Oil Prices Pass Record Set in ’80s

Monday marked a new record high trade for a barrel of gasoline. With a barrel of oil going for $103.95. This beat the previous record which was set in April 1980 at $103.76 . The article below goes on to tell us that the reason why gas and oil prices have surged is because the value of a dollar is declining. Since oil is priced in U.S. dollars on the international market, traders are selling their dollars and buying euros to take advantage of the difference in interest rates between the United States and Europe. A falling dollar tends to buy oil prices in part because consumers using stronger currencies than the U.S. dollar can pay more per barrel without feeling much effect at the gasoline pump. In the past 8 years oil prices have more than quadrupled and are not planning on dropping any time soon. With oil setting fresh records, many experts expect gasoline to approach $4 a gallon this summer. Last year’s all-time record of $3.23 a gallon is going to be demolished. With oil prices rising the way they have been for the past 8 years I am not at all surprised with this record being broken and I am sure it will be broken again very soon. So pull out your wallets and start counting your change because by the looks of things this is going to be an expensive summer to be driving an automobile.



http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/business/worldbusiness/03cnd-oil.html?hp

Task of shooting down satellite begins

This article talks about how the Navy is going to shoot down a dying spy satellite with a missile. The satellite hasn't been working since right after its launch in 2006. The satellite's fuel tank is full with 1,000 pounds of toxic Hydrazine that could be very dangerous if it crashes into earth. The goal is to destroy the satellite before March 1 because that is when it is predicted to hit the upper reaches of the atmosphere making it more difficult to hit the target. Scientists have pinpointed a specific time in which the shot will be taken causing the debri to fall mostly into water or onto less populated land posing less danger.
I think that this article was good and I do agree with it. The satellite has to be destroyed somehow, right? The only problem I had was the fact that there were no other options brought up or talked about. The focus of this article was only on the positive aspects of the mission. It didn't talk about how each missile costs millions of dollars to launch and who knows how many attempts are going to be made. Also, our position with other Nations on the matter were not brought up. Do these Nations agree or disagree? Is this going to cause conflict with other Nations? These were some of the questions I found myself asking while reading this article.


Task of Shooting Down Satellite Begins
By THOM SHANKER

Super Tuesday!

I was excited to read about how Barney's Beanery in Santa Monica, CA and other bars across America are preparing for the Primary Coverage of election night on Super Tuesday. These bars have come up with some original ideas to make it more interesting by assigning a brand of beer to each presidential candidate and other bars have even created their own drinks in honor of each presidential candidate, like the "Barack’s Hope" made with vodka and pear eau de vie, the "McCain’s Straight Talk Espresso Martini", "Hillary's Hillblazers", "Romney's Jaw", "Hucka B-52", and the "Ron Paul's Freedom Call".
I think this is a great way to get more people talking and excited about something important that they may not be exposed to otherwise. Young people need to get excited and become more politically involved and these parties are a great way for people to come together, get more informed and share their opinions with each other.
To read this article follow this link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/us/politics/05parties.html?_r=1&ref=politics

Visit this link to see the drink menu mentioned in the above article: drinksfoodandfun.blogspot.com