Why is Gas Always Higher in Mexico Than in Fulton or Columbia?

That's the question I asked Ron Leone, Executive Director of the Missouri Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association.

With him using what I'll call political doublespeak, I felt like I really didn't get an answer.

Ron Leone, as well as Tom May with MFA Oil in an email seemed to answer the question with -

"Because there is no competition we can charge higher prices in Mexico".

And using his own words, he says consumers should not expect gas prices to be similar from market area to market area (as in comparing St. Louis gas prices to Columbia) - but he also says "in the same market area they should be similar." Isn't mid-Missouri one market area? (That would include Columbia, Fulton and Mexico).

That reeks of price fixing to me. Listen to my interview with Ron Leone at MexicoMaxim.com and tell me what you think. Thanks. -GL

Edit: This evening GasBuddy.com is showing the same price for gas in Columbia, Fulton and Kingdom City ($3.199/gallon) while Mexico is at $3.269/gallon.

And it seems reasonable to me to expect gas to be higher along the interstate highway through mid-Missouri compared to other areas not near the highway - but such is not the case in Missouri. (Although that IS usually the case in most larger cities, like St. Louis)

So it goes.

What a Long Strange Trip - July 1974

In the summer of 1974, a school mate of mine, Milton Lee and I decided to take a road trip to Los Angeles. We had the whole thing planned out - stay about every other night in a motel, and the other nights camp out somewhere in my tent. We left St. Louis and headed southwest on I-44. I forget how much cash we took with us, but it wasn't really all that much - when you think about being on the road for two weeks.

Mexico Maxim Has An All New Look

I have moved the content at mexicomaxim.com to a new system. I hope you enjoy the new look.

Are Gas Prices in Mexico, MO Fixed?

Back in the 70s there were laws protecting consumers from price fixing - but if you look at gas prices at all the stations in Mexico, MO on any given day, you'd think price fixing is OK these days.

House Calls

In a recent post I wrote about my mother, I mentioned that she ended up with epilepsy several years after being hit in the back of the head by a baseball. I don't think the connection between the two was made back then by anyone involved.

In that same post, I mentioned the doctor made a house call the first time my mother had a seizure. Doctors made house calls back then after office hours.

My brother sent me an email a couple of days after that post about Mom's birthday, and wondered, "My goodness, how do you remember that kind of detail?"

New Direction

My web site here, http://garyaleonard.com and http://garyaleonard.blogspot.com, has taken on a new (positive) direction. Plus comments, even anonymous, have been turned back on. Thanks all.

So it goes.

Turkey Buzzards Moving In

On Monday, 10/3/11, I saw a group of migrating Turkey Buzzards roosting on a cell phone tower in Mexico, MO. I zoomed in on a pair on the far left hand side of the tower. The one on the right is apparently trying to answer the question: "How long can a turkey buzzard stay perfectly still without moving?" The one on the left is preening and finally decides to take a look at the comatose one, and the comatose one doesn't like being looked at.

The Many Wonders of Fall

If you take a minute to look around, you'll probably see some of the many wonders of the fall season.