Fuel prices

[73MustangCoupe]

Memphis TN Costco last Friday, it was 2.919 per US Gal.

 

[phagan63]

While we're on a philosophical note, I can't help thinking of Microsoft and how the govt forced a split to stop them from being too successful.

Democracies are the same. You reach a point where the rich can only get richer at the expense of the poor getting poorer...

Extrapolate that further and ultimately, there'll be one man and one company left standing if govt's didn't intervene...

It s almost like ultimate democracy cannot sustain itself in it's purest form...

Relax everybody, I'm not a commo...hehe .... it just makes me wonder where the world is heading that's all...

After seeing zeitgeist years ago, I've become real synical of almost everything I see and hear on the news...

Jim, you couldn't be more right concerning the fate of pure democracies. That's why the framers of the U.S. chose a "republic" as the base to form it's social construct and brand of governance. I knew we were headed for trouble when I started hearing present day politicians continually refer to the U.S. as a "democracy".

"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years." This quote is attributed to Alexander Fraser Tytler. In 1814, John Adams said "Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide."

As the late William F. Buckley used to like to say ... "There really is nothing new under the sun".

All we are experiencing today was predicted and foresaw by some of the greatest intellects the world has ever known, from Plato to the great "Enlightenment thinkers". Philosophically speaking, I see our current woes as nothing more than a part of the cyclical nature of all things. Nothing stays the same forever. Sometimes that's a good thing, and sometimes ... not so good.

As far as the tired and worn statement "the rich get richer and the poor get poorer" goes ... I'll quote another great intellect, W.B. Yeats ...

"HURRAH for revolution and more cannon-shot!

A beggar upon horseback lashes a beggar on foot.

Hurrah for revolution and cannon come again!

The beggars have changed places, but the lash goes on"

 

[Mach1JB]

We also buy fuel by the Litre in Holland , if i convert litres to gallons and EURO's to USD we pay $ 8.88 per gallon for regular and $ 9.19 per gallon for premium................:-/

 

[gpierce]

Australia is on E10 also for the basic fuel so our cheapest is E10. Premium fuel is 98 Octane, but the calculation method here is different so I think that still equates to 93/94 in the US. That stuff is today is about 1.53 AUD per litre in the city or $5.78 AUD or $5.30 USD. Our price fluctuates around 15c per litre every week up and down.

 

[73StangCoupe]

I paid $3.03 this morning for regular in SC.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

 

[gpierce]

[align=right]

We also buy fuel by the Litre in Holland , if i convert litres to gallons and EURO's to USD we pay $ 8.88 per gallon for regular and $ 9.19 per gallon for premium................:-/

That is really expensive. Do you have any alternatives there? We can use LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) here in Australia which at the moment is about 75c per litre. ($2.65 USD per gallon)

Downside is you have to put a big cylinder in the boot/trunk for the gas and the intake system is pretty "ugly".

Greg

 

[Mach1JB]

[align=right]

We also buy fuel by the Litre in Holland , if i convert litres to gallons and EURO's to USD we pay $ 8.88 per gallon for regular and $ 9.19 per gallon for premium................:-/

That is really expensive. Do you have any alternatives there? We can use LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) here in Australia which at the moment is about 75c per litre. ($2.65 USD per gallon)

Downside is you have to put a big cylinder in the boot/trunk for the gas and the intake system is pretty "ugly".

Greg

Greg , we sure have LPG here in the Netherlands.

I have a few of my cars coverted to LPG , there is not enough space in the trunk of my Mach1 for the 60 or 80 litre LPG tank.

But that doesn't matter , we don't pay roadtax for cars who are 40 years and older, and i only drive aprox 600 kilometers a year with my Mach1.

I can also take my original 351CJ from the car and replace it with a Mercedes Diesel engine , nah......

JB

 

[Austin Vert]

Hi Pat,

Well said.

History has definately shown that all civilizatios will rise and fall in the end.

Put simply, when the distribution of wealth becomes badly imbalanced in any civilization, you've got big problems.

For example, why should some English soccer players be paid several millions of dollers for kicking a ball 'round a grassy field? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.:dodgy:

Rising fuel prices are a valid part of the equasion, but importantly valid in their own right with regards the world's overall economic dilemmas. Sadly, we've become totally hooked and dependant on fossil fuels to survive. Greed, lust for power, coupled with vested interest has taken us to that precarious point.

Greg.

 

[phagan63]

Hi Pat,

Well said.

History has definately shown that all civilizatios will rise and fall in the end.

Put simply, when the distribution of wealth becomes badly imbalanced in any civilization, you've got big problems.

For example, why should some English soccer players be paid several millions of dollers for kicking a ball 'round a grassy field? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.:dodgy:

Rising fuel prices are a valid part of the equasion, but importantly valid in their own right with regards the world's overall economic dilemmas. Sadly, we've become totally hooked and dependant on fossil fuels to survive. Greed, lust for power, coupled with vested interest has taken us to that precarious point.

Greg.

Hey Greg,

There have been volumes ad nauseam written and discussed concerning the subject of socio-economics. Having read and studied many of them myself, I could go on and on in this thread until we all do in fact vomit. That is certainly not my aim and I don't think it was the original purpose of this thread to begin with. No doubt it's a subject that can elicit great passion and provoke serious vitriolic rebuttal. So ... In the interest of détente , I'll try to keep my following comments as brief as possible.

Judging from what you've written in your post, I think we both agree on the corrupting nature of power and the dangers of concentrating or centralizing it.

However, I tend to approach the topic of "equal" or "fair" distribution of wealth with caution and skepticism. It almost always leads to the notion of forced redistribution of wealth. The whole idea of wealth, how it is created and how it should be "distributed" is a very subjective ideology to begin with. "Greed" is another very subjective term.

My answer to the question concerning why your professional footballer (soccer player) should be paid so handsomely is ... A person with that high a degree of talent, determination and work ethic should be allowed to make as much money as another person, or group of people, with less talent and determination is willing to pay him. Make no mistake, it is no easy task to rise to the level of a professional athlete. That soccer player can certainly demand to be paid any amount he thinks he deserves, but it takes someone else, or group of many others, to willingly hand it over to him. If the salaries of athletes, performers and other professionals are deemed too high, all it takes is for people to stop paying them. Stop buying game tickets and related merchandise, stop buying the various forms of "art" made by other performers and stop buying the products made by those who hire or support them and you'll see the salaries and related costs fall drastically.

You've certainly hit on a very valid point when you mention "vested interests" when it comes to fuel prices and dependency on fossil fuels. What may surprise you though is that it's not just private oil companies that have such an interest. The governments of both wealthy nations, the U.S. included, and poorer but immerging nations around the world collect a significant amount of revenue as a result of the sale and use of fossil fuels. To put it in perspective, it has been shown, at least here in the U.S. , that for every dollar generated from the sale of gasoline, only $.04 will become actual "profit" for the oil companies. Yes, they make an incredible amount of money. That just means that they have sold an even more incredible amount of fuel. What it also means is that collectively, other entities have made an even larger percentage off that dollar.

When a cheaper, more plentiful and more importantly, equally powerful, source of energy is finally put on the open market, our dependence on fossil fuels will diminish drastically. That will be great news for those of us who hang on to our archaic, gas guzzling Mustangs

Ok I promised to be brief and I fear I'm teetering on breaking that promise. Nuff said

Pat

 

[John J]

I have a question for the overseas members. How much of the cost of the fuel cost is taxes. In the US it varys by state what the tax is. The federal tax is the same. I know maybe some tranportation costs that may make fuel more expensive in some countries. I will think twice about complaining next summer when gas prices go up 50 cents a gallon after seeing what people are paying in other countries.

John J 73 Vert

 

[caspianwendell]

WOW I fueled up tonight for 2.78 a gallon

 

[pegasus]

Tax wise in Australia we pay twice, we have a GST - goods and services tax, on every thing just about. which is 10% of the total price. And then the tax/excise on fuel is around $0.40c per litre.

 

[Mach1JB]

I have a question for the overseas members. How much of the cost of the fuel cost is taxes. In the US it varys by state what the tax is. The federal tax is the same. I know maybe some tranportation costs that may make fuel more expensive in some countries. I will think twice about complaining next summer when gas prices go up 50 cents a gallon after seeing what people are paying in other countries.

John J 73 Vert

The tax we pay on regular fuel is $ 5.42 per gallon

Diesel $ 3.58 per gallon

LPG (propane) $ 1.22 per gallon

Then we have to pay roadtax .... ,

it varys by state and fuel what the tax is:

For an average family car we have to pay between $ 239,- and $ 262,- every 3 months for gasoline engines.

For that same car with a Diesel engine we have to pay between $ 475,- and $ 499,-every 3 months.

For that same car with on LPG we have to pay between $ 526,- and $ 550,- every 3 months.

When a car is 40 years old we do not have to pay roadtax anymore , that's the reason that lot's of people have a 2th "40+ year old" car that they use every day ( most of they run on LPG or Diesel )

JB

 

[Austin Vert]

Hi Pat,

Well said.

History has definately shown that all civilizatios will rise and fall in the end.

Put simply, when the distribution of wealth becomes badly imbalanced in any civilization, you've got big problems.

For example, why should some English soccer players be paid several millions of dollers for kicking a ball 'round a grassy field? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.:dodgy:

Rising fuel prices are a valid part of the equasion, but importantly valid in their own right with regards the world's overall economic dilemmas. Sadly, we've become totally hooked and dependant on fossil fuels to survive. Greed, lust for power, coupled with vested interest has taken us to that precarious point.

Greg.

Hey Greg,

There have been volumes ad nauseam written and discussed concerning the subject of socio-economics. Having read and studied many of them myself, I could go on and on in this thread until we all do in fact vomit. That is certainly not my aim and I don't think it was the original purpose of this thread to begin with. No doubt it's a subject that can elicit great passion and provoke serious vitriolic rebuttal. So ... In the interest of détente , I'll try to keep my following comments as brief as possible.

Judging from what you've written in your post, I think we both agree on the corrupting nature of power and the dangers of concentrating or centralizing it.

However, I tend to approach the topic of "equal" or "fair" distribution of wealth with caution and skepticism. It almost always leads to the notion of forced redistribution of wealth. The whole idea of wealth, how it is created and how it should be "distributed" is a very subjective ideology to begin with. "Greed" is another very subjective term.

My answer to the question concerning why your professional footballer (soccer player) should be paid so handsomely is ... A person with that high a degree of talent, determination and work ethic should be allowed to make as much money as another person, or group of people, with less talent and determination is willing to pay him. Make no mistake, it is no easy task to rise to the level of a professional athlete. That soccer player can certainly demand to be paid any amount he thinks he deserves, but it takes someone else, or group of many others, to willingly hand it over to him. If the salaries of athletes, performers and other professionals are deemed too high, all it takes is for people to stop paying them. Stop buying game tickets and related merchandise, stop buying the various forms of "art" made by other performers and stop buying the products made by those who hire or support them and you'll see the salaries and related costs fall drastically.

You've certainly hit on a very valid point when you mention "vested interests" when it comes to fuel prices and dependency on fossil fuels. What may surprise you though is that it's not just private oil companies that have such an interest. The governments of both wealthy nations, the U.S. included, and poorer but immerging nations around the world collect a significant amount of revenue as a result of the sale and use of fossil fuels. To put it in perspective, it has been shown, at least here in the U.S. , that for every dollar generated from the sale of gasoline, only $.04 will become actual "profit" for the oil companies. Yes, they make an incredible amount of money. That just means that they have sold an even more incredible amount of fuel. What it also means is that collectively, other entities have made an even larger percentage off that dollar.

When a cheaper, more plentiful and more importantly, equally powerful, source of energy is finally put on the open market, our dependence on fossil fuels will diminish drastically. That will be great news for those of us who hang on to our archaic, gas guzzling Mustangs

Ok I promised to be brief and I fear I'm teetering on breaking that promise. Nuff said

Pat

Again, well said Pat, and thank you for your detailed reply. I'll give it a good thinking over indeed.

BTW - I'm glad you didn't go on and on in this post.

Greg.

 

[Wasagachris]

I have a question for the overseas members. How much of the cost of the fuel cost is taxes. In the US it varys by state what the tax is. The federal tax is the same. I know maybe some tranportation costs that may make fuel more expensive in some countries. I will think twice about complaining next summer when gas prices go up 50 cents a gallon after seeing what people are paying in other countries.

John J 73 Vert

I can't answer for our overseas friends but north of the border in Canada my last fill up for mom's car was 45 liters or just shy of 12 gallons at a total cost of $53.00 CAD or $56.75 USD. The per liter price in Cdn dollars was $1.179 which computes to a price per gallon in USD of $4.77. There is a Federal fuel tax of $0.10 per liter or $0.4045 USD per gallon and a Provincial(State) fuel tax of $0.1470 per liter or $0.5945 USD per gallon. There is also a HST(Harmonized sales tax) of 13% included in the selling price. That calculates out in USD to $0.62 per gallon. Add them all up and we pay $1.62 USD per gallon in taxes @$4.77 USD so the pre tax price of fuel is $3.15 USD per gallon. That tax price per gallon changes as the price changes because the HST is a % cost based on the selling price. I.E. the higher the fuel cost the more HST the government collects. It's no wonder the governments aren't trying to do anything about high fuel prices because it benefits them for us to pay more for the fuel.

Diesel fuel is a little bit better on the taxes here selling for $4.65 USD per gallon including a total tax of $1.35 USD per gallon.

 

[Totalled]

Premium is 3.29 at Costco.