OT: Gas Prices, Screwed over and over and over Options

[N14]

Put 50 litres (13.2US Gal.) in last night and paid a tad over $65............somehow I think we're getting ripped off out here (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

Where's the best place to buy gas?????

[swood]

It's our governments regulations that have more of an impact on the cost of gasoline. The oil companies can't legally provide enough to supply our gluttonous (sp) demand. The oil companies can only drill oil in 15% of our continental shelf. There is a lot of domestic oil to be had but the government says no. They have to produce winter gas and summer gas and balance production, storage and demand. Restricting domestic sourcing of oil forces us to rely on foreign oil.

I see two separate issues...one being the application of morality to the use and dependence upon fossil fuels and two, the supply and demand (economics) of oil consumption. I don't have a moral problem with the use of oil. I have a problem with being made to feel guilty for depending on oil and using gas, people complaining about the relative high price of gasoline irrespective of inflation and the real cause of why prices are so high.

I rarely point people to France and say "see, they're doing it, why don't we?", but they're succesfully using nuclear power. Why don't we? Why don't we ease our own economic burden and pump a little more domestic oil? Why don't we open up a few more of the local refineries that are just sitting unused?

And what of electric and ethanol? Are they really cheaper to produce than gas? How much does it cost and what is the environmental impact to growing that much corn? What fuel is used power the farming equipment?

Just a few thoughts. Not looking to stir it up, just wondering what people intend to do besides just bitch about it.