<Oil Fuel pipeline explosion outside LagosThe Oil DrumAn Open Thread theme for a Saturday>

112 comments on Friday Open Thread

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The Interloafer on May 12, 2006 - 10:25pm Permalink | Subthread | Comments top
The New York Times has a story today that starts with an anecdote about a housekeeper at a Miami hotel who has a 60-mile commute to work that she makes with a Toyota 4Runner. She can't afford to drive anywhere on weekends because her fillup costs $60, and she needs that money for the commute.
As many drivers struggle to cope with soaring fuel prices, working-class people like Ms. Lopez who commute long distances to their jobs are suffering the most. In many cases, they had moved far away from major metropolitan areas to be able to afford decent houses. Now, paradoxically, the cost of gas is making the distance prohibitively expensive.
Paradoxically? How is that a paradox? People have been using cheap fuel to get to cheap land ever since the dawn of suburbia. Now that gasoline is expensive, the whole thing is expensive. It seems pretty straightforward to me.
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Glenn on May 12, 2006 - 10:36pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Definition of Paradox:
NOUN:

  1. A seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true: the paradox that standing is more tiring than walking.
  2. One exhibiting inexplicable or contradictory aspects: "The silence of midnight, to speak truly, though apparently a paradox, rung in my ears" (Mary Shelley).
  3. An assertion that is essentially self-contradictory, though based on a valid deduction from acceptable premises.
  4. A statement contrary to received opinion.

Yeah, I don't see a paradox - more like short-sighted planning that ended up being penny-wise and pound foolish.

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The Interloafer on May 12, 2006 - 10:53pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Maybe "an expensive commute" it is a statement contrary to received opinion - or I should say, was.
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xxxburb on May 12, 2006 - 11:10pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Guy says oil is incredibly abundant throughout the planet but a war in the mideast could cause it to go to $500 a barrel.... now that's a paradox.
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eric blair on May 12, 2006 - 10:42pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
People have been using cheap fuel to get to cheap land ever since the dawn of suburbia. Now that gasoline is expensive, the whole thing is expensive.

And one can only hope that 'rural' land becomes far cheaper.

Like $500 and acre VS $7000 an acre for the same land.

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