Or at least trying to EDUCATE our beloved dingbat senators… That would describe how yesterdays testimony of the oil execs went yesterday. It was the usual blame the oil companies grilling.

Here’s what the oil execs told Congress:

WASHINGTON (Thomson Financial) - Major oil companies today called on members of the US Senate to help ensure a growingsupply of US oil and gas by allowing expanded energy exploration in the US, and avoiding higher taxes on oil companies that would limit their ability to invest in energy development.

‘Congress has recently made some hard policy choices on renewables and energy efficiency,’ said Peter Robertson, vice chairman of the board of Chevron (nyse:CVX - news - people ) Corp. ‘We hope you can also make the equally hard choices to open up more federal lands and allow us to responsibly produce more American oil and natural gas, which can supply us for decades to come.’

John Hofmeister, president of Shell Oil, said his company and others are prohibited from exploring for more energy resources in the majority of US lands and offshore, and prohibited from even analyzing potential resources in several areas.

‘The cumulative effect of these policies has been to discourage US investment and send US companies outside the United States to produce new supplies,’ Hofmeister said. ‘As a result, US production has declined so much that nearly 60 percent of daily consumption comes from foreign sources.’

Oil company executives also said that while they continue to spend billions of dollars exploring alternative energy, Congress should not over-encourage this exploration to the point that oil and gas are discouraged.

‘We support incentives for alternatives, but taking one form of energy to encourage production of another will reduce the ability to keep up with growing US energy demand,’ said Robert Malone, chairman and president of BP (nyse: BP - news - people ) America. ‘This nation should be encouraging production of all forms of energy, especially oil and gas.’

They also warned that higher taxes on oil companies would only make it more difficult for companies to maintain the large investments needed to keep energy flowing to US consumers.

‘We urge you not to pass measures that have public appeal but would be counterproductive, such as tax increases that diminish our investment capabilities, reduce the attractiveness of high-cost domestic production, or disadvantage US oil and gas companies,’ said John Lowe (nyse: LOW -news - people ), executive vice president of ConocoPhillips (nyse: COP -news - people ).

‘When prices are high, the urge to point fingers at oil companies is strong,’ added Stephen Simon, senior vice president of Exxon Mobil (nyse: XOM- news - people ). ‘But undercutting the ability of American companies like ExxonMobil to compete in a huge global marketplace only makes it harder for Americans to secure the energy they need at competitive prices.’

Today’s Senate hearing, before the Senate Judiciary Committee, was aimed at exploring the high price of oil, which crossed 130 usd per barrel today. Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy of Vermont focused on the high salaries of US oil company executives and the high profits of these companies.

Democratic Senator Herb Kohl of Wisconsin also focused on high profits during the hearing, although many oil executives said their planned investment levels will exceed their annual profits.

Simon of Exxon Mobil added that profit margins of oil companies are now lower. Hofmeister of Shell also noted that while the absolute numbers used to describe oil company profitability are high, Shell in its most recent year made a profit of 6.9 pct of its revenues, which is a relatively normal return on investment.

6.9% of revenue……. Jay Weber had a good question for Herb Kohl… What’s your profit margin on Bucks tickets?

It’s time to start drilling….NOW

Planet P

Why Me

Now get that tune in your head ( I expect nasty emails cause your gonna be singing it all night )

Now think Obamanation…..

I heard this on Rush’s today and waited ever so patiently for the transcript to post it.

Do want to point out one of BHO’s flaws???

RUSH: He’s warning the good old boys in Tennessee, the GOP, lay off his wife. Now, his wife’s out there making statements, making speeches, policy statements, she’s on the campaign trail telling women, don’t go into corporate America, stay dirt poor in your present jobs helping people change bedpans and stuff, don’t do any of this. (interruption) What do you mean, unacceptable? Talking about his wife? Can’t talk about his wife, it’s unacceptable. Can’t talk about his big ears; can’t talk about his mother; can’t talk about his father; we can’t talk about his grandmother unless he does. But only he’s allowed to bring her up as a “typical white person.” We can’t talk about his wife now. We can’t talk about that nutcase preacher. We can’t mention his middle name. We can’t talk about his terrorist friends. We can’t talk about his bomber friends. We cannot talk about his voting record. We can’t talk about his religion. We cannot talk about his buddies that shake people down in real estate. We can’t talk about appeasement.

We can’t talk about color. We can’t talk about lack of color. We can’t talk about race. We can’t talk about bombers and mobsters who are his best friends. We can’t talk about schooling. We can’t talk about his name, Hussein. We can’t talk about his lack of experience. We can’t talk about his income. We can’t talk about his flag pin. All these are distortions, all these are distractions, all of these are the politics of usual. It all started out we couldn’t talk about his ears. Now we can’t say anything about the guy. That’s acceptable. We can’t say anything. He is a messiah. We can’t say a word. Now we gotta lay off his wife.

CAN’T SAY THAT!!!!

You people that elected Dr. Steve Kagen are bunch of dumb clucks….

The good doctor believes that suing OPEC is the way to lower fuel prices because it will fix that whole supply and demand thing. I’m so glad he was never my doctor…..

We’ve got something like 200 years of oil reserves in this country just waiting to be tapped so we can end our dependency on foreign oil and instead of drilling, Kagen wants to sue…….

BRILLIANT!!!

H/T: Who the hell is Dr. Kagen

You remember the story about the 75,000 people who showed up to hear the Obamanation speak in Oregon?

There was a little something that the MSM missed in the story. A FREE concert by a hugely popular Portland band called The Decemberist……

From News Busters:

From CNN to the New York Times, the media hyped Barack Obama’s Portland, Oregon rally on Sunday, some comparing him to a rock star.

Unmentioned in national reporting was the fact that Obama was preceded by a rare, 45-minute free concert by actual rock stars The Decemberists. The Portland-based band has drawn rave reviews from Rolling Stone magazine, which gave their 2005 album Picaresque four and a half stars (out of five), and another four and a half stars for 2007’s The Crane Wife.

How many of the people showed up to hear Obama, and how many to hear the band?

Here’s how the local paper The Oregonian, which estimated the crowd at 72,000, reported the rally:

“Obama was the biggest star at Sunday’s gathering — though a popular Portland band, The Decemberists, provided the warmup act. With blue skies and temperatures in the 80s, many in the crowd said Waterfront Park was simply the place to be.”

CNN headlined its 10 p.m. segment on May 18 with “Barack Obama: Achieving Rock Star Status in Oregon.”

The New York Times, which ran a color photo of the crowd, estimated the throng at 75,000, noting that it was “the largest crowd of his campaign so far.” There was no mention of The Decemberists, and the Times described the weather as “an unseasonably hot day.”

Oooops….. We forgot to mention that. Whatever.

The MSM is soooooo in the tank for Obama….. Surprised? Not so much…

This is a good follow up to the previous post.

Michael Ramirez

Jay Weber had another outstanding show this morning. Most of the time was spent discussing this video:

Sound familiar? Sounds a bit Cateresque, doesn’t it.

No new life saving technology. So strategic defense. NO DETERRENCE..

This is a scary man.

I really hope this is commercial that will aired nation wide. People need to see what this guy is about.

Soundgarden

Spoon Man…. Sorry, Artis isn’t in this one.

From Banker Dude:

Milwaukee County’s financial health improves
All three of Milwaukee County’s bond rating agencies have assigned positive ratings to the county’s $30.86 million General Obligation Corporate Purpose Bonds, Series 2008A. The county’s ratings are vastly improved from those in the immediate aftermath of the county pension scandal. The improved ratings mean the county can borrow funds at lower interest rates in the future.

In particular, the county is encouraged by Moody’s decision to change its outlook from “negative” to a stable “Aa3″ rating. Moody’s indicated the county has made significant strides to reducing its largest expenditure pressures related to its pension system and employee and retiree health care costs. “This news is very encouraging for the county, in both the short-term and long-term, as we work to improve services for the residents of Milwaukee County,” said Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker.

“The county is improving,” said County Board Chairman Lee Holloway. “The future is brighter than it was before. We are on the right path in managing our financial objectives, and we should all be pleased with this positive change in our fiscal outlook.” Fitch Ratings-Chicago assigned an “AA” rating to the county’s bonds, indicating that the county government has eliminated certain pension benefits for new employees and will focus on cost constraint through better oversight. Standard & Poor’s Financial Management Assessment said the county’s financial management practices are considered “strong.”

Yes, Lee, the county is improving but no thanks to you. I BLAME SCOTT WALKER!!!!

Scott, as a conservative, has worked his butt off to curb spending and pull the county out of the crapper that F. Tom Ament tried to flush it down.

Now that Milwaukee’s finances are looking better, we should now focus on the state….

HEY SCOTT!!!!! THAT’S A HINT!!!!!!!

I had lunch today with an endangered species………

A Madison conservative.

Thanks for lunch Dave.

Bill Chase

Open Up Wide

There is no video, just great music. You may be able to figure out what instrument I play…..

Algore says the debates over but it seems to me that it never started.

From Michelle Malkin

Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine (OISM)

Who: Dr. Arthur Robinson of the OISM

What: release of names in OISM “Petition Project”

When: 10 AM, Monday May 19

Where: Holeman Lounge at the National Press Club, 529 14th St., NW, Washington, DC

Why: the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine (OISM) will announce that more than 31,000 scientists have signed a petition rejecting claims of human-caused global warming. The purpose of OISM’s Petition Project is to demonstrate that the claim of “settled science” and an overwhelming “consensus” in favor of the hypothesis of human-caused global warming and consequent climate damage is wrong. No such consensus or settled science exists. As indicated by the petition text and signatory list, a very large number of American scientists reject this hypothesis.

It is evident that 31,072 Americans with university degrees in science - including 9,021 PhDs, are not “a few.” Moreover, from the clear and strong petition statement that they have signed, it is evident that these 31,072 American scientists are not “skeptics.”

This will be totally overlooked by the MSM and John McRINO will keep pandering for the environmentalist whacko vote.

BTW….. It’s May 19th and there was FROST on my grass this morning….

Rush

YYZ Live

The trial of FORMER alderman Michael McJackGeeCrookCriminalGangstagee Jr. starts today. The judge ordered that race will not be injected in this trial. This is funny because Mcdingbat’s attorney, Larraine McNamara-McGraw, is going to claim that “Whitey” doesn’t understand street lingo and her client is innocent and is being held without bail for no reason.

My question is; If he’s being held in jail without cause, why does he keep trying to push the trial back?? What’s he affraid of??

I’m predicting GUILTY…

On this, the weekend in which Ol’ Broad and Family are at the NRA Convention in Louisville, the words of Darrell Scott where emailed to me. Darrell’s daughter was killed at Columbine and his son was wounded. He spoke these words to Congress on May 27th, 1999.

At this very moment in a cemetery in Southern Denver - Chapel Hill Cemetery - they’re erecting 13 crosses that I think are well known across the country, as a permanent memorial at the head of my daughter’s grave. And my heart really longs to be there with my children, Bethany and her husband Don, Dana, Craig, and Mike, but it’s with their blessing that I’m here today, and I appreciate that.

I realize that I’m a mere pawn in today’s hearings, but I’m a willing pawn, because I dare to believe that I can make a difference. Every once in awhile, a pawn has been used to checkmate a king. I have no hidden agenda, and of course I have no political aspirations. I simply speak to you as a brokenhearted father, and I only ask that you allow your heart to hear me for the next few minutes.

Since the dawn of creation, there has been both good and evil in the hearts of men and women, and we all contain those seeds: We contain the seeds of kindness and we contain the seeds of violence. And the death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joyce Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other 11 children who died, must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers.

The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used, neither was it the NCA - the National Club Association - the true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in his heart. In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA, I am not a hunter, I do not even own a gun, I’m not here to represent or to defend the NRA, because I don’t believe they are responsible for my daughter’s death, therefore I don’t believe they need to be defended by me. If I believed that they had anything to do with Rachel’s murder, I would be their strongest opponent. I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tradgedy, it was a spiritual event which should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies. Much of that blame lies here in this room - much of that blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves.

I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expressed my feelings best, and it was written before I knew that I would be speaking here today, and I’d like to read that:

Men and women are three part beings: we have a body, and we have a soul, and we have a spirit … And I believe we fail to recognize that third element, that really does need to be recognized by the legislative bodies of this country, that’s been ignored for so long. Spiritual influences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation’s history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries, and we know this is a historic fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We’ve refused to honor God, and in doing so we opened the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine’s tragedy occurs, politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that continue to erode away our personal and private liberties.

We don’t need more restrictive laws. Erik and Dylan would not have been stopped by more gun laws or metal detectors. No amount of laws can stop someone who spends months of planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts. Political posturing and restrictive legislation are not the answers. The young people of our nation hold the key, and there is a spiritual awakening that is taking place that will not be squelched. We don’t need more religion, we don’t need more gaudy television evangelists spewing out verbal religious garbage, we do not need more million dollar church buildings built while people’s basic needs are being ignored. We do need a change of heart and a humble acknowledgment that this nation was founded on the principle of simple trust in God.

When my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he didn’t hesitate to pray in school, and I defy any law or politician to deny him that right. I challenge every young person in America and around the world to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School, prayer was brought back to our schools. Don’t let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your conscience and denies your God-given right to communicate with Him.

And to those of you who would blame the NRA, I give to you a sincere challenge: dare to examine your own heart before you cast the first stone. My daughter’s death will not be in vain: the young people of this country will not allow that to happen. And remember that even a pawn in a master’s hand can accomplish much.

Thank you very much.

H/T: Cousin Jim

Frost possible tonight

Cooler termperatures, light rain and a chance of frost are in the forecast for today and tonight in southeastern Wisconsin.

Bit me, junk science boy…..

ELO

Fire On High

Sheesh.

H/T: Ick

What say you??

WOW…Heh… I mean WOW!!!!

H/T: American and Proud

Dream Theater……

Enjoy