Location-Location-Location

With oil at $75 a barrel and gasoline over $3 a gallon where is the best place to have a pawn shop? Across the street from a gas station of course.

One very visible sign of the price of gasoline hangs outside a filling station in San Diego. It reads, $3.29 a gallon. A somewhat less visible sign is across the street, inside Harry Jernigan's pawn shop.

"People come in every day," says Jernigan. "They're trying to pawn tools, jewelry, electronics, anything, just to get $15, $20 to put in their gas tank."

Jernigan says most of the people pawning valuables are just trying to make it through to payday. About a third never come back to claim their items. So, if he doesn't think he can re-sell what they're offering, Jernigan has to turn people away.

And yes, the Rethuglicans know this spells trouble for them in November.
Leaders Question Gasoline Prices

House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) are preparing to send a letter to the president Monday asking him to direct the Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department to investigate alleged price gouging and instruct the Environmental Protection Agency to issue waivers that might make it easier for oil refiners to produce adequate gasoline supplies, Hastert spokesman Ron Bonjean said.

It's all Lee Raymond's fault?

Hastert also took aim at the rich pay package for Exxon Mobil Corp.'s retired chief executive, which he called "unconscionable."

Well for once we here at Middle Earth Journal have to agree with Mr Hastert.