[ohanian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '
')Bowser boycott won't work
From: AAP
By Jade Bilowol

September 15, 2005


AN email urging protesters to boycott the bowser on September 22 is unlikely to hurt fuel companies, a motoring body has said.
The email, dubbing Thursday September 22 "Stick it up their behind" day, suggests that if motorists nationwide refused to buy petrol for one day, the petroleum industry would be hit with a net loss of more than $4.6 billion.

"It has been calculated that if everyone in Australia did not purchase a drop of petrol for one day and all at the same time, the oil companies would choke on their stockpiles," it reads.

[insurgent]

I've been boycotting them for a lot longer than a month.

[ozkrenske]

I received that email this afternoon I replied with the following

"Don't start me, I want the prices higher, I have problems with oil prices being forced down by the 'free trade' US government. I make more from Oil futures at the moment than the petrol costs me by a factor of 50-100.

Investment Hint: Long term - Sugar/Ethanol futures are unbelievably cheap at the moment. 7 cents a pound (around 8 dollars a barrel for sugar content) for feedstock for Petrol replacement is really cheap.

As to fuel prices, It is a demand issue, but if we could have a no fuel year then demand would still only drop by 44%, the rest is used by Aero, Shipping, Fertilizer, Energy and Plastics industries."

I was a little short I guess but The person who sent it knows I have futures contracts and have close to 5000 Litres (about 1500 Gallons) of Fuel pre purchased. He was digging for a reaction and I gave him one with some friendly advice added.

[MrBill]

That is so naive? Really a response is unwarranted, but here is one anyway. If you boycott them for one day, one week or one month, you only shift demand from one period to another. Only by consuming less petrol overall can you reduce demand and therefore the cost of petrol. Second, most of what you pay at the pump are various VAT, sales taxes, eco-taxes, etc. that go to the local, state and federal government, not the oil companies. If you want gas prices to fall tomorrow, lobby your local politican. Sure the oil companies are making money today, but no one felt sorry for them several years ago when margins were negative, which is why they had no capital to invest in increasing capacity. And, it is that lack of refining capacity that is causing petrol prices to go higher now, not a lack of oil. Lastly, oil is fungible and it has a long shelf life. What you do not consume can be consumed later or sold to someone else like China, India or S.Korea, all who live close to you and have large appetites for crude oil. So walk or ride your bike. Do your best to conserve fuel, but a boycott is a childish temper tantrum type response and like a temper tantrum, utterly useless other than to draw attention to yourself.

[deconstructionist]

oh no, MrBill!! haha. i agree with you 100% i ride my bike or walk anywhere i can, even if it would be more convenient and save time to drive. i am not boycotting the oil comapnies, i'm changing my lifestyle to consume less. i will buy gas if i absolutely have to take a long trip, but on average since i've started the walking/biking kick i fill the tank once a month rather than once a week.

[MrBill]

And that is very commendable. In the past 20 years of working, I have only commuted by auto for between 3-4 of those years. The rest of the time it was a combination of train, tram, bus, bicycle or walking. That is the only solution to reducing our dependence on the pump & big oil. Keep it up!

[peaker_2005]

I've never driven. Mind, I'm only 20, and can't get a license anyway, but I don't think I would, even IF I could. I much prefer being able to sit down in a train, having the option to read a good book on a train when I'm going somewhere. Of course, not that I need to. Looking out the window at rail stuff is enough to stimulate me.

Now, call me evil, but I laugh when I think of the people stuck in traffic...

[Pops]

Actually the oil companies may boycott US for a month.

[MrBill]

Boycott? Work to rule. Slow down the start-up rates after Rita. Keep lot's of gas locked in. Do lot's of maintenance to ensure the infrastructure is well maintained and most of all safe. Watch refining margins widen and the consumer squirm. Especially stop selling product to independents.

[ChadP]

At least in the US, boycotting oil companies is hard. I don't drive but so much of the US is set up so that it's very hard not to.

Counterthought: If you like what Chavez is doing, find the nearest Citgo dealer and buy all your gas there