians are inherently reactionary. This is why pilots and politicians are hardwired so differently. A pilot asks ATC for a 20 degree deviation left/right of course to avoid a build-up ahead...a politician flys into the build-up, then requests a deviation after it's too late. The only thing politicians are good for is pure entertainment...I wouldn't expect much more from them.

Anyhow, I've enjoyed this conversation so far re: oil prices. I wouldn't roast JP, I think his posts have been informative and to the point. He is clearly too far grounded in reality to be a communist and he sounds nothing like Putin for that matter.

 

[quote=Lighteningspeed;335002

 

I understand everyone's point of view but (and maybe I missed it on one of the earlier pages) has anyone just considered that oil may be over $100 a barrel becasue for the last couple years we've been slipping toward a recession and the dollar sucks? The canadian dollar was stronger than the US dollar just a year and it's hovering at .98 to 1 right now! Maybe I'm naive here but I'm sure our tanking economy is helping to push that oil price up a bit?
Besides, can't be that bad yet right? No one is waiting in line for gas at the stations and no one is car-pooling yet, so I guess "we're" all just happy drinking our $4 dollar lattes and complaing about $3 gas!?

 

You are the one with the "Stale, and dull" argument and conjectures that does not help anyone except maybe make sorry excuses for the oil business. I've heard your kind of reasoning over and over from the media and the oil industry. Laziness is when you accept what the oil industry spews out and accept that as the truth without doing some investigation on your own. I showed your post to few of my airline pilot friends and they all agree you are a poser.