The soul has greater need of the ideal than the real for it is by the real that we exist, it is by the ideal that we live

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Whadda ya bet the price of gas goes up anyway

Last update: 3:50 p.m. EST Jan. 7, 2009
Comments: 89
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Crude-oil futures tumbled 12% Wednesday, marking their biggest one-day percentage drop in more than seven years, after government reports showed U.S. crude inventories jumped last week and as data indicated deteriorating troubles in the economy.
The nation's stockpiles of crude reached 325.4 million barrels in the week ended Jan. 2, up 6.7 million barrels from a week ago, the Energy Information Administration reported. Analysts surveyed by energy information provider Platts had expected a buildup of 1.5 million barrels.
"The stock build should be enough to chase the bulls back into the barn," said James Williams, an economist at energy research firm WTRG Economics. "The substantial builds in crude oil, gasoline and distillates ought to bring the bears back from a short hibernation."
Crude for February delivery tumbled $5.95, or 12.2%, to end at $42.63 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, its biggest daily percentage loss since Sept. 24, 2001.
Wednesday's loss came after oil topped $50 a barrel on Tuesday, a level not seen in five weeks.
Also Wednesday, the EIA said gasoline inventories increased 3.3 million barrels in the latest week, while distillate stocks rose by 1.8 million barrels.
Total petroleum products supplied over the past four-week period averaged 20.1 million barrels a day, down by 2.9% compared with the same period last year, the EIA reported. U.S. refineries operated at 84.6% of capacity last week, higher than the prior week's 82.5%.
Crude inventories at Cushing, Okla., the delivery point for crude futures contracts traded on the Nymex, jumped 15% to reach 32.2 million barrels, the highest level since at least April 2004, when the government started collecting Cushing data.
On the Nymex, February heating oil futures fell 5.1% to $1.5431 a gallon, and February reformulated gasoline skidded 9.5% to $1.0764 a gallon.

God we're stupid.

Just say no

Read this very interesting article at the Daily Beast about Rick Warren and his AIDS in Africa ties.


This is the guy who will be the official religious rep at the Inauguration.

Here we go...

It's on




Nathan Runkle is a 24 year old activist who, at 15 started an organization called Mercy for Animals. Last week Nathan added another milestone to his impressive resume. He became a victim of a hate crime.

As always I am outraged by these irrational attacks on those who are considered less than, because they're different. I am outraged because the federal government does not count these crimes in their statistics, nor do most states. I am outraged because there is not a hue and cry from the populace that someone walking down the street can be beaten unrecognizable for no other reason than he is gay. And none of you do anything about it.

No letters to your Senators, and Representatives. No public demonstrations on behalf of those you know personally who are at risk. Nothing. It seems an apt demonstration of your concern.

The following is a link to the story on the huffingtonpost website about it. I hope you'll read it. I hope you'll at least attempt to understand the enormity of the need for federal hate crime legislation. I hope you'll at least attempt to understand that no one should have to live in fear because of who they are. I hope you'll attempt to understand that things change only when one person at a time stands up and says NO MORE. I hope...


A Hate Crime You Won't See in Statistics


I've heard a lot of you talk a good story over the years. But we're still dying.