Data points

From the Beeb:

Oil prices have surged once again amid concerns over dwindling reserves in the US and fears oil cartel Opec may decline to raise its output.

On the London market Brent Crude jumped $1.08 to $35.58, while US traded oil jumped $1.20 to $38.25 a barrel.

so that vaunted relationship that the Bush regime has with OPEC and oil producing countries is working to someone's advantage, unfortunately, not to consumers.