It's still my blog!!

Just decided it was time for a new outfit.

Where do your Petrodollars go?

The Energy Information Administration, a department of the US Dept of Energy, publishes a monthly report listing all petroleum products imported into the United States, broken down by company.

There's some interesting stuff in there. Personally, I like to get gas from companies that import little or no oil from oppressive Theocracies. This report identifies them.

You can download the spreadsheet for yourself here (top link in the list), but I've prepared some quick statistics on the major-brand gas retailers. It's not 100% reliable because independent gas stations buy from a variety of importers & refiners - but rather directionally helpful.
Given, I arbitrarily selected Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Libya. I left out several moderate Arab states like Oman and Kuwait. But through this lens, some things are starkly apparent.

• ExxonMobil - more than 40% of their oil imports come from Saudi Arabia & Iraq
• Chevron - not far behind, with 34% of petroleum imports coming from those two countries
• Marathon - imports 28% of their petroleum from Saudi Arabia
• BP & Valero - both get more than one fifth of their oil from Iraq, Libya & Saudi Arabia

On the flip-side, these companies import little or no petroleum from Iraq, Libya & SA:

• Hess
• Irving
• Sinclair
• Citgo (mostly from Venezuela; I'm okay with that)
• Sunoco
• Shell (imports less than 6% from Libya)
• ConocoPhillips (imports 8.4% from the three, but only 1.3% from Saudi Arabia)

The experts say this is a goofy way to decide where to fill your tank - since there's a limited supply of petroleum, any intelligent company is going to buy from where there's availability - but I have to admit that the silver lining of filling my tank at Sunoco or Shell is knowing that not a penny of it is going to line the pockets of the Saudi royal family.

EDIT: And while all of this data is just for the month of August, I've pulled the report in other months and the percentages are relatively consistent.

Bad week for Zoos & Aquariums

An angry rhino attacks and kills his cellmate at the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk.

The Georgia Aquarium experiences paranormal activity while hosting relics from the Titanic.

And, double-whammy for Atlanta - a pregnant elephant at Zoo Atlanta has died. After unexplained weight loss of 800 lb!!!!

Jews for Jesus: They want to rescue my soul and my vote, too! (A multiple-choice question)

A true email exchange.

Video from Jewish Syndicated Columnist
CreationsByTim@a*l.com Mon, Oct 27, 2008 at 4:03 PM
To: Flipper

Please watch this short video by syndicated Jewish columnist.
shocking and revealing.

http://www.breitbart.tv/?p=193353

THE JEWISH CASE AGAINST OBAMA

This clearly presents the positions of Obama. He is no friend of Israel
As a Jew, many people ask me who I am supporting in the upcoming Presidential election, my response has always been, and will remain, who will be the best supporter of Israel?
The United States position on the future and well-being of Israel is at stake and it is my Biblical responsibility to defend God's People, my people and His Land, I will support nothing less......If we Americans take care of the "Apple of God's Eye," then He will take care of America. There can be no compromise.
There is much at stake in the upcoming election, it is my prayer that you will prayerfully consider your vote as well.
Blessings Robin

Video from Jewish Syndicated Columnist
From: Flipper Mon, Oct 27, 2008 at 4:19 PM
To: CreationsByTim@a*l.com

Who are you?
Where did you get my email address?


Read up.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/opinion/18friedman.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrill_McPeak#McPeak.27s_response

The sensationalist crap doesn't work so well with me. I happen to know one of Sen. Obama's senior Middle East advisors personally.

Note - at this point, I also forward the original email to AOL's TOS abuse address to complain about being spammed.

Video from Jewish Syndicated Columnist
CreationsByTim@a*l.com Mon, Oct 27, 2008 at 4:36 PM
To: Flipper

Your email is posted on your website. I too am Jewish. I am trying to get the truth out to my people. God forbid this man should get into office. Have you seen this?
YouTube - Gaddafi: Obama is a Muslim - Foreign Donations to the Obama Campaign

Video from Jewish Syndicated Columnist
Flipper Mon, Oct 27, 2008 at 4:41 PM
To: CreationsByTim@a*l.com

Jewish, eh? Bridgeway Church is an interesting choice for a Jew...

(I, too, can Google)

And please turn down Rush & Hannity long enough to actually learn some facts.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/donations.asp

Anything further from you is headed straight into my Spam folder where it belongs, so please don't bother.

Re: Video from Jewish Syndicated Columnist
CreationsByTim@a*l.com Mon, Oct 27, 2008 at 4:49 PM
To: Flipper

Have you ever heard of a Messianic Jew....there are plenty of us out here.

At this point:

A. I respond with "HAAAA HAAA HAA Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!! Messianic Jew. That's funny."

B. I respond with "Given the paucity of actual facts in the sources you've sent, I deduce that your 'concern' for Israel is simply your presumption of the best way to prevent me from voting for a Pro-choice, pro-equal-rights candidate? You see, I have a degree in Early Christianity (or, as I like to call it, Messianic Jews (Pagans too) version 1.0). So I'm rather suspect of your motivations. And while it's certainly noble to think you can influence the outcome of the democratic process, Spaming with sensationalist BS is a pretty pathetic M.O. So I ask you, with all sincerity, to please get a life. Preferably, one that doesn't involve trying to convince others that their millenia-old heritage is bogus."

C. True to my earlier promise, I do not respond at all.

Okay, fine, it was C. And for the record - I found one blog post on Flippish in which I accidentally included my email address. I'd posted to the blog via email and forgot to erase my standard footer. Now remedied.

So... what do you think, folks?