50 bucks to fill up

[Smiley]

Oh, I can think of a lot of uses for the money we've spent in Iraq, like say, fully funding No Child Left Behind and IDEA, providing Homeland Security with the resources to secure airports (instead of proposing to raise the passenger security fee) and ports, and funding this private accounts proposal for Social Security (which doesn't fix the solvency question BTW -- which is a wonder why we are even focused on it when SS is in such a crisis, as the administration puts it). Oops, this is probably the wrong forum for this discussion

[tomwac]

Count yourself lucky. I drive the "economical" version of the X5, the 3.0d, and to fill up from empty to full costs me €86,4 which is US$113,16... Whenever I'm filling up a car in the US, I get this hysterical laughter I can't stop. 50 bucks for a 93 liters of gasoline: that's almost for free!!

[Kewl X5]

Back in December of 2001, Super Unleaded was $1.25/gal in SoCal!

Originally Posted by tomwac

Count yourself lucky. I drive the "economical" version of the X5, the 3.0d, and to fill up from empty to full costs me €86,4 which is US$113,16... Whenever I'm filling up a car in the US, I get this hysterical laughter I can't stop. 50 bucks for a 93 liters of gasoline: that's almost for free!!

[BMWood5]

Originally Posted by Rathian

Over here in England the cost of a fill is the equivalant of $150 USD about 80% of the cost goes direct to the robbing government for supposed transport improvements.....when they do any i might just die of shock!!

I pay $110.00 a tank in Hungary. And the HU GOV is waiting on the UK to do there road improvement before they will start LOL

[drex]

i missed this.... don't want to turn this into a political discussion but ask yourself SOME IMPORTANT questions:

WHO is responsible for the gas prices they way they are?

(HINT: the ONLY 'legal' international CARTEL aka MONOPOLY.)

WHO: OPEC

WHY: that's the big question........ if you want to talk about ECONOMIC TERRORISM, think about that. Don't bring in the war, etc., or national policy on gas alternatives. Let's focus on the primary problem. Why are gas prices so volatile??????

OPEC sets the price which sets the stage. who is OPEC?


The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a permanent, intergovernmental Organization, created at the Baghdad Conference on September 10–14, 1960, by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. The five Founding Members were later joined by eight other Members: Qatar (1961); Indonesia (1962); Socialist Peoples Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (1962); United Arab Emirates (1967); Algeria (1969); Nigeria (1971); Ecuador (1973–1992) and Gabon (1975–1994). OPEC had its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, in the first five years of its existence. This was moved to Vienna, Austria, on September 1, 1965.

OPEC's objective is to co-ordinate and unify petroleum policies among Member Countries, in order to secure fair and stable prices for petroleum producers; an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consuming nations; and a fair return on capital to those investing in the industry.

The 1960s
These were OPEC’s formative years, with the Organization, which had started life as a group of five oil-producing, developing countries, seeking to assert its Member Countries’ legitimate rights in an international oil market dominated by the ‘Seven Sisters’ multinational companies. Activities were generally of a low-profile nature, as OPEC set out its objectives, established its Secretariat, which moved from Geneva to Vienna in 1965, adopted resolutions and engaged in negotiations with the companies. Membership grew to ten during the decade.

The 1970s
OPEC rose to international prominence during this decade, as its Member Countries took control of their domestic petroleum industries and acquired a major say in the pricing of crude oil on world markets. There were two oil pricing crises, triggered by the Arab oil embargo in 1973 and the outbreak of the Iranian Revolution in 1979, but fed by fundamental imbalances in the market; both resulted in oil prices rising steeply. The first Summit of OPEC Sovereigns and Heads of State was held in Algiers in March 1975. OPEC acquired its 11th and final current Member, Nigeria, in 1971.

The 1980s
Prices peaked at the beginning of the decade, before beginning a dramatic decline, which culminated in a collapse in 1986 — the third oil pricing crisis. Prices rallied in the final years of the decade, without approaching the high levels of the early-1980s, as awareness grew of the need for joint action among oil producers if market stability with reasonable prices was to be achieved in the future. Environmental issues began to appear on the international agenda.

The 1990s
A fourth pricing crisis was averted at the beginning of the decade, on the outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East, when a sudden steep rise in prices on panic-stricken markets was moderated by output increases from OPEC Members. Prices then remained relatively stable until 1998, when there was a collapse, in the wake of the economic downturn in South-East Asia. Collective action by OPEC and some leading non-OPEC producers brought about a recovery. As the decade ended, there was a spate of mega-mergers among the major international oil companies in an industry that was experiencing major technological advances. For most of the 1990s, the ongoing international climate change negotiations threatened heavy decreases in future oil demand.


Like what you read? Funny its point of view. Makes you feel all good and shit, no?


Where is this from?


Their official website: http://www.opec.org/aboutus/history/history.htm



If it weren't for OPEC ("a price fixing group"), we would be able to set up a free economy system (competition and best price scenario).... the questions YOU should ask:


why is it that every other monopoly in the world has been taken down by international pressure, and this one hasn't???????

[BMWood5]

The other monopoly you failed to mention is the Governments. I say this in the fact that over here in Europe, at least 50% and sometimes 75% of the cost per litre (4 liters per gallon) goes to the social governments letting people work 35 hours a week, plus a bunch of other shit. The US would probably have another revolution if gas prices were taxed as they are in Europe. But they love that environment crap (or love fronting the cost of the EU parliment hehe). You are right in one point: OPEC is a organized sydicate dealing in legal product. They will never go down because of the cost of taking them down (except 1 country at a time hehe) to the world economy. But hey, we should run outta Texas Tea sooner or later. We should all start AquaPEC before anyone else does

P.S. Thanks for a wonderful site guys, you have def helped me out

[BMWood5]

Originally Posted by Smiley

Oh, I can think of a lot of uses for the money we've spent in Iraq, like say, fully funding No Child Left Behind and IDEA, providing Homeland Security with the resources to secure airports (instead of proposing to raise the passenger security fee) and ports, and funding this private accounts proposal for Social Security (which doesn't fix the solvency question BTW -- which is a wonder why we are even focused on it when SS is in such a crisis, as the administration puts it). Oops, this is probably the wrong forum for this discussion

LOL, yes that forum is over at luvgmcars.com

[rangerfan]

Originally Posted by drex

i missed this.... don't want to turn this into a political discussion but ask yourself SOME IMPORTANT questions:

I agree, both about the OPEC thing and the let's not get political here, but here is one important and often overlooked somewhat non-political fact. Aside from the fact that world demand for oil has reached record levels and will continue to increase as China builds more OldsmoBuicks, you have to recognize that our oil refineries in the US are running at full capacity, and that is a huge part of the price problem here. We haven't built a refinery in this country in about 50 years, plus or minus. Until we can increase our capacity to refine, and while the demans remains high, supply will be tight, and prices will remain high. Noone wants a refinery in their back yard (I can't blame them--I sure don't!), but we need one or five, somewhere, and pdq!

[bozo]

We're saving a LOT more than just PEOPLE in Iraq, if you know what I mean...hint, hint...

When the dust settles in the desert, you'll see the REAL reason for the invasion...Well, the countries that supported the coalition will...And a lot more smiling faces at the pumps too...

[drex]

bozo--

Xactly the point I was trying indirectly to make!