how depressing

Welcome to part one (Black Tuesday) of two in the quarterly Houston version of the Nation's hit series: HR is Calling You. Between today and tomorrow (Black Wednesday), the Chronicle will cut 12% of its workforce.

Wish I could fast forward.

holy hybrid salvation

Flabbergasping.

Greater Grace, the largest church in Detroit, invited officials from the United Automobile Workers union to speak before Bishop Ellis gave his sermon, titled “A Hybrid Hope.”

The S.U.V.’s on the stage, a Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Escape and Chrysler Aspen on loan from local dealerships, were all gas-electric hybrids, and Bishop Ellis urged worshipers to combat the region’s woes by mixing hope with faith in God.

Praise be to Oliver and the NYT.

social democrats/fiscal conservatives take note

I've heard people talk about being a Democrat on social issues but more Republican on fiscal policy. I've even wondered how much I agree with some Democratic economic approaches. But you'd have to be lobotomized not to notice that the Republicans have been serving us a big ol' economic shit sandwich* for the past 7 years.

It's hard even to remember -- now that the price of a barrel of crude oil has hit the $100 mark and still hovers around $91 -- that, in the week after September 11, 2001, oil was still under $20 a barrel.
(from tomdispatch.com via 2millionthweblog)

In 1998, when the bubble was taking shape, crude oil cost about $11 a barrel and the United States produced half of the petroleum it consumed; but that was the last year in which the fundamentals were so positive. American reliance on imported petroleum crossed the 50% threshold that very year and has been rising ever since, while the cost of imported oil hit the $100 per barrel mark this January 2 for the first time, an all-time record...
(Michael Klare via tomdispatch.com)

In just seven years crude oil prices have quintupled. But your salary? Not so much. Have you checked out the profits of W's O&G friends lately?

*godbless you jk.