Gasoline/diesel prices hit record highs

What good is it going to drill more? Don't get me wrong I'm all for drilling offshore nice Florida real estate that is quickly becoming worth less, but even if we did it'd take something like 3-5 years for that oil to hit the market. Just take it up the ass for a couple more years with an ever rising prices caused by a weak dollar and speculative inflation that's slowly strangling the economy? No thanks.

I say we kick Helicopter Ben out of the Fed, and drag Paul Volker's ass out of retirement to make things right. If he can kill stagflation once and ruin a promising presidency (Carter) I bet he can do it again. If doesn't come quietly he can kick and scream all he wants whilst inflicting pain on the American people to the tune of 16-18% interest rates again. It'll encourage savings, which will -hopefully- cause the dollar to stop it's free fall and stabilize. While it quickly kills the housing market and chokes off cheap credit that is feeding the commodities (food, oil, gold) bubble. It's not a coincidence that all-time dollar lows are followed by all-time oil highs. Speaking of ruining a promising presidency, I hear Volker is one of Obama's main economic advisers.

I'm kidding of course (kinda). The point I'm trying to make is that I don't think there's any practical political solutions to this problem. Not very likely ones in any case. I think we're just gonna drag our economic woes out for as long as possible. By doing what will cause the minimal pain in the short-term while causing the maximum damage in the long term. Wouldn't be the first time it's happened.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by RacinReaver

If we want to solve all these technological problems we really need to start making a career in science a lot more attractive than one in investment banking or any of these other really high paying careers that don't create wealth, but only shuffle it around.

Just as the workload of a law firm is carried out by a small number of people. ie; associates trying to make partner. Only a minority of the population are actual useful to keep society moving as usual. If the technocrats become disillusioned or start slacking off then society is fucked regardless of whatever our energy or financial problems are.

You don't want investment bankers responsible for scientific or productive parts of society. They can't handle facts or reality so they'd have nothing to contribute. I bet 60-80% of Wall Street is jacked up on booze, pills, or drugs. The rest occupy their time by crying to or doing the most depraved acts humans can think up with $2000+/hr whores.

Elliot Spitzer spent his life/career cracking down on all that, and look what happened to him in the end.

Gahahaha!!!

Originally Posted by Zergrinch

Off the off-topic:

How nice it must be to worry about record high prices for cars, while a lot of people are worrying about record high prices for food

Back to the regularly scheduled off-topic!

Why worry about it now eh? People aren't starving... yet. They're just hoarding. It's what people do in times of out of control inflation. (or hyperinflation) It's one of the only ways people can protect their wealth.

Originally Posted by Radez29

Accountants.

Every finance exec I've ever met drives a car that's at least 4 years old. Every one of them has commented on the fact that vehicles depreciate a crapload early in their life and that buying new vehicles is the dumbest thing ever.

It depreciates the moment you drive it off the car lot. Within 2-3 years it's lost about 50% of it's value. Great investment huh?

Uhhhh I'm not one of those accountants that knows anything like that. I lack ambition among other things.

There's nowhere I can't reach.