Thursday, July 10, 2008

Rant: Muy Expensive Moo Juice

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On a daily basis, most every news station, website, radio station, etc. devotes a significant amount of time and energy griping about the cost of gas. They'll analyze the history of gas prices, gas price trends over the past year, point out who we should blame for such high prices, and then they'll estimate the astronomical amount we'll be paying for gas in 10 years. But here's what I don't understand: I don't understand why as often as I hear about how much money it costs to buy a gallon of gas, why more people aren't ranting about how much it costs to buy a gallon of MILK.

Ok. Gas. I get it. It's a bit complex to make. Gotta refine the oil. Most of the oil is far away, etc. But here's a fact: a gallon of gas will allow me to travel approximately 25 miles. Sort of impressive, no? But milk? The juice squeezed from the disgustingly dangly teats of cows? The cows that can be bred, raised, and milked practically in our back yards if we so choose? Do we have to dig for miles to find this precious liquid? Do we have to negotiate with hostile countries for it? Is this stuff as scarce as oil, for heaven's sake?

As if you couldn't guess, I just came back from the grocery store and the gas station. I paid $3.93 a gallon to fill up the car. Pricey, yes, but once again--each gallon will make my car go for 25 miles. At the store I bought four gallons of milk for $3.79 each. (I usually try to buy it when it's a bit cheaper on sale, but when you're out--you're out.) Now, I have four children that typically have cereal for breakfast and the requisite "choca-milk" every morning. And I'll tell you what--that gallon of milk is in no way worth 25 miles, if you know what I mean. It will barely last two days. I can't even fathom if I had like 6 or 8 kids. Families in Utah are probably well into their emergency supplies of powdered milk by now, or else there are alot more kids getting pet milk cows for their birthdays.

(When Jeremy reads that, I will be regaled with the same old story about how he had a cow growing up that he had to milk twice a day, everyday, and how miserable it was, but how it built character, blah blah blah. And he'll act all shocked when I tell him he's already told me about his famous childhood milk cow. And then he'll say how we're going to get Alex a cow to milk when he turns 10, and I'll be all, yeah right, uh-huh. Sure. But in my head I'll be thinking, no way, no chance in heck. I don't want to be milking no dang cow. I don't need any more character.)

Now, I do understand that the price of oil is probably what is driving up the price of EVERYTHING, milk included. But come on, doesn't it seem a little ridiculous that a gallon of milk costs about the same as a gallon of gas? Or is it just me.......?

5 comments:

Deanna said...

I hear that! I say we invest in a good milk cow and send our 6 oldest kiddos out daily to milk it. That might tire them out and build character all at the same time. I can see it now, Alex taking charge to get it done, Cate standing by wide-eyed with the blank stare, Tara and Maddie doing who knows what and the boys running around saying “milk milk milk”.

Jessica the Jacked LDS said...

I AGREE!!! And tell Jeremy that story is so old, how many times have I heard that in Sunday school?? hehe

brentandkashann said...

I never made the comparison. I will have to think about this one.

I guess the difference is no one can get free gas. Unless you work for the government and then you can waste it while you idle your car and walk down and visit with your policemen buddy in his car. (I see this all the time) But everyone around here in the state of NY can get free milk. The elders here are always getting milk from WIC participants in the ward because they give people so much it goes to waste.

Jeremy scarred me for life as far as milk goes. Always brought in the milk bucket filled with grass. I hated milk for years after the milking days. And I also refuse to get a cow ever.

The Richards said...

So ture! I hate that everything is getting so expensive. I'm all for the cow and some other animals, but I don't think our neighbors that are 10 feet away would appriciate that to much! As for the insomnia I'm there with you, it stinks because you are so tired! Mike never notices when I leave either!!

Travis and Jamie said...
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