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I have to complain about the Exxon on Green Valley. I stopped there for gas last night and they are WAY out of line with what I would consider reasonable gas prices. I can't say any of the Exxon stations in Greensboro are a value. I am sticking to Citgo and Gate from here on out.

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Is it near other gas stations, and, if so, what are their prices?

I've noticed that gas stations will charge much more in the Triad and elsewhere if there's no competition in site but the price drops to the same level of, say a Costco or a Sheetz if those stations are within walking distance.

Go figure.

This is certainly not my area of expertise, but I believe most are independently run although they share the same company logo.

And that's why the prices fluctuate.

The owners have the power to raise or lower, unlike other businesses (you don't, for example, pay 5 cents for paper towels at a Wal-Mart in Greensboro if Kmart is down the street but $25 at a Wal Mart a few miles away because it doesn't have any nearby competition.).

Where is the public outrage at gas prices? I've heard/read frustration, disbelief, annoyance, and even helplessness, but why aren't we mad as hell? And beyond that, what are we doing to show the oil companies that we are fed up with them gouging us at every opportunity? Where is the call to action? Now is the time to reduce demand to its lowest point in years. Carpool, take public transportation, walk, bike-ride, whatever it takes. Park your car and leave it there as long as you can.

Also, we know the auto makers have been tinkering with hybrid cars and they can't keep them in the showrooms.

But they're still expensive and inconvenient. What's the freakin' holdup? Supply and demand doesn't seem to be an issue here.

Why not take a page from previous competitions that helped spawn giant leaps in technology?

Charles Lindbergh won a competition to be the first to fly solo across the Atlantic (he won $25,000).

Lately, there was $10 million awarded to those who privately built a manned space ship that can make two suborbital flights (SpaceShipOne won the $10 million Ansari X Prize on October 4, 2004).

How about $1 billion awarded to those who build the first automobile that's affordable, convenient, safe and does not rely on fossil fuel?

Of course, the financial backer gets the patent rights in return and will become even richer.

Hey, people, some of these billionaires out there struggling. We need to help them out whenever we can.