A Gouging Solution

BP Oil stated today their profits are up 63%.

Shell Oil also stated record profits today.

We already know about Exxon Mobil.

I don't know how those greedy corporate oil executives can look in their mirrors or get a good night sleep at night.

If only one oil company would reduce the price per gallon by $1.00. They would look good to the public and we'd flock to their stations, which would force others to lower there prices also.


How hard would this be to do? Doesn't seem too hard to me!

I Figured It Out

2 weeks without rain equals 2 weeks without pain.

It's raining today - owww.

Who Is Barack Obama

It amazes me that people still believe the lies that have been circulating about Barack Obama (whom I am NOT endorsing for President.) I feel it's necessary to clear things up in case anyone out there still believes this junk.

Here's the link to snopes.com which has the facts and the sources.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp

Here's the link to Obama's website page Meet Barack:

http://www.barackobama.com/learn/meet_barack.php

Burglary Facts

Here are some burglary facts from the FBI which I found online today.

Burglary is the unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or a theft. A person can be convicted of burglary even if nothing was actually stolen.

A burglary occurs approximately every 15 seconds in the United States.

On average, a burglary results in a dollar loss of about $1,600.

About 30 percent of all burglaries are classified as "unlawful entry," meaning the burglar was able to gain entry without using force — often through an unlocked door or window.

Nearly 66 percent of all burglaries are residential, and of those, 62 percent occur during the daytime. Most burglaries occur between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., when no one is likely to be at home.

Renters are more likely to be the victims of property crime than homeowners.

Only 13 percent of reported burglaries are solved, or "cleared," by the police.

Only about 15 percent of property stolen in burglaries is recovered by the police.

Nearly 85 percent of all burglaries occur in large metropolitan areas.

Almost half of the nation's reported burglaries occur in the South: 45 percent, as opposed to the Northeast's 11, the Midwest's 20 and the West's 24.

The highest percentage of burglaries occur during the summer months of July and August, when many people are away from their homes on vacation, or have left windows open for ventilation.

Arrest records reported to the FBI indicate that approximately 70 percent of all burglary arrestees are white and 86 percent are male.

About 30 percent of private homes have security systems. Homes without security systems are two to three times more likely to be broken into.

TV Broadcasting To Change

On Feb. 17, 2009, major U.S. television stations will stop broadcasting analog signals and send only digital transmissions.

Some questions and answers about the transition:

Why is this happening?
Stopping the analog broadcasts will free up a huge amount of airwaves. The government has auctioned off some of them for use by wireless broadband and cell-phone TV. There's also a drive to use some of the spectrum for a network that can be used in emergency situations by public safety officials.

Do I need a digital converter box?
If you have cable or satellite TV, only extra sets that are not hooked up will be affected. If you get TV over the air — which more than 19 million U.S. households do, according a survey by Nielsen Co. — your TV might not work come Feb. 18. Most new TVs sold today, including flat-panel sets, have digital tuners, sometimes called "ATSC" tuners after the technical standard they use, and won't need a converter box.

"NTSC" is the old, analog tuner standard. Retailers can still sell older TVs if they are labeled as being analog-only.

How much do the converters cost?
Go to http://www.dtv2009.gov or call 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009) to get up to two $40 coupons per household. The converter boxes generally cost $50-$60, so the final cost is between $10 and $20 per box.

Out Of Control Fraud

Senator Byron Dorgan from North Dakota has been trying to get something done regarding the corruption in our government. Watch and see:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uba37udqF9A

Move On E-mail

I've received a couple of emails lately from Move On.org one of which I find to be quite silly.

They had commissioned a poll that shows that voters in all 50 states see a link between the war and our sinking economy. That folks across the country think getting out of Iraq is one of the best ways to help fix our deepening economic crisis. Well, DUH, no kidding!

The other email I received had a better message (at least for me, not for GOPee'rs) It was titled 10 things you should know about John McCain (but probably don't). I, for one, think that he is as much danger to the USA as Bush has been, can't even imagine if he get's elected:

1. John McCain voted against establishing a national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Now he says his position has "evolved," yet he's continued to oppose key civil rights laws.1

2. According to Bloomberg News, McCain is more hawkish than Bush on Iraq, Russia and China. Conservative columnist Pat Buchanan says McCain "will make Cheney look like Gandhi."2

3. His reputation is built on his opposition to torture, but McCain voted against a bill to ban waterboarding, and then applauded President Bush for vetoing that ban.3

4. McCain opposes a woman's right to choose. He said, "I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned."4

5. The Children's Defense Fund rated McCain as the worst senator in Congress for children. He voted against the children's health care bill last year, then defended Bush's veto of the bill.5

6. He's one of the richest people in a Senate filled with millionaires. The Associated Press reports he and his wife own at least eight homes! Yet McCain says the solution to the housing crisis is for people facing foreclosure to get a "second job" and skip their vacations.6

7. Many of McCain's fellow Republican senators say he's too reckless to be commander in chief. One Republican senator said: "The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He's erratic. He's hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me."7

8. McCain talks a lot about taking on special interests, but his campaign manager and top advisers are actually lobbyists. The government watchdog group Public Citizen says McCain has 59 lobbyists raising money for his campaign, more than any of the other presidential candidates.8

9. McCain has sought closer ties to the extreme religious right in recent years. The pastor McCain calls his "spiritual guide," Rod Parsley, believes America's founding mission is to destroy Islam, which he calls a "false religion." McCain sought the political support of right-wing preacher John Hagee, who believes Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment for gay rights and called the Catholic Church "the Antichrist" and a "false cult."9

10. He positions himself as pro-environment, but he scored a 0—yes, zero—from the League of Conservation Voters last year.10


Sources:
1. "The Complicated History of John McCain and MLK Day," ABC News, April 3, 2008 http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/the-complicated.html
"McCain Facts," ColorOfChange.org, April 4, 2008 http://colorofchange.org/mccain_facts/

2. "McCain More Hawkish Than Bush on Russia, China, Iraq," Bloomberg News, March 12, 2008 http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aF28rSCtk0ZM&refer=us
"Buchanan: John McCain 'Will Make Cheney Look Like Gandhi,'" ThinkProgress, February 6, 2008 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/06/buchanan-gandhi-mccain/

3. "McCain Sides With Bush On Torture Again, Supports Veto Of Anti-Waterboarding Bill," ThinkProgress, February 20, 2008 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/20/mccain-torture-veto/

4. "McCain says Roe v. Wade should be overturned," MSNBC, February 18, 2007 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17222147/

5. "2007 Children's Defense Fund Action Council® Nonpartisan Congressional Scorecard," February 2008 http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/PageServer?pagename=act_learn_scorecard2007
"McCain: Bush right to veto kids health insurance expansion," CNN, October 3, 2007 http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/03/mccain.interview/

6. "Beer Executive Could Be Next First Lady," Associated Press, April 3, 2008 http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h-S1sWHm0tchtdMP5LcLywg5ZtMgD8VQ86M80
"McCain Says Bank Bailout Should End `Systemic Risk,'" Bloomberg News, March 25, 2008 http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aHMiDVYaXZFM&refer=home

7. "Will McCain's Temper Be a Liability?," Associated Press, February 16, 2008 http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=4301022
"Famed McCain temper is tamed," Boston Globe, January 27, 2008 http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/01/27/famed_mccain_temper_is_tamed/

8. "Black Claims McCain's Campaign Is Above Lobbyist Influence: 'I Don't Know What The Criticism Is,'" ThinkProgress, April 2, 2008 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/02/mccain-black-lobbyist/
"McCain's Lobbyist Friends Rally 'Round Their Man," ABC News, January 29, 2008 http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4210251

9. "McCain's Spiritual Guide: Destroy Islam," Mother Jones Magazine, March 12, 2008 http://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2008/03/john-mccain-rod-parsley-spiritual-guide.html
"Will McCain Specifically 'Repudiate' Hagee's Anti-Gay Comments?," ThinkProgress, March 12, 2008 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/12/mccain-hagee-anti-gay/
"McCain 'Very Honored' By Support Of Pastor Preaching 'End-Time Confrontation With Iran,'" ThinkProgress, February 28, 2008 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/28/hagee-mccain-endorsement/

10. "John McCain Gets a Zero Rating for His Environmental Record," Sierra Club, February 28, 2008 http://www.alternet.org/blogs/environment/77913/

It's Spring Outside

Today is the first day I've been out and about in about 2 weeks. It was so nice to see the daffodils and the forsythia blooming in my neighborhood. I can't believe I missed so much. I did some raking and found something growing by the front steps that was underneath about 6 inches of wet leaves. I'll have to wait to see what it is.

I drove by the store at the top of my street and they have gas for $3.47 a gallon!! Other places as I drove around were $3.39 or $3.41. I even went by the gas station in Providence that I always went to because of their lower prices and they were $3.39. It's a crime, and I mean that literally. There is NO real reason for the price of gas to be so high other than the greedy oil companies.

I filled up the gas tank in my car a few weeks ago when the price was $3.01 and I thought that was a rip-off. I'm pretty grateful that I don't drive like I used to when I was working. I used to fill up a couple of times a week and don't think I could afford that even if I was still employed.

On a positive note, I have been almost pain free for 6 days now. I don't exactly know why or what changed, but I haven't hurt nearly at all!! I waited for today - day 6 - to go out and do things because I figured the pain would be back by now, but so far, knock on wood, I've been able to have a good, productive day without collapsing. I'm gonna keep my fingers crossed that the pain stays away.

Give It Up For The Pope

I have to admit that I am a bit incredulous at what the Pope had to say today regarding the sex abuse scandal in the catholic church.

Never in a million years would I have ever thought anyone high up in the church would openly say anything. And to have the Pope himself address it, is really something else. To have him meet with some of the survivors is another surprise.

But he did speak about it and apologized, saying it was a cause of "deep shame" which was an extraordinary thing for him to do. He also pledged to keep pedophiles out of the priesthood. I truly hope this helps the healing of the survivors, many of whom have been dealing with the abuse for decades.

I also thought it was fitting that the survivors who met with the Pope were from the Boston diocese, one of the worst for the abuse, mostly due to the former cardinal who oversaw a cover-up that only made the abuse problems even worse.

Let's hope that the next step the church takes is to punish the priests who weren't punished by the law.

Oil Trumps Whales

Northern right whale with calf, Eubalaena glacialis. Photo: Georgia Department of Natural Resources

The Bush administration wants to open 5.6 million acres in the Bering Sea off Alaska to oil and gas leasing, including an area north of the Aleutian Islands near Bristol Bay designated critical habitat for the North Pacific right whale. The proposal was published in Tuesday's Federal Register by the Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service (MMS), as reported by the Center for Biological Diversity. North Pacific right whales once ranged from California to Alaska and across the North Pacific to Russia and Japan. They were decimated by commercial whaling and remain the most endangered large whale in the world. Fewer than 50 individuals remain in the Bering Sea population.

"Drilling in Bristol Bay would be drilling through the heart of the most important habitat of the most endangered whale on the planet," said Brendan Cummings of the Center for Biological Diversity. “If the North Pacific right whale is to have any chance of survival, we must protect its critical habitat, not auction it off to oil companies." The CBD reports the leasing proposal was made the same day the National Marine Fisheries Service, another federal agency, published a final rule in the Federal Register naming portions of the lease area as critical habitat for the North Pacific right whale. Ooops.

"Unfortunately, for the right whale it’s one step forward, two steps back," said Cummings. "One branch of the federal government is acting to protect the critical habitat of the North Pacific right whale, while another branch is simultaneously proposing to destroy it." It's also reminiscent of the recent MMS decision to lease important polar bear habitat in the Chukchi Sea at the same time the US Fish and Wildlife Service was considering offering the bears protection under the Endangered Species Act. Both agencies are part of Dirk Kempthorne's Department of the Oilterior, uhm, Interior.

The latest leasing proposal would sell the North Aleutian Basin lease in 2011… One more reason we need the Right President to protect the Right Whales. Not to mention the right one to wean us off the oil economy rather than enable it.

Julia Whitty is Mother Jones' environmental correspondent, lecturer, and 2008 winner of the Kiriyama Prize and the John Burroughs Medal Award. You can read from her new book, The Fragile Edge, and other writings, here.

Before You Make Another Purchase

BETTER WORLD SHOPPER is a site dedicated to providing people with a comprehensive, up-to-date, reliable account of the social and environmental responsibility of every company on the planet AND making it available in practical forms that individuals can use in their everyday lives. Coming out of more than 5 years of intensive research, this work is based on a comprehensive database of over 1000 companies and utilizes 25+ reliable sources of data to cover everything from the environment to human rights, community development to animal protection.

http://www.betterworldshopper.org/


5 key issues

HUMAN RIGHTS: sweatshops, 3rd world community exploitation, international health issues, divestment, child labor, code of conduct.

THE ENVIRONMENT: global warming, rainforest destruction, pollution, recycling, renewable energy, greenwashing, toxic waste, eco-innovations, illegal dumping, sustainable farming.

ANIMAL PROTECTION: factory farming, animal testing, humane treatment, wild animal habitat.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: family farms, local business support, volunteer efforts,
sustainable growth, philanthropic donations, nonprofit alliances, establishing foundations.

SOCIAL JUSTICE : fair wages, fatalities, union busting efforts, health & safety records, discrimination based on: race, gender, age, ability, religion, sexuality, ethnicity.