I started buying gasoline in 1991 and ever since that first day at the pump the spread between the different grades of gasoline has been 10 cents per grade. Premium costs 10 cents more than Midgrade, which costs 10 cents more than Regular. It hasn't mattered if Regular is $1.00 per gallon or $4.00 per gallon, just add 10 or 20 cents to it and you will have the price of the other grades. This means that the spread is a fixed cost. The only variable cost is the price of the gasoline derived from the base commodity oil which constantly changes in price.
Now as prices for gasoline are cascading down the spread between the grades has suddenly increased for no apparent reason. At my local Shell station yesterday Regular was selling for $1.659 per gallon, Midgrade for $1.959 and Premium for 2.059 per gallon. So here in 2008, the spread between Regular and Midgrade has magicially increased to 30 cents per gallon while the spread from Midgrade to Premium remains 10 cents per gallon. This is a clear indication of collusion in the gasoline markets in my opinion.
If the spread between the grades was a percentage of the cost then it would naturally increase as prices went up and drop as prices fell. 5% of $1.00 ($.05) is less than 5% of $4.00 ($.20). This is exactly why Oil Companies like Exxon Mobil and Shell have been seeing record profits as oil rose in price. Their profit is a PERCENTAGE of the base commodity, so as it rises in price so does their profit.
For example, if Regular cost $4.00 then Midgrade might cost $4.20 - 5% higher than Regular grade - and Premium might cost $4.40 - 10% higher than Regular. However that is not what has happened over the past 18 years of ups and downs in the gasoline market. The spread has ALWAYS been 10 cents per grade, no matter what the price.
But suddenly in 2008 the exact opposite has happened. As gas prices have fallen the spread between the grades has RISEN!!! There is no logical answer for this except collusion. I have long wondered why gasoline goes up in price 10 cents at a time but only comes down a penny at a time. That does not speak of an efficient, free flowing market, it speaks of price fixing and collusion in the system between retailers and suppliers.
The next time you hear Congress is holding hearings on something stupid like Steroids in Baseball, call your Representative and ask him why Congress never looks into actual important issues. Things like Collusion in the Gasoline Markets, the Effect of Unregulated Hedge Funds on the Financial Market Meltdown and the Fabrication of Evidence for the War in Iraq to name a few.
Mood: Annoyed
It's Ironic: That my neighbors smoke outside so they don't stink up their own house but they stink up my house if I have my windows open.
Random Movie Quote:
"Brenda?" - Mallrats
Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
270
On any other day I would hear the number 270 and think it was about traffic. I270 in Maryland is just one of the many commuter hells that lurk in greater DC. But not today. Today the number 270 signifies something else entirely. As you all know by now it represents the number of electoral votes needed to be confirmed as the President of the United States.
As I write this it appears that Barack Obama is on his way to doing just that. No matter who wins today it is a truly historical day in the world of American politics. We will either have our first black president or our first female vice president. A glass ceiling will be broken today for sure.
The biggest surprise to me today at the polls was the return of paper ballot. We have had electronic ballots here in Northern Virginia for as long as I can remember. They were still there this year too but in addition you could vote by paper ballot instead if you prefer.
I chose the paper option because I thought when else will I get the chance to do it the old fashion way again? Then an election official told me on the way out that next year it will probably all be paper ballots. It appears the more things change the more they stay the same.
It actually looks as though Virginia may be a crucial cog in the Obama wheel this election day. He has apparently carried the state. A state that has not voted Democratic for President since 1964. Good to know that I was a part of history in the making.
Mood: Energized
Band of the Day:
The Presidents of the United States of America
As I write this it appears that Barack Obama is on his way to doing just that. No matter who wins today it is a truly historical day in the world of American politics. We will either have our first black president or our first female vice president. A glass ceiling will be broken today for sure.
The biggest surprise to me today at the polls was the return of paper ballot. We have had electronic ballots here in Northern Virginia for as long as I can remember. They were still there this year too but in addition you could vote by paper ballot instead if you prefer.
I chose the paper option because I thought when else will I get the chance to do it the old fashion way again? Then an election official told me on the way out that next year it will probably all be paper ballots. It appears the more things change the more they stay the same.
It actually looks as though Virginia may be a crucial cog in the Obama wheel this election day. He has apparently carried the state. A state that has not voted Democratic for President since 1964. Good to know that I was a part of history in the making.
Mood: Energized
Band of the Day:
The Presidents of the United States of America
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Nine-Hundred Thirty-Five
935, thats a pretty big number. It's too big to be a credit score, they only go to 850. Not long enough to be a phone number (just press 2 for a while) or a social security number. Besides, who'd be dumb enough to post either of them on the web these days. So what could it be? Oh, it could be an SAT score. If that was my SAT score I certainly wouldn't be telling it to anyone.
Oh yea, now I remember! 935 is the number of false statements the Bush Administration made about Iraq and the threat it posed to our national security in the 2 years leading up to the war. Remember all that talk about how Iraq is linked to Osama and al-Qaida and Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Finally, someone went back and reviewed the video tape and transcripts of all that rhetoric and that is the number they came up with - 935. (Search for "Misinformation Study" on Yahoo News.)
935 times someone in the administration lied or provided us with inaccurate information to build a case for war. If that doesn't piss you off I don't know what ever will. No wait, I know something else that might piss you off more. Congress is STILL investigating steroid use in baseball. That's right, Congress isn't investigating the sub-prime mortgage crisis or the lack of accurate prewar intelligence. They are still dealing with whether Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were juiced up during their inflated careers. Give me a friggin break!
Random Movie Quote:
"Stalking is such an ugly word. I prefer to think of it as compulsive following." - Accepted
Oh yea, now I remember! 935 is the number of false statements the Bush Administration made about Iraq and the threat it posed to our national security in the 2 years leading up to the war. Remember all that talk about how Iraq is linked to Osama and al-Qaida and Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Finally, someone went back and reviewed the video tape and transcripts of all that rhetoric and that is the number they came up with - 935. (Search for "Misinformation Study" on Yahoo News.)
935 times someone in the administration lied or provided us with inaccurate information to build a case for war. If that doesn't piss you off I don't know what ever will. No wait, I know something else that might piss you off more. Congress is STILL investigating steroid use in baseball. That's right, Congress isn't investigating the sub-prime mortgage crisis or the lack of accurate prewar intelligence. They are still dealing with whether Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were juiced up during their inflated careers. Give me a friggin break!
Random Movie Quote:
"Stalking is such an ugly word. I prefer to think of it as compulsive following." - Accepted
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Opinion Confirmed!
I have long had the opinion that NASA is the biggest piece of fatback in our pork laden Federal government. We spend billions upon billions year after year to send satellites on journeys to places they will never come back from. Places we will never visit, places without atmospheres, water or cable TV. Can there be a bigger waste of the taxpayers money? Well, maybe the War on Terror which has somehow landed us in Iraq. A country that did not have toothpaste or toilet paper nonetheless WMDs.
Now I understand there is a scientific purpose for some of the things NASA does and I am cool with that. However, I think they could accomplish all the "critical" exploration with probably 2% of their current budget. Just scrap the rest of it. We don't need an International Space Station. What we actually need is to figure out how to colonize the moon so when this planet is toast we will have somewhere to go.
The latest proof that the ISS is a complete waste of money is that they are getting ready to launch a golf ball into space on an upcoming space walk on Wednesday. Yes, you read that correctly, part of our tax dollars are going so that an astronaut - actually a cosmonaut because a Ruski is doing the swinging - can launch a golf ball into the final frontier. For Christ's sake, if we are paying for it at least let an American hit the damn thing! Is that too much to ask? The Ruski doesn't even play golf, he had to train specifically for this mission, how sad is that?
Imagine what 98% of NASAs budget could do to improve education, restore New Orleans, find alternative energy sources or for cancer research. Just don't let those War on Terror people have the money, who knows how many more countries they will invade with it.
Footnote: When I ran this post through the spell-checker it wanted to replace "NASA" with "Nauseas". Enough said.
Now I understand there is a scientific purpose for some of the things NASA does and I am cool with that. However, I think they could accomplish all the "critical" exploration with probably 2% of their current budget. Just scrap the rest of it. We don't need an International Space Station. What we actually need is to figure out how to colonize the moon so when this planet is toast we will have somewhere to go.
The latest proof that the ISS is a complete waste of money is that they are getting ready to launch a golf ball into space on an upcoming space walk on Wednesday. Yes, you read that correctly, part of our tax dollars are going so that an astronaut - actually a cosmonaut because a Ruski is doing the swinging - can launch a golf ball into the final frontier. For Christ's sake, if we are paying for it at least let an American hit the damn thing! Is that too much to ask? The Ruski doesn't even play golf, he had to train specifically for this mission, how sad is that?
Imagine what 98% of NASAs budget could do to improve education, restore New Orleans, find alternative energy sources or for cancer research. Just don't let those War on Terror people have the money, who knows how many more countries they will invade with it.
Footnote: When I ran this post through the spell-checker it wanted to replace "NASA" with "Nauseas". Enough said.
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Kristmas?
Living just outside of DC means that I am neatly informed about the goings ons in our wonderful Federal Governmental institutions - whether I want to be or not. This week I have learned there is quite a controversy brewing over whether the decorated, 80 foot tree on the lawn of the US Capitol is in fact a "Holiday Tree" or a "Christmas Tree". Officially, it has been a "Holiday Tree" for many years, but this year Dennis Hastert wants it to be called "The Capitol Christmas Tree" as it was BATPCBSS (Before All This Political Correct Bull Sh*t Started).
Frankly, I don't care what they call it, but it does seem that one of the long standing traditions of Christmas is a tree loaded with lights and decorations. You can call it whatever you want but we all know it is a Christmas tree. Actually calling it a Christmas Tree does seem to be a dangerous course of action in our litigious modern society. You know there is some moron out there who will sue the government if they call it a Christmas Tree because he does not celebrate Christmas and he is morally and religiously offended. So, calling it a Holiday Tree does seem to be the prudent and politically correct thing to do. Seems like there are probably a good 30 to 40 million US citizens who don't celebrate Christmas, one of them has got to be a lawyer.
While I certainly understand the implications of this important controversy I am more concerned that Congress tackles these types of debates instead of ACTUAL issues. Don't they have other things they should be doing besides analyzing the tree on their lawn? Stop staring out the window boys and girls, recess is over! No, don't go back to steroids in Baseball again. Who gives a rat's ass if Rafael Palmerio lied or took steroids or cross dresses on the 2nd Tuesday of each month! Why don't you examine why gasoline goes up 10 cents at a time but only comes down one cent at a time. Efficient market, my ass - that has "Collusion" written all over it! Or perhaps the daunting question of what happened with our pre-war intelligence on WMDs in Iraq. Did they make all that stuff up or was our intelligence just totally wrong? Again, it doesn't matter because either answer is unacceptable, just find out and fix it!
Don't even get me started on Hanukkah or is it Chanukah? Figure out how to spell it and then you can get back to me!
Frankly, I don't care what they call it, but it does seem that one of the long standing traditions of Christmas is a tree loaded with lights and decorations. You can call it whatever you want but we all know it is a Christmas tree. Actually calling it a Christmas Tree does seem to be a dangerous course of action in our litigious modern society. You know there is some moron out there who will sue the government if they call it a Christmas Tree because he does not celebrate Christmas and he is morally and religiously offended. So, calling it a Holiday Tree does seem to be the prudent and politically correct thing to do. Seems like there are probably a good 30 to 40 million US citizens who don't celebrate Christmas, one of them has got to be a lawyer.
While I certainly understand the implications of this important controversy I am more concerned that Congress tackles these types of debates instead of ACTUAL issues. Don't they have other things they should be doing besides analyzing the tree on their lawn? Stop staring out the window boys and girls, recess is over! No, don't go back to steroids in Baseball again. Who gives a rat's ass if Rafael Palmerio lied or took steroids or cross dresses on the 2nd Tuesday of each month! Why don't you examine why gasoline goes up 10 cents at a time but only comes down one cent at a time. Efficient market, my ass - that has "Collusion" written all over it! Or perhaps the daunting question of what happened with our pre-war intelligence on WMDs in Iraq. Did they make all that stuff up or was our intelligence just totally wrong? Again, it doesn't matter because either answer is unacceptable, just find out and fix it!
Don't even get me started on Hanukkah or is it Chanukah? Figure out how to spell it and then you can get back to me!
Wednesday, November 2, 2005
The Guvernator
Election day is right around the corner and the hot race in my little patch of the world is the Governor's race here in Virginia. Now I am not the least bit into politics, frankly I feel which party controls the Senate has very little impact on my day to day life. The Governor's race here in VA is supposedly a tight one. There are "Kaine" and "Kilgore" signs everywhere, "On Every Street" as Dire Straits would say. The funny thing is that neither candidate lists the party they represent on their signs or in their TV ads. It doesn't say "The Republican candidate for Governor" or "The Democratic candidate for Governor" anywhere in any media I have seen for either candidate. Are they that embarrassed about their political affiliation? Shouldn't these guys be excited that they are their party's choice for the highest office in our state? It doesn't seem to me that they are. Come on fellas, show us some sack!
The death penalty is supposedly the hot button issue of this race, but the issue that I think is interesting is the widening of I-66 inside the Capital Beltway. Kilgore is saying that he will get that done. I don't believe this promise for a second. I still remember Jim Gilmore's promise in 1997 to get rid of the car tax. People bought it and he became Governor and 8 years later I am still paying a car tax. It is easy to make false promises when you know you will not be the one who has to take responsibility when they are not fulfilled.
"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice and......um......well.....you're not gonna fool me twice".
The death penalty is supposedly the hot button issue of this race, but the issue that I think is interesting is the widening of I-66 inside the Capital Beltway. Kilgore is saying that he will get that done. I don't believe this promise for a second. I still remember Jim Gilmore's promise in 1997 to get rid of the car tax. People bought it and he became Governor and 8 years later I am still paying a car tax. It is easy to make false promises when you know you will not be the one who has to take responsibility when they are not fulfilled.
"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice and......um......well.....you're not gonna fool me twice".
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