ponchholvr, eruope has always paid nore for fuel than we have. back when gas was going over a dollar a gallon they paid almost 4 a gallon.they have no refineries or much of a transportation system.thats why it so high now.noting has changed. there or here for that matter.it wasnt a shutdown that made it higher.companies like getty oil etc,they were the ones who opened the oil fields in camel land. it was thier money that built the rigs, set up transportation and the refineries.and or government gave it back to them. its wall street and speculaters that drive oil and food up now.we still produce more food than any other country in the world. that is our oil.and we give it away. feed our own people and let the rest eat the oil.i bet the oil wuold get a lot cheaper when they had to eat a bowl of oil insted of rice crispies. sorry about the spelling cant see good this morning.