Signs of the Times

Just finished another 475 mile 6 1/2 hour jaunt from Northern California and saw a couple more examples for this continuing series.

I've made this trip a lot in the last couple of years, and am always interested in the gas prices since I have to use a lot of it to go over 1,000 miles in a weekend. The pricing for regular unleaded is back to the levels it was around Thanksgiving when we made that trip a couple of times. The astonishing difference this trip was the price of diesel fuel.

For some time now diesel has been priced 15-20 cents above regular unleaded. It was that way all last year, from the high price point in the summer through the low point around Christmas. However, this time diesel was priced 15-20 cents LESS than regular unleaded. For instance, at our last fuel stop in Westley unleaded was $2.09 and diesel was $1.93. It's been a long time since I've seen that.

So, what's different between now and last November? It's pretty clear the crashing economy has resulted in a significantly lower demand for diesel fuel. There are fewer trucks on the road, and as evidenced by this previous story, fewer trains. Both are big users of diesel fuel.

I'm waiting for the lefties who blamed oil company executives for high prices to thank those executives for today's lower prices.

Anyone??

Second item - during the early hours I was listening to a radio station in Modesto talking about the problems the Central Valley is experiencing because of the Endangered Species Act and water supplies. They were interviewing an executive from a water agency who had been told they would not be getting any water from their major supplier because if they turned on the pumps to that area the Delta Smelt might be further endangered. This is a tiny fish, 5-7 centimeters long, and in order to save that fish entire towns downstream are being decimated.

The water exec was describing some of the local towns that are heavily reliant on this water for agriculture are now facing 40% unemployment rates as their fields dry up. Because the pumps weren't turned on the heavy February rains that hit the area simply ran off into the ocean rather than being directed to areas downstream.

They are begging Obama to declare and economic emergency, overrule the Act and allow water to begin flowing again. An area already hurting because of the economic downturn may be devastated beyond any hope of saving if Obama decides that tiny fish take precedence over people.

What do you want to bet the fish wins?