Internet Explorer 7

Although I use Firefox for everyday web surfing, there are a few sites I visit which require Internet Explorer. The newest version (Beta) of IE is available for download here and it's seems to be quite nice. It takes a little getting used to, very little really, and I like it much better than the old one.

I will still use Firefox for everyday surfing, though. I like the bookmarks toolbar feature of Firefox and I don't see this available in IE, although I really haven't investigated very much yet. Give it a try.

Gas Prices

A Primer on Gas Prices

In 2004, the price of crude oil averaged $36.97 per barrel, and crude oil accounted for about 47% of the cost of a gallon of regular grade gasoline (Figure 1). In comparison, the average price for crude oil in 2003 was $28.50 per barrel, and it composed 44% of the cost of a gallon of regular gasoline. The share of the retail price of regular grade gasoline that crude oil costs represent varies somewhat over time and among regions.

The cost to produce and deliver gasoline to consumers includes the cost of crude oil to refiners, refinery processing costs, marketing and distribution costs, and finally the retail station costs and taxes. The prices paid by consumers at the pump reflect these costs, as well as the profits (and sometimes losses) of refiners, marketers, distributors, and retail station owners.

Federal, State, and local taxes are a large component of the retail price of gasoline. Taxes (not including county and local taxes) account for approximately 23 percent of the cost of a gallon of gasoline.

Refining costs and profits comprise about 18% of the retail price of gasoline.

Distribution, marketing and retail dealer costs and profits combined make up 12% of the cost of a gallon of gasoline.

Instead of joining the lynch mob we need to educate ourselves and look for the real reasons the price of gas is so high. Some of those things we can't do anything about and some we can. More refineries, less taxes and opening up drilling in the U.S. are things we can control, one or a combination of which will help.

"Big Oil" is not the problem. Our biggest problem is the lynch mob mentality and the people inciting it. More taxes will not help. More taxes are not the answer. More taxes will hurt. More taxes for oil companies means higher prices for you. It all gets passed on to you. Just say no to more taxes.

Here's a great page about oil: Some interesting oil industry statistics

The Mushroom Cloud is on its Way!

Islamist protest in N.Y.

Yes, New York. Another peaceful message brought to you by peaceful Muslims. Neal Boortz has more.

The mushroom cloud is on its way! The real Holocaust is on its way!"

"Israel won't last long ... Indeed, Allah will repeat the Holocaust right on the soil of Israel"

Maneater?

We went to a reptile show and James got his picture taken with a tiger! Go figure. But it was cool! Baby tigers are so cute, I would love to take one home. They are adorable! Too bad they grow big enough to eat you. I wanted to get a picture of him holding a snake but my batteries (and backup batteries) went dead. Damn rechargable batteries.

New Addition To The Family

This is my new Viper Boa (Candoia Aspera). We had a good time at the Florida International Reptile Show.

Puppy

I saw the cutest puppy today at the petshop. Someone threw it out of a car and they are trying to find a home for it. She said it was a Shepherd/Rhodesian Ridgeback mix. I don't know but it does have German Shepherd in it. It was just laying on the floor sleeping. Kids were gathered around petting it but it was just so calm. I thought a little too calm. The owner said he was playing around with her earlier and he was just hot now. Still, puppies aren't usually that calm.

I know they will find it a good home, I don't want a large dog and Irma doesn't want a dog right now at all. James sure loved it though. I wish James was that calm sometimes.

Capitan Insano

Wave of Violent Crime Sweeps Venezuela

"The rich are condemned to hell. Christ himself condemned them," Chavez said in a speech Tuesday. "I say it from the heart: to be rich is evil."

To be rich is evil, unless you happen to be one of the "political elite."

Ann Coulter

You may not like her style but ... I like her latest column.

Lie down with strippers, wake up with pleas

The liberal charge of "hypocrisy" has so permeated the public consciousness that no one is willing to condemn any behavior anymore, no matter how seedy. The unstated rule is: If you've done it, you can't ever criticize it -- a standard that would seem to repudiate the good works of the Rev. Franklin Graham, Malcolm X, Whittaker Chambers and St. Paul, among others.

Every woman who has had an abortion feels compelled to defend abortion for all women; every man who's ever been at a party with strippers thinks he has to defend all men who watch strippers; and every Democrat who voted for Bill Clinton feels the need to defend duplicity, adultery, lying about adultery, sexual harassment, rape, perjury, obstruction of justice, kicking the can of global Islamo-fascism down the road for eight years and so on.

This is crazy. (I can say that because I've never been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder. Although I did test positive for "Olympic fever" once.)

In no area except morality would a sane person believe he can't criticize something stupid because he's done it. How about: If you've ever forgotten to fill up your car and run out of gas, you must forevermore defend a person's right to ignore the gas gauge. Or if you've ever forgotten to wear a coat in cold weather and caught a cold, henceforth you are obliged to encourage others not to dress appropriately in the winter.

This deep-seated societal fear of being accused of "hypocrisy" applies only to behavior touching on morals.

Intermission

Blue Ball Machine

I have no clue as to the usefullness of that page.

Brainiac

'Watch This!" Man Injured In Waterfall Jump

A Georgia man was hospitalized after jumping from the side of Alabama's DeSoto Falls and plunging 150 feet before hitting the water.

Something Fishy

Another fishy missing link

The Tiktaalik is no more a missing link between sea life and land life than a Tic Tac is a missing link between a Lifesaver and an Altoid.

Mob Rule

Amnesty for U.S. citizens!

Mark my words: If you don't stand up to be counted today, your birthright as a U.S. citizen will be rendered meaningless. The rule of law will be a thing of the past. The will of the people will mean only mob rule.

Pigs In Space

A C-5 cargo plane crashed near Dover AFB today but it's hard to find information. I just saw something on Fox News about it, everyone survived. That's good news.

I used to work on those planes while in the Air Force and they are huge. It's quite a climb to get to the cockpit. There is also a passenger section above the cargo hold but you have to climb down from the cockpit, make your way around the cargo and climb up again to get to it. When taking off and landing they look like they are just hanging there, hardly moving.