Something to consider... The "Golden" GasBuddy #50 meeting will be held Sunday, March 27th at High Noon at: The Patio 7440 S. Kingery Hwy. (IL-83) Darien, IL 60561 630.920.0211 We will cover GasBuddy Q & A, computer & smartphone solutions and best of all, the great friendship that has developed through our meetings...and maybe a few surprises.

The U.S. bought the Russian Czar's interest in Alaska in 1867, ultimately creating the Territory of Alaska which became a state under the terms of the 1959 Statehood Act. Since the sparsely-populated Territory had little in the way of a tax base or capital or infrastructure, the State got an opportunity to "select" some of the federally-owned lands and subsurface estate (i.e. minerals &oil). In 1969, the state leased oilfields at Prudhoe Bay to stimulate natural resource extraction and economic activity. The Feds continue to own the vast majority of Alaska (see Wikipedia); it was once 99%, now it's down slightly. ANWAR and NPR fields are owned by the feds. Alaska is a 3rd-world country owned by the U.S. Congress. Interesting, eh?

The Trans-Alaska Pipeline is private property built by major oil companies to transport oil they bought from the State of Alaska. Most maintenance problems lie in the small feeder lines linking the privately owned and operated oilfields to the 900-mile long 48" pipeline.

How about stopping by for the Chicago GB Meeting #49 this Sunday @ "The Patio Restaurant" in Darien?

As to your "climate change survey" post; This is a pretty credible bunch; after assessing their education, experience and expertise, I'll take their opinion over yours any day. The data comes from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 97% of genuine experts believe climate change is "very likely" caused mainly by human activity. The results come from a survey of 1,372 scientists asking if it is "very likely that anthropogenic greenhouse gases have been responsible for most of the unequivocal warming of the Earth's average global temperature in the second half of the twentieth century."

You wrote 'Huh?' On some News article comment, you made mention of politicians

I don't know if you live in Chicago (the city proper) or if you live in (your address is in) one of the suburbs. But I guess either way ... the rest of the nation does not 'work' the way Chicago works. I was born & raised in Chicago and spent my first 37 years in Chicago and the suburbs and then moved to California. When I got here, I never even thought about becoming politically active, about getting involved in local politics, because my mindset was still Chicago (if you weren't born and raised here, made all your friends here and know the right people, why waste your time?). That stuff HELPS elsewhere, but it ain't mandatory, like in Chicago.

"good way to makes us all poorer. why should we be robbed so the political class can hand out more favors?" So damned true!