More on Gas prices I had an exchange of views with Kim duToit which got me to thinking. My background always leads me to track longer term trends. However, when we are dealing with the sudden rise in the price of gasoline, a longer term trend is bullshit. The effect is short term. This price spike has taken place over a few months. Inflation, CPI adjustments, and the costs of taxes or additives mean nothing. Gasoline cost about $1.65 four months ago (CA). Today it is $2.33. This $.68 price rise (41%) means every one of us has been nailed with a huge hit. 20 gallons is costing us $13.60 out of pocket in real dollars. Most of you use close to 30 gallons per week. That's $20 worth of something that you cannot buy. What is $20 times 60 million cars? $1.2 billion a week of purchasing power is down the tubes. Fuck inflation. This is a serious economic blow.