A good friend of mine was recently at a large plant show in the U.S.A. (Conexpo), he wanted to bring me a gift back to the U.K., so he checked out all the items on the CAT stand to find something good made in the U.S.A. all he found was items made in China ( for CAT ), he had to go to a store in town to find something that was made in the U.S. that fitted the bill.

tctractors, things are going all to Hell.

It's a topic of despair or getting to be, and getting under a lot of peoples skin, and it's not just the fuel prices. On that note, you do what you can, the cinch on the sack is getting pulled tighter by the day, they're upping the bets in the card game, it's either meet it or fold.

Thinking about this, if you are still able to keep up, been able to pursue a career that pays, well you have some room to manuever, but add a family to that, becomes much more difficult. The thing that is hard to imagine, is that there are still tons of $10/hr jobs out there, and people that have to work them, which is about the same as being homeless or derelict if you are an adult with a family and you own a home or want to own a home, very hard to comprehend how one can make it on those wages. I certainly remember hard times, being young, no career, subject to what your skills can provide or what the job market offers just to pay your landlord, the utility companies and have practically nothing left for food and life necessities, say 23+ something years ago while driving a tractor trailer for $7.25/hr, incidentally which was top pay at this place then. I can remember having a paycheck and handing it over, walking or catching a bus to work, running a motorcycle because it was cheap transportation. It took furthering my education and a lot of years of hard work to get out of that rut, it's something you never forget though.

Many of us are very fortunate, much more than we think, at least we can go to a grocery store and buy food and other goods, how about we switch places and go where people are fighting for things tossed out the back of a truck and where the government is pilfering same, where people are starving and emaciated, heck we live in gluttony compared to these people and the sooner we all realize it the better.

The loss of american and or many other equivalent manufactured goods, built to engineered and other reference standard type specifications, and things similar, what a drastic change, you want culture shock, just look back into an industrial supply catalog from the 40's-70's and compare to what you have available now, though some say china and others are rising in quality and can meet specifications, just seems shameful as to what has happened. The first items I can remember were plumbing supplies like valves etc., absolute junk in some cases. Other things like what we used when rigging, used to all be good quality american manufacture, something to be proud of, no more. We have to fight back on this, it's going to become an abyss at some point.

Hard to comprehend what one person can do about it, somehow we have to rise above this and avoid the negativity as much as possible, complaining does nothing unfortunately, just have to become more creative to meet the bet on the table, though filling the heating fuel tank here is now almost the same as the darned annual property taxes ! Time for a change there. Realizing that in the UK and other places, our fuel was inexpensive in comparison, we're now going to have to deal with it. This is not going to be easy for some people, no choice but to fold, then what do you do, become a begging street monger because of it ? Nope, just have to deal with it. I don't understand all the facets of the petro/chemical manufaturing world and what causes what, reasons why we can't migrate to more sources within our boundaries or make changes to alternative fuels, this problem has been on the horizon since the 70's, I think we can all do better somehow, just have to work at it from top to bottom.

With all the foreign immigrants in the labor force, you want to pursue a small business, say in construction, ha ha, most of em don't carry insurance, workers compensation, they lowball the market, people get accustomed to the prices, you lose more work than you get, so to get a small business off the ground can be very difficult in this and many other similar lines of work. I lost a nice one last week, the customer was even quite angry, quoted em cost prices on material and a very competitive labor rate for a lump sum total, nope too high, well they can stuff it ! Luckily this is fill in work, take or leave it, kind of an interim employment for me, but for the serious business owner, it's no joke.

Seems that the solutions will not be found overnight, it's going to take the collective minds of many intelligent and articulate people to outsmart and re-orchestrate the salvation of this soon to be sinking ship and also negotiate the curves on the dangerous road ahead, or succomb to it. There has to be a way, nothing worth doing is easy, that's half the problem today, everyone wants instant gratification, just aint gonna happen that way.

Plain and simple in my mind, unless there is a considerable reduction in fuel prices, or an "alternative" developed, it's available {wich that ain't hapn'n any time soon, to much money involved/greed/hatred} there will be a total collapse in the very near future. Not just here in the US but global.
Why in the H#ll do we contribute BILLIONS and BILLIONS of dollars and the LOSS OF DEDICATED MEN AND WOMEN, maimed, killed, emotionally scarred, to these middle eastern countries to save them and get ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in return?
I am not saying we want all their oil, how bout someone standing up and saying, you know what, we need to pay a little back, thank you for your efforts, yeah right, but noooooo they sit there in there bed sheets and say this is what you get $5.00 plus fuel. Just ain't right
This whole thing sucks, greedy people, hatred, crooked politicians, just downright horrible/evil people.
I don't care about color of skin, I look at the action of people and all I see is crap. Here and abroad.
Brace yourselves, we are headed for a disaster. I know this ain't pre 60's Cat stuff but I am completely disgusted by this current state of affairs. Don

A huge part of the oil price increase and consequent fuel price increases that we see in the USA is because of our irresponsible fiscal policies and smoke and mirrors tactics to address real inflation here. Take a look at how the US $ has been devalued compared to some of the other leading currencies.

The US$ compared to the Euro has lost 25% comparable value in 2 years.
The US$ compared to the Yen has lost 19% the last year.
The US$ compared to the Chinese Yuan has lost 16% of its value in 2 years.
The US$ compared to the British Pound has lost 25% of its value in 5 years.
The US$ compared to the Canadian $ has lost 43% of its value in 5 years.
The US$ compared to the AU $ has lost 46% of its value in 5 years.

All figures from Yahoo Finance:

These $ declines have cost all of us dearly in savings, 401K's and stock investments. We maybe think we have made a few bucks but in reality we have lost our *ss. This is not a short term problem that will correct itself overnight.

Until the US gets it fiscal house in order, everthing will just be a band-aid to high fuel costs.

I read an article about an owner operator of an 18 wheeler. The guy worked his butt off. Drove non stop three weeks a month and spent the last week every month with his wife and three kids. In 2006 after his trucking expenses of fuel, payment, insurance, maintanence, and license fees, etc, had $45,000 to raise his family. In 2007 it slipped down to $17,000 because of fuel. No more medical insurance, no dinners out, no movies, no new clothes, not much left but each other. In 2008 there is no hope. The bills are over whelming. Loosing his business, life is not good. WTF over. How many are going to fall before we as Americans take contoll of our lifes and get back to the basics. We allow congress to spend out of controll that it makes me sick. I have many workers sitting home right now, their families going hungry. I feel bad that I have not been a good employer and provider. Oh, I have done my job, cut the profit out completely to get jobs. I know I will loose money now that fuel is up. What's the problem? We can't start the job next to a pond, because there maybe turtles screwing in the pickle weed. Americans are starving, but the state will stop the job for a turtle. We need to stop BS and start caring about the American People, instead of every other mouse, rat, turtle, frog, owl, and ant. Don't get me wrong, I care about our eco systems too, but I think balances are O.K. too. We should care about people too. The insight that I have is the only way to fix America, is too let it crack and fall. Not a reccesion, but a deppression. Break the goverment. No more freebee freeride useless govy employees milkin' the sytem anymore. All goverment employees in the unemployed lines looking for real jobs, no more retirement. It is all sooner than we think. I work hard. I pay way too much taxes. Locally a city close by is declaring bankruptcy caused mostly by emergency services driving the city broke. WTF The attitude of, OH well the next generation will have to fix it is here KNOW. The interest alone on the bonds sold to cover our national debt is out of controll. Way to go BOXER, and WOOSLEY. Be proud of spending millions a year we don't have to watch the coast. -glen

Hi, Folks.
The 'funny' thing about all the things that have been said in this thread about fuel and oil prices and their effects is that I can hear you way over here in DownUnder but your elected representatives aren't hearing you. Or, if they are hearing you, they are also ignoring you. Why do you think that is? I'd be willing to bet that if 10% was suddenly taken out of their salary for every member of their constitiuency who was unemployed and given to those unemployed, you would get some attention then.

To get anything done about any or all of this, you HAVE to make more noise and get more attention than the greenies and do-gooders who have done so much to cause it. We in DownUnder HAVE to do the same.

As 7upuller pointed out, at the moment, turtles mating in a lake have a higher priority than having an American population that is fit, able and willing to work. We are in the same sort of situation DownUnder. Now will somebody please explain the logic of this to me in words of one syllable or less 'cos I'm only a dumb plant operator.

Our government in the U.S. is not "fighting" inflation but is promoting it as the "only" way to prevent deflation and the consequent depression that we so richly deserve. The Federal Reserve Board would rather individuals go under than see any of its member banks go under. The incentives for our politicians is not in favor of representing the whole, but rather only the various minority groups that give them donations to secure their election. I concluded many years ago that the voters are stupid. Unfortunately, in my view, there will be no improvements here. And Senator Obama's "change" will result in a government more to the Left than ever: bigger government, more governmental control, less reliance on the market to determine the direction of the economy, greater "security" measures, less freedom of speech, etc. Neither major political party here in the U.S. has the interests of the whole people at heart. They only want re-election to office.

yes,i too feel all the collectors pain...Think its bad now,wait till fuel is at $10 gallon..Im only 32 and see the worst ahead of us.Theie will be no more retiement for the young guys..I had (11) 1920's cats and a holt in the last 12 yrs and was forced to sell them due to our President Bush..He is only for the import and oil as i now know..I can only say if collecting or holding on to a item,it is very expensive..Just to show or have personal fun..There is no more fun here on the east coast..Last few engine shows i went to have been dead..Guess its the fuel and cost of living..I see more goodies going to the scrap yard everyday..Its a shame! But that person has to eat also..I was fortunate and lucky to sell my collection before this fuel crisus hit. If i didnt sell them then i would have lost thousands..Guys,try to hold onto what makes you money,not lose money..God Bless Shawn

I must admit to taking advantage of the U.S. economy in my own small way , I have bought 100's of dollars of parts, tools etc all shipped to my home at less than half the price of the same items sold in the U.K., also there is more old Cat tractors hitting our shore than ever, it would seem that folk in the U.S. are selling the family treasure.

tctractors

It's not "The Gubbermints" fault oil is high. It' the weak dollar, speculators and supply and demand. If we were all smart we'd be looking into investing what we could in alternative energy companies. Solar is going to be big real soon and so is home based wind generating. I'm looking into it now. Fuel is going to be high until we have an alternative. I agree our Gov't is short sighted and our Representatives are fools. But who keeps voting them back in? Who runs for that matter? People who want a career in politics, thats who. Politicians and lawyers both lack a soul, so we get what we elect.

BTW- The fuel cost chart linked is off. Diesel in Ogdensburg NY is $5.48.