CLEVELAND—
Gas prices are soaring nationwide and in some cities, $4 a gallon is becoming a bargain.

Monday, the national average for regular unleaded climbed to $3.77 a gallon.

Many gas stations in Northeast Ohio are currently charging $3.90. In cities like Chicago, prices have skyrocketed as high as $4.40.

As drivers take notice, they're also changing their driving habits. For the past five weeks, gas prices have shot up and demand has decreased more than 3% nationwide compared to a year ago.

Some analysts are predicting gas will hit $5 a gallon by Memorial Day weekend or early summer.

"I ride with a guy to work. We meet at the rapid station to cut costs," said Mike Long.

"I drive minimally to my job and back. You can't just quit your job because you're driving to it," said Jesse Branovacki. "Five dollars a gallon would really be the biggest for me. I paid $4 for work before. I had to travel and things like that. It was more a necessity so until I reach that mark it's a little easier for me to suck it up," said John Smith.

Rising gas prices are being blamed on increased turmoil in the Middle East and Northern Africa. "It's been the number one factor behind it along with speculation," said AAA Public Affairs Director Brian Newbacher. "In 2008, prices went over $4 for the first time and people started changing their behaviors at that point."

Gas prices may be rising due to some turmoil but if you look closely it doesn't make sense. Libya accounts for <2% of the overall output but the prices have climbed 30%+.

You'll notice very soon that the petroleum companies when they post their profits will be higher than they have ever been. It is a combination of several factors - namely collusion/price-gouging, speculation, and lastly instability.

Irregardless of the above causes, I do think gas will increase due namely to supply and demand. Petroleum reserves have not vastly increased to match the planet's growing demand for the stuff, a simple supply/demand curve will show that very soon the prices will rise not because of speculation/price-gouging but because we simply do not have enough to meet the world's demands.

Britdrnva~ Wrote:
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> Irregardless .....

Not a word

REGARDLESS of the typo, I am ecstatic to finally understand how our economic system operates.

Teacher Wrote:
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> Britdrnva~ Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > Irregardless .....
>
>
> Not a word

do a define:irregardless in google - it shows as a word (though I will caveat that it also says most dictionaries do not consider it a word). Tis still known as a word.

Britdrnva~ Wrote:
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> Teacher Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Britdrnva~ Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> >
> > > Irregardless .....
> >
> >
> > Not a word
>
> do a define:irregardless in google - it shows as a
> word (though I will caveat that it also says most
> dictionaries do not consider it a word). Tis
> still known as a word.


I am somewhat perturbed dubious to the fact that you are truly English; as an Englishman would use proper diction and language. 'Irregardless' is an erroneous word that, etymologically speaking, means the exact opposite of what it is used to express. It is considered non standard, because of the double negative use of 'ir' and 'less'.

'perturbed and dubious'

Its fleecing time - all hail our Corporate Masters. We send our young to die for oil, we exempt them from taxation, and they just charge us more. God bless America.

Wait, we can't blame the current fuel price woes on big oil man Bush and his cronies?

Each time gas jumps in price the old farts in my office remind me of when gas was 30 cents a gallon and they washed your windshield and checked the oil.

Bottom line is there is not a single thing you can do about the price except shop the prices in your immediate area. I am not driving twenty miles in traffic to PWC to save 10 cents a gallon.

The only other thing you can do is change your driving habits. The oil companies have you by the balls and nothing you can do about it if you want to drive a car.

Thank the gods I don't own a 2006 Mercedes CLS 500 AMG with the 5.0L V8 engine.

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