Lord take me away, from Minnesota
Its way too cold
Got polar bears, in Minnesota
Thats what I've been told
I wanna go home.

I'm a Florida Boy, yes I am
Cut me open and I'll bleed sand
I love the sunshine, I love the water
Kiss my Ponce DeLeon daughter
I'm a Florida Boy, genuine
Wear flip-flops in the winter time
My best friend is a ceiling fan
And a Florida Boy I am.

I got so tired, tired of traveling
In my old van
But I have found work, here in Florida
Working on my tan
Every chance I can

And I'm a Florida Boy, yes I am
Cut me open and I'll bleed sand
I love the sunshine, I love the water
Kiss my Ponce DeLeon Daughter
I'm a Florida Boy, genuine
Wear flip-flops in the winter time
My best friend is a ceiling fan
And a Florida Boy I am

I don't know why
I am here but
It just felt like I oughta be
And since then
There's been times when
I felt like Florida was made
Especialy for me.

I'm a Florida Boy, yes I am
Cut me open and I bleed sand
Solvin' all the problems of this world I rule
Floatin' in the middle of my swimmin' pool
I'm a Florida Boy, genuine
Wear flip-flops in the winter time
A ceiling fan is my best friend
And a Florida Boy I am.

-- Bert Wilson - "Florida Boy"

02/21/61 - 03/24/08

Thanks for everything Mom.

You know, if I were able to communicate with the dead I would dig up our founding fathers and inform them of the debacle thats going on right now with the American economy, attatch a series of magnets to the sides of their caskets and generate enough electrical power to send a space ship to the other side of Pluto and back. 

Once upon a time America used to be the cats ass.  We had it all man.  Giant Cadillacs, 3 bedroom homes, Spot the dog, Freckles the cat, and the New York Yankees.  While those things still exist today they don't hold nearly the prestiege that they used to.  Owning a home used to be considered "Making it" in my beloved country.  Now making it is relegated down to being able to eat dinner at night.  In case you've been hiding under a cave for the last 5 years allow me to elaborate what's been going on.

5 years ago we started a war with a soverign country who did nothing to us.  Sounds like Vietnam, right?  It pretty much is.  The President justified his actions by explaining to us that Iraq was harboring a terrorist group known as Al Qaeda, the same group who claimed responsibility for the 9/11 Attacks on New York City. 

Americans didn't pay much attention  to the debate that went on in the Senate as to whether or not we should attack Iraq.  A few men stood up and voiced their oposition to the war, but more on that later.   As it should happen we've been involved with Iraq for the last half of a decade and as a result over 4,000 of our brave men and women won't return home.   We invaded a country that had nothing to do with our plight and what did we get for the return on our investment?  4000 families wrecked, our economy in the toilet, and the rest of the world thinks we're a bunch of anarchist hethans who hold no regard for the rule of law. 

Iraq so happens to have an abundant natural resource that the rest of the world has come to rely so heavily upon: Precious, Precious, Light Sweet Crude Oil.  Literaly the fuel for America.   We go through 21,000,000 barrels per day of the stuff.   If we went through 21,000,000 gallons of, well, anything else, that would be considered an epidemic.  Before invading Iraq the price of a barrel of oil (bbl) was $36.  36 bucks gets you 42 litres of the stuff, just enough to fill up my tank.   Currently the bbl price is $103.54 (1:18 pm today, www.bloomberg.com/energy)  Thats almost a 300% increase in price folks.  Not a 225% increase thats rounded up, ALMOST 300%.   What gives?

I'll tell you what gives.  After asking many questions and doing my own investigating I've determined that a long time ago, someone said that you don't actually have to do anything with the oil futures you buy, you're allowed to buy and sell them sight unseen.  What does that translate to?  Allow me to break it down for you.

Say I've got 50 grand sitting around.   First off, I wouldn't be writing this blog.  You guys wouldn't hear a peep from me because i'd be laughing at the cash I'd save later with my solar panels.   In any case, say I've got 50 grand sitting in an account that I could invest with.   I'm allowed to buy and sell oil, just like stocks on the stock market, without having to actually accept delivery of the oil.   This means that oil's price can (And has been for the last year) artificially inflated, then turned around and sold at a higher price.  And you don't even know what color the fucking barrel is. 

Corruption on the corporate level has resulted in the artificial inflation of the price of a commodity Hundreds of Millions of Americans use every day.   The long and short of it is this:  Some people are wrecking the American Economy to make a few million bucks of their own.  Hedge Funds and Futures Holders are selling out America so that they can artificially inflate the price for oil.  As the Cost/bbl of oil goes up, so does the price of gasoline.  Thats why we're paying $3.25 a gallon for gas folks, Some asshole in New York wants to make his millions and dosen't give a flying fuck about you or me.

The Transportation industry has been feeling the effects of this artificial price hike for over a year and a half.  We've been struggling to, forgive the pun, truck along and just get on with our daily jobs, in hopes that the price would regulate itself and settle at a level which is affordable for everyone.   Then again, we're generally good people and are naive for believing that there are still good people in the world left in charge.  

What could change all this?  Electing a common sense president.  Please note that I said *could*, as my cynicism has even now turned on the political process itself: that sure-fire thing that we've had for as long as the country has been founded.  We have a man running named Barack Obama who in 2002, when initial debate began for the Iraq War, stood up and said that this war isn't justified.  These people are soverign and have done nothing to us.   Naturally, no one listened because we were so angry from the black eye we receieved on 9/11.

I've followed this entire political season, from start to current, in great detai.  Let me say that last night (March 4th), broke my heart and broke my trust in America.   This country is doomed because the same set of people, who want to keep doing the same things that they've been doing, is going to wind up with control of this country.   Far be it from me to question the Clinton name in politics, lord knows last time we had a president that shared that name we had a great 8 years.  This is different though.   We have a common sense candidate who shares the same view and hopes for America that many of its citizens did at one time, before they were jaded by the last 8 years we've had.  

Barack Obama wants to rid Washington of all the lobbyists.  The same type of lobbyist who for the mortgage industry last year, spent $180,000,000 trying to get senators and congressman to pass legislation that favors them.  The result?  Adjustable Rate Mortgages and the current housing crisis.  Oil lobbyists (combined with "The Big 3" motor manufacturing companies) spend obscene ammounts of money trying to keep the emissions and miles-per-gallon regulations as low as they can.  Its much easier to market a Dodge Charger than it is a Toyota Prius to the 18-24 crowd (The adults who have the most discressionary income to spend). 

Yet last night Barack Obama was the victim of the game that is politics.  He fell to the mighty Clinton campaign in some crucial states when he could have mathematicaly eliminated his competitor, thus sealing the nomination.  The Old Guard in Washington fears Barack.   Things have been far too cushy in Washington for quite some time.  They're doing everything they can to make sure that another candidate who's spent plenty of time in the presense of those who're corrupted beyond saving, gets the nod and dosen't threaten the norm in Washington.

So there you have it America.   You used to be great.  You used to be what the world strived for, what we were all proud to be a part of.  Then you became too complaciant.   You know who else was complaciant?  The Colonial settlers who first got here.   They were fat dumb and happy too.   We have essentialy done a complete 180 degree reversal.   We're heading *back* towards monarchies and certain families being "entitled" to the presidency, and no one feels the need to change anything.   

A simily for the situation we're in currently is this:  Place a frog in a pot of cold water and the frog won't move.   It'll chill out because its not threatened.   Place the same frog in a pot of boiling water and it knows to jump out as fast as it can, because it can't survive that long.   However place the frog in the cold pot of water again, then place it on the burner.    In 15 minutes you'll have the basis for frog soup, because by the time the frog realizes that the water is too hot and it needs to remove itself, the muscles in its legs are already cooked. 

Jump out America, while you still have a chance.   Elect Barack Obama and lets get rid of the hedge fund managers who are crashing this economy for their own personal gain, get rid of the status quo in Washington who's become far too complacaint, and get rid of the lobbyists who focus only on whats good for business, not the American people.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.