You’d have to be living in a hole in the ground (ha ha…) not to notice the rocketing price of oil ($135 and climbing).
Having just spent a single digit but seemingly unreasonable number of thousands of Australian dollars (US$:Au$ currently 1:1.08) on airfares to a Gordon Conference, I am seriously wondering whether the online nay-sayers might want to reconsider their opposition… ?
PS Anyone in New York on 4th July? I’m looking for a bed.
I’m sure there will be someone in NY on the 4th of July.
You could make yourself popular by pointing out that the UK also has a holiday on July 4th, to celebrate when we got rid of one of our more annoying colonies.
That was indeed my plan, Bob.
It’s okay, Bjorn Lomborg reckons there’s no problem. I quote from the Skeptical Environmentalist: ‘Even though oil prices have doubled since the all-time low in mid 1998, the price in the first quarter of 2001 is on a par with the price in 1990, and the barrel price of $25 in March 2001 is still way below the top price of $60 in the 1980s. Moreover, most consider this spike is a short-term occurrence, where the US Energy Information Agency expects an almost steady oil price over the next 20 years at about $22 a barrel.
Phew, that’s alright then.
over a barrel, did you say, Brian?
A lot of the problem in the UK rests with our filthy government, of either political stripe. In 1993 the Tories introduced something called the Fuel Price Escalator, (FPE) a fiscal device that allows the government to levy duty on fuel several points above inflation – about 3%. The idea was to discourage road use, while at the same time raising money to build/improve roads. The Labour government, whose Chancellor was invariably the rapacious Gordon Brown, raised this escalator to 6% above inflation. Now that inflation has risen sharply at the same time that oil prices have shot through the roof, the money gets a truly astronomical wedge from the FPE – in addition to any extra levy that the Chancellor might raise in the annual budget.
over a barrel, did you say, Brian?
groan
I do my best to keep everyone cheerful;-)
Off topic, but your presence is required elsewhere
I think word has got out that you will be in London in August. Entire institutions are emigrating.
Richard, you would be welcome to stay with me in the greater Boston area on your travels to and/or from the Gordon Conference if that would be a help.
I need to warn you though; I subscribe to the hygiene hypothesis and have configured my living space accordingly. I can discuss this in more detail; eating dirt is not a necessary part of my implementation.
Depending on your route to London in August, you’re more than welcome to stop through Toulouse also beforehand.
That goes for anyone whose research theme can be justified as the subject for a seminar at the University of Toulouse or our research institutions, the CNRS and the INSERM. Think it over and drop me a line.
In furtherance of the Hygiene Hypothesis, you’re always welcome to visit Cromer. Actually, I can think of very few other reasons for visiting Cromer. I knew there was a reason…