Since it's Super Bowl weekend I think I figured it out. War is a spectator sport and the oil company is the booky.

I need to check my squares.

Chowderhead huh? Yeesh.

The goverment does NOTHING??? The government provides for market security, and these days, THAT AIN'T CHEAP. The oil companies are ROBBING US BLIND!!!

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'83 240D with 617.952 and 2.88
'01 VW Beetle TDI
'05 Jeep Liberty CRD
'89 Toyota 4x4, needs 2L-T
'78 280Z with L28ET - 12.86@110
Oil Burner Kartel #35

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...oD/bioclip.jpg

Cute, but it doesn't address the fact that these record profits don't reflect a drop of oil being pumped out of Iraq. But when the taxes rise and the foreign oil is cheaper to buy than domestic production, we'll see where we start sending troops.

Speak for yourself.

You are putting words in my mouth, I do believe the oil supply needs to be guarded but oil company profits should not be hitting an all time high at a time we are fighting for oil.

For now they can throw some change in the cookie jar and get back to profits when the war is won. Maybe the war would end faster if they hired more private firms to protect their interest to decrease the burden on the military instead they are charging the government to guard their own tankers and pipelines.

The fact remains:
more war = high profits, you can connect the dots from there.

I'm just not grasping this concept.

In a capitalist society, the goal of all companies is to make the maximum profit possible. In fact, the company owes this to its shareholders. They are not in the business of providing product for free.

The oil company purchases the product for $1.36 per gallon on the other side of the world, transports it to a ship, ships it to the U.S. on a two week journey, transports it to a refinery, breaks it down into various commodities, ships it to a retailer and then sells it for $2.45 per gallon. Where's the "robbing us blind" part of that equation?

If you wish to see "robbing us blind" what about a company that can take $.05 of caramel colored water, add some CO2 and charge $6.00 per gallon for it. Why are you not complaining about Coke "robbing us blind"??

Does your need for the product cloud your judgment?

Ya'll are not going to make me feel bad. I'll keep on accepting those dividend payments in the form of more stock. I have always been under the impression that you should purchase strong, profitable companies cheap and that is what I did in this case. My g'mother told me back around 1990 to purchase XOM and I unfortunately did not listen and jumped on the tech boom band wagon and you all know what happed with that. Anyway, if I had listened to her in '90 I would be alot further ahead today.

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Jim

I just disagree then and can sleep very very well while I continue to invest in the production and distribution of oil.

The 'fact remains' statement does not follow the graphed trends of oil profit boom cycles.

I agree with Brian. We pay less for gasoline and fuel oil here than most of the people in the rest of the developed world.

I'm just glad I don't run my car on Coke. Sheesh! They're robbing us blind!!!!

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

I guess cycle is much easier to digest, again I said I was wrong this whole thing is a coincidence.

I don’t think it could be stated any clearer than that.

Unfortunately - It would appear that some folks don’t grasp the fact that any company’s profit or loss is based on costs vs. sales. Sure - these big oil companies my be getting some tax breaks. They may have all sorts of political lobbyists groups working for them as well. Well - Welcome to America boys and girls.
Land of the free. Home of the brave. Where most folks are free to own and drive more than one great big gas guzzling SUV, and they do so. Unfortunately - Most of them arent brave enough to get off their fat lazy asses, walk somewhere, ride a bike, and to quit trying to keep up with the Jones’ and drive more economical vehicles. I guess it’s just easier for some to stand there at the pump by their 300+hp tank and ***** about how much money a company makes, while pouring their money into it at the same time.

“Does (their) need for the product cloud (their) judgment?” Well Brian - Apparently, it sure as hell does.

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1980 300D - Veggie Burner !

No, no, I'm wrong and you hippies are right.

If war, global warming, and corporate greed can't wean us off the stuff, what will?

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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma

If it were perfect competition I would agree but when I stand on a street corner and see $2.15, $2.15, $2.15 at three different gas stations I know something is wrong with the equation.

The question still remains:

How do you feel about US forces guarding oil platforms and pipelines? The airlines pay the TSA to protect their interest and still pay taxes.

Three local retailers within eyesight of each other probably shouldn't influence your judgment regarding the pricing policies of Exxon, BP, and Shell.