The Unboycott gets to Beeville! (Actually, I think they figured it out on their own...) This from an article I read in the MR-T this morning, but had to find on the San Antonio paper's website:

Leticia Munoz, who own the city's (Beeville's) three Exxon stations, said her 51 employees were fearing for their jobs.

"They realize if it affects us, it'll affect them," said Munoz, who counts on sales of tacos, sodas and other high-profit items purchased by people who stop for gas.

"Fuel is the lowest profit item that we have," she said. "If you really take into account the cost of insurance, maintenance, we're losing money."

Martinez put out a newsletter Friday urging citizens to boycott only gas, not the convenience stores.

Munoz said she'd gotten a few customers who wanted to show disapproval of the resolution by buying Exxon gas.

"One said he hadn't bought Exxon fuel in 33 years," she said.

My kind of guy! And why are we not hearing any complaint about windfall profits on tacos?

How about windfall profits on sodas at the convenience store? That $1.25 quart of Dr Pepper out of the soda fountain has about a dime of soda syrup, a dime of marketing cost, a nickel's worth of ice and refrigeration cost and a nickel's worth of carbonated RO water in it. Store overhead would be less than a quarter in a high volume store. You're paying $1.25 for 50 cents worth of stuff! But it sure tastes good on a hot, dry day doesn't it...

Fill up at Exxon or Mobil on Monday (and then run inside and get a cold drink).

More Real Data on the oil and gas supply and demand situation: a fact-filled article.

Despite the recent jump in oil prices, the world’s economy has not slowed down. Why not? Goldman Sachs notes that oil is less important than it was a generation ago. At the height of the Iranian oil crisis in 1980–81, paying for gasoline took up 4.5 percent of U.S. GDP and 7.2 percent of U.S. consumer expenditures. In 2005, even though U.S. gas prices peaked at $3.07 per gallon after Hurricane Katrina, only 2.6 percent of GDP went to pay for gas and consumers spent only 3.7 percent of their incomes to fuel their cars and SUVs. Goldman Sachs believes gasoline prices would need to exceed $4 per gallon before consumers really started to cut back.

We use less and less fuel to produce a dollar of income or national GDP, a fact missing from most all of the media hysteria about high prices. Read the whole thing.

Another great article on the subject, by Thomas Sowell, in 2 parts: here and here. From Capitalism magazine.

Much is made of the fact that gasoline prices go up before the higher priced oil is turned into gasoline. What something cost is history, what it is worth now is economics.

Back during the first Gulf War, a speculator bought oil in Venezuela and had it shipped to the United States, in order to profit from the high oil prices brought on by the war. But, by the time his oil tanker reached the United States, the war was over and prices had fallen so much that he couldn't sell his oil for enough to cover his costs.

What his oil cost him was history. What it was worth now was economics.

Dr. Sowell is an economist, not a historian, and writes on the subject so that nearly anyone can understand it.

And lastly, one of the best studies on oil pricing I have read recently, from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, linking economic freedom in the producing countries to world oil supply:

The center of gravity among energy-industry experts isn't as alarmist. The U.S. Energy Information Administration, the International Energy Agency and Daniel Yergin's Cambridge Energy Research Associates all see sufficient oil resources to supply generations to come. Price pressures will moderate as new production reaches the market. ...snip...

World economies differ greatly in their capacity to organize enterprises, adopt new technologies, raise capital and supply what consumers want. When it comes to increasing oil production, economic systems matter quite a bit. More oil would flow onto world markets and prices would be lower if major oil resources were in countries where producers responded freely to market incentives. The extent of economic freedom in the countries with the world's oil supplies will greatly affect how well that oil is delivered to consumers.

Great stuff. Read this whole thing, too.

The oil spike of 2006 is a Seinfeld news cycle, a story about nothing.

But the cures being offered may get us some real tragedy. "These prices are a signal that the market is working, not that it's failing," says Donald J. Boudreaux, professor of economics at George Mason University. "I can remember the seventies, when there was actual gas rationing—on a first come, first serve basis, on odd/even days. Believe me, it's much better to pay an extra dollar a gallon rather than endure any of those things."

Read the whole thing: some well reasoned discussion of the "cures" to high gas prices currently being discussed from Reason.

To answer the Question du Jour:

Yes, I am "ready" to see a movie like United 93. I was ready by about September 11th, 2002, if not earlier, you bed-wetting, hand-wringing, concern-swapping, fat, comfortable, West-hating liberal pu*****.

Thank you for asking.

iowahawk. Now.

Would it be too cynical and/or coldhearted to guess that the nation's emergency rooms and maternity wings are not among those establishments to be boycotted come Monday?

Moonbattery in its purest form sporting tin-foil sombreros:

URGENT ALERT: From The Revolutionary Council and Provisional Government of Aztlan

April 26, 2006

Estimada Raza de Aztlan and Beyond,

Our Director of Special Intelligence Services has brought to our attention disturbing information that threatens the safety of our families. This information requires that we prepare a defense strategy to protect our communities.

Due to the recent large demonstrations of our people in major cities in occupied Anahuac, extremist European invaders are preparing violent actions against us. They are expected to use physical violence in the upcoming marches and rallies planned for May 1, 2006 and we must take steps to protect our families.

The Director of Special Intelligence Services has reliable information that anti-Mexican forces in Aztlan and in certain other area of Anahuac, are preparing to utilize explosives and snipers to kill our people.

It goes on for a few more hilarious paragraphs (over at Michelle Malkin).

Aztlan continues its quest to take back the land that their ancestors stole from the indians. A noble cause, that.

Oh my gosh! Three whole dollars for a gallon of gasoline? You have to be kidding me! There must obviously be gouging involved! I say we make the evil oil companies give up 100% of their profits!

That way we could bring the price down to.....uh....er.....$2.75 per gallon.

Say, that sounds like a great idea. Take away 100% of the incentive for creating a supply of gasoline to get the price down to $2.75. An idea so great that only the truly gifted of our time, say, Bee County Judge "Gimme, Gimme" Jimmy Martinez would think of it. Along with a few select United States Senators, no doubt.

I can understand the ire of the public by Exxon CEO Lee Raymond getting a whopping $470 million bucks. What kind of world is it where CEO's of major corporations that help secure us all a steady supply of gasoline and other energy products are paid like really, really good baseball players?

Why in the world should Exxon's CEO get to have a net worth that is almost half that of Oprah Winfrey? Or even 10% of David Geffen's. Or 20% of Steven Speilberg's. Or having 25% of Mark Cuban's net worth, whose sole contribution to the nation's commerce was selling an internet company to Yahoo and managing to cash out before Yahoo found out it was as worthless as most of the other e-bombs. You know....people truly, truly important to our well being and instrumental to us living out our daily lives?

Is $470 million dollars a large amount? You bet it is. It seems overly large to me. But I am not an Exxon shareholder nor am I forced to buy their product. So. It. Is. None. Of. My. Business.

But get a grip you whiny-pusses. Lee Raymond got a fat $470 million retirement package after 12 years of running the largest U.S. oil company for twelve years.

George Lucas got paid $290 million...in 2005 alone... for providing increasingly lame movies, action figures, and themed lunch boxes to the pale, friendless, virgin community.

Midlanders, Bee County residents, Texans in general: Fill up on Monday at your local Exxon or Mobil station. Show your support for one of the many companies that assures us a steady, reasonably priced supply of fuel. And show your support for a company that is villified for its success.

This won't help the mom and pop independent retailers in the boycott-focused county unless the word gets to the residents of the county, too. Know someone in Bee County? Send 'em a link!

One of the most heartening things I've heard in a long time.

NEWS ALERT (9:26 pm) from The Wall Street Journal The White House will name Fox News personality Tony Snow as press secretary, Republican officials said.

As first mentioned here, it looks like our friend Tony Snow is likely "in" as White House spokesman and daily dealer with the Press Corps. Congrats, Tony! You've got to like someone in that position that is courageous enough to write something like this:

Last month, Snow wrote that Bush and the Republican Congress had "lost control of the federal budget and cannot resist the temptation to stop raiding the public fisc. (treasury)"

UPDATE:

President Bush: "Good morning. I'm here in the briefing room to break some news: I've asked Tony Snow to serve as my new press secretary. Tony already knows most of you, and he's agreed to take the job anyway. And I'm really glad he did."

Tony Snow: "...These are times that are going to be very challenging. We've got a lot of big issues ahead and we've got a lot of important things that all of us are going to be covering together. And I am very excited and I can't wait."

Read the whole transcript.

I think that this is the best local example of a government agency or program that has outlived its original task, retasking itself to keep its lock on those taxpayer dollars:

"This is a continuing pattern we have had for some time, and with the amount of activity, not only new companies looking at Midland but companies looking to expand, we will continue to have," said Blake Wallace, vice president for economic development with the Midland Chamber of Commerce.

Some companies looking to fill positions locally are having difficulty finding workers, Wallace said, one reason he is looking forward to having a new Workforce Coordinator coming on board by May 1. No one has been selected yet, he said, but the coordinator will work with the Permian Basin Workforce Development Board, various companies and personnel companies to address the city's labor issues.

So we're going to have a vice president for economic development and a Workforce Coordinator (as yet unselected, but supposed to start working in a week...). With the state's lowest unemployment (statistically the city is at "full employment") what can these guys do? What are the "labor issues" that need to be "addressed"?

If I remember correctly, the purpose of these folks taking our tax dollars was to improve the employment conditions in Midland, add jobs and diversify the economy. We have argued here whether they have had any measurable effect outside of a couple of call centers and handing money to local businesses that were going to expand here whether they got the tax-dollar-funded grant or not.

The whole point of bringing "new industries" to Midland, including call centers, was to provide good jobs for the un- and under-employed here. Done. Now I think we are cannibalizing the surrounding towns to staff our service jobs.

I'd be willing to let these guys declare victory and claim the low employment rate to be their doing IF they would quit, give back the tax revenue they are currently spending and get a real job, maybe with a local private employment agency. Those agencies are the ones connected to companies with serious jobs and real incentives that can entice higher payed employees to move to Midland.

Things That Make the Internet Great, Part XXXLVII:

A Church Sign Smackdown.

Must reading (outside of the other posts on this here blog) for today: Michelle Malkin.

This could be bad PR for the Midland Horsehoe if it is not worked out.....so look for it to be worked out.

Leanna Dalager, a 4-H club mother, said the club's members were accustomed to using the rodeo arena outside of the old exhibit building before the construction of the Horseshoe. She said when weather conditions permitted it, 4-H members would use the rodeo arena for practice, free of charge, once or twice a month. Since the construction of the Horseshoe, Dalager said the old rodeo arena has been closed to the public, forcing the group to either rent the Horseshoe for practices or try to meet at a member's house.

"4-H students need to practice somewhere and they can't afford $1,000 a day," Dalager said, referring to the rental rate for the Horseshoe's main arena building.

She said the group was informed about three weeks ago that the old rodeo arena would no longer be accessible to the public. The club last used the rodeo arena in the fall of 2005 for a ranch rodeo, Dalager said, and since then the property has become overgrown. Club members have tried to meet at one another's homes for practice sessions, she said, but it can be difficult to find a place to practice that can accommodate multiple people and horses.

4-H shows and things like it were a large part of the justification for the Midland Horseshoe. I don't know the number of hours of practice/preparation etc. is involved for every hour of actual "show" time but I would bet that it is a pretty high multiple so if the new Midland Horsehoe is not to be an actual detriment to the 4-H clubs accomodations will need to be made.

The Iron Rule of Unintended Consequences never fails.

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan is gone.

Who better to replace him than the first MSM guy to give a hat tip to a blog....we think.

Hat Tip: Roger L. Simon.

UPDATE: Although, I sure could go for Mr. Stick Figure also.

"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Groucho Marx ...today's entry in the Forbes desk calendar.

More headlines. This from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

It looks like it must have cleared up before they took the mug shot.

Today's MR-T headline says that the price of oil has "settled at a record high".

Disturbing indeed.

One can only hope that it will skyrocket back down.

Excessive executive compensation is one thing. The market price of oil is another.

Emperor Misha throws up a post that indicates he is emoting on the subject rather than thinking.

Big news in the world of Midland Downtown development:

A brave entrepreneur has set up shop with a hot dog cart in the park east of the courthouse. Go give her some business before she gets assessed for her share of the coming MDDD "improvements."

At least someone may have been listening.

I wonder what the average number of movies seen by Americans each year are and what the trend is.

I (used to, anyway) consider myself a moviegoer. I like the movies. But I have hardly been in a year or so. I was curious enough about this to the extent that I clicked on over to Box Office Mojo and looked at the list of movies for 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006, and counted up the number of movies on each list that I paid to see at a theatre.

The results:

2003: 20
2004: 17
2005: 10
2006 (To date) : 1

Is it me, or is it Hollywood?

Yeah, so Borders and Comedy Central self-censor for fear of violence and retaliation from religious fanatics and, generally, nobody bats an eye.

I guess because Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell are not among those doing the threatening.

Kevin Phillips, please call your office.

Lileks on La Femme Perqui:

As for Katie Couric taking over the CBS news: if you spot me a whoop, I could probably muster a de-do, but I'd have to borrow the de, and I'm not putting down a deposit. My paper has the story on the front page, above the fold, with a big photo of La Femme Perqui; the headline reads NEW ANCHOR, NEW ERA.

In other news: "Captain Smith, you stand relieved. I'll take the helm." "Thank you, Mr. Lightholler."

The money is great to be sure, but Couric is the most recent new anchor to get handed the keys not to the shiny Cadillac that was given to Cronkite and Brokaw and Jennings....but the used but-not-yet-a-beater that Brian Williams and...and....good Lord, I can't even tell you who took over for Peter Jennings....are now driving.

Update: I actually had to go to ABCNews.com to look up who is their anchor over there. It is (officially) Bob Woodruff, who I was very pleased to find out was doing pretty well after his injury in Iraq.

From The Front Page:

"Would you rather sleep with Ann Coulter or Dianne Feinstein?" Elle magazine asks the actor in a raunchy interview.

"I gotta go with Feinstein," Kim Basinger's ex answers. "With Coulter, we'd have sex and I'd have to jump out the window. I wouldn't even get dressed."

Yesterday, Coulter told Lowdown: "That's the only reason I can think of for wanting to have sex with Alec Baldwin."

I guess that is the difference between someone who writes their own words and someone who repeats other's words for a living. Baldwin senses he needs to provide the big funny but can't deliver. Coulter delivers.

As to Baldwin's high-minded Gentlemanliness, get this little nugget from the same article:

The 48-year-old Baldwin - who's at work on a book based on his nasty divorce and child-custody battle with the 52-year-old Basinger [emphasis mine] - advises: "If you do get married, get a prenup. It's not about money at all. It's about having a document that states how you'll dissolve your marriage while you still have a shred of respect for each other."

How about man-children just not getting married in the first place?

But just in case you don't think Mr. Baldwin is willing to give his all for what he believes is right for his country...

The actor adds that he's such a loyal Democrat, he'd abstain from sex for a month if it meant a Dem would be the next occupant of the White House.

Jimmy Stewart became a bomber pilot. Alec Baldwin is willing to give up meaningless sex...for a whole month.

The sad thing is that Baldwin represents today's Hollywood pretty well.

(h/t Little Green Footballs)

Inbound Google Search Term of the Day: Odessa prostitutes.

Former Democratic U.S. Senator and former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell has been selected to conduct the probe into steroid use in Major League Baseball in general and Barry Bonds in particular.

Maybe I am just paraniod...but I have this sneaking suspicion that the problem will all be traced back to the Texas Rangers club sometime between the years 1989-1994.

All the story needs now is for Dan Rather and Mary Mapes to air a newly discovered Podcast from 1990 that has Bobby Valentine resisting pressure from then Managing Owner Bush to get the team juiced up.

It could happen......again.

Jose Padilla!

Maybe this is the last we'll hear from him.

BTW, I am glad that we resisted the urge to do an April Fool's post around here. Tempting it was, but quite beneath us.