Check facts on gas
The year-end Tribune poll had 9% of readers wanting lower gas prices. Myth: Drilling for more oil in the U.S. would lower high gas prices. Fact-check: Production of U.S. oil (19% of world output) does not set the price of gas; the global price of oil does. Oil and gas are global commodities, subject to the whims of notoriously volatile global markets.
Russia and Middle Eastern countries equal six of top 10 world oil producers equal 37% of world output. These countries are using fossil fuel production as political and financial leverage. There is no way for the U.S. to wall itself off from swings in global price and supply.
Gas price equals 54% cost of crude, 18% refining, 17% distribution and marketing and 11% taxes.
Everyone wants cheaper gas prices but look at the facts (InflationData.com):
In 1924 at 17 cents per gallon, the average laborer worked 20 minutes to buy a gallon of gasoline.
By 1932, Depression wages fell. The worker labored 28 minutes to buy one gallon of gas.
In 1950, the average price of gasoline increased to 27 cents a gallon. A gallon costs the average worker 17 minutes of labor.
In 1981, despite a massive run-up in the price of gas, the average worker only had to work 10 minutes to buy a gallon.
The average cost of gasoline in 2022 was $3.80 a gallon. The average worker had to work 8.86 minutes to buy a gallon of gas.
Walk more and reduce your stress.
Garry Bush
Lewiston
Valued history books
I made a list of my more than 50 books about area and Idaho history, and decided to tell you about some of them and their authors.
Some of my books are by local authors including A.L. “Butch” Alford Jr., Melba Ashburn, Steve Branting, Tom Campbell, Ladd Hamilton, Zona Chedsey, Carolyn Frei, Margaret Nell Longteig, Mike Moore, Jeri Jackson McGuire, Dan Miller, Keith Petersen, Marion Shinn, Paul Stewart, Karen Longteig, Josephine Thomason, Gene Mueller and me.
Children’s books are just as interesting to read as adult books. Former Idaho Gov. Butch Otter’s wife Lori’s three books, “Ida Tours the 44,” “Ida Visits 150 Years of Idaho” and” Ida Visits the Capitol” are interesting.
My books are all important to me for research when I want a question answered. Guess what? I have the 1956 book, “Idaho in the Pacific Northwest,” which I used as an eighth grade teacher in 1958 at the old Lewiston Junior High School.
I love Lewis-Clark State College and the University of Idaho, so I enjoyed Keith Petersen’s books, “Educating in the American West” about LCSC and “This Crested Hill: University of Idaho.” We all like seeing pictures, so the two volumes of “Two Rivers, One History” published by the Lewiston Tribune led by Alford, are interesting and fun.
My thickest book is the 875-page “Big Trouble” about the assassination of Idaho Gov. Frank Steunenberg.
I will add many more books in another letter in a few weeks.
Dick Riggs
Lewiston
