Can someone explain to me what the F%@$ is going on w/ diesel prices?

[kim]

[quote=M John Galt;2715847]Diesel fuel $5.76 US$/gal at the south end of the Dempster Highway, 'Gateway to the Arctic'.

Complaints at $3.63 per gallon seem rather silly.

QUOTE]

It's all relative.

[83bj60]

The high prices are definitely going to affect the price of any services where delivery or travelling charges play a significant part. I've had to increase my rates by an average of $25 per event in the past few years just to cover the extra expenses. Imagine food and other low cost per weight consumer items, it's bound to affect cost on the shelves in a significant manner. Remember, it's not only fuel, it's oil, tires and any manufacturing that uses energy and oil in it that is going to be directly affected.

[M John Galt]

Originally Posted by kim

It's all relative.

but of course...
the amount of increase is always just enough for people to bitch and complain, but not so much that people will actually DO SOMETHING about it.
As noted the 'acceptable' increase in price is happening more often now.

[circle456]

We are well into "The Perfect Storm", described by Dr. Richebacher, an Austrian economist who died recently. The USD is simply a circulating evidence of debt. All USD are borrowed into existence. Most of it is (was!) based on mortgages, and curiously enough, the monetization of incarceration. When you sign on the dotted line, the instrument is monetized many times over. The tide began to turn during late 2005 regarding the ability to inflate the value of the underlying asset. the 5 cent candy bar (when I was a kid....late 50's - mid 60's) is now close to one buck. It's called inflation, or better, loss of purchasing power. As for the manufacture of Diesel, it generally comes off on the first crack, especially the crude from Alaska. Remarkably easy to make. Last time prices rose dramatically, after Katrina, Chevron said that Diesel was more expensive because it is more efficient. So like good central control freaks they wanted to level the playing field. Also, special taxes on Diesel fund welfare programs, this started during the mid-90's.

And wouldn't you know it, I recently finished the install of a 12H-T w/HF55 5 spd. into a 1986 FJ60. 33x10.5 BFG AT KO's on a set of 8.5 inch rims. OME suspension kit, new 3 inch exhaust. Did most of the work myself along with a young mechanic during his off time. This is one sweet ride.

The rest of "The Perfect Storm" is that people will increasingly find it difficult to commute, we've only started the foreclosure thing with ARM resets. The average American meal travels something like 2,000 miles - so food costs will increase ("agflation").........and so on.

In anticipation of this I purchased some property in the Panama Highlands, but now I'm wondering, where do you really want to be WTSHTF ?

So, the short answer to the question of the Diesel price increase(s) is the value of the USD is reverting to it's intrinsic value.

[83bj60]

Originally Posted by M John Galt

the amount of increase is always just enough for people to bitch and complain, but not so much that people will actually DO SOMETHING about it.

Great quote and so true!!!

[rstl99]

Originally Posted by circle456

The rest of "The Perfect Storm" is that people will increasingly find it difficult to commute, we've only started the foreclosure thing with ARM resets. The average American meal travels something like 2,000 miles - so food costs will increase ("agflation").........and so on.

In anticipation of this I purchased some property in the Panama Highlands, but now I'm wondering, where do you really want to be WTSHTF ?

"Thanks" for the summary of the "perfect storm", I wasn't aware of this book - sounds like great bedside reading... This certainly opens up a very interesting discussion, which possibly does not belong here but maybe it does.

Where does one go to WTSHTF? I always thought I'd like to buy some land in the Yukon (or Northern Ontario), and if things got really bad, move up there. With global warming, temperatures are bound to become more temperate, and it's far enough from the major centers of NA population to be insulated from direct impacts of significant social collapse (if in fact that's where we're headed to, as many doomsayers and survivalists have been saying for years). Scary stuff...

All that to say that owning a trusty, solid old LC diesel rig could be one element in a strategy to cope with traditional fuel cost increase, and possible necessity to relocate to places where self-sufficiency, growing one's own food (to a certain extent) can still be possible. Time to brush up on my back-to-the-land books and homesteading technology books!

[rutbeer]

Yeah, it's more expensive, but I'm still ahead of my friends. We recently drove from Raleigh/W-S over to Cullowhee......I burned 5 gallons of diesel in my 40. The other guys filled up several times with tanks much larger than 14 gallons......I'm not really complaining about an additional 4.5 bucks to fill up! If all hell breaks loose, I'm burning bio...where are they?

[83bj60]

Has anyone in the US seen a marked increase in consumer goods from this sharp 33% increase in diesel fuel since last summer? How are ordinary people coping? This is probably the sharpest decline in the value of the US dollar I have ever seen! ( I hear my American wife yelling in the background "what do you expect, we have to pay for that stupid war")

[Belgium BJ]

sorry folks, but you all live in petrol paradise.

In Europe diesel is a just a little bit cheaper than gas.
We pay aditional diesel taxes on the diesel cars.
And have to fil it up at 1,23€/Liter (not $/not gal)
for an example: bj42 3,4D you pay 530€ taxes/j

Most big us cars are in taxes (hp) and in cosumation only for the happy few out there. so we can forget the v8 sound

So understand that i would pay youre prices with pleasure and meanwhile do a motorswap and put som bigase V8 in it.

[83bj60]

Mes hommages, cher compatriote (ou presque... Enfin, plus maintenant)... I see taxation methods haven't changed much since I was a kid in Europe... Do you still get taxed on window area on the front façade of a house as well?

[M John Galt]

The surplus of cheap abundant gasoline following WW2 created a wasteful attitude that still rules America. Before the war America was in a serious economic depression, then more rationing during the war. So after the war Americans wanted everything they could get for as cheap as possible, and mostly wanted to make babies as fast as possible. Their cities were not bombed out ruins needing reconstruction, and sprawling suburbs with a car in every driveway, became the Great American Dream.

The whole economy that resulted from those choices is based on cheap gasoline and wasteful throw-away products. The price of gasoline and diesel are kept artificially low, and the cost of maintaining a massive military machine to ensure that Persian Gulf oil gets to US refineries, is buried in other taxes, but never on fuel.

Cheap fuel is America's "sacred cow". No politico interested in re-election will mess with that one.

[83bj60]

As long as there will be no serious commuting system in our countries, the politicians will have no choice but keep prices for fuel relatively low compared to Europe, where you can get anywhere without a car.

But the reality is our countries are too large for efficient commuter systems. THAT is why is why our fuels taxes are lower than those in Europe, because we NEED cars. Without one, I simply would not be able to work, and our northern towns would simply cease to exist.

I always sneer when I look at the official dedignation for my vehicle as per the government classifications: 'véhicule de promenade' or 'touring car'... What a gross misnomer! Do you know of anyone who REALLY uses his/her vehicle for 'touring' in our countries?

[dagwill]

seems all very simple to me
The great american V8 has been guzzelling needlessly while the rest of the world has been getting around in a clapped out little morris
Pluss all those tanks and warships the US has been so eager to test so now, the BLATANT BLOODY OBVIOUS HAS HAPPENED weve all but run out of oil and now we are all going to pay very dearly for it
If you think fuel is expensive now YOU JUST WAIT
SO simply look around for a good bicycle, but dont worry we will all be beter of, we will be able to smell the roses as we cycle by

[Talos]

If it makes you guys feel any better I´m paying 2.167$ per LITER, yes that´s 8.2$ per Gallon

but that´s mainly because of very, very high taxes on oil and gas.

and yea oil is more expensive than gas here too, go figure...

[Tapage]

damn ! 8.20 USD/gal !!!!!!! WTF !

[Belgium BJ]

Originally Posted by 83bj60

Mes hommages, cher compatriote (ou presque... Enfin, plus maintenant)... I see taxation methods haven't changed much since I was a kid in Europe... Do you still get taxed on window area on the front façade of a house as well?

Yes we are

[The Red Camel]

Hey guys I have a good idea,, Im going to make the first landcruiser bicycle, lets get pictures in. Has to look like a FJ40 style............................................. .............

1984 BJ42 The Camel

[83bj60]

Originally Posted by Belgium BJ

Yes we are

Why am I NOT surprised! Just like Income Tax... That was supposed to be a temporary measure to help finance WW1!!!

No wonder my folks left for Canada when I was a kid (well to be honest it was mostly the post WWII hardships that basically tipped the balance towards emigration in our case)