The bottom line for those of us on fixed incomes is that parking the truck will become a reality. When fuel goes up this high so does everything from eggs to zucchini. We (at least I) don't have the option of working more hours to cover the uptick so I have to decide what will go. Certainly not the house nor food, the power needs to stay on as well as my DSL so I can still visit here!

The trailer I was going to buy is now history for the near future and I will have to start shopping for a vehicle that I can afford to drive so at least I can still travel a bit and stay in hotels. The interesting thing is it looks as though the cost of diesel has almost caught the cost of pump bio. If I can manage to cook up some at home then the truck stays and I say ta ta to major oil

 

While I'm not on a fixed income and made nearly twice the national average wage last year I can relate. This grab by the oil companies to post yet another record profit again this year is going to put the squeeze on the majority of Americans. You are correct in stating this will make the price of everything go up putting further pressure on the dollar causing the trade deficit to grow even further. While this won't be the end of the world and we will all survive America has seen it's better days for awhile. Between the oil companies, outsourcing, moving our manufacturing overseas, rising interest rates and illegal immigration, almost if not all for the sake of "profit", things are going to get worse before they get better. Everything goes in cycles and right now we are beginning to go down the slippery slope into a valley all caused by corporate greed.

 

IMO, the national oil reserves are not in place to provide you and I with a lower fuel prices. The reserves are for national security and are designed to keep our infrastructure as stable as possible in a time of national emergency.

The world today is an unstable place. If we were to open up our reserves to lower our prices at the pump and OPEC decided have technical difficulties for a couple of months...well...imagine what would happen to prices then. Probably even rationing.

Regardless of which side of the line you stand, we are at war. Huge amounts of fuel and oil related products are consumed daily in that effort. Our reseves must stay intact.

Someone earlier mentioned Clinton's impact on "at the pump" pricing when he released the reserves...he was not involved with a war and he was not faced with the emerging manufacturing gains of China and India.

Nothing political here, just my personal observations and opinions. Leave the oil reserves...in reserve.

 

Well, then we are really going to end up floating it's creek without a paddle. I can imagine my rent going up, food costs, utilities, clothing for the kids, car insurance, health insurance, - in short EVERYTHING BUT MY PAY! What this means is no savings, working longer hours, working weekends, and having no life and less to call my own than I have now. Forget the new SD purchase I was planning in a year or so. Forget the wifes new Mustang as well. No possible way I could meet these financial obligations with the anticipated higher costs of everything which are to come as a result of the very reasonable fuel cost of 5 friggen dollars per gallon.

I'm willing to work longer hours and only take one weekend out of four for myself every month if it means I can have a better way of life - but I can see this becoming the harsh reality for me - with no gain. These prices may be ok in democracies with socialised forms of government. Here, we all pay our own way, and if we cannot afford it, we recieve no benefits. There if you need a tooth pulled in an emergency, you simply get it done. Here, you make an appointment, and the first topic of discussion is "How will you be paying for this?" I can't suck up the associated cost rise of everything as a result of fuel prices of 5.00 per gallon AND still be able to afford to do anything but just barely survive. The kids are going to have to get used to ramen soups and toasted bread with brown gravy like dad did years ago.

This situation may have less impact on you guys in your 40's and 50's who've been around long enough to take advantage of good economies past, I just turned 30yrs old 6 months ago and was hoping I'd get a few more years with a decent economy to work within. I pray we don't see 5 per gallon. I'd have no choice but to pay it - my trucks aren't status symbols, they aren't weekend toys, I need my truck(s) everyday
for work.

Boy this is my most personal post now that I review it - seems wierd to write this to people you've never met in life...lol.

 

The kids are going to have to get used to ramen soups and toasted bread with brown gravy like dad did years ago.

Hey Megalodon1, funny you should mention that. That's what my nephew (Special Forces) requested while in the desert.

BTW: The sacrifices you state you are willing to make are not unique to your generation. Shoot...I think my Dad invented Hamburger Helper in the early '60s and didn't even know it. One can of vegetable soup mixed with one pound of hamburger meat. Made pretty good eatin', 3 nights a week, back in the olden days. Sometimes, to make it special, he would through in some chopped potatoes.

 

It's funny every generation makes sacrifices "so their kids won't have to". As far as us being at war, this isn't a war, this is the poor and middle class Americans sacrificing their kids lives and mortgaging their kids future in hopes of the rich getting richer and controlling the worlds vast oil reserves in the Middle East. Oh sorry I forgot, there isn't any oil over there it's all gone thats why gas here is high and getting higher .....

 

I started this thread and thought I was the only one concerned because all I had been seeing here was that if you can't afford the fuel don't buy a SD. Well, again, I ordered a F350 V10 from Jeff in January but that's when gasoline was $1.85 per gallon here in Pa. My needs for the one tonner was to pull a fifth wheel (36 footer) and see this grand USA in my retirement. But, but it seems that this will be an expensive option. I may need to just showcase it in my drive and put it on the road when I have a need to splurge. On the bright side though, if I travel with it, I may have the road to myself!!!

 

The really sad part is every working American will feel this because the increase in gasoline....to purchase it comes out of our disposable income....meaning less money to do other things with. Everybody will be forced to tighten their belts, even the well-healed will feel it. I have been a staunch Republican and even voted for Bush, but if the high prices continue, that alone, will define Bush's legacy as President and will be what people will remember him for. Even though American soldiers' blood is unfortunately being spilled in Iraq, it doesn't affect "every" American and our people have short term memories...they will tend to pay less attention to the war unless of course they have a loved one there, and will fixate on our economy and what the high cost of gas is doing to it. You get into somebody's back pocket and they will squeal like h&*@l.

 

Well moog, to bad you decided to make a political statement here. My post was merely an attempt to offer up my opinion as to why our oil reserves should remain intact.

Your political comments are not appreciated nor are they acceptable to me. It is very clear that you know not of what you speak.

I am sure that we can kiss this thread goodbye.

 

I agree, but there really isn't a way to keep politics out of this totally. To say that international politics isn't involved with oil markets is like saying milk isn't involved in making ice cream.

Perhaps a better word to describe the current situation would be "demand" rather than "shortage." Although anybody with an ounce of sense would realize the world supply of oil isn't infinite, it does take a certain amount of insight to understand the supply and demand nature. Demand is up, for sure, but that's not the whole story. Discovery of heretofore unknown oil deposits (or, more aptly, DECREASING discovery) will be the driving force in prices over the next decade. It's easy for prices to stay low when we are finding far more oil than we are consuming. When that condition ends, everybody starts looking at the end game, which results in price spikes.

I see nothing wrong with American oil companies making extra profit in these conditions. If eggs are selling for a dollar a dozen, it's difficult to add an extra dime to the price without it being noticed. When they are three bucks a dozen, a dime is lost in the bigger number.

Again, it's helpful to realize that oil companies are not owed by little green men from Mars. Exxon (and all corporations) are owned by PEOPLE. People and institutions like hospitals, colleges and union pension funds...which, in turn, benefit PEOPLE. The money made by corporations IS reinserted in the US economy...unlike money sent overseas...be it for oil or bedroom slippers.

 

Believe me, I understand that it is a vicious circle and it is difficult, at best, to keep politics out of a discussion like this.

My point was / is...this not the place to make a strong, obviously very personal, anti war statement.

I tought my post was clearly a statement regarding our oil reserves. I don't believe I stated or solicited a statement about the rights or wrongs of the war in Iraq or the Middle East oil reserve. Moog used this platform to sieze the opportunity to voice his opposition to a very emotional subject.

I could care less how he feels about it and I am sure he cares less how I or any body else feels about it.

Wrong place, wrong time.

 

I agree in spite of me getting off on a little tangent there.

BTW, your comment about keeping reserves IN RESERVE is right on. The SPR was never intended to manipulate price, just to insure against a supply disruption. What we are experiencing now simply isn't worthy of tapping into reserves meant for a TRULY rainy day...

 

For the record I apologize if I offended anyone that's just the way I see it. It wasn't meant to be inflammatory merely putting another viewpoint out there.

 

Well hydrogen is where it's at. And not those ridiculously expensive fuel cells either - piston engines which are identical 95% to gasoline engines - Ford already has three of them - a 2.3liter 4cyl version, a 4.2liter v6 version, and a 6.8liter v10 version. It's already been proven and shown that these kinds of engines can run off of saltwater using a miniscule amount of some really cheap metal alloy as a catalyst in the water tank to create the hydrogen.

According to Ford, a hydrogen piston engine can have anywhere from 85% to 115% of the power output of a gasoline piston engine - depending on whether or not the hydrogen is directly injected into the combustion chamber. In fact it can be much more than this, since hydrogen engines produce only clean water for emmissions which means you aren't required to have EGR, catalytic convertors, or any other power robbing emmissions devices in place.

My question is; since it's been a known fact for quite some time that we are depleting a non renewable natural resource (petroleum), why has'int this technology been made available already? On another note, it's been mentioned that fuel prices are going up since we are reaching a point within the next 10 years or so where fossil fuel production will be in decline and eventually used up. So why is it still made available? Why are we still using what precious little is left?

I can see producing some of it for absolutely essential purposes, but with hydro technology available, petro's use in autmobiles is a waste! Yet it's still available...at this rate, we will run out regardless of whether it's priced at 1.00 per gallon or 10.00 per gallon - the only difference is profit margin.
These oil companies do not mention the words "oil shortage" because of having any kind of regard for our natural environment - they will continue to drill for it and sell it. It's only to justify the huge profit margin they want out of it - because once it's gone - it's gone.

Will they next try to lay claim to the sea? Who will own the water?

I have a feeling it's the oil companies and opec countries themselves which have had some sort of hand in delaying hydrogen availablity until they have managed to extract and make a buck off every last drop of crude from under the sand. I've learned that countries like Kuwait own gas stations throughout the entire United States. They use these, as well as their crude exports to support their developing and even thriving economies. But it's all based on a limited resource! Once the oil runs out, what will they do? Beg Uncle Sam for a hand out? After putting it to us all these years?

Ford has awesome hydro technology available. With a water fuel system, gas stations will go the way of the dodo bird. They will become nothing more than small overpriced grocery stores at best. We need hydro now.

 

Simple answer- it takes 1 BTU of petro energy (natural gas, specifically) to manufacture 3 btu's of hydrogen energy. The recapture rate of gasoline is 1:7 (1 btu returns 7). Hydrogen, given current technology, isn't the answer.