OT: Gas Prices

[Atrocities]

Brazil had the right idea back in the 80's. Now they are about a year away from telling OPEC and the Oil companies to piss off. If they can make sugar based fuel work with flex fuel cars, then why in the hell can't we?

[Suicide Junkie]

Wouldn't it be nice to have prices much higher, but have your first X liters subsidized and cheap?

You should add something like this to your plan in the ruler of the world thread.

[Dragonswrd]

We don't have anything here like "flex fuel cars" because the car manufacturers won't bring them here. There is no market for them. People here like to drive their gas guzzling SUVs. Those that have posted here, are the minority. I would say about 75 to 80% of those I have talked to want to get an SUV. They don't care about the gas prices or the environment. But then again most Americans are complete morons (see last presidential election). And yes I am a citizen of the US, born and raised. And because the government has shown that our voices don't matter, no one is willing to try to change anything.

[Atrocities]

Dragonswrd said:
We don't have anything here like "flex fuel cars" because the car manufacturers won't bring them here. There is no market for them. People here like to drive their gas guzzling SUVs. Those that have posted here, are the minority. I would say about 75 to 80% of those I have talked to want to get an SUV. They don't care about the gas prices or the environment. But then again most Americans are complete morons (see last presidential election). And yes I am a citizen of the US, born and raised. And because the government has shown that our voices don't matter, no one is willing to try to change anything.

US car manufactures do manufacture flex fuel cars, GM for one. They just don't sell them here because like you said, there is no market for them here....... Bush is an oil man thats for sure, he is also crippeling pro big business, as many presidents have been, and there is simply too much money coming from the oil lobby to stand against them. SO yes, lobby reform is also a must.

[Sivran]

Flex fuel sucks. Takes too much energy to produce the ethanol. And where does that energy come from? Fossil fuels.

Biodiesel, man. Biodiesel. A stock diesel can run it. A few modifications help it last longer. And, you're recycling, using waste from restaurants, using vegetable and other oils that were already produced and used for another purpose.

I don't care that oil's up to 70 bucks. The oil companies can afford to lower gas prices, but they've discovered we sheep will tolerate higher prices. It's as much our fault as theirs.

[Atrocities]

Suicide Junkie said:
Wouldn't it be nice to have prices much higher, but have your first X liters subsidized and cheap?

You should add something like this to your plan in the ruler of the world thread.

Is that like Canadian humor or something?

[Renegade 13]

Ahhhh.

I was just being a little dense I guess, not seeing the obvious. Thanks for the clarification!

[jeffel]

Some of this is re-tread, but still, I thought it worth mentioning.

1. The Oil companys are ripping us off.
2. Gas should be more expensive.
3. We need to stop burning things to provide energy.

I am sure that I need to clarify #2

I think that gas taxes need to be higher and that the additional proceeds be used to shore up our transportation infrastructure and to provide research into alternative energies.

This approach has two main advantages.
1. Roads and other Transportation Infrastructure can be used to support even alternative energy cars.
2. At the same time we ramp down the use of fossil fuels, we would be encouraging the development of their replacements.

Recently there has been a lot of push in the media for bio-diesel and other fuels made from crops. While these fuels are an improvement over dependence on fossil oil, it still has some major drawbacks, most notably that they still release poisonous gasses into the atmosphere.

While bio-fuel is a good interim step, it does not (IMO) represent a long term solution.

Personally, I think that the hydrogen fuel cell is the future of portable energy and that a combination of solar, wind, hydro, nuclear and tidal energy is the ideal way to provide the raw energy for "refueling" those cells.

[Parasite]

1. The Oil Companies are ripping us off. True, but so is everyone else.
2. Gas should be more expensive. Anything useful that they are not making anymore will rise in price as demand goes up and, as stated, supply goes down.
3. Stop burning things... Well, maybe. Give me a better, cheaper solution and I will. Taxes on gas will make the old solution more expensive and new better technology seem more reasonable.

I filled up my gas tank this weekend. Man it was expensive. Over $30 dollars for a month of gas. I still wonder how I was able to put 11 gallans into my 10 gallon tank. The gas was 10 cents cheaper than the other stations... Hmmmmm.

In case you are wondering, here is my car. Lifetime average of 53.1 miles a gallon and rated SULEV or Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle. I have had it four years and counting. Still loving it. (see attachment)

[Azselendor]

Everyone might be ripping us off, but the Oil Industry is making them all look like amatures. The problem is demand is going up and up and and they can keep raising prices. If you increase taxes on it, people will still pay.

It's like walmart syndrome.