Gas went up to $3 a gallon. Did you cut back? how much? The supply was cut, it is now coming back on line. Yes they made big profits. But they would not have if you did not continue to buy it.

Yes Dr. Guy I did, and still do. I cancelled a labor day trip, and sent regrets on a wedding in MI. I stopped filling up, and spread my purchases over a longer period of time. They may still get my money, but not all at once.

As a side note: Interesting how profit has come to be a bad thing in some people's eyes

I've never thought profit was a bad thing. However I do think greed is.

Yes Dr. Guy I did, and still do. I cancelled a labor day trip, and sent regrets on a wedding in MI. I stopped filling up, and spread my purchases over a longer period of time. They may still get my money, but not all at once.

Great for you!  So did we.  We use to go down to New Kent about twice a week (about an hours drive), but have only been down there once since Katrina.  I dont like $3 gas either.

I'm not an ostrich. I just don't have a problem with Exxon charging as much as the market will bear.

The market isn't bearing it very well. Bus lines have eliminated routes and increased fares to cover increased fuel costs. Here in the midwest we're being warned of 70% heating fuel increases. Plane fares have soared. My office is relocating another 40 miles away. I may have to consider staying with them. The pay raise I'm due in January will be eaten away by the increased fuel cost. When it's the only game in town, it does impact what the market will bear.

People work to maintain and increase their standard of living. I resent having to put in overtime to offset increased energy costs, and rob my family of that time and effort. If I had a viable alternative, I'd come off the grid in a heartbeat.

Whatever your job is, think of what it would be like you if were forced to do it pretty much the same way it was done in the 70s. Think of doing much of what you do using 70s technology and prodecures... then come tell me how great it is that the government has such a stranglehold on fuel production.

First off, I didn't bring the government into it. I agree with you however. I'm not stupid enough not to realize that all the fees and surcharges and taxes are just a way for the government to skim off some of those profits. Hell, $1.15 of each gallon of gas sold here are local taxes. Don't tell me they're to maintain the roads I drive on. My local government tells me my license fees and property taxes do that.

The rest of your comment made me laugh (literally) because of the irony. I work for the government, and we do esentially do things the same way we did in the 70's! I was a young adult during the 70's and remember gas lines and "No Gas" signs quite well. I also remember an age before that of 35 cents a gallon and things called "gas wars" (gasp)!

I'm just disillusioned that I can read on page 1 of a paper about the record profits, and in another section how refining capacity isn't being increased. And yet as demand increases, production remains the same or decreases. I don't like being manipulated.

"I don't really buy that. That's like saying Walmart doesn't want to open more stores.

Of course they want to build more refineries, more product means more sales, which means more profit.

As a side note: Interesting how profit has come to be a bad thing in some people's eyes."

In reality the oil companies don't want to build refineries because the return on investment is far lower than the return on production. The margins for the refineries are low when compared to the rest of the distribution and production chain. The new bill will not spur a new batch of refineries to appear or even be proposed. At best, one will see the existing refineries will be expanded.

Don't like seeing all the arabs get ting rich. It cost them about $6.00 a barrell. Refineries just past that extra cost (60 pb)on to us willing who buy. What you can do about it is buy a vehicle that runs on E-85 (85% grain alchohol & 15% unleaded gasoline). Then since very few gas stations want to invest in the equipment to pump E-85 start campaining for that services with all the distributing stations such as Caey's Cubby's Quick stop on & on. Then get educated about Ethanol.
http://www.ethanol.org/energy.html

Wow! I guess I am just supposed to walk 17 miles one way to work in order to not buy the product I decry. That is the saddest and most pathetic excuse for these raiders yet.
It's a tough time for the oil companies! 9.9B
Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Katrina, yeah that's the ticket! 9.9B
Shortages due to increased consumption by China. 9.9B
Lie lie lie lie lie lie lie lie lie lie, yet lets trot out and defend them.

Wow! I guess I am just supposed to walk 17 miles one way to work in order to not buy the product I decry. That is the saddest and most pathetic excuse for these raiders yet.

Have you thought about a recumbent?  A Motorcycle?  A hybrid? An Electric car?  Maybe instead of making excuses, you can look for alternatives.  No one has a gun to your head making you buy.  You choose to work 17 miles away (or live that far away) and you choose to drive a gas car.  There are alternatives, and in this country, no one is forcing you to do anything.  You are choosing to do what you do. 

So now you want to blame others for your choices?

In other words it's not the same to convince a person to buy a product they don't need then to wait for people to come flocking to you for a product they can't live without.

Uh ... ok.
So what does all that have to do with the oil companies wanting to make more profit.

More product still equals more sales which still equals more profit.

So now you want to blame others for your choices?

Apparently so.

Actually I think it's more like "I'm having to make an effort or change my lifestyle because of circumstances beyond my control and someone needs to be blamed for it". "Since it is currently considered ok to paint large corporations that make profits as evildoers, I'll just jump on that bandwagon to obfuscate the fact that I don't want to take sole responsibility for my own wellbeing."

I don't have a problem with it. They sell oil and we buy it.

Its simple.

I do realize that many of us don't have a choice in the matter because riding a bike to work is not an option or heating their houses with wood sticks might cause problems.


Here is the situation... capitalizm. That should explain it fo ya.

By the way, I have a problem with oil period.

Them posting profits and being mad at it is like saying to the Saudi goverment stop selling oil at market prcies because its not nice.


There has been technology around for decades that would allow us to use vegetable oil for cars and trucks (using deisel engines) but we don't use it because of the cost of infastructure to re-biuld or re-furbish the gas stations and transportation lines to do it..

So we stay dependant on oil until its gone. Which means we pay for companies like Exxon to get rich. This also includes anyone else in the oil indrustry.

Oh and by the way... there is an eonomic term for goods that are a nessicity... I forget what its called.

Oil for many people is one, so I would disagree with the idea that 'just don't use it then' works.
This does not take away the fact that I see no problem with them making money, I do however, have a problem with oligopilies in services or products that are nessiciary for the economy to run. I think looking into what oil companies are doing is a precautionary measure to insure their... intergraty...

man my spelling... in a real big rush here...

Actually I think it's more like "I'm having to make an effort or change my lifestyle because of circumstances beyond my control and someone needs to be blamed for it". "Since it is currently considered ok to paint large corporations that make profits as evildoers, I'll just jump on that bandwagon to obfuscate the fact that I don't want to take sole responsibility for my own wellbeing."

A very good response.  I admire your honesty!.