Gas Prices = Apprehension for Next Season?

[2knees]

A big reason my Dad bought a local monument company 20 years ago..

no matter the economy, people gonna kick it. and what are you gonna do, leave dear ole dad in your meat freezer cause you cant afford a funeral? I would assume the headstones you sell may be of the less expensive variety but they still gotta shell out the coin.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

no matter the economy, people gonna kick it. and what are you gonna do, leave dear ole dad in your meat freezer cause you cant afford a funeral? I would assume the headstones you sell may be of the less expensive variety but they still gotta shell out the coin.

For sure..even people who get cremated usually get at least a small marker...and we still sell lots of ornate involved monuments with sculpture work, custom ethcings and even the occasional Mauseleum....a 22 person mauseleum we just quoted was $250k+..we probably won't get the order but still..that's more than most houses in the town I live in..

80k a year is chump change for a family in a major northeast metro area..50k a year is good money for a single in a small town..but what about the majority of the US making under 40k a year..the fact of whether they go on ski trips or not isn't an issue..it's all about the basics....or living really cheap and sacrificing for skiing like Snoseek. When I was a skibum I got by on under 20k a year..but I had lots of roommates and eating lunch at Subway was a luxury,,,I miss all the deep powder but not being broke..

 

[Moe Ghoul]

Need Little - Want Less - Love More. Make smart choices if yer feeling squeezed by inflation. Start saying No, I can do without that.

 

[mlctvt]

Start saying No, I can do without that.

+1 , this is the best way to "be green"

 

[mattchuck2]

First of all, I think 50k is a pretty good salary, I make around that, and I know a lot of people who make less and are doing just fine (and yes, I have a wife and a mortgage).

Second of all, yes, the government should put more money into renewable resources. But there is something that is slightly getting in the way of that spending:

 

[Moe Ghoul]

It's a disgrace. Pakistan is looming as a far greater problem than Iran. But they have little oil.

 

[mattchuck2]

Ehhh, I don't think a lot of people are thinking clearly when they say Iraq was a "war for oil". That would imply that we'd get the oil, and the oil would be cheaper.

I think the war was delibrately engineered to drive up the price of oil (and therefore gas) so that Bush's friends' oil companies and Cheney's Halliburton would take in massive profits.

I believe that the currency has been devalued for the same reason. There's no way that the Fed Funds rate should be at 2.00% right now. Isn't every other country around 4% or 5%?

My theories will be proven correct when Bush and Cheney get cushy seats on the boards of Oil and Oil Services Companies upon leaving the White House.

This may be too political for this forum, but you asked the question about Gas Prices, and this is what I think about them.

 

[drjeff]

Ehhh, I don't think a lot of people are thinking clearly when they say Iraq was a "war for oil". That would imply that we'd get the oil, and the oil would be cheaper.

I think the war was delibrately engineered to drive up the price of oil (and therefore gas) so that Bush's friends' oil companies and Cheney's Halliburton would take in massive profits.

I believe that the currency has been devalued for the same reason. There's no way that the Fed Funds rate should be at 2.00% right now. Isn't every other country around 4% or 5%?

My theories will be proven correct when Bush and Cheney get cushy seats on the boards of Oil and Oil Services Companies upon leaving the White House.

This may be too political for this forum, but you asked the question about Gas Prices, and this is what I think about them.

The huge economic explosion of India and China, and subsequent vastly expanded oil demand of those close to 2 BILLION people, kind of shoot a few holes in your theories there

 

[andyzee]

Death is recession proof.

 

[mattchuck2]

The huge economic explosion of India and China, and subsequent vastly expanded oil demand of those close to 2 BILLION people, kind of shoot a few holes in your theories there

Indeed . . . but I'm still convinced that gas prices would be $2 lower if we had never gone into Iraq . . . regardless of increased demand.

(Of course . . . I'm also convinced that gas would be $1 cheaper if there were tightened rules on commodity speculation)

 

[mattchuck2]

To answer the original question, though, I'll think twice about long trips (like the Trip I took to Maine this past winter), but I'll still be at Gore every weekend.

 

[YardSaleDad]

Alternative energy/technology is not the immediate answer. I'm not sure what is, but come on....you don't think there is enough incentive for alternative energy already?

It is one of the two immediate answers. The other is conservation. Put one quarter of the resources of the "War" on terror into energy independence using existing solar, wind, bio, technology along with EVs and hybrids and we could say shove it to the Saudis in a few years. Oh yeah and it might help that global warming thingy.

Or we could subsidize more hummers.

 

[wa-loaf]

Indeed . . . but I'm still convinced that gas prices would be $2 lower if we had never gone into Iraq . . . regardless of increased demand.

(Of course . . . I'm also convinced that gas would be $1 cheaper if there were tightened rules on commodity speculation)

Definitely, because the cost of oil wouldn't jump up every time Dick Cheney threatens to bomb Iran. The Iraq (whatever your opinion of it) has destabilized oil supplies and cut way back on production in Iraq. And it certainly seems like the Oil companies are thriving financially in this environment.

 

[Greg]

Okay. We're firmly into politics now. Let's try to get this back on track, shall we?

 

[snoseek]

I think all the little gunstock's, shawnee peak's, wachusettes, and sundown's are gonna make out real good from this. Could possibly be a shot in the arm for southern new england local/feeder hills.

 

[Greg]

I think all the little gunstock's, shawnee peak's, wachusettes, and sundown's are gonna make out real good from this. Could possibly be a shot in the arm for southern new england local/feeder hills.

Definitely agreed. We all know how good the skiing was last December. Well, it was good down here too and I spent all but three of my December days at the mighty Sundown.

 

[snoseek]

I can see that the days of multiple season passes are coming to an end for me .. I would have had only two season passes for the upcoming season if hadn't been for the deal I got in on at Tenney.. I am waiting see what Crotched going to come up with for this season .. I still might get a Midnight Madness pass ... Gunstock isn't customer driven .. it's government directed and county at that. This fact alone is enough for me to explain the lack of consistent yearly improvements on the mountain.

I agree that Gunstock does not live up to its full potential. The place is a potential goldmine and a good size mountain for being so close to the seacoast area. I'm sure they pull a profit now which is good enough for Belknap County.

Isn't Crotched kind of a ways from Kittery?

 

[snoseek]

I know I will be driving more to Loveland and less to places like Steamboat and Monarch. There is plans to open an old ski area only a half-hour from me-if that ever happens I will definately consider that. If I was in New England still I would stay closer to home also and make less loaf/saddleback excursions. I guess this is what needs to happen.

 

[Moe Ghoul]

This and similar boards should be great for carpooling threads for folks that are flexible schedulewise and within reasonable driving distance. I'm already planning to try and do more spring skiing to take advantage of the lower prices. I did Whiteface in April and got a 4 day liftpass and motel room for
145/pp. Gas was about 120 roundtrip. It's doable. SR has some pretty good deals during the week as well.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Based on what I’ve read and seen on news shows I believe speculators are the ones who are causing these hugh jumps in the price of oil. Before 1999 there where laws prohibiting what is happening now. Oil should be around $60-$70 a barrel based on supply and demand.

The housing market bubble burst, same with Internet companies. I believe the same will happen with oil.