On Sun, 1 Jan 2012 00:32:45 +0000 (UTC), Larry Blanchard
wrote:

On Sat, 31 Dec 2011 10:07:37 -0800, Lew Hodgett wrote:

BTW, what's all this happy horse**** about we need to develop "energy
independence"?
---------------------------------
Would you prefer oil independance?

The point is that since we are a net exporter, we actually *have* oil
independence. All we have to do is keep the oil companies from shipping
our oil overseas.

Do you know why they ship our light crude overseas? Because the oil
companies, in their infinite wisdom, no longer build refineries here
which can process our heavier, more sour types of oil. We use the
light sweet and sell the rest. And the prices stay high because said
oil companies, who are rolling in double digit windfall profits, won't
build any more refineries of any type, bottlenecking the flow of
gasoline. That and the futures market and continual resale of oil on
paper until the profits are made by all participating companies.

--
Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air…
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson