BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: artbrooks
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 06:23 PM

As has been said, the biggest chunk of it is taxes. Presuming that the producers charge European nations the same as they do the US, I do find it interesting that the prices are so much higher there. That much more tax or that much more profit for the gasolene companies?

I paid $22.50 to fill up my car this afternoon, at $1.52 per gallon, and I shudder to think of what it would cost in the UK. I do drive a small SUV (that gets about 25 miles to the gallon), and I do need (or at least appreciate) all of its features from time to time, but I also expect I'd find ways to cope if a tank full cost me two or three times as much. That really is the only way to get the behemoths off the road...make people pay through the nose to drive them.

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Metchosin
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 04:50 PM

well, you will get considerable debate regarding health care in a number of countries. Also, how come nobody ever argues about the superiority of private armed services, over ones run by the government?

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: jimmyt
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 04:18 PM

There are lots of good ideas in this thread, in my opinion. It is absolutely true that Americans tend to overconsume oil, especially with the new tendancy to drive these megabeast vehicles that really make very little sense. ie the SUV. I would like to see the price of gasoline go up here in the US to encourage Americans to act more responsibly with our consumption.

I do, however, take some exception to the concept of nationalizing these oil companies. I have yet to see something taken over by our government that proves to be more efficient, better, or less expensive than it would be in private enterprise. In fact, it seems to be quite the opposite.

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Pied Piper
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 03:52 PM

-20K,thats a Zen temperature.
PP

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Metchosin
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 03:51 PM

MudGuard, does it matter? 20 below zero is pretty cold in either scale, although not as cold for cyclists who are properly dressed actually don't find it cold at all.*BG* For those hardy souls, such as yourself, winter cycling for 5 month of the year is actually becoming a way more popular here, but about 70% encounter some "uncontrolled collisions with the ground".   

Icebiking

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: MudGuard
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 02:48 PM

20 below?

Are you talking Celsius, Fahrenheit or even ;-) Kelvin?

Today, 4 days after the nominal beginning of springtime, I rode through 10cm (4 inches) of muddy snow...

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Peace
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 02:36 PM

Gas is expensive because oil companies want to make megabucks.

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: twingles
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 02:33 PM

Hi Metchosen, I'm new to mudcats... hope this is a way to contact you! I'm interested in a fiddle recording of Ookpik waltz by Frankie Rogers. Can you give me the info? Thanks, Twingles

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 02:12 PM

John in Kansas, I know it's not your fault, but I find it insulting that in a country which refuses to sign the Kyoto Agreement, an oil company uses lower emissions requirements as an excuse for raising prices. It strikes me that someone somewhere is taking the piss.
John

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Metchosin
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 01:30 PM

MudGuard, be thankful you don't live in Canada. Cycling at 20 below through snow, during the relatively long lengths of our winters, in most parts, is not very comfortable.*BG*

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Gareth
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 01:25 PM

GUEST 25 Mar 04 - 11:10 AM,

I think it is about 66% on a 70cl bottle

McGrath of Harlow - 25 Mar 04 - 10:56 AM,

Interesting article, but it fails to state whether or not the fault lies with Exxon, or their insurers. If insurers are involved, Exxon would have been belted into the background and told to shut up while the insurers delay and wrangle their exposure down.

Sorry T EXXON Forum shopped, It came up in a TEXAN court.

Basically the court ordered the insurers to give EXXON a blank check, which does not explain why Alaskan Interets have not been paid.

Gareth

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: GUEST,Obie
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 01:19 PM

Actually Pierre Trudeu created Petro Canada years ago as a crown corporation. The idea was that with one honest oil company in the free marketplace the others would have to be as well.
Too bad but the oil producing parts of the country screamed blue murder and most of Petro Canada was sold . The federal government put the last of it up for sale a couple of days ago.

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Metchosin
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 01:09 PM

Germany = $4.93 US / US gal (76% Taxes = $ 1.18 per gal after taxes)

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Metchosin
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 01:01 PM

I don't think you will ever see any steps towards nationalization of the oil production in Canada. The US would never permit it and Canada would probably prefer not to have the level of interference in its politics that has been afforded Iraq and Venezuela.

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: MudGuard
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 12:55 PM

Heavy, don't ask me details - I am a (convinced) cyclist and don't buy the stuff.

Ah, google helped:

Of the price to be paid, there are
62.70% mineral oil and "ecological tax"
13.79% value added tax (net price plus 16% VAT = full price, ==> 13.79% of full price is VAT)

adds up to 76,49% taxes.

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Rapparee
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 12:51 PM

Strick, using the first four items from the website you cited, I ran the figures through the Consumer Price Index calculator here.   The increase in the CPI, assuming that the prices cited in your website were current as of the last time the site was updated (December 26, 2002 when I visited it a few minutes ago), at the end of 2003 (the last year for which inflation figures are available) the items would cost, per gallon:

Coffee: USD 0.72
Unleaded gasoline: USD 1.42
Kool-Aid: USD 1.89
Clorox: USD 2.25

Without running out to my car and checking, I believe was paying USD 1.60 for a gallon of unleaded petrol at the end of December, 2003. (And why would I buy a gallon of Clorox bleach when the house brand would work and about USD 1.00/gallon cheaper?)

This is NOT to say that petrol in the US is not cheaper than anywhere else -- it is. But I don't think that the increase can be attributed solely to the average increase in the CPI, either.

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Metchosin
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 12:47 PM

MudGuard, what are the taxes on gasoline in Germany?

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: GUEST,Bill Kennedy
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 12:43 PM

the fact that a government taxes a product after the corporation has paid its overhead and overpaid its executives, and still made a $7.43 Billion profit in a year, does not mean that the public wouldn't be better served by government ownership & distribution of the product without the intervening skimming of dollars. would there probably be some mismanagement, incompetence, fraud, cronyism, etc. in a government run program? most likely, but the public deals with that, and with taxes each time they vote. the public has no such say in regards to corporate decision making. I would like to know how much Chevron/Texaco paid in US taxes last year, if anything.

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Chief Chaos
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 12:41 PM

I have to agree that it is mostly greed disguised in the old "they're regulating me" sheepskin. I've talked to mariners from the tankships and they have told me that they have been ordered to sit offshore and wait for the oil/gasoline supplies dry up before the owners negotiated a price for their product.

They also seem to shut down the refineries for maintenance during the height of the busiest season.

The specialized gas does't fly with me because they could be producing it in limited quantities over the year to make the quota for the summer.

Sources say that the giant drilling platform "TROLL" will pay for itself in about six years. Compare that with your 30 yr. mortgage.

I don't worry about the prices of the other commodities. I need none of them to get back and forth every day to work. Channel #5? if you're rich I guess you could buy it that way, but like anything else for the rich, it's priced that way to keep the poor from being able to afford it.

By the way, the people of Iraq are paying $.08 per gallon.
Valdez oil is not refined in America either, what makes anyone think that ANWR oil would be?

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: MudGuard
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 12:39 PM

Uuups, just noted I copied the wrong number.

It should be 4.93 USD, not 6.00 USD (still more than the US prices) for Germany.

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Metchosin
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 12:33 PM

Just so we are not comparing apples and oranges and as further food for thought

UK =                $ 5.48 US / US gal (86% Taxes = $ .77 per gal after taxes)
NZ =                $ 2.85 US / US gal
Australia =         $ 2.38 US /US gal
Canada =          $ 2.40 US /US gal (approx 40-50% Taxes = $ 1.20 per gal after taxes)*
United States =    $ 1.75 US /US gal (approx 30-40% Taxes = $ 1.05 per gal after taxes)*

*calculated at the highest amount

Until it is determined how much per gallon is actually taxes in each country, my question would be why does the UK pay so little for a gallon of gas?

One possible reason is that it costs more to transport oil via pipeline than it does to ship oil by tanker. Contrary to what was stated previously, from figures I have seen, Canada is the largest supplier of petroleum to the US (not Venezuela) unless the US considers petroleum fom Canada as their own. Petroleum in Canada (except for the east coast) and from Canada to other areas of North America is primarily transported by pipeline and as such costs more.

some Canadian statistics

some US statistics

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Teribus
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 12:29 PM

GUEST 25 Mar 04 - 11:10 AM,

I think it is about 66% on a 70cl bottle

McGrath of Harlow - 25 Mar 04 - 10:56 AM,

Interesting article, but it fails to state whether or not the fault lies with Exxon, or their insurers. If insurers are involved, Exxon would have been belted into the background and told to shut up while the insurers delay and wrangle their exposure down.

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 11:10 AM

At 86% tax, I'd say that was very steep.

What is the tax on Whisky, these days?

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Raptor
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 11:06 AM

Well said McGrath, Both times.

Raptor

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: MudGuard
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 11:01 AM

1.07 EUR per liter ==> 4.05 EUR per Gallon.
Exchange rate as of today: 1 EUR = 1.21769 USD

==> 6.00 USD per Gallon.

Now what was the prize you complained about? 3.00 USD? Ridiculous!
You should live in a country where the stuff IS expensive.


Reason for the high prizes here: most of it is taxes (mineral oil tax, value added tax, ...)


I am so glad I do not need a car here in Munich, Germany...

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 10:56 AM

"Well 86% of that (i.e. £3.13) goes to the Government. How's that for natural resources being shared by all.

Very true. We may not like the stuff they spend our money on, but at least it's our money, and if we make them we could make sure it's spent on things that we need. Unlike the profit made by the oil companies.

And for an example of that - look at this link to a story about how, 15 years on from the Exxon Valdez disaster, the company hasn't paid a penny to the fishing communities affected, or to undo the damage they did - and the US government is in their corner. That's only to be expected, since they were bought and paid for long ago.

That's the real cost of gasoline - and it's very expensive indeed, for the people and the places that have to bear it.

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 10:55 AM

Well 86% of that (i.e. £3.13) goes to the Government. How's that for natural resources being shared by all.

Very true. We may not like the stuff they spend our money on, but at least it's our money, and if we make them we could make sure it's spent on things that we need. Unlike the profit made by the oil companies.

And for an example of that - look at this link to a story about how, 15 years on from the Exxon Valdez disaster, the company hasn't paid a penny to the fishing communities affected, or to undo the damage they did - and the US government is in their corner. That's only to be expected, since they were bought and paid for long ago.

That's the real cost of gasoline - and it's very expensive indeed, for the people and the places that have to bear it.

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Teribus
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 10:28 AM

GUEST,Bill Kennedy - 25 Mar 04 - 09:46 AM

"Greed and capitalism - natural resources should be shared by all and products produced by state owned utilities:"

Hey, not so bad over this side of the pond, Bill. Remember that £3.64 per gallon of petrol? Well 86% of that (i.e. £3.13) goes to the Government. How's that for natural resources being shared by all?

Greed and Capitalism - HELL AS LIKE

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Raptor
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 09:58 AM

It is aparently cheeper to pay with "ass" Or "grass"

Raptor

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Strick
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 09:57 AM

I like what someone posted on another website. I won't say that gas is cheap like he did but he posted"

This chart was put together when gasoline was $1.39 a gal. Here are some other liquids priced per gallon.

http://www.cockeyed.com/science/gallon/liquid.html

Bottled water was $6.40
Budweiser was $8.88 (a crime in and of itself)
Kikkoman soy sauce - $15.33
Red Bull energy drink - $30.69
Tabasco sauce - $94.46
Cover Girl nail polish - $892.80
Chanel No.5 perfume - $25,600

Gee, even if we had that carborator that ran on water the oil industry bought and supressed, it'd be cheaper to run your car on gasoline. :D

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Kim C
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 09:57 AM

Gasoline always goes up when travel season comes around: spring, Christmas, you name it. Any excuse they can find to bump the price, they will. Guess that falls under the Greed category.

I'm glad to see more hybrids on the roads, though. But what I'd really like to see is an engine that runs on garbage.

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: GUEST,Bill Kennedy
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 09:46 AM

Greed and capitalism - natural resources should be shared by all and products produced by state owned utilities: here is just one example of the result of high gasoline prices:

'ChevronTexaco's fourth-quarter profit nearly doubled to $1.74 billion ($1. 63 per share) from $904 million (85 cents) in the same quarter a year earlier. Revenue was up 13 percent to $30.47 billion from $27.06 billion in the year- ago period.

For all of 2003, ChevronTexaco made a profit of $7.43 billion ($6.96) compared with $1.13 billion ($1.07) in 2002. Revenue rose to $121.76 billion in 2003, up from $98.91 billion in the previous year.

ChevronTexaco's fortunes in the fourth quarter were bolstered by relatively high oil prices. A barrel of oil sold for an average of $26 in the United States, up $2.60 per barrel from the same quarter a year earlier.

In fact, oil traded between $25 per barrel and $32 per barrel nearly all year long. The market's strength defied analysts' predictions that prices would drop after the war in Iraq.

Another big source of ChevronTexaco's profit was gasoline. The company underscored that the margins on the West Coast were particularly strong in the fourth quarter of 2003 because of lower inventory levels for the entire industry.'

wouldn't $1 billion dollars have been enough profit? and that doesn't take into account the gazillions of dollars (over)paid to executives 'running' the business. A reasonable salary to managers and a real living wage to the rest of the employees would still cost less than the current set-up.

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: GUEST,Obie
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 09:44 AM

A combination of corporate and government greed. When the companies raise prices the % based taxes mean more for government as well, at least in Canada.

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Midchuck
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 09:22 AM

Because people buy much larger cars than they need, particularly SUVs.

Because so many people live a good ways from their work and prefer to commute in their own cars, even if they have to take an hour for what should be a 20-minute trip because they spend the other 40 minutes stuck in traffic jams. This is aggravated by restrictions on smoking, since the only chance many people who are addicted to nicotine have to smoke during the day, without freezing their butts off, if they live in a cold climate, is in their cars. This in turn restricts car pooling, because of the conflict between people who want to smoke in their cars and those who can't stand it. (Mind you, I hate smoking and think the restrictions now in force are great - but you have to consider the side effects.)

Because so many people would rather commute in their own cars, as noted above, the demand for good reliable public transportation is not large enough to support it, so additional numbers of commuters have to use cars, even though they'd rather use public transportation.

Add to the above, the fact that the government (I'm talking US here, understand) gives massive subsidies to the airlines, and provides the airport facilities, and essentially underwrites the trucking and bus industries by providing the highways, but feels that the railroads should be self-supporting, thereby making passenger rail non-competitive.

Because so many perfectly healthy and able people's idea of getting outdoors for recreation is to go for a drive, or a motor cycle ride, or play golf using a motorized cart, or ski using a lift, or hunt deer by driving the truck around the back roads with a rifle sticking out the window (It really happens - come to Vermont in November if you think I'm kidding!) rather than walk/hike/run/bicycle ride/cross country ski/skateboard/whatever.

I could go on, but I'm likely to slip into blathering. Maybe I did already.

Peter.

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Rapparee
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 09:11 AM

I think that this is one of those things that pose a simple question to which there isn't any simple answer (like the "Why do we die?" thread).

Living where I do, it appears that every other vehicle on the road is either an SUV or a BHP (Big Honkin' Pickup). Some of these are necessary; this is, after all, ranching and farming country. But I have a hard time convincing myself that the city councilman who lives up the street really needs a Ford Expedition to drive to and from his office everyday. Or that a local radio station needs a Hummer from which to do remote broadcasts from stores and car lots. Or that anybody living in town needs a Ford F-350 pickup truck to drive to the grocery store and the mall. (And I admit that sometimes these ARE needed, but not by Mr. and Mrs. Average Householder.)

There IS an area of greed. And production costs. And transportation costs (I can't think of many other products where you have to use the product to move it, which costs are naturally included in the consumer's price). And research. And lots of other things, including the fact that the US has made little progress in alternative auto fuels since the 1970s (lack of leadership and motivation).

Most things, I've found, are like this: no simple answers.

Petrol has topped USD 2.00 per US gallon here, for premium. I'm glad I drive a Honda Civic and get about 28 mph for city driving!

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Teribus
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 09:11 AM

Naw Guest, at £3.64/Gallon approx for petrol in the UK compared to £67.50/Gallon approx for whisky, considering the costs involved I'd say the Government is ripping us off to a greater extent on the latter.

Mind you, the question of audience comes into it. Not everybody drinks, whereas everybody directly, or indirectly, pays for fuel.

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: kendall
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 07:03 AM

GREED

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 06:43 AM

As Pied Piper says, it's not expensive at all, considering. More especially in the USA where you have it dirt cheap, even when the price goes up.

There's only a limited quantity of it, and when it's gone it's gone. It's going to get a lot more expensive, get used to the idea.

Until we've set up proper replacmeents to enable us to get by without it (including cutting down on unnecessary use of energy), it should be treated like gold dust. Except that it's a great deal more important than gold dust.

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 06:20 AM

Both of them, I would think

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Teribus
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 06:11 AM

OIL
1. They have to find it - expensive process
2. They have to drill for it - expensive process
3. They have to put in the infrastructure to produce it and transport it - expensive process
4. They have to refine it - expensive process
5. They have to market, sell and distribute it
6. Goverments, states tax it

Prices come out as detailed by those posting previously.

Now compare that product and its price per gallon to ONE of eric the reds bottles of Glenmoragie (for ease of comparison a LITRE bottle)
1. Organic raw materials easy and cheap to grow
2. Distillation process - fairly cheap and simple process
3. They have to market and sell it - moderately expensive
4. Governments, states tax it

Which one is the greatest rip off?

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Pied Piper
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 05:50 AM

Actually it's not expensive enough and is one of the reasons that the 5% of the world's population that lives in the North America produces 50% of the worlds Greenhouse emissions.

TTFN
PP

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 04:50 AM

Australia currently is 85-90 Aus cents per litre.

and I'm not kidding, petroleum is now thought to be accumulated organic detrius from space acquired during the formation of the planet - coal is fossilized vegetable matter.

Robin

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 04:44 AM

Because it comes from outter space - created during the life of a star - it is organic stardust!

Robin

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 04:38 AM

The three factors cited in recent news reports in my area are:

1. The changeover to "summer blends" required to meet emissions requirements results in a seasonal reduction in refinery capacity. This should produce a temporary "bump" in prices - but probably more up than back down.

2. New fuel additive requirements go into effect in many US areas, recently or very soon, which will result in "higher priced" additive use, which will probably be a more or less permanent increase.

3. Trouble in Venezuela, which is the largest single source for imported US crude.

And Mr Ripley says...Believe it or Not(?)

With decent weather comming on, there is a seasonal increased demand, and there probably is some increase in transport costs to put larger amounts of fuel "out on the road" for spring and summer travellers. One does suspect that "if they want it bad enough they'll pay for it" has something to do with it.

Recent estimates anticipate that prices for this spring should peak near $3.00 (US average) per gallon for the lowest grade - probably nearer $4.00 if you need a "premium" grade, and prices for the lowest grades in some "high cost areas" may hit $4 or $5.

California, Nevada, Alaska, and Hawaii are currently showing the highest pump prices.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 04:17 AM

Petrol in the UK is about 80pence a litre on average, which makes it approx £3:64 per UK Gallon, or $6:44 in US dollars. The US gallon is smaller then the UK one but it sure makes the Florida prices look good from here. Can you send me a can over?
John

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Metchosin
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 03:32 AM

sorry for the duplication, just a little slower in my calculations *BG*

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Metchosin
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 03:29 AM

Price at the pump here on this island in western Canada for "gasoline" produced and refined in this country is approximately $ .85 Cdn. a litre or about $2.40 US per US gallon, if my conversions are correct. Maybe very cheap by European or NZ standards, but then considering the vast distances we have to transport goods and services in this country, as opposed to the comparitively miniscule distances regarding transport in the UK, for instance, it is a very expensive commodity in deed. Diesel does bring the price down somewhat.

But it still makes for other very expensive commodities at many levels here, to keep this economy rolling along.

A large chunk of the Canadian price per litre is provincial and federal tax.

US gal., as opposed to imperial gal., is equivilent to 3.7854 litres

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Amergin
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 02:45 AM

more like 2.85 cents american per gallon...

1.16 NZ equals 0.753086 USD

a US gallon equals 3.78541 litres

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Gurney
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 02:24 AM

If you call it gasoline, then it isn't too expensive, compared with countries that call it petrol(eum.)
Here in NZ it starts at NZ$1.16 a litre, which is in the ballpark of US$10.40 a gallon, according to a swift calculation.
If someone has a ready-reckoner with US gallons (mine is imperial, and I seem to remember they are bigger) and the exchange rate, it would be interesting.

And to answer the question, it is a monopoly commodity, and we use it by the graciousness of two cartels.

Subject: RE: BS: Why is gasoline so expensive?
From: Amergin
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 12:25 AM

simple....Greed...