Windfall profits?

Microsoft reports a net profit of 29.3% (5 year average of 27.9%) Industry 5 year average 16.3%
Coke reports a net profit of 18.4% (5 year average of 21.2%) Industry 5 year average 16.2%
Gannet (Newspapers) reports a net profit of -22.8% (5 year average of 15.8%) Industry 5 year average 7.2%
BP reports a net profit of 7.3% (5 year average of 8.2%) Industry 5 year average 10.9%
Exxon reports a net profit of 9.2% (5 year average of 9.6%)
Conoco-Phillips reports a net profit of 7.6% (5 year average of 6.7%)

So who's making more on their investment and which company are you going to invest in? Who is making more off the consumer? The "profits" are distributed to the investors, the stockholders. I.e. Mutual Funds, 401-K's, Pension funds and individual investors. Tax these "excess" profits and who are you taking the money away from? Vanguard, Washington Mutual, College Retirement Equities, Fidelity and 1624 more mutual funds and institutional funds hold 52% of Exxon alone.

Research the other oil stocks and see who is holding them, the majority holders include your next door neighbor, maybe even yourself. So before you demonize, know what it is you're demonizing.

The politicians are merely playing into the ignorance of the American, public school educated, people. It takes work to know the facts. Try it, it's empowering.

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

Gas Buddy

Just joined GasBuddy.com. Interesting way of keeping track of gas prices, getting current and historical data on gas and petroleum prices and viewing what other folk are saying about stuff relating to fuel costs, petroleum drilling/exploration, politics relating to petroleum, etc.

There's some tools for keeping track of you own fuel purchases that automatically calculate your mileage. The forums, like most ever where, are all over the map with opinion, but that's good too. Keeps you in touch with a variety of opinion and thought.

The key part of the site is the ability to track the prices of fuel in your area using real time member entries. As you drive around town take note of the prices of fuel and where. Then just enter the data when you return home or, if you have a web enable phone, immediately on site.

Search for gas prices by US Zip Code

We all work together to keep the data current. You get the benefit of other folks eyes and they get the benefit of yours. It's a community thing, everyone doing a bit to help each other find the best prices. In today's fuel price climate, that's good stuff.

I also added a widget to my desktop via Yahoo Widgets for GasBuddy so every day I have the latest prices in my area. Cool tool.

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

What's your Issac?

After listening to the August 1st edition of Steve Brown etc. I had to share it on this blog. So often we get caught up in our lives and our struggles, forgetting that we, that I, am not all there is.

I, we, forget that there is a world of people out there struggling to live their lives and very often they get slammed with events that don't come near our, my, own distractions and disturbances to our routine.

The trash didn't get out, horrors! The dog wet on the carpet, life ends! The car breaks, I'm ruined for the rest of the month! The routine at work changes, I'll pull my hair out! The kids get the sniffles, my whole plan for the day is finished.

Carol Kent was living a life most Christians look to and consider an ideal. She was a writer and speaker. She traveled with popular Christian singers like Point of Grace, Sandi Patty and Nichole C. Mullen.

She was sought after for her insights, humor and biblical perspective on life. She was president of a Christian speakers bureau and traveled the world sharing her insights and faith with crowds of people.

Then came the call that changed her life. I don't want to give it away and lessen the impact of what she has to say. Just let me say listening to her caused me to pause and rethink the stuff I was upset about, the stuff that made me so mad and I had to conclude my distractions were merely dung.

What about you? Do the things that bother you really matter that much? If the events that happened to Carol happen to you, what would your response be?

Maybe those disturbances in your routine aren't really that bad. If that's your conclusion, maybe you need to take a moment and thank God for your blessings. Who knows, it may be harder to do so in just a few minutes or hours or days.

But then, maybe, like Carol, in the horrors or life, you too, will find God's blessings. Listen in...



Now that you've heard the interview, get the books. Carols book, "When I Lay My Isaac Down: Unshakable Faith in Unthinkable Circumstances" tells the agonizing story of the event that changed the life of her family.

"A New Kind of Normal: Hope-Filled Choices When Life Turns Upside Down" is the sequel that tells the rest of the story. Building on her story she will help you see how you can make hope-filled choices.

Through the eight chapters in this book, Carol will use her story, the story of Mary mother of Jesus, and stories of women who have experienced their own "new normal" to share how God has led them to choose life, gratitude, vulnerability, involvement, forgiveness, trust, and action.

If you are struggling with the circumstances of your own life, you need the teaching in these books.

Carol Kent website...

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson