Oil company the confidence game.

Here we go again the old "oil refining capacity scam" so prices are expected to rise. I fell so sad for the poor oil companies who can't seem to have the capacity and production capability ..... until the prices go up. All of a sudden production does increase but then of course the "demand" is so high prices need to remain up.

The law of supply and demand is really intended in a free market economy but the market is never free when supply can be controlled by any business in collusion or with a monopoly. Honestly will the news people ever get a clue about what is happening. Oil companies should be expected to forecast demand and stockpile for the heavy use periods. The real question is have they already stockpiled the cheap oil purchased when the price was low and will sell at a high price feigning capacity problems.

If we are considering nationalizing the banks why not do the same with oil and gas products. They are a necessity for every family in this country and the unreasonable profits by Exxon/Mobile are a perfect example of redistribution of wealth in the toughest of times.

"In hearings before Congress last year, oil executives outlined plans to increase fuel production by expanding their existing refineries. Those plans would add capacity of 1.6 million to 1.8 million barrels a day over the next five years, for an increase of 10 percent, according to the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association.

But those plans have since been winnowed to no more than 1 million barrels a day, according to the Energy Information Administration, an arm of the federal government."

How much of the current economic meltdown is caused by Oil Company practices of creating high demand either literally because of poor planning or scare tactics. Every time the oil companies hint of shortage, capacity, storms in the Gulf, war in the middle east do the speculators and oil companies drive the prices to new highs.

Bring on the lobbyists and their minions... more gridlock ahead and who needed that family vacation anyway.

Como esta?

This is not a unique thought expressed by Bill Balsamico a restaurant & bar owner in North Versailles, PA. He's complaining about having the option of a message in English or Spanish.

There are many Americans that are frustrated not just with this message but when they hit the number 1 they may get a person on the other end of the line who speaks Englishso broken they are hard to understand.

So it isn't hard to understand Bill's Billboards and why he does them. Casa D'Ice was originally an ice house that Bill converted into a successful business and he succeeded so why do we have to molly coddle those who cannot speak English?

First of all I have to say we have always had immigrants most of whom have and did learn English and unless we want to change the nature and history of our country we will always encounter people with language problems.

"...obviously, knowledge of a language is an acquired, not an inherent, characteristic — anyone can learn English, regardless of nationality or skin color. After all, immigrants already in the United States who don't speak English are lining up for classes, confident that learning English will improve their prospects. And millions of newcomers have indeed mastered English as a second language, their children often growing up not speaking the language of the old country at all." ~ Center for Immigration Studies

I don't think it's disrespectful to Bill to point out that not everyone who comes into this country does not already speak English and need to learn it in school. I also don't think we should assume that everyone who visits the United States including Family of citizens and tourists can speak English.

I've traveled to Mexico and I do not speak Spanish and was pleased to find that the places I visited generally had people there to help me with the language barriers. I don't think this country, in general, is any less thoughtful as those in Mexico. So I take that small inconvenience of dialing 1 should not be a problem when we understand why it is done.

New citizens to this country, contrary to some opinions that differ, do want to learn English to succeed and do want English language classes but they are not all wealthy. Here is an example.

"... some 600 immigrant adults were jammed into the auditorium of Fuller Middle School. Everyone knew the school’s free ESL courses were an obligatory stop for immigrants eager to learn the language of their future -- but that not all of them would get enrolled.

“If you don’t speak English, you’re missing out at work, at home. When you do, you’re more respected,” said Luciene Campos in Portuguese. Campos is a Brazilian immigrant who was trying for the second time to get into one of Fuller's ESL courses. Waiting patiently with her was a little girl, a friend's daughter, whom Campos was babysitting.

“I am sorry we don’t have spots available for everybody. This lottery is the fairest way to distribute spots,” said Christine Tibur, speaking into a microphone. Tibur, the director of ESL, created the lottery when, in 2002, she saw prospective ESL students sleeping on the school’s sidewalks the night before enrollment day."

Only 185 of the 600 who entered the lottery was chosen.

Believe me when I say it's easier to press that "1" even a few times a day than learn a foreign language, win a lottery or have to wait until you have the money for classes. If we want new citizen applicants and new citizens to learn our language then forgive them the #1 we have to dial.

I don't like gridlock

I certainly do not like gridlock so I'm not going to say anything bad about the Republican Party. They are fellow citizens and as such I would fight for their right to disagree or agree with any bill. I respect them all and honor their service.

That said, I don't have to agree with them either and if they want to fight against change so be it. I believe the Democrat party for the most part is up to the task of making this government not a top-down or a bottom-up but a middle-out type of government.

The answer is proximity and the middle can see both the top and bottom kind of like looking at Russia from Alaska only better. Many of the middle class started at the bottom and some of the middle class hangs out, rarely but sometimes, with the upper crust. It's almost never, if ever the top sees the bottom or the bottom sees the top (maybe a caricature.)

For those at the top I have to say people on the bottom are all stupid lazy, dumb, and criminals. For those on the bottom I have to say people on the top are not all selfish, greedy, heartless and criminals. People in the middle aren't perfect or totally terrible either.

As a Libra and a left-handed guy I've seen both sides. I've received unemployment and food stamps and I've stayed a few nights at the Ritz Carlton and a Beverly Hills hotel on Rodeo Drive. I've lived on every coast (Gulf, Atlantic and Pacific) of the continental US of A. I've driven across the country 4 times and from Mexico to Canada. I love this country and I've seen it all. I'm not just saying that because I'm supposed to say it.

So when congress votes I promise not to ridicule the Congresswomen and Congressmen. They are only reflecting their constituents views. I must correct myself though they are reflecting the views of those who vote and those write to them expressing an opinion. I will write my congressional representatives when any vote comes to the floor and after their votes are cast. I'll say good job when they vote for things I want and tell them I'm keeping track when they do not. I will always vote.

From the last vote for the Restoration/Stimulus/bailout/Jobs Creation/Tax Break bill I can see that any reasonable bill will likely pass and that's all any of us can ask. I don't worry about gridlock or filibuster and not even bill defeats.

I do believe sometimes the opposition party can be right and needs to be listened to fairly. I hope more inclusion starts to happen in government. I don't necessarily think the POTUS should have to go out of his way talk to the other party but he should definitely listen to them with an open mind.

I do believe the Republicans will eventually put up better people and jettison the few duds they now have and I think the Democrat party should do the same.

Ah! Change is in the air
Can spring be far behind
Oh ! May, May
The merry month of May
Out year maneuvering begins today (well actually in 89 days)

THe Collegial

Bipartisan Baloney

Does the news readers these days know what bipartisan means? Why is it you bright politicos can't seem to understand that bipartisanism relates to the involvement of members of two parties ; (notice that's a small "p" parties) specifically : marked by or involving cooperation, agreement, and compromise between two major political Parties (Large "P" parties.)

To expect the lockstep Republicans to agree to or cooperate with the Democrat Party is a little too much to ask if we really want the change the people of the United Stated mandated in the election. I find it unbelievable that the Republican party except for a few expect the Democrats to bend over backwards to feed their horribly insensitive and selfish greed.

All the changes the minority party wanted to the recovery bill were aimed at taking from the poor and middle class and giving to those who do not need any more than they already have. Even their beloved tax breaks reduced amount of the Obama tax break for the working middle class by 20%.

I'm personally happy Barack wants bipartisanship but if the Republican party really cares about their country they would stop whining and acting like they "know it all" and try for once to act like decent people. Nancy Pelosi is not a horrible witch as they portray her, Harry Reed is no wimp. If you guys want respect earn it for a change or you will learn about humility the hard way - by being humiliated.

The "Gipper of Gridlock" and his Magic Number

Mitch McConnell is a real leader. Not because I think he is the brightest egg in the crate but he seems to be leading the gridlock effort. Mitch is either a master at conflation and fogging or someone writes his talking points and he is too un-inquisitive to wonder if there is any logic involved.

I heard him today stating one of those hard rules that are not based on anything other than someone's opinion. People who live by "hard and fast" rules must have never played team sports. He seems to think the answer to everything lies in the ratio of government spending and Gross Domestic Product.

There is something inflexible and unrealistic in thinking that ratio must be a always at one figure of 20%. The fact is is has not been at 20% since 1937. It's a little like saying that whenever they play Tiger Woods must always be 2 strokes ahead of Phil Michelson or the golfing world will go to hell in a hand basket. Of course now that the Republicans are out of power concern about the National Debt will become something they "invented." When actually it looks to me like their party was the one that invented National Dept as an actuality.



I like when people can stand by their principals but I like even more when people can take stock of their principals and see when they need adjusting. Now is the time Mitch to understand that ratios must change for the greater good.


Gross Domestic Product is taking a huge hit. as you can see here. Does Mitch ever stop to think maybe it's the business community that's failing and the government is helping the country succeed. If they want GDP to grow when will we see more jobs and less insistence on tax cuts.



I for one am glad the government is creating jobs in the "private" sector and if Mitch McConnell (Republican Senate Leader "The Mr. Spock of pond scum) , Eric Cantor (Republican Wimp) and John Boehner (House Minority Leader & Head of Bluster) all put their heads together they might understand the folly of their position.

Investment Crisis

What exactly is the "Investor Class?" I've see all kinds of examples mostly dealing with those who invest in stocks, bonds or other financial instruments. I did finally find one that included real estate.
To folks like John McCain the investor class is seen as the wealthy who he sees as the people who make America great. To others it's any worker who has their retirement funds managed by an investment company.

To me it has been the investment in my children and home and in the community. I worked for several years for non-profit organizations.

Today after a good career in Information Technology and some financially trying times. We moved to and bought a home in Oregon. The plan was to live in this home for 6 years and sell the home and buy a small place we could afford on a much lower income. What I'm saying is my investment like many others is my home. Like the Investor class my investment is now as worthless as Enron Stock.

We all (or most of us) work hard to have a decent life there is just something wrong when the greed of others drain the rest of us. I do feel bad for the well off whose investments failed and will have to make do with less and have to live on a thin income. I feel worse for those who never had the chance to invest in more than their car and a good TV. There are others even worse off.

For the wealthy and the corporations who make unimaginably huge profits and salaries and bonuses at the expense of everyone else and whine about the tax on their excess I feel nothing.
There are some very wealthy people I admire however who give back to the world. Bill and Melinda Gates, Bono, Oprah and many others including Brad and Angelina. Being wealthy is not a curse and being poor doesn't make you a good person.

It's time the investor class invest in their own country a bit more.

Gridlock and Open-mindedness

We are so shaped by the media. Not just the Main Stream Media and personally I don't think they are really main street anymore. There is also the very successful Right Wing Media led by Rush Limbaugh and other fear and lie mongers who want us to believe they are the majority and they are the "real" America.

The pendulum has swung way far right and the Republican Party's original fiscal conservatism to a more theocratic ideology and a "false patriotism" that insists that we cannot be a great country without being able to tell everyone else how to live.

Way too much is ass/u/me/d about right and wrong and we have fallen into an inflexible paradox. The more we think we know about what is acceptable the less is actually acceptable and we are trapped in a less free society.

One day we will figure out that free speech is a good thing and that bad ideas will fail and good ideas will succeed in a free thinking society.

I ran across this video from the Bill Moyers TV show that should make you really think. If it doesn't make I am sorry for you and gridlock is inevitable.

*

Dick Cheney and the wisdom of Vermont

My friend Jim loves to go fly fishing in Vermont, New Hampshire - well actually anywhere in the world that has brooks, creeks, rivers and fish. I just realized lately why the sayings "The truth shall set you free" and "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself" ring so true.


Fact is Jim can actually do just that - fly fish virtually anywhere he likes even here in Oregon.

Dick Cheney is not so lucky as Rachael Maddow points out in the video below:




What a hoot that this self-proclaimed "defender of freedom" is nothing more than a pig-headed, self aggrandizing, criminal who could care less about freedom. Just desserts comes to mind.

Beggars and Donors States

I heard a term today used by Charlie Crist I'd never heard before. He was talking about donor states. He said Florida was a "donor state" so I looked it up on the net. Here is what I found. Donor states are the states that give more to the economy than they get back. So I got that list of states. Then I got the Blue state vs Red state list.

I found the results interesting:

• There was only one Donor State that was Red (Voted Republican) and that was Texas (5%)
  
• 21 of the 22 Republican States were Beggar States (95%)
• 16 of the 28 Democrat States were Donor States (57%)
• 12 of the 28 Democrat States were Beggar States (43%)

Why is it the Republican Party and the Press always paint the Republicans as fiscally responsible and the Democrat party as tax and spend irresponsible politicians? How in this beautiful world do they get away with it?

It looks to me like the Republican Party is much like the irresponsible business leaders (they are not all irresponsible - you know who I'm talking about Merrill Lynch +.) Did the Republican Party do anything about the spending over the last 7 years?

President Obama can never be totally honest talking about the mess he inherited without hurting the small minded egos of the opposition party so why even try. Those Republicans who have the courage and wisdom to acknowledge the past will always be welcomed but they need to recognize they have no power left only the power to subvert the Obama efforts to save this economy. If they do subvert the effort they will lose the right to to be called patriots. The only weapon they have left is gridlock and filibuster.

Opinions Welcomed in the comments section.

I Just Love Gridlock - NOT!

What really is courage? Wikipedia says:

"Courage, also known as bravery, will, intrepidity, and fortitude, is the ability to confront fear, pain, risk/danger, uncertainty, or intimidation."

A little further Wiki says:

"Civil courage (sometimes also referred to as "Social courage") is defined by many different standards, but the term is usually referred to when civilians stand up against something that is deemed unjust and evil, knowing that the consequences of their action might lead to their death, injury, or any other negative effect."

We may not be in total Gridlock but as long as a particular political party votes to oppose every attempt to repair the economy we may just get there. It's a little like a group of people trying to douse a fire before it destroys their home (assume that it's a big home in Alaska and they all live there in winter to keep from freezing to death.) There is an ample supply of water to put out the fire if they act fast.the water is 150 feet north of the house and there are 30 people. Now assume sixteen of the people want to face west when they pass the buckets because they are Westerners. The other fourteen want to face east while passing the buckets because they are easterners. That might work fine so they frantically talk about how to form the lines. They even vote for several proposals. Since 53% vote to face west and 47% vote to face east the easterners refuse to go along.

Neither side budges but the leader of the Westerners presents a plan that they will alternate west then east etc. Since there are more Westerners to do this the one who pulls the water out at the beginning of the line must be a Westerner and the person throwing water on the flames must also be a westerner.

The easterners more concerned for their status in the community than giving in refuse on the grounds that they are not being respected and refuse to participate.

It is just to slow for the westerners to put out the fire alone but they try and just can't keep up with the fire and the house is lost. They all suffer that winter and many westerners and easterners die of frostbite and exposure. The easterners go to their graves proud of their courage in not wavering and sticking to their ideas. The westerners go to theirs saying they tried.

It wasn't just those who fought over the fire line that died it was also tall of their children and elderly parents who were too young or old to survive.

The moral is that Gridlock Kills.

"Why can't the politicians in Washington get together to solve problems we face every day?" As a governor recently told Congress, "Do something. Anything. Move."

Some say our politicians lack political courage. But that's not exactly it. They have plenty of courage to fight each other. But they lack the courage to put partisanship aside and work for the good of the country. ~By William D. Novelli Reprinted from the January 2008 AARP Bulletin

If this were truly a free country our representatives in government and those who support them would understand and do what is right with true courage. Party ideology and block voting only shows me how poorly server we all are these days. I haven't seen one Republican with the guts to stand up for their country and lead rather than follow the lemmings over the cliff.