International Falls Daily Journal - Opinions - Comments

I was told by an owner of a

six-shooter — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:21:28 -0500

I was told by an owner of a local service station that the prices are dictated by a locally owned oil company. What gets me tho is that at the gas stations their tanks are filled at one price and a few days later that same gas goes up according to the predictions on what a barrel of oil is going up. I don't see how a gallon of gas can cost sometimes 18 to 20 cents more to have it delivered to the Falls and it Orr it's the 18 -20 cents less. We're at the end of the line and they got us with no place else to go. What also gets me is how it goes up just before the week-end when all the tourists are supposedly coming knowing they don't want to pay the prices for Canadian gas.

Just came back from out of

Peanuts — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:43:43 -0500

Just came back from out of town. Was surprised? to see gas at $4.09 here. Bemidji was at $3.89 and Detroit Lakes was at $3.80 (as of yesterday). There was one gas station outside of Bemidji, on Hwy 71, that was at $4.69...not a long line waiting there!

Up like a rocket, down like

paradox — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:27:31 -0500

Up like a rocket, down like a feather.

Nothing has fundamentally changed with gas pricing (or any other end product of a volatile commodity). You simply notice it more with gasoline since it is uncommonly expensive as of late.

Gas stations do not make much on a gallon of gas, especially after a credit card is swiped. They are a business after all, so keeping prices the same for a few days after a drop is beneficial to their bottom line.

If there is any price fixing going on, it is not at the gas station level of the oil industry. What you are seeing, relating to price fluctuations between gas stations, is what we capitalists like to call free market competition.

Good question. There is

Thomas L. Johnson — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:22:36 -0500

Good question. There is this characteristic of pricing called stickiness -- kind of like the sap that fell onto my rain jacket -- easy to apply but very difficult to remove. Prices go up easier than they go down; that is where stickiness applies. It's probably a simple fact of human nature: maximize mine is more compelling than yours.

I needed a fill-up a week ago and noticed that the Freedom and BP stations on "Times Square" had already gone to 4.09.9; Holiday was at 3.99.9. I made one stop and headed to Holiday. It was up to the "market price" by the time I got there ten minutes later. To me, the amazing thing isn't how slowly prices come down, it's how evenly they go up. Imagine if all the grocery stores in Minnesota were moving their milk prices up and down in perfect unison. At some point, the Attorney General would be charging them with a price fixing conspiracy. In the American gasocracy, one industry seems exempt.

Because I am stupidly living the pre-Iraq war lifestyle, I found that my gas expenses for the last month were over $450. And that's with vehicles that get 30 miles per gallon. Go figure.

Boy Did I Mess Up....I wrote

Tammy Hoffman — Thu, 17 May 2007 19:09:08 -0500

Boy Did I Mess Up....I wrote Melinda in my reply and I meant to say Jordin...MY BAD...

No comment roj I can hear your wheels...

Faye you are right! This

Tammy Hoffman — Thu, 17 May 2007 18:39:10 -0500

Faye you are right! This year I could have cared less if I missed a show. None of the wannabes left an impression. Of the two left I guess I will go with Melinda. Blake has bored me with the same alterations. And what was that Maroon 5? Never heard of them before and hope never to hear of them again. If that would have been an audition for A-Idol and I was Simon, they would have never made it in the door.

American Idol is down to the

Faye Whitbeck — Thu, 17 May 2007 11:02:56 -0500

American Idol is down to the top two. Anyone surprised that Melinda is gone? Many feel that although she has a bold voice, she didn't have the personality or the presence to go with it.The pizazz that the show usually offers doen't seem to be there this year, is it just me?

I agree. If this is the

kay — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 14:37:34 -0500

I agree. If this is the best they could find in all of the try outs it is a sad state of affairs.

If American Idol doesn't get

Faye Whitbeck — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:56:45 -0500

If American Idol doesn't get any better than this, it could be winding up in the near future.
Anyway — Sanjaya has to go. Phil can go too in my opinion. And Lakisha's performance was painful last night.
I agree with Simon that Melinda needs to lose the "aw shucks" demeanor. She's a nice person but it's time to incorporate a confidence that befits her popularity.
And Jordan is definitely the one to watch at this point.

Faye, Haley or Phil will be

six-shooter — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 07:43:16 -0500

Faye, Haley or Phil will be gone. My money is on Haley. Melinda will win with Jordin and Lakisha following.

American Idol Watchers: Who

Faye Whitbeck — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 10:41:06 -0500

American Idol Watchers: Who will go this week? The show doesn't appear to have the usual luster but the producers are doing their best to pretend that it's a mystery why Sanjaya is still there. He's still there because the judges continue to keep a close focus on him with their comments. He is their best bet to stir up some press coverage. Truth is, he's not that great but he's not that bad, either. What he is, is a good candidate to rouse opinions about hair styles and cutie-pie personalities. He's the Kelly Picklar of this season.

My favorites are Melinda, Blake and Chris. I don't care how good Phil can sing, he just doesn't entertain me. One more wacky hat and I'll scream. He'd do better with a pony tail, even with a receding hairline.

Sanjaya's hairstylist must

roj2000 — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 16:58:31 -0500

Sanjaya's hairstylist must be on crack cocaine!! A couple of the singers I would give a 10 to on singing, but most of them have a face for radio. I think with a severe make over, one or two are acceptable.

Only 10 contestants left and

Lisa Kaczke — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 15:24:16 -0500

Only 10 contestants left and tonight's another cut night. Who do you think will go? Any favorites yet? And what do you think about Sanjaya's ever-changing hairstyle?

Tammy, You have got my

roj2000 — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 21:50:29 -0500

Tammy,

You have got my number, don't ya?? I still think it was rigged somehow!!

Faye humor Roger, Katherine

Tammy Hoffman — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 18:58:59 -0500

Faye humor Roger,

Katherine would have won last year if Roger would have put his reading glasses on instead of continuously texting the wrong darn number for 2hours.