Repercussions for people outside New Orleans

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:duXRe.323227$xm3.46758@attbi_s21...
As I understand it, refining is actually a pretty low-margin business,
which tends to discourage investing in one iota more capacity than you
can sell tomorrow.

Right -- and why do you suppose that is? It certainly didn't used to
be.

Let's see. The price of crude is sky high. Oil company profits are sky
high. Yet oil refining is a low-margin business. Hmm.... What's going
on here?

Can anyone say "Regulatory Insanity"? That industry can't fart without
filling out reams of EPA paperwork, in triplicate. And each one of those
forms is filled out by a very highly paid person -- that you and I are
directly subsidizing at the pump.


Jay, I enjoy your trip and event reports but keep your job as an inkeeper.
You won't make it as a securities analyst. The regulatory paperwork burden
isn't even a rounding error to the energy industry.



So, in my mind the high price of gas is the best way to spur
conservation. The government could mandate things but all of us as
individuals will figure out better and cheaper ways on our own. I would
not support a tax increase however, because I don't support increasing
the size of government, period.

True enough. But what a stupid time to have this happen, when there's a
real surplus of oil on the market.
--

Yes and very true. We had the prefect opportunity five years ago when the
CAFE standards were scheduled for an increase but our brilliant new
president decided not of implement them. If he had, about 80% of the US
vehicle fleet would be getting a couple more MPG which, as it turns out,
would exactly match the reduced gasoline output from Katrina.


Mike
MU-2

Yes and very true. We had the prefect opportunity five years ago when the
CAFE standards were scheduled for an increase but our brilliant new
president decided not of implement them. If he had, about 80% of the US
vehicle fleet would be getting a couple more MPG which, as it turns out,
would exactly match the reduced gasoline output from Katrina.

So, of course, we wouldn't now be seeing a 30% increase in the price at the
pump if only Bush had implemented stricter mileage rules in 2000?

I'm afraid you're dreaming, Mike. We'd only have had more expensive cars
then AND the same, higher gas prices today.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:lbPSe.310410$_o.124941@attbi_s71...
Yes and very true. We had the prefect opportunity five years ago when
the CAFE standards were scheduled for an increase but our brilliant new
president decided not of implement them. If he had, about 80% of the US
vehicle fleet would be getting a couple more MPG which, as it turns out,
would exactly match the reduced gasoline output from Katrina.

So, of course, we wouldn't now be seeing a 30% increase in the price at
the pump if only Bush had implemented stricter mileage rules in 2000?

I'm afraid you're dreaming, Mike. We'd only have had more expensive cars
then AND the same, higher gas prices today.

We could be getting a ****load of better gas mileage if cities and towns
would synchronized their traffic signals. Of course, then they'd lose
revenue from fines for speeding (to beat constant stale yellow lights) or
from those beloved traffic cams (in which, on a national average) that have
been set at lights shortened from 7 seconds to 4.5. Also, it would alleviate
a lot a gridlock, and that would undercut the localities argument for even
more money and personnel.

It would also require a lot of traffic engineers to get off their lame asses
and do what they were trained to do. CAFE standards just let them
pontificate while exacerbating the situation.

In article ,
"Matt Barrow" wrote:

We could be getting a **** of better gas mileage if cities and towns
would synchronized their traffic signals.

Some communities may deliberately screwup the traffic lights in order
to reduce the traffic through their community. Maybe I'm just being
cynical, but some lights around here (Burlington, Lexington) are just so
messed up that it couldn't possibly be just random.

--
Bob Noel
no one likes an educated mule

"Bob Noel" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Matt Barrow" wrote:

We could be getting a **** of better gas mileage if cities and towns
would synchronized their traffic signals.

Some communities may deliberately screwup the traffic lights in order
to reduce the traffic through their community. Maybe I'm just being
cynical, but some lights around here (Burlington, Lexington) are just so
messed up that it couldn't possibly be just random.


It probably isn't if my six years experience with road building a dozen
years ago is any indication.

Consider the motives: more revenue, more clout when asking for budget
increases. These are bureaucracies running these shows; what would be their
incentives for good performance versus artificially contrived gridlock?

In the meantime drivers are on the CITY mileage part of the MPG stickers on
their vehicles...probably the low end of it.

There are only four traffic lights in my town and not too bad, but some
towns I've been in are atrocious. Denver used to be pretty good, but now
it's a disaster. Even more, it's either the grossest incompetence (20 cars
at a light waiting for one or tow or ZERO vehicles to pass by, usually all
having to stop at a stale green and wait the entire cycle.

God, how many millions or billions of gallons of gas do we waste in that
manner each year?

Conservation? How about first somebody doing their damn jobs?


--
Matt
---------------------
Matthew W. Barrow
Site-Fill Homes, LLC.
Montrose, CO

Bob Noel wrote:

Some communities may deliberately screwup the traffic lights in order
to reduce the traffic through their community. Maybe I'm just being
cynical, ....

You're not. I've heard traffic engineers brag that this is deliberate and claim
that it makes things safer. When I lived in Smyrna, GA years ago, the lights on
South Cobb Drive had two settings. During the two rush hour periods, they were
set to stop everyone at every light. At other times, they were timed to allow
anything doing within about 5 mph of the speed limit to see only greens. The
engineer said that was for safety reasons.

George Patterson
Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a person to
use the Internet and he won't bother you for weeks.

"Bob Noel" wrote in message

......Maybe I'm just being
cynical, but some lights around here (Burlington, Lexington) are just so
messed up that it couldn't possibly be just random.

They're probably not. There's one town around here (greater Boston) that I
drive through regularly that has signs posted "Signals timed to require
frequent stops".

On Fri, 9 Sep 2005 14:05:02 -0400, "John Gaquin"
wrote:


"Bob Noel" wrote in message

......Maybe I'm just being
cynical, but some lights around here (Burlington, Lexington) are just so
messed up that it couldn't possibly be just random.

They're probably not. There's one town around here (greater Boston) that I
drive through regularly that has signs posted "Signals timed to require
frequent stops".


Boston. The only town where I've ever had a car pass me on the side
walk while I was waiting for a red light.

Here they try to time the lights so traffic flow is smooth when just
under the speed limit on the main roads/streets.
IE, you either keep it legal, drive like Hell, or run the stoplights.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

Roger

Roger wrote:
On Fri, 9 Sep 2005 14:05:02 -0400, "John Gaquin"
wrote:


"Bob Noel" wrote in message

......Maybe I'm just being
cynical, but some lights around here (Burlington, Lexington) are just so
messed up that it couldn't possibly be just random.

They're probably not. There's one town around here (greater Boston) that I
drive through regularly that has signs posted "Signals timed to require
frequent stops".



Boston. The only town where I've ever had a car pass me on the side
walk while I was waiting for a red light.

You've obviously never driven in Italy or Russia. :-)

Matt

In article ,
"John Gaquin" wrote:

......Maybe I'm just being
cynical, but some lights around here (Burlington, Lexington) are just so
messed up that it couldn't possibly be just random.

They're probably not. There's one town around here (greater Boston) that I
drive through regularly that has signs posted "Signals timed to require
frequent stops".

Yep - I really hate that part of route 16.

--
Bob Noel
no one likes an educated mule