(2008-06-07) — With the price of crude oil near $140 per barrel, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) today introduced a new product to meet the growing demand for more affordable oil.
The new demi-barrel goes on sale Monday for only $90, yet it contains “the same high-quality petroleum in OPEC’s regular, 42-gallon barrel.”
An unnamed Saudi OPEC member said the demi-barrel contains “nearly 20-gallons of light, sweet crude, and is perfect for those occasions when a full barrel seems excessive or ostentatious.”
The inspiration for the demi-barrel apparently came from the coffee industry, which learned years ago that the size of the can bears no correlation with the weight of its contents, and thus allows for price flexibility that enhances marketing opportunities.
44 responses so far ↓
1 mig // Jun 7, 2008 at 6:38 am
Oh joy! If it comes in a pretty package, all shinney with a bow- I’ll buy it. I love new stuff. I’ll pretend that it isn’t the same ole thing just packaged differently as long as it comes with a jingle.
the slashed: new Opec prices
2 gafisher // Jun 7, 2008 at 7:12 am
It’s tempting to invoke the concept of “both barrels,” but in fact the OPEC ministers are practicing exactly what we taught them — the law of Free Market Capitalism. It is the Marxist leaders in Washington (and most State Capitols), as well as Europe, who have manipulated the markets, both by artificially restricting supply and by attaching arbitrary additional costs to the transportation, processing, sale and use of petroleum and the products made from it.
Perhaps next month OPEC will offer coupons.
wv - fou commandos - Elite Fou Fighters.
3 gafisher // Jun 7, 2008 at 7:16 am
Hey, I wonder if Obama knows any OPEC Ministers …
wv - Q. ordinator - 007’s Appointment Secretary?
4 Darthmeister // Jun 7, 2008 at 7:20 am
That’s a pretty crude way of looking at things, Scott.
Aren’t the Democrats in Congress doing a wonderful job of “holding the line”? Under their short reign we’ve seen oil prices double, gasoline over $4/gallon, unemployment nearing 6%, lending rates rising, saving rates decline, 401Ks and personal investments taking a big hit … exactly as I predicted here the week after the 2006 November elections. But the Donks will continue to lie to themselves about it all being Bush’s fault.
Can’t wait until the Northeastern liberals start whining about the cost of their home heating oil while applauding their Democrat congress for not allowing Big Oil to open up new drilling areas or build new refineries. What a bunch of moroons.
Had enough, America? I doubt it since they want to complete their monopolistic neo-Marxist hold on America by electing an empty suit Chicago Democrat to the White House. Take a look at the Democratic Party and its almost cultic hold on impressionable Americans and it doesn’t take much imagination to understand how it was the followers of Jim Jones (who was a messianic leftist, BTW) were willing to die for their “cause”. Unfortunately, the Democrats seem more than willing to make every American take a hit for their “cause” - that of further collectivizing America through their neo-Marxist economic and cultural policies.
5 camojack // Jun 7, 2008 at 9:25 am
Such a deal!!!
(Yeah, right)
6 Beerme // Jun 7, 2008 at 10:21 am
Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less
Why let China have it all?
7 RedPepper // Jun 7, 2008 at 10:27 am
Sigh.
This morning, I paid $20.80 / gallon - for a cup of coffee at the local diner.
And that was without cream.
The heartless greed-heads of Big Coffee are ripping us off !
8 Maggie // Jun 7, 2008 at 10:47 am
I wonder if the CEO of Starbucks and Opec is the same person? hmmmmmmm?
OT…gafisher
Good to see you back.Have you been on vacation?
9 Maggie // Jun 7, 2008 at 10:50 am
On further inspection of #8….should that have been “are the same person”?
(Online…..I know you know)
10 JamesonLewis3rd // Jun 7, 2008 at 11:40 am
Query (Yes or No):
While consuming the aforementioned “nearly 20-gallons of light, sweet crude,” is the effete pinkie extension of the hoi-polloi mandatory or may I be excused?
Also: Where are the Cross Ants!?!
11 boberinyetagain // Jun 7, 2008 at 12:13 pm
gafisher, coupons you say? That sounds like a fine idea indeed. You should have patented it, it will be stolen/used shortly!
hank, it’s not George or the democrats, it’s a $ that’s near worthless. Who controls that?
12 upnorthlurkin // Jun 7, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Beerme, thanks for the link! If Slick Willy hadn’t vetoed drilling in ANWR, we’d be pumping there by now. Every journey starts with a single step! We may even be on the road to America’s first refinery in 30 years down in SD! I guess the carrot EEEEEEEEvil big oil is dangling (4500 construction jobs, 1200 permanent jobs) is enough to convince the rubes living in and around (one of the) proposed sites to vote in favor of rezoning said site. Greedy devils….tsk, tsk….
13 Darthmeister // Jun 7, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Al Qaeda in Iraq Increasingly Using Women As Suicide Bombers
Hmmmm, the NOW has to be applauding Al Qaeda’s recent attempts at equal opportunity for Muslim fundamentalist women. Well, you certainly haven’t heard from the NAGS (National Association of GalS) about the routine mistreatment of Muslim wives and daughters by devout Muslim fundamentalist males now have ya? Honor killings … wifely beatings … clitorectomies … gender apartheid … women unable to attend male mosque services … etc.
After all, it’s all Bush’s fault for radicalizing the “religion of
piecespeace.”14 Darthmeister // Jun 7, 2008 at 1:25 pm
upnorthlurking is absolutely right. Look at the greedy, corrupting influence Big Oil is having by offering well-paying jobs to people who would much rather be on the government dole. And the gall of Big Oil executives to actually promise that increasing the supply of domestic oil would make American energy dependent as well as cause the price of home heating oil, diesel, and gasoline to actually decline in price. Far better to be a poor slub riding public transportation than some fat cat middle class American driving around burning up the holy remains of dead dinosaurs and superheating our pristine environment and causing all the ice in the world to melt thus placing all our beachfront properties two hundred and fifty feet underwater. I mean, IS THERE NO JUSTICE?
15 Libby Gone // Jun 7, 2008 at 5:33 pm
I have a final answer for everyone so silly to suggest it’s the Oil Company Execs, and their salaries, bonuses, etc.
Take a position as Oil Company CEO, (like Chavez just waltz in and declare yourself in charge), then using all of the power of your intellect and charisma, change the corporate culture. Institute wage controls and return the appropriate sum of your earnings as determined by basement dwelling text message voters all across America!
It supply and demand idiots.
16 Fred Sinclair // Jun 7, 2008 at 6:01 pm
bya #11 Actually, you’re probably more right than you know.
One of the “Hallmarks” or “Flags” that a country is going under is when they begin printing money on only one side. If that ever happens - Get out of there!
Real Estate Agent talking to elderly couple after selling their house for $125,000.00 “Ill bet that when you first bought the house in 1931 for only $12,000.00, you never dreamed that one day, it would be worth so much?”
Old man, “The house is still worth what I paid for it, Sonny, it’s that your money isn’t worth as much.”
Heirborn Ranger
17 Fred Sinclair // Jun 7, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Darthmeister #14 - Th latest consensus I read about the origin of oil, considering the massive amounts being discovered (a new biggie now found in Brazil) the conclusion is that #1. There never was that many dinosaurs to account for the multiple trillions of barrels of oil we already know exists. #2. Oil cannot be made from animals #3. It is found naturally all over the globe.
#4. The dinosaur story’s origin was invented by algore.
#5. and I throw this in for what it’s worth…..God put it there to be used by man (once he figured out what to do with it).
Heirborn Ranger
18 Fred Sinclair // Jun 7, 2008 at 6:26 pm
The buzzword of this election is “CHANGE.” Candidates toss it around without saying what they want to change.
Ten years ago, there was an old tale in the Marine Corps about a lieutenant who inspected his Marines and told the “Gunny” that they smelled bad. The lieutenant suggested that they change their underwear.
The “Gunny” responded, “Aye, aye, sir. I will see to it immediately.” He went into the tent and said, “The lieutenant thinks you guys smell bad, and he wants you to change your underwear.
Smith, you change with Jones, McCarthy, you change with Witkowskie, Brown, you change with Schultz”
“Change, now get on with it.”
A candidate may promise change in Washington but the stink remains.
Heirborn Ranger
19 MajorDomo // Jun 7, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Fred, don’t get me started on the evils of periodic minimum wage increases
wv: Havilland features. (de-) Olivia’s were just fine!
20 mindknumbed kid // Jun 7, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Remember that wise politician that decided to do away with the gold standard? A currency without a standard of value is not such a good thing. Makes me speculate as to when we will see the establishment of a world government, I wonder what the currency will be for such a thing? Euros? dollars, pesos, peanuts? “Money” is nothing more than something that exists in the minds of men, it can be anything you can imagine it to be, as long as it is accepted as being of value by the masses. Could be a turd, as long as everyone valued them.
My greatest fear with the outrageous cost of oil is that while we are filling our tanks with gasoline, we are filling the wallets of evil/hateful America haters that will use it to attack us in the not so distant future. Is there a coming “fall” of Babylon in the near future (Rev 18:1-4), and if so, who/what is Babylon?
Does anyone know the roots of our modern banking system? Stock markets? I’ve heard a lot of interesting speculations over the years, some really make a person think. One thing for sure, these financial problems and the coming election are a great source of troublesome thoughts. And the fact that there are so many genuine idjits out there with permission to vote. Get ready. Stay ready. God will not remain silent forever!
21 mindknumbed kid // Jun 7, 2008 at 8:01 pm
In other interesting news:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/brigitte-bardot-fined-for-racism
I think she ought to appeal, think of all of those poor sheep!
22 mindknumbed kid // Jun 7, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Push?
23 onlineanalyst // Jun 7, 2008 at 8:41 pm
gafisher: Perhaps next month OPEC will offer coupons.
Well, it’s for darn sure that our benighted Congress is only offering Green stamps.
24 onlineanalyst // Jun 7, 2008 at 8:46 pm
We need the real deal and some common sense in Washington. Governor Palin anyone? This gal needs to speak to Congress and get her thoughts on record.
25 Libby Gone // Jun 7, 2008 at 9:12 pm
mkk,
No doubt we are in for about three and a half years of tribulation. I’d say starting soon.
26 Fred Sinclair // Jun 7, 2008 at 9:29 pm
MD # 19 - If “the powers that be” ever attended an Economics class it doesn’t show.
My dream: If I were President, I would:
#1. Veto 100% of all bills until given Line Item veto.
#2. Cut budget by 50 %
#3. Delete everything that doesn’t fit budget.
#4. Eliminate “minimum wage”.
#5. Cut taxes by 50%
#6. Surround myself with a cadre of top level Conservative Economists, let them crunch the numbers.
#7. Get a pay raise of 50% for all
active duty Military Personnel.
#8. Pay for #7 with a pay cut for all civilian employees above the grade of GS-9.
#9. Pay generously for anything and everything specifically authorized by The Constitution.
#10. Delete 100% of anything and everything not specifically authorized by The Constitution.
#11. Institute a ‘flat tax’ of 17% off of the top (gross) for all individuals, companies and Corporations. No deductions and no exceptions.
If there was a #12. (there isn’t) It would be a Constitutional Amendment making it illegal for any Public Official to leave office with any more assets than he/she had when he/she started. (allowing for their already bloated salaries).
Hey! I said it was a dream (my dream) and I can ‘dream’ anything I want.
Heirborn Ranger
27 mindknumbed kid // Jun 7, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Let us therefore set our affections on things above.
28 mindknumbed kid // Jun 7, 2008 at 11:04 pm
We’ve had it so good for so long that this is perhaps the beginning of a “correction”? Does this generation have what it takes to get through tough times? What would it take to turn the people to God? Or will they continue to despise him…
29 Fred Sinclair // Jun 7, 2008 at 11:53 pm
mkk #28 - I’m not so sure about the beginning part. I ran across the following, and with some minor amendments
The sad thing about it is, you can see it coming. I have always heard about this democracy countdown. It is interesting to see it in print. God help us, not that we deserve it. Come quickly, Jesus - come quickly!
How Long Do We Have?
About the time our original thirteen states adopted their new constitution in 1787, Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh, had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years earlier:
“A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government.”
“A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury.” or in the words of Robert A. Heinlein, “When the people find out that they can vote themselves Cake & Champagne and force you to pay for it, they will.”
“From that moment on, the majority always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.”
“The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years”
“During those 200 years, those nations always progressed through the following sequence:
1. from bondage to spiritual faith;
2. from spiritual faith to great courage;
3. from courage to liberty;
4. from liberty to abundance;
5. from abundance to complacency; America’s sheeple today (mostly identified as Liberals)
6 . from complacency to apathy;
7. from apathy to dependence;
8. from dependence back into bondage”
The United States is now somewhere between the “complacency and apathy” phase of Professor Tyler’s definition of democracy, with some forty percent of the nation’s population already having reached the “governmental dependency” phase.
Heirborn Ranger
30 Fred Sinclair // Jun 7, 2008 at 11:54 pm
..,.
31 gafisher // Jun 8, 2008 at 7:44 am
Fred Re#17: Are you saying these are off the mark?
Maggie Re#8: Thanks for the greeting. Not vacation, I’m afraid; just dealing with Michigan’s economic boom. Think “Mushroom Cloud” and you’ll understand why we’re beginning to call our Governor Ground-Zero Granholm.
32 Fred Sinclair // Jun 8, 2008 at 8:44 am
gafisher #31 - I wish “Ground Zero” Granholm would pick up her marbles and go back to Canada. (she’s never met a tax hike she didn’t like).
Here in Holland, MI (Reagan Country) I have “This is beginning to look a lot like a third world country” Pete Hockstra as my Representative. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some mighty fine folks in my lifetime and I would certainly include him with the best of them.
It was a sad moment for me when Dick DeVos lost to Jennifer in his bid for Governor in ‘06, as an unusually successful businessman he would have turned Michigan’s economy around. The “something for nothing” liberals in the big cities were his downfall.
By the way - thanks for the link I see they’ve copied Dino, the Sinclair Dinosaur very well. My relationship to Harry F. was too distant to be of any value to me (My grandfather Bill was his cousin)
Interestingly (to me) Sinclair is recognized by the Terror-Free Oil Initiative as one of the few filling stations that does not buy oil from terrorism-sponsoring states such as those in the Middle East.
I’m going to order a mug and ball cap, just to help keep “Dino” going.
Heirborn Ranger
33 JamesonLewis3rd // Jun 8, 2008 at 9:21 am
RE: #27-28~~
mindknumbed kid~~
Thanks, Colossians is just what I needed this morning; I was edified.
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things,” (3:2), is the crux of a rather short, but detailed, epistle to believers which covers a broad range of pertinent topics. The verse is also an excellent filter through which to view all of Scripture.
There’s nothing wrong with having it good and striving for better. Therefore, I see no need for a “correction”, as if there is some inherent guilt associated with all Human Accomplishment.
If by “tough times” you mean “no energy” (which suggests “complete standstill”) then I suggest imagining hundreds of millions of people standing around fidgeting and then take that to its logical conclusion.
Lastly, but not leastly,
Thank you
34 Libby Gone // Jun 8, 2008 at 9:27 am
gafisher,
I’m still waiting for Jen Jen to blow me away. has it been 5 years?
How Michigan remains a liberal state is beyond me. Everyone I associate with is conservative and wonder the same. It’s time to take the state back, one county at a time.
wv: Raines jackets, couldn’t see him without them.
35 Beerme // Jun 8, 2008 at 9:45 am
As long as Michigan is a “union” state, it will remain blue. When the unions are charging twenty percent of their membership’s wages for dues and their numbers have dwindled to no more than a few thousand members, they’ll still be touting the union model and spending 95 percent of their monies on Democrat candidates.
Right-to-Work. Now.
Signed,
Blown Away
36 Big Java // Jun 8, 2008 at 10:08 am
I see “we” are back to blaming big coffee again.
(Heavy sigh)
37 Libby Gone // Jun 8, 2008 at 10:24 am
Beerme,
I understand your point all too well. I perform “management functions” at Big Evil Communications Inc.
While I honestly have to say MOST of the Techs are absolutely worth every penny, it’s the ones who aren’t that we spend 90% of our time “correcting”.
Sad part is there are literally thousand of qualified individuals would would give their right arm to even have a chance at this type of work, yet we coddle the non-performers.
Right to work is RIGHT!
wv: Hope Oceanus, doesn’t declare war, Big Brother says they are our ally this week.
38 Darthmeister // Jun 8, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Fred, in the past here at Scrappleface we’ve talked about the possibility that the creation of oil in the Earth’s crust may be a result of natural processes yet to be understood and not the result of ancient flora or fauna remains … particularly dinosaurs. You’re absolutely right, it would take a whole lotta of dead dinosaurs in the right place at the right time to be quickly buried in order to even have the possibility of being turned into a carbon-based product like oil. There are some geologists (not near enough) who are starting to consider the possibility that oil is not really a “fossil fuel” but rather is being created by the Earth’s crust, even then it would be a very long and relatively slow process I would imagine.
Independent embed reporter Michael Yon in Iraq makes this challenge to U.S. Senators and the two presidential candidates:
I hereby offer to accompany any Senator to Iraq, whether they are pro-or anti-war, Democrat or Republican. I will make this offer personally to a few select Senators as well. Our conversations during the visit would be on- or off-record, as they wish. Touring Iraq with me, as well as briefings by U.S. officers and meetings with Iraqis, would provide an accurate and nuanced account of the progress and challenges ahead, so that the Senators might have a highly informed perspective on this most critical issue. Our civilian leaders need to make decisions based on the best information available. The only way to learn what is really going on in Iraq is to go there and listen to our ground commanders, who know what they are doing. Generals Petraeus and Odierno have years of experience in Iraq, and vast knowledge of our efforts there. But the young soldiers who have done multiple tours in Iraq also have unique and invaluable perspectives as well. These young soldiers have personally witnessed the trajectory of the war shift dramatically, and can articulate those changes in concrete and specific terms. It doesn’t matter if a soldier is only twenty-something. If he or she spent two or three years in the war, that person is likely to have valuable insights. The best way to understand what is really going on is to listen closely to a wide range of service members who have done multiple tours in Iraq. Some will be negative, some will be positive, but overall I am certain that the vast majority of multi-tour Iraq veterans will testify that there has been great progress, and now there is hope. Combat veterans don’t tolerate happy talk or wishful thinking. They’ll tell you the raw truth as they see it.
Whether any Senators take advantage of my offer, I do hope that the presidential candidates visit Iraq, not just for a photo opportunity, but to spend time with our commanders and combat veterans, who know the truth and are not afraid to speak it.
I wonder if the retreat-to-defeat Obamessiah and Donk Senators would even bother to take Michael up on his offer? That should tell a person if these people are really interested in the truth or are more concerned with expanding their DemDonk political hegemony here in America with their partisan lies and outdated media myths about Iraq.
Libbygone and Beerme, I’ve been wondering when Big Textile will come under attack from the lunatic fringe on the left for being involved in raping cotton plants in order to enrichen themselves at the expense of mother Gaia. For goodness sake, the latest scientific evidence has it that plants have feelings, too.
And think of the slaugher of innocent bugs in pristine, natural garden areas in order for us to grow palatable vegetables, and then we slaughter those innocent vegetables in order to maintain human life so that we can in turn further pollute Gaia Earth! I’M OUTRAGED, simply outraged at the insensitivity of humankind and its lesser brethren on planet Earth. Even the bug senselessly smashed on our windshields while we blithely drive our cars made possible by evil capitalism and Big Auto, was some bug’s offspring. I mean, bug’s need love, too! We must work harder to stop this senseless slaughter of all of Gaia’s creatures. Maybe Obamessiah has some answers from his vast experience gained at Chicago’s Trinity United Church of Christ. Surely the very Reverend and Respectable Jeremiah Wright has a sermon on tape about this senseless terrorism being conducted by whitey against bugs and plants.
39 Darthmeister // Jun 8, 2008 at 12:20 pm
… my post has been senseless squashed like an innocent bug. Clearly I’m being discriminated against by some hegemonic meateating kkkapitalist pig!
40 Big Java // Jun 8, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Darthmeister, YES there is justice. Soon out here in West Texas, my house will be on beach- front property once the polars melt! Yes, keep driving those big cars, use all the electricity you want, warm up the planet (remember the sun’s activity has NOTHING to do with climate change). Soon I will have the last laugh!
41 JamesonLewis3rd // Jun 8, 2008 at 12:47 pm
RE: #29~~
Heirborn Ranger~~
Well put.
The United States of America still has the potential to break that ominous average-200-year-life-cycle at the point where “apathy and complacency” have begun to metastasize. Radical treatment may be required but there is always Hope.
I know I don’t want my descendants living under any sort of dictatorship (religious, secular, vegan, whatever). What that actually means, well, I dunno.
42 Ms RightWing, Ink // Jun 8, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Yesterday my poor body was dragged all the way to Niagara Falls and back. Sure I survived, because that is what I do-survive.
But, I noticed truckers in Pennsylvania are paying $5 a gallon for waste oil called diesel. How long can they survive doing that? Why here in Ohio it is only $4.61 a gallon.
Remember when the automotive companies went nuts in the 70’s in order to make engines to run on cheap diesel. Ha! GM made the sorriest engines of all. Now folks would be forced to dump a diesel powered car for cheap gasoline.
As for me, back to bed. I did not fare well going to New York, plus the 90 degree heat is killing me. Going outside would be suicide
43 Sunday Funnies : Stop The ACLU // Jun 8, 2008 at 1:34 pm
[...] Broad has more toons. TNOYF: Bush Internal Memo on Scott McClellan Scrappleface: OPEC to Offer New, More Affordable ‘Demi-Barrel’ Six Meat Buffet: The Force is Wrong With This One IowaHawk: And Then There Were Three Doug Ross: [...]
44 everthink // Jun 9, 2008 at 6:39 pm
“I hereby offer to accompany any Senator to Iraq, whether they are pro-or anti-war, Democrat or Republican.”
Say bold fellow, I would you be taking young “Dick” along? If so be sure to keep him close to the Senator, won’t you?
ET
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