Things I Hate

[thenammagazine]

When those who should get a room just banter back and forth in this thread................

Jealous bro?

That's because it was a Charger. j/k

(I started reading about 'muscle cars' and had to jump in.)

Bah, go drool all over your Prius.

 

[devilof76]

Of course I know how to lower gas prices.

End the influence of enviromentalists in Washington. If you want to find someone who doesn't give a damn about how much you pay for gas, that would be a good place to start.

 

[sprig0701]

Gas is a billion dollar business - you figure out how to lower prices, you let me know. I have a feeling that those in the big oil business don't really care what regular people think. if you don't like their prices - then get yourself an electric car or don't drive.

If you know how to change all this - I'd be curious to see how it's working out - I'm sure many people would love to know how they can lower gas prices. Our mayor's advice to combat gas prices and gridlock is riding a bike or riding a bus.

And they know that! The prices are driven up because of exchanging barrels that don't exist! They make deals/contracts/whatever saying they can supply barrels that have yet to be produced. And between the Alaskan Pipeline, off-shore drilling and reserves inside the continental US, this country is very capable of being self-sufficient, but then they wouldn't have excuses to drive the prices up.

 

[Jen]

I used to have a '71 charger. It broke.

Chargers are sweet cars.

This should be in the I LOVE thread.

 

[devilof76]

But then you would have tolls to pay...and they probably wouldn't be cheap. May even cost more than gas. I wouldn't think private investors wouldn't want to buy such a thing unless there was a way for them to profit from it.

The price of gas, from exploration to consumer is almost 80% taxes, so eliminating that would reduce the price radically. Second, state waste with revenue intended for infrastructure is obscene. Any private company could do it better.

Yes, they'll have to make a profit. Do food companies profit? How about real estate? Hospitals? Take your pick. Every essential service provided to us by private companies is done so by companies who make a profit on their service. Not one of them would be cheaper or of higher quality if that service were provided by the government.

Roads would be no different.

 

[devilof76]

...this country is very capable of being self-sufficient, but then they wouldn't have excuses to drive the prices up.

It's basically illegal for us to be self-sufficient in that regard, so if you're blaming the oil companies, you're looking in the wrong place.

 

[Chapter 2099]

Bah, go drool all over your Prius.

The Prius doesn't do much for me. I like to actually use my brakes. j/k

The old Charger had a great look though. Not exactly sure what Dodge did to it now though.

 

[sprig0701]

It's basically illegal for us to be self-sufficient in that regard, so if you're blaming the oil companies, you're looking in the wrong place.

But they sure reap the benefits of that, though.

I can also remember prices soaring after Hurricane Katrina, and them still turning over record profits after those refineries having to shut down for a few. They testified before the senate that they needed that money to build new refineries, which will in-turn help to lower fuel costs in the future. Still waiting on those new refineries.

And also our government (Obama) stating that the American people are "used to paying the high prices", so in his mind there was really no reason to lower them.

 

[Jen]

Of course I know how to lower gas prices.

End the influence of enviromentalists in Washington. If you want to find someone who doesn't give a damn about how much you pay for gas, that would be a good place to start.

And I thought that I would have to fight companies like Exxon that are raking in billions. They have the most to lose and I think their CEO's like their paychecks.

And you are right, most environmentalists probably don't care what you spend on gas - because they want us to not be so dependent on oil.

 

[Jen]

The price of gas, from exploration to consumer is almost 80% taxes, so eliminating that would reduce the price radically. Second, state waste with revenue intended for infrastructure is obscene. Any private company could do it better.

Yes, they'll have to make a profit. Do food companies profit? How about real estate? Hospitals? Take your pick. Every essential service provided to us by private companies is done so by companies who make a profit on their service. Not one of them would be cheaper or of higher quality if that service were provided by the government.

Roads would be no different.

You ever have a hospital stay - they charge like $20 for an aspirin! Don't see how this is going to save us money. Private companies are no less corrupt than the government. What makes you think they won't hire their buddies at inflated prices for road repairs and infrastructure and just raise the rates on tolls. You don't like their rates - well then find yourself another road to your destination. At list with the govt. we can vote and try to get people into offices that make a difference. A private company could do whatever the hell they wanted.

 

[devilof76]

You're comparing a hospital stay in a day and age where they have to take Medicare and Medicaid patients, plus emergency room deadbeats, plus state plan 'insured' patients, and they have little guarantee of ever being fully reimbursed. Who do you think pays for the discrepancy?

And yes, private companies are infinitely less corrupt than government. In the first place, private companies don't take your money first, and then eventually get around to giving you something for it (usually, something not even close to worth what you paid). In the second place, government creates so much interference with private companies that--like a hospital--it's almost a joke to use the term 'private' when referring to an American business.

Government is the institution that does whatever the hell it wants, and when it imposes it's will on businesses, they become a reflection of that. But people will always look at the government intentions and actions as noble because of their bull____ 'always help others' ethic, and will always condemn the businesses for being selfish. No one will ever look it square and see that the expectation of sacrifices for one's fellow man is a racket bigger and dirtier than anything a crooked banker could dream up.

It would be nice if government would get it's selflessness at the point of a gun out of my face for once, because personally, I find selfishness to be far more wholesome than that muck.

 

[devilof76]

But they sure reap the benefits of that, though.

Would you prefer that they operate at a loss? Or break even, perhaps?

 

[Jen]

You're comparing a hospital stay in a day and age where they have to take Medicare and Medicaid patients, plus emergency room deadbeats, plus state plan 'insured' patients, and they have little guarantee of ever being fully reimbursed. Who do you think pays for the discrepancy?

Was I supposed to compare it to a hospital stay from years ago? You brought up hospitals and real estate all of which is much higher than it was a decade or two ago. I have no reason to believe a private company owning roads won't be inflating their prices as well.

I personally just don't see it happening, myself. If a company has to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on new infrastructure - they are going to need to recoup their costs and turn a profit. That is going to be passed on to those who use that road and I don't see it being cheap. Trucking companies that use those roads will be paying higher prices and pass that on to consumers for whatever products they are shipping. Private companies may be able to get roads fixed or made for less - but I don't think it's going to cost the people less. Let's say you have to pay a $3 toll fee on the road you drive to work. That's $6 round trip...you are looking at roughly $120 a month..$1,440 a year. And if you don't pay - you don't drive on their roads.

I'm off to bed. Got an early flight in the morning.

 

[The Ween]

Please, they're trying like crazy to make PA's section of I-80 a toll road.

And I'm telling ya, if you ever travel and have to drive through PA, as soon as you cross the state line the roads are instantly terrible! Bunch of freaking crooks run this damn state

Our _______ governor wants to privatize our turnpike. It's already been tried in other states and it turned into one big mess. Of course he has no clue on how to be a governor.

Dip____.

 

[devilof76]

I've never heard of a private turnpike.

...lots of words...

I'm off to bed. Got an early flight in the morning.

Have fun at SDCC. Pinch Sam's butt for me.

 

[Jen]

Have fun at SDCC. Pinch Sam's butt for me.

Will do - though I'm not quite sure how Sam will react to me pinching her butt.

 

[devilof76]

She'll love it.

 

[The Ween]

I've never heard of a private turnpike.





Have fun at SDCC. Pinch Sam's butt for me.

https://www.politifact.com/ohio/sta...hn-kasich-hasnt-dismissed-privatizing-ohio-t/


Indiana

https://www.businessweek.com/magazi...indiana-toll-road-is-in-trouble-07072011.html

 

[The Ween]

Will do - though I'm not quite sure how Sam will react to me pinching her butt.

Have fun and safe trip, Jen!

What the hell, pinch Sam's butt for me as well!

 

[thenammagazine]

Chargers are sweet cars.

This should be in the I LOVE thread.

Yup. Great car till the girlfriend decided as a gift to get me tires from the flea market. Whatever they did caused the front passenger tire to continually fire the lugs like bullets and the mags she'd had them put on the rear had to have the lugs cut off. Wound up breaking the axles. At one point the front passenger wheel just broke off. We had it towed and after that it wouldn't start. Wound up offloading it for $500.

The Prius doesn't do much for me. I like to actually use my brakes. j/k

The old Charger had a great look though. Not exactly sure what Dodge did to it now though.

They went all "diet Coke" on it.