Why we are victims of the oil industry

[414Flyer]

I know that sounds good, but I don't believe that lowering consumption does anything for the long term. If consumption rate per person goes down, all they need to do is lower the supply to meet the new lower rate; thus keeping us sucking on the oil nipple for many, many more years.

So how exactly do oil companies keep you dependent on them? Are they supposed to stop sellling gasoline to you ? No one holds a gun to your head and makes you buy a car, or makes you buy fuel. Gasoline conservation was at one time seen as patriotic, now people whine if they have to do things like conserve or car pool.

 

[ACWild]

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Mr. Hat - USA Today did an analysis of the hybrids and the two issues that stood out were the fact that the advertised EPA mileage on the sticker wasn't even close to what people were getting in actual driving. That seemed to be due to the fact that the EPA allows the manufacturer to really "stack the deck" in their favor during proving runs. The other factor was the hybrid premium of $5000-$8000 you pay up front doesn't make up for the higher gas mileage over the expected five year life of the vehicle.
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My Civic Hybrid is rated at 47/48. In reality, especially after the software updates it's averaging 54 to 56 mpg. It has a lot to do with the fact that I do highway driving and don't floor the gas pedal. Now when I get stuck in stop and go traffic, all bets are off.
The govornment quietly supports alternative energy. NJ payed 70 percent upfront for my photovoltaic solar cells. Also, as an extra incentive, they created an S-RECs program that pays me for the electricity that I generate even though I'm the consumer. Kind of like double-dipping, since I also get money for the excess electricity that I generate from the utility company.
No if every household incorporated this system, we would have an abundance of electric power. Then we could convert more of our appliances that rely on other power sources to electric thus freeing up another energy source for things that absolutely require it.

 

[turbodriver]

Having lost two mainline-flying jobs due to mismanagement and oil prices, it's infuriating to see oil priced as it is.

Exxon Mobil's 2nd quarter profit was a whopping 7.64 billion dollars! And, the other oil companies were just as busy laughing all the way to the bank, as they held all consumers and companies by the you-know-whats.

The bottom line is that we are being scammed, by oil-producing nations (with OPEC at the top of the list) and the oil companies. When it costs an OPEC nation around $1.50 to produce a barrel of oil, and they sell it for the current price of around $65 per barrel, that's pure greed -- especially considering that it just wasn't too long ago that oil was priced at $17 per barrel.

I got fed up and wondered why the oil industry does to us what it does. I recently read a book, Over A Barrel: Breaking The Middle East Oil Cartel, by Raymond Learsy. It explains everything about the oil scam that we're forced to pay for every day. It describes, in great detail, the gross extent to which the oil-producing nations and the oil companies are in collusion to break us of our pocketbooks.

I greatly urge all other pilots to read this book, to get an education on what's really going on. I have no ties to the publisher, so I'm just recommending it as a mere reader. But, please, go out and get a copy and read it (it's not a Bush-bashing book, as it's written by a conservative and former Reagan appointee). It will change your outlook on what's going on in this nation.

So you want to know why we're oil victims you say......

It's probably been said but I'll say it again.

Because a oil man in in the white house who won't explore new technology which will get us off the oil spigot.

Plain and simple.

 

[USNFDX]

So you want to know why we're oil victims you say......

It's probably been said but I'll say it again.

Because a oil man in in the white house who won't explore new technology which will get us off the oil spigot.

Plain and simple.

Plane and Simple...You're a bunch of hypocrits

I didn't know it was the Gov't job to explore new technology. Again if you were true to your idealism.....$3.00 a gallon is good thing...it's good for the environment, and will spur R&D for alternative more enviromentaly friendly alternative energy sources.

You libs all for alternative sources, as long it's not your own backyard. What happend to the wind farm in Long Island Sound??????????

 

[Dangerkitty]

My Civic Hybrid is rated at 47/48. In reality, especially after the software updates it's averaging 54 to 56 mpg. It has a lot to do with the fact that I do highway driving and don't floor the gas pedal. Now when I get stuck in stop and go traffic, all bets are off.
The govornment quietly supports alternative energy. NJ payed 70 percent upfront for my photovoltaic solar cells. Also, as an extra incentive, they created an S-RECs program that pays me for the electricity that I generate even though I'm the consumer. Kind of like double-dipping, since I also get money for the excess electricity that I generate from the utility company.
No if every household incorporated this system, we would have an abundance of electric power. Then we could convert more of our appliances that rely on other power sources to electric thus freeing up another energy source for things that absolutely require it.

What a minute. I am a little confused here. I have been doing alot of Hybrid research lately and I read that with a Hybrid you actually get BETTER mileage in the city becuase the electric part of the Hybrid was powering the car much more than the gas engine is. This becuase you are at slower speeds where the electric side of the Hybrid is driving the motor. On the highway usually the gas engine is the only thing powering the vehicle becuase the electric cannot power the vehicle above certain speeds.

So when you state "All bets are off when it comes to stop and go traffic" what do you mean. It was my understanding that that is were you get the best MPG's becuase you were basically all electric.

Also, where did you get the software upgrade? Did you go to Honda and they installed it for you?

 

[Dangerkitty]

So you want to know why we're oil victims you say......

It's probably been said but I'll say it again.

Because a oil man in in the white house who won't explore new technology which will get us off the oil spigot.

Plain and simple.

That is such an uneducated and ill-informed statement that it is laughable.

It's not the government's job to go out and "explore" new technology dumbass. That's the job of the private sector. In case you didn't know we live in a Capitalistic country. Not the Socialist/Communist "Utopia" that I am sure you pray for every night.

Please go out and find some new material. The Liberal playbook is getting very very predictable.

 

[ACWild]

The electric motor on the Civic Hybrid only provides assistance to the combustion engine, so it really only kicks in during high demand. The majority of the savings come from the little engine. The Toyotas may be different, but that's the way the Hondas are.
During stop and go, I have to hit 10 mph before the automatic engine shutoff kicks in. If I don't get up to that speed, the car will idle.
The electric motor provides lots of torque, so acceleration with a full car is very good.
The software upgrades are free from the Honda dealers. Usually they do it when I get an oil change, but I had a recall that required a software change too. Basically, it smoothed out the amount the electric motor kicked in so that there wasn't a jolt. Also, it improved mileage by making the electric motor take on more of a load.

 

[turbodriver]

Plane and Simple...You're a bunch of hypocrits

I didn't know it was the Gov't job to explore new technology. Again if you were true to your idealism.....$3.00 a gallon is good thing...it's good for the environment, and will spur R&D for alternative more enviromentaly friendly alternative energy sources.

You libs all for alternative sources, as long it's not your own backyard. What happend to the wind farm in Long Island Sound??????????

And I didn't know that it was the govt's job to implement policies to curb new technologies created by that same private capitalistic industry that you love so much. (ie: stem cells, "global warming doesn't exist so we can keep drilling) I'm sure that $3.00 per gal of gas is just the biggest incentive that big oil needs in order to wean us off oil. And that same private industry will get all kinds of gov't support in order to accomplish the goal of finding new energy sources that does not happen to be black gold that squirts out of the ground which is dug up by Bush's "base" I'm sure. You right wingers are just in the dark if you think that the gov't you helped elect is working for you. I also don't know about long island sound but there are wind farms a plenty out west. And what's this about not in my backyard? You righities are one to talk. As long as it’s not on your hunting ground, it’s ok. Please.

 

[414Flyer]

Why is it the Presidents job to get us technology? Its our job to demand it, and if we dont, its out own fault. There is constantly new technology coming out that exists without presidential executive order as far as I can tell.

Its the job of oil companies to explore for oil, produce it, and refine it into various fuels and petroleum based components at market prices. Its not their job to find us ways of transport that do not involve them, that is our job. Oil companies do not keep anyone from carpooling, biking, walking, or driving efficient cars.

If the people arent demanding other fuels, then why it is anyone elses job? Have you ever blamed Kennedy, Kerry or Clinton?

 

[turbodriver]

Why is it the Presidents job to get us technology? Its our job to demand it, and if we dont, its out own fault. There is constantly new technology coming out that exists without presidential executive order as far as I can tell.

Its the job of oil companies to explore for oil, produce it, and refine it into various fuels and petroleum based components at market prices. Its not their job to find us ways of transport that do not involve them, that is our job. Oil companies do not keep anyone from carpooling, biking, walking, or driving efficient cars.

If the people arent demanding other fuels, then why it is anyone elses job? Have you ever blamed Kennedy, Kerry or Clinton?

No one has blamed them for one reason, we were not at peak oil when Kennedy or Clinton was in office. Kerry isn't a factor so I don't know why you brought him up. Fuel also didn't spike 100% in a year under Clinton either. So I'll admit, no one was worried about it. Gore did advocate research into alternative energy sources but look where it got him. Greedy Americans want their hot rods that get 10 MPG and 300+ horseys. That's why we're in this boat now.