Friday, May 25, 2012
USA Gasoline Prices Remain Sky High
As Americans across the country gear up for Memorial Day, they have welcomed the recent dip in gas prices.
Although gas prices are down nearly 20 cents per gallon from one month ago, the average price in the United States remains uncomfortably high at $3.68 per gallon.
AAA projects Memorial Day travel will be similar to that of 2011, slightly increasing by 1.2 percent.
The news, really, is that these high gas prices aren’t news anymore.
Consumers have grown accustomed to $3.50 or $4 per gallon on the signs at gas stations, as long as the prices aren’t consistently spiking upward.
This becomes problematic when it allows policymakers to put gas prices on the back burner, because these currently high prices are draining the wallets of millions of Americans and are taking a toll on businesses that have to pass the costs on to consumers or absorb the costs.
In a recent Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council poll, 40 percent of small businesses responding said they have had to increase their prices.
Consumer demand is already down, and passing the costs of higher energy prices to consumers will suppress demand even further, causing lower output, lower income, and higher unemployment.
A new study by Bankrate, Inc., found that nearly 60 percent of Americans cut back on spending in 2012 because of high gas prices.
Godless Stinking A$$holes (GSA) Scum Skulks Away
The General Services Administration official at the center of the Las Vegas convention scandal has left the agency.
Jeff Neely, who played a big role in organizing the costly and controversial 2010 gala for western region GSA employees, had previously been on paid administrative leave.
It’s unclear whether he resigned or was forced out.
A GSA spokesman released a brief statement saying: “As of today, he’s no longer employed with GSA.”
Spokesman Adam Elkington also said the agency is still “completing its review” of the 2010 conference “and pursuing all available avenues for appropriate disciplinary action against those responsible.”
Neely had become something of a poster child for the lavish conference, which cost taxpayers more than $820,000.
He was among the GSA officials called to testify before Congress, but he repeatedly cited his Fifth Amendment right and declined to answer questions when he appeared on Capitol Hill.
7th Voyage Of Sinbad Stills
"The 7th Voyage Of Sinbad" is kind of like the "Forbidden Planet" of sword and sorcery films. I mean, for me, it just doesn't get any better, and in fact, it really should be presented as a Sunday Night Classic, but there just ain't enough Sundays, and we do have to get to the end of this thing sometime! This particular film has been written about so many times, all there is left for us is to present you with this piece of music and a couple of pictures! So without further delay, here's the jackhammer theme from "The 7th Voyage Of Sinbad" combined with some interesting bits and pieces from a couple of other scenes, and it's all brought to you by the master Bernard Herrmann, who, yes, also composed the music for Hitchcock's "Psycho" among his many, many fantastic accomplishments!!! Stand back, because the theme alone will knock you down! If you've seen this film, it should be pretty obvious what scenes the rest of the music is coming from!!SOUNDCLIP NOT AVAILABLE
Kerwin Mathews and Kathryn Grant are perfect the whole way!
Kerwin lands a nice right in this well choreographed fight scene!
I've probably seen this film 300 times and Torin Thatcher as Sokurah the Magician still creeps me out!!
The Ray Harryhausen designed cyclops alone is enough reason to see this movie, but there is so very much more!! 
50 years later and the skeletons and other animations in this film still look great!!! Thanx Ray!!
I don't know Sinbad, are you sure we're going the right way???
This is an excellent shot of the dragon!!!
So, they're really in a pickle, and Princess Parisa rubs the lamp!!
Out pops child actor Richard Eyer as The Genie in one of the best uses of hot and cold lighting you'll ever see! Richard had enough of Hollywood and retired from film making in 1967, but is alive and well today!!
Even "The End" looks good!!! What a great movie all the way, truly a classic!!!
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