The "Gas" Thread

[BobH]

With due respect Bob, I don't think you can ignore or dismiss the effects the US government has on the rest.of the world. The NYSE crashes and every other market in the world crashes. The US economy and leaders have a huge effect on the world economy. We are the world's largest consumer. If we tank China, for example goes down right along with us because of the deficit in demand for their products. You may not like it but it is a reality.

Oh, there is no doubt of the influence the US has on the rest of the world. I'm not saying it does not, far from it. Just think that when the rest of the world is suffering from the same rising prices for everything and no political leader has been able to do something about it or any economy has been exempt from it there must be other root causes. As powerful as the US is, it is not unique in suffering. WRT, gasoline it is better off than most even thought the rising gas prices in the US still hurt. That too is reality, like it or not.

Bob

[PaulFLUS]

Oh, there is no doubt of the influence the US has on the rest of the world. I'm not saying it does not, far from it. Just think that when the rest of the world is suffering from the same rising prices for everything and no political leader has been able to do something about it or any economy has been exempt from it there must be other root causes. As powerful as the US is, it is not unique in suffering. WRT, gasoline it is better off than most even thought the rising gas prices in the US still hurt. That too is reality, like it or not.

Bob

Well there are some things that are unavoidable like, oh, say for instance a pandemic but let's PLEASE NOT get started on covid again.







...and I acknowledge that. The problem is when leaders are not doing what they could because of incompetence then that is a different story. And I would say that no matter which side of the isle the present leader was on.

[BobH]

Well there are some things that are unavoidable like, oh, say for instance a pandemic but let's PLEASE NOT get started on covid again.
...and I acknowledge that. The problem is when leaders are not doing what they could because of incompetence then that is a different story. And I would say that no matter which side of the isle the present leader was on.

No, lets not get back on the Covid kick, but at least have enough common sense to recognise that it did trigger a cascade of events that has created critical and ongoing supply issues. Globalisation has exacerbated that issue and so has just in time delivery of items needed to manufacture things. Throw in a world events like Russia's war in the Ukraine and you have the makings of a perfect crap storm. Let's not forget a good dose of corporate greed that went into creating a global economy in the first place.

The icing on the cake will be the possible shortages of agricultural produce made possible by too wet or too dry conditions during the growing season this year.

Bob

[Gasman]

When X, Y and Z sells fuel to A,B,C,and D. Then X says no more fuel for B,C and D. Than B, C and D now have to buy more fuel from Y and Z to keep up with demand. This makes a shortage and prices go up because Y and Z dont have as much to sell and needs to keep some for themselves so raise to price to keep some.. Now if X was the biggest supplier of fuel... Even if D didnt buy much from X to start with D has to share what they normally buy because B and C need fuel because B and C used to buy a large percentage of fuel from X.

Supply and demand.

[PaulFLUS]

When X, Y and Z sells fuel to A,B,C,and D. Then X says no more fuel for B,C and D. Than B, C and D now have to buy more fuel from Y and Z to keep up with demand. This makes a shortage and prices go up because Y and Z dont have as much to sell and needs to keep some for themselves so raise to price to keep some.. Now if X was the biggest supplier of fuel... Even if D didnt buy much from X to start with D has to share what they normally buy because B and C need fuel because B and C used to buy a large percentage of fuel from X.

Supply and demand.

Word.

No, lets not get back on the Covid kick, but at least have enough common sense to recognise that it did trigger a cascade of events that has created critical and ongoing supply issues. Globalisation has exacerbated that issue and so has just in time delivery of items needed to manufacture things. Throw in a world events like Russia's war in the Ukraine and you have the makings of a perfect crap storm. Let's not forget a good dose of corporate greed that went into creating a global economy in the first place.

The icing on the cake will be the possible shortages of agricultural produce made possible by too wet or too dry conditions during the growing season this year.

Bob

I agree for the most part but I do have to state that I think the term "corporate greed," is an oxymoron. A corporation's sole purpose is to generate a profit. To do that effectively they have to do it at the expense of others. Just like in sports; for one to win another has to lose. "It's not personal. It's just business."

[BobH]

Word.



I agree for the most part but I do have to state that I think the term "corporate greed," is an oxymoron. A corporation's sole purpose is to generate a profit. To do that effectively they have to do it at the expense of others. Just like in sports; for one to win another has to lose. "It's not personal. It's just business."

Well, it is true that corporations must make a profit as that is the sole reason to be in in business. The problem is in the past what constituted a reasonable profit year over year has changed. It has now gotten to the point of quarter over quarter using whatever means possible. In the long run, that is not sustainable or healthy for the consumer, the employees, the environment and other countries they operate in. That is full blown corporate greed. There is good capitalism and bad capitalism with degrees of each in between. Personally, I'd say for the most part we are at the bad stage. I'm not against capitalism, everyone needs to make a decent living, but there has to be some balance in the system.

The no holds barred winner take all approach creates far more losers than winners and leads to an unstable society. Gut the middle class and you have trouble.

Bob

[PaulFLUS]

Well, to quote Will Rogers, "Things ain't what they used to be. Probably never was."

Surely you can't think that the days of the robber barons (Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Carnegie, Chase) were better. And let's not forget the great depression. Honestly I think where we are today is not so bad in comparison.