Gas prices hit 16th record high..

Gas prices are such a concern for consumers that entire websites have been developed with the goal of tracking the rise in gas prices.(1) One webiste even has a nice little graphic display of the USA as a whole to let you know, at a glance, if you should be fuming or thanking your lucky stars.(2) You can even see a charge displaying the trend of gas in your area over time as compared to the national average.(3) Over all, I think this displays quite a bit of interest in the subject of gas prices. (It's also rather cool.) There used to be websites to track this data, of course. I found one awhile ago.(4) However, when I look at the current offerings, I see a significant improvement. Where we used to require people, users of the website to type in the price they paid at the pump to help update prices, now there seems to be a system in place where at least MSN gets reports from the gas stations themselves.(5) Rising Gas Prices are causing people to refit their budgets. With higher costs for gas, assuming people's incomes don't go up, individuals start pinching pennies. This is felt by the economy as an economic slowdown or a recession. And, incidentally, I am not entirely convinced that this is not being done to us intentionally by the Arab World. (It is far more effective as a means of attacking us that blowing up a building with 6,000 people inside.) At least one Website has a rather nice graphic chart which seems to show a spike in gas prices associated with certain points in recent history.(6) Why are gas prices so high? Well, I could type a lot about that but I bet a few quick websearches would turn up far more information than my poor fingers could type.(7) Specifically, people like to blame Bush.(8) I think, however, it is easy to be unfair to Bush in this matter. Yes, I'm sure that man has blundered things due to his own arrogance and vanity, but I'm sure OPEC is also doing things to be mean and spiteful. OPEC, you see, supposedly acts to keep Crude Oil prices at about $50 a barrel and, as they climb closer to $120, you would expect them to increase production. Increased production by OPEC would lower prices. I don't think they are doing that, which begs the question, why not? I have, recently, heard people deciding to drop plans or reduce expenses based on rising gas prices hitting their pocketbook. It makes me feel rather uncertain in the financial future of my own family. This new energy crisis really needs to get me, and other people, to look at how they can cut their energy usage. I think it will prove to be an important point in world history. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Various included footnotes: 1) GassBuddy - ( http://www.gasbuddy.com/ ) 2) USA National Gas Temperature Map - ( http://www.gasbuddy.com/gb_gastemperaturemap.aspx ) 3) Gas Price Historical Price Charts - ( http://www.gasbuddy.com/gb_retail_price_chart.aspx?time=24 ) 4) StlGasPrices.com - ( http://stlouisgasprices.com/ ) 5) MSN Autos - ( http://autos.msn.com/everyday/GasStations.aspx?m=1&l=1&zip=63033&x=0&y=0 ) 6) ZFacts.com - ( http://zfacts.com/p/35.html ) 7) HowStuffWorks.com - ( http://auto.howstuffworks.com/gas-price.htm ) 8) How Bush Pushed Gasoline Prices Sky High - ( http://www.yuricareport.com/Energy/How%20Did%20Oil%20Prices%20Get%20so%20High.htm ) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I don't drive too much unless I am going to visit family, so it does not affect me as much as some others. Since I have been selling my toffee at the gas station I usually make enough money there every week to fill my tank back up, so it kind of works out for me. My mom spends about $50 a week in gas going back and forth to work. Even more if she goes and does other things. It is getting crazy.

Normally I don't answer to these discussions, simply because I don't drive and therefore, don't have to pay the astronomical prices that I hear everyone talk about. My boyfriend, naturally, always complains, but his laments always fall on deaf ears, because its not coming out of my pocket. But I am beginning to see more and more how it is starting to effect me and those around me and when you said the prices have reached a "16th record high" it made me sit up and take notice. What I am learning is that it may not effect me directly, but indirectly I am going to suffer the consequences of the gas hikes too. I think I need to spend less time burying my head under the carpet.

My husband filled his pickup up yesterday and it wiped out a $100 dollar bill! If this keeps up he won't be able to afford to drive to work! I have a Impala and it takes $50 to fill it up! I stay at home so won't be going many places the places I do go I will walk.

Gas prices are absolutley rediculous!!!!! my sister spends about 80-100 dollars in gas like everyweek! so does my dad! They seriously need to do something with this because it is breaking everyones pockets and everyone is struggling to keep that extra change!!! We are going to end up in another deppression soon because the economy is going to hell. When i had a car it took me 20.00 to fill it up! if i still had the car it would probably be like 40 something now! But still people who drive disel trucks and have to pay for that gas! THAT IS OUTRAGIOUS! i heard that they are putting something in the gas to make it safer for the earth! right now i am kinda thinking like go back to the old stuff because we are hurting for money right now (well my family is) i cant afford this safer for the earth gas wtf! why do people always have to make things so complicated for other people. Just becasue they have money and dont have to worry about it doesnt mean the have to make people who dont have alot of pocket change struggle for it.