I Don't Want To Go To Chelsea

I know, I know...you're thinking that was a great song, and Elvis Costello may be king after all as he noted on his first album cover. But, get over 1978 when that song was released and move into the 21st century. Elvis is still making great records ( I think they call them compact discs now, but they kinda look like 45s to me) and he's teaming up with Allen Toussaint for a summer gig which will include a stop in Green Bay for which my son had BETTER get tickets...or else give me my Visa back. Anyway, this is not about music but about my desire NOT to go to Chelsea, England at this time; and it's all Mobil/Exxon's fault or some Middle Eastern sheik or some Texas politician or SOMEBODY ELSE NOT ME!
We've all heard about the multi million dollar severance package for the CEO of M-E, and we are all aware that gas prices have crept back up into the post-Katrina range. Unfortunately, FEMA or its director, providing one has actually been appointed, cannot be blamed, either. Those of us who drive more than a couple of miles to work have extended our vocabulary of expletives to cover just about anyone we might think is to blame, but I'm here to act as a voice of reason ( I know, I know, that's probably a conundrum of the highest order).
It's probably true that we cannot blame the government...much. It takes only 46 cents from the cost of each gallon of gas we buy. So, if gas is $3/gal, the government gets about (because the math is too hard for me to do acurately) 16% of our money. No wonder oil executives are getting rich. By the way, for the first quarter of this fiscal year, Mobil-Exxon made over 8 BILLION dollars in profit.
All that being said, we have it rather good. Don't think so? Try driving in Europe: that's the place where everyone drives those little cars that appear here in the circus with 10 clowns in them. Eleven countries in Europe pay more than $6.00 a gallon for gas...yes, you read that right. Of that, the government gets about 66% of the money in taxes. Ouch! At the current average rate of $6.48 a gallon in Britain, $4.27 of it is tax. "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" indeed! And the tax has been frozen for more than three years! As an example, a person with a mid-sized SUV pays over $120.00 to fill his tank. Can you say "moped"? I knew you could.
But the worst I found? In Chelsea, the chic part of London popularized by Elvis Costello: gas there is over $8.00 a gallon. Not only do I not want to go there, I could not afford to drive once I got there (and, of course, there's that whole "other side of the car steering wheel and road thingie, too!)