Comment from Bob
Time: December 29, 2007, 9:25 am

Hey Max, did you see the 3rd quarter results for the big oil companies? The price of oil is not the only thing that is being perhaps “held down”. The price of gasoline was “held down” big time…until now. The oil companies blamed the results on margin squeeze at the refineries…for some of us this was no surprise. I track oil, wholesale gasoline and wholesale home heating fuel daily and the spread between wholesale gas and the price at the pumps had narrowed. It’s not like big oil to throw us a bone so perhaps something else was in the works, maybe a quiet word from the Administration to do what you can to hold retail prices down during these “uncertain economic times”. Alas, I’ve become such a cynic

My prediction for oil is $120.00 to $130.00 per barrel by the end of 2008. This assumes nothing to drastic happens to U.S. consumption….as might occur if the economy goes into the dumper, which, unfortunately, is a real possibility.

Comment from Max
Time: December 29, 2007, 10:30 am

Bob,

I really do agree with you about behind the scenes playing around. I am a firm believer in Peak Oil, really, why else did we invade Iraq, and offer a few choice Allies a share of the spoils?

Of course, that venture has come to naught, and where does that leave us? Up the stream in the swamp without a paddle. Except, global warming has drained the swamp and it is now on fire, and the area will be desert in a year.

This may have been the last spendthrift Christmas. I hope everybody had a good time.

And I really agree with you on that oil price, very unfortunately, it will squeeze many people out of existence.  Too bad we didn’t start working on alternates sooner.

Comment from I.B.Lever
Time: December 30, 2007, 4:36 am

Read about this a couple of years back and whatduya know …..

http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/12/30/business/20071230081658&sec=business

This is the same project Dumbya’s old man was trying to bring on a southeast route but I can’t recall to whose so called benefit . Does anyone out there remember ?

Comment from Bob
Time: December 30, 2007, 7:59 am

I.B. I am going from memory but in 1997 or so a couple of representatives of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan (believe it or not) were in Texas to discuss a pipeline from the Caspian Sea area through Afghanistan. One of the U.S. oil companies was behind this, along with the oil lobby naturally. This deal didn’t go anywhere, the optics weren’t good, as they say. The events of a few years later trashed it entirely however in the present day-who knows.

Comment from Pat
Time: December 31, 2007, 8:11 am

Bob
There are some analysts who believe that our invading Afghanistan had nothing to do with Osama Bin Laden, and everything to do with controlling that country so that we could build the pipeline through Afghanistan.

Comment from Sasha
Time: December 31, 2007, 9:17 am

Pat, having just seen Charlie Wilson’s War I am reminded how much our mission in Afghanistan was about defeating communism. (Don’t bother to tell me all the details of the correct story. I know. But there was still this surrogate war with the commies going on everywhere in what was then the third world.)

Comment from Bob
Time: December 31, 2007, 12:58 pm

Sasha, haven’t seen it - any good? The mission in Afghanistan during the 80’s was to take on the Soviets and deny them influence. All kinds of weaponry, including Stinger missiles were supplied to the mujhadeen through the Pakistan Secret Services. It’s a remarkable coincidence the Soviet invasion was also seen as “an assault on Islam” by Islamic fighters, especially those from Middle East countries, such as Osama bin Laden. The resulting unintended consequence was disastrous for all, culminating in where we are today. I’ve always thought 1979 was a bad year for 2 reasons; the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the Shite Islamic revolution in Iran. Pretty much everything that has happened is a direct result of these 2 events.

Comment from Sasha
Time: December 31, 2007, 1:22 pm

Quite good once I got past having to see Tom Hanks as a ladies man.

Comment from Max
Time: January 3, 2008, 9:41 am

Well oil just cleared $100 for a short time, before settling at $99 something. The barrier has been broken, here we go into a new world. I don’t think it will be pretty for everybody.

Comment from Joel
Time: June 18, 2008, 4:55 pm

Most of the oil producing countries seem to sell their oil within their country at a much lower price that the price of world oil.
Why do our oil companies charge us the world oil price for oil produced and refined in America? Most of these wells were paid for years ago, so their costs haven’t gone up. They were making a lot of money at $50 a barrel. And now they want to take more oil from American land and what? Sell it to us at twice the going oil price?

Comment from Max
Time: June 18, 2008, 7:52 pm

Joel,

The real problem is that Peak Oil is here. We are running out fast. That means the automobile way of life for America will disappear. The only future is quickly build an electric train system powered by nuke plants. Biofuels, electric hybrids, all that is simply wasting time.

Failure to develop public electric rail will mean that communication between regions of the US will cease. No one will travel farther than they can walk. The primary form of transport will become the horse. (if they are not eaten)

What meant about eating horses is, well food will no longer move from farm to city, at all.

Even if we did get an electric rail system up in time, horse transport will still be essential for local movement.