Gas pump prices have been fluctuating like kids on a playground see-saw. Remember when the price per barrel of oil was about $31? Our gas prices were about $1.90 a gallon way back then in 2009, remember that? It was February 2, 2009 and by August the price per gallon was about $3.70.
In February, the price per barrel was about $31 and in August the price was about $63. So, the barrel price had doubled and the gallon price was proportionate. It seems to me that when the barrel price goes down, the gallon price does not follow proportionately anymore, but looking at the chart, they actually have been. Surprise to me.
However, I still think the oil companies are making more money than they should just because the market will carry $3.90 per gallon price. We've become too attached to our cars and being able to go anywhere to do anything our little hearts desires.
I thought I could prove something by looking up all the back info about barrel prices and gallon prices. It was an eye-opener, though. Our economy fluctuates with supply and demand. This is how capitalism works best. Trying to artificially manipulate the market only does more harm than good which anyone who's studied Keynesian economics knows. The stock market may be low today, but it will bounce back. Look at what it did after 9/11. It dropped from almost 11,000 to just above 7,000. We may have staggered, but we didn't fall and we won't now.
Well, here's a hoot.
Thirty years ago Paul Harvey gave a "rest of the story" while I was on my way home from work. It seems these two friends were quite happy in their respective jobs and were bragging back and forth about their own efficiency. One told the other that in the course of his job he could deliver a letter much quicker than the other fellow in the course of his job. The one who challenged, we'll call him Hank, declared his way was much faster and much more reliable. His friend laughed at him and said, "Hank, you drive a wagon behind a slow horse, how can you possibly beat me? I drive a jeep!" He banged his hand on the table declaring they should test it.
The two decided that their homes being 10 miles apart would be an excellent challenge so they asked each wife to write a letter to the other and mail them on a specific day at 9am.
At 9 am on a crystal clear morning, he took the letter from his wife's hand and stuffed it in his shirt pocket. Then he did his morning chores, tidied up the barn, took an inventory of supplies needed then climbed up on his wagon. He met a friend on the road and chatted. Then it was time for lunch so he drove home and ate with his wife. He took a load to town to deliver to the feed store, bought some things for his farm and took them home. He milked his cows and did the evening chores and by that time it was supper time. He stretched out in his easy chair and slept through the news and went to bed.
The next morning bright and early, he set out to his friend's house to deliver the letter. His horse wasn't Speedy Gonzales so he didn't get ten miles down the road very fast. Around lunch time, he stopped in the diner and had the Blue Plate Special and chatted with a number of fellow farmers and friends. He headed down the road about 1:30 pm and finally arrived at his friend's house at 2 pm. He handed the letter to his friend's wife and said he'd call when his wife's letter reached their house.
The letter didn't come that day, but the following day at 4 pm, Hank's wife heard the jeep in the drive way and walked out. There was Hank's friend with her letter. He was driving the U.S. Mail jeep.
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