Gas Prices

DISCLAIMER- This is written solely as a consumer of gasoline. I am not in the oil industry and do not pretend to know or understand the complexities of the companies that I will discuss in this blog. This is written soley from common sense and from reading the annual reports for Shell and ExxonMobil. In my eyes, its pretty black and white, but there are some out there that probably think otherwise. Now on to the blog...UPDATE: Today gas at my local Mobil station is $3.89 for regular. Which is up from $3.75 this past Wednesday.

Well it's about time to dive into something that we all should be paying attention to. The sad fact of the matter is none of us really do pay attention to these things anymore. Most of us need gas so that we can work, shuttle the family around, go on vacation, etc. As consumers we are in a strangle hold that we cannot get out of. The gas companies know that we need their product and therefore can set whatever price they want when it comes to a gallon of gas.

The following is an excerpt from Shell's annual report:
"Shell businesses delivered strong operational and financial performance in 2007, with earnings of $31.9 billion. Shell’s healthy financial position allowed us to return $13.4 billion to shareholders, through dividends and share repurchases, while capital investment reached $27.1 billion. Earnings in 2007 were up 21% from 2006, which were in line with 2005. The increase in 2007 reflected higher oil and gas prices, the positive impact of increasing crude prices on our inventory, improved chemicals margins and substantially higher interest and investment income; although these were offset by lower production volumes, lower realised refining margins and lower trading contribution."

Now if you read that again notice the $31 BILLION in earnings for 2007. Then notice the 21 % INCREASE in earnings from 2006 to 2007. I find it quite humorous that they say that the increase in 2007 was "reflected by higher oil and gas prices, THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF INCREASING CRUDE PRICES ON OUR INVENTORY." Well now to me that just is common business sense. If you increase the price on your product then you are going to see an INCREASE in earnings! And yet we all sit here with soaring gas prices and our elected leaders getting kick backs from these blatant crooks. Our salaries and wages are not going up as the price of gas goes up. It is amazing to me that companies are allowed to get away with such practices. All of these CEO's are sitting in a board room some where and laughing at all of us.

Now lets take a look at our good friends over at Exxon Mobil. The same company that brought you the Valdez oil spill. Which was one of the worst spills in the history of spills. Here are some bullet points copied directly from Exxon Mobil's annual review:
Superior 2007 Results
- Best-ever lost-time incident rate for our combined employee and contractor workforce
- Record earnings of $40.6 BILLION, with record performance in each of our business functions
- Annual dividend per share growth of 7 percent versus 2006, the 25th consecutive year of dividend per share increases
- Total shareholder distributions of $35.6 BILLION, an increase of $3 BILLION versus 2006

So now they had record earnings of over $40 BILLION! It seems pretty cut and dry to me. If you continue to raise prices of your product year over year then your profits should increase. If I just look at the local Mobil station right by my house in L.A. it was $3.65 a gallon on Monday. Then by Wednesday it was at $3.75. Little by little they raise their prices and I keep on checking my paycheck and low and behold what do you know, my salary does not increase with the increase in gas prices.

For now I will stop with this subject. Expect more later as I read the annual reviews. There is some good information in these things and also some hiliarous information to. Stay Tuned!

Until Next Time,
Spiral Out!

The Current Administration

My nightly routine is usually getting off of work, coming home and checking out the current news. My news sources range from local TV news here in L.A. to online papers and publications from around the world. As I was reading the headlines of current news out of Washington D.C. there was one article that caught my eye.

Cheyney, others OK'd harsh interrogations

The article discusses the use of interrogation tactics such as "water boarding" which simulates drowning. I just find it appalling that we preach to the rest of the world how wonderful we are and that they should follow our lead in "protecting" the world from terror. When we continue to do the things this article suggests there is no wonder that others around the world hate the United States.

Perhaps they should ask Presidential Candidate John McCain what he thinks of "harsh interrogation tactics". Our elected leaders in Washington are acting like the school yard bully all for their own benefit. It just amazes me that our very own elected leaders get away with such blatant disregard for our own laws and that of international laws. Has anyone heard of the Geneva Convention? Oh wait I forgot we are the United States we don't have to answer to any international law.

And before you go run your mouth and tell me that "perhaps you should go live in another country then" realize that what makes America great is the fact that we are allowed to DISSENT. We are allowed to question the elected leaders! They are supposed to be working for US! So spare me that garbage of "don't like it then leave it" crap.

What do you think would happen if a foreign government was found to be "water boarding" American soldiers? We would not sit around and take it. We would want the leaders of that country arrested and tried for WAR CRIMES!

And yet we sit back and let Cheyney and his croonies run rampant and do what they want to do all in the name of the WAR ON TERROR.

Has anyone stopped to think that the War on Terror is a war that has no end in sight? Remember a little thing that began in the Reagan days called the "War on Drugs". Now lets see how did that turn out?

Ask yourself when was the last time that you truly and honestly felt threatened by some foreign country? Where you really afraid that Saddam Hussein was going to send his troops over here and start killing innocent women and children? No you weren't. You probably had forgotten all about Saddam until George W. and Cheyney brought his name up after 9/11.

Here is the official definition of terror as provided by our very own United States government:

Official United States Government Definition of Terrorism

"[An] act of terrorism, means any activity that (A) involves a violent act or an act dangerous to human life that is a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or any State, or that would be a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of the United States or of any State; and (B) appears to be intended (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by assassination or kidnapping."
(United States Code Congressional and Administrative News, 98th Congress, Second Session, 1984, Oct. 19, volume 2; par. 3077, 98 STAT. 2707 [West Publishing Co., 1984])

Go ahead and re-read that. If you take our own official definition of terrorism then the United States is guilty of being a terrorist state.

My parents always used to tell me to "treat others the way I wanted to be treated." Shouldn't that same law be applied to how we treat other countries? When we were kids all of us had the "school yard bully". He would "terrorize" you or perhaps one of your friends. And you sat there wishing you could beat him up yourself or that someone else would finally put him in his place. Perhaps that's how the rest of the world views the United States. They are just hoping that some day there might be somone to knock us off our perch. And we wonder why so many people despise us and hate us.

Until Next Time
Spiral Out

Religion -Man's Creation

DISCLAIMER- I do not pretend to be an authority on religion. I was raised, up until 11 years old, as an Evangelist. I was "saved" when I was only 10 years old. My opinions on religion come from my experiences and from being part of this crazy world. This is just my interpretation of what I think religion is to the human race.

I am not religious any way you look at it. The first question people ask me is, "Do you believe in God?" To answer that question bluntly, NO I do not believe in God. It is a personal decision that I am quite content with.

Most of my family members think I am crazy and that the sun here in California has destroyed my brain. A few years back I was sent an email from a distant cousin. In the email he stated that he wanted our family to "pray" for some of our cousins that were going over to China.

Being the smart ass that I can be I replied to the email and asked, "What the f*ck are they going to China for?" The reply I got sent me over the edge. It stated that my family members were going to China under the premise of teaching English but they were truly going over there to spread the word of Christianity.

So let me get this straight...These family members are Christians and they are going to a foreign country to teach "English". Except they really aren't going to teach English they are going to spread the word of Christianity! That is a blatant LIE! Does anyone else see anything wrong with that?

What has religion done for society? In my eyes, I see that religion has caused more harm than good. Even since the days of the Crusades, religion has killed millions of innocent men, women, and children all in the name of "God". Who's religion is right? Is it Islam? Is it Catholicism? Is it Judaism? Perhaps its Buddhism?

All I know is that religion has been used as a crutch by man to destroy civilizations throughout the world. If religion issomething that makes a person happy then by all means go for it. But what I cannot stand are those religious zealots that try and preach to me that I am going to hell if I do not "believe". How do they know? If they are still alive they have yet to see what the "after life" is.

My mom always tells me to pray and tells me that she prays for me. I often ask her what does that do for you? Does "God" answer your prayers? Her response is usually something to the effect that "God answers prayers in mysterious ways."

What ever happen to faith in the human race? Why can't we just communicate amongst ourselves and reach a common ground? Is it that hard that we need to use religion in order to reach the masses? Far to often religion is used as a "smoke screen" to get what someone wants.

There are so many things that are wrong with religion that it is hard to even put it into words.

When you got to church what do they ask you to do on a weekly basis? They pass a collection plate around for you to put money in. What is the purpose of this money? Religion should be free. There is not a requirement for you to put anything in the collection plate. However, if you don't you will get strange looks from your fellow church members. (Trust me it's happened to me and my family)

I apologize for this blog being all over the place. I have so many thoughts and opinions of religion, that at times it is hard to put it into words.

I will try and post more about my views on religion. For now you get a glimpse into my insight about religion and its affects on society.

In the end we are all going to leave this world and end up one of two ways: Either in an urn in a pile of ashes sitting atop some mantle at a family members house or we are going to be buried six feet under.

My tombstone will read:

"Is this what you wanted? Is this what you had in mind? Cause this is what you're getting"

Until Next Time

Spiral Out