We all groused about the fuel surcharges when fuel prices kept going up and up. We didn't like them, but many of us understood they were necessary if companies were to remain viable. I wonder where the "government should live within its means" people were then.
As fuel prices dropped below what companies budgeted, how many of them gave a fuel discount? I haven't noticed any news about discounts.
I know my city government gave one. Our first bill for gas from the city-owned water and gas utility has a "purchased gas adjustment"; it is about a 20% discount.
Even before the discount, the gas cost was significantly less for December than the oil company decided we should be budgeted for every month. That decision was made in the spring of 2008.
Please recognize there are two other reasons for this discrepancy. Our new gas furnace has much greater efficiency than our old oil furnace. And of course, the price of heating oil has dropped considerably since last spring. Oops, I forgot a third reason. We may have burned more wood this year than last; I do know we are burning better and dryer wood this year.
Ah, if only more people would make a careful analysis of all the relevant facts rather than look only at the "facts" which "prove" their case. People of differing political persuasions fall into this trap.
I had thought Danae's giving "29" as an answer to a math problem was just her own peculiarity of her self-indulgence. Then it dawned on me that Wiley Miller uses her as an atavar for all those who think their view is the correct view. See "Non Sequitur" for 2009-02-27 and before.
