"Inflation is coming down"

[Fernando]

How's that working out. OPEC is now OPEC+ and Russia is having no problem selling oil. Meanwhile oil prices are up as is inflation

If not for hybrids and EVs, oil prices would be even higher.
Gas guzzlers should thank those gas saving cars.

 

[WestMichiganCG]

Yep. More than one way to skin a cat without getting hair in your teeth. Just sub it all out.

When Carter started the Dept of Energy in the 70s, it was rapidly ramping up in the number of employees and cars as a result. So they increased the budget but at the same time, the Iranian situation meant a jump in fuel cost, so Carter demanded all department including DOE cut fuel use by 10%. So, they did. They drove the DOE vehicles to Hertz and, once there, rented cars with full tanks of gas, drove them 250 miles and returned to pick up another car with a full tank. Meanwhile the DOE vehicles sit idle in the parking lot of Hertz - who charged them for parking, charged them for the gas and charged 50 cents a mile plus $50 a day for the lent autos. This is 1979. DOE spent easily 4x the money renting rigs than driving their own and buying their own gas but could brag that they met the 10% reduction in fuel USE as a result. How do I know? Well, I was a subcontractor to the subcontractor who worked for DOEs prime subcontractor - Bendix Corp. Yes, we had a DOE engineer overseeing a Bendix geologist who oversaw my firm whom, at the time, I was independently contracted to as a geologist. I and a woman geologist were working in tandem with 2 other geologists for our firm, Exploration Services Inc., and of the 4, I was the only one not a direct employee of ESI. As pairs we worked behind 2 drill rigs also contracted to Bendix, examining the samples for uranium.

In another example of government stupidity, there was a rig capable of 1100' and one capable of over 2000'. The larger rig was supposed to drill the deeper holes but the deepest hole was 1400' and the DOE engineer insisted the smaller rig drill a hole deeper than its rated capacity. Although a brand new rig, we actually broke the derrick drilling the deeper rig and had to make field repairs. Why did he insist the small rig drill the deep hole? The rigs were owned by two different companies so there was no way to switch drillers. But the engineer decided the driller on the larger rig 'only' had 8 years experience, whereas the driller for the small rig had 12 years... Buddy, if you cannot operate your own rig (and the driller owned the rig) after 8 years, you went out of business long ago.

I always thought there should be an ROI study required for these types of decisions. At least a conversation. If you're going to make me meet this goal, this is how I'm going to do it. Initiatives are ripe for the laws of intended consequences. When I was at the DOT they had a 90% good roads initiative but limited budgets to make the initiatives make sense. The cheapest roads to bring to the "good" condition were rural and away from the city as there is minimal underground utility costs and less right-of-way costs. The initiative resulted in wonderful rural roads that terminated into cities with terrible roads and crumbling infrastructure.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

It grows on you.

so does a yeast infection.

If not for hybrids and EVs, oil prices would be even higher.

How so? Oil consumption continues to grow...

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

"Supercore inflation"

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/10/the-supercore-inflation-measure-shows-fed-may-have-a-real-problem-on-its-hands.html

Markets are buzzing about an even more specific prices gauge contained within the data — the so-called supercore inflation reading. The gauge measures services inflation excluding food, energy and housing and has been roaring higher lately, up 4.8% year over year in March and more than 8% at a 3-month annualized pace. The picture is more complicated because some of the most stubborn components of services inflation are household necessities like car and housing insurance as well as property taxes.

 

[Charles West]

We scored a standard grey color Long Range Y model with the 7th seat and a trailer hitch. I liked it better than the 3 and the wife thought it more suitable for the both of us. It's perfect for her with plenty of room in the rear for material swaths and other stuff and it sits a little higher than the 3.

 

[Charles West]

"Supercore inflation"

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/10/the-supercore-inflation-measure-shows-fed-may-have-a-real-problem-on-its-hands.html

Markets are buzzing about an even more specific prices gauge contained within the data — the so-called supercore inflation reading. The gauge measures services inflation excluding food, energy and housing and has been roaring higher lately, up 4.8% year over year in March and more than 8% at a 3-month annualized pace. The picture is more complicated because some of the most stubborn components of services inflation are household necessities like car and housing insurance as well as property taxes.

Trump is a shoe in for November but even he can't work miracles in spite of what UC thinks. The best thing we can do is get the price of energy down which should tame the rates of inflation broadly and I would imagine that would be a first course of business after getting the border under control.

 

[Fernando]

so does a yeast infection.

How so? Oil consumption continues to grow...

And more people in the world continues to buy cars.

 

[Fernando]

Trump is a shoe in for November but even he can't work miracles in spite of what UC thinks. The best thing we can do is get the price of energy down which should tame the rates of inflation broadly and I would imagine that would be a first course of business after getting the border under control.

Don't know why Trump is a shoe in.
After Insurrection and all those court indictments, trials, and convictions, many more voters turned off by Trump.
MAGAs fantasize too much.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

Trump is a shoe in for November

You under-estimate the ability of Republicans to shoot themselves in the foot.

After Insurrection

The world's tiniest "insurrection" with no guns, no swords, no nothing and the WH Police opening the gates for them. How stupid. Meanwhile Antifa can burn an entire city down and its a 'mostly peaceful demonstration.'

 

[DTB]

Last night it was 60 degrees so what does a Chicago guy do? Go out and get a hot dog.

Trump in office, I paid $2.79 + tax for a dog and fries.

Last night, same dog and fries-$4.79 + tax