Prop 8 protests are getting violent in LA

[jemagee]

You've been so owned already, why do you ask for more?

He just moves to a new thread

Reality - i'm going to start calling you rickypryor

Derek knows why

[Reality]

jemagee,

So in other words, you need to offer them an INCENTIVE - be it a train or any other business.

The problem with dealing with entrepreneurs is that when they innovate, they want to do it THEIR WAY.  Put a regulation in their way, or a restriction on what tools they can use, or what types of methods, and they're less likely to be willing to deal with the headache.

Essentially, they're going to scream, "LET ME DO IT **MY** WAY!"

Are you actually proposing tax cuts and other such Reaganesque things to spark business?

Any INCENTIVE that could be offered to the oil bois?
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2008/10/31/exxon_mobil_profit_is_biggest_ever/

[Joe Vancil]

Why do the oil companies need ANYTHING?  They just turned out RECORD PROFITS while PRODUCING LESS.

Now maybe it's just my ignorance of business practices, but if you PRODUCE LESS, and EARN MORE, doesn't that imply that you're CHARGING MORE FOR LESS? 

In the 3rd quarter, look where our gas prices were!  Bet you good money that the FOURTH quarter doesn't come close to shattering any records.

Everyone understands that the gas prices we've got now aren't going to continue, don't them?  It was a move by the oil companies to keep INCUMBENTS IN OFFICE.

Right now, companies have figured out that at times, they can make more money by being INEFFICIENT rather than by producing to meet demand - whether it be producing oil or Nintendo Wii's.

[WayOutWest]

Why do the oil companies need ANYTHING?  They just turned out RECORD PROFITS while PRODUCING LESS.

Now maybe it's just my ignorance of business practices, but if you PRODUCE LESS, and EARN MORE, doesn't that imply that you're CHARGING MORE FOR LESS? 

In the 3rd quarter, look where our gas prices were!  Bet you good money that the FOURTH quarter doesn't come close to shattering any records.

Everyone understands that the gas prices we've got now aren't going to continue, don't them?  It was a move by the oil companies to keep INCUMBENTS IN OFFICE.

Right now, companies have figured out that at times, they can make more money by being INEFFICIENT rather than by producing to meet demand - whether it be producing oil or Nintendo Wii's.

It's hard to guage a companies real profits unless you know how much they had to invest to get those profits.  The company I work for gives us quarterly updates of our financials and the CFO stresses that the profits reported by oil companies are a little misleading.  If it took Exxon 500 billion in investments to make the 15 billion in profits that's only about a 3% return so that is not all that great.  I can't say one way or another if the oil companies are gauging us, I think they are but not to the extent that people suspect.  If you guys were to see what it takes to turn crude oil into gas at the pump you would think that 3 to 4 bucks a gallon is a bargin.  I've seen that process and I've always been surprised when gas is less than 3 bucks a gallon AND that still does NOT take into account the expense of shipping over from the Middle East to the US PLUS a lot of that money is taxes that do NOT get put to use on maintining/expanding our highways and roads.

[Reality]

^^^ tell your CEO to smell the coffee.
http://www.ucan.org/gasoline_autos/gas_prices/gas_climbs_past_3_06_a_gallon

This is but one link, a much better one on UCANs website uncovered internal oil companies documents.
Quoting (from memory)  "We are currently (1998) making 25 cents per gallon at the refinery level.  We need to create a false shortage to increase per gallon profits.  Ways we can do this are purposely failing to build new refineries or upgrade current ones.  We estimate we can get the profit per gallon at the refinery level to one dollar by creating false shortages"

[WayOutWest]

^^^ tell your CEO to smell the coffee.
http://www.ucan.org/gasoline_autos/gas_prices/gas_climbs_past_3_06_a_gallon

This is but one link, a much better one on UCANs website uncovered internal oil companies documents.
Quoting (from memory)  "We are currently (1998) making 25 cents per gallon at the refinery level.  We need to create a false shortage to increase per gallon profits.  Ways we can do this are purposely failing to build new refineries or upgrade current ones.  We estimate we can get the profit per gallon at the refinery level to one dollar by creating false shortages"

It's hard to guage a companies real profits unless you know how much they had to invest to get those profits.

^^^ tell your CEO to smell the coffee.

Shut up stupid.

[Reality]

You are one of the best little consumer sheep.  Spawning yet another product.

Put a little golden or purple food coloring in gas.  Tell you that hours and hours and extra expense were put into production of this special "Kobe Laker Gas".  Watch you gladly pay and act smart like you and your CEO know how this gas must have cost much more to produce.

[WayOutWest]

You are one of the best little consumer sheep.  Spawning yet another product.

Put a little golden or purple food coloring in gas.  Tell you that hours and hours and extra expense were put into production of this special "Kobe Laker Gas".  Watch you gladly pay and act smart like you and your CEO know how this gas must have cost much more to produce.

Stupid,

It is a good investment to take $500 Billion to generate $15 Billion?  Yes or No?

[Skandery]

It is a good investment to take $500 Billion to generate $15 Billion?

$15 Billion PER? 

Second, minute, hour, day, week, month, year.  What?  At 15 Billion/day, they'll take in 5.4 Trillion in 1 year's time.  At 15 Billion/month, that's 180 Billion per year.  Original investment is paid off in 2.7 years, and you roll in the money the rest of the time.  Even per Year, in 33 years the investment is paid off and then you roll in the money.       

So, yeah, I'm not shedding a tear for the oil companies.

[jemagee]

Is it a good investment to invest your money in something that only yields a 3% return a year?

[Lurker]

Is it a good investment to invest your money in something that only yields a 3% return a year?

Depends on the rate of inflation - your personal inflation not the crap published by the govt.

If your inflation rate is less than 3% then you come out ahead.  If greater than 3% then you lose.  It really is that simple.

The tough part is figuring out your rate of inflation.  The govt rate includes autos and homes which the common consumer does not buy on an annual basis.  In fact if you have a 30 year mortgage your basic housing has a zero inflation rate...your payment is fixed.  This doesn't account for other housing costs: taxes, utilities, repairs, maintenance, etc.  Same applies to buying a vehicle and holding onto it.

[jemagee]

Well I wasn't trying to be that complicated - my point was that while '15 billion' sounds like a lot of money - the return on the investment of 500 billion is only 3% - and you could put 500 billion in a high yield money market and probably get bettter than 3% a year...my point was that i would think most companies would expect more than a 3% yield on something to make it a worthwhile investment - cause if they can't get more than 3% you just leave it in the bank to accrue interest?

[Joe Vancil]

Is it a good investment to invest your money in something that only yields a 3% return a year?

I'd kill to have 3% return this year for my 401k plan.

[jemagee]

Is it a good investment to invest your money in something that only yields a 3% return a year?

I'd kill to have 3% return this year for my 401k plan.

I don't have a 401K so i don't know the rules - how much control do you have over where it goes - if you had control over it more wouldn't you put the money somewhere else?

My gf works for a company getting smacked around a bit - but for some reason - even in this economic crisis people need their botox and fake breasts -

[WayOutWest]

Well I wasn't trying to be that complicated - my point was that while '15 billion' sounds like a lot of money - the return on the investment of 500 billion is only 3% - and you could put 500 billion in a high yield money market and probably get bettter than 3% a year...my point was that i would think most companies would expect more than a 3% yield on something to make it a worthwhile investment - cause if they can't get more than 3% you just leave it in the bank to accrue interest?

That's exactly my point.  You can not judge a companies "sleezy" profits unless you know how much they invested to get that return.  3% sucks for a 500 billion investment, I'm not saying that is what happened, I'm just saying there is more to their "profit" then the dollar amount.  But that would require Reality to use his brain and he's proven once again to fall way short on that front.