We cannot doubt that, on the whole, any beneficial variations will give the possessors of it a greater probability of living through the tremendous order that have to undergo. There may be something left to chance, but on the whole the fittest will survive. -Alfred Russel Wallace: Darwinism, 1889.

My name is Barbara Bobit. I'm 18 now and again pinch-hitting for Pop, who claims that the holiday season was simply too much for his to 'swallow.' And that takes a lot of gin for him to admit that. Since my name now seems to be a yearly 'household word' in your industry, I have again accepted the challenge. Besides, it's an easy way for me to justify the air fare from the University of Arizona to home.

My roomies at school, Mindy and Ann, and I have become so totally confused with the gas shortage that I thought it would be worth talking about. One day Simon simply says that the shortage is 'real'; the next day he puts off any possible rationing until May. Nader says "We are drowning in oil"; Simon says that the oil company profits will not be 'extremely high' as Senator Proxmire suggests; and even though I'm using pop's credit card I can see the pump price of 54c for regular. Surely someone is raking it in.

And did you see Texaco come up with their January inventory that shows that they have more #2 heating oil and diesel fuel than they had a year ago; and just as much gasoline. Sure wish they would share some of that in the mid-west where all the stations are dark at night and on Sunday. Of course, the Sunday thing has given Pop just the excuse to sit out all the football games and keep tinkling the rocks in his gin glass when we should have been visiting relatives or going to the hardware for Mom.

While college kids are not all flower children today, we are confused. The 55 MPH law won't kill us (it should save a number of lives), and thinking twice before you make any trip has got to be sobering (get that, Pop?), but a good thing for Americans. We just sort of slid into ignoring ecology and the basic beauties around us - Like Pop's belt line expanding another notch every few months and not doing anything about it.

Importantly, the Federal Energy Office has gone on record to assure travelling salesmen (and other people who must drive their cars a lot in their daily work) that they won't be left stranded by the government's proposed gas rationing system. Energy Director William Simon intends to be realistic about supplying extra coupons needed for normal business operations. That's got to be great news for fleet men. Pop says so.

Pop also says that Mac Wilson and the Pittsburgh NAFA Chapter put on one heck of an Energy Seminar in January that should have been attended by every fleet man. There are a lot of things we can do to cope with the fuel shortage and the professional fleet men are already doing them. Now let's all hope that no shortage develops in the juniper oil program or Pop will start hoarding gin in those red gallon cans instead of gas.

Without question, there are a great number of people who do not understand the 'hows' and 'whys' of this energy crises. A recent pool showed that more than a third of the people interviewed did not think that it was for real. That seems to be the job for all you industry guys and the associations to interpret what Simon says and why.

In the meantime, I think I will spend my weekends skiing - where it is transportation without gasoline. That is, if Pop can arrange for the gas and gin to get us there.