What Did FOX Say About Gas Prices in 2008?

Warning: this will make you angry.



Spoiler alert! They say politicians are helpless to affect the market :)

STOP the Lies About Offshore Drilling!

I know that in Sean Hannity's superlative wet dream, God comes down from the Heavens to his second home - the USA - and cracks the crust of the Earth all about us to extract oil, pitch it in perfect drums and place it on the White House lawn.

Yay! Oil independence from the rest of the world! We win because of Jesus! Unicorns farting rainbows abound!


The sad truth is that even if we open up ALL drilling EVERYWHERE in the USA, we probably wouldn't see a whole lot of change, let alone energy independence.

Here's a short short version of how the process goes:

• Oil Drilling Company contacts the USA government and says "We think there's oil here."
• US grants them exploratory rights.
• After a few years, studies are concluded, and the Oil Drilling Company has found something viable. They purchase lease rights and plop down a few billion for a drilling rig.
• Crude magic happens, pumping, barreling, etc.
• Oil Drilling Company sells it to an Oil Refining Company or refines it themselves.
• Refining company splits crude into the most viable end products, sells some down the line, sells fuel to a Gasoline Company.
• Gasoline company sells to affiliates.
• We put gas in our car.

And here's why the right wing rhetoric of "US drilling = Energy Independence" = Bullshit

• Drilling rights only put a little bit of coin in USA's pocket.
• (We do NOT own the oil that comes from our land.)
• Oil Drilling Companies sell their crude to an Oil Refining Company at the best price they can get.
• Refining companies sell their products (gasoline) for the best price they can get.

The Entire Argument is Anathema to All Conservatism!
The only reason we talk about countries like Saudi Arabia as "oil-rich" is because they have government-run oil companies (we have a reserve because at some point the government bought up a shitload and put it in a garage somewhere). If the USA wanted to own the oil drilled on our land, they would need to create drilling, refining, and gasoline companies all owned by the governemnt - in order to remove ourselves from the much-lauded "free-market" system for a controlled price of oil - and ignore any sort of fair bidding to potential service providers.

But the additional problem here is that even if, in my opening paragraph, God came down and turned every drop of oil into gasoline, we wouldn't have that much. I mean, sure, we'd have a lot, but it would be finite.


The Bigger Argument

The bigger problem we're facing with Big Oil is that it is, precisely, big oil. And it acts like it is infinite. But it is NOT. And one day, Hannity's SUV is going to run out of gas and he won't have enough money to buy more (if there is any more).

I understand that Conservo-Repubs are in the pocket of the corporations, but open your eyes! Drilling here will do NOTHING. Eventually it will all run out. That's why we use the word "sustainable." It will hurt you too.

So why are conservative folks arguing against renewable energy when their current fav is going to eventually leave them poor before going away? It's not totally cost-effective yet but that's because it's relatively new. Do they truly want the rich to get richer? Are they looking for a global epidemic of destruction? Can they not wean from the reach-around they get from Oil Companies? Do they enjoy their nipples rubbed with baby oil?

Let me put forth two options:

1. In the USA, we take a sober look at gasoline and alternative energies and slowly transition as quickly as possible.
2. In the USA, we ignore the warning signs, play along with "all is good here" and one day it spikes and then runs out. Millions - billions - die in the chaos.

#2 will happen to much of the world (hehe #2). It's going to take someone everyone else calls crazy to see the reality and perhaps just save the lives of millions.

Thank you President Obama.

Surprise: Christian Militia Nutters Ugly Too

The Homely Army of Jesus

Crazy Christian militia goons arrested for planning domestic terrorism are ugly too? (Well, except for the distinguished gray mullet at bottom left.)Is anyone surprised?

To the gallows!


UPDATE! Apparently this team was so organized as they had several complimentary specialties, now labeled on the photo. You be the judge!


Not surprisingly, no one listed "Bible studies" or "WWJD"

Gramm's "Whiners" Video

If you haven't seen Phil Gramm's (John McCain's super-buddy) saying that nothing is as bad as everyone says it is, that America is a nation of whiners, here you go (yay America Blog!) -



I keep hearing that from Rush too. Why is it that rich, white Republican nutters have absolutely no awareness of the trouble middle and lower class folks are having?

Because they're rich and do not have to associate with - let alone talk about - the proletariat. The only solace is that when we hear them talk we can hear America collectively sigh and reply "what a fucking moron."

Clarity: I'm not mad at the rich, but frustrated with the laissez-faire, let-them-eat-cake attitude and the cognitive pattern of a 3 year old that says "I'm fat and happy so everyone must fat and be happy! Let's clap!"

Bush and Abdullah - Strange Bedfellows

Note: All images pulled from CNN video

In the past couple days, President Bush has toured the Middle East, beginning with the first time in 7 years as a president that he's ever been to Israel. Personally, I wouldn't count that as genuine concern, but when you're drumming up support for the invasion of Iran, you've gotta take the big boy pill and cross the pond.



Luckily, Bush made it to Saudi Arabia, where he was promptly given a saber to properly rattle. Doesn't this look like an action shot from a community theatre production of Lawrence of Arabia: The Musical?



Bush also gets a "Special Person's Robe," and he's so proud of himself, walking down the aisle like on graduation. Incidentally, that is the definition of "shit-eating grin."



There was quite a lot of hand-holding through the discussion process; kisses were in private. And often.



UPDATE: Told you. Caught in that final, tingling, anticipatory second. Mmmm.




Nothing like losing yourself in some tea post-coitus...



...and seeing what "hung like a horse" is supposed to mean.

All in all, it looks like it was a successful trip. The President just hopes that Abdullah will call, or else it's...


...you know.

Boycott Gas Boycott on May 15th

Gas has topped $3.00 nationally and is bumping $3.40 in Washington state. And we keep drinking it down, shrugging our shoulders with a "Whatchagonnado?" grimace on our face. Unfortunately, there are still some asshats out there that believe that by not purchasing gasoline for one 24 hour period (May 15th this year), the public will be able to affect gas prices, sending a "message" to big oil.

It's bullshit. And here's the Snopes definitive review of the topic to prove it.

Main point of the argument? By not buying gas for one day (especially with people stressing "you can top it off the night before"), you are not buying less gas. You are still patronizing the gas companies. You are still buying the gas you normally would, just not on that day.

You really want to effect change? How about a driving boycott? By finding an alternate method for transportation for one day, you would be actually accomplishing what many think is happening on the gas boycott day. You would not be using gas that day (or at least a smaller amount in terms of public transportation).

But that's not enough. If we want to stop this disaster we have to make gasoline less valuable than it is now. We do that by cutting our consumption across the board: ride your bike, carpool, take a bus. For real. You have a job an hour away? Get a closer one. Don't have a bike? Buy one.

If you are unwilling to make changes in your life to help the environment and stem the "fat kid wants cake" mentality of consumption we have in this country, what do you expect to change outside of yourself? Bitching about it is not going to hack it. Get off your ass and do something.