first of all, there's Georgie looking for more power. damn, that man's HUNGRY!!! I don't trust it. I know that gas prices are high, and for a lot of people in the United States, that poses a hardship. I thank the universe as of late that I am instead pedaling and Zipcar-ing around my corner of the world, instead of being required to fit a jump in expenses to my already pathetic student budget.

But I worry that Georgie's request to Congress for MORE POWER has some nefarious purpose. That they'll grant the power and then miraculously, the oil companies will find ways to lower the prices at the pump, and the POWER will be used for evil instead of good. Perhaps something like, "oh, we can't require the car companies to engineer more fuel efficient cars, b/c that would take away from their power to REINVEST their profits into alternative fuel!" and we would see the pathetically low standards sink even lower.

(who, me? a conspiracy theorist? who knew)

In the same article linked to above, Georgie did use the "reinvestment" argument as a reason why the Oil Companies cannot be "taxed" on their ridiculously huge profits. Hmmm. The way he is talking, you wouldn't know that the oil companies are actually given tax BREAKS already. he feels that we can appeal to the oil companies' "good will" to realize that we need new technology, and they need to start reinvesting in alternative energy sources.

but they're OIL companies!!

And, in the meantime, the other side of his mouth is asking for more refineries to be built. All we need to do is get rid of some pesky "regulations." (i.e., environmental standards.) Part of why this is happening, after all, is b/c we haven't built any new refineries since the 1970's. [same article]

how many mixed messages can there be coming from one man?

And what is UP with this stupid $100? This is nothing but a token meant to shut people up. Not that people are listened to in the first place. So, beloved and I will each get $100. we don't have cars!!! we don't buy gas!!! and those people who do, their $100 will be gone in like, a WEEK!!! what a waste.

In local news, a school around here has been dragged over the coals a few times for reading a book about a gay prince who fell in love with another gay prince. Now they're being sued. When I first read the story about the complaints from parents, I groaned inside. I thought for certain that there would soon be the story of the new ban on reading books with gay characters, b/c the officials would undoubtedly capitulate to the raging foaming at hte mouth conservative parents. I was thrilled yesterday to read that no! that's not what is happening. The principal has been holding her ground and defending the school's position. I applaud her.

And finally, the girl from Harvard who is being accused of lifting words and passages from another book. Her book was pulled off shelves today. Beloved sent me the link, b/c he's been fascinated by the story. Lyco mentioned the other day on her blog, and I fully agree with her, that this is a GIRL. Not a woman. She's 19 now, but she was 17 when all of this happened. 17!!! I have always thought that the pressure put on high school students to determine the path of their lives (i.e., the college decision) is just too much. There's too much at stake for such undeveloped minds.

Odd to have this so close on the heels of the Million Little Pieces story. i do think it is more serious to have copied out of someone else's books - if that is what happened.

I read the book the Life of Pi by Yann Martel a few years ago, and I really liked it. Beloved told me that there were accusations that the story had been stolen from another book, Max and the Cats. I read Max and the Cats, to see if it was the same. There were "similarities." There was a boy stuck on a lifeboat with a big cat. But Martel's book had this as a central premise, and there was so much more, and it was a really rich story. Max and the Cats had 3 stories about cats, all different, and the part about the boat and the cat wasn't so rich. If Martel got this idea and added to it - thanks! He added a good thing, I think, to the world of stories.

I don't know what exactly happened with Kaavya. But I'm not going to pass any judgment until I read the two books. and that ain't happening any time soon.

posted by Zuska @ 3:03 PM

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