patriotic thread

scotchandcigar

All I wanted was some steak
Feb 13, 2009
29,596
23,942
168
Vacationland
From an outsider perspective (and nothing to do with the content of the posts)
Certainly welcome

It may not be intentional, but when I first read this, it came off patronizing and condescending.
It was supposed to be a funny and sarcastic way of arguing against his assertion. So I don't know where that actually places it along the patronizing/condescension scale. Certainly if taken out of the context of the conversation, it seems dickish. But based on the comments, it wasn't that particular post that ticked him off. So I don't know.

It's hard to have a spirited conversation about touchy topics through text posts, as most of the subtleties of human interaction are lost. That's why I try not to ever be the one that starts these things.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sadchild and JHDK

HecticArt

Administrator
Oct 19, 2008
54,168
20,072
168
Toledo, Ohio
But maybe you've heard there was a pandemic recently? The same reason food at the supermarket has shot up in price, is why gas has shot up in price.
Pandemic, labor, and supply chain issues are big factors. Oil prices have been rising for a while, with the biggest spike due to the Ukraine invasion. Just like hurricanes, whenever there is a global event of some sort, gas prices jump. Partly from panic, partly because of greed.
Absolutely. The oil cartels who set prices don't give a shit about some 20 year plan to get 0.5% of our oil from a pipeline.
They said about a year or so ago that they were slowing production to keep prices high. Because greed.
big cause of rising prices is supply chain problems, and worker shortages. The war in Ukraine certainly adds a lot on top, because it affects a significant worldwide supply, and it is immediate.
Another part of the pandemic influence is that they are trying to make up for lost profits.
And like it or not, true or not, the President is the guy who takes the hit for gas prices.
True, the president always gets the blame regardless of the cause. It's written in the job description.

That truth aside, the last couple of years have been anything but normal. The last month has been something that people hadn't worried would happen since the 1960's.


So while it sucks that gas is $4 a gallon and it's going to keep rising, we still have vagina scented candles, heat in our houses, we still have houses, and we don't have tanks in our front yards. If the nukes don't start flying, there's a 50/50 chance we might get to see normal again sometime.
 
Last edited:

sadchild

Dude
Mar 28, 2016
15,146
16,482
168
55
NH
www.asimplecomplex.com
It's hard to have a spirited conversation about touchy topics through text posts, as most of the subtleties of human interaction are lost.
Very true. I've seen this many times in the past in other places.
They said about a year or so ago that they were slowing production to keep prices high. Because greed.
If anyone has a link to this, the earlier the better, I'd love to read it (and have it in my back pocket for all of those "Look at gas prices, are you missing Trump yet" poeple. Not that I love Biden, not taking sides or getting political, but I get tired of people putting blame where it doesn't belong regardless of which party is getting a finger pointed at it.
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Sherbert is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
Oct 11, 2008
31,925
17,177
168
Toronto, ON

JHDK

Release Robin's Bra
Oct 11, 2008
31,452
14,936
168
42
Hyrule
ive been hearing abt opec my whole adult life and not sure what it is.

its like an oil agreement we have w/lesser nations?
 

sadchild

Dude
Mar 28, 2016
15,146
16,482
168
55
NH
www.asimplecomplex.com
The group known as OPEC+ will lower its crude oil production by 10 million bpd beginning on May 1 for an initial period of two months, then by 8 million bpd from July to December 2020; and later by 6 million bpd from January 2021 to April 2022.

Story checks out! That dot to the right of the rectangle is May 2020. Looks like the Putin thing is just adding to a pre-existing (and pre-arranged) price gouge...


gas prices go up after OPEC cuts production starting may1.jpg
 

scotchandcigar

All I wanted was some steak
Feb 13, 2009
29,596
23,942
168
Vacationland
Looks like the Putin thing is just adding to a pre-existing (and pre-arranged) price gouge...

The general trend that this chart shows is that (as I already mentioned) gas prices follow the economy.

1646850127247.png

Following 9/11, the US was in a recession. Beginning in 2002, we began a long recovery, which peaked in 2008. Gas prices increased from a little over $1/gal to $4/gal. It's supply and demand, and ability/inability to support prices.

The big crash came in 2009, with the Great Recession. Prices tumbled in a short amount of time, and then recovered through 2015. I forget why, but prices dropped from 2015 to 2016, then increased during the pre-covid period of Trump's term. It then dropped rapidly as covid caused a 15% unemployment rate, and it's been increasing steadily since; but also, unemployment quickly dropped from 15% to under 4%. I don't think there's been another time in modern history that we've had such a quick jump in unemployment, or such a rapid drop.

But again (as Hectic and I have said), prices on everything have jumped significantly, due to supply-chain problems and the worker shortage. It's not just oil.
 

scotchandcigar

All I wanted was some steak
Feb 13, 2009
29,596
23,942
168
Vacationland
To further annoy some of you, if you think about how gas broke $4 back in 2008, or broke $1.50 in 1981, it reminds you to consider inflation. Think of the price of anything, I mean anything. It could be movie tickets, or college tuition, or rent, or car prices. The general trend is to keep rising over the years.

U.S. gas prices have mostly been artificially kept low. They haven't kept rising like everything else. If they had, it would be over $10 by now. Here's an inflation-adjusted chart

fotw1199.png

The peaks are the energy crisis of the early 80s, and then 2008 and the early teens. But today's prices - while working their way up - are starting from a low point. Name anything else that's cheaper in today's dollars than in the early 80s.
 

JHDK

Release Robin's Bra
Oct 11, 2008
31,452
14,936
168
42
Hyrule
It is bonkers to me that the statue of liberty is made of copper and we just don't keep it polished so that's why it's green. It started off copper color.
 

HecticArt

Administrator
Oct 19, 2008
54,168
20,072
168
Toledo, Ohio
The green patina helps protect it from the elements.
It‘s a chemical reaction that sort of makes a shell that helps keep it from deteriorating.
Back in the 50’s and 60’s they used to use horse pee to mop down new copper buildings and sculptures to accelerate the process. It would make it turn green faster and more evenly.
I think they use chemicals now. It’s either the mop workers union, or the horse union. Not sure which one.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sadchild and JHDK

scotchandcigar

All I wanted was some steak
Feb 13, 2009
29,596
23,942
168
Vacationland
It is bonkers to me that the statue of liberty is made of copper and we just don't keep it polished so that's why it's green. It started off copper color.
Somewhere here I posted some facts about it, like how it's full of asbestos. But I remember that it was assembled in stages in France, then barged over here. So it was probably already green when it was put in place.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JHDK

JHDK

Release Robin's Bra
Oct 11, 2008
31,452
14,936
168
42
Hyrule
For once in your life, your architecture knowledge is actually worthwhile.

Back in the 50’s and 60’s they used to use horse pee to mop down new copper buildings and sculptures to accelerate the process. It would make it turn green faster and more evenly.

Is that real? If so that's a fun/gross/weird part of history and a fun fact.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: HecticArt