A New Direction

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Pop Cultural Terrorism

definition:
to seize control of the news media and its broadcast content through acts of extreme and deliberate notoriety. this generally results in hysteria amongst pundits and Main Stream Media news-persons who feel they are obliged to report -motivated by a) profit/ratings and b) the belief that the public must know- on such events as they occur (BREAKING!). water cooler conversations are dominated by statements and conclusions from Senior Hollywood Analysts, leaving little room for anything else to be discussed. results in an end effect of events that are normally newsworthy being washed out, buried or simply ignored.

synonyms:
reality TV, usurpation, commandeer, water down, infotainment, diversion, distraction

antonyms:
reality, news, essential, relevant, useful, information

see examples:
Hilton, Paris; Fox News; Lohan, Lyndsey; CNN; Hollywood; celebrity gossip

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Thursday, July 12, 2007

Minnesota Fuel Shortages?

Wednesday evening is about the best time of the week to swing by the petrol station and fuel up. Thursday is the day to increase prices for the weekend. I went to the gas station and found paper signs taped up to the pumps saying the 87 octane was out of order and to fill up with mid-grade at low-grade prices. After doing so, I quick jumped onto Google and perused the energy sites. I already knew the Dakotas had been experiencing very real shortages since early July, and that the refinery in Kansas that was flooded had really tightened up the supply of refined products. A week and some days later the effects have "spilled" over into our state. This short article is a good round up of why it is happening. Here is an odd bit though, it says that people who will really feel the squeeze
"are the small mom and pop (gas stations) ... The Holidays and Super Americas have contracts and will get their fuel first."
I got my fuel at SuperAmerica - they were out of the cheap stuff and having to sell a more premium blend at a cheaper price (most likely below cost; you have to compete). No station, from the mom and pops to the big chains can afford to sell product below cost for for even a short time, if it consistently/frequently runs out of 87 octane fuel.
“It’s driving us little guys nuts. For me, it’s been tens of thousands of
dollars this summer I’ve had to eat"
Some day this cost will start being passed along to us consumers. I imagine if this carries on, at some point you simply won't be able to buy fuel at low-grade prices. You will be forced to either search for alternatives or pay a higher price. Essentially it is market induced rationing of certain blends.

So when does this all get smoothed out? When will we get our tightly supplied (expensive), yet reliable deliveries back on track? Sure, there is the supply side to look at. When all the refineries of the Midwest get back up and running our supply will increase. Take into account the demand side as well:

"Refineries across the country say they have been pushing their plants to the limits to keep up with demand in the past year or so..."

Rightly so. Our own thirst for petrol is also partly to blame for high pump prices. It doesn't help that oil has sneaked up on its record high from last August either. So this is only the start and volatility should be expected. You can quit waiting for Supply Side Salvation now and do something more pragmatic.

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Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Guilty by Association

George Bush and the last 6 years of his presidency are what got me into politics, or at least knowing about what is going on in Washington and around the world. All of it made me politically opinionated on the things I care to be opinionated about. During Bush v. Gore in 2000 I sat on the fence -not caring, not understanding- and while I sat on the Gore side of the room during our Gov't/Econ class debate it was hard for me to see a difference between the two. Not being able to vote was also a reason, but what had a bigger influence in my attentiveness to the candidates was the booming economy and where I sat in life. In short, I had a pretty cozy middle class life. I knew there were problems and issues that needed to be dealt with but that was for when I entered the real world. Social security what? I reckon most 17 year old kids don't care. We were just mad it took money from our paycheck.

Enter Bush, 9-11, the short war and long occupation and everything else that has come to pass. Bush had his campaign, somehow got into office and completely flip flopped on just about everything. Now whenever I hear a politician speak, particularly a republican, I honestly cannot take him or her seriously. From when I started paying attention, what would cause me to believe in a single word they say? Lies have destroyed any meaning words might have. Nothing is taken seriously, and this is only reinforced by right wing talking points, presidential "debates" and bullshit pundits who are seemingly paid to be wrong.

Now it's all starting to spill over in the general field of all politicians. There is the meme that all politicians are corrupt, immoral, unethical, cheaters and liars. Ya can't trust 'em! Almost every night I watch the daily show and laugh at the bits where they take a soundbite of what someone said today and compare it with what they said whatever period of time ago, jesting all the way (tonight's was an EPA director claiming it was OK for ground zero workers to be at the site, and now she is saying she never said that - serious implications here!). I can't help but be cynical as hell when I hear any politician (read: candidate running for President) asking for my vote, err, money, or making claims about what they will do on any number of issues.

Two things have maybe brought this line of thinking about: capitulation to Iraq occupation funding. There was such high hope for real and immediate change after November 2006 and its still: "wait until January," "wait until June," "wait until SEPTEMBER," and I can see the machine gearing up for the new talking point "wait until -insert future date here-." The other reason is that, just about, only one guy in congress seems to care about my #1 issue, while the rest yak about our god given right to cheap petrol and unlimited driving. In the end, if they aren't going to concern themselves and the country with what I and a small but growing group of people believe to be the most pressing issue over the next 20+ years, why give them the time of day?

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Monday, July 02, 2007

Dear God

Is this for real? Have we finally reached the breaking point? Does it completely piss you off that the Vice President's staff member can obstruct justice, perjure himself and threaten nation security and get off mostly scott-free? Talk about special fucking treatment! A deal with Libby was probably set up all along: he stuffs up the legal process, protects the hegemony of this administration all the while knowing that he will receive a get-out-of-jail-free. Next thing you know he'll pass "Go" and collect not $200 but $250,000 to pay off his fine. All that remains will be a little black mark on his record, the one little piece of accountability for the White House transmuted into a black X on a piece of paper. Not that this will matter much to the republican culture of corruption. No doubt this whole fucking mess will be a stand out piece of work on his resumé.

You know you are guilty when, as a republican, you are found guilty by a bunch of other republicans! But really, this sort of brazen audacity should come as no surprise; we have been conditioned over the last 6 years to just be resigned and accept the actions of this administration. When the last guy got a blow job everyone was up in arms! Now when something happens that ACTUALLY MATTERS no one seems the least bit surprised: it's the norm! we should've expected it! You know what....

Impeach the motherfuckers.

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