Pets.ca - Pet forum for dogs cats and humans 

-->

Gas prices getting you mad?

DogueLover
August 29th, 2005, 11:20 PM
I got this as an email, it may work it may not, but it is worth a try right?


Feel free to copy and paste it into an email and send it away. :evil:


>> Subject: Gas prices............why don't we give this a try, please pass
>> this on to everyone you know
>>
>>
>> > IT HAS BEEN CALCULATED THAT IF EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA
>> > DID NOT PURCHASE A DROP OF GASOLINE FOR ONE DAY AND ALL AT THE SAME
>> > TIME, THE OIL COMPANIES WOULD CHOKE ON THEIR STOCKPILES.
>> >
>> >
>> > AT THE SAME TIME IT WOULD HIT THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY WITH A NET LOSS OF
>> > OVER 4.6 BILLION DOLLARS WHICH AFFECTS THE BOTTOM LINES OF THE OIL
>> > COMPANIES.
>> >
>> > THEREFORE SEPTEMBER 1st HAS BEEN FORMALLY DECLARED "STICK IT UP THEIR
>> > BEHIND " DAY AND THE PEOPLE OF THESE TWO NATIONS SHOULD NOT BUY A
>> > SINGLE
>> > DROP OF GASOLINE THAT DAY.
>> >
>> > THE ONLY WAY THIS CAN BE DONE IS IF YOU FORWARD THIS E-MAIL TO AS MANY
>> > PEOPLE AS YOU CAN AND AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN TO GET THE WORD OUT.
>> >
>> > WAITING ON THE GOVERNMENT TO STEP IN AND CONTROL THE PRICES IS NOT
>> > GOING
>> > TO HAPPEN. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REDUCTION AND CONTROL IN PRICES THAT
>> > THE ARAB NATIONS PROMISED TWO WEEKS AGO?
>> >
>> > REMEMBER ONE THING, NOT ONLY IS THE PRICE OF GASOLINE GOING UP BUT AT
>> > THE
>> >
>> > SAME TIME AIRLINES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES, TRUCKING COMPANIES
>> > ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES WHICH EFFECTS PRICES ON EVERYTHING
>> > THAT
>> > IS SHIPPED. THINGS LIKE FOOD, CLOTHING, BUILDING MATERIALS, MEDICAL
>> > SUPPLIES ETC. WHO PAYS IN THE END? WE DO!
>> >
>> > WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IF THEY DON'T GET THE MESSAGE AFTER ONE DAY,
>> > WE WILL DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN.
>> >
>> > SO DO YOUR PART AND SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO EVERYONE
>> > YOU
>> > KNOW. MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND MAKE SEPTEMBER 1ST A DAY THAT THE
>> > CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA SAY "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH"
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Michele Matthews
>> > Forest Engineering and Industry Services
>> > Department of Natural Resources
>> > P. O. Box 2006, Fortis Building (3rd Floor)
>> > Corner Brook, NL
>> > A2H 6J8
>> > 709-637-2349 (phone) 709-637-2403 (fax)
>> > e-mail: mmatthews@gov.nl.ca
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>
>
>
> --
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
> Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
> Version: 7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.10.14/79 - Release Date: 2005-08-22
>

Prin
August 29th, 2005, 11:23 PM
I'm willing to pass that around... At least it's not on the weekend, so we have a chance of it working. :)

Karin
August 30th, 2005, 05:20 AM
Looks good on paper but it would never work. How many people would be willing to give up a days wages or risk losing their jobs? While we're at it, let's also stop all law enforcement, ambulances and fire departments from going to the pumps that day. If your pet had an emergency on Sept. 1st and your tank was empty what would you do, wait till the next day?

Truckers are feeling this fuel crunch too. Next time you buy groceries just think about how they got on that shelf in your store.

raingirl
August 30th, 2005, 07:54 AM
Won't work. Maybe for the general public, but not for businesses and such. I used to work for a bus company and each vehicle had to be gassed up each night at the end of the shift. What about couriers and police? Delivery trucks and public transit? With all them purchasing gas daily, not having a majority of the public buy gas would hardly show.

Schwinn
August 30th, 2005, 09:41 AM
The biggest problem with these is that it doesn't remove the gas sales, it only delays it to the next day. Most people will instead fill up on the 31 or the 2, so the gas is still flowing, just on different days.

By the way, did anyone else find it interesting that all the investigations into the gas companies determined there was no price fixing or collusion, yet when it was demanded that the Federal government either freeze or remove the tax, Martin's response was that the gas companies would just eat up the price drop with an increase? Hmmm...shouldn't that tell you something, Mr. Martin?

melanie
August 30th, 2005, 04:39 PM
but sadly the concernes expressed in that note only refer to human issues, the poor old environment didnt even rate a mention and not to mention the extreme effects of this resource on human health. its high time humans stopped being so self centred about this issue, it is really gettin my goat.

you would think that any one with half a brain could make the link also between sustaining the resource and the price of that resource (yes i totally think the oil companies are selfish and rippin us off, but what about the env).yes there are unnecessary costs for us buying fuel, but there seems to be a lack of will to sustain that resource sensibly....if we keep using it this fast we wont have it for long, then every one will really have a gripe.

and to solve this all the governments could invest in alternative fuels, but sadly oil nets everyone lots of money so anything alternate and good for us goes by the way side. we should protest by the above action of not buying but there should be a push in that protext for better env sense in this resource issue.

yeah i for one wont be happy with reduced fule prices if the env keeps suffering. i would pay a motza for it if i had to, its a resource and i wnat to pay a price that reflects the values here.

basically if you pay a high enough price you will be forced to use the fuel sustainably, ppl wont be able to afford to abuse it, and i for one think that is going to be a very timely and helpful probelm..

also if your using it sensibly and sustainably the oil companies wont have so much control, if you tell them how you want it and actually act out your intentions they will soon get the msg...

food for thought from a 'cranky about resource use' person. our current actions are not sustainable in the long term, environment or not, it is jsut not going to work, and its sad that humasn wont face that and do somethign about it before its too late and i will have to stand on my box and yell 'now i told yas so'...

jjgeonerd
August 30th, 2005, 04:51 PM
The only way to get the price of oil (and hence gas) to go down is to reduce demand...permanently. Boycott shenanigans that just delay the purchase will never work. Driving vehicles that get better gas mileage, or that don't use gas at all, is a major part of the solution.

Problem is that with Iran, China and other 3rd world countries moving towards becoming 1st world, demand will rise regardless of what we do. :( BUT...at least you'll save money and feel good about helping the environment.

melanie
August 30th, 2005, 04:57 PM
and jsut another thought, not only to help our pockets, the environment and to stop those big money mogles, but if we have higher gas prices it could potentially assist all of our 1st wrl societies in a big way- this could potentially reduce the severe rise in obesity in our countires, hey if you cant buy it your gunna have to wlak somewhere, even if its just to a bus...

sooo there is a flip side and by charging us heaps these bugers may actaully be doing themselves a diservice and be acting in a socially beneficial manner without actually realising their participation. yeah see now thats positive....

Schwinn
August 30th, 2005, 05:17 PM
this could potentially reduce the severe rise in obesity in our countires, hey if you cant buy it your gunna have to wlak somewhere, even if its just to a bus...



Sure, for those of you who can afford the bus. Unfortunatly, my tickets are being increased because of gas prices, and I don't think I could walk the 80 km to work.

Karin
August 30th, 2005, 06:55 PM
This morning my president forced into action a law to make the big oil company's that are "sitting" on much needed oil to release it immediatly. No passing congress, no voting on it ...do it now. The oil has always been there. The companys control it, selling only at the highest dollar to get richer. They are not going to be happy campers with this but oh well. Let the stuffed shirts eat at McDonalds for one night, like that would really happen.

It's been very sad here the past few days but natural disasters do have a way of stimulating the economy.

jjgeonerd
August 31st, 2005, 10:55 AM
I beleive it is actually oil from the government's "strategic oil reserves" that is being released. This is oil the government stockpiles in the case of an emergency...not the personal stockpiles of oil companies. According to this article, 3 gas producers had asked the government for some of the oil so they can keep their refineries operational since about 95% of oil production in the Gulf of Mexico was halted due to the hurricane.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9141205/

Blaze01
August 31st, 2005, 12:32 PM
Im in North Carolina...rumors have been flying that tomorrow is the last day we will have gas :eek:
I have a friend that works at a gas station I spoke to her and she told me that they wont get any gas for a week and a half...geez geez geez

Rick C
August 31st, 2005, 12:58 PM
This morning my president forced into action a law to make the big oil company's that are "sitting" on much needed oil to release it immediatly. No passing congress, no voting on it ...do it now. The oil has always been there. The companys control it, selling only at the highest dollar to get richer. They are not going to be happy campers with this but oh well. Let the stuffed shirts eat at McDonalds for one night, like that would really happen.

It's your President who has been sitting on the strategic oil reserves in question, not oil companies.

Its also your politicians, rightly or wrongly, that have been impeding construction of new refineries for 20 years with uneconomic environmental considerations. If I'm not mistaken, there have been zero new refineries built in America in the last 20 years . . . . . and that in itself is a pretty good reason why you're getting killed at the pump.

Bush also doesn't like McDonald's as much as Bill Clinton did. :highfive: :clown:

Rick C
www.goldentales.ca

Writing4Fun
August 31st, 2005, 01:09 PM
A question ... hubby pointed this out to me today. While Katrina was a horrendous disaster and she will most likely affect our gas prices/reserves eventually, the gas that the stations (up here, not in the affected areas) are pumping today is stuff they bought last week - before Katrina hit. Why, then are we being charged so much for it now? I can understand the next batch of gas that they (meaning the stations) have to buy at inflated prices because of a possible shortage - I don't even want to think about what we're going to be paying when that supply actually hits the market. But this gas, that they bought at a much lower price, the same gas they charged $0.96 for yesterday and are now charging $1.20 ... why??

Sorry if I'm not making any sense. It's almost "back to school" time and both of my sons and I are at the ends of our intellectual and emotional ropes right now. :crazy:

Rick C
August 31st, 2005, 01:44 PM
A question ... hubby pointed this out to me today. While Katrina was a horrendous disaster and she will most likely affect our gas prices/reserves eventually, the gas that the stations (up here, not in the affected areas) are pumping today is stuff they bought last week - before Katrina hit. Why, then are we being charged so much for it now? I can understand the next batch of gas that they (meaning the stations) have to buy at inflated prices because of a possible shortage - I don't even want to think about what we're going to be paying when that supply actually hits the market. But this gas, that they bought at a much lower price, the same gas they charged $0.96 for yesterday and are now charging $1.20 ... why??:

Its a perfectly reasonable question to ask and I don't think oil companies have ever provided a perfectly good answer.

Consumers on both sides of the border flatly state that oil companies are quick to raise prices in troubling times but slow to drop them when those conditions ease.

One side gives something of a technical observation at this link, pointing out that the gas you're buying is bought and sold several times even after leaving the refinery and even when its sitting underground under your service station, always in play and therefore subject to instant fluctuations:

http://www.crmbuyer.com/story/34919.html

The other side will say oil companies threaten local gas stations in their chains and even independent retailers in a not-so-subtle way when they "suggest" an immediate price change . . . . if the retailer doesn't comply then the cost of the next delivery will reflect a narrower margin for the retailer. Therefore change becomes instant if the retailer wants to stay in business and make some money.

In fact, if you analyzed both those explanations, one would actually follow the other.

Just some thoughts. I'm actually on your side on this one.

Rick C
www.goldentales.ca

StaceyB
August 31st, 2005, 05:42 PM
This (email) was just on the news.

Karin
August 31st, 2005, 05:47 PM
The prices reflect what the market shows for that day, they have to be universal. Gas prices are not the only product effected by rises & falls, everything is effected. But it goes both ways too. Say a gas station has fuel in the ground that was paid for when oil was $77 a barrell and there is a sudden drop to $23 a barrell, the prices must show the drop the same way an increase is shown.

Everything is effected by what the stock market closes at each day. Everything from sugar to fuel is traded and priced this way.

StaceyB
August 31st, 2005, 05:59 PM
Gas is the only product that changes by the minute for the consumer. All others change with time and are averaged out. I think that the gov't needs to remove the taxes for the time being.

Karin
August 31st, 2005, 06:56 PM
Gas is the only product that changes by the minute for the consumer. All others change with time and are averaged out. I think that the gov't needs to remove the taxes for the time being.

Gas is not the only product that changes prices here in the US daily. Taxes may be suspended for a short time but I doubt it....taxes pay for the highways that transport companys use, sea ports.....this list is large.
Talk about a bog down. Mr. John Q. Richlawyer in Washington state would love to not pay fuel taxes on his Beemer. (while he's handing out business cards to the victims) Tax money funds FEMA. Tax money is what is working the rescue choppers right now...and so on. The 5 million MRE's sent today is paid by tax dollars.

The US is not the only factor governing the fuel prices...there are many other countries involved....Japan for one.

StaceyB
August 31st, 2005, 07:06 PM
I say go for it. I won't be buying any gas tomorrow. Whether you think it will make a difference or not, it won't hurt to try. The taxes may be used to fund a lot of things but I think that continued gas prices are going to hurt all of us and everything we buy. How long before we see the effects of this.

gdamadg
August 31st, 2005, 07:33 PM
Tax money is what is working the rescue choppers right now...and so on. The 5 million MRE's sent today is paid by tax dollars

It is a misconception about how the government funding is used. The money flying those choppers is money allocated at the start of this fiscal year. And if they go over the Search and Rescue budget for the year, they will recoup it from another budget. Same as those MRE's, they have already been bought and paid for. Probably with tax dollars from years ago. The taxes we pay now are for future expenditures, not current ones. And if any Gov't lowered the fuel taxes, it would not affect their revenues as much as you might think. They pick up tax dollars in many other ways.

gdamadg
August 31st, 2005, 07:40 PM
I just found this site, it is pretty good. But rely's on site visitor input. Most major centres have prices updated for today.

Gas Tracker (http://www.gasticker.com/index.php)

Karin
August 31st, 2005, 07:45 PM
I say go for it. I won't be buying any gas tomorrow. Whether you think it will make a difference or not, it won't hurt to try. The taxes may be used to fund a lot of things but I think that continued gas prices are going to hurt all of us and everything we buy. How long before we see the effects of this.

I totally forgot what the original post was all about to be truthful. I will fill up anyways because I need to ride this out. I am not trying to undermind anyones plan but merely looking at my needs. Until you posted "buying gas tomorrow" I was taken back to reread the original post. I was not trying to make a stand or anything like that, just stating my intentions. It has nothing to do with boycotts of anykind, believe me...sorry.

I have posted to so many threads lately I forgot where I was....tomorrow is Sept. 1st, but I am not trying to get ugly here or to incite a riot, just getting by.

Bad taste on my part for not knowing which gas thread I'm posting in....there has been a few..

gdamadg
August 31st, 2005, 07:55 PM
By the looks of it, gas prices have lowered a bit all over Ontario this evening. So the prices should be relatively the same first thing in the morning. Gas consumption is going to lower anyway, whether there is a boycott or not. Most would have filled up today while they could, in fear of what it could have risen too. Unless they absolutely require it.

gdamadg
August 31st, 2005, 07:59 PM
Here is another good site. Explaining how gas is priced. I am not advertising for this company, it is just the only one I found that explains it.

Gas Prices (http://www.petro-canada.ca/eng/prodserv/fuels/8741.htm)

StaceyB
August 31st, 2005, 08:02 PM
[QUOTE=gdamadg]By the looks of it, gas prices have lowered a bit all over Ontario this evening.


When my husband went to work this morning at 8 am the price was 122, tonight when he came home it was 102. If you want to get your gas at a lower price, buy it tonight.

Writing4Fun
August 31st, 2005, 08:13 PM
Here is another good site. Explaining how gas is priced.
LOL! You'll forgive me if I take their explanation with a huge grain of salt. That's like asking politicians why their salaries are so high. ;)

gdamadg
August 31st, 2005, 08:16 PM
LOL! You'll forgive me if I take their explanation with a huge grain of salt. That's like asking politicians why their salaries are so high.

Oh I completely understand. I do the same. I thought it funny that so far that's the only site so far giving an explanation.

gdamadg
August 31st, 2005, 08:18 PM
Oh here is the same diagram but on the CAA site.

http://www.caa.ca/gasprice/breakdown.html

Writing4Fun
August 31st, 2005, 08:32 PM
Anyone else wondering why all provinces are paying a huge provincial tax, but Quebec is the only one paying an additional provincial sales tax? :confused:

Here (http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/eupetrolprices/default.asp) is another interesting site regarding gas prices in Europe. For comparison purposes (I guess), they've thrown the US in there, but you can do the math to see where Canada stands in comparison as well.

gdamadg
August 31st, 2005, 08:37 PM
but Quebec is the only one paying an additional provincial sales tax?

Quebec pays higher provincial taxes in general. Everything from gas to income. But I think that they recieve more benefits in one way or another. Sure doesn't go to fixing the roads.

Writing4Fun
August 31st, 2005, 08:47 PM
Oh, I know they pay higher taxes, and you see that on the chart as well. This is an additional tax. Like there aren't enough of them out there! :rolleyes:

They pay more in income taxes, but food, clothing, child care, housing are all less expensive there. Or, at least they were when I was around. The price of housing has gotten insane lately. Motorcycle insurance is waaaay less expensive, but they're talking about changing that to mirror what's going on in Ontario. My brother says he's sending his bike to live with us if they go through with the changes, just so they're not getting the satisfaction from his wallet. :D

gdamadg
August 31st, 2005, 09:39 PM
This is an additional tax. Like there aren't enough of them out there!

LOL, that's the "In case we finally seperate tax."

Schwinn
September 1st, 2005, 12:12 PM
When I was in banking, I had stock tickers on my computer screen. One of the tickers was the price of oil. Guess what? No real correlation when it went down, only up. If the price of oil went up, the gas prices went up within a few hours. If oil went down, gas prices didn't. I remember someone talked to a spokesperson from Esso. The first time, when prices went up, he said, "The cost of oil is quite high and just jumped up". Then when oil went down, they called him again. His answer? "Well, gas prices aren't tied directly to oil, you know." Oh really?

The whole thing is ridiculous. If there's no price fixing, why is the price of gas in Thunder Bay 10 cents higher than Newmarket, and the price in Windsor another 5 cents cheaper? I've heard the BS about delivery from the refinery. Okay, why is one gas station selling it for 5 cents cheaper than another gas station of the same company 5 kms away? And why is it always more expensive on the commuter routes than the side roads? They say "supply and demand", which is thier PR way of saying "We screw you because we can."

Dogastrophe
September 1st, 2005, 12:21 PM
When I was in banking, I had stock tickers on my computer screen. One of the tickers was the price of oil. Guess what? No real correlation when it went down, only up. If the price of oil went up, the gas prices went up within a few hours. If oil went down, gas prices didn't.

Yep, same with gold and gold company stocks and most other commodities and commodity stocks. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

I've heard the BS about delivery from the refinery.

Yeah, I wish this were the case as I am looking out my office window at an Imperial Oil (Esso) refinery.

Prin
September 1st, 2005, 11:05 PM
So did anybody not gas up on Thursday? :)

StaceyB
September 1st, 2005, 11:14 PM
No gas here

twodogsandacat
September 1st, 2005, 11:27 PM
Saving the SUV for hauling stuff and those wiinter days the car won't cut it.

Using an Echo hatchback with dog bars installed as the daily driver and loving it.

glasslass
September 3rd, 2005, 11:51 PM
I really can't complain. I drive a MR2 with just an 8-1/2 gallon gas tank and get great gas mileage. With all the SUVs in California, people are really hurting. We didn't learn from the previous gas shortages. Vehicles are bigger than ever!