Today's Times Union

I woke up bright and early and extremely refreshed today! May 1st! MAYDAY! First order of business: a brisk walk to the nearest newspaper vending machine to pick up a copy of the Albany Times Union. The major headline: "Fill-ups likely to stay pricey." This is no surprise, considering there hasn't been much oil exploration and no new refineries built in the US in decades. So, chalk one up for pill poppin' Rush Limbaugh's favorite group: the environmentalist wackos. Funny thing is, many of the major wackos have mellowed a tad from the late 70s and early 80s and they themselves noe sit behind the wheels of Durangos, Tahoes and GMC SUV's. Here's what you may have already guessed:

Hurricane Katrina served as a 'test' to see how Americans would react to $3 dollar a gallon gas. Americans didn't, and now they're hinting at $4, maybe $5 a gallon, throwing in the old line "it's been $5 a gallon in Europe for years!" Really? Why was it then back in 2000 "they" were telling us "it's been $3 a gallon in Europe for years?"
Car manufacturers have different oil change schedules in North America VS. The World. Every 3000 miles is the rule of thumb here, while in Europe it's either 5000 or 7000. Folks, I drove my Plymouth Voyager van (which I bought used with 100,000 miles on it) almost 97,000 miles and I only changed the oil once. (It had a Mitsubishi engine, which Chrysler was putting into new mini-vans at a time when they couldn't build engines fast enough to meet the mini-van demand). When I sold the van, the engine still ran perfectly. But, I digress. The LA Times article goes on to mention new oil demand in China and India. China is already making deals with African nations for oil exploration. Our biggest problem is India. Yes, the land of telemarketers is basking in wealth thanks to American companies hiring young Indians to do their phone work, and though the salaries pale compared to what American workers would have received, these kids are buying motorbikes and automobiles and THEY NEED GASOLINE. OUR Gasoline! It's a monster created by every company that has a "English Sphreeking" telemarketer calling YOU. Remember THAT!

Other front-page stories include Iraq, same-sex marriages, etc. etc. Page A7 features a Philadelphia Daily News column by John Baer, "United 93 movie is necessary." I beg to disagree. There is no need to perpetrate a myth on the American people. A better, more realistic choice would have been an NPR Radio Drama, incorporating some real 911 calls... oh, sorry, that's all secret stuff! Speaking of 911, in "Letters to the Editor" on page A6, titled "Bin Laden tape reflects a historical mystery," a reader aks "Why did President Bush send 15,000 troops after the man who planned and executed 9/11, yet 130,000 after a man who had nothing to do with 9/11?" BIGGER QUESTION: Last week we were treated to THREE seperate Al-Qaeda tapes. By previous standards, that would certainly mean Osama & Co. are prepping to nuke us from outer space, or something like that. Yet, I haven't heard a peep about the color-coded Terror Alert system (or has that fallen by the wayside?).

Moving on to Section B (The "Capital Region" section, and yes I am wondering when that will be changed to the "Tech Valley" section) we find a story about the weekend fire that destroyed 5 businesses along Lake George's Canada Street. The fire may have been a blessing in disguise. High priced gas should pretty much kill tourism this year, so if the fire nets the owners a little insurance cash, all the better! Cash in, and move on!

Next there's a story about a murder in one of Albany's "student ghetto" neighborhoods. That IS a fitting name: ghetto. These 'hoods should be torn down and the state should build REAL dorms for the kids. Next, the NAACP is asking the Times Union for an apology, demanding the newspaper retract its story alleging Detective Ken Wilcox was drinking before his death in a fatal car crash along I-90. I think the NAACP should apologize for dragging Wilcox's family before the media when K-Wil hasn't even been laid to rest yet. They looked so uncomfortable there, especially Wilcox's 13-year old daughter. What a shame to make a public spectacle of this family during their time of grief and suffering. Politics!

Last week one of the NY papers published a photo of the December 1960 airliner crash over the city. This morning the TU published a photo of the 1972 Mohawk airliner crash on Edgewood Avenue in Albany. 17 people were killed, 36 injured, but the most astounding tale is that of the family whose home was hit by the plane. From the TU:

"Joseph and Marcia Rosen and their sons, Lawrence, 9, and Roger, almost 7... (were) watching "The Partridge Family" television show when "All of a sudden, I heard a pop and then everything went silent for a long, long time," Joe Rosen told the Times Union... at impact, the family was thrown outside. Rosen figures the windows in the family room blew out." Now, THAT is luck!

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