=====> While cleaning out my files -- a frequently postponed activity now proving to be unexpectedly cathartic -- I came across this undated Reuters piece. The date on the forwarding was last November 20th. With NATO's new doctrine it has been decided that the last, remotest Eskimo ice fisherman and Sahara shepherd will be allowed to share the cost of every 10-mile round trip made by Boobus americanus to pick up two items at his not-really-local convenience store. How convenient, and what an honor! Well, it's fine by me. The more enemies the better; let's get this thing over with. valis 7 days and counting REAL COST OF U.S. GASOLINE IS $15.14 PER GALLON, REPORT SAYS By Tom Doggett WASHINGTON - So you think you're getting a good deal on a tank of gasoline these days? Not so, if all the oil industry tax subsidies received from the federal and state governments and other costs that went into producing that gallon of gasoline were included in the pump price. Such external costs push the price of gasoline as high as $15.14 a gallon, according to a new report released Tuesday by the International Centre for Technology Assessment. "In reality, the external costs of using our cars are much more higher than we may realise," the Washington-based research group said in its report. The report examined more than 40 separate cost factors the group said it associated with gasoline production but aren't reflected by the price of gasoline at the pump. These external costs total up to $1.69 trillion per year, according to the report. The group points out that the federal government provides the oil industry with tax breaks to help U.S. companies compete with international producers, so gasoline remains cheap for American consumers. The Department of Energy is forecasting that the national price for regular unleaded gasoline will average $1.02 during the current quarter, the lowest price on record for any three-month period when adjusted for inflation. Tax subsidies don't end at the federal level, as the group said most state income taxes are based on oil firms' lower federal tax bills, which result in companies paying $123 million to $323 million less in state taxes. In addition to tax breaks, the federal government provides up to $114.6 billion in subsidies annually that support the extraction, production and use of petroleum, such as research and development and export financing. The federal government also spends up to $1.6 billion yearly on regulatory oversight, pollution cleanup and liability costs connected to the oil industry, the group said. In addition, U.S. Defence Department spending allocated to safeguard the world's petroleum resources totals $55 billion to $96 billion a year, according to the group. (C) Reuters Limited 1998. ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]