Random thoughts from the road *Corrected*
Bookworm on Jul 12 2008 at 10:58 am | Filed under: Uncategorized
Mr. Bookworm has kept a death grip on the computer, and this is my first chance at it in a couple of days. I’ve had a few travel related thoughts percolating in that time, so I’ll jot them down here in quite random order.
There is no doubt that Oregon is great for out-of-staters because of the absence of sales tax. It is amazing how nice it is not to pay an extra 8% on every purchase and to save 40 cents per gallon of gas. Gas would be even cheaper in Oregon if the Oregon legislature hadn’t outlawed self-serve gas. I understand that the original, paternalistic thinking was that citizens could not be trusted to take care of their own cars and needed the professional help of a gas-pump expert. As it is, all that these guys do is — wow! — pump gas and clean the windshield, two tasks I’m perfectly capable of handling myself. I also think it should be up to me if I want to drive my car into the ground without their pump expertise. Without these legislatively mandated useless services, I suspect that gas prices in Oregon would be under $3.00 $4.00 (Thanks, Gringo, for catching that typo.)
I recognize that the way in which the white settlers and the US government treated Native Americans was heinous and is a blot on America’s moral record. Having said that, I find irksome in the extreme the Native American worship that characterizes every musuem and natural site here in the Pacific Northwest (and elsewhere in America too). The fact that the Native Americans were treated horribly does not change the fact that they were humans, too — with the same strengths and weaknesses as other humans. I’d find much more interesteing a rounded portrait of Native American culture, instead of this bland, hagiographic reverence that simultaneously teaches children to despise their own culture and beliefs.
It is amazing how much more friendly people in small communities are than people in cities. Oregonians have been delightful.
John McCain is invisible in rural Oregon. To the extent we see political signs, they are for Barack Hussein Obama or Ron Paul.
I traveled extensively in my 20s and enjoyed it. As I get older, I enjoy it less. Organizing a family of four is tiring. Hiking when you have bursitis is tiring too. Despite the pleasures of the trip, fatigue keeps threatening to trump the whole thing. I still cherish as my vacation gold standard the trip we took to a luxury resort in Hawaii, where we had a room of incredible comfort, and nowhere to go, and nothing to do but relax and have fun. Being at a resort also reined in Mr. Bookworm’s inability to retire early. I liked shutting down the energy by about 7:00. He’s on a10:00 energy shut down, by which time even my after-burners have given up.
The price of the room doesn’t always dictate the comfort of the bed. Two nights ago, we stayed at a shabby hotel that was nevertheless immaculately clean. It had the most comfortable bed I’ve slept in on this entire trip. Last night, we stayed at a fairly pricey B&B. It was immaculately clean, charming and sat right on the beach. It also had the worst bed (and pillow) on the trip. so I am feeling tired, stiff and crotchety.
Random enough for you?
I am looking forward to my return to blogging come Monday, although I have to say that DQ has been so interesting, and so provocative, that I’m going to have (as my son says) “ginormous” shoes to fill.
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11 Responses to “Random thoughts from the road *Corrected*”
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Without these legislatively mandated useless services, I suspect that gas prices in Oregon would be under $3.00.
Do the math, Book. Oil price= $140/ BBL. 1 gallon= 42 bbl.
$140/42= $3.33. This does not take into consideration cost of refining, energy losses in refining, cost of transporting crude to the refinery, cost of transporting gasoline to the gas station, taxes on gasoline, etc., so the price would be well above $3.33. Add an arbitrary 15% for all the considered costs: $3.80 and up per gallon.
Hi Bookworm!
Can’t wait for you to get home (in part because I’ve got some work for you). Enjoy the rest of your trip!
When I worked in New Jersey in the 80s all stations were “full service (tic)” so as not to discriminate against people with disabilities. (I know that is not a generally accepted term now, but thought that “gassing challenged” was worse)
It is fascinating that California of all states did not jump on that wagon.
Just remember, we cannot drill our way out of this situation. I think the current policy is to “hope” our way out.
Pumping gas is still outlawed in NJ and the current price of regular is $3.99/9.
No, we can’t drill our way out of this situation, but drilling can certainly be part of the solution. My biggest complaint about the energy problem is that we keep treating the solutions as an either/or proposition. We should be drilling more; refining more; building more nuclear, soloar wind, geothermal, etc. etc., facilities; making more energy efficient cars and homes; in short pushing forward on all energy producing and saving fronts.
The only place I draw the line is against laws restricting our freedom. But we certainly should vigorously promote all solutions. Free up the free market and it will take care of the problem.
Don Q, I thought my sarcasm would sort of leap off the page. Especially when I ventured that some think that we should hope our way out.
I have communicated with my elected reps with one simple messge–drill. I have received the ususal insulting pap in response.
There is no doubt that conservation can mitigate the higher cost of fuel at the personal level. It is even possible that a serious nation-wide conservation program could bring demand closer to supply and effect price. But, we know that we have the resources to increase supply significantly. All we lack is the political honesty.
Anyone who does not forsee decades of a petroleum based society is peering into the future with eyes wide shut.
Anyone who does not forsee decades of a petroleum based society is peering into the future with eyes wide shut.
I think what they are doing is limiting the supply on purpose in order to increase the hardship on the poor and the middle class, hoping that more people (more being poor than rich) will give power to the Democrats. The Democrats, who caused such a shortage in supply, will then stop their actions to obstruct supply and suddenly gas prices will drop.
Clinton did make a deal with oil companies, which I don’t know the details of, and seemingly kept oil prices level or low. He is hailed by the Left for doing that.
The Left don’t particularly care how you do something, so long as it nets them power and glory and prestige.
When politicians say “drilling won’t solve our problems”, they mean “drilling won’t solve my political problems with re-election”.
Gringo, you’re right. That was a typo. I meant to say “well under $4.00.” With my husband and my daughter both practically snatching the computer from my hands, I didn’t do any proofreading.
Welcome back,BW.
I can attest to the inadaquacies of pricey B&Bs. We were in Vermont last month at one. The view down the valley was great, as were the breakfasts, but the bed was certified to induce kifo-scoliosis.
DQ, we can drill and refine our way out of this situation. We will create more good paying jobs for the economy. And we should start yesterday.
Al
Welcome back!