Gas Prices

The antique media has been warning us for several weeks that we may be paying over $3.00 a gallon for gas this summer.

Well the local gas stations decided not to wait for summer.

A month ago we were paying around $2.60 here in Ridgecrest. Just 2 weeks ago gas in Ridgecrest had risen to over $2.80 a gallon. Last Thursday I gassed up the van and paid $2.91 a gallon. On Monday of this week gas was $2.98. I filled the truck up Wednesday evening for $3.02. On thursday morning it was $3.08 and by Thursday evening it had hit $3.15. Today, Sunrise Liquor is selling gas for $3.29. That is a 27% price increase in one month. But since Crude oil only went up in price 18% in the same period I have to assume that last years record profits weren't enough for the oil companies.

According to California gas Prices there are only 5 places in California with higher gas prices that Ridgecrest. You know, sometimes living here really sucks. Especially since the same web site shows that there are several places in California that are selling gas for around $2.70.

Now the really scary part of all this is that I'm afraid that living in California is starting to effect my brain. I'm starting to think like a liberal. When I read about how Exxon oil made over 36 Billion dollars in profit last year and that their chairman Lee Raymond just received a 400 Million dollar retirement package it makes me want to scream. I'm reducing the number of times I do things I like to do (like play golf) so that I can afford gas to drive to work and back and this one oil company made enough profit last year to give every man woman and child in this country $90. From my family alone we could have filled up our main vehicle 15 times. Suddenly I find myself thinking that maybe taxing the hell out of the uber-rich would not be such a bad idea. Then I come to my senses and realize that it wouldn't make any difference. They would still take their insane profits, they would just increase the price us working stiff would have to pay in order to make up the increased tax burden.