Public Pressure Really Can Work! November 20, 2006

Today we learned that the "People" can be heard when they speak in a loud and united voice. News Corp. Chairman and Managing Direcor Rupert Murdoch has pulled the plug on the OJ Simpson special where Simpson was to tell the world "If I had ... blah blah blah."

Because of the intense public outcry over Simpson's book deal and matching tv special on FOX.....the books are being recalled from stores and the tv special has been cancelled. But it wasn't just public outcry that got Murdoch attention. There were some rather tense conversations taking place even within the FOX family. Fox affilliates owned by Lin Broadcasting and Pappas Broadcasting pulled the show from their respective schedules and the folks at Fox NewsChannel were very vocal in their opposition to the airing of this hideous show by their sister network. On the air, it was Bill O'Reilly and Sheppard Smith who were most vocal on the issue. Smith went as far to say the show was "airing on FOX....but not this Fox Channel." In announcing the cancellation of the show and book recall, Rupert Murdoch said, "I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project." He also apologized for any pain this has caused the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown-Simpson.

For once, it appears that basic human decency trumped ratings & the lust for money. Doing the right thing is something that, in recent years, has become almost non-existent in the media and Hollywood, but this time right won out. The American public stood up and made their voices heard by the hundreds of thousands. A major network was reminded that there are lines that can not and should never be crossed. But we also learned another very important lesson....when applied properly, public pressure really can work.

Would you have read the book or watched the tv special?(closed poll)

Yes, I already bought the soda & popcorn! 0

No, not even with your eyes! 5

I don't have clue! 0

originally posted 11-20-06 on Yahoo 360

Here We Go Again!, April 24, 2006

WHOSE FAULT IS IT ANYWAY? Once again the American motoring public is facing three dollar a gallon gasoline. If you've filled up lately, you undoubtedly know the various feelings anger and frustration with the situation. Who do you blame? The most obvious target would be the oil companies. Guys like Bill O'Reily jump on that bandwagon real fast and incite lots of other people to do the same. Who could blame them when you see retiring oil execs walking away with almost half a billion in retirement benefits? While it's true that the big oil companies are definitely taking advantage of a volitile situation to fatten their bottom line, the problem DOES NOT START with them.

Some Americans with a deep sense of nationalism that borders on protectionism make the leap of blaming the OPEC cartel. While OPEC member nations and other oil producing nations can affect the global price of oil based on their daily output, all current indications are that those countries are producing at (or reasonably close to) capacity. When we see photos and video of the mansions of the Saudi Royal Family, it isn't hard to understand why Americans would want to blame them. But in reality, they aren't to blame either. Like America's big oil companies, they are taking advantage of a situation that was not of their creation.

The one group that you hear no one blame for high oil prices is the group of men and women who trade at the different comodity exchanges here in the United States. This group is the one responsible for setting the market price for a barrel of oil. There are many factors that are considered in the process. Things like geopolitical situations, civil unrest, a nations stablity or lack there of are just a few of the things that might affect their decision making process. There are also other factors that figure into the mix. Some of those factors (justified or not) are terrorism fears, concerns about the upcoming hurricane season, fears where countries like Iran are concerned, and then there is the plain old human greed that is so often associated with Wall Street and comodity traders.

This is where the spiraling costs for oil and gasoline starts. It doesn't necessarily end with them. However when you consider that it cost the most oil producing nations an average of 5 or 6 bucks to pump a barrel of the stuff out of the ground and we see these guys set the daily price of a barrel at an average of 70 dollars this past week......well it becomes just as frustrating as the 3 dollar a gallon gas prices.

If you have the desire and patience to learn more about the process, there are documents online that explains the process. CLICK HERE The documents are rather dry and technical, but interesting nonetheless. It's a real eye opener if you are inclined to check it out.

Who do you believe to be responsible for the high gas prices? (closed poll)

OPEC 1

OIL COMPANIES 2

COMODITY TRADERS 8

GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS 3

(originally posted 4-24-06 on Yahoo 360)