Sarah Palin

If John McCain wasn't otherwise such an absolutely horrible choice for America, I might actually consider voting for him because he chose Sarah Palin as his running mate.

What a stunningly brilliant thing to do! She's got excellent conservative credentials (though never up to my standards) but I really like her. I'd honestly rather see her as President than John McCain. Oh, and she's cute too but that hardly figures in to a voting decision.

Oil Going Back Up?

The price of oil jumped back over $120/barrel again today... I'm not worried though; it's probably just a typical retracement in a significant downward trend.

If this Russia/Georgia problem gets cleared up soon, look for oil to drop down to $100 very soon.

Teresa Artohofer Is Wrong

Who is Teresa Artohofer? I have no idea, but she will now be memorialized in this blog for as long as it exists for being so wilfully, blitheringly, stupidly wrong that she should be absolutely ashamed of herself.

What did she say to provoke me thus? Well, it seems that a VFW Post in Montrose, PA has a message on its answering machine for telemarketers saying, "Hi, you've reached the Montrose VFW, Post 5642. We are an English-speaking, American establishment. If you do not speak English or believe in America, please hang up."

Artohofer apparently thinks that is unconstitutional. From the article:

Teresa Artohofer of Montrose said the VFW post's message contradicts the Constitution's protection of free speech.

"Does it say English speech? It just says freedom of speech. No where in there does it say freedom of English speech. It just says, freedom of speech," Arthofer said.

Apparently Artofhofer thinks that the people at the VFW should be forced to listen to people they don't want to listen to. Apparently Artohofer doesn't realize that an answering machine can't possibly violate anyone's freedom of speech since no speech was actually restricted. Sure, people have the right to say what they want but no one has the right TO BE HEARD except a citizen addressing the government for cause.

So Ms. Artohofer, PLEASE go read the Constitution of the United States of America and point out to me the section that forces me to listen to any sort of speech that I don't care to tolerate no matter what form it comes in.

**Side note for Eleanor: I'm not an ANGRY MAN, just dumbfounded at the ignorance. ;)

None Of Them Pay Taxes!

A report from Congress says that two-thirds of U.S. corporations paid no income tax between 1998 & 2005.

I've got news for you! Corporations don't pay income tax! It might appear that they do but the costs always get passed on to customers, or wage cuts for employees or reduced dividends for investors, etc. It always gets passed on.

When we, as individuals pay income tax, that's it; we're the end of the line. We have to reduce our budgets to compensate for it.

I suppose I'm wrong technically, we pass on the cost of our taxes to those who would otherwise receive our money in exchange for goods and services.

Taxes are mostly just a black hole. But, as the saying goes, "Thank God we don't get all the government we pay for."

Where Is The Conspiracy Now?

Oil prices are falling...falling...falling.

Where is the conspiracy? Who's to blame? If the oil market were really so tightly controlled, prices would stabilize high or continue to rise, not plummet from the peak of $147 to below $120 in just a few months.

There were sheiks and investors, etc. saying the hikes would continue, that it's not a bubble. So who's really controlling the market? It's just the market!

Will we return to $1/gallon gas any time soon? No. $2/gallon? Possibly. But I suspect gas will be under $3/gallon by the end of this year.

The recession is catching up, the world economy is weak, demand is being driven down and oil is falling with it. The dollar is rising at the moment which further drives down the price of oil and that should continue for a while.

Stay Tuned!