This is not about the high price of gas - that got cheaper - and is now going back up despite the still lowering crude oil prices. Nope, not about that. It's about 9/10 of a cent. This one has bothered me forever. How can anyone charge a price at a rate that can not be paid? If I offered something for sale at some fraction of a price each, I'm sure I would eventually have to answer to some government official. It's true, when you buy in bulk, lots of small cheap things, the price each might be some fraction of a cent. Maybe a dozen for 10 cents. I get that. But gas? Have you never bought 1 gallon? Or just 2 1/2 gallons for your lawn mower? At $1.999 per gallon your price is $5.997. You are charged $6.00. Big deal, you lost 3/10 of a cent. How much extra does a gas company make over millions of gallons sold? Would they miss that 1/10 of a cent? I bet they would. Did you ever buy exactly 1 gallon? What is the price you pay? Is it legal for them to cheat you out of that 1/10 cent every time?
How many prices end in .99? And the gas companies have found a way to add just one more. I wish I could invest in the number nine. Buy this new car for under $20,000, yes only $19,999.99! You save a penny! What a deal! Would you buy the same car from the guy next door who is not trying to trick you for $20,000? Enough of the nines!
Friday, February 20, 2009
Let's get REAL!
Why are the US industries in trouble? Beside all those obvious reasons, manufacturers obviously don't care about the consumer. Or thinks we are stupid (maybe they have that right). Here's the evidence.
Look at the serving size on any package. The serving size is adjusted to make the nutrition information look better. Don't think so? Let's start with microwave popcorn. The serving size is 3. As far as I'm concerned one bag is 1 serving! OK, maybe I'm a pig. Let's look at some more. Take a look at ice cream. Many claim a serving to be 1/2 cup, but some of the diet ones call a serving 1/4 cup! Why bother. It just makes you want more. Potato chips, serving size 8. These better be big chips!
Another big problem with American manufactured goods (correction Chinese manufactured goods sold by American companies) is the packaging. When is the last time you bought something that you could open the package? Blister packs are the worst. If you can get these open with out a sharp tool and manage to do it without cutting yourself or destroying the contents then it took you a long time to open it. Even the plain old cardboard packaging has fallen victim to the packaging designers. Some are just glued shut so tight that ripping it to shreds is the only way in. Some have "handy" perforations which don't work. Then there is the "child proof" packaging that only a child can figure out how to open.
Packaging is way over done in the US. We really don't need a shrink wrap over a paste board box, over a corrugated box, over a paper wrapping to finally get to a bar of soap. Or a large fancy box with a tiny little item inside. Back in the early days of colonial America Europeans were amazed at how Americans boxed everything in wooden boxes. We had resources to waste, so we did. We never got out of the habit.
And then there is all the stupid, lie filled advertising. . . . . One advertiser actually said "If it wasn't true, we couldn't put it on television". Really? Do they think we are THAT stupid? Are we?
Look at the serving size on any package. The serving size is adjusted to make the nutrition information look better. Don't think so? Let's start with microwave popcorn. The serving size is 3. As far as I'm concerned one bag is 1 serving! OK, maybe I'm a pig. Let's look at some more. Take a look at ice cream. Many claim a serving to be 1/2 cup, but some of the diet ones call a serving 1/4 cup! Why bother. It just makes you want more. Potato chips, serving size 8. These better be big chips!
Another big problem with American manufactured goods (correction Chinese manufactured goods sold by American companies) is the packaging. When is the last time you bought something that you could open the package? Blister packs are the worst. If you can get these open with out a sharp tool and manage to do it without cutting yourself or destroying the contents then it took you a long time to open it. Even the plain old cardboard packaging has fallen victim to the packaging designers. Some are just glued shut so tight that ripping it to shreds is the only way in. Some have "handy" perforations which don't work. Then there is the "child proof" packaging that only a child can figure out how to open.
Packaging is way over done in the US. We really don't need a shrink wrap over a paste board box, over a corrugated box, over a paper wrapping to finally get to a bar of soap. Or a large fancy box with a tiny little item inside. Back in the early days of colonial America Europeans were amazed at how Americans boxed everything in wooden boxes. We had resources to waste, so we did. We never got out of the habit.
And then there is all the stupid, lie filled advertising. . . . . One advertiser actually said "If it wasn't true, we couldn't put it on television". Really? Do they think we are THAT stupid? Are we?
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