Ever wonder what goes into making the price of gas so high? O.K., other than pure unadulterated greed.
Petroleum companies make $20,000 profit off a barrel of oil - not including the 'waste by-product' gasoline - so the cost of a barrel of oil isn't the reason no matter how the petroleum companies and the handmaidens ... our government and media ... try and sell us on it.
Come on folks they make at least 20K per barrel and they are bemoaning and lamenting the price of a barrel going to $100.00 ... seems to me that, that crumpet will have to wait until the price per barrel drops while they are having that three martini lunch seeing as how they can't afford the price of that pastry for dessert!
But on to the 'reason' for this post: User Tax.
Do you know what that is? Did you know each state (as well as the feds) tack on a user tax per gallon of gas you buy? Each state uses the 'monies' differently (most use it on road building projects with a pittance toward maintaining those roads), so where does you state fall on the tax scale?
The highest is New York @ 60.8 cents on the gallon and Alaska is the lowest @ 26.4 cents on the gallon. North Carolina @ 48.6 cents sits right in the middle while @ 35.2 cents South Carolina sits among the lower taxed states.
But user taxes aren't the only reason because the highest gas prices are in California where the user tax is among the high taxed states it is not the highest taxed state, so what gives in California?
As to the federal user tax, if I am not mistaken it is in the neighborhood of 10 cents a gallon. So factor in that along with the state user taxes and some locality user taxes (on average 2 cents per gallon) the highest amount is New York's 70.8 cents per gallon.
What is gas in New York 3.50US a gallon? That leaves $2.80 in the price of gas at the pump where on average 50 cent goes to the location (the actual gas station) leaving $2.30 for the petroleum company ... whose cost to manufacture is zero - remember gas is a waste by-product - so if we allow the very generous amount of 30 cents per gallon for storage, transportation, advertising and political lobbying that leaves the petroleum company with a pure profit of $2.00 per gallon.
Petroleum companies produce 1,000,000 gallons of gas per day ... you do the math.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Poll Numbers
I happened to noticed a trend in the numbers of recent polls on various topics ... they are running eerily similar. This goes across the board.
As most thinking people know political polls have been running a steady 70% against the current cabal on everything including a 70 to 30 split disapproving of the commuting of "Scooter" Libby's prison sentence with 18,577 people responding to that poll.
But take a look at two other polls recently completed.
With 17,664 people responding to a poll asking if they thought Micheal Vick's football career was over 70% said yes 30% said no.
With 20,389 people responding to a poll asking if Harry Potter books should be banned from school libraries 72% said no and 28% said yes.
The same 70-30 split. Our nation is speaking volumes and loudly here but the 30% aren't listening, they have 'their' boy in and can not see reality when it is staring them in the face.
One recent poll however DID break with the trend ... when asked if they would buy an IPod now that the price had dropped to below $200.00US: 21,442 people responded and 95% said no - so not all of us are as dumb as a few of us, it's just the dumb ones really make a lot of squeeky type noises.
As most thinking people know political polls have been running a steady 70% against the current cabal on everything including a 70 to 30 split disapproving of the commuting of "Scooter" Libby's prison sentence with 18,577 people responding to that poll.
But take a look at two other polls recently completed.
With 17,664 people responding to a poll asking if they thought Micheal Vick's football career was over 70% said yes 30% said no.
With 20,389 people responding to a poll asking if Harry Potter books should be banned from school libraries 72% said no and 28% said yes.
The same 70-30 split. Our nation is speaking volumes and loudly here but the 30% aren't listening, they have 'their' boy in and can not see reality when it is staring them in the face.
One recent poll however DID break with the trend ... when asked if they would buy an IPod now that the price had dropped to below $200.00US: 21,442 people responded and 95% said no - so not all of us are as dumb as a few of us, it's just the dumb ones really make a lot of squeeky type noises.
Conservative District My Arse
Was just reading where a politico was spouting that Western Carolina is a conservative district and should be represented by a conservative in congress.
Horse hockey. There is a reason a Liberal is representing Western Carolina in congress you know. And that reason isn't that the area is any sort of conservative quite the opposite the area is very Liberal and individualistic.
To be fair, it is that individualism that can be misconstrued by those of weak minds and microscopic cognizant abilities.
It is always amusing to hear such drivel from those who do not live here or are new comers to the area.
With the exception of a cluster of troglodytes in the city of Charlotte (which has ever been out of touch with reality - they supported and comforted the British during the War for Independence ... the area's 'nickname' of "Hornet's Nest" was given to the area by Cornwallis as he hid in Charlotte from the surrounding area Scotsmen who had no love for him or the British and who forced him to flee to Yorktown - the rest they say is history), the area is steadfastly Liberal.
But the equally if not more so steadfastness of the individuality of the local native population (primarily Scots and Scots/Irish with some odd German and Native American thrown in), proves to be puzzling to those unfamiliar with the area - as evidenced by the spouting 'conservative' which prompted this post.
Horse hockey. There is a reason a Liberal is representing Western Carolina in congress you know. And that reason isn't that the area is any sort of conservative quite the opposite the area is very Liberal and individualistic.
To be fair, it is that individualism that can be misconstrued by those of weak minds and microscopic cognizant abilities.
It is always amusing to hear such drivel from those who do not live here or are new comers to the area.
With the exception of a cluster of troglodytes in the city of Charlotte (which has ever been out of touch with reality - they supported and comforted the British during the War for Independence ... the area's 'nickname' of "Hornet's Nest" was given to the area by Cornwallis as he hid in Charlotte from the surrounding area Scotsmen who had no love for him or the British and who forced him to flee to Yorktown - the rest they say is history), the area is steadfastly Liberal.
But the equally if not more so steadfastness of the individuality of the local native population (primarily Scots and Scots/Irish with some odd German and Native American thrown in), proves to be puzzling to those unfamiliar with the area - as evidenced by the spouting 'conservative' which prompted this post.
Daily Word
Today's Daily Word is:
Pungent (pun' - jant) a - sharply affecting the taste or smell; stinging; sarcastic; caustic.
[Pungency - n - from Latin pungere, to prick]
[Pungency - n - from Latin pungere, to prick]
Officer given his comeuppance
James Kuehnlein the police officer who was video taped berating and harassing a motorist parked in a commuter parking lot has been handed his comeuppance.
He has been fired!
He was fired for his language which is quite clear on the video and for his failure to video tape the incident with the video tape recorder in his police car - something that is required.
The days of the police being able to behave as Kuehnlein did and get away with it are over, just as the cameras in their cars are there to record what they did so that any claims against them could be verified (which is why it is common practice for the police to not turn them on - no record, no proof; with the availability of cameras in the public's hands they have lost that little trick), there are cameras in the public's cars as well.
It should not take the 'threat' of a video recording of any action to make anyone do what is right, but such is the times we live in. Like the old Chinese curse says "May you live in interesting times", and boy these are interesting times indeed.
He has been fired!
He was fired for his language which is quite clear on the video and for his failure to video tape the incident with the video tape recorder in his police car - something that is required.
The days of the police being able to behave as Kuehnlein did and get away with it are over, just as the cameras in their cars are there to record what they did so that any claims against them could be verified (which is why it is common practice for the police to not turn them on - no record, no proof; with the availability of cameras in the public's hands they have lost that little trick), there are cameras in the public's cars as well.
It should not take the 'threat' of a video recording of any action to make anyone do what is right, but such is the times we live in. Like the old Chinese curse says "May you live in interesting times", and boy these are interesting times indeed.
Delaware State
O.K., Just what is it about Delaware State?
Two more students have been shot there - one with potentially life threatening injures.
Back on August 4th, four students (I believe it's four), were killed 'execution style' on a schoolyard in Newark, New Jersey and the teenagers authorities are saying are responsible in that murder are going to be tried as adults if prosecutors get their wish.
So, somebody tell me what the #@*& is going on here!
Two more students have been shot there - one with potentially life threatening injures.
Back on August 4th, four students (I believe it's four), were killed 'execution style' on a schoolyard in Newark, New Jersey and the teenagers authorities are saying are responsible in that murder are going to be tried as adults if prosecutors get their wish.
So, somebody tell me what the #@*& is going on here!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Daily Funny
One night a traveling salesman stopped on a farm and asked to spend the night.
To which the farmer agreed provided the salesman didn't mind sharing the room with the farmer's son.
The salesman said he didn't mind sharing the room with the ten year old.
But as he was getting in to bed he noticed the boy sitting by the side of the bed.
Thinking the boy was saying his evening prayers the salesman got down on his knees to try and set a good example for the boy and say his prayers also.
When he settled in and began to silently pray with his head bowed and eyes shut he heard the boy's voice saying, "Daddy'll be really mad at you mister, the pot is on this side of the bed."
And I Quote
A conservative is a man who believes that nothing should be done for the first time.
~ Alfred E. Wiggam
Gospel of Mark
The gospel of mark (pictured) is one of the most mis-interpreted documens of all time almost as much as the entire collected anthology of fiction it is contained in.
As a result many wars have been fought - one of which is happening now.
We humans could do so much better.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Daily Funny
Louie the Lush says ...
I would rather have a frontal lobotomy than a bottle in front of me.
Hey!
That's not right, is it?!
The pipes are calling.
Nothing is like the sound of the pipes massed.Of course in some the galvanic response is abject terror (this is mainly an English affliction - but it was the Germans who coined the moniker 'Damen ab Holle' [Ladies from Hell] when referring to the Scots fighting to the swirl of the pipes).
The World's Languages Are Dying
There are at least 7000 languages spoken by humans today but that number is dropping at a rate of about 1 to 2 a week. The top 83 most spoken languages make up 80% of the languages as to numbers of speakers while the bottom 3500 make up .02%.
What is the tragedy here you ask? The loss of all the amassed knowledge of the language and the culture behind it is all. Most of the dying languages have never been written down and will leave no record of them when the last speaker of the language dies.
To find out more about this click here.
What is the tragedy here you ask? The loss of all the amassed knowledge of the language and the culture behind it is all. Most of the dying languages have never been written down and will leave no record of them when the last speaker of the language dies.
To find out more about this click here.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Screwed
Had a fellow come up to me today and ask me if I thought the economy was getting better. He looked relived when I answered no, that I actually thought is was getting worse.
He had just been given his final paycheck and shown the door by the company he had worked for for several years - they had decided he was too experienced and qualified to be kept on and that his 'salary' was too high, so they brought in a younger less experienced person for less money to do his job - he was the janitor and made $7.50 an hour.
The new 'girl' - she is an African-American Female - is being paid $6.50 an hour ... he is an African-American male - he is about forty ... she is twenty-two. She has four kids - the youngest four years old.
He was at work everyday, on time and never out sick - she called in to say she couldn't start on her first day because her child was kicked out of school and she had to stay home with him ... they said OK?!
This is just wrong!
So do you think the economy is getting better?!
He had just been given his final paycheck and shown the door by the company he had worked for for several years - they had decided he was too experienced and qualified to be kept on and that his 'salary' was too high, so they brought in a younger less experienced person for less money to do his job - he was the janitor and made $7.50 an hour.
The new 'girl' - she is an African-American Female - is being paid $6.50 an hour ... he is an African-American male - he is about forty ... she is twenty-two. She has four kids - the youngest four years old.
He was at work everyday, on time and never out sick - she called in to say she couldn't start on her first day because her child was kicked out of school and she had to stay home with him ... they said OK?!
This is just wrong!
So do you think the economy is getting better?!
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