Anticipated gasoline price

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bpp3 We just got out our kotatsu for the winter. A super cozy and economical way to keep warm. Who needs central heating?

Interesting!! I had never heard of a kotatsu.

I turned the A/C back on last night, after a week of pleasantly moderate weather. That's New Orleans for you. We actually have two types of weather here - - hot, and really hot.

I agree with the person who said that Americans will prefer small cars with high gas mileage when gas prices get high enough. But the question is, how high will they have to get before more American men will gladly abandon their huge F-250 pick-ups and SUV's and band together in little Japanese cars for the daily commute to work? I know some who have (especially favoring a shiny new Prius, for example), and others who are in van pools, but some others still drive these gas hogs. Seems like most women have no problem with driving a car that gets good gas mileage (not meaning to start a fuss, but just pointing this out).

[TromboneAl]

I just read Beyond Oil, The View from Hubbert's Peak. That amazon page has a good review. Some things I got from it:

1. In addition to higher oil prices, chaotic price swings might be expected.

2. The peak in production is occurring now. He's a geologist, and makes a good case that we cannot drill our way out of this problem.

3. The world peak in oil production per capita occurred in the 70s.

[FinanceDude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Want2retire I agree with the person who said that Americans will prefer small cars with high gas mileage when gas prices get high enough. But the question is, how high will they have to get before more American men will gladly abandon their huge F-250 pick-ups and SUV's and band together in little Japanese cars for the daily commute to work? I know some who have (especially favoring a shiny new Prius, for example), and others who are in van pools, but some others still drive these gas hogs. Seems like most women have no problem with driving a car that gets good gas mileage (not meaning to start a fuss, but just pointing this out).

WHy not find a way to get the "gas hogs" to get better MPG? Seems like all the work is done on small light cars. Well, wouldn't a hybrid F-150 save MORE gas than a nybrid Prius??:confused::confused:

[ERD50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bpp3 We just got out our kotatsu for the winter. A super cozy and economical way to keep warm. Who needs central heating?

I keep thinking I need to do something like that - if I keep the space I'm in a bit warmer, I could turn the dial down even further during the day. It's kind of hard to predict the NG savings from say, 64F to 60F for the house and then offset with some electric heat for a space.

We like it cool at night, but an electric blanket might mean dropping a few more degrees with more comfort.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl I just read Beyond Oil, The View from Hubbert's Peak. That amazon page has a good review. Some things I got from it: 1. In addition to higher oil prices, chaotic price swings might be expected. .

That is one of the reasons that (assuming we want the govt to be involved at all in conservation efforts) I'd like to see a tax that sets a base price for gas, and then publish a schedule with the floor moving up over time. That will get people thinking long term. I generally don't like govt involvement, but in this case, I think the floor would help reduce the swings, which I think would be a good stabilizing factor, for the 'common good'.

-ERD50

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FinanceDude WHy not find a way to get the "gas hogs" to get better MPG? Seems like all the work is done on small light cars. Well, wouldn't a hybrid F-150 save MORE gas than a nybrid Prius??:confused::confused:

That's a great idea! I don't know if a hybrid F-150 would be popular or not, but it seems to me that it would save a lot of gas.

[Helena]

The USA put men on the moon in 1969...
why haven't we developed and perfected
space solar energy by now ?

I know there was a Senate subcommittee
grilling NASA officials about space solar
energy back in the 1990s... is anything
being done to develop this ??

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helena The USA put men on the moon in 1969... why haven't we developed and perfected space solar energy by now ? I know there was a Senate subcommittee grilling NASA officials about space solar energy back in the 1990s... is anything being done to develop this ??

My agency seems to be focusing more on wind energy than solar. Look for more alternative energy production in the near future. I don't know about space solar energy production, though, being just a peon/wageslave myself.

[Helena]

The moon could be used for space solar collection
as well as orbiting space solar collectors.

My brother is one of NASA's last remaining Apollo era
scientists. I asked him about space solar and he said
the initial cost would be quite expensive; but the money
spent on the war in Iraq would be a good start !

[FinanceDude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Want2retire That's a great idea! I don't know if a hybrid F-150 would be popular or not, but it seems to me that it would save a lot of gas.

If techniology could increase average MPG of all SUV's to 30 mpg, we might be able to tell the Middle East to "east sand".........

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FinanceDude If techniology could increase average MPG of all SUV's to 30 mpg, we might be able to tell the Middle East to "east sand".........

I think we could probably do that anyway, though it wouldn't help the price of gas any...