This is from the hard-copy Hartford (CT) Courant today written by Susan E. Kinsman Courant Staff Writer--sorry no link:

The wholesale price of heating oil and diesel fuel in Connecticut shot up more than 30 cents Friday, an unprecedented increase that could force some heating oil customers to pay $2 a gallon or more on deliveries as early as today..Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said Friday that his office is examining the price hikes to ensure that there is no illegal price gouging taking place...

Blumenthal is a smart and tough AG with political ambitions. This could get interesting.

Another interesting quote from the article:

The cost of diesel fuel has almost doubled since the beginning of the year...wholesale prices have increased from 74 cents a gallon on December 31 to an anticipated 1.40 a gallon today...Trucking companies are considering surcharges on delivered goods--everything from food to packages--to compensate for the higher prices...For trucking companies and business with fleet vehicles, fuel costs can be 25 percent of their expenses.

Got preps? Good. :-)

-- cgbg jr (cgbgjr@webtv.net), January 22, 2000

Answers

In a free market, anyone can charge any price, for anything. What does he expect to find?

-- Earl (earl.shuholm@worldnet.att.net), January 22, 2000.

If he wants to investigate price gouging, why doesn`t he check out the medical profession? At least, gas stations post their prices up front.

-- Earl (earl.shuholm@worldnet.att.net), January 22, 2000.

He may be smart and tough, but his ambition to be Governor has just about destroyed his effectiveness as Attorney General.

He who expected nothing won't be deceived.

-- Irving (irvingf@myremarq.com), January 22, 2000.

---I have this cyncical thought image. A politician standing up in public announcing he's going to "look into" or "crack down" or some other political buzz phrase, while he's holding his hand behind his back rubbing his fingers together in the "put the green here" motion.

Be interesting to see what the follow up is next week or two. Be even more intersting to see the flow of electronic digits into election accounts.

-- zog (zzoggy@yahoo.com), January 22, 2000.

Well, gee, do you think it could have anything to do with supply and demand?

-- weare (laughing@you.com), January 22, 2000.

The CT attorney general today announced that he planned to make political hay out of the oil industry's misfortunes. He stated that he felt it was his duty as a public servant (and future candidate for Governor) to crucify the easiest target in the world, big oil.

God bless America.

-- Gordon (g_gecko_69@hotmail.com), January 22, 2000.