Wow.
Gonzales's defense that firings didn't happen for political reasons because it would be hard to do because everyone would probably read about it in the papers...
... while he's under massive investigation and huge scandal all over all media
... wins the Idiot Award.
One of the dumbest thigns I have ever heard someone say under oath.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Monday, May 07, 2007
Pump all the damn gas you want on May 15
Ok, lets break down this stupid Dont Pump Gas email
First of all, do you think with the amount of stupid media this is getting that the oil companies don't know that this is planned? And might see a dip on whatever day of the week May 15th is, but have the same freakin profit totals at the end of the week are just fine?
The concept of one day boycotts are to show the strength of the consumer base. Buying more efficient cars or motorcycles, bicycling to work, walking to work, telecommuting when possible... all blows to the oil industry.
Not filling up your tank for one day? Not so much. Granted, it has been over 4 years since I owned a car that I drove regularly, but last I checked I wasn't filling it up daily, and I don't think I would have had to plan very much to not fill up on one given day.
I'm sorry, this whole silly notion really really bothers me.
People don't fill up their huge SUV that they use to drive half a mile down the street instead of walking and 90% of the time are the only occupant, and don't maintain their car and tires for efficiency are going to pat themselves on the back for being participants in democracy, while making no effort, or even appearing to make an effort to wean themselves off the teat of the oil companies.
Not to mention, I don't really care if oil prices go up. Let's look... gas prices went down, SUV's became popular, gas prices went up. Coincidence? If a higher gas tax had been levied earlier, then there wouldn't be so many gas guzzlers on the road. We can't get the adorable, small, efficient cars that they have everywhere else in the world because we don't have a strong enough consumer base.
Sure, I don't like the fact that oil execs profit off of all of this ridiculous, or that we're polluting the air, but dropping oil prices at the pump won't do much to solve either of those problems. The notion of putting a cap on CEOs salary with regard to how much their lowest paid employees would be a step in the right direction, but that's for another day. (For example, if lowest paid employees make x CEOs can only make 10x).
So, no. Pump as much damn gas as you want, unless you're instead going to take a day to start changing your habits.
Ride to Work Day - check out the fact sheet. As a much better improvement over cars, but not as far as moving to bicycles, if you have to go far, motorcycles tear up the road less, take up less parking spaces, keep a higher average speed and less time stopped, so that less braking and stopping time at 0 mpg while still burning oil.
C.I.C.L.E advice - cycling, its easier and more feasible than you think
Be sure to get your gas before the 15th. Don't put it off, we want this boycott to work for the 15th. There are 73,000,000! + Americ an members currently on the internet network, andUh... Are you kidding?
the average car takes about 30 to 50 dollars to fill up.
If all users did not go to the pump on the 15th, it would take $2,292,000,000.00
(that's almost 3 BILLION) out of the oil companies' pockets for just one day...
First of all, do you think with the amount of stupid media this is getting that the oil companies don't know that this is planned? And might see a dip on whatever day of the week May 15th is, but have the same freakin profit totals at the end of the week are just fine?
The concept of one day boycotts are to show the strength of the consumer base. Buying more efficient cars or motorcycles, bicycling to work, walking to work, telecommuting when possible... all blows to the oil industry.
Not filling up your tank for one day? Not so much. Granted, it has been over 4 years since I owned a car that I drove regularly, but last I checked I wasn't filling it up daily, and I don't think I would have had to plan very much to not fill up on one given day.
I'm sorry, this whole silly notion really really bothers me.
People don't fill up their huge SUV that they use to drive half a mile down the street instead of walking and 90% of the time are the only occupant, and don't maintain their car and tires for efficiency are going to pat themselves on the back for being participants in democracy, while making no effort, or even appearing to make an effort to wean themselves off the teat of the oil companies.
Not to mention, I don't really care if oil prices go up. Let's look... gas prices went down, SUV's became popular, gas prices went up. Coincidence? If a higher gas tax had been levied earlier, then there wouldn't be so many gas guzzlers on the road. We can't get the adorable, small, efficient cars that they have everywhere else in the world because we don't have a strong enough consumer base.
Sure, I don't like the fact that oil execs profit off of all of this ridiculous, or that we're polluting the air, but dropping oil prices at the pump won't do much to solve either of those problems. The notion of putting a cap on CEOs salary with regard to how much their lowest paid employees would be a step in the right direction, but that's for another day. (For example, if lowest paid employees make x CEOs can only make 10x).
So, no. Pump as much damn gas as you want, unless you're instead going to take a day to start changing your habits.
Ride to Work Day - check out the fact sheet. As a much better improvement over cars, but not as far as moving to bicycles, if you have to go far, motorcycles tear up the road less, take up less parking spaces, keep a higher average speed and less time stopped, so that less braking and stopping time at 0 mpg while still burning oil.
C.I.C.L.E advice - cycling, its easier and more feasible than you think
clearing up some chatter...
Yes, I know I'm late on this topic, but I had to let it stew for a bit.
Partly a response to the chatter in the comments over on Along Came Politics
a. Seung-Hui Cho
Let me first emphasize some facts that seem to be ignored. He was in therapy. The chair of the English department took it upon herself to pull him aside and tutor and talk with him. Yes, his roommates tried to be nice to him, but I don't think he really wanted to be friends with them.
Point? People did try to help him out. Yes, I guess they could have done more, but you also have to accept that you can't totally predict who will snap and who won't and you just have to try your best.
The question isn't "oh no, what can we do to help him," this 'other'. Take a step back and question what is about our society that some people have to be winners and some have to be losers and whether or not you support a media monolith that creates a limited image of success, and of what society accepts. Don't fret over what more therapy we could have put him in to keep him away from us, but why there are "crazy" people, "crazy" being the social label applied, not to be confused with actual mental disorders.
b. Crossing 1 2
Had VT not happened the week before, no one would be thinking that a drug dealer arrested on a gun possession was on the brink of shooting up the school. Because he wasn't. Maybe I'm wrong and this was a sign of something to come in a year, but carrying a gun because you think it makes you a badass is not the same as systematically planning, complete with writings and video and pictures, to assemble tons of ammo and gun down as many people as possible.
Not. the. same.
I say that, because he lived across the street from me last semester and was over all the time. Yea we all thought he was a little off, but then again, so are half the people that live up here, to some degree. What are you 'supposed' to do about it? Be nice to him, talk to him sometimes, and hope he doesn't get arrested. Not that I think he shouldn't receive the consequences for breaking the law, but I'm concerned that being sent to jail is going to officially turn him into a
criminal, rather than helping him out. The odds are something like 9 to 1 against him, and everyone in jail, that they'll be going back, creating career criminals, rather than actually making a strong effort to rehabilitate. He already thinks he's a gangster, now he really will fall in with prison gangs, because the pressure is ridiculous, and then probably stay in all that when he gets out.
1. Figure out whats wrong with our society that can make people so upset (VT)
2. Reform the prisons so they can actually help society instead of creating hardened criminals (USC)
Partly a response to the chatter in the comments over on Along Came Politics
a. Seung-Hui Cho
Let me first emphasize some facts that seem to be ignored. He was in therapy. The chair of the English department took it upon herself to pull him aside and tutor and talk with him. Yes, his roommates tried to be nice to him, but I don't think he really wanted to be friends with them.
Point? People did try to help him out. Yes, I guess they could have done more, but you also have to accept that you can't totally predict who will snap and who won't and you just have to try your best.
The question isn't "oh no, what can we do to help him," this 'other'. Take a step back and question what is about our society that some people have to be winners and some have to be losers and whether or not you support a media monolith that creates a limited image of success, and of what society accepts. Don't fret over what more therapy we could have put him in to keep him away from us, but why there are "crazy" people, "crazy" being the social label applied, not to be confused with actual mental disorders.
b. Crossing 1 2
Had VT not happened the week before, no one would be thinking that a drug dealer arrested on a gun possession was on the brink of shooting up the school. Because he wasn't. Maybe I'm wrong and this was a sign of something to come in a year, but carrying a gun because you think it makes you a badass is not the same as systematically planning, complete with writings and video and pictures, to assemble tons of ammo and gun down as many people as possible.
Not. the. same.
I say that, because he lived across the street from me last semester and was over all the time. Yea we all thought he was a little off, but then again, so are half the people that live up here, to some degree. What are you 'supposed' to do about it? Be nice to him, talk to him sometimes, and hope he doesn't get arrested. Not that I think he shouldn't receive the consequences for breaking the law, but I'm concerned that being sent to jail is going to officially turn him into a
criminal, rather than helping him out. The odds are something like 9 to 1 against him, and everyone in jail, that they'll be going back, creating career criminals, rather than actually making a strong effort to rehabilitate. He already thinks he's a gangster, now he really will fall in with prison gangs, because the pressure is ridiculous, and then probably stay in all that when he gets out.
1. Figure out whats wrong with our society that can make people so upset (VT)
2. Reform the prisons so they can actually help society instead of creating hardened criminals (USC)
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