I wonder how long it will be before we start seeing don't buy gas from this station or that one, or don't buy gas on such n such day.

What does "shutting down straights" mean?

Do you remember gas rationing under Pres Nixon? It worked.

I wonder how many people think that the oil companies are privately owned companies? They are traded on the stock market, are part of mutual funds, investors in them are in the hundreds of thousands. Those of you who have IRA's for your retirement savings probably own shares in oil companies. You are the owners - not some unidentified rich person. The amount of shares you own determine the amount you earn. Each share owner has the opportunity to attend every meeting and to vote their shares. You can vote with only one share, 10 shares, 100 shares, whatever. You own the company. If you don't like the way the company is being run, you can make your viewpoint heard. You can run for an office in the company. This is the difference in a publicly held company and a private company. All the big companies are publicly held companies.

Where I live it is already 3.99 a gallon I just paid the most i have ever paid today I guess we will be bussing it for a while.

well said Tanya!! I think a lot of people forget we live in a free market economy, there is no one around who is going to "spank" the oil companies because they are charging too much. They are a business just like any other business. They can set the prices and the public buys more or less of their product depending on the cost.

Now I know for most it is a necessity and not a luxury to buy gasoline, but look what happened during the energy "crisis" back in the 70's - all of a sudden small economy cars became very popular. And gas prices went back down.

In a free market society the question is not why are some making a profit on Wall Street. The question usually is" Why have you not made a profit on Wall Street?" The opportunity is there for everyone.
Bigger profits are made with bigger investments, but profits can be made with small investments. Almost all retired people who are living with income from other than SS are living off of Wall Street. Either they have invested personally or the people responsible for their retirement fund have invested. Few have invested entirely in bonds. If they have retirement that is earned from a company, a teacher's fund, a public fund, like a policeman's , etc., their retirement fund is diversedly invested in Wall Street.

Very well stated!! I was at a meeting where a State Pension Fund Manager was present and he was asked by one of the attendees- "Did you have any Enron stock in the pension fund?"- Of course, YES was the answer. In order to generate a lifetime income, there has to be investments- some with risk and those with less risk- diversity is the way to go. Tanya, I wish more folks were as informed as you are about the way retirement income generation truly works.

Alot of reasons you still see large trucks on the road is the bottom $$ line. My truck is paid for, 1999 model F350, the only thing it cost me is insurance. Yes, it costs a fortune to fill it up. But by the time you add a payment for a more economical care, insurance and then STILL have to buy gas...I come out cheaper. Plus my truck will do things that I could not do in a car. BTW...I would never own a car. I want something big enough so that if some fool hits me, I have a chance of survival. Just my 2¢ worth. So having a payment and a car is NOT always the most economical decision...

Barb, when you own a Diesel engine, it is much better to leave it running then constantly starting and stopping the engine. Trust me, it is much more expensive to replace a diesel engine than a gas engine anyday. Believe it or not people, there a a valuable use for large trucks and SUV's. Not every one is a soccer mom and lives in the city. I NEED a (large) truck. I would replace it with an SUV if I could afford to run 2 vehicles. I wouldn't own a car if you gave it to me. For me, it is absolutely useless.

It is the big oil companies and the stupid WALL STREET speculators who control the gas prices. I wish the government had let wall street fail.

As long as fuel is high, we will never get out of the recession. Oil effects every aspect of our lives, from the farm, to the store to our wallets. Therein lies the problem....GREED....