RISING GAS PRICES !! WILL IT AFFECT YOU?

[mroades]

last day of sheep is tuesday....

[TheJenners]

Sheep??

[mroades]

I took a job in december taking care of 30 sheep, 5 goats, 5 horses, and 3 cows. Its 35 miles each way..can't afford to work there anymore, as I have an 11 yr old diesel with nearly 400k miles on it.

[c.harrison1]

No, it's not going to make a difference. I drive between 3 and 6 hours one way to shows, and I'm still going! I'm a diy person so I've already cut the expenses that I can do without. I'm planning on 6-8 A's this year. I am sooo looking forward to showing this year I'm not sure if anything could discourage me lol!

[ALLIGORY]

No effect here, we cut back to doing affordable shows 2yrs. ago. I expect a few higher charges for some everyday expenses but for now we are sticking with our planned show schedule and getting our goals met without shipping out of state. I hope the oil prices dont kill the major industries though.

[gottagrey]

And, of course, keep those tax breaks coming for Exxon. Wouldn't want them to have to pay taxes.

Actually Exxon is working on developing alternative fuels... so it's NOT tax breaks for Exxon or businesses or even the wealthy. Libya exports 2% of the worlds oil - so that's not what's doing it... Much of what is driving fuel/energy prices up are

1) Bernakes pumping money to pay off debt - which is devaluing the dollar making things like OIL cost more..

2) Obama's energy policy basically has the EPA over-regulating gas, oil, and coal mining... they've pulled gas and oil leases, halted permits for offshore drilling (save one from last week) in the meantime there are no alternatives to fossil fuels at the moment...

3) food prices are going up because Corn/wheat is being used more and more for Ethanyol production and less is going towards food and grain products... which is why feed prices are on the rise..

if you look at the history of oil production in the US... in the 1970's the US produced about 85% of its oil, and imported about 15%, now its pretty much reversed... so much for being independent on foreign oil right?

[meupatdoes]

Actually Exxon is working on developing alternative fuels... so it's NOT tax breaks for Exxon or businesses or even the wealthy.

I don't understand how the first part of this sentence logically concludes with the second part.

If you look at the history of oil production in the US... in the 1970's the US produced about 85% of its oil, and imported about 15%, now its pretty much reversed... so much for being independent on foreign oil right?

This statistic doesn't mean anything without an understanding of how much oil the US used then vs how much we are using now. If we are using the same amount of oil we used then and are simply changing our sourcing structure (assuming all sources available then are equally available now) that is one thing.

To me that statistic looks more like we wildly and irresponsibly increased our demand over what we are able to produce.

But surely you quoted that statistic having done your research so you will be able to come up with a handy source for how many barrels we used then vs now.

[gottagrey]

I don't understand how the first part of this sentence logically concludes with the second part.



This statistic doesn't mean anything without an understanding of how much oil the US used then vs how much we are using now. If we are using the same amount of oil we used then and are simply changing our sourcing structure (assuming all sources available then are equally available now) that is one thing.

To me that statistic looks more like we wildly and irresponsibly increased our demand over what we are able to produce.

But surely you quoted that statistic having done your research so you will be able to come up with a handy source for how many barrels we used then vs now.

My first sentence - you're right, but the inference is that tax breaks for Exxon (the "evil rich" or businesses or the class warfare angle) is not what is driving higher fuel prices...

It's not so much tht we "wildly and irresponsibly" increased our consumption (remember that some of the countries w/larger populations are 3rd world countries which don't have the energy power infrastructure that US has) - certainly the US with all our McMansions, SUVs etc have escalated import of foreign oil but at the same time, US production of oil has declined..

I'm sure you remember this from January, 2008, Barack Obama told the San Francisco Chronicle: "When I was asked earlier about the issue of coal, you know, under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket. Even regardless of what I say about whether coal is good or bad. Because I'm capping greenhouse gases, coal power plants, you know, natural gas, you name it, whatever the plants were, whatever the industry was, uh, they would have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money. They will pass that money on to consumers."

In the 1970's due to the energy crisis (could only purchase gas on even/odd days depending on tag #)Pres Carter instituted the 55 mph - which cut down gas consumption... I'm not sure why state governments have and are pushing up the MPH speed limits now... certainly the trucking industry favored higher speed limits but I'm thinking now w/ $5.00 per gallon for diesel the trucking industry might be calling for lowering speed limits...which if it saves fuel [consumption] and lives I'm all for it.

[War Admiral]

Following on the last sentence of Gottagrey's post, down in the poor part of the US, where I live, I've noticed a LOT of folks on my daily commute are already voluntarily driving 55 or even 50. I started setting my cruise control on 50 on a 4-lane state highway last week and have been quite surprised to find the number of my fellow commuters who are keeping a safe distance and doing the same without attempting to pass.

In terms of how it will affect me, I sort of feel like for once I was ahead of this curve! Big-@$$ truck acquired when horsie was at home (no longer needed since horsie is away in permanent training) sits in driveway & gets driven down the hill to the dump once a week to keep it alive. We had already decided only to do the smallest local shows this year, since trainer's greenie and mine are both Not Remotely Ready For Prime Time.

I do hope the prices have leveled out some by next show season though, when we'd like to try doing some A's if we think they're ready.

[equest]

I remember a whole lot of discussions on this subject when gas prices went up before (was that 2008? I believe it was prior to the economic crisis of fall 2008, wasn't it?) I remember when hay prices and shipping costs when through the roof then.

As for me I am still living more frugally in post-Bust South Florida, where anything horse-related has always been higher than average, and I have been riding in a limited capacity over the past few years. I have not been showing anyway, so the shipping surcharges expected for horse shipping to shows would not affect me. I half lease a horse so all my costs are fixed.

[AppendixQHLover]

This year my green-bean is going to get worked hard at home. We *might* do a schooling show at the end of the summer depending on how he is handling life. Last summer he was adjusting to being in a barn instead of just a pasture.

I have a few other horses to show this summer but we haven't picked out which ones yet. Probably just the ones that are an hour away.

To save money on fuel. I plan on biking to work 3 days a week. I work 10 miles from home. I am trying to improve my fitness level so it will kill two birds with one stone.

[DressageFancy]

Yup, when the gas prices went up a few years ago, everything went up and the gas prices were blamed. However, when the gas prices dropped for over 2 years, no cost changed or went down.... go figure.

Now, it starting all over again and we are not short on gas, it is the fear that is raising gas prices or a political move to crash the economy and blame it on the other guy.

Bottom line, we the people lose and I am not sure who wins at this point.

First paragraph not exactly true at Wally World. In the department I work in prices rose with the increased shipping costs. But, they did come back down appx 6 months after gas/shipping costs came down. People expected the price drop to happen as soon as the gas/shipping stablized at the lower costs, but, most of our consumer goods come from China and then are warehoused until needed on different stores sales floors. It takes that appx 6 months time for the cost of the goods already sitting in the warehouses to be sold and replacement products to be shipped in at the lower gas/shipping costs which are then passed on to the consumer as price reductions.

Totally agree with the second paragraph! We are not short on oil in this country. Probably a whole 'nother thread, but, how come BP is in our gulf, pumping our oil, and then able to sell that same oil to the US at inflated prices? Not to mention all the money BP still owes our citizens for cleaning up the gulf?

And, yes, we the people loose!

[Doubleeez]

Rising Gas Prices

It's hard to believe that none of you have mentioned the one outstanding reason for the rise in gas prices - the commodity speculators!! They are having a field day along with the oil moguls and all at our expense. If the government would require the speculators to actually take posession of the oil they buy, we would see a quick reduction in gas prices, as well as speculators!! Want to put your two cents worth in? E-mail Gary Gensler, Chairman, Commodity Futures Trading Commission at CFTC.gov and tell him what you think.

[BasqueMom]

Well, it's an American appointed by this administration who is handling the claims and the BP Fund. And lots of other folks are coming into the Gulf such as China off the Cuban Coast. Think Russia and Venezuela are already in the mix and Mexico also drills there. We don't have authority over the entire Gulf. The one permit recently issued is only a redo of a previously applied for permit. BP has either bought or merged with several American oil companies.

The anti-oil group never seems to bring up that only half of each barrel of oil
goes for fuel--the rest goes to raw materials such as asphalt for roads, zip lock bags, syringes, fertilizer, etc. etc. etc. And other commodies are zooming
up such as grain, cotton (140% increase in 2 years, I think), metals, etc.

[gottagrey]

The anti-oil group never seems to bring up that only half of each barrel of oil
goes for fuel--the rest goes to raw materials such as asphalt for roads, zip lock bags, syringes, fertilizer, etc. etc. etc. And other commodies are zooming
up such as grain, cotton (140% increase in 2 years, I think), metals, etc.

]

Excellent point Basque - and geez went to Grocery store this evening forget $4-$5 per gallon most bread was well over $3 per loaf - even Wonderbread for pete's sake.. I;m thinking Sundays might be baking bread days or at least biscuits... Butter = Giant Brand Butter 4 sticks $4.99! I swear a bag of chips went up $1.00 since last week too... Of note the RAMEN noodles (10 for $1.00) wiped out at the grocery

Not to worry though Obama said " “We'll be able to ride out"... the situation...

after filling up today ($0.20cents off pjer gallon thanks to Giant points and Shell) and grocery shopping Im now pondering 1/2 leasing my horse ... I've never had to do this before but... and maybe giving up internet at home and so other lifestyle changes...

[FraggleRock]

not going to make a big difference to my showing plans. i plan on showing 6 shows that are about 35-45 mins away and 3 shows that are 10 mins away. and have my own trailer so luckily this is not a problem. although i think i am going to see if anyone wants a trailer ride to the 35-45 min away shows as i have a two horse trailer and only one horse. if i can get a second horse from the area on to cover gas that would be great but i'll be going either way.
if i didnt have my own trailer i would probably only be doing 3-4 shows because the few people around that do trailering for others charge quite a bit. although i do understand why, its hard to make money trailering, esspecially such short distances.