Gas $, Job Loss and Fishing (Or Lack Of)

[JackM]

I'm not good with macroeconomic principles, but isn't the US deficit a big drag on the value of the dollar? If so, maybe it is time to return to fiscally responsible budget management.

 

[FarmerDave]

First let me say that I am sorry to hear about your employment situation. I hope you find something soon.

schrec wrote:
how is the price of gas affecting your outings? Are you fishing less? Limiting trip length? Going only to local waters? Polling up with other anglers? Or, for those with deeper pockets, not at all?

schrec
rising fish always

To be honest, I'm actually fishing more. However, it is for warm water fishes in my backyard. Caught some nice bass this weekend, and I have lots of bluegills over a pound when I feel like targeting them. Also have channel catfish and perch.

The fuel prices really stink. I was going to say suck, but don't want to "tick off" any of the moderators.

Price of everything is going up. Wait till you see the food prices this fall and winter.

My goal each year is to becone more and more self sufficient. I recently started looking into making my own bio diesel, and I am seriously considering it. I have the space, and it really is not all that difficult. It can be made for about a buck a gallon from used cooking oil and I’m sure I can find a source for that. Right now, only my tractor is diesel and I only burn about 80 gallons a year (rough guess) so it probably ins’t worth it. But, if I could get an economical American brand, American made, diesel powered pickup, I would do it.

 

[littlejuniata]

No friggin way oil should be in the commodities market, what's next clean water and air?? They are all natural resourses aren't they?

 

[littlejuniata]

Jack that's a big YES!

 

[dryflyguy]

Pad, I hope your right about there still being plenty of oil available. But from what I've been reading and hearing on the news, the demand for oil has just been skyrocketing. Countries like China and India are becoming much more industrialized, and putting much more strain on the world supply

Bottom line here: IMO, we're never going to see cheap gas again.
We're going to have to change our lifestyles, and quit driving inefficient vehicles.
I've taken a few trips to Europe - every body there drives small cars or scooters. You just don't see an SUV or pickup. I'm afraid we might be heading down that same road

 

[FarmerDave]

JackM wrote:
I'm not good with macroeconomic principles, but isn't the US deficit a big drag on the value of the dollar? If so, maybe it is time to return to fiscally responsible budget management.

I agree. I'm all for that.

Everybody knows about the debt and the budget deficit. But the trade deficit is a major problem that is too often overlooked.

That said, the drop in the dollar is not all bad news. We were due for a drop (probably too late to do much). It actually makes US produced products more competitive in the world market. Also makes imports more expensive here further reducing the trade deficit.

But here is the major problem with that and I am making a long story short.

China's communist government pegs the value of the yuan to the dollar. So, when the dollar drops on the world market, it doesn't drop against the juan unless they let it drop. Therefore, cheap Chinese imports do not become more expensive. Therefore, no improvement in our trade deficit with China, and our biggest trade deficit is with China. Not only that, China owns the largest portion of our national dept. It is totally messed up and something's gotta change. Free marker only works when everybody follows the same practices.

The US is now too dependant on China and Chinese goods. It is mind boggling when you look into it. Not just Chinese end products, but Chinese ingredients in other products (and not just wheat gluton in dog food?). For example, 40 percent of the apple juice sold in this country is from China. Who woulda thunk that. So much of our everyday life depends on China. Not many people want to see the price of cheap Chinese imports go up and the high inflation that results, followed by higher interest rates, etc ...

We are at the point that they only way we can improve things here is if we ask the Chinese, very nicely, to cut us some slack. Yea, that's gonna work. :roll:

And back to fuel prices. How many of you realize that almost all of the major oil companies are NOT US companies. I think only one of them is. We have no control over them. We need to start taking care of ourselves for a change.

 

[ryanh]

Something tells me that this thread is going to get locked soon :-x

I do not want to hear "we will have to change our life styles". Yes we do but not in the way that they are sugesting. Adjusting the thermostat in your house and driving less is not the answer.

This is the US of A! We invented oil, the man on the moon, the production line and the nuke. Don't tell me to get used to it!

This is good. This is exactly what we need. We need it to go up higher. We need the credit crunch. We need the housing market bubble. This will continue until some one gets ticked off enough to actually invent a solution to FIX the problem. Maybe I read a little too much Atlas Shrugged and not enough Karl Marx but we will think our way out of this.

 

[dryflyguy]

Ryan,

I'm not suggesting that we quit driving to where we want to go fishing .
I just don't think that it necessarily has to be done in a big gas guzzler.
I've made many successfull trips in my wife's 40 mpg car.

 

[littlejuniata]

Look Out:: They are trying to sell (lease) the Pennsylvania Turnpike to Spanish guys and a major beer company to German guys. Better idea would be sell DC to anyone,.................... or have they already been bought?

 

[Padraic]

dryflyguy wrote:
Pad, I hope your right about there still being plenty of oil available. But from what I've been reading and hearing on the news, the demand for oil has just been skyrocketing. Countries like China and India are becoming much more industrialized, and putting much more strain on the world supply

Bottom line here: IMO, we're never going to see cheap gas again.
We're going to have to change our lifestyles, and quit driving inefficient vehicles.
I've taken a few trips to Europe - every body there drives small cars or scooters. You just don't see an SUV or pickup. I'm afraid we might be heading down that same road

The rise in gas prices has nothing to do with the current level of supply.

In the long run, we'd better hope the Japanese work out the kinks on the fuel cell vehicles they are working on. Detroit is decades away. (but that Cadillac Escalade.... there's a fine bit of engineering)

 

[pete41]

Don't mean to be cynical but
we got what we wanted.
After the 70s gas crunch the trend was to more sensible sized cars using less gas but then gas prices went down and suddenly we needed-
Big,full sized pickups with dual rear wheels
SUV's big enough to carry both soccer teams
Bass boats that go 80mph and get 4.5 mpg for fresh water fishing???????
Walk,bike-you crazy ,when we can drive an eight of a mile to the mailbox?
Like Pogo said``we has met the enemy and they is us''.

 

[wetnet]

You're not cynical and that is true enough but not everyone has even had a chance to lead that life style. Not to mention those with disabilities that prevent them from working. I guess we'll all have to look out for our neighbors as well as ourselves. Save more, waste less. I've got venison in my freezer and it's cheaper pound for pound than trout so I'll continue to fish and let them go. Fishing just gives me a place to reflect. A place for me to be mad! A place just to breathe sometimes.

So to "bonthewater" I'm so sorry for your injury. I've had 2 broken legs, have 4 vertebre fused, almost died from a blood clot in my knee and menigitus when I was 1 year old. Lost my job after 19 years and couldn't get a job waitressing. You go fishing. If you need help ask for it. I'm on board. Things have turned around for me a bit lately and I Thank God every day.

It's time to check on our neighbors. Things aren't going to get easier. My Aunt in Kentucky said that families there are doubling up to save on expenses.

We just need to not take it out on each other. Not now.