Why is there no big deal about this?

[Pittenger5]

Exxon sets fresh quarterly, annual profit records - Feb. 1, 2008

I would think there'd be some sort of outrage, but this just gets swept over and will be off the newswires by tomorrow. Everyone plays innocent, oh oil is so expensive, theres a shortage, theres storms threatening our refineries, etc etc. But obviously the oil companies are just gouging us to increase their profits. If all the oil companies are making profits even APPROACHING this, couldnt this bring charges of price fixing? I realize they're private companies and have the right to make a profit, but at what point does this become taking advantage of people?

[capt1014]

This is not even close to price fixing, basically whether we like it or not companys can charge what ever they want in this free market.

We the people are the only ones who can do anything about it, problem is we need to be heard.

And how do you make yourself heard as a society, that is dependant on the people who you want to listen to you?

[Tricky Mike]

$1300 profit every second last year... Yeah, I'd say they're doing just fine.

[Pittenger5]

I know its a private company and have a right to make money, Im just getting so sick of the reasons why gas is 3.00 a gallon. The MAIN reason is BECAUSE THE OIL COMPANIES ARE MAKING A FORTUNE. Thats it.

[DucDave]

...perhaps you should consider moving to Canada or Europe....one fillup there would be a reality check...

i appreciate your sentiment...truely...but its the two sides of the free market capitalist coin.

[Doc]

$3.00? That is cheap!

[bigred875]

people see big numbers and think the worst...what is their profit margin? if they are operating within the guidelines of most companies why is it hard to believe that:

Exxon, the world's largest publicly traded oil company.....makes corporate history by booking $11.7 billion in quarterly profit

[catch2otwo]

my uncle in england has been paying WAY more then 3.00 a gallon since i can remember. quit your bitchin

[Degsy]

Originally Posted by DucDave

...perhaps you should consider moving to Canada or Europe....one fillup there would be a reality check...

i appreciate your sentiment...truely...but its the two sides of the free market capitalist coin.

[Pittenger5]

Well I have been there, and I know how much it is, but look at the rest of items over there, EVERYTHING is more expensive, not just gasoline. I have family in Ireland that always comes over here for vacation with extra suitcases and buy clothes that cost twice as much there as it does here, so its not just gas.

And I understand the free market, but you guys dont feel a little sense of outrage that every excuse they give about gas prices is something other than their record setting profits? Maybe Im just alone there.

[catch2otwo]

While i do not like paying 3.30 for gas here in NY where i go to school, i cant blame them. They are in the business of making money as are the rest of us. They are just more succesful. At the end of the day, no matter how much we think they are bastards, we are all still buying gas. Id say they are pretty damn good for being able to pull that shit off. people just love to hate.

[bigred875]

Originally Posted by Pittenger5

Well I have been there, and I know how much it is, but look at the rest of items over there, EVERYTHING is more expensive, not just gasoline. I have family in Ireland that always comes over here for vacation with extra suitcases and buy clothes that cost twice as much there as it does here, so its not just gas.

And I understand the free market, but you guys dont feel a little sense of outrage that every excuse they give about gas prices is something other than their record setting profits? Maybe Im just alone there.

how much should gas cost then? who sets the price? How much money are they allowed to make?

[catch2otwo]

Originally Posted by bigred875

how much should gas cost then? who sets the price? How much money are they allowed to make?

exactly, you going to set them at a profit cap? lol

[Pittenger5]

Hey, Im not claiming to have all the answers in the least. Im just wondering how long the public will accept their reasons why gas is 3 dollars a gallon (which is screwing a LOT of people) yet they can still turn this kind of profit.
Another thing to keep in mind is the costs that come with this in ALL aspect of our lives. Just about everything we use is based on oil byproducts (which is probably why this fires me up cause I have to hear bitching constantly how much a gallon of paint costs) yet no one seems to say anything about the reasons why we have such drastic price increases, which I see as these record setting profits.

[TheIglu]

YOU try setting up a distribution network that has 3-9 stores in every town in the US open nearly 24/7 with constant supply regardless of weather. And get the product from halfway around the world from a dangerous region, refine the product producing tons of waste and using tons of energy requiring tons of resources, transport it safely AND regulate the quality of it more than most food we eat!

What % is their profit margin?

STFU about it, buy a Civic and stop being part of the problem. If it outrages you so much, buy a bicycle and ride it to work. Sell water based paints. Don't buy or use anything made of plastic. Don't put Chapstick on your lips. Don't put oil in your bike/car/bicycle chain (use graphite).

FUCK, it's like people bitching about Wal-Mart but they still continue to shop there!

No hard feelings, see ya in AM this year buddy

[catch2otwo]

ditto

[bigred875]

Originally Posted by Pittenger5

Hey, Im not claiming to have all the answers

how about 1 without sounding like a communist? lol

[TheIglu]

Originally Posted by bigred875

how about 1 without sounding like a communist? lol

He's part of the EX mafia, we bitch whenever someone has an advantage over us. Don't blame him, blame the ProddyTwins class!

[bigred875]

haha..i'm just messing anwyas...i'm not thrilled about it either but once you put everythign in perspective 1. it really isnt that unreasonable of an amount and 2. if it was really that bad trucks and suv's would be rolling out of the dealerships...we reap what we sow... how many escalade esv's are there in london?

[Pittenger5]

Haha, Ill agree with everything thats said. Except one thing, Im not bitching about prices so much (ok I am). What really gets me is the excuses that everyone gives for why it costs this much. Never once has oil companies said because of profits. Its always another reason. Gas jumped X% because there might be a storm in the gulf of mexico. Gas jumped X% cause of a refinery being shut down temporarily. Never once do they say, profits jumped 10%.
And like I say I just hear bitching about costs constantly, but to me, if they care that much bitch to whos making my products cost more, Im not doing it to try to make more of a profit. Our profit has remain pretty steady relative to costs, but people piss and moan cause our paint costs more than 20 dollars a gallon now a days. (And water based paints still use a lot of oil products, so thats not an option)
And screw anyone that has more horsepower in their bike than I do. Plus suspension, basically anything an EX doesnt have.

And Ill be a novice still for a few weekends at least, but Ill be bumping soon enough. I hear the ams need a backmarker.

[Honclfibr]

Originally Posted by Pittenger5

I know its a private company and have a right to make money, Im just getting so sick of the reasons why the oil companies are making a fortune. The MAIN reason is BECAUSE GAS IS 3.00 A GALLON. Thats it.

Fixed.

[TheIglu]

Just gunna be me and Oreo in Ptwins this year, John won the championship (oh, sorry, ACHIEVEMENT, whatever) and is now EX. He was our only real competition when we weren't running each other off the track.

I'd like to see KB race Ptwins again. That was funny shit.

[Honclfibr]

Originally Posted by TheIglu

Just gunna be me and Oreo in Ptwins this year

Nu-uh!

[Pittenger5]

Haha, well I wouldnt count on any competition from me until I figure out where I can lose another 3-4 seconds

[DucDave]

Originally Posted by Pittenger5

Hey, Im not claiming to have all the answers in the least. Im just wondering how long the public will accept their reasons why gas is 3 dollars a gallon (which is screwing a LOT of people) yet they can still turn this kind of profit.
Another thing to keep in mind is the costs that come with this in ALL aspect of our lives. Just about everything we use is based on oil byproducts (which is probably why this fires me up cause I have to hear bitching constantly how much a gallon of paint costs) yet no one seems to say anything about the reasons why we have such drastic price increases, which I see as these record setting profits.

Do I feel like I am getting buttfaked everytime I fill up? (And before anyone here asks, no...I don't really know what it feels like to be buttfaked, but if having a prostate check is any indication, I am pretty sure I wouldn't like it...)
Yessiree

Do I thinking the oil companies are taking advantage of us?
I do.

Do I understand why there are still govt sudsidies for the Oil Companys?
Nope

Do I wonder why they aren't taking some of that profit and building more refineries?
Yes

Do I hope that someone will finally invent a way that we can reduce our dependancy on oil...and yes...be able to turn around and say FUCK YOU and the horse you rode in on to EXXON/MOBILE et-al?
You betcha

But would I have the oil companies nationalized or take some other socialist approach to the price of oil?
No

BUT, if I were the benevolent dictator of the whole USA would I do something about it?
Yep

What?
Fucked if I know but I, for one, wouldn't be paying that much for gas!!!