Things Noticeable this week

[Priapus]

Originally Posted by DTravel

'Thermonator' proves Americans' idea of self-defence is increasingly unhinged
Metro

Yeah, no one needs a flamethrowing robot dog. A claymore Roomba is really all you need.

Originally Posted by FrankDobe

odd...still no LGBTQ, trans, or especially notable....satanists accused of harming kids. plenty of "clergy" though.

https://nypost.com/2024/04/23/us-new...chool-student/

Trans sex offender busted allegedly trying to abduct child playing outside elementary school


A transgender registered sex offender has been snapped in a creepy mugshot after he was busted allegedly trying to snatch a child from a Colorado elementary school.

Solomon Galligan, 33, was arrested after he came onto a field where kids were playing at Black Forest Hills Elementary School in Aurora last Friday afternoon, 9News reported.

Surveillance video captured Galligan approaching the students just moments before they scattered and started screaming, “Stranger danger.”


Galligan allegedly grabbed hold of one of the children but lost his grip when he tripped on a white blanket he had been carrying, according to the police report.

The nearly abducted child later told cops the alleged perp had white powder smeared on his face and smelled of alcohol.

Galligan quickly fled, but cops later tracked him down to a nearby Walgreens, where he was arrested and charged with one count of attempted kidnapping.


The suspect, who is identified as male in the arrest affidavit, shared news of his transition on Facebook back in 2011.

“So im starting my hormone shots and i relly cant wait im on my hormone pills ive been on them for almost 4 months i wake up all depressed and crying but in the end its gonna be totally worth it you know what io mean im really excited my measurements are already changing and im super thrilled,” he wrote.

Galligan was put on the sex offender registry and was convicted that same year of non-consent sexual contact, according to his latest arrest affidavit.

[DTravel]

What Actually Controls The Price Of Gas In The US?
Money Digest

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/mark...b5488998&ei=41

Between keyboard warriors and comments sections, you might have noticed conflicting (and sometimes even downright incorrect) information about how, exactly, gas prices work in America today. While some popular opinions involve blaming whatever the current administration is for increases in gas prices, the issue is far more complicated than any singular person or even any singular government. In fact, the Energy Information Administration identifies four major factors that directly correlate to the cost of gas (and none of them are the president). These factors are crude oil prices (which are set by oil-producing countries), refining costs (which are increasingly impacted by natural disasters and climate change), distribution and marketing costs (which depend on the individual retailer you purchase gas from), and taxes (federal, state, and local taxes and fees).

For starters, you've probably heard terms like crude oil and petroleum come up in the gas conversation. For anyone who might not know, the gasoline we currently commercially purchase for our cars (or any other vehicle) is essentially a blend of crude oil and other petroleum liquids. Petroleum refineries break down crude oil into various components in order to then reconfigure and blend them into fuel products. This refinery process is extremely important, with this factor comprising 14% of your per-gallon price at the pump. Refinery costs are impacted by demand (with summer usually the highest-demand season) as well as by climate change. Since most United States refineries are located along the Gulf Coast, this generally means hurricanes, a natural disaster that can destabilize the stock market, and by extension, the economy.

While there are four different factors that ultimately influence gasoline prices, the price of crude oil is far and away the biggest contributing factor. In fact, according to the EIA, crude oil prices make up 54% of what you end up paying per gallon at the pump. The biggest deciding body in these crude oil prices is the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC as it's more commonly referred to. OPEC is an organization composed of 13 countries (however, the organization is led by Saudi Arabia) that control roughly 60% of the world's traded petroleum supply. As a cartel, OPEC not only controls the supply of most of the world's oil but is also directly responsible for regulating and, increasingly, manipulating oil prices.

It's important to realize that even though the U.S. is the world's largest oil producer, the country ultimately imports more crude oil than it exports, leaving prices vulnerable to the global market (which is largely controlled by OPEC). This means that price manipulations from OPEC heavily impact gas prices across the country, and even prices depending on the day of the week (the cheapest day to buy gas is Monday, by the way), with the U.S. having very little power to influence those prices.

If you're wondering why the U.S. can't simply bypass OPEC for oil, it is worth noting that the next highest oil-producing countries outside of the U.S. and OPEC are Russia and China. As international relations with both of those countries continue to grow more challenging, any ability to rely on them for a stable oil supply is increasingly unlikely.

Your Individual Costs

Two of the four major factors contributing to gas prices can and do vary quite significantly at the individual level. For starters, the tax rate on gasoline in your specific state, county, and/or city can have a lot to do with how much you might pay at the pump (the EIA estimates taxes make up 16% of what you ultimately pay). The federal government taxes 18.4 cents on every gallon of gasoline while, as of July 2022, state taxes on gasoline average around 32 cents per gallon. It's also worth mentioning that the sales tax in your local area can also impact your gas prices.

The other factor depends on just what gas station you go to. You might not be aware of this, but each individual gas station can have drastically different ownership models. Some gas stations might be owned and operated directly by refiners while others could be independent or franchise businesses that resale purchased gasoline directly to the public. This is important because the distribution, marketing, and general retail costs associated with getting the gasoline to you ends up being 16% of your gasoline price. Refinery-owned stations might receive their product via pipeline as opposed to individually owned stations needing to rely on tanker trucks. Plus, smaller independent stations are more likely to have higher overhead costs for things like wages, rent, insurance, and fees. This is why two gas stations on the same street can have wildly different prices, and why it can pay to know some tricks for saving money on gas.

[Priapus]

Originally Posted by DTravel

What Actually Controls The Price Of Gas In The US?
Money Digest

Wow...

In fact, the Energy Information Administration identifies four major factors that directly correlate to the cost of gas (and none of them are the president). These factors are crude oil prices (which are set by oil-producing countries), refining costs (which are increasingly impacted by natural disasters and climate change), distribution and marketing costs (which depend on the individual retailer you purchase gas from), and taxes (federal, state, and local taxes and fees).

There's just so much wrong about this, that I can't do it. I just can't.



This is all we need to know. Here's the writer's biography.

Carolyn created (and served as a contributing artist for) a social justice themed public art mural project that featured local artists responding to themes on women's equality, immigration, LGBTQ+ Pride, gentrification, and BLM.

So, basically, she's unemployable. Dear, CNN Money, please let this woman go, because somewhere there is a village desperately missing an idiot.

[BondJmsBond]

Originally Posted by Priapus

Wow...



There's just so much wrong about this, that I can't do it. I just can't.



This is all we need to know. Here's the writer's biography.



So, basically, she's unemployable. Dear, CNN Money, please let this woman go, because somewhere there is a village desperately missing an idiot.

lol that's what you get with newsfeed spam.

Note there's no mention of the real reason for high fuel prices - and high prices on everything else because of it - Biden's destruction of domestic energy production.
https://thehill.com/opinion/congress...gy-production/

[foxbat1]

Port Charlotte priest arrested on multiple counts of sexual battery from past service in Iowa

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. —
A Port Charlotte priest was arrested Wednesday on multiple counts of capital sexual battery, with allegations connected to his previous tenure in the 1980s as a priest in Iowa.

Charlotte County Sheriff's Office detectives and Dubuque, Iowa, police worked together to arrest Leo P. Riley, 68, at his Port Charlotte home.

According to the Dubuque Police Department, four people reported being sexually abused by Father Riley from 1984 to 1986, when he was the associate pastor of Resurrection Parish in Dubuque. The victims were identified as grade school-aged boys, all serving as altar boys of Resurrection Parish.

https://www.nbc-2.com/article/port-c...-iowa/60596648