[socrates1fan]

I remember when gas hit 4 dollars a gallon, it wasn't pretty, many people in my neighborhood began to steal gasoline while many others could no longer purchase things they used to, I remember the idea of "going for a drive" was nothing short of insanity and I remember when food really became under threat. Yet, the economy crashed and gas prices went down, no longer was the threat energy, but rather a lack of jobs. However, here gas is nearing 3 dollars a gallon yet our local economy is far from improving. Why isn't gas getting cheaper? People were saying that gas would only get higher when our economic situation improved dramatically, yet more and more of the people I know are underemployed, unemployed, or simply stopped looking, so why is gas getting higher? Why don't we start converting to safer forms of energy when the military, IEA, etc are all telling us of the threat of peak oil? I do not believe that things are doomed, but the overall signs of decline can't be ignored, at least not for the working class. I think we can reverse this economic and energy decline, though I must admit my faith in such a scenario is declining. So, I've started gardening (not yet on a scale large enough to feed the family) and I'm going to learn how to use weapons, not because I believe it will all go to hell, but because the economic decline has already tightened food budgets and I know for a fact that as stuff gets worse, people will try and steal what you have or your family. Yet, I feel things can improve and I believe there is a way we can stop this without complete collapse of society or our morality. I fear gasoline will return to those horrid prices back in 2008.

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('socrates1fan', ' ')I think we can reverse this economic and energy decline, though I must admit my faith in such a scenario is declining. ...Yet, I feel things can improve and I believe there is a way we can stop this without complete collapse of society or our morality.

[Pops]

Hi, Soc,

I'm surprised more people aren't posting similar feelings as yours. I know I feel much the same.

So far we've been lucky, if you can call $80 oil lucky. The gamblers have been staying away from oil for whatever reason - maybe they got burned big time last time? Anyway production is almost back to what it was in 08 yet the price is about half what it was then.

Lots of rumors of a second leg down into the second "L" of this recession. Whatever "recovery" there was was merely corp.s consuming their own fat - sounds kinda zombie-like huh? Regardless there wasn't and recovery outside the pages of the WSJ.

But as consumption creeps back up (whatever happened to demand destruction, anyway) that "marginal barrel" premium is going to kick back in and screw the screws even tighter.

That's my guess anyway.

[truecougarblue]

I agree with you Pops, but I think we did see real demand destruction. I see it evidenced on the freeways of LA every workday. It is just that Chindia is absorbing any resource the western world lets slip.
I just got back from a work week in Zurich. That city could see every auto disappear and not skip a beat. We still can cinch up our belts (literally and figuratively) in the west a considerable amount before a crisis occurs. I think the growing welfare rolls actually are part of the cushion. Those dependent on food stamps aren't planning the cross country trip to see the Osmonds in Branson, MO.
Meanwhile I continue to drive my '06 GTO whilst contemplating the life change that taking a train to work would cause, or the change that not having work to which I can take a train would cause...

[Xenophobe]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('socrates1fan', ' ')I fear gasoline will return to those horrid prices back in 2008.

[socrates1fan]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pops', 'H')i, Soc,

I'm surprised more people aren't posting similar feelings as yours. I know I feel much the same.

So far we've been lucky, if you can call $80 oil lucky. The gamblers have been staying away from oil for whatever reason - maybe they got burned big time last time? Anyway production is almost back to what it was in 08 yet the price is about half what it was then.