RE: Gas prices
It's not the price of crude. Look at the cost difference between gasoline and diesel and that will tell you it's not an oil thing. Diesel has typically been ~15-20% more expensive than gasoline. Recently I've seen gas higher than diesel. It has to do with refineries, and the games American oil is playing with us.
It sucks. The first thing I think about is the impact on flying. I love driving to AMA contests. I don't want that to change.