CP's quoted section does include that paragraph and also includes a rebuttal explaining why that is perhaps not as significant as some people say when using it to suggest that ExxonMobil's profits aren't out of line with industry in general.

I have no idea which is a better argument and I'm sure everybody can find some way to measure that shows whichever point they want to make.

To me it is all moot. So long as whatever money was made was made legally, I don't care if they made $6 trillion last quarter while we all paid $45/gallon for gas.

It has been a great couple days. I had a great evening last night - excellent dinner, iasw looked beautiful, fireworks were great, snow was romantic (and extra foamy, for some reason), lines for most things were short (Nemo was a walk-on, and now that we've done it we never have to do it again), we gave the Pirates cast members something to watch on the cameras, and the evening topped off with running into some very excellent LoTers on the return tram.

Today was another delightful lazy morning of sleeping in and other bed-inspired activities, followed by actually cooking lunch, a movie, and some needed shopping. I can now roast meat while wearing lingerie designed for people my size. Yay! And someone is off picking up Thai food for dinner. I'm a happy girl!

I was rewarded for my hard work with a cup of cocoa on a balcony overlooking a very tall Christmas tree tonight. ;) Didn't get to go into the special space next to the balcony, but felt lucky even to be on the balcony, let alone be entertained with cocoa and marshmallows.

Speaking of which, park's a madhouse this weekend.

Oooo, I love GH. I've been watching it for about 35 years...okay, that might sound a little pathetic.

Thanks for the pics! They made me smile. :)


Going in for surgery at 5:30 am tomorrow...everybody keep your fingers crossed that they operate on the correct knee and foot!:p

One of the reasons people get more worked up about oil company profits is because we pretty much have to pay whatever price is charged for gas. People see the prices at the pump spiraling upward and feel powerless to stop the drain on their wallet. Apple's and Disney's products are much easier for most folks to choose to partake of or not, so they feel in control of their money spent on those companies.

That's true, Tom.

Also, the high cost of fuel is passed on to the consumer and thus raises prices. This helps to nudge up inflation. So the economy suffers because of it. This can't be said about Disney products. If people can't afford it, they'll avoid it. There's only so much you can cut back on fuel.

However, to speak to the Oil company's side, they make a profit on percentage of price. They have an obligation to their share holders to keep that up. The percentage hasn't changed, the proffits are up because the price per gallon has increased. Reducing the amount of their profit, while a kind gesture to our society, would be against the capitolisim this country is based on, and probably get some board members fired.

Note to Kevy- Looky! I changed my Avator finally! Club Swankadero! (From Disneyland Paris)

Earlier this month my mom started writing about her life with my father. She's sent out five installments now via email. Some of these stories I've never heard! We've been trying to get her (and my dad, while he was still alive) to record her memories for years. I'm glad she finally started doing it.

If you have elderly parents or grandparents, please encourage them to record their life stories for posterity!

My dad has been working on a family memoir for a while. Unfortunately we recently lost his aunt, who was 103 1/2 and an endless source of information (yes, at 103 1/2 she still remembered it all).

<good thoughts>