BigDork's Random Thread of Randomness

**BigDork** · 01-05-12, 00:30

So yeah... I think need a thread where I can just post whatever without having to open multiple threads or doing some thread-necromancy. News, random thoughts, silly thoughts, awesomeness... you never know what you'll get in this thread.

To start... the song that's been stuck in my head for 3 days now...

Portishead - Roads

**BigDork** · 01-05-12, 22:49

Random question...

What incentive is there for oil companies to lower the price of gas? I know we would all love to see gas back down to $1 a gallon but it will never happen. Why should oil companies increase supply that much (if they could) when it's been proven that people will pay 3 or 4 times higher prices? Am I wrong here? Does anyone else think that gas will ever drop below $3 or $3.50 a gallon ever again?

**E_T** · 02-05-12, 00:55

So that they don't have to pay as much taxes and pass it on the the consumer. Every time the prices drop unseasonably, it's because a new tax is about to be implemented and the price rebounds to the exact amount it was before the decreases...

**E_T** · 02-05-12, 01:03

I'm just very glad that we aren't in several parts of Europe....

**Spaced Cowboy** · 02-05-12, 01:58

They are not allowed to legally price set, such that competition should keep prices in line. Gas price is more determined by supply and demand but more so by speculation.

**BigDork** · 02-05-12, 02:16

Since they control the supply though, if prices start dropping more all they have to do is limit the supply and the price goes back up. So while they may not be setting price, they are setting supply levels. I don't see any incentive on their part to increase supply past current levels.

**Lemmy** · 02-05-12, 10:32

Originally Posted by BigDork

Since they control the supply though, if prices start dropping more all they have to do is limit the supply and the price goes back up. So while they may not be setting price, they are setting supply levels. I don't see any incentive on their part to increase supply past current levels.

Isn't that the entire point of OPEC? IIRC the OPEC countries have regularly cut production when they felt oil prices were too low, and vice versa. Except today i don't believe there is much room too significantly increase production any further.

**Lemmy** · 02-05-12, 10:42

FYI in March the average gas price in the Netherlands was €1.76 per liter, converts to $8.78 per gallon.
In the past 5 years i don't remember the prices ever dropping below €1.30, or $6.50 per gallon.

Good thing is, my employer pays for the lease contract on my car. I do have to pay a bit of extra tax, and a fraction of the lease contract myself, but i don't have to pay for gas. I drive between 25k and 30k km per year, most of which is for work. My commute is 'only' 50 km. My 'mileage' is about 7 liter per 100 km (33 mpg if i converted correctly). I imagine both of these are lower/more efficient than the average american commute+mileage.

Everyone complains about it, but i think most people tolerate it because there are usually alternatives like cycling or public transit, or the distances are relatively small.

As another US friend once said "You euros roll out of bed and into the next country"

**BigDork** · 02-05-12, 14:39

DAMMIT!!! Stupid misclicks. I just lost 20 minutes of writing an AAR post when I accidentally hit my link to Wikipedia.

**GeoModder** · 02-05-12, 17:44

Originally Posted by Lemmy

FYI in March the average gas price in the Netherlands was €1.76 per liter, converts to $8.78 per gallon.

I hope that's the price for gasoline? Not petrol?

Since my early driving days, I'm driving progressively less with each new car. With my current job I moved closer to its location so I could cycle to work (weather permitting). This past year, I must have driven less then 8,000 km.

**Lemmy** · 02-05-12, 17:57

Eeh, i dunno, it is for euro95/notDiesel

..is that gasoline or petrol?

**Spaced Cowboy** · 03-05-12, 02:26

oil companies are not really the "producers" as much as they are the middle men. Countries or cartels (like OPEC) control the supply more than oil companies.

**GeoModder** · 03-05-12, 15:33

Originally Posted by Lemmy

Eeh, i dunno, it is for euro95/notDiesel

..is that gasoline or petrol?

Petrol = diesel, gasoline = benzine (indien ik niet mis ben

)

**Lemmy** · 03-05-12, 15:42

My searches on the internets tell me they are both benzine, the british use 'petrol' and 'gasoline' is what americans use. They all call diesel 'diesel'.

**BigDork** · 03-05-12, 15:42

Having lived in Europe for 7 years trust me I know that we Americans have it good. Even when I was living overseas I still got to pay roughly US prices thankfully. There were times when I had to pay local prices and it always made me cry.

**BigDork** · 03-05-12, 15:56

It smells like Chinese food in here. I'm very unhappy with whoever is eating it. It smells yummy and now I want some.

**BigDork** · 04-05-12, 12:43

Idiots everywhere. My lord the level of stupidity I'm dealing with today is staggering.

**Lemmy** · 04-05-12, 13:24

I assure you they think the same of you

**BigDork** · 04-05-12, 14:23

Nah... I'm a small blip on the radar of these people. Though I have no doubt there are plenty of people out there who question my intelligence on a daily basis.

**GeoModder** · 04-05-12, 17:45

Originally Posted by BigDork

Though I have no doubt there are plenty of people out there who question my intelligence on a daily basis.

At least its not on a hourly basis.

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