My oh my - $60-$90 dollars a barrel ... What would that be $4 - $5.00 a gallon at the pump? Or, even worse, RATIONING. Of course, given the "socialist" leanings of the federalie govmet, I vote for "rationing". So - $2.50, $3.00 a gallon with a weekly limit of 10 gallons? No matter if you're driving a Geo Metro, or brand spanking new Ford Excursion with a big block? Hmmm, I should probably go check out my Geo dealer tomorrow. Probably won't be able to get one, new OR used in 60-90 days - IF JC is real and isn't playing mind games with the forum. Big question, if JC is right, are we going to $3.00 gas BEFORE rationing, OR, are they going to "ambush" us with an announcement that will catch the sheeple and pollies TOTALLY off-guard, and uhhhh, "unprepared" (snicker, snicker) .... Opinions of the thoughtful invited. Trolls - go back to your room ...

-- Phil Erup (these_shoes@aremade.forwalking), January 18, 2000

Answers

Pre roll, we had very similar comments and predictions from R.C., DD Reed, and C4i that oil would be a real problem, and that it would take some 30-60 days for these problems to become evident. The most telling single tidbit is from Venland, when the TV gal just commented about production problems. No question, if oil gets to >$40 and stays, we are in for one severe recession. And look back at '73. While the vast majority of stocks tanked, the oil and oil services stocks skyrocketed. So I agree with J.C. on the oil and oil services, if oil goes on up from here, they will be real winners. And a Geo Metro might be worth some real money. And I agree that this current statist administration will ration gas if oil goes to $60 for sure.

-- Les (holladayl@aol.com), January 18, 2000.

Another question, will selling your excess "rationed" gas be ruled a "misdemeanor" with the penalty of forfeiture of future ration allocations, or worse, a felony where you can do actual time ...

-- Phil Erup (whosays@fordfiestasarent.cool), January 18, 2000.

Glad all my bicycles are in good repair and riding shape. Might be very handy tools if all this comes to pass.

-- Michael (michaelteever@buffalo.com), January 18, 2000.

LOL, Phil, what if it is confiscated? What kind of weapon would they use for such a raid? It would have to be nonexplosive. Maybe that new nonlethal stick foam?

-- Hokie (Hokie_@hotmail.com), January 18, 2000.

sticky foam I mean...they spray, and you're stuck to the floor. Seems kinda spider-man to me! Just block your nostrils--what a horrible way to die.

-- Hokie (Hokie_@hotmail.com), January 18, 2000.

I'll say that it wouldn't take many glitches to monkey the workings of oil distribution, if in key areas, such as extraction, refinement (Ven.), transport (supra- or sub- surface, land or water), any processing along the line etc.
A few downings due to plant or transport explosions, contamination (to the product, eg Australia, or the raw material), corruption (Y2K) can make a mean dent in the system.

Many of such problems will not surface til after the fact, i.e., the actual realized shortages (not when shills such as Richardson or Schumer reveal it), meaning prices could spike. It's crucial at this time to watch for subtle (very subtle) cues.

-- It's Me (Not@her.com), January 18, 2000.

In Canadian dollars we already pay $2.66 per gal....and we still drive big vehicles. You will all find a way too.

-- Laurane (familyties@rttinc.com), January 18, 2000.

Duh ... If you're paying $2.60 Canadian NOW, you'll be paying $5.00 "Canadian" when WE'RE paying $2.60!!! (Will you still be finding a way????)

-- Phil Erup (will@youfind.away), January 18, 2000.

Geez...this line is really starting to mushroom with me. At the risk of become a flame target, may I say that I have deep doubts about the authenticity and validity of JC and his comments. Have any of you noticed the pattern? Repetitive posts with alarming headlines, followed by essentially no substance. IMHO, this person JC is either "smoking gun" insider too scared to speak what he/she knows...OR this is just another troll playing with our heads.

Just my two cents.

-- Irving (irvingf@myremarq.com), January 18, 2000.

Lessee... if the oil companies' refineries blow out from Y2K, and oil gets short, causing recession, etc. and oil goes to 40 a barrel, where it went during the '73 crisis ( I seem to remember 50$ barrels spoken of in those days) then the oil companies' stocks go up and they make even more money?

Anyone remember the 'windfall profits tax'? (Or, why would a rich cartel take an oilman from Texas and ex-CIA spook, send him to the White House with an aging actor with Alzheimers as a cover, making sure Carter's coal gasification plants were PHYSICALLY DISMANTLED and the Iranians and Iraquis put in place, tankers reflagged, and US power projected into the Arab World/Persian Gulf area PERMANENTLY ?)

Oh, wait a minute..... That's just a flashback...... must've been too much DSL 25 Lysdexic Acid in the 60's.......

-- Forrest Covington (theforrest@mindspring.com), January 18, 2000.

Phil - I expect our Alberta govt which lives off oil royalties will roll back taxes if the profits continue to grow with each expensive barrel of oil....too many big trucks driven by too many oil patch people. But then again the federal govt might just tax the profits like they did in the '80's. Then we might see the breakup of Canada over oil and not Quebec language rights.

-- Laurane (familyties@rttinc.com), January 18, 2000.

Oh, Puhleeze. Haven't y'all noticed that when "JC" appears, LL threads are reactivated, moronic shouting headlines about gold appear, porno pictures show up on oil threads...GAWD! Get a clue!

-- (Delete@Smeg.com), January 19, 2000.

Loraine, Check out this "Sightings" show on the elites, regionalism, and the eventual Canadian breakup:

http:/ /broadcast.com/shows/endoftheline/9804/end0413.ram

Enjoy!

-- Phil Erup (Point@of.interest), January 19, 2000.

Regardless if JC is right or not, he's certainly piqued our interest, and stimulated some intriguing scenarios.

-- Chuck (cestin@aa.net), January 19, 2000.

You Canadians have big vehicles, but you also have big gallons.

Five quarts, IIRC.

-- Ron Schwarz (rs@clubvb.com.delete.this), January 19, 2000.

How could the price of gas go up when we are at the peak of world production and we havent even started on the single biggest source in N.A. (Alberta tar sands) Gas prices may go up and down as usual but any prolonged upside to cost will all of a sudden make some of our bigger projects viable which in turn will drive the price right back down again....basic economics when there is an abundant supply.

And if the Saudies see it comming they will increase production, drop prices or both...they are smarter than Americans

-- (gas@cheap.com), January 19, 2000.

Sheesh you Americans have cheap go-go juice. I pay $.85 per litre which is about $4.25 Australian per gallon, which roughly converts to $6.30 American Dollars per gallon on exchange rates, give or take a few miserable cents. Yup, you gents have got it made over there across the big pond.

-- Pieter (zaadz@icisp.net.au), January 19, 2000.

I have been in the military, spent twenty years there, I also spent some of that time in France. When I was there the last of the fifties and the first of the sixties, gas there was dollars per liter. I could not understand such a big gulf between our nation and theirs. That was many years ago. I still do not understand it, even though I am glad of it. Yes in 1961 I remember those stations where gas was sold by the liter and it was in Francs, but they were equal to what were dollars at that time. Of course the gas we used was purchased on base, so we paid stateside prices. Maybe the gulf is finally being bridged, I hope not.

-- Notforlong (Fsur@aol.com), January 19, 2000.

FWIW...Hey, I'm all for Canada (excluding Quebec) joining the good ole U S of A!

-- TM (mercier7@pdnt.com), January 19, 2000.