You've posted the charts in the past. And been ignored, even criticized.

Is the number staggeringly large? Of course.

But as a percentage of total sales, which is even more staggering, a lot of CFO's would frown at the number. It's below expectations for most Corporations.

I am very aware of both tax paid and profit margins the Oil giants make.

As a business, oil's profit margins are lower than any of a half a dozen segments of the American Corporate world .

Unfortunately, it appears many people would rather ignore, or dismiss the realities and bitch than actually take a hard look at the facts. Including the fact that the major US oil corporations do not set the world-price for a barrel of oil. There at the mercy of the market just as we are. Privately owned oil companies are a very small part of the world production, the vast majority is owned by Governments.

Do I care much for the oil majors? No. They're not investing enough in our energy future in my opinion.

Do I complain when I pay for my gas? Hell yes. But I am well aware of the why it's the price it is. And am as aware that it will go much higher in the future.

Which threatens our security. Don't like T Boone either, but he's got a dammed good idea, a beginning of change we should have begun 20 years ago. The handwriting's been on the wall for 30 + years. As usual we American's willfully ignored it. Blithely going about business as usual until it's damn near too late.

While a lot of people heaped tons of derision on Obama for saying so. Simply inflating the nations auto fleet's tire to the proper level would save countless barrels of oil a day.

Or keeping our collective lead foot off the gas pedel.

Or maintaining our vehicles better.

Or ....

Enough