Saturday, November 19, 2005
The Gauntlets have been thrown!
I sent a link to my Co-worker concerning Pete's "Let the oil companies make a metric ass load of cash even when it costs me a pound of flesh to fill up my truck" entry, and this is the email I got back:
Sorry mate, I disagree with the man. I think the bloody industry is a
cartel and we are forced to pay the piper as he calls the tune. I feel
we are seeing price fixing and price gouging supported by alarmist news
networks(shocker). I don't agree that this is somehow keeping us out the
Middle East when that's where the sodding oil is coming from that
they’re making profits on (especially with the notion of the laughable
ANWAR reserve that could power America for about six months before
sputtering dry) and I don't see how we can make some cause and effect
link to the use of sustainable technology R&D without any true evidence.
Quid pro quo a company cannot invest in R&D without profit, but do you
really believe that the energy companies are investing in energy
efficiency excluding methods of extracting energy to maintain their
bottom line? I honestly don’t believe their marketing hype and I don’t
think they're looking out for mankind - it generally takes lean and
hungry companies to do that (who that become fat and happy companies).
The other angle on this discussion is the refinery infrastructure in
this country; it is creaking with age, full to capacity, at risk from
terrorist attack, located in a hurricane zone and at desperate risk of
collapse through simple decrepitude. It's my understanding that this
same industry is demanding the government subsidize improvements to
refineries and that by using this stalling tactic they avoid expanding
capacity and delivering lower, stable fuel prices at the pump. I could
be full of shit and I have no source to cite (but that didn't seem to
hurt his case).
I genuinely am a socialist in this country when I read stuff like this -
I think the oil industry shouldn't make excessive profits when the price
of gasoline at retail is causing immense pressures in a country
literally wholly dependent on the stuff while fucking us on taxes and
environmental damage. Their gain is a huge fiscal loss to all industry
everywhere - trucking, construction, retail, service, travel, strip
clubs, etc...
Now, I could be utterly naïve in thinking I'm right as the truth behind
their net profit increase may have nothing to do with gasoline at the
pump - the oil industry is a rich and varied tapestry of markets and
products. But, I feel that we are in a recession, fueled by media panic,
and that they aren't helping.
What would I do about it - examine the homogenization that has taken
place in the industry and the true lack of choice we now face. Examine
the ways they manipulate the tax laws and pollute our environment and
have them help pay the medical and clean up bills we incur. Finally I
would simply have them say sorry 'cos I'm a pussy liberal and that
matters to me (kidding on the last one).
Oh yeah, here's another pussy liberal source I read tonight (it marries
my gut reaction that the oil companies are saying one thing and wall
papering another) it's called Newsweek (they seem to hate Bush this
month so no doubt they're all communists):
The major oil companies are divided on the severity of the problem and
the need to diversify into renewables. ExxonMobil execs have said they
will continue to focus exclusively on fossil fuels. Companies like
Chevron, Shell and BP are funneling small percentages of profits into
alternative energies like wind, solar and hydrogen, but those
investments are minuscule compared with budgets for oil exploration.
But some of these companies are beginning to acknowledge the changing
oil equation in other ways. This year, Chevron unveiled an estimated $30
million to $40 million ad campaign, "Will You Join Us?," and asserted
that "the era of easy oil is over." BP stands for "Beyond Petroleum," as
the company now advertises, and in May, General Electric initiated its
own $90 million "ecomagination" marketing blitz, promoting some of its
businesses, like wind power and water purification.
So when all is said and done and the gas bills hit your door mat have a
think - do they really deserve to fuck me this hard with this big a
stick or should they not make shit loads of money while old and poor
people freeze to death (as happens every year) as their heating is cut
off. What a pussy I am, hey?
Tongue in cheak and pulling your leg but showing my true colors, your
raging pinky, homo, 'Nationalize the Bastards', Euro, friend,
Guest Writer
Also don't forget to Check out my buddy Al, he is a photographer, and a fucking awesome one at that! so use all of the linky goodness on the left there and if you need some pics taken, call Al.
Sorry mate, I disagree with the man. I think the bloody industry is a
cartel and we are forced to pay the piper as he calls the tune. I feel
we are seeing price fixing and price gouging supported by alarmist news
networks(shocker). I don't agree that this is somehow keeping us out the
Middle East when that's where the sodding oil is coming from that
they’re making profits on (especially with the notion of the laughable
ANWAR reserve that could power America for about six months before
sputtering dry) and I don't see how we can make some cause and effect
link to the use of sustainable technology R&D without any true evidence.
Quid pro quo a company cannot invest in R&D without profit, but do you
really believe that the energy companies are investing in energy
efficiency excluding methods of extracting energy to maintain their
bottom line? I honestly don’t believe their marketing hype and I don’t
think they're looking out for mankind - it generally takes lean and
hungry companies to do that (who that become fat and happy companies).
The other angle on this discussion is the refinery infrastructure in
this country; it is creaking with age, full to capacity, at risk from
terrorist attack, located in a hurricane zone and at desperate risk of
collapse through simple decrepitude. It's my understanding that this
same industry is demanding the government subsidize improvements to
refineries and that by using this stalling tactic they avoid expanding
capacity and delivering lower, stable fuel prices at the pump. I could
be full of shit and I have no source to cite (but that didn't seem to
hurt his case).
I genuinely am a socialist in this country when I read stuff like this -
I think the oil industry shouldn't make excessive profits when the price
of gasoline at retail is causing immense pressures in a country
literally wholly dependent on the stuff while fucking us on taxes and
environmental damage. Their gain is a huge fiscal loss to all industry
everywhere - trucking, construction, retail, service, travel, strip
clubs, etc...
Now, I could be utterly naïve in thinking I'm right as the truth behind
their net profit increase may have nothing to do with gasoline at the
pump - the oil industry is a rich and varied tapestry of markets and
products. But, I feel that we are in a recession, fueled by media panic,
and that they aren't helping.
What would I do about it - examine the homogenization that has taken
place in the industry and the true lack of choice we now face. Examine
the ways they manipulate the tax laws and pollute our environment and
have them help pay the medical and clean up bills we incur. Finally I
would simply have them say sorry 'cos I'm a pussy liberal and that
matters to me (kidding on the last one).
Oh yeah, here's another pussy liberal source I read tonight (it marries
my gut reaction that the oil companies are saying one thing and wall
papering another) it's called Newsweek (they seem to hate Bush this
month so no doubt they're all communists):
The major oil companies are divided on the severity of the problem and
the need to diversify into renewables. ExxonMobil execs have said they
will continue to focus exclusively on fossil fuels. Companies like
Chevron, Shell and BP are funneling small percentages of profits into
alternative energies like wind, solar and hydrogen, but those
investments are minuscule compared with budgets for oil exploration.
But some of these companies are beginning to acknowledge the changing
oil equation in other ways. This year, Chevron unveiled an estimated $30
million to $40 million ad campaign, "Will You Join Us?," and asserted
that "the era of easy oil is over." BP stands for "Beyond Petroleum," as
the company now advertises, and in May, General Electric initiated its
own $90 million "ecomagination" marketing blitz, promoting some of its
businesses, like wind power and water purification.
So when all is said and done and the gas bills hit your door mat have a
think - do they really deserve to fuck me this hard with this big a
stick or should they not make shit loads of money while old and poor
people freeze to death (as happens every year) as their heating is cut
off. What a pussy I am, hey?
Tongue in cheak and pulling your leg but showing my true colors, your
raging pinky, homo, 'Nationalize the Bastards', Euro, friend,
Guest Writer
Also don't forget to Check out my buddy Al, he is a photographer, and a fucking awesome one at that! so use all of the linky goodness on the left there and if you need some pics taken, call Al.
