Diesel prices

[HamRad]

We just got back from having dinner in Mt. Shasta. On our way out we checked the fuel prices. Diesel is at $4.959. Getting really close to the $5 mark!

Good thing we're at the top of the mountain. We can coast all the way down to Redding!

Travel safely.

HamRad

[Delaine and Lindy]

Up up and away Oil $135.00 a barrel this morning. Experts are saying expect $200.00 a barrel. GBY....

[dsprik]

Unfortunately, these so called "experts" and their mouths are actually the ones driving the market. Wish I had that kind of power...

"THE PRICE OF CRUDE WILL DROP SHARPLY BE THE END OF THE YEAR TO $40/BBL."

There... we'll see what happens... Oh, I forgot. I don't work for Goldman Sachs...

[tom41]

This sure doesn't help....

Please use the "short form" to post long links. Thank you. RVWheels

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/23/
business/worldbusiness/
23oilweb.html?exprod=myyahoo

[c214dick]

I feel real lucky and found a Mobile station selling diesel for 445.9/gal. I called my friend and he said the guy was probably just too lazy to change the sign. His loss my gain.

[tom41]

Hey, you all heard of the new "hypermiling" ? wonder how it works with a diesel dully towing a monty? diesel in southern tn is $4.24.9 to $4.79.9 only 2 blocks apart.
Tom

[skypilot]

Just had this come to me in an email -- very interesting given today's issues:

http://www.valcent.net/i/misc/Vertigro/index.html

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

From the Noon News, Detroit, Michigan

gas near the airport, Detroit Metro, $4.35.

gas some other location in Detroit Metro area (sorry, did not catch the exact location) was $4.17, the diesel at that station was $4.59.

Ford Mo Co laying off Wayne Assembly for 5 weeks this summer. They make big SUV's there. 2 weeks mandatory vacation, the other 3 will be unemployment. Ford will be trying to do buyouts to more hourly employees to reduce the number of employees at each plant. Reducing manufacturing by 10 to 20 % and that number is open for movement, in either direction.

Price of fuel nabbed as the trouble in auto land, (DUHHHHH) I am sure they are closing other plants, just that at noon today, the Wayne plant is what they were talking about.

More to come, more foreclosures?? More layoffs?? More unemployment and the price keeps going up on the fuel. The dude with the gas for $4.17 said his price went up 14 cents over night and that he was selling off the rest of yesterday's delivery, but the next delivery, price would go up another 8 to 10 cents per.

Is there any good news out there???

[dsprik]

Skypilot, that is interesting. I have heard about algae vertical growth somewhere before.

My question(s) is (are) how much does it cost to produce a gallon of diesel, and how long does that process take (corn, for instance, takes one growing season per acre produced - turnaround is normally one year)? Also, how long would it take to set up an infrastructure that could start pumping out diesel (or gasoline) in viable amounts? Years?

It is something we need to see happening, though.

I don't like doomsday predictions, but I feel we are in a potentially catastrophic time. Something better happen soon to slow the unprecedented meteoric rise of fuel prices. Diesel was $2.91 a year ago - now, $4.64 (nat'l aves).

The "experts" all predicted the price of gasoline at the pump would peak out at $3.40/gal in May. This was just in April that they made that prediction. The experts are all confused and our leaders are grasping at straws trying to figure out what to do.

Sorry, but I'm just a little uneasy right now...

[richfaa]

I said it before...will say it again.....there is a storm brewing..We can see it from here..

[dsprik]

I forgot to add that at the end of my last post, Rich. I can see your storm coming too. But now you will be given credit for this. Is this good that this will be called "Rich's Storm"???

[brenkco]

Yesterday, we hit $5.06 for diesel in Cloverdale, CA Yuk!!!!

[dsprik]

"STOCKS BOUNCE AS OIL SLIPS" (CNN.com)

WHAT??? I'm sorry, but I swear these traders have to be on drugs of some sort. Oil races to $135 earlier today, then falls back a miniscule $1.27/bbl (1:12 pm) and these guys all think everything is turning around and the future is now bright... Haven't they ever heard of PROFIT TAKING???

This is strictly a minor pause. If you read the article, you will see that they do not have any reasoning for this slight momentary drop. No global conditions. No major world leader statements. No major invention announcement. Just a brief - very brief - bit of profit taking. Nothing more. Nothing at all to get excited about.

I would love to be wrong and see a long term, substantial slide. I have no idea what would cause that, though at this juncture...

It just irritates me that people who are supposed to be in the know simply have no clue what's happening around them.

[c214dick]

We have been so "addicted" to the convenience of jumping in our cars/trucks and driving where ever we want that there just may be a positive to this problem. The more it costs, the less we drive, the less we pollute. If we need to get somewhere close we might just have to walk or ride a bike to get there. The more food costs the less we will eat and the more we will grow on our own. Just maybe we will get healthier. If we continue to wait for the "gov" to do something we will have a long wait.

[Icehouse]

Dick, I agree with you. I'll be gardening this year. I'm getting containers and putting them on our campsite. If nothing else, it will help with the cost of veggies. Both myself and our neighbor are avid gardeners and we are determined to make this work. Also, he's a charter boat captain. Last night, he brought us a halibut. I think we are not going to starve. Although, we may get bored just sitting here. At least I can still afford to sit!
I am still trying to convince Mr. Bernie, however, that I need a hybrid. He's being a stick in the mud since both of our vehicles will be paid off next year. And I haven't found a Prius yet that is 4WD - a necessity in the winters here.
Tammy

[toolmanroy]

All Toyota models are available as hybrid including the SUVs. I still wonder how long it will take to make up the extra cost of the hybrid vs. fuel savings. Some of the mileage for the larger vehicles is not that impressive.

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

So, this noon on that same telie station here in the Greater Detroit area, some rep from AAA got on and said, ohhh, there are some things you can do to beat the high price of gas. One, buy a higher miles per gallon vehicle. Hmmm, if you are laid off, it might be a bit tough to convince the loan officer you can make the payments, eh??

The other stuff he chatted about was, keeping tires correctly inflated, clean air filters, etc. OKKKK, there are obviously people out there that need reminding bout the basics of fuel savings, but seriously, do you think there are many people that don't get that?? I really don't know.

I have yet to hear a lot of chatter about the 55 MPH speed limit we all endoured for YEARS from the 70s and onward, that 55 was supposed to save us tons of fuel every year, err, gallons and gallons. I thought that worked, but, then, it seems my memory is leaky these days, maybe I remember that warm and fuzzy time wrong???

There are a lot of us out here that simply do not jump in the car and go running around. Al and I have practiced "green" shopping and living for YEARS. We go out, run the errands, and come home, sometimes we don't go off the property for days, as many as 10 days! We are not starting up one car, one truck, nadda, nothing. Oh, he might cut the lawn, or blow snow.

Some of us already try to conserve, think twice, maybe three times before we run somewhere in the auto. Some of us would have a VERY long ride to bring groceries home on the old fashioned bike. Our closest real grocery store is 7 miles.

Have I not read where the use in the USA is DOWN?? But up in other places in the world.

What is my point?? Heavens I have no idea any more. Cept that Tana is parked and I am praying Al says we have enough $$ to get to Mission this winter, WITH Tana.

What would it cost to stay here instead, a bunch in heating and such. We used to sorta save enough on the heat, electric, utlitlies we suspended, ditto with insurance suspended, to just about offset the expense of getting to Mission. I don't want to put that numbers thing on paper, it would scare the beejeebies out of me, but, I am sure that it would not balance with the fuel prices the way they are.

Our first winter away from here, I cried that the fuel cost $1.50 a gallon for gas. SIGHHH

Today, fuel in Detroit is as high as $4.35 for regular unleaded gas. That keeps me on subject, eh??

[c214dick]

When my wife and I were first married we raised our kids by gardening, canning, shopping sales and rummage sales, etc. We did that because we couldn't afford to do it any other way. Now that the kids are grown and gone, except one came back, we will be forced to do some of the same things for the two of us. However the only rummage sales will be in walking distance and not for "stuff" just for fun. I guess we've come full circle.

In a previous posting I mentioned the 55 mph. I don't need the gov to dictate it in order for me to save fuel, just do it!!!

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

For those that may think I am being negative today, here is part of one of those nice emails we all get once in a while, it was talking about heaven and angels, I have only copied part of it here:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'What blessings should they acknowledge?' I asked.

'If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.'

'And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity.'

'If you woke up this morning with more health than illness ... you are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day.'

'If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ... you ! are ahead of 700 million people in the world.'

'If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world.'

'If your parents are still alive and still married ...you are very rare.'

'If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you're unique to all those in doubt and despair.'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I might add, that I am more than thankful to have Tana, and Big Butt to yank her around when we can afford the fuel.

And, I am REALLY thankful to have MOC and all our friend here to comiserate with, to vent frustration over things which we can do very little about.

Thanks MOC

And, the price of gas is still $4.35 outside of Detroit Metro Airport.

[Icehouse]

It is nice, isn't is Carol, to be able to afford the gas that hauls these big rigs around? We don't like paying it, but we will. And I'm thankful that we can.
Nice thread above.
Tammy