What can we do about gas prices?

The number one story behind the Duke rape case and the TomKitten birth, is the story about GasPrices at the pump. I have paid close attention to it, and the main thing I have noticed is how quiet this administration is on the subject. Of course what can they say?

The energy policy they do have is filled with ‘fat’ for the oil companies. No looking ahead to the future with this administration. No attempt to even pretend to start looking for alternate fuels. But I can only lay so much blame at the door of these Oil and gas connected politicians..

As a whole, this country’s leaders have planned poorly if at all for a future without oil and gas. Too many ties to the oil industry on all levels. If you are a congressman, odds are you have stock in either an oil company, or a company associated with the oil and gas industry. (Or you are Cheney who is making a fortune off all of the Haliburton no-bid contracts).

The average American hasn’t paid much attention to the oil and gas industry either. They either own stock with the same companies the politicians have stock with, or they don’t have the money to own stock, and blindly trust the leaders to keep our country on the right path.

A small percentage of Americans have realized, and do realize, that this country’s dependence on oil is a dangerous and ignorant path. But the few voices have been buried by the majority for decades....and even now, their voices are but whispers as we face rising gas prices at the pumps.

On the news I see stories of people pawning their belongings in order to buy a tank of gas; I see gas shortages in the NE part of the country; I see people having to make choices that aren’t pretty.

And then I see our Prez flying from the White House to the airport in a helicopter. OK, the helicopter didn’t take off due to mechanical problems, but then he got in a really big car, and about 20 cars went with him. And I see him totally ignoring the issue.

When he took this country into war with Iraq, one of the things we heard was that the oil produced there would pay for the war. Well, last night on Anderson Cooper, I saw a story about American contractors going over there and getting duffle bags of cash (our tax money) to do projects. And these companies were padding their books, or just taking the cash and running with it. Oil production is random at best because we have no control over the situation there. And just today I saw where the Iranian leader was very happy about the rise in oil prices. I’m glad we have made somebody happy. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I have seen a couple of stories about the price of gas going up because of a change in the rules about how much of a certain additive can be put into gasoline. And I shake my head every time. These oil companies knew in plenty of time that the rules were changing, and they should have, could have prepared in plenty of time without such a drastic increase in gas prices. I also see where they have record profits every quarter, and I shake my head again. What incentive do they have to work on alternate fuels?

I am totally bummed by the mess I see our country in. I am totally pissed at not just the republican administration, although they get most of my ire, but at any and all politicians who have done little or nothing about this problem. Has anyone planned ahead? And the automobile industry should be shot. Twice between the eyes. Three times even. Bigger, badder, bolder, BIGGER.....good grief. Stop the madness. If you quit making them, people will quit buying them. Simple math even for an English teacher.

So, what do we do? Individually we can only do so much. But, if we were to unite in some way, we could move mountains. Any suggestions? Any organizations we should link to? I guess maybe this administration should have worried less about the flash of a boob during a super bowl half-time, and more about what happens if we run out of oil? Maybe?

Peace out

Some points. I know that there are Christians in the world who are not bad people, and I know that they are Democrats and Republicans. I also, know that some Christians take offense when some of us use that term in a negative context. So, here is some rambling about that point.

Tonight I had the Tucker Carlson show on while I graded papers. At the end of his show, he takes phone calls. Apparently last night he made some rude comments about witches and those who practice witchcraft. Tonight a man called in and disputed whatever Tucker had said last night (sorry, I don’t know exactly what he said). The man on the phone was very polite and explained that most practicing witches worship an earth goddess and respect every living creature. After they played the message, Tucker called him a moron for worshiping an earth goddess.

On a political message board I visit, a man wrote that the reason he hated democrats was because they mocked people of faith. In essence he was saying: all democrats mock people of faith. People of faith are republicans. Therefore, all democrats mock republicans. Come on, you know you learned this in English class 101.

When Miers was the nomination for the Supreme Court, the administration assured the Republican right that she was an evangelical Christian. (Wink, wink, nudge, nudge)

I have friends who are Christians. But I have friends who have different faiths. Those friends are Republicans and Democrats. And I don’t have a problem with Christians. What I do have a problem with, are those Christians who want to push their faith into my government, into my life. Every faith is supposed to be honored in this country, not just the faith of those who are elected to office. Understand this: I was raised in the Southern Baptist Church. This church believes that women should obey their man. Get real. And these are the same type of Christian who want to control not only what women do in public, but what they do in private.

Again, keep your religion out of my bedroom. Understand that we are not a theocracy. That is what we are fighting in Iraq. Keep religion out of my government. Be religious all you want, but do not try to pass your religion off as law of the land. You worry about your path to Heaven, let me worry about mine. If you do not understand that my personal liberties are just as important as your right to your religious beliefs, then you need to stay out of the debate. I believe our government is based on equality for all, not just equality for white Christian males. (My apologies to my white Christian male friends)

Pet Peeves, please add your own...

I have listed below 10 of my pet peeves. I am limiting myself to just 10. And I encourage you to add to this list your own. These are not in any particular order.

1. People who leave animals in cars.

Yep, it’s turned cooler. The temperature is in the 60's, but that doesn’t mean that you can go to Target and leave your animals in a locked car or van. Because in your car, the temperature is a lot higher than 60 degrees. You claim to be an animal lover, and yet you still leave an animal in a locked car or van while you shop for how long? Grrrrrrrrrrrr.....

2. The skinny little (mostly) blonde chicks who claim to be movie stars.

Paris, you are no movie star. If your family didn’t have money, you would be a hooker. OK, that’s a little harsh, but geeze. Movie stars include but are not limited to: Greta Garbo, Bette Davis, Katherine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn, Diane Lane, Elizabeth Taylor, and the likes of which you little girls can only dream of becoming anything like.

3. Musicians, singers, and today’s radio.

Jessica, Ashley, Britney: You cannot sing. You are not musicians. You are hacks taking the 12-15 year olds for every dime they have. Shame on radio for allowing this crap to be played on the air. Shame on advertisers for supporting it. Thank the gods for satellite radio. Thank the gods for the local classical rock station.

4. Drivers

and not the golf kind. Do not tailgate me when we are on the road. Understand that I leave the space between me and the car in front of me for safety, not for you to swerve into because your lane is just not moving fast enough. What part of "wherever you are going will be there when you get there" do you not understand? Do not get in the fast lane and go slower than the slow lane. Do not turn in front of me without using your blinker. And do not drive a car in a need of a new muffler. I do not appreciate breathing your exhaust. (I have decided there is not enough time in the day to finish this.)

5. People who toe the party line

You know who you are. You are the people who decry everything about the ‘other party’ while supporting your own party no matter what. You don’t worry about the facts, and you don’t want to know them. You have long stopped caring what is best for the country, and only care that your party is in ‘power’ and stays in power, no matter what they do, or how they do it. You have long stopped thinking for yourself, yet you preach to everyone else as though you know what you are talking about. Think for yourself once in awhile. You might be surprised.

6. Groups that complain about what they see on television

oops, for 5 seconds you saw a woman’s nipple (after you ran the TIVO back in slow motion). Big deal. Your children see people murdered on television and in movies every day. They see people tortured and raped. They hear ever curse word imaginable in your home or at school. And yet, a little nudity, or the slip of a curse word on television, and it’s all hands on deck, complain so someone will get into trouble. A cartoon shows the crack of an ass above a guy’s pants, and the next thing you know, they are having to blur it. (It’s a cartoon folks.) Stop the madness. Oh,  televisions have an off button.

7. Professional athletes

I am a big sports nut. (This does not include the NBA, as I do not consider it a sport.) But, I am sick of these whiney brats. They are paid millions to play their sport. Yet, they whine, and show out so much it makes the games less enjoyable. Somehow, they forget about the money they are being paid ‘to play’. Get a grip.

8. Media headlines about who is pregnant in the world of celebrity

Stop! I don’t care who is pregnant in Hollywood. They are not my relatives. I don’t care half the time when it is one of my relatives. I do not care at all if TomKat has a kitten. Isn’t that ridiculous? I don’t care. Stop wasting my news watching time with such drivel.

9. People who have no control over their children in a restaurant

Enough. I do not think your screaming child is adorable. I do not think that your child throwing things, and banging things against the highchair is funny. I go out to eat to have a stress-free meal where dishes are magically whisked away from the table and not into my kitchen. Do you think your screaming, fit-throwing child is helping with the stress-free part? What part of rude, crude and socially unacceptable do you not understand?

10. People who have speakers in their cars bigger than their cars

If I wanted to hear your music, I would ride in your car with you. I do not want to hear it. I do not want you to drive by me on the street, or down the street I live and rattle my windows. Do you really think that sounds good? It doesn’t. It does not make you cool either. It simply rattles windows and causes babies to cry. Stop it.

thanks for stopping by. Feel free to link my space, and if you want me to link yours let me know.

The Power to delete.

I really am honored that most of you are stopping by my humble little spaces.  That being said, you know that sometimes you have to weed the garden so the flowers can grow and multiply.  Sadly, I have had to do some weeding.

Power. Absolute Power. This is my Blog. I make the rules. And the rules are subject to change at any moment. They are my rules. MINE!

If you come here and leave a comment, I appreciate it very much. What I do not appreciate, is for some smartass to come here and leave a comment without any contact information. If you want to leave a hateful, ignorant comment, I will delete it. That’s my power. I don’t care how smart you’ve tested, I’m smart too. The thoughts on this space, are mine. They belong to me. I am allowing others to view them. Some will agree and others will not, but you are not going to come here and deride my beliefs. And I have the power over your comments. If you want to come here and tell me to kill myself (as someone did), without contact information, I will delete. (And in that case, I reported the person to MSN.)

If you don’t like what you read here, move on. Trust me, you can find something you like on MSN spaces, if not the rest of the internet.

Delete.  It’s easy. You click on the little x, hit yes, and BAM, the comment is gone.

If you want to leave a message, and contact information, that is something else. I will read those comments and leave them, because the people who do that aren’t hiding in the shadows. They aren’t making jabs and running and hiding behind anonymity that is allowed on the internet.

If you do not have guts to stand behind your comments publicly, so that others can find you and respond to you personally, then do not bother to leave a message on this space. I will delete it. Power. I love it. The Power to Delete. Too bad we can’t use it in real life sometimes.

For a week, I’ve watched the horror in New Orleans unfold on my television set and internet. I’ve seen more than I wanted, read more than I should. But I can’t stop. The horror of it all eats away at me as I try to sleep, or work on school work. And the biggest hurt in my heart, the one that keeps me from sleeping, is the animals that were left behind.

I look at my two cats and I keep petting them, picking them up for hugs (which they tolerate but don’t like), and I stay as close to them as I can get. I even get down in the floor with them at times. I listen to their breathing as they sleep, and I watch them as they wander in and out of the rooms I’m in. I brought them both into my life: one as a 6 week old kitten 13 years ago, the other as a feral kitten about 5 years ago. They sense something I think.

They trust me not to hurt them, and to take care of them. When I sleep a little past the time they think I should be up, they are in my bed gently nudging me, unless it’s much later when they forget the gentle part, awake. They know that I will put out fresh food and water, and open the door to the deck so they can go out for their morning air. They watch the squirrels and birds from afar with no chance of getting close to one. An occasional bug makes that mistake, and loses its life.

But in New Orleans, animals, countless animals, were left by well-meaning owners as they exited the city before the storm hit. Thinking they would be back, they left them a few days food and water. And these animals are either drowned, or dying slow deaths. If they escaped, they have no idea how to survive. Owners, not unlike me, have spoiled and pampered these pets with pet food and fresh water, and soft places to sleep. And now, those owners are gone. Disappeared from the reality the animals knew.

And I look into the eyes of my cats, and I imagine the hurt and pain in the eyes of those animals left behind. And I can’t sleep. I can’t do simple tasks. I’ve read how people blame God for taking out the city, and I can only hope that my God would never do that. Even if there was a hint that some people deserved it, the animals didn’t.

And the people who left those animals behind? Will they ever recover? Will they ever not have a restless night haunted with the nightmare of their pets’ slow and painful death in slowly rising waters? How will they ever forgive themselves for the hard choices they made? How will any of us ever forgive ourselves for the loss of so many pets’ lives.

People caught in the storm, and the aftermath, had choices, made choices. Their pets lives depended on their choices. And now, I hold my cats a little more often, pet them a little more often, and promise them that I will never leave them. And I only hope that I never have to let them down.

I made my donation to one of the animal groups rescuing the animals left behind (and I suggest you do the same). I figure that the people have enough money coming in for now. And I made a conscious effort to not watch any more news about the Hurricane hell. And I think about those owners, and the pain that they must feel if they felt anything like what I feel for my pets. Ouch. There is such a thing as hell on earth.

Yesterday, I read a headline on one of the news sites that said 1 in 7 girls in high school are pregnant. And today, the headline is that the FDA has put off a decision about whether the morning after pill should be available without a prescription. (Shakes head)

Now, we all know that if this were some sort of miracle pill for males instead of a pill to prevent pregnancies for females, that the FDA would have already made the decision to make it available without prescription, and major insurance firms would be paying for it. But since this is for the female, well, let’s not be hasty now.

Apparently the FDA did not notice the numbers of girls in high school who are pregnant. They are waiting 60 days to allow more input from the public. This means, that one of those ultra conservative religious groups with huge mailing list will have time to get the ‘word’ out to that mailing list. This will result in the same form letter being sent in by 100's if not thousands of people who do what they are told regardless of what it means to everybody else.

Imagine, being young again...imagine being carried away in the back seat of a car, or worse, being at a party and not being able to remember anything after drinking the ‘punch’. Imagine the fear, the panic, the worry...all of which could be avoided with one quick trip to the pharmacy the next day. But, oh no, let’s wait. Let’s see how many people can write in an oppose the decision that is supported by so many rational people.

The females have to deal with the pregnancy, and the results. Few doctors perform abortions, and so we have more young females with babies, and without support. The male is able to go on and live life without the responsibility of the child that resulted from the act. The female is forever tied to that child, and labeled with names that I won’t repeat here.

Just think, how one mistake reshapes the life of the female and doesn’t (usually) touch the life of the male. How being able to walk into a pharmacy and pick up the morning after pill would level the playing field.

Maybe that’s what they are afraid of.