I received an Email from some conservation group this morning. At first it read like they were opposing drilling in Alaska again. I have written several articles denouncing the Alaska proposition. For those of you new to the argument, Alaskan Oil is Heavy Crude. Very expensive to refine. Mainly sold to Japan and Korea to use in their heavy industry to the tune of 80% that is pumped.
The new site, which will take 10 years to develop, only contains a sufficient amount of oil for 1 year.
That isn’t worth all the fight the Republicans are throwing at it. They just can’t stand the word NO, when it happens to be their idea.
So, at any rate, I read on in the note, and it turns out the Conservation Group is opposing Off Shore Drilling. From what I have read, over the years, there have been very few spills and only a handfull of accidents, over the years…..as opposed to the Exxon Valdez disaster and pipeline leaks in Alaska. Off Shore is truly the way to go, while we wait, and wait, and wait for the Government to get off their ass’s and demand synthetic fuels. They can’t be that hard to build, as Germany was still making syn fuel on the last days of the war, and we has already bombed the plants flat several times.
Oh, did I forget to mention that we have had, in our hands those formulas since 1945!
This past week, retail Gasoline prices increased an average of 25 cents. Despite lame efforts to accuse the oil companies of price fixing, Republicans petitioning Bush to do something, and one attempt to lower the Gas Tax 20 cents (Whoa Ding!) it will increase yet another 25 cents this week.
I’ve got a little side bet for you readers.
I predict that on Memorial Day Weekend, the national average for a gallon of gasoline will average between $4.81 and $5.00.
Anyone who comes up with a different set of numbers, and beats me will win a recording of George Bush singing ‘My Way.’
On this years Easter celebration, let’s keep in mind other things than easter eggs, baskets and Christ. Remember that it is a time for family interaction, visitation and love.
It was said that in order to have a church, you only need to have 2 or more to meet in God’s name.
Keep that in mind when you’re sitting in an over crowded building, where you are being threatened with going to hell if you don’t sit and sweat for 3 holidays a year.
There is picketing in Philadelphia today. Those who are picketing are Black.
With the number of shootings and murders that occur daily in Philly, and the number of neighborhoods that are being run by drug dealers, you can understand why Blacks would be picketing the local Wachovia Banks.
Banks?
In the year 2004, it was discovered that several modern businesses were the so-to-speak grandchildren of companies that had formally dealt in the slave trade. At the time, this information was provided concerning the bank.
The Georgia Railroad and Banking Company owned at least 162 slaves. Another firm, the Bank of Charleston, accepted at least 529 slaves as collateral on mortgaged property or loans.
According to Wachovia’s disclosure statement, it was also discovered that the Bank of Charleston “acquired” an undetermined number of people when customers defaulted on their loans.
Since then, the bank has publicly apologized, all be it, in a short statement, that it was sorry for it’s relatives past.
There was quite a stir, at that point as several cases were in court seeking reparations for those who had family members enslaved during that period.
Spin forward to today, in 2006, in a city that is going to hell due to Black on Black violence, a city that has citizens who pride themselves on wearing ‘Don’t Snitch’ t-shirts, proudly, and a daily murder rate approaching a Guinness Record want a financial handout, from a Bank, for an incident that was, at the time, a legal way of life.
Forget the fact that Philly has a weak tax base. Thousands of properties are in arrears on property taxes. In addition to state, local, and federal payroll taxes, you also pay a 10% wage earning tax for anyone working in the city limits.
But, by God, we need to get that payback for our ancestors’ error in history.
So, picket on brave citizens. But, just while the sun is up. Other wise you’re neighbor might just pop a cap, in your ass.
Sorry I haven’t been posting. I have what would appear to be one of those colds, that is going to buy my doctor a new fishing boat this year.
So, posting is going to be a bit thin, for a few more days.
