WestWind Airlines

Ok, I seriously don't believe that Mexico's economic policies are something that could be construed as healthy for the US economy.  If the government were to take over the oil industry and wipe out that "145 billion" in profits.....where would all those jobs go?  I am not Exxon's biggest fan, but the fact is that most oil is IMPORTED.  We use 20 million barrels per day and import 13 million barrels per day of it.   So how the US government taking over oil here (35% of our usage) will help is beyond me.

Mexico's GDP is 6% of the US's and there are 30% as many people in Mexico as are in the US......See the disparity??????  That's $46,146 of GDP per person in America versus $8,271 in Mexico.......  So that is what government ownership of business will get you.  Need more proof?????

• Russia: $9,121
• China: $2,459
• Iran: $4,496
• Pakistan $872

On the other side of the coin (that would be the free enterprise side), the UK is $45,619, Germany $40,316, Canada (our largest source of oil imports) $40,195

The average state plus federal tax on gasoline is 47 cents per gallon (about 12% of the price of fuel.....not much more than sales tax)

If you want lower gas prices REDUCE DEMAND........slow down, carpool, combine trips, stay home, shop online, walk, ride a bike, take the bus, ride a train, shut off the lights, adjust your a/c, adjust the water heater, etc etc etc.

Decrease consumption and the price will not matter as much, 

 

And before we all demonize Exxon here are some "mass media overlooked" stats

Exxon's Profit Margin 10.85%
Gross profits were 171 Billion, but net income...... $42 billion on revenues of $389 billion
Revenue Growth 35% ..... but earnings growth.......only 17%, half of the revenue growth


Income Taxes paid per quarter by Exxon......9 billion dollars.....per quarter! 

Now explain to me how a company making 10% net profit and paying $35 billion/yr in taxes and employing over 100,000 people is hurting the US economy.................................. 

 

**********end of rant**********

 

---

Andrew Podner
WWA1662
Command Captain
VP - Hub Operations - N. America, West
Dir. Central Scheduling - N. America
ZME ATM, I1 Controller/Instructor
Monster Driver - EHAM/NZAA

WWA1662:

If you want lower gas prices REDUCE DEMAND........slow down, carpool, combine trips, stay home, shop online, walk, ride a bike, take the bus, ride a train, shut off the lights, adjust your a/c, adjust the water heater, etc etc etc.

 

 There you have it.  We have been spoiled by low gas prices over the years.  Get rid of the gas guzzling trucks, SUV's, motor homes and big boats. Anyone driving of those has no business complaining about gas prices!  I live in a tourist area where I see those folks from the big cities, with good jobs come here with those kinds of vehicles...and then complain that it is costing them $100+ to fill their tanks.  Sorry...no sympathy from here!!! 

---

Bob S.
Senior Command Captain
E.V.P. Scenery

Alright, I'll admit it, I own a 2005 Chevy Suburban.  Before everyone jumps down my throat, yes it costs near $100 to fill it up, I knew the mileage was not great when I bought it.  So why did I buy it?  Because I have 4 growing kids, and the minivan wasn't cutting it anymore, sure we could take all of my family and 1 other, but we couldn't take anything with us, a drawback that many of the current 3 row SUV offerings still have.  Our Suburban sort of laughs at us when we load up with my family of 6 and my parents and our stuff and we still have room left over.  At that point I'm moving 8 people plus our junk for 15 mpg which isn't to bad.......my car that I drive to the airport, moves just me (usually) for about 28 to 32 mpg depending on how much other driving I do (the jet I fly makes about 1.4 miles per gallon, admittedly at 600 mph but hey.....).

I think we got off on a tangent here.....If we want to talk about car gas and PEMEX and all that it may be time for a new thread.  Government control is not the answer, the oil companies aren't making really that much more off a gallon of gas (percentage wise) than they have in the last 10 to 15 years........want to know why gas prices are high, well look at the price of oil.  Any product will increase in price it the stuff used to make it has increased in price.  I really liked how this morning there was a report of a possible fire at a refinery, oil rose by $1 a barrel almost in the very next minute.............A refinery has nothing to do with the supply of oil (its a user of oil), so why did the oil price rise?  Because a speculator somewhere is getting rich........

---

EHAM-YSSY B772LR

Nobody is going to pick on you for having a big family. My point is those who drive the big gas guzzlers, unnecessarily, and complain about the cost of filling up. Every weekend I see Hummers, Motor homes, and big SUVs (with 2 people in it) towing big boats or other recreational vehicles come through town. Then, on the evening news I have to listen to them complain. I saw a guy on the news who was being interviewed at one of the NASCAR race tracks. He had driven a big motor home from somewhere out west to see the race. He complained about the cost of the trip.

---

Bob S.
Senior Command Captain
E.V.P. Scenery

I'm with you there Bob.  My wife and I were planning to drive our Suburban to W. Virginia to see some family this month, that trip has been postponed due to the price of gas (we figured we would have spent around $1000 just on gas for the roundtrip, which would have left little money to do anything else with once we got out there).

It's sort of like all the people who cry about what the government is or isn't doing and then you find out they haven't bothered to vote in years.......I always vote because in my opinion that preserves my right to complain about it when its all said and done......... 

---

EHAM-YSSY B772LR

VPCargo:

I always vote because in my opinion that preserves my right to complain about it when its all said and done......... 

Well said VP

---

Phil Cohen WWA1573
Sr. Command Captain
EVP - Charter Operations
VP - Hub Ops - Europe & Pacific

As a young boy we were looking at our familymembers in the States and Canada, driving those huge cars.
We were told that that was possible because the cars over there were much cheaper as was the gaz.

The gaz nowadays in Holland costs (average) 1.55 euro p/ltr.
1 gallon = 3.785 ltr, making a gallon of gaz in Holland 5.87 euro.
5.87 euro = US$ 9.22.

Can I have my change back please ?

---

Chris, WWA1509.

I can' imagine paying $9 a gallon for gas. That is pretty incredible.

---

WWA1702 Senior Command Captain +3
RWP SEL Instrument Rating (almost)
WW Test Pilot
Monster Driver

Is that a US-Gallon or a European-Gallon?

Because the Euro-Gallon is slightly Less/More (I can't remeber which) than the US-Gallon

---

Test Pilot

50 Hours x6
Green Monster x2
P001
October 2008 Screenshot Comp Winner

VATID: 1040117
Controller: UK Heathrow & Essex Region

its the US gallon.

---

Chris, WWA1509.