[breakem]

Permit one paranoid customer's opinion. The majors will have near record profits for the first quarter. Example, Exxon/Mobil is having the 3rd highest profit of any corporation in the history of the world.

Today is the first day of a new quarter. If they keep up the record profit pace for another quearter there will be a revolt and mucho government regulation proposed in an election year.

They are counting their first quarter, smiling and moving on to normal profit-taking.

[templar]

The majors will have near record profits for the first quarter.

In dollars surely, but is their percentage of profit any higher?

[jslade]

Idiot. Where do you think that profit goes. To stockholders. Who then spend it on milk, houses, cars, etc. Corporations are owned by the stockholders. There is where the money goes, other than retained earings for exploration and more production. Take economic 101.

[Johnny Crab]

BINGO!!

I feed 2 vehicles(Dad & Mom mobiles). These are in the "Bills" spreadsheet split to pay periods(1st/15th). Speadsheet auto-calculates $$$ per pay period based on vehicles mpgs, miles driven/half month, and the number keyed in for price of fuel. I ALWAYS KEEP THE FUEL PRICE ten cents HIGHER per gallon than actual to prevent "surprises"(i.e. Be prepared for oil company profit-harvests).

Example: my October 03 price was at $1.90. With our "overhead", a ten cent/gallon swing gives about a $10/month swing.

The other option(?) is to trade safety(big, heavy, vehicle) for economy(light, small, usually loser in accidents).