Under The You Need To Be Kidding Department
- Thread starter hp_fa
- Start date
jerseyfinn
Senior
I'm gonna throw out a different thought here.
Folks who have traveled to Europe and elsewhere know that the cost of petrol has always been significantly higher than in the good old USA. So what's the outrage over finally being confronted with the reality of oil and energy costs? We caught a long, free ride with gas prices, and now that's over.
Americans are profligate spenders and insatiable consumers -- we spend our money before we've even earned it. So admittedly this bump in oil prices is whacking lots of people real hard. And I sympathize with those folks on very limited incomes because this crunch is affecting costs in all sectors, not just energy. But the bottom line is that millions of folks drove big SUVs and developed all sorts other wasteful habits. So yeah, it hurts to fill er up now. Deal with it ( as you should have in the first place ). < spoken as one who owns a 4 Runner, but I'm not complaining . . . I either adjust or pay the man >
The real problem at the moment is that we as individuals and as a nation were pretty unprepared for this reality to rise up like a rogue wave on the beach. This is true of households, business, and government. There is not quick or easy fix that Arlen Specter can slap on someone this time. Sure, you can blame Exxon all you want, but that's not the proble ... it's We the People, our habits, and our politicians who are of the People and have even worse habits/attitudes.
I think that the airline execs make a good point about speculators, but this behavior can be fixed relatively easily. But world aggregate consumption is the issue, and we in American don't control that. With a little more time, households will adjust ( sell the SUV and stop taking infinite trips each day ) and the market will settle down as demand and consumption are sorted out at significantly higher prices.
The airlines are correct to worry -- they've used a flawed business model for decades. This time, that model could prove fatal to some. I don't buy into the lost jobs argument by DP and crew . . . those guys gutted their airlines years ago and employees paid big time for that . . . while execs keep making their big bucks. Time for the CEOs to do their job and run their airline right or to pull the plug and let those carriers that figure this mess out grow and eventually profit. We pax are here nipping at their heels to remind them that higher prices also require service and product ( when we're not queued up for $4 a gallon gas to drive to the airport ).
Barry
Folks who have traveled to Europe and elsewhere know that the cost of petrol has always been significantly higher than in the good old USA. So what's the outrage over finally being confronted with the reality of oil and energy costs? We caught a long, free ride with gas prices, and now that's over.
Americans are profligate spenders and insatiable consumers -- we spend our money before we've even earned it. So admittedly this bump in oil prices is whacking lots of people real hard. And I sympathize with those folks on very limited incomes because this crunch is affecting costs in all sectors, not just energy. But the bottom line is that millions of folks drove big SUVs and developed all sorts other wasteful habits. So yeah, it hurts to fill er up now. Deal with it ( as you should have in the first place ). < spoken as one who owns a 4 Runner, but I'm not complaining . . . I either adjust or pay the man >
The real problem at the moment is that we as individuals and as a nation were pretty unprepared for this reality to rise up like a rogue wave on the beach. This is true of households, business, and government. There is not quick or easy fix that Arlen Specter can slap on someone this time. Sure, you can blame Exxon all you want, but that's not the proble ... it's We the People, our habits, and our politicians who are of the People and have even worse habits/attitudes.
I think that the airline execs make a good point about speculators, but this behavior can be fixed relatively easily. But world aggregate consumption is the issue, and we in American don't control that. With a little more time, households will adjust ( sell the SUV and stop taking infinite trips each day ) and the market will settle down as demand and consumption are sorted out at significantly higher prices.
The airlines are correct to worry -- they've used a flawed business model for decades. This time, that model could prove fatal to some. I don't buy into the lost jobs argument by DP and crew . . . those guys gutted their airlines years ago and employees paid big time for that . . . while execs keep making their big bucks. Time for the CEOs to do their job and run their airline right or to pull the plug and let those carriers that figure this mess out grow and eventually profit. We pax are here nipping at their heels to remind them that higher prices also require service and product ( when we're not queued up for $4 a gallon gas to drive to the airport ).
Barry
SegmentKing
Veteran
i just went to the website and sent in my letter.
I don't care what Kirby or Parker gets out of it, I just agree that the oil speculators are the ones getting mucho rich, and not us.
signed,
just got a 35% paycut cause of gas.
I don't care what Kirby or Parker gets out of it, I just agree that the oil speculators are the ones getting mucho rich, and not us.
signed,
just got a 35% paycut cause of gas.
Chicken or Beef??
Advanced
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2007
- Messages
- 167
- Reaction score
- 0
I don't understand the relevance of Hollywood and their riches. If an actor is part of a project that nets 50-60 million dollars in profit, and say they are paid $40k for their part in the movie, then who gets to keep the rest? The producers? If our airlines were reaping huge profits, wouldn't we ALL want a bigger piece of the pie? The same goes for sports players.
BuffaloJoe
Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2005
- Messages
- 2,873
- Reaction score
- 18
Who supports the Actors-Actresses? We do by spending money, same as Sports. We Americans don't stick together and that is the main reason for all this crap that is hitting the fan in this Country. There are to many people that all their concern is themselves. They do not care how they make it, they do not care who they step on. All they care is about themselves. Sure there are few people that care, but they are far and too few in between. But we all need to look in the mirror, including myself, and ask, what can I do that will help the common working man and not benefit some rich arrogant fool? I admit sometimes I get caught up in that ME ME world, but its a habit that I am fighting to break.
Chicken or Beef??
Advanced
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2007
- Messages
- 167
- Reaction score
- 0
I know there is a lot of negativity on this board, but man, is the sky in your world always falling?
SS255
Veteran
The financers (the studio, or whatever entities are bankrolling the picture) and the profit participants (which often includes the stars).
freedom
Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2006
- Messages
- 3,244
- Reaction score
- 274
Ah man great picture chicken or beef …
Is the sky falling in my world ? no , I should think not , I’m simply concerned at what’s coming … to be honest I don’t have a 401 K and thus I’m not that vested in the market , I’m simply concerned with the after affects of a market melt down , particularly inflation …. And I believe that inflation will rise , rendering my new wonderful raise far less valuable then it would have been before .
To matrix dude …
It’s an interesting somewhat upbeat picture you paint of everyone adjusting , but it’s not going to play out like that , at least not in my view … you see what’s more likely to happen is that as people realize the economy is falling their going to start jumping out of their expensive mortgages in droves , and this will increase like a snowball rolling down hill as more and more homes lose their value … right before they bail however , most of these folk will max out their credit cards because they will understand that their credit’s going to be in the toilet so might as well go on an all expenses paid shopping spree right ? Thus the credit crisis will grow to unheard of proportions .Meanwhile those folk who aren’t in a worse off postion are just going to get battered by high gas prices and food prices , they will dramatically cut back their spending and that will in turn dramatically reduce consumer spending(best buy , circutcity , your hair salon , etc ) which powers 2/3 jobs in this economy …. At that point we’re going to have a big ole welcome to unemployment party for the millions of Americans who will be joining the rolls …. With the us government maxed out , can you say tax the rich ? tax them into oblivion is what will happen … or they will flee the country , who knows .. and as all of this unfolds our dollar will get weaker and weaker …. Once unemployment in this country hit’s 25% , which was the old high during the great depression , get ready for the revolution because there’s no way Americans who are used to easy living are going to rough it ….
Is the sky falling in my world ? no , I should think not , I’m simply concerned at what’s coming … to be honest I don’t have a 401 K and thus I’m not that vested in the market , I’m simply concerned with the after affects of a market melt down , particularly inflation …. And I believe that inflation will rise , rendering my new wonderful raise far less valuable then it would have been before .
To matrix dude …
It’s an interesting somewhat upbeat picture you paint of everyone adjusting , but it’s not going to play out like that , at least not in my view … you see what’s more likely to happen is that as people realize the economy is falling their going to start jumping out of their expensive mortgages in droves , and this will increase like a snowball rolling down hill as more and more homes lose their value … right before they bail however , most of these folk will max out their credit cards because they will understand that their credit’s going to be in the toilet so might as well go on an all expenses paid shopping spree right ? Thus the credit crisis will grow to unheard of proportions .Meanwhile those folk who aren’t in a worse off postion are just going to get battered by high gas prices and food prices , they will dramatically cut back their spending and that will in turn dramatically reduce consumer spending(best buy , circutcity , your hair salon , etc ) which powers 2/3 jobs in this economy …. At that point we’re going to have a big ole welcome to unemployment party for the millions of Americans who will be joining the rolls …. With the us government maxed out , can you say tax the rich ? tax them into oblivion is what will happen … or they will flee the country , who knows .. and as all of this unfolds our dollar will get weaker and weaker …. Once unemployment in this country hit’s 25% , which was the old high during the great depression , get ready for the revolution because there’s no way Americans who are used to easy living are going to rough it ….
N965VJ
Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2005
- Messages
- 3,255
- Reaction score
- 149
So the airline CEOs are now blaming those nasty speculators? How would the airlines be able to hedge their fuel costs if the market was to be shackled? Oh, yeah, a loophole!
These guys are just dumbing themselves down to the level of Doug Parker; blame something else for our failure.
Oh, and Freedom, Tom Joad says you can ride with him and the rest of his family out to California.
These guys are just dumbing themselves down to the level of Doug Parker; blame something else for our failure.
Oh, and Freedom, Tom Joad says you can ride with him and the rest of his family out to California.
signals
Veteran
So a bunch of scarecrows in a cornfield with crows picking at their straw heads have more brains than this combined bunch of high priced captains of industry? 
WTF, first they need to fire their PR departments at a savings of billions of dollars...*hint*...then they need to deliver mail by something faster than an actual snail! I think this 'favor' should have been asked weeks BEFORE the increase in EVERYTHING! I mean even if the speculation and manipulation that airlines claim is true, the public may wonder why the prices on airfare was raised before the letter writing.
LINK
WTF, first they need to fire their PR departments at a savings of billions of dollars...*hint*...then they need to deliver mail by something faster than an actual snail! I think this 'favor' should have been asked weeks BEFORE the increase in EVERYTHING! I mean even if the speculation and manipulation that airlines claim is true, the public may wonder why the prices on airfare was raised before the letter writing.
LINK
Prince of PAWOBs
Veteran
You put it very eloquently and much better than I did. Thank you.
N965VJ
Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2005
- Messages
- 3,255
- Reaction score
- 149
As always, Tempe’s timing is impeccable. Who’s the first airline mentioned in the Forbes article?
JAMAKE1
Veteran
No.
Our shortsightedness stems from having become the glutens of the world that we are, consuming more of the earth's natural resources than any other country on the planet. Our shortsightedness stems from having created urban sprawl yet having failed to plan for alternative transportation infrastructure that could support such sprawl. Our shortsightedness stems from having failed to plan for, and build infrastructure that supports high-speed rail links between major urban centers like the rest of the industrialized world (think China, Japan, Europe). Our shortsightedness stems from the American consumer's obsession with having to drive a Hummer, SUV, or high-powered pick up truck that gets dismal gasoline mileage and contributes to worsening atmospheric conditions and increased carbon emissions. America's shortsightedness stems from its collective failure to recycle and re-use on a widespread level so that a more sustainable way of living is embedded into the social fabric of the collective American consciousness from coast to coast (think Scandinavia).
Building more refineries and drilling off our protected coastlines and in our natural wildlife preserves so that we can continue to indulge our American excesses, is NOT the solution...
flybynite
Veteran
We are not going to drill ourselves out of this mess. And Congress is still sitting on their damn hands.
:down:
:down:
