This really burns me up. The refineries are keeping production low on purpose because they are greedy.

Gas Prices Rise to New National Record
Apr 3 03:41 PM US/Eastern
By JOHN WILEN

Wednesday’s surge in gas futures, accompanied by a big gain in oil prices, is expected to send prices even higher at the pump in the near future; retail prices follow the futures market, although with some time lag. Gas got a boost from an Energy Department report Wednesday that gasoline supplies fell last week while demand rose for the first time since January.

The report also showed that refiners are holding back on producing gasoline due to low refining profit margins. The combination of low production and higher demand during peak summer driving season—and high crude prices—could boost gas prices even further into record territory.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8VQJ77G0&show_article=1

Zimbabwe opposition offices raided

HARARE, Zimbabwe – President Robert Mugabe’s government raided the offices of the main opposition movement and rounded up foreign journalists Thursday in an ominous indication that he may use intimidation and violence to keep his grip on power.

Police raided a hotel used by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change and ransacked some of the rooms. Riot police also surrounded another hotel housing foreign journalists, and took away several of them, according to a man who answered the phone there.

“Mugabe has started a crackdown,” Movement for Democratic Change general secretary Tendai Biti told The Associated Press. “It is quite clear he has unleashed a war.”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080403/ap_on_re_af/zimbabwe_elections

By the way, about Soros, I want to be clear in that our financial picture is indeed quite bad at this point. I am just saying we should not listen to Soros too closely. There are better financial gurus we could look toward for warnings and guidances.

Ahh yes, here it is: George Soros and the Alchemy of ‘Regime Change’

It reads in part:

Soros made his first billion in 1992 by shorting the British pound with leveraged billions in financial bets, and became known as the man who broke the Bank of England. He broke it on the backs of hard-working British citizens who immediately saw their homes severely devalued and their life savings cut drastically in comparative worth almost overnight.

Here’re some more:
“When the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997 threatened to spread globally, George Soros was right in the thick of it.”

“He had already been widely proclaiming that it was his own machinations that brought down the Soviet Empire.”

“Then, George Soros did some more shady economic fooling around in France.”

Matt, it is worth your reading, and Soro did try to destroy our financial system once before only to fail. He is trying to do it again, as shown in this article.

India Infoline News Service / Mumbai Apr 03, 2008 11:15

The billionaire investor says that global equity markets will fall more this year after a brief rebound and that the credit crunch is probably far from over

The current financial crisis across the world is the worst since the Great Depression and the credit crunch is probably far from over, according to billionaire investor George Soros. He also says that global equity markets will fall more this year after a brief rebound.

The markets have hit a significant but temporary bottom, Soros was quoted as saying by a leading US business channel. “I don’t think we are halfway through the fallout, because to think what happens in the financial markets doesn’t affect the real economy is nonsense,” Soros said.

http://www.indiainfoline.com/news/innernews.asp?storyId=63601&lmn=1

Bush Wins NATO Nod on Missile Defense
Apr 3 12:18 PM US/Eastern
By MATTHEW LEE
Associated Press Writer

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) – President Bush won NATO’s endorsement Thursday for his plan to build a missile defense system in Europe over Russian objections. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called it a “breakthrough agreement” for the military alliance.

“Now it is clearly understood in the alliance that the challenges of the 21st century, the threats of the 21st century, make it necessary to have missile defense that can defend the countries of Europe,” Rice told reporters at the NATO summit.

Progress on missile defense represented perhaps the biggest boon to Bush from the NATO summit. Russia has fiercely opposed it.

Rice also noted that NATO has “also asked Russia to stop its criticism of the alliance effort and to join in the cooperative efforts that have been offered to it by the United States.”

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8VQG7RG2&show_article=1