Negative people are getting tired of winning obviously
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As previously reported, spreads for downstream products of crude are widening.
Diesel especially.
Also:
Germany‘s nat-gas reserve is at 50% and only slowly filling up.
The problem seems to be that utilities are usually filling up nat gas during the Summer, when it’s cheaper - because customers have fixed contracts for the most part, it’s probably not worthwhile filling up when it’s as expensive as now.
So, people might actually end up in a crunch if the Winter drags on for longer.
I am afraid that in a situation like the current one, these long term contracts don’t make much sense.
But I see another bail out scenario on the horizon…
Remember back in '72 when fuel was rationed, are we going to be having that again soon?
Nah! This time it will be water.
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Yeah, like skateboarding on the freeway at the car-free Sundays. Many times since then I thought “fuck, I like cars, but how beautiful would life be without’ em bastards!”. Car free Sundays were one of the more beautiful things I did see in my childhood!
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Cycling on the Autobahn, loved it.
Too many EVs and exceptions for that nowadays.
These downstream products are not really a problem because nobody has a subscription for diesel that allows them to buy it at a fixed price for a fixed period of time.
So, gas stations can price it at whatever price they can get.
Residential customers of nat-gas are in a different situation.
They have contracts with utilities that in most cases stipulate a fixed price for a fixed amount of time.
In the past, this was not a problem because Russia delivered nat gas with the reliability of a Swiss watch even through the darkest days of the Cold War.
But today, we’re really not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy.
Markets and the world they exist in have lost any semblance of security, stability and predictability.
As such, this kind of pricing does not make sense anymore.
Governments can either dictate the price - but then have to ration the amount everybody gets. Or they can allow those utilities to charge variable prices based on the current market price. Just like gas stations do.
That would result in nat gas being ultra cheap in the Summer and ultra expensive in the Winter.
Knowing Germany, the utilities are speculating on a third option: the government will bail them out once the storage spaces are nearly empty and subsidize the purchase price so they can still make a profit, albeit on the taxpayers‘ dime.
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On taxpayer’s or on end user’s dime makes little difference for who foots the bill in the end, it’s the Michel either way. Though he might get off a little cheaper this time around, the price being a cold ass this winter and industry closing shop - which is what the Greens have been working on since day one.
But you can’t expect the utilities to commit economic suicide. They do what’s best for them in the market dictated by the morons sitting in Berlin.
German utilities learning from cartelised predatory Greek energy baron bastards?
Maybe elevators will become pay per ride:
This has gone way too far in my opinion… how often does anyone now carry cash, or even coins?
If this continues, will it be pay per piece of toilet paper in public/for-profit operated loos?
Well, not all are coins, some are digital tap to pay.
As for toilets, a lot already charge per use.
I had that in Basel where using the lift cost 20Chuffs a month extra.
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That how it was in Russia in the 90’s, you had to pay a lady for toilet paper
Some countries are so poor you have people stealing toilet paper from public toilets. In the end it is removed and everybody has to bring their own tissues.
Oooo… yes, I remember that, including paying hotels in cash only and at check in… Or having to give the taxi driver money first so that he could buy petrol before taking you where you wanted to go.
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Is that why there is never any loo roll in toilets in France?
We always keep one in the glove box and take it with us when going to the loo in France.
recent posts lead to me looking up the history of loo paper: How Did Humans Wipe Before Toilet Paper? (15 Things)
and that lead to wonderful idea. Customised loo paper - I fancy 4-ply with an image of Elon on every piece.
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Interesting that according to Demolition Man, we return to the use of shells in the future!
Back in earrly 2000, when i was in kiev, i saw street side hawkers selling tp with putin’s face on every other sheet.
Still have that one roll in my storage somewhere … slightly priceless, given current world affairs