$96 billion of pure gravy.

Divide that by 300 million, roughly the total number American citizens in the US.

Happy holidays and please remember: global warming is a myth. Pay no attention to the man behind the mirror.

haha, that's supposed to be 'curtain' not mirror....

Freudian slip from a somnabulist schizophrenic? You be the judge.

You know the old saying Raz .. what comes around goes around ;)

http://www.code0range.net/files/images/rice-tanker-743.jpg

I know if you divide $96 billion by 200 million its something like $4600.

Does that mean the oil company execs are going to dash off checks for 4K to all the fine US citizens who made them kajillionaires this Xmas?

EDIT: damn I'm writing slopy tonight.

No ... that money goes to Faux news reporters who write articles trying to debunk global warming

You know ... the bread-butter thing :)

OK, since its extreme liberalism night....

I think that some of it has to go to the coffers of the Carlyle Group to keep Georgie happy, no?

And a little bit has to be distributed amongst all of the bloggers who defend every action they take too, huh? Morons.

What, exactly, is it that's so fundamentally wicked about running a profitable business?

When you lie about the source of those profits, and when an entire nation depends upon your product to be delivered at a fair price.

Go away, you evil conservative!

When you lie about the source of those profits, and when an entire nation depends upon your product to be delivered at a fair price.

Go away, you evil conservative!

WE Americans aren't the only nation who use oil, so it's much bigger than an entire nation. It's a commodity traded on the open market, it's in high demand, and even though the supply is tremendous, investors are willing to pay a premium at this time; probably because they're making a great return as well.

Anyone who owns stocks, mutual funds, options, etc. hopes to see a return on their investment. It doesn't always work out that way, as I personally know, and I'm not the only one.

The oil suppliers have up years, and down years like everyone else. Right now, they're raking in tons of cash. When oil was 12.00 to 15.00 a barrell, no one was demonizing them. They were spending billions industry in infrastructure during that period and their profits were nothing like they are now. At this point, their investments, and lack thereof in certian instances( like American refineries) are paying off.

Yeah, they're paying off because they've paid off politicians to be hush-hush about their activities.

Anyone else notice how drastically prices dropped as soon as they got wind of the Congressional hearings? After a year and a half of near constant rises in gas prices, they all of a sudden dropped like a brick tied to a fraternity pledge's wang. Coincidence? Or psychic phenomenon?

WHEN are profits going to be made ILLEGAL?!?!?!?!

Stop the madness!!!

Just out of curiosity though, as I don't know what source you got this from, is that *gross* income, or *net* income - that is, is that just how much they made in sales, or is that how much they actually got to keep after paying their business expenses? There tends to be a huuuuuuuuuge difference, especially with companies that big...

Just out of curiosity though, as I don't know what source you got this from, is that *gross* income, or *net* income - that is, is that just how much they made in sales, or is that how much they actually got to keep after paying their business expenses? There tends to be a huuuuuuuuuge difference, especially with companies that big...

Several industries are more profitable than oil. You're exactly right. The anti-energy company nabobs like to throw the total profit numbers around because they sound so big. The profits are large because oil companies make and spend an LOT of money. This is fantastic news for the stock holders in and employees of those companies.

This is fantastic news for the stock holders in and employees of those companies.

Such as, Cheney, Rice, Rummy, Bush, and Republicans in general.

What, exactly, is it that's so fundamentally wicked about running a profitable business?Remember, it's only evil when someone else is running it.

Such as, Cheney, Rice, Rummy, Bush, and Republicans in general.Hahaha...yeah, no Democrats make money on oil. No "little guys" make money in their 401Ks on oil either.

I seem to remember Al Gore owning a huge stake in an oil company...hmmm...is he a Republican now?

Such as, Cheney, Rice, Rummy, Bush, and Republicans in general.

Are you saying that Republicans are savvy investors and others are not smart enough to get involved with successful companies?

Is that lumber company Bush owns stock in making any money? Remember when that Heinz guy asked him about it and Bush said to the world, "Wanna buy some wood?"

Such as, Cheney, Rice, Rummy, Bush, and Republicans in general.

Not that it is illegal, but what oil companies do these people own stock in?

Who cares if they made money? Countries that do not allow profits are countries that nobody wants to live in. Citizens literally get shot if they try to leave communist countries. And remember that 100 million plus were killed in the last century IN PEACETIME by those that do not allow profits. Tell me again, who should I be more offended by...an industry that makes a profit or brutal egalitarians who kill their own?

What, exactly, is it that's so fundamentally wicked about running a profitable business?


When it's done through illegal monopolies, price fixing, gouging, un-ethical opportunism (post Katrina), and conspiracy.

It's always funny how only individual citizens have to abide by laws, corporations don't have to..:not:

When it's done through illegal monopolies, price fixing, gouging, un-ethical opportunism (post Katrina), and conspiracy.

It's always funny how only individual citizens have to abide by laws, corporations don't have to..:not:

Big Oil (oooh, scary words) has been investigated before and there has not been any findings of "illegal monopolies, price fixing, gouging, un-ethical opportunism (post Katrina), and conspiracy". As far as the prices rising after Katrina, Econ 101 will tell you that when refineries are running at nearly 100% capacity and many are abruptly shut off, the supply of petroleum distillates is going to fall rapidly, and their prices will rise correspondingly. Had the prices not risen, shortages would have been the problem.