I'M BAAACK!!!!

Yes, I’m back from vacation and ready and rearin’ to start training.  I even hit the gym and track a couple of times on the boat.  What fun.

 

I’ll probably start running Thursday and really kick it into gear by the end of the month.  I feel good.  I feel strong.  I feel rested and ready.

 

Speaking of good and strong…  (not really, but I’m changing the subject here)…

Howabout high gas prices.

You think they’re high here?

 

We spend a day in Jamaica (mon) and we tour a little bit of the countryside.  Talking with our tour guide we discover that mandated minimum wage in Jamaica (mon) is 40 Jamaican dollars (or j$ from here on out).  To put it in perspective 1 US$ is 60 j$ on the ground exchange (CIA fact-book says $65:1).  That’s right, the mandated minimum wage in Jamaica is 40j$.  That’s each week, by the way.  About $0.67 a week. 

 

We make $7.15 per hour as a federally mandated minimum wage.  Or about $429 j$.

 

We drive by a gas station and the sign says $67.00.  We say “SIXTY SEVEN DOLLARS A GALLON?!?!” before we even know about the minimum wage or exchange rate on the ground.  The guide says “No, that’s per liter.”

 

Well, you metric junkies know that there’s about 4 liters to a gallon (a little more, but don’t muddy up the math, k?).  So, work your exchange rate… ok, now multiply… ok, yup.  That’s something like $4 for a gallon of gas.

No big deal, gas is cheaper in the US, right?  Right.  But to know how much cheaper, you have to do a little more math.

 

Their minimum wage is about $0.67 a week.  At minimum wages they have to work almost 6 weeks to buy a gallon of gas.  For a typical 13 gallon tank a minimum wager would work 77 weeks.  Fun, huh?  Howabout making that tank last 77 weeks?

The equivalent here would be Johnny Grocery Bagger would have to work 77 weeks for a tank of gas that would cost $22,022, or $1,694 a gallon.

 

Think we don’t have it good here?

Still think $3.00 gas is too expensive?

 

Still think the odds are stacked against the little guy, and you’re the little guy?

 

Jamaica (mon) is such a cool place.  It’s so beautiful, the people are so wonderful…  I’m totally going back.  Maybe to stay.  Maybe.