High Fuel Costs

Senator Martinez, Senator Nelson, Congressman Weldon

Like many of my friends I want reasonably priced fuel, be it gas, diesel or heating oil.

One of our major problems is this counties inability to refine crude oil to create the amount of fuel used in this country.

I believe that it is the job of our senators and congressmen to ensure that new refineries are created that are as modern as possible.

I believe that it is your job to ensure that those seeking oil must do it it with safeguards to protect the environment.

I do not believe that it is your job to play NIMBY (not in my back yard) to the detriment of this countries ability to obtain needed fuel.

No one wants oil stuff on their beaches, yet we all drive vehicles on the road.

The federal government has aided truckers for so long we basically have no trains or ships to move mass cargos.

I want cheaper fuel, my friends want cheaper fuel, we do not care where the oil wells are drilled...they will be in sombody's back yard.

Your job is to ensure when the oil wells are drilled and the refineries are built that they are as environmentally friendly as possible for that type of heavy industry.

I Don't Care Either

The e-mail this came in purports that the lady who wrote this letter is Pam Foster of Pamela Foster and Associates in Atlanta. She's been in business since 1980 doing interior design and home planning. The e-mail indicated that she recently wrote the following letter to a family member serving in Iraq:



WHAT'S ALL THE FUSS?

"Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001? Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown
Manhattan, across the Potomac from our nation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania? Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?

And I'm supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was "desecrated" when an overworked American soldier kicked it or got it wet? Well, I don't. I don't care at all.

I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11.

I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia.

I'll care when Abu Musab al-Zarqawi tells the world he is sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling, slashed throat.

I'll care when the cowardly so-called "insurgents" in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques.

I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs.

I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international law instead of the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights.

I'll care when judges stop ordering my government to release photos of the abuses at Abu Ghraib, which are sure to set off the Islamic extremists just as Newsweek's lies did a few weeks ago.

In the meantime, when I hear a story about a brave marine roughing up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I don't care.

When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi prisoners who have been humiliated in what amounts to a college hazing incident, rest assured that I don't care.

When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank that I don't care.

When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed "special" food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being "mishandled," you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts that I don't care.

And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled "Koran" and other times! "Quran." Well, Jimmy Crack Corn and -- you guessed it -- I don't care!" -

I did not write this, but I feel the same way as the person who wrote this and if it was not Pam Foster, I don't care.

The Self-fulfilling Prophecy

In 1957, Robert Merton wrote in his "Social Theory and Social Structure" that the Self-fulfilling Prophecy occurred when " a false definition of the situation evokes a new behavior which makes the original false conception come true." Or, once an expectation is laid out, even if false, people tend to act in ways consistent with the expectation, which often comes true.

We in fact are now seeing this on a daily basis. The headlines from the newspaper are in some form or another: GAS TO REACH $$$ PER GALLON. There is no or very little outcry from the citizens, mumbles but no outcry. Our elected representation in the various levels of government say nothing... Except for a few trying to change their level in the government. Which often seems to be more of a personal agenda rather than help for their fellow citizens. Those at the highest level of government must have enough fuel to run their government vehicles and heat their government quarters because they also seem highly ignorant of the situation.

I realize that some in government are so against such things as oil refineries, SUVs and private vehicles that they are also unconcerned.

With all of this said, we need to remember that those same newspapers also continuously report that the worlds oil companies are also posting record profits.

Here is my prophecy for a country which moves on and exists in its present state so dependent upon crude oil: High fuel costs will to uncontrolled inflation followed by economic chaos.

Do not be fooled that crude oil suppliers will always sell their products to this country. The Chinese are coming after as much of the worlds energy as they can get their hands on. Failure to increase our energy sources by both increasing our ability to refine crude oil as well as diversifying into other energy sources will be our downfall.

New, modern oil refineries would eliminate many of the problems caused by oil refineries built years ago. The new ones would have better electronic controls to insure they are more environmentally friendly. But they are like warships in the fact they can not be built overnight. They take years of planning, all of which takes time.

This country is running out of time.

Two meaningful paragraphs from a book

The following is taken from "Inside the Wire" by Erik Saar and Viveca Novak, The Penguin Press 2005. Erick Saar served as an Arabic linguist in Guantanamo Bay Cuba. His book, from the viewpoint of a sergeant neither really praises nor trashes the Army's efforts in Cuba.

However, in my opinion, the following two paragraphs taken directly from the book are noteworthy in understanding our terrorist foes:

Before I left, I had one more conversation with Mustapha, the Syrian detainee with whom I'd had long talks about religion when I was on the JDOG team. I told him I was going. "Mustapha, we've talked a lot over the past six months, and we've learned a lot about each other," I said. "I have one last question. I want to know what you think of me."

Sitting cross-legged on the floor as usual, Mustapha smiled and gazed down the corridor of Echo block, taking in the atmosphere and the breeze coming off the ocean he couldn't see. "Basam," he said. "You are not how I thought an American man or soldier would be. You believe in God and you love your family. In a way I respect you. But you are a Kafer"-------an infidel. "You are not a Muslim. In fact, you are an enemy of the true God. If I were not in this cell I would have to kill you."

Failure to understand your foe can cause great disharmony in your life.