Feeling the pressure at the pump? Ever wonder why? Well sure, there’s conspiracy theories abound. It’s George Bush’s fancy or maybe Brittney Spears. It’s controlled by the Masons, Wal-Mart, or even the Skunk Ape. I once heard that, maybe, it fluctuates based on Ted Kennedy’s blood alcohol levels. Who knows.
So to dissuade any rumors, I did some digging to get to the bottom of why we’re getting reamed at the pumps. Here are the key factors:
Crude oil: Currently, this is the biggest portion of the consumer’s cost of gas. About 52 percent of what you pay for each gallon goes to crude oil suppliers. This is determined largely by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC. The amount of crude oil produced by OPEC determines the price of a barrel of oil.
Taxes: The U.S. government taxes gasoline, as do many state and local governments. On average, these taxes collectively account for 15 percent of the consumer’s cost of gas per gallon. Gas prices vary from state to state primarily because of variances in taxes. In Europe, gas taxes are much higher, and so is the price of gasoline.
Refining: The cost of refining crude oil accounts for about 24 percent of the cost of a gallon of gas. Crude oil, or petroleum, must go through a refining process to turn it into useful products including gasoline. The stages of this process vary with the grade of gasoline or other kinds of products being created.
Distribution and marketing: Crude oil is transported to refineries, then its refined product, gasoline, is shipped from the refineries to distribution points and then to gas stations. Transportation costs are part of the price of gas. Oil companies that make gasoline are competing for consumers’ dollars, so they market their brands to consumers. The companies promote, or advertise, their gasoline by advertising. These advertising and distribution costs together account for about 9 percent of the price of a gallon of gas.
Other factors: The elements listed above all factor into the price of gasoline, but there are other contributing factors. One is seasonal demand. In warmer months, when families tend to travel more, the price of gasoline usually increases, because there is more of a demand for it. Geography can have an impact on the price of gasoline your family pays versus that your cousin’s family pays in another part of the U.S. In general, the further you are from oil refineries, the higher price you’ll pay for gasoline due to higher distribution costs. Competition among gas stations often has an impact on price. Have you ever seen three or four gas stations located near the same intersection? What might the others do if one station lowers its gas prices? Service stations, like other businesses, have to make a profit to survive, so they set their prices based on the all the factors we mentioned plus whatever profit the market (and the law) will allow. [CNN]
What the crap. That’s my profound articulation of this whole male pregnancy thing. You’ve probably heard about it on tv or the net. So guys can be pregnant now? And who really cares, besides the freak show aspect.
My biggest question is why? And science answers: because we can.
Watch this short documentary of the man preg.
[youtube= http://youtube.com/watch?v=AiU-KZ_KADY]
This whole thing transcends just mere ‘can we do it,‘ it’s spilling out into gender issues and more. And they are implying that men are jealous of women for carrying a children? Ha ha. Which guys are you talking to? A beer belly is the only gut you’ll see guys voluntarily sign up for. I respect my wife for carrying our four kids. Did I ever once want to be in her shoes…? No way. Not once.
In this pursuit of being enlightened and pushing the envelope of science, we’ve lost what it is to be human. There’s this immense dissatisfaction with who we are and a desire to change it. We tend to embrace this absolutely absurd idea that - “I should be able to do anything I want.” Well, just because we can doesn’t mean we should.
I’m not angry about this whole thing, I just think it’s profoundly stupid. And keep asking myself, why are we so dissatisfied with who we are?
I’ve been asked over and over lately about where I stand on the issues of the presidential race. Usually I try to change the subject or avoid it all together. I’ve said before that I don’t like politics and don’t trust anyone running today. But if you have to know where I stand… I think that a bumper sticker I saw the other day sums it up. “Scared as Hell in ‘08″. Or apathetic as hell in 08.
I don’t consider myself Republican or Democrat. Both have points and both miss the mark greatly.
I’m pro environment and anti big business. I’m pro choice, but anti-abortion.
I support our troops, but I think war makes sense only in certain circumstances and we haven’t seen those circumstances in decades.
Christians who blindly vote Republican, are certainly not thinkers. They’re pro war and anti abortion. So the message is it’s okay to kill some, but not others.
I’m pretty anti-political. I don’t have much faith in the process, feeling that money and companies run most of it. So I choose to do the best with the time I have. I believe in helping the poor and those in need. I just do what I’m called to do and not worry about politics.
And who do I like for president? Hilary is scary. McCain is creepy. And Obama is good at sounding good.
A lawsuit has been launched against a school teacher who showed Brokeback Mountain to a class of young students. Twelve-year-old Jessica Turner and her grandparents, Kenneth and LaVerne Richardson, are seeking $500,000 against the Chicago Board of Education after the movie was shown at Ashburn Community Elementary School. The lawsuit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court on Friday claims Turner “suffered psychological distress” after viewing the R-rated film, which was viewed by the class without permission from the student’s parents or legal guardians. IMDB
Umm. Wow. Where to begin? On second thought, I don’t think I can say anything to top this one..
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