GAS STORIES: As our gasoline prices vacillate, so do reports
from our traveling correspondents from across the country.
Tom Ewell of Montgomery, N.Y., writes: “This past weekend (10-16
to 10-20) we went to the southern Maine area but stopped in
Portsmouth, N.H., on the way in where gas was ,2.95 a gallon
Thursday night. Friday it was ,2.82 and by Sunday it was ,2.75. New
Hampshire has tax on only a few things, meals and hotel rooms to
name two. Up in the Portland, Maine, area some stations were still
over ,3 a gallon but a few were in the ,2.95 to ,2.85 range on
Saturday. Sunday in the Nashua, N.H., area most stations were ,2.95
to ,3.05 but Monday many were at ,2.89.
“I’m sure that many people have contacted you with the question
‘If the gasoline and fuel oil prices are going down, why isn’t
everything else?’
“In some areas, diesel is still over ,4 a gallon. Isn’t diesel a
lower cut on the hydrocarbon than gasoline? If this is true,
shouldn’t it cost less?”
On the same subject, we got an email from Susan in Bradford:
“Another gas note, heard from brother Dom in Burleson, Texas – gas
,2.23!” Also from Burleson this week, Ann Cavallero of Bradford
writes: “Gas at 2.199 this am in Burleson, Texas. Have been
visiting here for 2 1/2 weeks and the gas goes down every
morning!”
We carried an Associated Press story just the other day that
reported on the situation that occurs when prices rise with
gasoline prices – but hardly ever come down when they fall. One
thing we’ve noticed lately in the supermarket is the skyrocketing
cost of soup. Campbell’s chicken noodle soup was just under ,3 a
can at one local store.
COMING SOON: Don’t look now, but we’re about to return to
standard time. NEXT weekend – in the wee hours of Sunday, Nov. 2,
we’ll have to set out clocks back by one hour to ensure an even
more depressing winter. Oh well. At least we’ll get an extra hour
of sleep that night. While changing your clocks, you’re reminded to
install a new battery in your smoke detector. Save not just an hour
of sleep but maybe your life.
