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I had to do my weekly duty Saturday morning, filling up my truck with gas!  These days I put that off as long and I can because of the shock of how much gasoline is costing these days.  I “traded down” last year from a full size pickup truck to a mid sized pickup to save some fuel.  My problem is, that I need something that is capable of pulling my bike trailer and that usually means a vehicle with some weight to it and a V8 engine.  (OK, and I like V8’s too)  Filling up the truck can be painful to the wallet.  Some people tell me that they are filling up when their tank is only half empty because the “sticker shock” is somewhat less.  Still costs the same, but maybe it makes them feel better.

There are a lot of factors that are contributing to high gasoline prices…speculators, Libya and general unrest in the Middle East, and of course bureaucrats and their regulations.  Read this article on Fox News:

EPA Rules Forces Shell to Abandon Oil Drilling Plans

So we have potentially 27 Billion barrels of oil that we can’t get to because the EPA is holding up the permit because Shell omitted the emissions from an Ice Breaker vessel when they calculated the emissions from the sight.  WTF?  Shell has invested $6.6 Billion so far in leasing and exploration costs and looks like will get no return on this investment if the EPA has anything to do with it.  Who will pay that $6.6 Billion?  Anyone who buys Shell gasoline, and they won’t have anything to show for it either!

The Obama administration is not just after oil, they are after coal too.  The Obama EPA pulled an already issued permit for a mountain top coal mining operation in southern West Virginia last year.  Link. Obama is using the EPA to do what he couldn’t do with the legislature or the courts.

He is doing what he can to push his agenda, that is, he is going to make energy prices so high that we’ll have to buy these crappy electric cars.  Then, because the electric cars have such a limited range he can make a case for public transportation like high speed rail projects.  These will be public projects, not private projects.  Public because the are economically a disaster, no private company would consider a project that has no return on investment.  So public money will have to be poured into them build them and to subsidize their operation.  Oh, and of course, public projects that will be built by union labor….that’s a law you know.   And, of course, the people who run these public transportation systems will be public employees too, and aren’t they union?  Are you beginning to see the light now?  Just a little maybe?

But, your President has ordered an “Investigation” to make sure that there hasn’t been any fraud in connection with the sudden hike in gas prices.  Every administration has pulled this same shell (no pun intended) game when gasoline prices rise.  I’m not falling for it….are you?

It is said that a single picture is worth 1000 words.  This picture fully illustrates the 2011 Federal Budget.

This cartoon puts the recently passed budget plan in proper perspective. It is simply crumbs compared to the current budget and budget deficit! Even after the November election Congress still doesn’t get it do they? During the debate leading up to this “groundbreaking” POS, I called my representative and let him know that I would rather see the government shut down than compromise on a budget bill. Didn’t help did it?

After spending several hours under the car this weekend I have added a new How To page to the site, “How to Change O2 sensors on a ’94 Corvette.” Several weeks ago I came across a good deal on a very clean ’94 Corvette and I couldn’t resist it. It is very clean, but it is a 17 year old car and it does need some repairs to get it back into tip top shape. I’ve often thought that I would like a Corvette and now I have one. It is somewhat a “his” and “hers” thing. Barb has the ’81 Trans Am, and now I have something to take to the car shows.

The How To gives a brief description on what tools are needed and how to get the sensors out and back into the car. It is not really a hard job, but it does require being a bit careful as not to cause more damage. It could be a knuckle buster if you aren’t prepared.

It’s on the home page, or follow this link:

How to: Change O2 sensors on a ’94 C4 Corvette

A friend sent me this cartoon.  It needs no explanation!

During the Obamacare debate, I couldn’t understand why AARP would roll over on it’s membership and support a government take over of the nation’s healthcare system.  All along in the back of my mind I figured it had to do either with a political advantage to be had, or money.  It turns out that it was money.

The AARP stands to benefit to the tune of about $1 Billion over the next 10 years selling gap insurance coverage for senior citizens.  In a report from the House Ways and Means Committee titled “Behind the Veil:  The AARP that America Doesn’t Know” are details of the potential revenue gains for the AARP.

Here are a couple of highlights:

AARP’s revenue comes from royalty payments from insurance companies, membership dues, publication advertising, and government grants.

Since 2002 AARP revenue from membership dues has increased 32% to $60 million.  During the same period income from royalties from insurance companies has increased 300% to $417 million.

As a result of Obamacare 7 million seniors will lose their current Medicare Advantage plans causing seniors to migrate to Medigap plans.  Guess who is the largest provider of these plans?  AARP.  (That wasn’t a really hard one to guess was it?)

AARP received $97 million in government grants.

AARP is a tax exempt corporation.  As a result of this information on AARP’s profits from royalties, their tax exempt status is being questioned by the congress.

$97 million in government grants, and they are bringing down millions each year in revenue from the insurance companies?  I think I see $97 million that can be cut from the US budget!