America's Costly Addiction

Consider this unusual story, as noted by Triscula in "Timing Is Everything" at Three Wheels: QUINCY, Massachusetts (AP): “Thousands of low-income Massachusetts residents will receive discounted home heating oil this winter under an agreement signed Tuesday with Venezuela [Citgo], whose government is a political adversary of the Bush administration.”

Folks in Massachusetts are probably glad the much-reported suggestion of Conservative Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson to President Bush -- that Venezuela’s President Chavez ought to be assassinated -- was not followed.

Then there's this strange tale coming from across the pond: LONDON (Reuters): “Britain has warned media organizations they are breaking the law if they publish details of a leaked document said to show U.S. President George W. Bush wanted to bomb Arabic television station Al Jazeera.”

What could possibly link a story about a South American president’s move to directly help the poor in Massachusetts and a story about Britain’s media being threatened to lay off a breaking story about an American president itching to bomb an Arabic television station in Qatar? Even if it is denied a thousand times in Washington and London, what could be the common denominator?

Oil baby! Only oil, and our costly addiction to it. Do you wonder what Robertson thinks of the idea of blowing Al Jazeera into smithereens?

In closing Triscula asks: "Remember, just a couple of weeks ago, American big oil companies were sitting in front of congress trying to justify their massive, record-breaking profits right after Katrina hit the Gulf region. Now Chavez bypasses the middle-man and looks like a hero to the working man. Love him or hate him, the guy knows how to work the room."