Easter Flowers and April Showers

I am almost at the end of my semester and my thoughts are turning to those things I have neglected. Easter was pleasant but it took me several hours of driving to make it happen. And I drove home in one of the worst rainstorms I can remember. Making it worse was fretting about the gas I used.

The last time I looked, I was still living on fixed income. Imagine my shock this week when I realized that topping off my gas tank cost eleven dollars.

That got me a little over two gallons. I used to be in the oil business and remember how markups ranged from reasonable to gouging, and I am incensed by today's greedy gas barons. There is no shortage of product at this time.

War effects in the Middle East do not impact our supply, but they do affect our mentality and therefore market philosophy. If you can convince someone that there is a time limit or a shortage of a desirable item, it will make the sale and reinforce a high price.

Well. President Obama would put some of the nation's reserves into the public supply if there were a shortage. The only explanation for the current price level is greed. It was reported today that oil stocks have increased 60 percent since last year.

The oil companies also get enormous tax subsidy from our federal government. Why do they deserve tax relief?

It seems to me that any relief for our economy is going to be strangled by oil companies and senior citizens are getting the worst of it.

Not only are we on fixed incomes, but we have no recourse. Or do we?

This month one of our AARP members lost 20 dollars at a local gas station.

When she pulled up, the attendant asked her to park at a certain angle. She complied even though she could no longer see the pump. She handed over her cash, and after she got a mile down the road, saw that the gauge was still on empty. She called a family member who put her in touch with Weights and Measures. Subsequently, the station was shut down for some time while they measured and inspected EVERY pump of this very busy station.

I had an incident with the same station. Maybe the same guy. He filled my car but said that the pump did not print receipts and I had to go to the snack store for a receipt. I told him that I was too stiff to get out and, since he had my money, would he please get the receipt. Lots of hulabaloo and finally the manager trotted out with my receipt and an apology.

Another time the same guy told me my car was too small for his "high speed pump" and I should go elsewhere. Same station. So I called Weights and Measures. That afternoon, as I shopped at Barnes and Noble, I got a call from an officer who was at that moment at the same station. I advised him of the location of the pump so he could test and check out the pump.

Now wouldn't you think that they would have shaped up by now?

Another woman at our AARP meeting on Friday volunteered her story involving the same station!

We will give it a week and then check back to see if their performance has improved.

Who says seniors don't count? Think of the sales that high volume company lost while Weights and Measures had him shut down.

Seniors rock.