Microsoft: No plans to sue over Linux patents

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Maybe I was a bit harsh but...

First of all, as I tried to explain, the oil companies have a mark up and then the gas station will have a mark up as well. I don't know if all do but most use percentages and I have read that those margins are very low. Are you suggesting that oil companies and gas stations sell it at cost? What is an acceptable profit margin? 2%, 1%, .5%? And if the cost for buying and refining the oil gets it to where it is costing more and more, will any percent be too much? The percentage deal confuses a lot of people (I'm not saying you) because the higher the cost or base, the more that that percent will represent. They forget that the base has changed. I run a business and I know how it works. I have to raise my prices when my costs go up (yet my mark up percent remains the same) since I like to actually make a living and I want that living to be the best.

It's not the oil companies fault that they and in turn we are held economically hostage to oil. It is mostly our fault for gradually reducing the amount of oil that is produced in our own country to something like 30% which means all it takes is for someone to blow himself up somewhere in the Middle East or a hurricane in the Gulf and prices go up. And I don't buy into most conspiracy theories either (although I am sure, just like in all industries there is individual corruption that goes on). There are many things that will reduce the cost of oil but most involve things that the strong environmentalist lobby object to (the aforementioned drilling for oil off the coasts, et al). Just building more refineries and changing the standard to a national one will increase how much gas is the supply chain at a given moment which will bring down prices dramatically.

As far as need goes, in general, we (the average consumers) don't need oil. Society got along just fine for millenniums before cars were around. Transportation authorities (i.e. bus/rail/trucking) and government agencies that provide fire/police and other emergency agencies need oil and a few others. You and I can take public transportation to and from work (and I do, bus to rail to my desk-all for $4.75 round trip), the kids-hey it may not be cool but there is the bus. After all, many in places such as New York City do not even own cars. If more cities were like that, it would be less of a problem. So I reject outright that oil is a need, hell the car is not even 150 years old and it being a common item rather than a luxury is not even 75 years in length.

Alternatives, well hybrids are starting to become more ubiquitous and ethanol is being used more and more (which is a whole other can of worms). What will change that is our showing that we aren't going to take it anymore and buying those vehicles that will make automakers make more. Until then, auto makers will continue to churn out gas powered vehicles.

As far as risk goes, what is not in the average news story about gas companies is how much risk they take when it comes to drilling for oil (when they are allowed to), or when they sign a contract on foreign soil and civil unrest cancels or delays their drilling plans in that country, etc. So they take those risks and probably more when they start oil explorations and I'm sure that not every one turns out successful.


What I'd like to know is what happens when oil profits are down? And they have been a number of times over the years. Are you just as sympathetic to them and by extension the shareholder (and that can be you and I and our 401K) whose stock is losing money then?

If you are suggesting government involvment like seizing money from these companies then what industry or company is next in line for "unethical profits"? There's also a name for that type of government-socialism.

Posted by: markdean   Posted on: 05/23/07 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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