Gas prices SHOULD drop significantly today

Here’s my reasoning…

When we get news of crude prices going up, local refined fuel costs rise immediately.  Why it happens that way, I don’t know.  But what am I going to do about it?

So now that we have news that oil production is going to be increased in the Middle East, shouldn’t the price I pay locally go down…and fast?

I’m just sayin….

Cardinals injury woes continue, Looper and Ludwick respond

The team’s ace, Adam Wainwright, goes on the 15-day DL.  The team’s slugger, Albert Pujols, is out at least 3 weeks.

How does the team answer?  How about a 10-0 drubbing of the lowly Reds and a 3-hit, complete game shut-out by Braden Looper?  That was awesome!

I read earlier today several reports that the Cardinals are just trying to get to the All-Star break for some much needed rest and rehab.  I couldn’t agree more.

As good as the Cardinals have been, they have to maintain some reasonable semblance of a contender in the wake of these disastrous injuries.  The all-of-the-sudden “mighty” NL Central is a front-runner for the designation of toughest division in baseball.  And the Cubs are red-hot.

2008 Southern Baptist Convention in Indianapolis

I didn’t go this year.  We’ve been very busy with family vacation, Vacation Bible School plans, and preparing for 3 mission trips.

Did you go?  What were the highlights?  What were the low lights?

I realize that I could just google the answers to these questions.  But I’m more interested in what ACTUALLY happened than what the secular media wants everyone to think happened.

Pro golf’s second major

Who do you like in this week’s US Open Championship?

Tiger or the field?

If you picked “the field”…please be a little more specific.

 

NBA Finals - Celtics in a sweep

I’m no fan of the NBA.  But I’m a huge fan of ESPN and Fox Sports.  And from what I’ve seen in the highlights of the first two games of the NBA finals, the two teams shouldn’t even be on the same floor together.

The Celtics are dominating every aspect of the game:  offense, defense, hustle, free-throws (attempts, made), you get the idea.  Heck, if you listen to Phil Jackson, the officials are even playing for the Celtics.  He didn’t say that so much when he coached “his royal air-ness”.  Go figure.

So what is all this talk you hear about the Lakers not being finished?  I’ll tell you where that’s coming from…it’s coming from all of the media outlets that are driven by the people paying for the commercial time they bought for games 5, 6, and 7!  Follow the money, people!

The Lakers are done.  Period.

Obama and the evangelical Christian vote

How could an evangelical Christian vote for Obama given his well-documented views on abortion and traditional family values?  (BTW, my vote is cast on the basis of issues NOT party affiliation.  I have voted for candidates on both sides of the aisle.)

Kingdom issues aside, is Obama even qualified to lead a super-power nation?

All views are welcomed for this thread.  But remember to keep your posts respecful.

J. I. Packer book review, if you please

I’m wondering if any of you in the PTP community have read the J. I. Packer book, “Evangelism and The Sovereignty of God“.

I just ordered it and am anxiously awaiting arrival.

I would love to hear your take.

Looking like a tourist

We visited Florida last week on vacation.  We did all of the typical Florida things….theme parks, the beach, etc…  On one of our theme park days, we visited the new Aquatica water park near Sea World.  There was much to see and do there….good times.  But I don’t want to talk about the attractions in Florida.  I want to talk about what I was wearing that day.  Really.

I had on sunglasses, a white t-shirt, big dorky swim trunks, and flip-flops with ankle socks.  And as we walked past many of the locals there, one look kept appearing on their faces….. “that guy has GOT to be a tourist”.  I could only plead guilty.

I’m not sure if it’s my ever-increasing chronology or my ever-increasing waist-line but I’m just not that interested in what people from Florida think about the way I look to them.  Florida is not my home.  I was in Florida for a very short time and now I’m not anymore.  Why should I become anxious about what Floridians consider normal, acceptable, or fashionable?

The same is true for believers living on this insignificant orb called Earth.  Why should we care about what people from earth think about the way we look to them?  I understand that we want to present ouselves well as we represent Christ and His Kingdom.  But why do we labor and spin so much about appearances, temporary dwellings, and modes of transportation?

Paul explained to the Corinthian church that believers here (on earth) are ambassadors for Christ.  That means we are visiting here from another place and representing only the interests of our Sovereign from that other place.  That makes us tourists, doesn’t it?  And if we’re tourists, shouldn’t we start looking more like tourists and less like we belong here?

I’ve got some pretty cool kids

Great week at our house.  Our oldest, Paul, graduated from Anna-Jonesboro Community High School on May 17th.  He had a GPA of 4.1 out of 4 (that’s not a typo!).  He plans to participate in two different mission trips with Anna First Baptist Church this summer.  Then he will begin studies at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale this fall majoring in computer and electrical engineering.  He received three significant scholarships.  Way to go, Diddy-boy! (I call him P-Diddy).

Hannah, our youngest, graduated from Anna Junior High School on May 22nd.  She received recognition as a “high honors” scholar and President’s Achievement scholar, parpticipation in band, and a special certificate for vocal performance from our local Kiwanis Club.  Hannah intends to participate in volleyball and basketball during her freshman year of high school.  We’re proud of Hannah.

Alex will be a junior at AJCHS.  He learned this week that he will be one of two drum majors leading the marching band onto the field, in competitions, and in parades.  Alex is vying for class valedictorian.  He turns 16 in July.  You ‘da man….Sage Squish.

It was an awesome week to be dad to these great kids!

A layman’s solution to rising gas prices in the US

I ain’t no economics expert.  But read the following and tell me why this won’t work.

MSNBC reported recently that we haven’t built any new oil refineries in this country since 1976.  Which means that the ones destroyed in the gulf recenlty haven’t been replaced.  And the ones that remain are likely very antiquated.  The solution?  Build two new petroleum refineries here at home.  One of them somewhere around southern Ohio (to make refined oil reasonably accessible for the eastern half of the midwest and the east coast) and one in western Colorado (similarly for the western half of the midwest and the west coast).  Put these in very remote areas and watch the housing markets boom, see businesses birthed, and ease the jobless rates with several higher paying jobs.

Then start drilling right here at home.  Experts tell us that we have “oil to burn” (no pun intended) in Alaska.  I love wildlife as much as the next guy.  But there’s no sound scientific data that would indicate a “significant” detrimental effect on native species in Alaska.  Have you ever been there?  It’s big.

Once we begin showing the world that we can drill and refine our own oil, foreign OPEC “partners” will be begging us to take their surplus off their hands.

And if we’re being told today that the reasons for prices going up on everything from groceries to clothing to…you name it….are being driven by soaring fuel prices, doesn’t it follow logically that if we are proactive in doing something about bringing fuel prices DOWN that the prices of most other things will follow?

Again, I’m no expert.  I’m just sayin’….

Would someone who IS an expert please reply and help me understand:

1.  Why this wouldn’t work?

2.  If it would work, why we aren’t doing it?