gas prices

last i saw, and i'm sure all of you are award, a gallon of regular unleaded is going for around $3.30
my last fill up set a new record of ~$40.
however, as much as is pains me to have to buy gas, i have mixed feelings about it. on the one hand, the big oil companies report record profits every quarter! clearly, they are making a killing by jacking up prices on us, the consumer. its obscene, grotesque and outrageous.

on the other hand, we still aren't paying nearly the true cost of a gallon of gas. our government subsidizes the oil companies, directly and indirectly, such as not charging for royalties that anyone with a brain knows are rightfully owed to the taxpayers. furthermore, there are the externalities of resource wars, climate change, and pollution that are incurred everytime we fill up, but we pass the cost on to future generations.

if oil executives weren't making record profits, i don't think i'd mind the high prices. in other words, if the price at the pump reflected the true cost of oil "production" and consumption, i wouldn't be so apt to complain about paying more, but would still try to reduce my demand for the good. which is another dilemma, because the more people reduce their demand for oil, the more the price will likely fall, encouraging the real gas guzzlers in society who don't give a damn, more ability to continue on guzzling.

doom and gloom at the cof

people are convinced that civilization is close to a crash at the cof. i'm not hearing any good solutions, other than to re-localize. i have to agree, that things don't look very encouraging at this point in time, but (again) i still cling to hope. what do i mean by that? i mean, i believe that humans are not only capable of a paradigm shift but are also not far from it, and that change can lead to a world presently unimaginable.

its just another choice, my belief in these possibilities. i know the odds aren't really in our favor, but what is the option? to believe in a future where the usa continues on being a totalitarian empire, subjugating the people of the world and taking their resources, creating endless wars and genocide, polluting the biosphere and driving its species into extinction and finally a dismal and meaningless end scenario in which the us nukes all other people and itself off the planet effectively ending all life except for cockroaches and bacteria and a bunker full of republicans? The fact is no one knows absolutely what the future holds. indeed by definition the future is only possibilities.

how do we steer the juggernaut around? how do we change it? how do we change it non-violently? we have the capability, all we have to do is discover it.

why the usa is #1

a friend of mine passed this article around and i thought i'd share it here. the only way to change this juggernaut of excessive death is by the People. its time to wake up.

Thanks Tom and thank you Frida

Berrigan, F., We're #1, TomDispatch.com, 5/20/07.
http://www.tomdispatch.com/indexprint.mhtml?pid=196017

keep witham wild

i just recieved an email describing the effort to save witham oaks.

check out the website www.keepwithamwild.net

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nina's questions for all

my blogging buddy nina posed the following questions

1) what kind of a world do you wish to see?
2) what kind of a government do you wish to see?
3) what do you value?
4) what would you like to see change?
5) what steps are you willing to take to make these changes?
6) what are you willing to risk (if anything)?

i'm going to attempt an abbreviated version, but these are some serious questions. essential questions that everyone needs to establish for themselves in a democracy.

1) i wish to see a world where people learn to live together so beautifully and interactively that population centers actually grow more dense and natural ecosystems are restored. i wish for the world to begin to purify itself and process centuries of waste. i wish to see a world where most people don't suffer most of the time. i wish for a great awakening event which starts a new era for humanity, one of untold possibilities.

2)i wish to see a government that does what its supposed to do. that is, protect the people and the environment, provide for education, food and housing, transportation and create a situation where everyone can be who they are, divine creations in the universe.

3)i value good food. thoughtful arguments. i value peace, joy and love, understanding, hope, patience, quality, beauty, nature, people, diversity, logic and reason as well as emotion. i value the almighty dollar for what it is, the means of exchange in our society, but i also value our local currency, the hour. i value truth, justice and liberty, fairness, kindness and honesty.
theres more, but i'll move on.

4)the change i would like to see is a revolt against isolation by a reconvergence. i would like to see people just gather, like the be-ins of the late 60s. the change i would like to see is a crash in the stock market but ordinary people living fine. the change i would like to see is replacing the profit motive in capitalism with sustainability. the change i would like to see is working people organizing and demanding their fair share and making food shelter and clothing, health care and education universal human rights. i want to see the culture of money and power grabbing suddenly stop and become one of generosity and giving.

5)i'm willing to take any steps necessary to make these changes, but it won't happen because of one person, it seems like an all or nothing situation. but i'm willing to take any steps, honestly, that don't jepoardize my job, or my relationship with my wife. yes, i am a slave to the system. which leads into

6)yes, i don't think i want to risk my job or my wife for any social change. i would hope that my job and my family would encourage me to do something for change and they do, but in the event that it was one or the other, the argument would have to be pretty darn convincing.

great questions nina, i'm going to post this on my blog.

The war is all about oil and profit for 21st century kings and queens

Well, they finally made it explicit. They finally "admitted" the generally understood reason for being there. My question to you family, is are you willing to sit quietly while the government sacrifices American lives for your petroleum addiction? My answer is clearly no. We must make this point known. Now is a time to raise our voices. Please read this article and help put an end to the American war machine once and for all.

Tim

ps thanks d.crall for the link

Kucinich Reveals Dem Funding Bill Includes Privatization of Iraq Oil & Carte Blanche to Invade Iran By June Caldwell, American Chronicle, May 6, 2007 http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=26308

In a meeting with the West Los Angeles Democratic Club on Saturday, May 5, Presidential candidate and Ohio Congress Representative Dennis Kucinich revealed that the Democrats in Congress had made some secret concessions to the Republicans in the initial Bill to continue funding the Iraq War that was vetoed, and in a subsequent version that is currently being negotiated. They include:

>Privatization of Iraq's Oil – in the original Bill, but not shared with the public. A rule was created that said this clause could not be removed during debate on House floor.

>Bush could invade Iran without approval of Congress. A clause that would require him to get approval from Congress first was removed.

>Timetable for troop withdrawal from Iraq to be removed from Bill (in post-veto version).

The clause that Iraq must privatize ownership of its oil was in the original Bill presented by Congress, although it was not mentioned publicly. It was stated as a benchmark to be met by Iraq, and if it was not met, the US would withdraw troops and refuse to offer peacekeeping troops to help rebuild the country. That means the Iraqis would not own their own oil, but instead International oil companies, primarily US oil companies, would instead divide ownership of the oil.

This seems to reaffirm the worst possible scenario that the war in Iraq not only was built upon lies, but was solely for the purpose of destroying their country so the big US oil companies can own their oil. These same oil companies are still resolute about keeping the oil prices high at the pumps for US citizens (while refraining refinery capacity), so that they alone retain record-breaking profits. Kucinich explained he requested on the Congress floor that clause be removed from the Bill, and was finally assured it would be. He found it was not, and again demanded it be removed, and was then accused of 'not being a loyal Democrat'.

Kucinich went on to explain that last November, the citizens of the US voted for a 'change of direction in Iraq' but as of yet have only gotten a bait and switch.

Tim Kijoo Nam
Corvallis, OR
tkn317071@yahoo.com
http://timsbloggo.blogspot.com/
"We are discussing no small matter, but how we ought to live." -Socrates

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