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I have come up with a pretty painless way to stop the gas companies from continuing to gouge us. We simply take the one making the most profit "Exxon currently" and do not buy gas from them for a year!! No matter how much they lower their gas. We cannot give them a message by not buying for a day but can really hurt them by doing it for a year. After that the other companies will get the message.

Before you start I am pretty much a free market guy when there is TRUE COMPETITION. There are currently the only real players are Exxon, Shell, BP, Total SA. and you a naive if you think they are not in collusion together at our expense. The price of gas at the pump has gone up disproportionate with the rise of a barrel of oil. The oil companies are restricting refining production to drive the price up. We need to remember what the electric companies did if CA. They were caught shutting down power stations to drive the electrical price up.

The price of gas is the major player in the downward spiral of the economy. I believe it started or accelerated the housing markets downfall. People just cannot continue to absorb the gas price. It is really hurting people and our country and we need to stop them. The only silver lining is the cost is going to help us transition to another power source. When that happens we need to be sure the current gas companies do not get a strangle hold on it.
STOP BUYING FROM EXXON FOR A YEAR!!!!
Original Post

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HIFLYER,
I will support your effort, however I think part of the explanation needs to be clarified. In the US, there has not been a refinery built since the mid 1970's. Currently the only refineries being built in the world are the ones in China, and the refurbishment of some in Venezuala, I beleive. The demand for gas products in China has become staggering and they are one reason the price of oil has skyrocketed. While most nation's demand have been steady, the Chinese have suddenly become oil crazy and their consumption has skyrocketed. One solution here is to obviously be exploring alternative energy sources, they do exist. Second, build or expand our current refineries. third open up the oil reserves fields we have here, namely in Alaska. To open those fields would instatly lower the OPEC prices, providing that the ANWAR reserves were not sold out from under the US to China by greedy American companies. Fourth, do not support oild companies tied to Venezuala, the message will eventually get to Hugo Chavez that his socialistic views are not welcome here.
Fifth, limit your trips to town, do it all in one trip, and try to cut down on the miles you travel by 10% each week. Every little bit will help.
I hope your message gets thru to folks. The price of fuel is becoming a detriment to the economy, something we do not need right now.
Some of our refineries have been expanded. But as we are importing gasoline, its obvious we need to build new ones and expand the capacity of the ones we have. Drilling off all our coasts, including the Gulf, California and the northeast would help, not just ANWAR. And not just expensive ethanol, but methanol should be promoted. You can make methanol from most organc waste.

The refineries send their products to stations all over, not just their own brand. Haven't seen any refineries labeled Kangeroo have you?
I feel like I should warn you after the last thread I posted on & fully read! I am a "Newbie", this is only my 4th post, but I sure am happy to see some intelligent conversation on here, made by mature adults.

I totally agree with you HIGHFLYER, the major players are most definately in collusion together at our expense. Do you think if we, as a large group, banned one of the heavy hitters, it would work? I drive a Jeep Liberty, that should get great gas mileage & at a low cost, but it's just the opposite. I am open to anything for some relief at this point.
quote:
Originally posted by FloTownDown08:
I am a "Newbie", this is only my 4th post, but I sure am happy to see some intelligent conversation on here, made by mature adults.


Definitely not a smart statement for a newbie to make. Roll Eyes You just shot yourself in the foot, we are all intelligent, mature adults!
The only thing that will have an effect is for the general population to just quit buying gas- or at least so much. Wishful thinking tho, will never happen unless we were to completely rearrange our society.
Hopefully, whatever admin. after the Bush bunch will put a priority on becoming energy independent , not just give lip service.
quote:
Originally posted by T S C:
This is neither a new idea nor a good idea:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/gasoline/gasout.asp

The only way to achieve lower prices is to decrease the demand (use less) or to increase the supply (good luck).


Please explain why a bad idea. Do you really believe the gas companies need to take down a refinery for inspection or upgrades before every major holiday? Why does gas go up before the demand i.e. the high driving season. There is not a supply problem of oil, it is at the refineries where they are artificially restricting the supply.
quote:
Originally posted by Howard Roark:
I conserve gas by not owning a car. Use the DC Metro as much as possible and Zipcar on the few occasions when I need a car. But, most people, especially in the Shoals can't as there is no public transportation.
I have to say, the Zipcar is quite awesome! I saw a special on TV and I think I want a recycled Zipcar when my kid turns 16! The little ZipKey only works during your reserved time, it can be tracked, very nice!!! Smiler
quote:
Originally posted by Taciturn:
quote:
Originally posted by FloTownDown08:
I am a "Newbie", this is only my 4th post, but I sure am happy to see some intelligent conversation on here, made by mature adults.


Definitely not a smart statement for a newbie to make. Roll Eyes You just shot yourself in the foot, we are all intelligent, mature adults!


Was I talking to you?
Who are you & where did you come from?
If my post offended you in any way, I am so sorry.
Sometimes guilt makes one jump to conclusions.
I'm sure your mature enough to have heard the old slogan
The Guilty Dog Will Always Bark First.
quote:
Originally posted by FloTownDown08:
quote:
Originally posted by Taciturn:
quote:
Originally posted by FloTownDown08:
I am a "Newbie", this is only my 4th post, but I sure am happy to see some intelligent conversation on here, made by mature adults.


Definitely not a smart statement for a newbie to make. Roll Eyes You just shot yourself in the foot, we are all intelligent, mature adults!


Was I talking to you? Yes you were, this is a FORUM so when you post, you are talking to everyone.
Who are you & where did you come from? Her name is Taciturn and she is a longstanding and valuable member of this forum. You on the other hand are one of the trolls/newbies/hateful people that we are discussing in Feedback. Maybe you should read that thread.
If my post offended you in any way, I am so sorry. Your post was not offensive, simply ignorant.
Sometimes guilt makes one jump to conclusions. Sometimes lack of intelligence, tact, or courtesy makes people like you post ugly things on internet forums.
I'm sure your mature enough to have heard the old slogan The Guilty Dog Will Always Bark First. I'm sure you are old enough to have heard the old saying: You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
quote:
Originally posted by T S C:
quote:
Originally posted by FloTownDown08:
quote:
Originally posted by Taciturn:
quote:
Originally posted by FloTownDown08:
I am a "Newbie", this is only my 4th post, but I sure am happy to see some intelligent conversation on here, made by mature adults.




Definitely not a smart statement for a newbie to make. Roll Eyes You just shot yourself in the foot, we are all intelligent, mature adults!


Was I talking to you? Yes you were, this is a FORUM so when you post, you are talking to everyone.
Who are you & where did you come from? Her name is Taciturn and she is a longstanding and valuable member of this forum. You on the other hand are one of the trolls/newbies/hateful people that we are discussing in Feedback. Maybe you should read that thread.
If my post offended you in any way, I am so sorry. Your post was not offensive, simply ignorant.
Sometimes guilt makes one jump to conclusions. Sometimes lack of intelligence, tact, or courtesy makes people like you post ugly things on internet forums.
I'm sure your mature enough to have heard the old slogan The Guilty Dog Will Always Bark First. I'm sure you are old enough to have heard the old saying: You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.


xD TSC, can I please borrow your wit for a day? I love it. Big Grin

~Amanda
quote:
Originally posted by T S C:
What you have posted is a very old rumor. It has been floating around the internet for sometime now.

If you read the article (I attached a link) it explains why the idea of boycotting one station (or several stations, or all stations) is a bad idea, a bad theory, and it simply will not work.


I read the article, which is just someones opinion, and I disagree. I have seen something similar work. When I flew corporate aviation a certain FBO chain "Airplane Gas Station" started charging exorbitant fees or minimum gas purchase just to park on their ramp. Well there was a boycott started to not use the said FBO Chain until the practice was stopped. After a short time they discontinued the practice. Remember we are not in a gas rationing situation there is plenty of gas they are just gouging us. There are almost always alternatives to a certain chain just across the street.

If the current gas situation was truly market driven in a non-monopolistic environment I would agree with the link.
quote:
I read the article, which is just someones opinion, and I disagree. I have seen something similar work. When I flew corporate aviation a certain FBO chain "Airplane Gas Station" started charging exorbitant fees or minimum gas purchase just to park on their ramp. Well there was a boycott started to not use the said FBO Chain until the practice was stopped. After a short time they discontinued the practice. Remember we are not in a gas rationing situation there is plenty of gas they are just gouging us. There are almost always alternatives to a certain chain just across the street.

If the current gas situation was truly market driven in a non-monopolistic environment I would agree with the link.




Good reply and I agree. I also saw a similar situation change things. The trouble with people today is they are lead by the media, such as TSC reads an article and believes it. You make it too easy for the big guys.

The main reason gas prices are where they are is in a lame duck situation. Want more high prices and every advantage given to the big guys, vote republican again.
Led by the media? Hardly.

I am trained in the study of economics. The article features quotes by several prominent economists. The study of economics is the study of market forces. Market forces drive price. If you stop shopping at Exxon, you will do nothing to help or hurt the price of gas. If everyone on the earth stopped shopping at Exxon, they would lower their price temporarily and then people would once again start shopping there. Other stations might follow suit, but then the prices would go right back up to where the market forces dictate.

The price of gas isn't some big top secret collusion agreement between the oil companies or the world leaders or the Red Hat Society. It is driven by the market - the same as the price of milk, Beanie Babies, washers, Happy Meals, cars, and poodles.
You easily rule out the fact that it may just have been a collusion.

I will post a link to energy usage table below. Look at what crude oil volume was in 2000 when Bush came into office. Crude oile and gasoline at the pump more than doubled in price. If it is supply and demand as you suggest, shouldn't this table support that?

Now look at the usage for 2006 ( as recent as this table goes), where is the doubling of demand?


http://www.eia.doe.gov/aer/txt/ptb0501.html
1. Your table only shows US consumption. Oil is a global commodity. Your table does not take into account countries with emerging markets for oil - such as China.

2. A monopoly is when there is one SUPPLIER of a certain good or service. Oil is not a monopoly. It is a good with no known perfect subsitutes. Like water. There is no good that you can perfectly substitute for water, but there is not a water monopoly. The water suppliers control the price, but no one is on here raising cain about a 12 oz bottle of water costing over $1. Do you think there is some collusion with the water market? Really. Look at the price of a bottle of water over the years. Today we pay more for a gallon of Dasani then we do for a gallon of Shell Premium.
TSC is exactly right. The price of gasoline is controlled mainly by supply and demand. This idea of a boycott has been around for awhile, and it just won't work. You don't need any links or charts, just use your head.

If 10 people buy 10 gallons from 10 stations, thats 100 gallons used. If these 10 people decide to boycott 5 stations but don't lower their usage, you'll end up with the same 100 gallons used,but from 5 stations instead of 10.
Why would the remaining 5 stations lower their price ? their demand has doubled. If their demand has doubled, where do you think they're going to get that extra gas ? They're going to buy it from the ones that were boycotted.

As was stated earlier in this thread, the only way to decrease the price of gas is through less demand or greater supply.
TSC, one difference in water and gas. If the price of water gets higher than I am willing to pay, I can drill a 180 ft well in my back yard, are abiyt a 50 ft well in my mothers back yard and get plenty of water.
I can drill about 5000 feet in my mom's back yard, and may get oil, but I can't afford to do that, and I can't pump it out and put it in my car.

BTW, did you know that when they were digging the foundation for the "new" courthouse in down town Huntsville, they struck oil?
New courthouse was about 1968 or 9 I think.
quote:
and speaking of water - water will be next. The price of water is increasing dramatically - again it is supply and demand. Not some voodoo price fixing scheme. http://www.earthpolicy.org/Updates/2007/Update64.htm



But I figured global warming would supply plenty of water, what with all the ice melting. Wink You should watch out for those biased web sites. I refer back to where I advised about being lead by biased websites.
quote:
Originally posted by T S C:
Led by the media? Hardly.

I am trained in the study of economics. The article features quotes by several prominent economists. The study of economics is the study of market forces. Market forces drive price. If you stop shopping at Exxon, you will do nothing to help or hurt the price of gas. If everyone on the earth stopped shopping at Exxon, they would lower their price temporarily and then people would once again start shopping there. Other stations might follow suit, but then the prices would go right back up to where the market forces dictate.

The price of gas isn't some big top secret collusion agreement between the oil companies or the world leaders or the Red Hat Society. It is driven by the market - the same as the price of milk, Beanie Babies, washers, Happy Meals, cars, and poodles.



Perhaps you forgot a lesson.
Oligopoly

When a few FIRMS dominate a market. Often they can together behave as if they were a single MONOPOLY, perhaps by forming a CARTEL. Or they may collude informally, by preferring gentle NON-PRICE COMPETITION to a bloody PRICE war. Because what one firm can do depends on what the other firms do, the behaviour of oligopolists is hard to predict. When they do compete on price, they may produce as much and charge as little as if they were in a market with PERFECT COMPETITION. &
Collusion/Cartel

An agreement among two or more FIRMS in the same industry to co-operate in fixing PRICES and/or carving up the market and restricting the amount of OUTPUT they produce. It is particularly common when there is an OLIGOPOLY. The aim of such collusion is to increase PROFIT by reducing COMPETITION. Identifying and breaking up cartels is an important part of the competition policy overseen by ANTITRUST watchdogs in most countries, although proving the existence of a cartel is rarely easy, as firms are usually not so careless as to put agreements to collude on paper. The desire to form cartels is strong. As Adam SMITH put it, “People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public or in some contrivance to raise prices.”
quote:
Originally posted by T S C:
quote:
Originally posted by FloTownDown08:
quote:
Originally posted by Taciturn:
quote:
Originally posted by FloTownDown08:
I am a "Newbie", this is only my 4th post, but I sure am happy to see some intelligent conversation on here, made by mature adults.


Definitely not a smart statement for a newbie to make. Roll Eyes You just shot yourself in the foot, we are all intelligent, mature adults!


Was I talking to you? Yes you were, this is a FORUM so when you post, you are talking to everyone.
Who are you & where did you come from? Her name is Taciturn and she is a longstanding and valuable member of this forum. You on the other hand are one of the trolls/newbies/hateful people that we are discussing in Feedback. Maybe you should read that thread.
If my post offended you in any way, I am so sorry. Your post was not offensive, simply ignorant.
Sometimes guilt makes one jump to conclusions. Sometimes lack of intelligence, tact, or courtesy makes people like you post ugly things on internet forums.
I'm sure your mature enough to have heard the old slogan The Guilty Dog Will Always Bark First. I'm sure you are old enough to have heard the old saying: You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.



Make up your minds. In another thread I was reading earlier today, about newbies, you stated that you were not referring to all new comers, yet you've singled me out, calling me a troll. Thank You for that. they happen to be a known good luck charm for many.

I did not directly refer to anyone in particular when I said immature people when speaking about the previous thread, you were among many people on that thread, and I wasn't even referring to you or Taciturn, at that time, in my statement, you raised your own hands here.

I do not care at all to get into a pissing match with you. You do not scare nor intimidate me in the slightest, and you'll never receive an apology to anything I say to, for, or about you. Your nobody but another opinion in a public forum, just as I am.

Just because you have 3500 posts doesn't mean you are smart, witty, intelligent or anything else shy of possibly just having too many opinions. Thus your fly catching methods must be from experience.

One of the Hall of Famers you claim to know & take up for, whatever you call it, just happens to be my dad. So I'll let you use your "wit" to match us up. We'll make a game for you. Good Luck.
quote:
Originally posted by FloTownDown08:
quote:
Originally posted by T S C:
quote:
Originally posted by FloTownDown08:
quote:
Originally posted by Taciturn:
quote:
Originally posted by FloTownDown08:
I am a "Newbie", this is only my 4th post, but I sure am happy to see some intelligent conversation on here, made by mature adults.


Definitely not a smart statement for a newbie to make. Roll Eyes You just shot yourself in the foot, we are all intelligent, mature adults!


Was I talking to you? Yes you were, this is a FORUM so when you post, you are talking to everyone.
Who are you & where did you come from? Her name is Taciturn and she is a longstanding and valuable member of this forum. You on the other hand are one of the trolls/newbies/hateful people that we are discussing in Feedback. Maybe you should read that thread.
If my post offended you in any way, I am so sorry. Your post was not offensive, simply ignorant.
Sometimes guilt makes one jump to conclusions. Sometimes lack of intelligence, tact, or courtesy makes people like you post ugly things on internet forums.
I'm sure your mature enough to have heard the old slogan The Guilty Dog Will Always Bark First. I'm sure you are old enough to have heard the old saying: You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.



Make up your minds. In another thread I was reading earlier today, about newbies, you stated that you were not referring to all new comers, yet you've singled me out, calling me a troll. Thank You for that. they happen to be a known good luck charm for many.

I did not directly refer to anyone in particular when I said immature people when speaking about the previous thread, you were among many people on that thread, and I wasn't even referring to you or Taciturn, at that time, in my statement, you raised your own hands here.

I do not care at all to get into a pissing match with you. You do not scare nor intimidate me in the slightest, and you'll never receive an apology to anything I say to, for, or about you. Your nobody but another opinion in a public forum, just as I am.

Just because you have 3500 posts doesn't mean you are smart, witty, intelligent or anything else shy of possibly just having too many opinions. Thus your fly catching methods must be from experience.

One of the Hall of Famers you claim to know & take up for, whatever you call it, just happens to be my dad. So I'll let you use your "wit" to match us up. We'll make a game for you. Good Luck.


*shakes head* It doesn't matter who you are related to, if you come into a thread saying something like that, it's gonna make people react.

Just what, exactly was your point of adding, "made by mature adults", anyway? It comes off as a slight to all those on other threads, and weren't here when the comment was made.

Your comment was absolutely fine up until that point. Smiler I don't care who your father is, this last comment of your's was snooty as heck, and I for one, don't know if I want to waste my time replying to you again.

Hopefully, if your father is one of the respected people on here, then it won't reflect negatively on him (because some people- by human nature put things like that together-whether fair or not).

That is why, I try very hard, most the time, to make my comments at least a certain amount respectful- because my mother is one of the respected members here. Does that make it fair for me? Probably not completely, but at least I understand that she has friends here, and I can choose one or two ways of dealing with people on here.

Yes, I am being a tad snarky here, I suppose, but then again I've never claimed to not be at times. However, when you mention "mature adults" and then in a reply add "We'll make a game for you." It comes off super immature. Smiler

TSC is a brilliant lady- she really is. Perhaps you are too, you've not been around long enough to find out.

What /has/ happened, is you have started off on the wrong foot here, but that doesn't mean that if you try, you can't fit in.

I wish you well, but so far, I'm just going to stay away from your posts for awhile. They have very negative undertones to them, that I too read.

And as someone that reads several thousands of posts/ comments a week and has to read intent behind the words for another website as an admin, that's saying something to me.

~Amanda
quote:
Originally posted by T S C:

The price of gas isn't some big top secret collusion agreement between the oil companies or the world leaders or the Red Hat Society. It is driven by the market - the same as the price of milk, Beanie Babies, washers, Happy Meals, cars, and poodles.


I wouldn't put anything past those Red Hat ladies.
quote:
Originally posted by *~*Manda*~*:
quote:
Originally posted by FloTownDown08:
quote:
Originally posted by T S C:
quote:
Originally posted by FloTownDown08:
quote:
Originally posted by Taciturn:
quote:
Originally posted by FloTownDown08:
I am a "Newbie", this is only my 4th post, but I sure am happy to see some intelligent conversation on here, made by mature adults.


Definitely not a smart statement for a newbie to make. Roll Eyes You just shot yourself in the foot, we are all intelligent, mature adults!


Was I talking to you? Yes you were, this is a FORUM so when you post, you are talking to everyone.
Who are you & where did you come from? Her name is Taciturn and she is a longstanding and valuable member of this forum. You on the other hand are one of the trolls/newbies/hateful people that we are discussing in Feedback. Maybe you should read that thread.
If my post offended you in any way, I am so sorry. Your post was not offensive, simply ignorant.
Sometimes guilt makes one jump to conclusions. Sometimes lack of intelligence, tact, or courtesy makes people like you post ugly things on internet forums.
I'm sure your mature enough to have heard the old slogan The Guilty Dog Will Always Bark First. I'm sure you are old enough to have heard the old saying: You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.



Make up your minds. In another thread I was reading earlier today, about newbies, you stated that you were not referring to all new comers, yet you've singled me out, calling me a troll. Thank You for that. they happen to be a known good luck charm for many.

I did not directly refer to anyone in particular when I said immature people when speaking about the previous thread, you were among many people on that thread, and I wasn't even referring to you or Taciturn, at that time, in my statement, you raised your own hands here.

I do not care at all to get into a pissing match with you. You do not scare nor intimidate me in the slightest, and you'll never receive an apology to anything I say to, for, or about you. Your nobody but another opinion in a public forum, just as I am.

Just because you have 3500 posts doesn't mean you are smart, witty, intelligent or anything else shy of possibly just having too many opinions. Thus your fly catching methods must be from experience.

One of the Hall of Famers you claim to know & take up for, whatever you call it, just happens to be my dad. So I'll let you use your "wit" to match us up. We'll make a game for you. Good Luck.


*shakes head* It doesn't matter who you are related to, if you come into a thread saying something like that, it's gonna make people react.

Just what, exactly was your point of adding, "made by mature adults", anyway? It comes off as a slight to all those on other threads, and weren't here when the comment was made.

Your comment was absolutely fine up until that point. Smiler I don't care who your father is, this last comment of your's was snooty as heck, and I for one, don't know if I want to waste my time replying to you again.

Hopefully, if your father is one of the respected people on here, then it won't reflect negatively on him (because some people- by human nature put things like that together-whether fair or not).

That is why, I try very hard, most the time, to make my comments at least a certain amount respectful- because my mother is one of the respected members here. Does that make it fair for me? Probably not completely, but at least I understand that she has friends here, and I can choose one or two ways of dealing with people on here.

Yes, I am being a tad snarky here, I suppose, but then again I've never claimed to not be at times. However, when you mention "mature adults" and then in a reply add "We'll make a game for you." It comes off super immature. Smiler

TSC is a brilliant lady- she really is. Perhaps you are too, you've not been around long enough to find out.

What /has/ happened, is you have started off on the wrong foot here, but that doesn't mean that if you try, you can't fit in.

I wish you well, but so far, I'm just going to stay away from your posts for awhile. They have very negative undertones to them, that I too read.

And as someone that reads several thousands of posts/ comments a week and has to read intent behind the words for another website as an admin, that's saying something to me.

~Amanda


I'm sure she is an intelligent lady. Just as I am. When I made my comment, I was actually referring to the person in conflict with them. Now, I question it all. As far as starting off on the wrong foot, and don't take this hastily, I havent stepped on anyones toes, and I can not take personal responsibility for what others do take personal. Im not going anywhere, you'll see, Im just the type of person who speaks their mind, accepts others opinions, and say what I want & will say it directly to the person if need be. I too, was being snarky when I said "We'll Make A Game For You". Simply because, when pushed, I push back. Now you can take it any way you want to. I'm not being smart at all. I do not care to fit in or make friends, but if I do, wonderful. One can never have too many friends in life, but the Times Daily Forums is not a popularity contest for me. But tip-toeing around certain people has never been my cup of tea. So if I offend you in a public forum without calling you out, it's ONLY personal for you, unless I've addressed you directly. Once Again, I'm not being a smarty, just wanna be clear.
quote:
Originally posted by HIFLYER:
quote:
Originally posted by T S C:
Led by the media? Hardly.

I am trained in the study of economics. The article features quotes by several prominent economists. The study of economics is the study of market forces. Market forces drive price. If you stop shopping at Exxon, you will do nothing to help or hurt the price of gas. If everyone on the earth stopped shopping at Exxon, they would lower their price temporarily and then people would once again start shopping there. Other stations might follow suit, but then the prices would go right back up to where the market forces dictate.

The price of gas isn't some big top secret collusion agreement between the oil companies or the world leaders or the Red Hat Society. It is driven by the market - the same as the price of milk, Beanie Babies, washers, Happy Meals, cars, and poodles.



Perhaps you forgot a lesson.
Oligopoly

When a few FIRMS dominate a market. Often they can together behave as if they were a single MONOPOLY, perhaps by forming a CARTEL. Or they may collude informally, by preferring gentle NON-PRICE COMPETITION to a bloody PRICE war. Because what one firm can do depends on what the other firms do, the behaviour of oligopolists is hard to predict. When they do compete on price, they may produce as much and charge as little as if they were in a market with PERFECT COMPETITION. &
Collusion/Cartel

An agreement among two or more FIRMS in the same industry to co-operate in fixing PRICES and/or carving up the market and restricting the amount of OUTPUT they produce. It is particularly common when there is an OLIGOPOLY. The aim of such collusion is to increase PROFIT by reducing COMPETITION. Identifying and breaking up cartels is an important part of the competition policy overseen by ANTITRUST watchdogs in most countries, although proving the existence of a cartel is rarely easy, as firms are usually not so careless as to put agreements to collude on paper. The desire to form cartels is strong. As Adam SMITH put it, “People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public or in some contrivance to raise prices.”
I have not forgotten any lessons. Oligopoly is a few firms that dominate a market, true. There are more than a FEW firms that sell oil. Yes oil is controlled by a cartel (duh - it is called OPEC). It is obvious that you do not understand economics, pricing or markets so this conversation is pointless. Good day. Go argue your conspiracy theories and boycott schemes with someone as ignorant as you are.
quote:
Originally posted by FloTownDown08:
quote:
Originally posted by Taciturn:
quote:
Originally posted by FloTownDown08:
I am a "Newbie", this is only my 4th post, but I sure am happy to see some intelligent conversation on here, made by mature adults.


Definitely not a smart statement for a newbie to make. Roll Eyes You just shot yourself in the foot, we are all intelligent, mature adults!


Was I talking to you?
Who are you & where did you come from?
If my post offended you in any way, I am so sorry.
Sometimes guilt makes one jump to conclusions.
I'm sure your mature enough to have heard the old slogan
The Guilty Dog Will Always Bark First.
Just to be clear FloTownDown08, in THIS post you called out and attacked Taciturn. You did so by replying directly to her post. If you would like to single out and attack a veteran poster for doing nothing except calling you out on your ugly behavior, then you will have to answer for it to the rest of us "old timers" and "Hall of Famers". Maybe your dad can explain how that all works to you, since he is one of "us".

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