Gasoline Gripin'

Sometimes a gripe just starts to build up in me as a day progresses. It might hit me early in the morning, and I'll try to deal with it and suppress it throughout the day, until

BAM!

It just explodes out of me because I can't keep it in any longer. Take this morning, for example. The first gas station I passed was selling 87 octane gasoline for $2.159 a gallon. Just three days ago, I filled up my car for $1.819 a gallon -- 34 cents a gallon less. How can they justify an increase of almost 20%?

I know that in his State of The Union Address this week, President Bush talked about hydrogen cars, increased ethanol production, and lowering our dependence on foreign oil, but this is ridiculous!

I've griped quite a bit about gas prices, but there just seems to be no end to the fluctuation of the price at the pump, and seemingly no reason for it.

Every time I gripe about the price of gasoline, somebody comes forward in defense of the big oil companies. Any takers?

Joe