Big Oil did not manipulate US gasoline prices?!?!

**Xiahou** · 08-31-2007, 06:25

Big Oil did not manipulate U.S. gasoline prices: FTC

Big oil companies did not conspire to raise U.S. gasoline prices last summer, as it was high crude oil costs and supply problems that caused the spike in pump prices, government investigators said on Thursday.

The Federal Trade Commission said that about 75 percent of the rise in gasoline prices was due to a seasonal increase in summer driving, higher oil costs and more expensive ethanol that was blended into gasoline.

The other 25 percent of the price increase stemmed from lower gasoline production as refiners moved to using ethanol as the main clean-burning fuel additive and lingering damage from hurricanes Katrina and Rita that reduced refining capacity.

I'm shocked! Shocked I say!

*well no, not really

**Ice** · 08-31-2007, 06:29

I honestly never thought that they did. Not because i think they are good people, but because the difficulty in pulling something that large off without anyone letting something leak out, was just to big.

**HoreTore** · 08-31-2007, 18:21

I find it funny how we whine about gas prices... Here, if we got the "high US prices", people would have thought they had entered paradise. In the US, they whine over that price. In countries with even cheaper gas, they still whine.

I don't think people will stop whining over "outrageous gas prices" until they receive money instead of paying.

**Sasaki Kojiro** · 08-31-2007, 18:44

Well, it's true our prices are lower, but on the other hand I put around 8,000 miles on my car this summer and American cars are usually bigger and with infererior mpg...so the cost still hurts.

**HoreTore** · 08-31-2007, 18:47

Originally Posted by Sasaki Kojiro

Well, it's true our prices are lower, but on the other hand I put around 8,000 miles on my car this summer and American cars are usually bigger and with infererior mpg...so the cost still hurts.

Well, I wasn't saying that it doesn't hurt you when the price goes up, of course it does. However, people would still complain their arse out if the price was originally 1/10 of the current price, and then increased to 2/10 of the current price.

**Odin** · 08-31-2007, 18:55

Originally Posted by HoreTore

Well, I wasn't saying that it doesn't hurt you when the price goes up, of course it does. However, people would still complain their arse out if the price was originally 1/10 of the current price, and then increased to 2/10 of the current price.

Very true, as it is costing me 1/3rd more in effort to pull through your posts now (as they are becoming more rational and more in line with my own views) I would like to lodge a formal complaint.

I now have to read everything you write on matters, not just quips of paragraphs to get the general gist of your point. This has caused me to expend more time reading, and therefore I am not satisfied.

Please advise as to how I might be reimbursed.

**Boyar Son** · 09-01-2007, 02:10

Originally Posted by HoreTore

I find it funny how we whine about gas prices... Here, if we got the "high US prices", people would have thought they had entered paradise. In the US, they whine over that price. In countries with even cheaper gas, they still whine.

I don't think people will stop whining over "outrageous gas prices" until they receive money instead of paying.

Most cities here are built for cars. On foot would only be for mad men.

**Samurai Waki** · 09-01-2007, 08:19

The Problem is, is that most Euro Countries have had at least a Thousand Years to Reinvent the layout of their cities, through war, disease, dilapidation... etc. Not to mention the distance from country to country's border isn't that huge (Many States being larger than some European Countries, but without the necessary Population). Most American Cities west of the Mississippi River were originally started as small boom towns in locations that weren't overly strategic in the short term. So when a new wagon train came in they just added on as needed. No Planning necessary, as the idea was that people were going to move there until the resources were exhausted and then move on. Which has led to very poor city layouts that couldn't easily accommodate a Mass Transport System without very high costs and A LOT of angry people.