Fuel prices down...

Daubs · January 31, 2007

Curious about fuel prices...since they seem really low. Checked a site and gas prices are down ~$0.19 nation wide from this date a year ago (and even more in midwest, down ~$0.23 per gallon). Diesel is down also from last year, ~$0.07 per gallon.

But why aren't the big news outlets talking about this price drop from a year ago? Why don't we see this on TV? I have a theory that the news (TV, papers, etc.) only like to talk about the negative. The "fear-mongering" creates more emotions in viewers and keeps them coming back for more...which translates to more advertising sales.

Interesting TV show watched a year or so ago. Had guy going around asking people to sign petition to ban "di-hydrogen oxide" or something like that. He kept telling people how this "substance" was rampant all over the earth and how it needed to be cleaned up. People were falling for it left and right...

Then he sprung his trap...di-hydrogen oxide...another name for H2O (two hydrogens and an oxygen...or something like that). He asked this person who just signed his petition if they knew what the substance was...they said no, but said HE told them it was bad. Then he explained that they just signed a petition to rid the world of water! Look on their face was priceless.

Amazing what people will fall for when someone tells them the sky is falling...something to think about (i've got way too much free time tonight...)

1999 Tahoe 4x4 · January 31, 2007

As far as Southern California it is more or less the same since about 2 month.

arens · January 31, 2007

One of the local stations here in San Antonio ran a story on the lowering gas prices a week or so ago. I didn't see it because I don't watch the local news but saw the add for it during a show I was watching.

Generally I would agree with you. Nothing sells like doom and gloom.

MbpsychoSS · January 31, 2007

LOL...........................it's not news worthy

Trouttrooper · January 31, 2007

We've actually dipped below the $2.00 mark. Considering it was running almost $3.00 not too long ago I'd sure say it's newsworthy. They sure would make a big deal when it would go up a whopping 5 cents. We dropped about 20 cents in a matter of two weeks. I remember hearing all these interviews last year about how gas is just going to keep going up and we'd be paying close to $4.00/gallon by mid 2007. Hmmm, doubt it.

I don't watch tv news hardly at all anymore. It's not news, just inaccurate scare stories that are NEVER retracted when they are proven wrong.

1999 Tahoe 4x4 · January 31, 2007

I don't watch tv news hardly at all anymore. It's not news, just inaccurate scare stories that are NEVER retracted when they are proven wrong.

Absolutely.

In addition, I think gas prices nowadays are more determined by certain special interest forces than forces of the actual price of oil.

And the media is ready the sing off on that.

SilveradoLAX7 · February 1, 2007

I don't watch tv news hardly at all anymore. It's not news, just inaccurate scare stories that are NEVER retracted when they are proven wrong.

Absolutely.

In addition, I think gas prices nowadays are more determined by certain special interest forces than forces of the actual price of oil.

And the media is ready the sing off on that.

Bad news and Fear = good ratings

rational responsible reporting = nada

when was the last time you saw a story on TV about our troops in Iraq or Afghanistan that wasn't negative?

-Jay

99silveradoz71 · February 1, 2007

Paid $1.98 Tuesday night...station on the other side of the intersection was up to $2.19 as the other stations had gone to. I was out for dinner earlier, and a station nearby is up to $2.29 now. So much for the low prices.

Trouttrooper · February 2, 2007

Paid $1.98 Tuesday night...station on the other side of the intersection was up to $2.19 as the other stations had gone to. I was out for dinner earlier, and a station nearby is up to $2.29 now. So much for the low prices.

Went down another penny yesterday for me. 1.97 now at Exxon. Funny though the Conoco across the street went from 1.99 to 2.04 the same day Exxon went down.

Wingnut · February 2, 2007

Exxon posted almost a 40 BILLION dollar profit this year. New record for American profit.

Hole.E.Crap.

I understand why they made so much this year (they have pretty set-in-stone profit margins) as OPEC and oil futures traders drove up crude and gas prices..NOT Exxon.

But still.

Hole.E.Crap.

1999 Tahoe 4x4 · February 2, 2007

Exxon posted almost a 40 BILLION dollar profit this year. New record for American profit.

Hole.E.Crap.

I understand why they made so much this year (they have pretty set-in-stone profit margins) as OPEC and oil futures traders drove up crude and gas prices..NOT Exxon.

But still.

Hole.E.Crap.

What bothers me the most that a few years ago I always heard that Oil Companies would not be interested in super high prices because they thaught that at high prices they would sell less and it would hurt them. True or not; they have concrete numbers now as to how their sales are at high price levels. And unfortunatley it seem like high prices are just too in their favour. Knowing that they wouldn't charge less, even if they could. I guess they rule and it does not matter what we do, we can't do anything about it.

1999 Tahoe 4x4 · February 2, 2007

And a later thought: I guess I'm in the wrong business

Wingnut · February 2, 2007

And a later thought: I guess I'm in the wrong business

No kidding man.

I've recently been offered a job in Arkansas for an oil company at more than 3 times my current salary. And I don't do too bad for myself right now.

If it weren't for the fact that I'm old enough to remember what happens to oil companies when profits are low...I'd probably jump all over it.

1999 Tahoe 4x4 · February 2, 2007

And a later thought: I guess I'm in the wrong business

No kidding man.

I've recently been offered a job in Arkansas for an oil company at more than 3 times my current salary. And I don't do too bad for myself right now.

If it weren't for the fact that I'm old enough to remember what happens to oil companies when profits are low...I'd probably jump all over it.

That's exactly what I heard on the radio the other day. About what advice a father should give his graduating son; weather to stay in with the families "oil" profession tracks or to try to ignore today's boom and grab another profession.

Chestah · February 2, 2007

No doubt, there is extreme amounts of money in the oil industry. My cousin dropped out of college and got a job with Ryan Energy, he is now making somewhere North of 130k.