Frankly Speaking

Neil Cavuto debating Bill O'Reilly on gas prices and the current financial crisis.



O'Reilly tries his typical tactic of getting loud when his guest doesn't agree with him, but Cavuto gives it right back.

Imagine that, two of the big names on Fox News disagreeing with each other. And I thought they were all goose-stepping, right wing fascists. Someone didn't get the memo.

Labels: media, nanny state, unbridled capitalism

Oil execs are appearing on capital hill today to explain just why they have the nerve to be in business and make a profit. I mean, I know we live in a supposedly capitalistic society, but how dare they have the nerve to try to make enough money to fund R&D, fund their retirement plans, pay their employees, provide for the cost of doing business, and expect to actually make a profit for their share holders on top of that. That is clearly just evil.

So, let's take a look at their "giant" profits.

click to enlarge

Full report available here. .pdf
As you can see, oil / natural gas is actually #10 on the list. I don't see them hauling in the CEOs of the Apparel and Leather Products industry to explain why they made an 8.0% profit when Oil and Natural Gas made 7.6%. But it's harder to make a villain out of the guy responsible for your leather chaps with the ass cut out than it is for the guy providing the gas you use to power your SUV.

This country is swiftly moving towards socialism, and this is just the latest clue as to what our leaders really want. Our country is based on equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome. If these execs are getting the oil into the country, refining it, providing it to customers and the customers are willing to pay the going rate, then get the hell off of their backs. It's called a free market. If you don't like the prices they charge, find an alternative or start your own damn company to compete with them.

Speaking of which, maybe you caught this on the Today Show this morning.



So, evil gas station owner is charging $5.39 a gallon for gas because he's the only gas station around. Apparently he's supposed to feel bad for living by supply and demand. He has the only supply, so he can damn well charge whatever he demands. Again, if you don't like it, maybe someone ought to have the balls to open a competing station and drive down prices.

Here's a simply analogy for you; ever been to a sporting event where they serve alcohol? Ever notice that the plastic bottle of beer that you would pay a couple bucks for if you bought it in a case and drank it at home now costs you $6 to $8 a beer? Why is congress not pulling those vendors in and quizzing them about their insane profits? On top of that, they have a monopoly because you don't have the option of bringing in your own drinks. This is an outrage. It hurts the poor people who can't afford tickets and a few beers. We need to take care of this.. for the children.

If we really want to see gas prices come down, there is a very simple formula. Nuclear power, more refineries, and drilling in ANWAR, off the coast and this.

This is just one more example of our liberal, risk-adverse society. If we build new refineries, there is a chance that there may be an accident at some point. We are unwilling to accept any risk, so we just don't build. If we drill for oil, there is always the chance that at some point there will be a spill. Never mind that we have some of the strictest environment standards in the world, meaning the chances for accident are much lower than forcing the oil companies to continue to explore in third world countries. But what the hell, what's a few thousand dead brown people compared to ensuring our country never has any accidents. That, my friends, is the basis of liberal theology. Screw everyone else as long as we're safe.

Labels: governmental idiocy, rise and fall of American culture, unbridled capitalism

The world's deadliest weapon.

Metal Storm, an Australian company whose shares have recently skyrocketed on the stock exchange, has developed a robotized killing machine capable of firing more than one million rounds a minute, enough to shred an entire building in the blink of an eye.

One Million Rounds per minute. That is un-fucking-believable. I would love to see that thing in action, decimating an entire building in seconds.

But of course this isn't an article from someone who sees the good sides of this weapon, like this.

But it is the wartime applications that are most disturbing. With Metal Storm’s technology, Coalition soldiers can remain safely behind the front line while the Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UVG) uses sensors and targeting capabilities to attack hostile urban areas.

That, to me, is a good thing. Soldiers stay as far away from the bad buys as possible, while simultaneously finding and destroying said bad guys. This results in fewer good guy deaths, and an ever increasing body count of bad guys. Remind me again why this is a bad thing?

This development could be the turning point in the Iraq occupation which has tainted the enthusiasm of the dwindling number of American pro-war supporters as more than 2,000 soldiers have been killed during an occupation which has resulted in the deaths of more than 100,000 innocent civilians.

Oh, that's right. Because if we're winning the war, there's nothing for the anti-war protesters to, well, protest. They'll look pretty silly carrying around posters that say things like, "We're tired of winning this war. Stop killing the bad guys and come home." Oh, wait. They pretty much do that already, don't they?

The other point is that with such a weapon at the coalition's disposal, it will obviously result in those American cowboys running willy-nilly through the streets, killing anyone with brown skin. Because that's what we're all about. Body counts. It doesn't matter if it's the right people or not, we just want to kill, Kill, KILL!

To prove that point, she points out that the company that manufactures this weapon has stocked its board and management with *gasp* a lot of former US military commanders. I mean, how can we expect this weapon to be used for peace when those blood-thirsty baby killers are running the show. I'm sure it will only be a matter of weeks before a maelstrom of death is rained on the author's own residence as a way of demonstrating the lethality of the ultimate killing machine.

My favorite part of this entire article is the author's bio.

Wanda Fish is an Australian freelance journalist who dedicates her research and writing to the building of a more equitable and just world. Wanda has lived and worked in the United States, Southeast Asia, and Australia. After a 30-year career in corporate marketing and public relations, Wanda left the corporate world and began to campaign for humanitarian rights, peace, and the creation of a world where people of all races and religion are entitled to a free and dignified life. Wanda’s articles are offered copyright free as part of her contribution towards a better world.

My question for Wanda is this, just how do you propose that all people will live togethre in a free and dignified life if there is no one willing to stop the bad guys? If all the good guys lay down their arms, join hands and sing 60s peace songs, all they accomplish is that they make a good target. Large groups of unarmed peacenicks packed close together means one bullet = multiple kills.

Peace and freedom are the exact reasons why we fight in the middle east. The problem with people like Wanda Fish is that there is never a cause worth fighting for except to stop the good guys from defending themselves.

H/T Sharp As A Marble

Labels: Iraq, unbridled capitalism, war

Airlines are having some major problems. Flights are delayed or canceled on a regular basis, and when you actually make your flight, it's a miserable experience.

So, I'm going to give some suggestions to the airlines to improve service and become more profitable.

Oh sure, they could mimic some of Southwest's success, minus the part where they don't want attractive women flying with them. They could standardize equipment, requiring less overhead in parts and training, since everyone only has to learn one aircraft. But what fun is that?

I propose sponsorship. There is already talk of putting up aerial advertising at airports, that are viewable from the air on approach. I say we take it a step further and allow sponsorship of airlines and/or even individual flights.

Welcome to flight 305, Atlanta to Miami. Today's flight is brought to you by Doritos. All passengers will be receiving a complimentary bag of either Nacho Cheese or Cool Ranch Doritos, along with a can of Pepsi, the choice of a new generation.

I would gladly allow them to prattle on about whatever product is sponsoring the flight if it meant keeping air fare down. Plus, that's why G-d invented the QC3.

Hell, they could paint big logos down the side of the planes. Giant, flying billboards. It's the United Airlines / Chevy Malibu, Boeing 747.

I've been on several flights in the last year that have small video screens on the back of every headrest. Some of these allow you to play games (I kicked butt on some trivia on one flight). Why not crawl advertising across the bottom of these screens during the game? How about advertising on the envelope the holds your boarding pass?

Seriously, the possibilities are endless. And there are enough large corporations out there looking for a captive audience to bombard with their product that this would help us all.

Labels: unbridled capitalism

I have long argued that the U.S. economy is much stronger than most people give it credit for. Here is my proof.

I think anyone that would pay $55 for a bottle of water inherited their money, because if they had earned enough to buy $55 water, they would have enough sense not to. But I thank G-d that we live in a free market society, where someone is able to make a seemingly very nice living charging people outrageous amounts of money for something that they already pay a monthly fee to have available in several rooms of their own homes.

G-d bless America.

Labels: unbridled capitalism

Former Grambling Coach Eddie Robinson died today.

He was a black coach at a black school in the south when that was not a fun thing to be. He sent the first black player to the NFL, and 199 more followed. When the team was on the road, he packed sandwiches for the team, because they couldn't eat in the white's only diners in the south. What did he have to say about it?

"The best way to enjoy life in America is to first be an American, and I don't think you have to be white to do so," Robinson said. "Blacks have had a hard time, but not many Americans haven't."

Robinson said he tried to teach his players about opportunity.

"The framers of this Constitution, now they did some things," Robinson would say. "If you aren't lazy, they fixed it for you. You've got to understand the system. It's just like in football, if you don't understand the system, you haven't got a chance."

That is why this is a great country. Opportunity for those who want it.

Look, I know that racism is still alive and well in America. Hell, I live in the south and see it on a daily basis. The difference between America and other countries is that while there are those who will try to keep others down, they don't have to win. Anyone, regardless of race, color, sex, whatever, has the opportunity to succeed in this country.

The difference between someone like Eddie Robinson or Chris Gardner and someone who lives their entire live with nothing is the will to go after their dream.

Personally, I blame more than 40 years of the great society, as well as the current "civil rights" leadership. They tell minorities that they will never be able to succeed in this country unless they receive some sort of handout to help them out. Without race based admissions, they will never get into college. Without affirmative action, they will never be able to get a good job. Without the likes of Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton, there would be lynchings and churches burning every day.

Only that's not true. The people who do the best in this country did not get there by holding out their hand to the government, begging for help. They saw where they wanted to go, and then they did whatever it took to get there. This is the same whether you're a first generation immigrant from Pakistan, or your family came over 200 years ago. America is the land of freedom. The freedom to be as successful as you desire to be.

I admire Eddie Robinson. Not because he was a black coach, but because he was a good coach. He came from humble beginnings, did anything he had to do to be successful, and became one of the winningest coaches in history.

My favorite quote from him is this.

"The real record I have set for over 50 years is the fact that I have had one job and one wife," Robinson said.

Not a bad goal for any of us.

Labels: unbridled capitalism

Who says the capitalism is dead in America? Tennessee High School Students Make Porn Film Between Classes.

I'm thinking that they watched The Girl Next Door one too many times.

Labels: unbridled capitalism