slightly off topic the price of diesel

Below someone mentioned SUVs in Mass. I read an article that says that Mass. is preparing legislation to impose a $750 "ANNUAL" tax on SUVs because of the "disproportionate amount of road repairs they cause compaired to such vehicles as Yugos, gas/battery hybrids such as Hondas and Toyotas, etc". In Elkhart County, IN. where I live, they've already imposed a $25 annual "wheel tax" on ALL mortorized vehicles, because they say that those little gas/battery hybrid things get such good milage, that less revenue is being generated at the pump (taxes), and now what to put another 7 or 8% tax on fuels on top of that. The roads have more potholes than ever before the "wheel tax" (there is no road maintenance) came to be, and no politician can explain where the "wheel tax" went to that was supposed to cover the road maintenance, so the friggin morons want to raise taxes again.

Mark

Mark

You shouldn't get beat up for telling the basic truth.

Rod

• water as fuel (.wmv video)

When I hear of proposed Hydrogen cars on the highway, I think of my old science teacher, Mr. Gunner Gunerson, and envision a bunch of Hindenbergs runnin around on wheels. I'm not sure that technologies have made Hydrogen any less explosive, but could be wrong. Who knows? Not me.

Mark

NEWS RELEASE 1-31-05
"Exxon Mobil's profits rose to $25.33bn from $21.51bn last year, on revenues up 17% to $298bn. Along with the world's other biggest oil producers, Exxon Mobil benefited from the giddy rise in crude oil prices last year. The Texas-based company exceeded market expectations with its performance, which also broke records for the fourth quarter of 2004. It made an $8.4bn quarterly profit - its highest ever - on revenues of $83.3bn. "Strong operational performance in all areas of our business helped Exxon Mobil capture the benefits of favourable market conditions in 2004," said chairman Lee Raymond. The sharp rise in profit was achieved despite a 1% fall in oil production and a 2% decline in gas output."

It really comes down to supply and demand.

Look at it this way..... ..... ....
You own a service station that has both gas and diesel. You have 10 other gas stations with in 1/2 mile but only 1 of them sells diesel. You have contracts with big trucking companies that says you will give them X amount off the pump price if they buy all there fuel from you.

So you tell me..... Which product do you think you can mark up the most and not realize a loss in sales to the average Joe that needs fuel for his pickup. GAS OR DIESEL????? ????

A second point to road diesel prices is the fact of the government reducing emissions. The rack where we load has just added a injection system to inject a additive into the diesel and they are talking about going to a ultra low sulpher diesel very soon. The engine manufactures are complaining that they are doing all types of changes to the engines to reduce emissions and it is now time for the oil companies to do something to help out. We just went through a emissions reduction on all new engines a year are so ago and have another reduction deadline in the next year are so.

Some body has to pay for all these tree huggers and you know it will not be the oil companies so we elect you to spring for the cost.

A large capacity fuel tank, say 5000 gals allows the farmer/contractor to speculate in fuel. If as they say the stuff will get to $3.00 by this summer, if you fill the thing up you will make $5000 if the fuel increases from $2.00 a gallon to $3.00/gal.

On the other hand if it goes down to 1.00 a gallon(unlikely), you will loose $5000 but your fule costs would be $5000, or $10,000 in any event. So it is a classic bet on the future with no risk over current prices.

The smart money in my opinion would immediately go out and buy now the amount of fuel you expect to use for the rest of the year.