Photo of the day: $4.83 on Pico

Yeah, it's that nutty expensive station on Pico and Barrington in West L.A.

While I've got your attention:
--Los Angeles Gas Prices reports that the average price of regular in the city is $4.53 a gallon, up from $4.33 a week ago. The website reports a high of $4.99 in L.A.
--Interesting tidbit: the "spread" between L.A. gas prices and the national average has been widening significantly. A month ago it was 17 cents a gallon ($3.88 in L.A. vs. $3.71 nationally); today it's 47 cents ($4.53 vs. $4.06). An LA Land coffee mug* goes to the first commenter not named Johnny Dollar who explains that one.

Your thoughts? Comments? E-mail story tips to peter.viles@latimes.com
Photo: L.A. Land
*It's a virtual mug.

Comments

[Milla]

i've been appropriated as a verb now? that's pretty cool, i guess, though i'm sure our meanings of "going Milla" differ. in any case, congratulations on your mug!!! when i went on LA Land, all i got was a house.

[Bob Dills]

Couple of things. A German acquiantance tells me that gas in Germany costs around the equivalent of $8 per gallon. Yes, we all know that Europe is more expensive, but $8!!!
**************************

Of course, that is due to the high taxes ($3 or more, compared to the 63c in CA).

But for that, they get free healthcare and usable public transit."

That is correct. And if you look at healthcare costs the Europeans are getting a better deal. If we do not increase our domestic production we may end up at $8 a gallon, still without National Health Care. Please support this organization:

www.AmericansForJobsAndEnergy.org
There is an energy Act in the House right now that needs to be passed.

[MyLessThanPrimeBeef]

TakeFive, I am with you on that leaded Chinese mug, but in all fairness, they are much more civilized than people in, sya, Hollywood.

Specifically, I am referring to their ancient law that says a man can divorce his wife for not bringing him his morning cup of Oolong promptly, but he's not allowed to if he had become rich but was poor when they first got married.

Historians have suggested that very law as the reason why speculative capitalism never took off in ancient China and why most gold diggers migrated out of there.

[LA]

Five's on a roll today, lol.

I've noted on several trips in the last ten years that Texas gasoline prices always seemed to be $0.50 less than here. I figured it was a combination of gas taxes, environmental standards, Texas oilman in White House, and whatever the market will bear. Not that anybody in the Texas energy industry ever tried to stick it to Californians (da do En-ron-ron, da do En-ron).

Took a tour of the Exxon Mobil Torrance Refinery recently and learned that different refineries work with different grades of crude. Was told it's heavy crude here in Torrance, and that what's produced here is sold locally. Unlike Florida oranges sold in California and vice versa.

Of course, Exxon Mobil also says they almost never burn the flare (indicative of methyl-ethyl-bad-stuff escaping). That's a thigh-slapper, that is!

[image009]

Gas is more expensive because everybody wants to live here.

[Issac Cohen]

With prices like that I assume it must be kosher gas.

[Uncle Fang Paints Misty Finger Mountain]

MLTPB: Are we talking about the same china? The one I know is where lawyers get caned or executed if they offer to defend the accused. (oh damn, now they're going to hack my computer, or rather Judge Kozinski's, since I'm proxied through him).

Can you imagine what they would do to Laura Richardson? Can you imagine what Laura Richardson would do to a chinese husband who expected morning tea?

Random Question: do they have debtor's prison in china?

[Nelcisco]

because the Lakers are in the finals

[MyLessThanPrimeBeef]

Uncle Fang, the book is about 12th Century Sung China when the finest ceramic pieces ever, I mean ever, like the Ru ware and Ding ware were made and when tea was made from tea powder and water, much like the tea of the Japanese Chado today, and competitions were held regularly for the best whisker of tea, when religions were tolearted and rich Muslim traders lived in the exclusive Phoenix Hill district of the capital peacefully with Jews who followed the imperial court in evacuating from Kaifeng to Hangzhou to escape the Mongols and Jurchens and the Vatican had a bishop in Quanzhou (Zaytun - Arabic for 'Olive' i.e. peace) which was the start of the maritime Silk Road (the other Silk Road), all at a time when the Franks were trying to occupy the Holy Land and whose vastly improved trebuchet (i.e. catapult), by the way, delivered via Arab engineers finally enabled the Mongols to take the fortress of Xiangyang after 7 long years - the key battle of their conquest of Sung China, and not about today's China.

I don't know if they had debtor's prison then. You might have to consult with Marco Polo on that.

So, I was referring to that long ago time and place when it was not allowed for a man, when he became rich, to dump his old faithful wife for something firmer, younger and prettier, though having a concubine or two was pefectly acceptable. There you have it.

[El Dabe]

This station is in a good location for all the Malibu residents who work on the Westside. If the market can bear this price, then I guess the station can charge it.

[Laker]

Nelcisco,
By the way the Lakers play in the finals, I don't know what is more horrible. Gas prices or Lakers game 4 meltdown.

[BabyMama Fang Paints Misty Finger Mountain]

Exxon Mobil will be selling their 2,000 or so company owned stores, citing lack of profit margin in retailing gas.

[yours truly, Johnny Dollar]

Oil companies haven't made money on retail gasoline
in two decades; answer: turn your service station into
a mini-Alobertsons (with gas pumps). Their profit is on
the bag of potato chips, the pack cigarettes, the six-pack
of Budweiser, and the two hot-dogs that you buy. The
gas pumps are their loss leader.

[BabyMama Fang Paints Misty Finger Mountain]

Hey, that's exactly what Rush Limbaugh said today on the radio. Weird! Memo to self: never ever admit again that you listened to Rush Limbaugh on the radio, or if you do, explain it by saying you're doing "counter-intel"

[yours truly, Johnny Dollar]

I don't know what Rush Limbaugh said today;
my source is my old school buddy and college roommate
who is now a retired Phillips Petroleum Corporation
(now Conoco-Phillips/Union 76) VP. The profits are in
everything else that they do.
Personally, I don't mind what the price of fuel is as
long as the supply will always be there.

[2bornot2b]

Actually $9 gas doesn't pay for health care in Europe. Take the UK for eaxample, where it is funded from a scheme called "national insurance" that effectively adds 9% (yes nine percent) to your income tax rate which applies to earnings > 10k per annum.
BTW, if your ever sick in the UK and are'nt partrial to MRSA, best steer clear of "free at point of service" hospitals.

[2bornot2b]

Every cloud has a sliver lining and stratospheric gas prices have several:
1. Freeways are generally clearer - allowing me to tootle along at 60mph in my fuel efficient Japanese econobox unhindered. This is almost as good as when the illegal immigrants were on "strike"!
2. Inflation is rising (before you jump down my throat let me finish) - thereby pressurising the FED to raise rates. Hence, eventually I'll receive a decent return on my savings while the housing correction accelerates.
3. People stop worrying about frivilous distractions thrown there way by politicos and focus on important issues such as the economy.

There are of course well documented downsides but nothing a well educated survivor can't negotiate.

[yours truly, Johnny Dollar]

Under the price of a gallon of 89 octane exceeds the
price of a gallon of designer water, I won't get too bent
out of shape. That's just the way the cow ate the cabbage.

[tealeaf]

be careful not to confuse the timing of the school season with gas prices on the state of the freeways.

this happens every summer.

Is anyone you know reducing their daily commute in a meaningful way? Me neither.

[yours truly, Johnny Dollar]

Behavourial changes due to the price of tea in China:
Pre $4/gallon prices, I was in Palm Springs 5 nights
a week; post $4/gallon prices, I am in Marina del Rey
5 nights a week; these days, my life is just reversed.
However, the effect financially isn't overwhelming
(or whelming) as both my cars are paid for. I can
purchase a lot of gas for what others are spending
on new car payments, new car insurance, and new
car registration fees each month.
However, with 100LL priced at $6.65/gallon, I haven't
been poking a hole in the skies as often, recently.
(I can use the term "a hole;" I think).