[Ludi]

I save myself by having most of them on ignore most of the time. Otherwise I'd have to chew my own legs off.

[dolanbaker]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', ' ')[While] a handful of Americans are going back to work, ... they are doing so at much lower pay.

[Cog]

I always wanted some domestics around. Wonder if I can hire pstarr.

[Xenophobe]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cog', '@')Xenophobe

You consider nearly $90/bbl crude oil prices low?

[Xenophobe]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Plantagenet', '
')The problem is that small business and large corporations spend more on energy, leaving less money for profit, expansion, and hiring new workers.

[Xenophobe]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', '
')Actually I blame the oil companies. They should have known and warned us about peak oil.

[deMolay]

The really really big difference between now and the 70's is that millions of Boomers have quit spending and are now saving. They are like cats trying to cover shit on a hot tin roof, with nowhere to jump. The other big item is that home values have collapsed and can no longer be used as a line of credit.

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('deMolay', 'T')he really really big difference between now and the 70's is that millions of Boomers have quit spending and are now saving.

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', '
')I'd blame just about anyone--the Kenyans, ancient astronaut or sunspots--before I'd blame Ludi for this lousy state we are in.

[vision-master]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Plantagenet', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('deMolay', 'T')he really really big difference between now and the 70's is that millions of Boomers have quit spending and are now saving.

[Tyler_JC]

There are a myriad of reasons why high energy prices are bad for economic growth but the impact on productivity growth is, in my opinion, one of the key ones.

When oil prices shoot up, firms are forced to invest in schemes to reduce their oil consumption, at the cost of other investments.

Say a factory has $50,000 to either buy a new radiator or a new conveyor belt. In a world of low energy prices, the company would buy the conveyor belt and increase production. In a world of high energy prices, they company has to buy the heater, depriving them of the capital necessary to expand production. Multiply this by tens of millions of businesses and the world gets poorer.

To make matters worse, the impact is asymmetrical. People (at least historically) tend to overreact to high oil prices and make a lot of bad investments out of fear. Incidentally, the same happens with taxes/subsidies. Lots of people bought cars they couldn't afford to take advantage of a small tax credit under the Cash For Clunkers program.

[Xenophobe]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tyler_JC', ' ')Multiply this by tens of millions of businesses and the world gets poorer.

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Plantagenet', 'O')bama's energy policy is just as misguided as his economic policies. He supports Quantitative Easing and cutting off domestic offshore oil drilling---- both policies that have helped to drive oil prices to $90 and higher. Higher oil prices hurt the poor and impact businesses, and ultimately destroy jobs.

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Xenophobe', 'S')kip a slurpie a week and it nets out to not change at all.

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', 'I')'d blame just about anyone--the Kenyans, ancient astronaut or sunspots--before I'd blame Ludi for this lousy state we are in.

[Xenophobe]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Sixstrings', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Xenophobe', 'S')kip a slurpie a week and it nets out to not change at all.