They're All Unconscionable

It feels like we're doing something when we boycott BP. I'm doing it too even though I know that the Conoco station down the street gets their gas from the same BP terminal. Now don't melt me, I beg you.

that's the problem.

it's real hard to tell whose gas it is you are buying...

(don't think they don't know this)

I didn't like 'em when they were Amoco.

I would say let's go bio-diesel, but the corn problem is still festering. and the water table is still dropping...

oh well.

melt my brain if you so desrie...

bike is in the shop. speedway gas isn't bp I hope.
Gas is gas though, dammit.
I wish the tea-party extermists would first ____________ the corporate executives who pull the strings. (wouldn't want to leave any incriminating evidene that would invite the patriot act in here to flag me as a terrorist or something.
Dammit, the gulf coast is ruined, they of course won't fix it up once the spill is said to be contained.

Off the front page it will go.

Isn't it interesting that the corporations and execs NEVER get hit by 'terror' attacks?

Funny little bit of irony there, you'd think there's more to gain for a supposed terror organization by knocking off people with wealth and power, instead of pawns, people, proles.

I shall spare both of you.

Professional courtesy.

I wish I could walk to work.

Unfortunately, for me, and a lot of people in this country, that's just not possible.
To get to my house to my job, both in Austin, it would be an hour and a half bus ride, with 2 or 3 transfers, depending on the route. That's one way. The only way buses work well here is if you are going downtown, or a direct route on one road. This city just wasn't set up for public transport.
In my car, a 35 mph toyota corolla, it take me 15 to 20 minutes each way, depending on traffic. That's going no faster than 55 mph.

I wish I could telecommute.

What I have done though, is eliminate the evil of the lawn.
I have a garden which benefits the environment much more than a front yard of grass ever could.

I'll be honest, I get frustrated sometimes with the immediate suggestion of "take a bus, walk, ride your bike"
That's not always a viable solution. I live in a good size city, but to walk anywhere in 100 degree humid weather is insane, especially when you are wearing work clothes. To bike to work, it would take over an hour as well.

For those who love to bike, that's great. I personally would not feel safe on a bicycle going all that way, as well as I'm not prepared to bike over 2 hours a day.
For those who live in rural areas the situation is much more challenging. A large percentage of people don't live in areas that even have a public transport system.

I wish there were other solutions to get to where you need to go.

"evil" is a construct humans use to describe people and events when they wish to avoid rational explanations about disliked,events. BP is not evil nor was hitler. It's all us. "evil" is totally an extension of our own egos.

but they still suck. right?

no, we all suck RH in our own hearts/minds. "evil no more exists, in okie than it does in thomas, or setanta, of h20, or pom or you are I."evil" does not exist in our universe.

I don't care about none of them guys.

BP execs suck.

big fat bankers, too...

Yeah, it is the go-to suggestion, isn't it? I once lived in a pedestrian paradise called Tuscaloosa, AL, where there were exactly three sidewalks. Also, the bicycle has yet to be introduced to West-Central Alabama. I believe stilts are currently the rage there.

Yet I would walk a mile and a half in the Southern humidity, even on the grass if I had to. I would often wait like an asshole, next to a line of cars, for a train to cross. I had valid excuses I chose to eschew. But before I fully mount my high-horse I'll point out that this was all in an effort to lose the gut I had developed drinking the gallons of PBR that enabled me to grade Freshman Comp essays without ripping them to pieces.

I agree there are limits unique to each person. Some of those limits are self-imposed; some are not.

Buy your gas from Citgo. (it's the gas from 7-11)

http://www.citgo.com/CITGOLocator/StoreLocator.jsp

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0516-25.htm

Citgo? Ain't that the crap from Venezuela?

canada and mexico are the primary sources of imported oil in the USA.

hey. leave us out of this, we got our own problems

Funny, this subject just came up in a meeting I just came out of....transportation, weather conditions, etc.

I'm not getting on a high horse either, just being practical.

It seems that those who propose "people" bike/walk to work/stores etc are those that are (a) working at jobs where suits/professional attire are not necessary, or if they are, have access to showers etc where they are going. (b) are under a certain age, generally under let's say 27, maybe 30.

Through my office window, I see some computer software guys that sometimes bike to work. They arrive wearing their bike attire, sweating like pigs. There are no showers in my office building, but I suppose they clean up as well as they can in the mens room. However, I notice they change into clean close that are equally casual; jeans t-shirts, maybe a polo shirt...no big deal if they are wrinkled. Other business here require jackets and ties, professional dress for women, business shoes, and so forth.
How is that supposed to be transported over an hour bike ride?

What are these people supposed to do when they have to go out to meetings, run errands, either personal or business? There are many times when I, for instance, have to jump in my car to go to one of our locations, I have no notice. Also, if I wanted to go out to eat, even though I work in a business park, there is nothing that doesn't involve crossing at least 2 busy highways. Without access to a personal car, I would be literally trapped all day.
Also, not to say that obesity, lack of exercise isn't a problem in america, but do you really think it's practical to expect everyone, even those in shape, bike around everywhere? Look around you, not everyone is 27 or younger, has a work enviroment or location conducive to spending a couple of house a day to get barely the basic needs of transportation accomplished.

I would not like to see anyone who's over a certain age walking in the heat we have here.

A co-worker went to Paris last week. She said almost everything she and her friend went to were within 10 minutes walk.

If you live in Manhatten, to get to where you are going, or to a means of transport, is a 10 minute walk.

Within a 10 minute walk of my house is a couple of restaurants, an office supply store, a window tinting place, a body shop, an exterminator, a grade school, and a bunch a random strange little places that sell antique doorknobs, decorative meat grinders, and a lingerie shop.
The nearest grocery store, Whole Foods, is a 45 minute walk away. That would take 15 minutes by bus, or 5 minutes in my car.
What makes the most sense?


This walking/biking is a noble idea, but not doable for many people.

I could walk half way to the river in ten minutes.

town would be half a day at a good clip...

(gas is a 15 mile drive)

I'll bet your gran could make it to town in 3 hours.

Frankly, if gas were priced high enough you would probably move closer to work or find that public transportation is an acceptable alternative. I'm not picking on you in particular, chai. I'm in the same boat. I took a job 50 miles away from where I live. When gas hit $4/gal a couple of years ago, it hurt mightily. I seriously considered moving to the disgusting little town where my office is situated. But gas prices went down.

That is the crux of the matter. We really are not paying the real cost of this oil. Well our chickens have come home to roost, ladies and gentlemen. We are paying in polluted waters that may never be cleaned up, dead fish and wildlife. What if we had raised gas prices back in the 70's and used that money to regulate the oil industry...