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Ridiculous Gas prices? I'll thank Bush.

Ridiculous Gas prices? I'll thank Bush.



31,002 views 122 replies
Reply #51 Top
If we used fusion, we could use the helium for balloons and have lotsa parties!
Reply #52 Top
I gotta quit serving beans with burgers....

hey.....I have a two legged methane machine here...need fuel...??? hehehe

pew!!! yeesh!
Reply #53 Top
Our problem is more of a supply problem of "REFINED" oil, not the oil itself. For a long time people and politicians on both sides (democrat and republican) have ignored the issue and sould not allow refineries to be built. Afterall no one wants them in "thier town". The supply of foreign oil is a factor, but it is no more a factor now as it was 10 years ago. This is not a Clinton, Kerry or Bush issue. It is reality. We worried too much about the trees, and offending someones sensibility.

Politicians run the country, but the problem is the system is no longer set up to support a politician to run the country, they are to concerned with getting reelected. We elect now based on how we feel about the person, not on how knowlegable he is. That would be Ok if a politician could put people into position in the government that do know what they are doing, but even those positions now are politicized and the Democrats and Republics fight over those.
Reply #54 Top
We have buses up in Portland that use natual gas. But i really want a hybrid.
Reply #55 Top
if the price of gas stays high or goes even higher to the point that people really start to feel the crunch and it impact global economics as bad as I think it will over an extended period of time. I can envision a lot of new hot spots opening up around the globe and a rush to capitalize on the Middle East and South American regions.

The Gulf of Mexico and Alaska will be opened up totally. The EPA will effectively be nothing more than a Letter Head and enabler of the Energy Corporations and their ed President. The USA will eventually end up back in Iraq but without the guise of being some kind of idyllic saviors. Instead the USA will be there to occupy and control while expanding as far as it can throughout the region. Afghanistan will have pipe lines run across it so there is more than one place for refining, transporting and distribution of Petroleum / Natural Gas.

And sadly anyone who questions it would be labeled UN-patriotic along with what ever laws will be enacted to control distention in the citizenship of the USA. Those outside the borders Will remember the day that Bush stood up and exclaimed "You are either with us or against us". All veils of nicety, all smoke and mirrors will be tossed aside. Foreign Nations will either be with Bush,against Bush and in our Military cross hairs, or they will damn well be quiet and not draw attention they do not feel able to fend off.

I am not calling anyone anything, just presenting some paths of thought which I've ventured down at odd times.

One thing is for sure... I do not know or understand the man or his full intent.

But.

If one is able to remove all emotions and personal positions/opinions/gut feeling and such from the issue and look at history of the present and long past. There are some striking similarities to this administrations actions and also those of another's in Germany and Japan.

Goals were set...
Economics where used as a tool to promote lines to be drawn between the people.
A dynamic group was ed as the target of that hate, anger, and blame for ones get in life. A group to pour everything bad upon while being told that the ones taking aim at this ed group where actually on a higher moral level lacking corruption, being of the right faith, of being right and just in their cause. The leaders where sure to make it the peoples cause, not their cause but the peoples because no one is about to die or kill for you just because you say so. But they will do this when they have cause, a cause which is held strongly enough they will not question it. A threat to the Nation, the Citizens, Gram, Grand Dad, Mom, Dad, Sister and Brother, children.

But you have to have the right cause and it has to be led into by the correct circumstance for a great number of people to all swallow it at one time.

I have heard and even read people say that Bill Clinton was at fault because he never did enough against terrorism.

Number 1, Bill Clinton isn't in office, Number 2, Bill Clinton did not have a 9/11. SO that argument is not only inane it is moot.

Once you have the cause, you flip flop one of the key ingredients used to create that cause, Fear. You now use fear as a tool to keep the cause alive and living in the hearts and minds of the people who have taken this cause as their own.
Fear, you pop that fear button like it is Defibrillator or some kind of steroid shot when the need is there. Then you off set the crash from the rush with words or how ready all are to keep on course, stay the course, not stray the course ( replace each instance of course with cause and your more to the point and goal because it is the Cause which is being spoken of. The course is nothing more than the path of the cause with the eventual goal being the prize and if anyone knows what in hell that prize without guessing, please let me and everyone else know. Because this administration changes the damn thing like cheap suits )

Social Cognition, group conditioning with catch phrases used to indicate the points that the crowd is supposed to stand up and roar with great vigor and look to the leader with total subjugation.

You know what is wrong with the American Political system for the most part?

The citizens, simply put.

There is this Saviour complex, or better yet, a Parent to Child to Parent complex.

One's parents can do no wrong to the point that a child is willing to smash the face of anyone who would claim otherwise publicly. Seething hate and despising anything or anyone whom would say or do anything contrary to the parent.

My Parents are all that is good, they embody what is just and right. They can do no wrong. Honor and Respect thy Parents or some such, isn't it how it goes?

Well, thing is, even when the parent does wrong the child will not admit it for the most part. Proof can be sitting right in front of them and they will still make some type of excuse or divert the blame to something or someone else proving it was not in fact the parents fault. How could anyone even think it was to begin with, and once that point is hit there is hardly any turning back.

anyway...

Yes, Bush and his administration have some sort of plan in the works. Two months back the crown prince of Saudi Arabia went on the News and stated it was not the fact that Oil prices went up which is driving Gas up in America.

It is the EPA, restriction of by product pollution and Refinery plant over sight by the EPA which is causing the rise in Gas pricing.

When asked how this was happening, he really could not give a clear answer and not one shred of proof to his claims was presented.

Then someone higher up in Saudi Arabia went on the news and said the same things and also said that there was no deal with Bush to lower prices before the election. But so what if there was,it would still mean lower gas prices for Americans and that is all they care about anyway.

Now last week 2 Executives went before congress and made these same exact claims about it being the EPA's fault, not being allowed to open up Alaska or the Gulf to their fullest extent. All kinds of claims about what needs to be changed or out right thrown away. They did not present one iota of proof that anything other than the fact that OPEC raised the prices which has in fact driven up the price of Fuel Oil Products to record heights around the world, not just the USA.


Yeah, Bush is in on it, Cheney and his Energy buddies like Enron all sat in a room and worked out some secret plan which they refuse to release the minutes of for the meetings or even to give a full accounting and list of who showed up.

Iraq is pushing over a million barrels a day, higher at times when the pipes are not blown up in some area, but a sustained 1 million barrels a day. Where in the hell is it going?

Why in hell is the pentagon asking for another 50 billion, along with another 8 billion before that?

Where they hell did all the money for fighting terrorism go to? Why is it that there are still not enough hardened Hummers after more than a year in Iraq, why are soldiers still not in possession of ballistic armor of their own without having to share it and mix and match it today?

Well, personally I can not believe that everything is not relevant. This administration has a goal, I believe in runs much deeper than protecting "The Home Land" at least they didn't call it the Mother land or Father Land, huh? Because if it was about protecting this nation we would be protected. There would not be Ranchers along the Texas / Mexico line which band together to go on patrols to keep illegal entry down in their area.

If people don't get past that Parent trap this time around, the world had best tool up because as the song says "The Yanks are coming". One way or the other and there really doesn't seem to be a preference over all except with a few key nations and regions...


anyway, back to inane and mindless with me, much better to just sit back and read than type and think in print....
Reply #56 Top
I guess electric cars and recharging stations are out of the question. Just like better mass transit is out of the question. Face it people, Bush is not running this country(US). It's rich corporate conglomerates, and they'll be so rich and we'll be so poor, and it will just keep getting worse until we get real crazy and force governments to do something about it. We "Yanks" are real crazy too. So, I figure when the gas prices reach $3.00 per/gal, it is going to get interesting to say the least.
Reply #57 Top
Yeah, we definitly have a certain collective point where we say "No more" and if or when pushed to it...

And yes we do get really crazy...

Something that really has made me sit back totally boggled is the fact that people outside of the USA do not seem to grasp the fact that you do not poke a Nation of people who has a large base which honestly do believe in "You can have my gun when you pry it fom my clamped cold dead hands"...

We have kids killing kids over shoes and jackets, people have shot cops in their cars filling out reports because "I wanted to know what it felt like"...

Crazy is right under the skin for many, and you add nationalistic fevor to the mix along with the fear factor and spice it up with a little Jubulation and you've got people ready to kill everything on an island that moves and isn't wearing US Marine Green or US Army OD Issue.

Reply #58 Top
Isn't America a nice place?
Reply #59 Top
We should have put some serious money into research long ago but really didn't. We need to do it now but we won't, not really beyond lip service. It will be left to Corporate Investment meaning the people will have to pay a preimum price no matter what they come up with. If the government funded it, then it would be more a product for the people which would cut Corporate Profits by at least half if not more considering their perchant for 100 - 300% mark up and more in some instences....

Public Transport, Bikes even, people need to get off their fat butts and ride the 12 blocks to the office. Throw the bike on the Buses bike rack on front and ride to a stop a few blocks from work and move the stop further away the more shape they get into.

Eat right, sleep the need time so they are ready for the next day and to perform at their top ability. get back into shape and work on creating a reality that kids have a reason to want to be a part of.

oh heck, my mind[s] are really bouncing thoughts around... mmm, going to sit on my hands. besides the fact that my half thought out opinions don't need to be aired...

lol

Reply #60 Top
Go ride your Gary Fisher. See you on the trail.
Reply #61 Top
Yes America is a nice place...if you can get away from the people that have a mentality of hate and steal and screw your brother to get ahead that seems to be prominent in the world...not just here...

and as far as trees.......forget the trees? Look I'm no tree hugger but if we keep fillin up SUV's and drivin around like there's no tomorrow polluting when we don't need to just cuz we're bored and rich....and cut down indiscriminately and anywhere we can poke another hole in the ground or in the ocean for a little more black gold to 'filler up again'

As an American and yes I hunt and yes I eat what I shoot and no I don't go around blasting at everything that moves like the idiots that come up from the city...I think the Europeans have got the right idea....economy sized vehicles that don't chow up the oil reserves like they'll never give out...

I worked two jobs back in the shortage days and went to school too....one of my jobs was pumping gas and dealing with gaslines miles long and the people that had to wait in em to get their gas...

We need to develop further all of the many alternatives we have to stop the pollution

AND keep the foreslands and the wildlife we endanger by razing em from disappearing under our wheels..and from the face of the earth

Reply #62 Top
Americans shouldn't complain too much about petrol [gas] prices.....all they need to do is look at the pricing around the rest of the world...


Very true Jafo, it's just that we americans are also suckers for big beefy cars the eat gas like candy on halloween. I know in Italy, they've got some ridiculous prices, but then again, it's quite rare that you'd even use a car. Bikes are the way to go there, man.
Reply #63 Top
It is easy to blame one person for all of our woes, but we as a people have to take responsiblity at times also.


And yeah, it is easy to blame one person. Eh, i just like to blame him for this, cuz it's fun. I obviously know it's kinda out of his ballfield. But along with becoming important, no matter who you are, comes much laughter provided by our friends at Comedy Central.
Reply #64 Top
Public Transportation is a bust....If it works at all, it only works in urbanized areas or if it is a forced choice. I think that anyone, well most anyone, who has any money or choice is going to decide to move to the suburbs or like me move to the sticks. If I have to spend an extra $1000 a year because of vehicle choice and gas prices vs. raising my taxes to further subsidize/pay for urban public transportation, I'm going to spend it at the pump. It's probably the wrong attitude, especially if I have to add "it's probably the wrong attitude", but I think the average American has that same attitude, whether or not they'll admit it. I think that a lot of Americans will change that attitude when day to day living becomes to expensive and then they will consider alternative fuel transportation, but again once the crisis is over, the attitudes will gradually revert back to what has been the norm for the last 50 years....big cars....cheap fuel. Okay....rambling thoughts at best....I think I need to sit on my hands as well.
Reply #65 Top
I don't know about anywhere else but around here public transportation is like russian roullette.
Reply #66 Top
Oil prices arn't that bad yet.
Reply #67 Top

It's perhaps interesting to contemplate that it is actually economically sustainable for 'Public Transport' to be totally 'free' to all....as the cost of its infrastructure and running is outweighed by the current cost and toll of maintaining automotive transport [private].

Doubt it?

Try factoring in the cost of human life lost in road deaths and permanently maimed people as well.

What's the annual toll in the US these days?....20,000?  Permanently injured?....even more?

Palliative care for tens of thousands more each year.....probably gets up into the billions of dollars annually.

That community cost alone would go a long way to the promotion of public transport uptake.

Sure, it ain't gonna work totally....some local private transport is needed as well...but imagine a society where 'real', viable public transport access was only a few miles away.....do you really need a Hummer to get there...when you can walk or ride a bike, even?

A car - personal transport has too long been a status object...or even a substute phallus....but flagellating one's ego is not a responsible attitude to base a society's sustainability on.

Why do I seem so mixed up in this stuff?  30 years of Architecture....designing towards a better social community....we don't just draw pretty pictures.

At the height of the Oil Crisis in the '70s there were posters around...billboards proclaiming 'Is this trip really necessary?'

Think about it the next time you personally are depleting one of the world's FINITE resources.

Remember....if we are really lucky we might just scrape it out to two centuries of exploitation...but we're well over half way there and we are sliding on a razor blade using our short and curlies as brakes....

Reply #68 Top
I heard an interesting take today on the radio regarding gasoline prices, alternate fuels, etc.
This person was wondering aloud what would be the result if gasoline had just been discovered and was introduced as a new fuel. Given the uproar from some people over the dangers of hydrogen, nuclear, etc., it might be a safe bet that gasoline would be deemed as unsafe to use in vehicles.

"Ok, so you want to store 15 to 20 gallons of this stuff at a time in your vehicle and have a continual series of 'controlled explosions' at the rate of 'how many times a minute?'.
And it only takes a spark exposure to the fumes to cause the whole thing to explode?"
Reply #69 Top
pictoratus....it's always a fun display but you can butt a cigarette out in liquid petrol....but empty the petrol can TOTALLY of flammable liquid and drop the butt in....and you'll be dropping in on the next satellite orbit...
Reply #70 Top
BTW....DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME, folks...it's better left to Fire-crew demonstrations...
Reply #72 Top
My Mom used to tell me stories of her uncle...He once lit a match to see how much fuel was in a train tanker...blew off his ears but was others wise ok. He lived to the ripe old age of 91



[Message Edited]
Reply #73 Top
I think I'll leave that to the experts.
Reply #74 Top
blew off his ears


Reply #75 Top
Huh? What was that? I can't hear you.
You see thre was this can of gas .. and ...