|
Users viewing this topic:
none
|
|
Login  | |
|
Fuel Prices and prices - 6/3/2008 12:01:22 AM
|
|
|
dawgfan42
Posts: 5481
Joined: 4/20/2005
From: Cleveland now in Honolulu..
Status: offline
|
I was wondering why people don't mind paying yearly and dearly for a new car but yet will mind paying more for gas. Same goes for other things. Take movies for example. I went to see Star Wars in 1977 and it cost only $3. I went to see Episode 6 in 2005 $7,and last week we saw Indiana Jones and that was $9.50.
_____________________________
My blog
* I do reserve the right to comment on any matter at anytime**
9.11.01 Will Never Forget - Today- my life as a bachelor is over..:P
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Fuel Prices and prices - 6/3/2008 12:53:58 AM
|
|
|
blessedinnyc
Posts: 1672
Joined: 10/12/2007
Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: dawgFan_42
I was wondering why people don't mind paying yearly and dearly for a new car but yet will mind paying more for gas. Same goes for other things. Take movies for example. I went to see Star Wars in 1977 and it cost only $3. I went to see Episode 6 in 2005 $7,and last week we saw Indiana Jones and that was $9.50.
A car is something that hasn't tripled in price over the past six years.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Fuel Prices and prices - 6/3/2008 9:19:44 AM
|
|
|
kernsfamily
Posts: 1249
Joined: 4/26/2006
From: Dallas (originally Detroit)
Status: offline
|
The cost of the "original" Macintosh computer from Apple was $2500....and, had 128K of RAM...an 8 MhZ CPU...it had a "floppy disk" drive, but no internal hard drive....
Today, I can buy a great MacBook....with WiFi capabilities to go, right out of the box, and a larger hard drive than I'll probably ever need..1 GB of RAM....a 2.1 GhZ processor.....(essentially a "super computer" compared to the "original".
Cost today for that "super computer" laptop, that I can easily take with me anywhere: $1099
Calculators -- Some of the first "pocket calculators" in the early 1970s initially sold for upwards of $200+.....just to add and subtract!....and, that's it....today, most of us have calculators that we got for free.
DVD Players, when introduced to the US in 1997,were priced anywhere from $600-$1000....I bet none of us paid anywhere near that for the DVD players we have in our homes today.
and, those are just a few examples....of just a "sampling" of items that are not going up in price....
_____________________________
Proud dad of 3 great girls....Erin, Emilie and Elise
Blessed to have all of them in a "totally awesome" public elementary school!
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Fuel Prices and prices - 6/3/2008 10:47:05 AM
|
|
|
GregandJenny
Posts: 380
Joined: 2/16/2006
From: Near Seattle Washington
Status: offline
|
quote:
Take movies for example. I went to see Star Wars in 1977 and it cost only $3. I went to see Episode 6 in 2005 $7,and last week we saw Indiana Jones and that was $9.50.
that's entertainment and more of a choice than having to buy gas. I have been married for a little over 2 years and have seen 2 movies in the theater for that reason, it's just to expensive and we don't wanna waste the money. Plus if you look at the fact that the cost of labor has went up it makes since.
G
_____________________________
The Will of God never takes you to where the Grace of God will not protect you
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Fuel Prices and prices - 6/3/2008 10:51:36 AM
|
|
|
Miss Giggles
Posts: 3974
Joined: 4/18/2005
From: MI
Status: offline
|
Car prices are going up although not as fast.
Used car prices have went up too (on fuel efficient models, esp reliable models like civics and corollas)
Toyota has already raised their prices on some models this year.
They'll continue to go up as we'll need to put in more expensive materials to meet the new fuel economy standards and demand will be strong for fuel efficient reliable vehicles.
< Message edited by Miss Giggles -- 6/3/2008 12:46:12 PM >
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Fuel Prices and prices - 6/3/2008 11:42:57 AM
|
|
|
blessedinnyc
Posts: 1672
Joined: 10/12/2007
Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: kernsfamily
The cost of the "original" Macintosh computer from Apple was $2500....and, had 128K of RAM...an 8 MhZ CPU...it had a "floppy disk" drive, but no internal hard drive....
Today, I can buy a great MacBook....with WiFi capabilities to go, right out of the box, and a larger hard drive than I'll probably ever need..1 GB of RAM....a 2.1 GhZ processor.....(essentially a "super computer" compared to the "original".
Cost today for that "super computer" laptop, that I can easily take with me anywhere: $1099
Calculators -- Some of the first "pocket calculators" in the early 1970s initially sold for upwards of $200+.....just to add and subtract!....and, that's it....today, most of us have calculators that we got for free.
DVD Players, when introduced to the US in 1997,were priced anywhere from $600-$1000....I bet none of us paid anywhere near that for the DVD players we have in our homes today.
and, those are just a few examples....of just a "sampling" of items that are not going up in price....
Most of these things involve technology and financial products.
You don't need technology to get by- you need food, water, natural gas, electricity, gasoline, and clothing. And pretty much all of them except clothing have gone up by 80% over the past decade.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Fuel Prices and prices - 6/3/2008 12:18:16 PM
|
|
|
LCannon
Posts: 1275
Joined: 2/22/2007
From: Lebanon, OR
Status: offline
|
Recent historic gas prices(taking inflation into account)have been pretty stable. (http://www.randomuseless.info/gasprice/gasprice.html). Actually the 1990's decade took a cut by nearly half from the previous decade. It's interesting to note that the last big spike(late 1970's)occurred when Nixon/Ford imposed 'price/gas controls'.
< Message edited by LCannon -- 6/3/2008 12:37:19 PM >
_____________________________
"Many of our prayers are for an easy solution. God is more glorifed in Him
when souls exhibit His Grace under pressure." -Elisabeth Elliot-
"But at my stumbling they gathered in glee...[but]How long, O Lord,
wilt thou look on?" -Psalms 35:15-
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Fuel Prices and prices - 6/3/2008 12:25:47 PM
|
|
|
kernsfamily
Posts: 1249
Joined: 4/26/2006
From: Dallas (originally Detroit)
Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: blessedinnyc
quote:
ORIGINAL: kernsfamily
The cost of the "original" Macintosh computer from Apple was $2500....and, had 128K of RAM...an 8 MhZ CPU...it had a "floppy disk" drive, but no internal hard drive....
Today, I can buy a great MacBook....with WiFi capabilities to go, right out of the box, and a larger hard drive than I'll probably ever need..1 GB of RAM....a 2.1 GhZ processor.....(essentially a "super computer" compared to the "original".
Cost today for that "super computer" laptop, that I can easily take with me anywhere: $1099
Calculators -- Some of the first "pocket calculators" in the early 1970s initially sold for upwards of $200+.....just to add and subtract!....and, that's it....today, most of us have calculators that we got for free.
DVD Players, when introduced to the US in 1997,were priced anywhere from $600-$1000....I bet none of us paid anywhere near that for the DVD players we have in our homes today.
and, those are just a few examples....of just a "sampling" of items that are not going up in price....
Most of these things involve technology and financial products.
You don't need technology to get by- you need food, water, natural gas, electricity, gasoline, and clothing. And pretty much all of them except clothing have gone up by 80% over the past decade.
I rely on technology to make a living....so those ARE necessities....(especially my Mac!)....early in my career, I used "paste boards" to create layouts for advertising and marketing materials.....today, if I were to "paste up" a board in that manner, no printer I know of could produce it, since they all require electronic art files....hence, my mac....
many of those other things are "commodities".....those prices are driven by the "open/free markets"....and, the COST of producing those very things have skyrocketed, as well....
_____________________________
Proud dad of 3 great girls....Erin, Emilie and Elise
Blessed to have all of them in a "totally awesome" public elementary school!
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Fuel Prices and prices - 6/3/2008 5:04:47 PM
|
|
|
crownlaurel
Posts: 59
Joined: 2/15/2007
Status: offline
|
We don't all buy new cars every year. We pay more in gas than we do in car payments.
I don't go to the movies but once or so a year and I only go to matinees at the cheapest theater. We went to Prince Caspian the weekend it opened and we hadn't been to the movies in years. I am taking the kids to weekly free movies at our local theater, but I refuse to buy popcorn and drinks for $23 (that's the "special" 1 large popcorn, 2 large drinks and one kids meal)...I won't even buy the popcorn for $7.
At this point I can still get milk at Sam's Club for $2.92 a gallon. The highest we paid was $3.24 a gallon.
I mind prices going up. Gas companies have us in their palms and they can charge whatever they want. We can't sell our house and move 45 minutes closer to the city because 1. Our house won't sell and 2. We can't afford houses in the city. Dh got a tremendous raise when he got his new job and the gas prices are doing their best to eat up the entire amount, with food prices eating the leftovers.
Oh yeah and my water bill jumped $30 higher per month this month and that's with a total outdoor ban and voluntary strict water conservation indoors.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Fuel Prices and prices - 6/3/2008 5:56:51 PM
|
|
|
blessedinnyc
Posts: 1672
Joined: 10/12/2007
Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: kernsfamily
I rely on technology to make a living....so those ARE necessities....(especially my Mac!)....early in my career, I used "paste boards" to create layouts for advertising and marketing materials.....today, if I were to "paste up" a board in that manner, no printer I know of could produce it, since they all require electronic art files....hence, my mac....
Same here. But my job could still be done without technology. It would be slow and painful, but it could be done.
Technology is an interesting way to increase productivity, but it isn't a way to directly increase resources. The world isn't producing all that much more oil than it did in 1980, for example, yet we have many more people. Indeed, many economists believe that we will produce less oil in 2030 than we do today even if demand increases- simply by virtue of the fact that we are running out.
I could survive without technology. I could work as a quant and come up with trading strategies on pencil and paper, or I could go be an accountant. Technology makes my life a little easier and a lot more interesting, but it is not a prerequisite for people to "get by."
Gas, food, heating, and clothing are. And they are all more expensive. After you take care of your basic needs, you can get yourself some technology, but it appears that some people are starting to find it difficult to meet their basic needs.
< Message edited by blessedinnyc -- 6/3/2008 6:05:38 PM >
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Fuel Prices and prices - 6/3/2008 7:25:57 PM
|
|
|
creationtalk
Posts: 610
Joined: 6/9/2005
Status: offline
|
over this past weekend, I made more than 14 BILLION complex mathematical calculations, analyzed the results, reduced them to a set of easy to understand maps and sent them out to operations--where they will be used for planning. Every one of those 14 billion calculations were based on databases and data files that represent trillions more complex calculations. What I did would not have been possible by hand had an entire team of us worked our entire lives without technology.
Technology CAN increase resources...without technology, there would be no way to utilize geothermal energy. Farming to produce food would be far more difficult if farmers still had to plow the fields with horses. And what ever you think of it, nuclear energy is harnessed using technology.
And most of our "basic" needs are directly linked to technology: Air conditioners and central air furnaces are a direct result of technology. Most clothing is now made by machines rather than laborious hand carding, spinning, then weaving or knitting to form a fabric then sewed by hand. Mass-produced canned foods and frozen foods; the ability to keep foods fresh longer in a refrigerator or freezer...all from technology.
I don't know many people that buy a new car yearly. As for movies, I went to one movie with my son a few weeks ago. I think it was $5 each. What I find criminal is not the cost of the movie, but the cost of the popcorn and drinks.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Fuel Prices and prices - 6/4/2008 9:40:30 AM
|
|
|
kernsfamily
Posts: 1249
Joined: 4/26/2006
From: Dallas (originally Detroit)
Status: offline
|
quote:
I don't know many people that buy a new car yearly. As for movies, I went to one movie with my son a few weeks ago. I think it was $5 each. What I find criminal is not the cost of the movie, but the cost of the popcorn and drinks.
It's the economics of movie theatre operations.....it's not so straight-forward.
Let's say you run a theatre, and "Indiana Jones" comes to your theatre. Under the current "structure", on the first few weeks, the movie studios will take 70% of your admission revenue.....and you will take in 30% (which doesn't come close to covering overhead and other costs). Then each week after that, the theatres "share" increases by 10%. Thus, the movie theatre only realizes any kind of "profit" from admissions, when the movie is still going strong after about 4 weeks and longer (which those are sometimes far and few between)...
thus, concessions are one of the few ways that a movie theatre operator is able to earn a consistent profit......and even with that, locally-based "Cinemark" (their HQ is around the corner from my house!), now in ownership of over 408 theatres, failed to earn a profit last year on revenue of nearly $2 Billion.
Another thing: we all "expect" the latest, greatest digital sound/surround sound/DPL, stadium seating, and other amenities.....those are extremely expensive amenities that movie theatres are practically forced to provide (and pay for) to keep competitive with other movie theatres....it's "do it, or die".....especially in a competitive market such as here in Dallas.
as for expensive popcorn and drinks....i'll pay for the popcorn, but my wife usually puts our 20 oz. bottles of sodas, which we bought on the way to the movies, in her purse.....and, AMC theatres here, DOES allow for "Free Refills" on popcorn when you buy the largest size (though, it's a real hassle to get a refill....especially after the movie has started)....
Also, on weekends, AMC theatres here will have alot of movies with a start time before NOON....sometimes 2 starting times for a 'kids movie'....all showings before noon are $5. That makes it affordable to go see flicks such as "Wall-E" later this summer. (PIXAR rocks!)
Regarding the "Studios" "revenue sharing" contract with movie theatres......many of you may have noticed that in the summer, many theatres do a "SUMMER MOVIE CLUB" program for kids....at 10 am on a wednesday, for instance, they'll do FREE ADMISSION for a good kids movie....a genius idea, since those showings do not involve "revenue sharing" with studios, and the kids are getting TONS and TONS of concessions (they sell a "combo pack" of a popcorn, drink and candy at a fairly reasonable price)...which, as previously mentioned, is really the only way theatres can even hope to cover their overhead and make a profit.
_____________________________
Proud dad of 3 great girls....Erin, Emilie and Elise
Blessed to have all of them in a "totally awesome" public elementary school!
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Fuel Prices and prices - 6/5/2008 12:29:35 PM
|
|
|
blessedinnyc
Posts: 1672
Joined: 10/12/2007
Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: creationtalk
over this past weekend, I made more than 14 BILLION complex mathematical calculations, analyzed the results, reduced them to a set of easy to understand maps and sent them out to operations--where they will be used for planning. Every one of those 14 billion calculations were based on databases and data files that represent trillions more complex calculations. What I did would not have been possible by hand had an entire team of us worked our entire lives without technology.
Technology increases efficiency, but at the very least, consumer technology does not increase the amount of oil in the ground or the amount of food we can grow.
But in any case, consumer technology doesn't really increase the supply of food, and except for your car and thermostat, doesn't increase the supply of energy.
For consumers, the price of these vital supplies has gone up.
In other words, technology has failed to keep pace with increasing scarcity in keeping consumer prices under control.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Fuel Prices and prices - 6/21/2008 10:42:28 PM
|
|
|
cheeky_monkey
Posts: 89
Joined: 6/18/2008
Status: offline
|
I don't mind paying higher gas prices. What I do mind is those higher prices affecting the prices of pretty much everything else I have to pay for.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Fuel Prices and prices - 6/22/2008 1:37:52 PM
|
|
|
garsyt
Posts: 2156
Joined: 4/12/2005
From: the bottom of the laundry basket
Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: cheeky_monkey
I don't mind paying higher gas prices. What I do mind is those higher prices affecting the prices of pretty much everything else I have to pay for.
Think about it tho! In order for the produce, cereal, meat, and milk to get to the stores - someone has to drive it there - so someone has to also pay those higher fuel prices and that price gets passed along to the stores in higher wholesale prices, that they then pass on to the consumer in higher retail prices.
I can drive 10 miles into the nearest decent grocery store and buy a gallon of 2% milk for $2.69. It's the store brand, processed locally from local farms, at a dairy owned by the grocery store chain.
That VERY same gallon - should I purchase it from the little mom and pop store down the street, it will cost me a full $1 more, $3.69 - simply because of delivery charges and having to pay someone to drive it to the store and Mom & Pop, in order to make a little bit of money, have to mark it up. As it is they are only making roughly a quarter a gallon. They charge that $1 more because they KNOW this is something that they WILL sell since they are convenient for all in this small town - especially when GAS is at such a high price and no one really wants to run 10 miles just for a gallon of milk.
Blessings,
Garsy
_____________________________
My Blog: www.moredayslikethisplease.wordpress.com
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Fuel Prices and prices - 6/23/2008 3:51:52 PM
|
|
|
cheeky_monkey
Posts: 89
Joined: 6/18/2008
Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: garsyt
quote:
ORIGINAL: cheeky_monkey
I don't mind paying higher gas prices. What I do mind is those higher prices affecting the prices of pretty much everything else I have to pay for.
Think about it tho! In order for the produce, cereal, meat, and milk to get to the stores - someone has to drive it there - so someone has to also pay those higher fuel prices and that price gets passed along to the stores in higher wholesale prices, that they then pass on to the consumer in higher retail prices.
I can drive 10 miles into the nearest decent grocery store and buy a gallon of 2% milk for $2.69. It's the store brand, processed locally from local farms, at a dairy owned by the grocery store chain.
That VERY same gallon - should I purchase it from the little mom and pop store down the street, it will cost me a full $1 more, $3.69 - simply because of delivery charges and having to pay someone to drive it to the store and Mom & Pop, in order to make a little bit of money, have to mark it up. As it is they are only making roughly a quarter a gallon. They charge that $1 more because they KNOW this is something that they WILL sell since they are convenient for all in this small town - especially when GAS is at such a high price and no one really wants to run 10 miles just for a gallon of milk.
Blessings,
Garsy
Oh, I totally get that. It's just the one thing I hate about the rising gas prices. Now, if you ask me why the rising prices don't bother me much I would say it's because I work from home and rarely leave the house, so in that sense it doesn't affect us much. Obviously it costs us more to fill the tank (big family, drive a van), but we don't have to fill up all that often.
|
|
|
|
 New Messages |
 No New Messages |
 Hot Topic w/ New Messages |
 Hot Topic w/o New Messages |
 Locked w/ New Messages |
 Locked w/o New Messages |
|
 Post New Thread
Reply to Message
Post New Poll
Submit Vote
Delete My Own Post
Delete My Own Thread
Rate Posts |
|
|
Forum Tools
Printable Version
