Is Your Gas Pump Accurate?

Some so called independent ‘non profit’ organization for the Oil Industry, says that the latest release of data showing many gas pumps are short changing consumers.  Says that gas retailers are basically honest, and are getting a bad rap.

In a sense, that is true. The old saying of one bad apple in the barrel ruins it for everyone, is true  Course the question is, how many bad apples are there in the Oil Retailer Barrel?

I am no rocket scientist, but how can any gas pump be out?

Supposedly the machine must conform to certain standards, and I guess, like any machine, parts wear out. However, isn’t it the obligation of the station to insure their equipment is operating properly? More than that, isn’t that what Weights N Measures ( or whatever its called these days ) is supposed to also insure?

And how many of these pumps dispensing the wrong amount, is acceptable?

I wonder too, as we go more towards taking samples, than actually monitoring all of the machines, so can the figures be accurate? I mean okay, you test 1000 out of 10,000 units. Is it really true that it would reflect accurately the number of faulty pumps?

We put a great deal of trust into retail operations, but honestly, we supposedly also put a lot of trust in having Government Oversight, and we can see how that’s worked in our food supply. There are more food recalls, every month, ever since we’ve allowed Industry to self police itself. Just as we are doing with the Gas Industry.

Oil prices rise and fall based on some Market, yet the price never goes back to the original price, when the price per barrel falls or rises to any mark

I don’t buy that only 6% or so, of gas pumps are inaccurate. I honestly don’t buy it is that low, simply given how the Oil Industry itself, is nothing but a collective group of liars and cheats.

Just one more rip off of the consumer, now supported by the Government we’ve elected.

Harper Recognizes Libyan Rebels as Government

So, perhaps Mr. Harper can explain why a group of rebels, who know one knows a damn thing about, is suddenly more acceptable as the Libyan Government, than the current dictator? 

Obviously, the Rebels do not have the full support of the Libyan People, or Ghadafi would be gone by now.  And just who are their leaders? What is their claim to being the representatives of the Libyan People?

Maybe we should stop throwing our weight around. Can anyone recall the PQ and all the Separatism talk back in the 70’s, 80’s, and even 90’s? After all, they were the Government of Quebec, and had a much more legitimate claim to represent the people of Quebec than those now claiming to represent the Libyan people. 

How would Mr. Harper have handled that little hot potato, if say the USA decided to recognize the claims of Rene Levesque back then? How would it have been, if say the Referendum had failed in the 90’s?

I am not a fan of Ghadafi, or any dictator, but what exactly gives us the right to say that government doesn’t represent the people of a foreign country, and some other group does?  What about all the turmoil in Yemen, or now in Syria?

Frankly, I am not convinced that this so called group of freedom fighters is anything more than a shill, for the Oil Industry. I do not buy into the fact that they represent the Libyan People, who for some bizarre reason, still support Ghadafi.  Despite all the bombings, all the death, he still seems to command a lot of support, so tell me Mr. Harper, how does this bring about an end to the conflict?

Does it not simply prolong it, set the stage for ground troops?

And have we not had enough war, enough death of Canadian Soldiers? Are we know embarking on another Middle Eastern Conflict, for some lofty goal, that is in truth, neither lofty, nor legitimate?

Isn’t this just another attempt to secure oil, from a nation that we simply don’t like?   IF this is truly about democracy, why haven’t we invaded North Korea and ended that tyrants rule, or how about Iran? They got lots of oil, are trying to become a nuclear power, surely they are far more dangerous than Libya? 

And what about Syria?  How come we aren’t bombing them too?

Harper’s Throne Speech Snooze

Honestly, one could have slept through the whole thing, if it wasn’t for the protest by the page. Other than that, it was merely more lies by our Prime Minister, promising exactly what he first promised five years ago, of which he has yet to deliver.

So why is this going to be any different?

Like he wants First Nation’s chiefs and councilors to publicly release their salaries and expenses.  How come he doesn’t do that for his own cabinet?  Yet you know what is sad, that is how he plans to address the deplorable living conditions on Native Reservations?

He’s finally going to give the NRA what they wanted, in ending the Long Gun Registry, which should at least give him some good campaign funding down the road. I mean come on, he’ll do anything to make sure he has a full war chest. Even going as far as attempting to eliminate Political Parties by ending the public subsidy to all.

Some will argue that is good, but the fact is it isn’t. When you force Political Parties to rely on individual/corporate donations, you open up the door to graft, and bribery.  Don’t believe me, well hell, look at the United States and all the graft going on there. John Edwards just the most recent caught in campaign abuses, well alleged. ( gotta be politically correct, right? ).

Thing is, when business can buy itself a few Members of Parliament, why should we vote? The Oil Industry has bought Stephen Harper, along with contributions from the NRA, so tell me, do you enjoy spending $1.30 a liter for gas? Enjoy the high price of food and everything else, because the Oil Industry got itself a Prime Minister in it’s pocket?

And that was with public funding. Imagine how it is going to be when that is gone? Who will be able to stop the Corporate Greed Merchants then? 

And the real laugher, was the nonsense about making the Government more Accountable. Like does that include having Ministries comply with requests from the Freedom Of Information department? Or will he even add a staff member or two to that department, so people can actually get answers without waiting for a year?

No, this isn’t a Throne Speech of a responsible government, merely a gloried speech filled with the same lies that hoodwinked nearly 40% of Canadians.

How long will that keep on working, I wonder?

Dollar Forty a Liter, Will Harper Do Anything?

Yesterday Gas went up, once more.

In some parts of the country, gas is at $1.47 per liter for regular gas, while in Vancouver it has gone up to $1.40. ( more from CBC News here )

Now I know, what does it matter if it costs more to fill up our gas guzzling vehicles, right? WRONG!   You see, the rising cost of fuel impacts every aspect of our lives. From the farmer growing wheat, raising cattle, to the industrial conglomerates who build what little we build in our own country.

Trains & ships all rely on the fossil fuel we consume, to deliver the goods to our stores, to our homes. From the fleets of buses to the subway systems, fuel now costs them more. And we all know what happens when things cost business more, they raise prices, for us consumers to pay.

NO, the rising price of fuel at the pump, is merely something we can tangibly see, as going up, because of the GREED OF THE OIL INDUSTRY.   This is the same industry that went out, bought itself a political party, called the Reform Party.  Now it has managed to move that political party into where it is the Government.

What will their darling fair haired stooge do?   Will Stephen Harper prevent the rampant rise of gasoline prices to continue, or will he let the Market Decide the Price?

In which case, what is going to happen when all of the buddies of the Oil Industry, such as Mining, Banking, Construction, all line up for a handout, in order to stay in business.

Will we suddenly be facing another record Deficit Spending spree by the Harper Government?

A New Special Interest Group – The People

How the world has changed, to where our Elected Leaders all pander to one or more special interest groups. For the Harper Conservatives is appears to be Mining Companies & the Oil Industry. The NDP are tagged as being the party representing Big Labor Unions, and the Liberals, usually tagged with being supported by nameless Big Businesses.

Makes you wonder, when did Business & Labor Entities get the right to vote?

Jack Layton is out stumping these days, telling people he is going to ‘fight like hell’ for them, which seems to have made an impression.  Now, it is nice to actually hear a leader talk like that, but uh, why has that become special?

Shouldn’t every single leader be automatically a champion for us, the people?  After all, it is US who elect them, isn’t it?

Why I Will Vote for Anyone but Harper Conservatives:

• The Other Parties all have track records of supporting voters over big business interests.
• The NDP are always leading the fight for better paying jobs
• Both the NDP & LIBERALS are committed to National Health Care
• LIBERALS & GREENS support moving away from Petroleum based energy
• LIBERALS, GREENS, & NDP all support building up Canadian Business not in outsourcing to foreign interests.
• LIBERALS have a proven track record of budget restraint, that creates surpluses.
• NDP has always supported the rights of all citizens, not just the advantaged few.
• GREEN PARTY looks for alternative solutions, instead of rehashing old failed policies.

However the guiding reason is simple. With either of the other parties  ( the Bloc in Quebec, the NDP, the Green Party, & the Liberals ) I know that while special interest groups do get a hearing, do get a seat at the table, my interests are also at that very important table. It may not always be listened to, but unlike the Harper Conservatives, at least we are at the table.

After all, that is the biggest difference.  At least we, the people, irrespective of how much money we make, how much we contribute to any Political party, still gets us a seat at that table… called CANADA.

Anyone But Bought & Paid For Harper Conservatives