Wirt,

        Thanks for the obvious lesson in economics - however, the issue
is one of humanity, compassion and a willingness to do good when it's
the right thing to do.   

	

Ray Shahan

	

-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2005 3:04 PM
To: Shahan, Ray; [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [HP3000-L] OT: The big oil companies - shame on you!

Ray asks:

> Gas went up .22 cents a gallon yesterday (it's now 2.89 here in
> Appleton, WI), and I can't help but wonder - are there any decent
people
> left at the oil companies? 

It's actually working the way that it's supposed to in a free market
economy, 
with the price of the commodity reflecting the balance between supply
and 
demand. At the core underlying this rise, it's very important to
remember that an 
oil production and refining capability larger than that of Saudi Arabia
has 
temporarily gone offline. If consumption were to stay at "normal"
levels, 
significant shortages would have developed.

If our domestic capacity is crippled for any period of time, especially
if 
the strategic petroleum oil reserves are exhausted, the price of gas at
the pump 
will quite easily exceed four dollars, and perhaps approach five
dollars, in 
the coming weeks.

Rising prices are the natural -- and desired -- result of any commodity 
shortage. They automatically ration the commodity to its most important
uses.

Wirt Atmar


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