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The Excuse Of The Day In Gas Prices:One Man's Opinion

By Ben Meisner

Wednesday, May 16, 2007 03:45 AM

        

If we are to believe the gas companies of North America, they are barely making a go of it.

They have refineries that were built in the 80's none have been updated and so there isn’t enough refinery capacity and therefore, we don’t have enough gas to go around, and so we have to charge more for the stuff at the pumps, especially during the summer months when the demand is higher and of course, we don’t want to take advantage of you, its just because the sun sets in the west.

If you believe all that, I definitely have a bridge for sale and anyone who says otherwise has not been looking at the balance sheets of the major oil companies in Canada.

Of course we are being ripped off; of course, we are being taken advantage of.

The only thing we don’t know is for how much.

To somehow suggest that the price of gas in tandem with the price of crude oil leaves one gasping for air.

How come for example was the price not higher when crude was selling for forty bucks a barrel?

That answer may be found in the fact that these same gas companies were not showing as high profits as they presently do.

It’s about bloody time that the legislators of this country got off their duffs and looked into the possibility of price fixing.

That is the problem plain and simple. 

If you tried to fix the price of any other commodity that we use every day, government would be on us in a moment. But bring up the gas companies and suddenly they are nowhere to be found.

If it takes price controls to bring this insanity back to reason, then lets get on with it. The product comes out of our ground, it supposedly is a public product that is being mined, if the major oil companies don’t want to acknowledge that then it is time we did it for them.

I’m Meisner and that’s one mans opinion.


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Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 03:45 AM in Views by Ben Meisner

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Comments

Comment Posted by: jonnypg on May 16 2007 4:39 AM
When Americans start complaining then it will come down again!
Comment Posted by: what ever you saY on May 16 2007 6:14 AM
Would everyone be happier if the oil companies lost money and the gov't handed over the money like they are doing with the rancher? Make the profits and dump the money back into research, development or exploration, new technology. Either way you look at it the working person is going to pay.
Comment Posted by: Ragtop on May 16 2007 7:29 AM
Well said Ben, these high prices will shut down the economy. We can expect fewer tourists this summer I'm sure, the cost of transporting goods will become more expensive therefore people will quit buying. It's high time the governments do some price fixing... when it costs too much to go to work, why bother?
Comment Posted by: owl on May 16 2007 7:59 AM
Just look at how it has shut down the European economy. After all, they are paying more than twice what people in the USA are paying.

Hey .. wait.. I think I have that back asswards, don't I? I think the USA is borrowing and spending it as if there is no tomorrow, thus making it look like their economy is humming and no one is daring to call their bluff since everything will tumble around them.

http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/international/gas1.html

I think if anyone wants to blame the price of gasoline for a poor economy one has to start looking elsewhere.

Yes, someone should see how come prices are that high when the cost at the wellhead may not match. Maybe that is where to start, how has that ratio looked over the last 30 or so years?
Comment Posted by: owl on May 16 2007 8:03 AM
{url]http://www.ftc.gov/reports/gasprices05/050705gaspricesrpt.pdf[/url]

Maybe that report will be a start.
Comment Posted by: chickenbus on May 16 2007 8:51 AM
Finding reason for high prices in gasoline is essential. The price increases, if justified honestly, can be accepted by everyone. However, if each of us feels that the price increases are not justified, then it is our duty to DO something other than complain.

I have advocated parking the car for years. If everyone refused to purchase gasoline for one week, (service vehicles excluded of course) just one meager week, see how quickly the prices would fall and as an added bonus, how much the air quality would improve.

Now, I have heard so often from complainers, "well, that's a good idea but it won't work for me because......" Every excuse can be worked around if you are truly committed. For example, you could walk to the grocery store, take the bus to work, cycle in this beautiful weather (and use a rain coat when it drizzles). Some could stay with friends in town for the week (make it a social event!) and so on.

How about June 1st to 7th? Will you organize this Ben? I've signed on.
Comment Posted by: Jimmi on May 16 2007 10:13 AM
I'm tired of this profiteering. It's greedy, evil and Bens right - something needs to change. NOW

I rode my bike to work today
Comment Posted by: Harbinger on May 16 2007 10:18 AM
If everyone parks their cars, there will be more gas for me. Whoopee!!!
Comment Posted by: darkken on May 16 2007 11:43 AM

Yep, the poor oil companies. They are receiving millions in subsidies to do work on the Oil Sands, making billions in profits, but they cant spend any money on building refining capacity because it costs too much.

The chief apologists for this crew such as MJ Ervin and the Petroleum Board, would like you to believe that it isnt the oil companies fault that gasoline is so high.And I have some prime farmland at the top of Mount Everest to sell!

Key thing is as long as government and the oil companies are joined at the hip, nothing will change. Government needs the revenues that oil brings and if affects you,too bad.

Maybe this may convince developers in PG to start infilling and raising the density of downtown, instead of building malls 1/2 hour from downtown?
Comment Posted by: hsanou on May 16 2007 12:46 PM
Gee, all the whining about gasprices, those of us who had some foresight bought oil stocks and their dividends are paying for my gasbills. Most people hold oilstocks in their mutual funds and they are doing very well, why kill the goose that lays the golde eggs???
Comment Posted by: Harbinger on May 16 2007 4:08 PM
Keep gasoline scarce. Keeps the price up. Works fer DeBeers and their diamonds.
Comment Posted by: snappi on May 16 2007 8:16 PM
How big is that bridge your selling Ben?? Just kidding!!
I drive for my job and the high gas prices stink. What I get paid per km doesn't even move my gas gage. I guess I should have had forsight to buy oil stocks and then I wouldn't be whining.
Excuse me now while I go kick the crap out of that damned goose.
Comment Posted by: diplomat on May 16 2007 10:30 PM
Wouldn't the conversion of all train engines in B.C. (and Canada) from diesel to electric save enormous amounts of carbon based fuel and reduce emissions, thereby helping Canada to meet stricter greenhouse gas emission standards and clean up the air?

How much pollution do the trains that pass through Prince George contribute to the air shed itself and the air advisory frequency?

Comment Posted by: heidi1555 on May 17 2007 5:24 AM
Too late snappi I already ran it down on the highway driving my kids to school.....ugh. Thank god summer holidays in the front yard start soon.
Comment Posted by: diplomat on May 17 2007 4:50 PM
I have raised the subject of electrification of the entire B.C. railroad system on this site before. It didn't get any comments then, and it appears it will not get any now either.

Alcan has all kinds of surplus power which will be sold somewhere, most likely to south of the border.

Some of this power can be used to power the trains here, eliminating the need for millions of gallons (litres) of diesel fuel, which is very expensive and not getting any cheaper.

It would also reduce carbon emissions by a very large amount and we should be asking for having electrification of the tracks done as soon as possible.

Instead, it is the same old same old. CN boasts of purchasing dozens of new diesel engines and nobody seems to be concerned about it.

Tunnel vision! (pardon the pun!).

Comment Posted by: Palopu on May 17 2007 8:36 PM
There will be no Electric Railway running between Prince Rupert and Prince George in our lifetime, if ever. They have pulled out the Electric Lines to Tumbler Ridge on the old BC Rail line, and now run on Diesel. Any surplus power in BC will be sold to the Americans for the **Big Bucks** which will be funnelled to the Provincial Governmet to spend *Willy Nilly*

60 Percent of the fuel consumed in North American is by Recreational Driving so I suggest that we clean up our own bad habits before we go off on a tirade on others.

What does the future hold?

All available Gasoline and Diesel will be primarily for Industry, Airline, Military, etc; Regular citizens will be **rationed** to a set number of gallons (Litters) per year, or will have to drive Battery or Electric cars, or take mass transit.

Badeep, Badeep, thats all folks.
Comment Posted by: owl on May 18 2007 9:01 AM
And after that is over, all travel outside the community will be evaluated for need. A transport company will not be allowed to issue a ticket unless an approval has been given.