Sign of Impending Apocalypse

[weepete]

I'd love to pay $4 a gallon

not sure how it is there. But the u.s. is basically built around the interstate highway system and long commutes for workers, multiple vehicles per household, lots of trucking. I read once that in most other developed countries things are a little more close nit, local, different type of infrastructure and working economy so they utilize transportation a lot less (think they used Europe in their example). So higher prices may not really have the same effect where you live? in the u.s the way our economy, infrastructure is set up going all the way back to the early industrial revolution expansion and suburbias, fuel prices really effect us here. The u.s. was really built around the premise of cheap fuel, and a necessity for cheap fuel. And it isn't like anyone can rip up all the cities, roads, move businesses around or relocate people to mimic some more efficient countries in set up. It just kind of sprawled, developed, interstate highways, long commute for many, all the houses got built. It is about the least efficient you can get but is already there now set up, how it is. so we are heavily reliant on fossil fuels. Just something to think about I could be wrong. I am just going to guess, but I bet there isn't many people that commute fourty minutes to a hour to work around the world in a car. But in the u.s. that is quite common. Just different I would guess.

I'm in the UK mate, so average price is £1.16 per litre (around $6.60 per gallon). Admitedly our country isn't as big as the US but I do happen to be one of those people who commute 45 mins or more each day.

We do have reasonable public transport for a lot of places but if you want to get out of town to do any activities (and I tend to like being out in the countryside) then the cost of fuel can be massive, even for the short distances involved. If, for example I wanted to go on a sea fishing boat trip (which I do occasionaly) it can cost me just as much in fuel to get there as the cost of getting on a skippered boat for the day.

Its got to the stage over here that the cost of transport can have a real impact on quality of life and what activites can cost. And thats not even thinking about the huge cost it adds on to businesses.

The most frustrating part is that its not the fuel that is the major cost, but the 60 odd percent tax that makes up the majority of the cost.

 

[Warhorse]

$2.65 a gallon here in the beautiful northwestern lower peninsula of Michigan. Sounds high compared to a lot of you others, but it still is way cheaper than it was for a long time.

 

[pgriz]

Oh the one hand, as a consumer, I like the low(er) gas prices. On the other hand, as a resident of this earth, I really don't like the fact that lower prices will mean less focus on alternative sources of energy. There's much about our accustomed way of life that is not good, either for ourselves or for our planet. And yet, we defend it with all the effort that the addicted use to feed their habit. Humanity doesn't like change, and yet, change we must. The current drop in gas prices is temporary. Let's enjoy it, but remember that this WILL change.

 

[Designer]

As they say in Russia, the West tries to bring Russia to its knees, but it stubbornly keeps lying on its back.

Oh, Lord! What we need here is a Leader!

 

[Designer]

Unaltered photo - Jan 2013.

Outstanding!

"I'll have a tank-full of regular, please. Aw, heck, here's a quarter, you can keep the change."

 

[pgriz]

As they say in Russia, the West tries to bring Russia to its knees, but it stubbornly keeps lying on its back.

Oh, Lord! What we need here is a Leader!

A "leader" who tells the population what they want to hear, or a "leader" who makes the population face the choices they don't want to acknowledge. We have 'way too many of the former, and precious few of the latter.

 

[runnah]

The most frustrating part is that its not the fuel that is the major cost, but the 60 odd percent tax that makes up the majority of the cost.

You guys need a revolution. Need some pointers?

 

[Designer]

Scotland nearly went for it.

 

[runnah]

Scotland nearly went for it.

 

[pgriz]

The most frustrating part is that its not the fuel that is the major cost, but the 60 odd percent tax that makes up the majority of the cost.

You guys need a revolution. Need some pointers?

Nah. The problem with revolutions is that the early proponents all die early in the process. The eventual winners have none of the motivations that the original revolutionaries had. Which is why they end up the way they do. The American Revolution may be an exception to this. In general, however, the idealists make good cannon fodder for the opportunists that follow. That's how human nature usually works.

 

[weepete]

Parcel of rogues and all that

 

[runnah]

Parcel of rogues and all that

 

[bribrius]

Oh the one hand, as a consumer, I like the low(er) gas prices. On the other hand, as a resident of this earth, I really don't like the fact that lower prices will mean less focus on alternative sources of energy. There's much about our accustomed way of life that is not good, either for ourselves or for our planet. And yet, we defend it with all the effort that the addicted use to feed their habit. Humanity doesn't like change, and yet, change we must. The current drop in gas prices is temporary. Let's enjoy it, but remember that this WILL change.

This is interesting discussion. I used to be involve with the "end of the worlder" types which seemed to do a lot of research in this regard. I think the general consensus was there would have to be a world economic crash and die off. The economy and population is just thought to be too hard to support from a ecological standpoint. smaller populations, localized communal living, natural habitat oriented with shorter life spans as nature intended more feasible for long term sustainability. With the globalization and national economies wiped away. Least I think after five years of internet hashing and research that is what was decided. while some out there look at alternate energy as a solution others look at too many people and large economies as the primary problem.

 

[Designer]

Lowered!

 

[D-B-J]

Damn Connecticut! It's like $2.89 here...