A New Index. But When?
I've noticed that the sources showing the price of a barrel of crude oil these days quote the value for "sweet, light" crude. In earlier days the index crude was "West Texas Intermediate." I have no idea when the change was made. I do know, though, that sweet, light is always more expensive. Maybe not a lot more expensive, but more expensive, none the less.
Light crude is defined by the American Petroleum Institute as having a specific gravity greater than 40. Sweet, according to the API, has a sulphur content of about two percent or below. I don't recall the breakpoint between Intermediate and Sour.
Does it matter? Not to me. Anyway, likely most of the imported oil we refine is sweet and light.
No Party Man
Once when I was in high school, fifty-something years ago, a librarian in Casper, Wyoming told me she was neither a Republican nor a Democrat. "I just try to vote for the best man," she said.
That's like me. I, too, am neither a Republican nor a Democrat. I just try to vote for the least worst.
The Big Horn Mountains
I'm writing this from Sheridan, Wyoming. Staying with our daughter and her family, my wife and I have enjoyed a wonderful week.
We camped by the North Tongue River at about 8000 feet elevation and visited the Medicine Wheel up about timber line. (More about this place in a later entry.) The last mile and a half to and from the Wheel was an uphill and downhill walk that exhausted us all, especially the children.
Yesterday we visited the sites of the Wagon Box battle and the Fetterman Massacre and picniked above Lake DeSmet. The Big Horns and this valley just east of them are very beautiful. And very peaceful.
But yesterday I heard on the radio that our troop level in Iraq was 162,000, the highest yet. And this morning I continued to run across articles like this. Back to real life, huh.
