>Fuel here in Birmingham area where I buy mine jumped overnight from 97.9
>by 6 cents in some stations and 9 cents in others for a high of $1.09.9.

>>From what I can tell so far the overnight increase occured all over the eastern
>and southeastern US. Gouge, Gouge, Gouge.

You guys are just kidding around, right? Here in Utah, gas goes up 10 and
12 cents all the time. It settles back down, and then overnite, every
station in the city jumps up 10 cents. Then, over time, it goes back down
a penny or so now and again, and then, the phone calls occur at midnight,
and the next morning, its back up by 10 or 12 cents. This is how it has
been for many years.

I haven't lived outside of here for a while, so I am getting the
impression that prices don't do this elsewhere? If a 9 cent jump is
disconcerting to you, forget about living around here :-) Happens at least
once a month..

It has dropped quite a bit in the last few months, around $1.00 now, but I
think its a safe bet that it will be hanging around $1.70 by the time the
4th of July rolls around.

The fun part is that our gasoline is refined right here in the city, from
crude that is pumped from Utah ground, and the stations that are based in
Utah still have to sell it at the same price as the stuff that comes from
halfway round the world.

Try not to let it affect you, we have been at war for 30 years to protect
our precious gasoline, so it will continue to be a source of aggravation
to all of us.

I figure gas costs $2 a gallon, and just goes on sale now and then just
like food and clothes <shrug>

Regards,

John