Man, do you remember those days when gas used to be $1.21 a gallon? I used to be able to put $20 in my car and not have to worry about gas for two weeks. Try that now. It barely gets you past the half-full line.What amazes me is how oil companies make so much money. You know what? It doesn’t amaze me. It’s President Bush’s fault for letting price gouging go on for so long. Come on now, how can gas go up 40 cents and then only drop 10 cents? That’s not mathematically correct.Let’s do it this way. If gas is $2 right now, and the prices rise due to an oil crisis, it’s understandable. Let’s say gas rises to $2.50. Now, after the oil crisis subsides, and the oil barrels go back down to their original price, shouldn’t the price of gas go back down to $2?Well, that doesn’t happen in today’s economy. I’ve finally figured out what these oil CEOs are doing. They are raising the prices higher and higher, but they never go back down to the original prices, or the prices they should be. This is how most oil companies were able to turn over $1 billion in profits.I’m not against oil companies. As a matter of fact, I think it’s a smart way to cheat hard-working Americans out of their money. However, I am against price gouging. It’s getting harder and harder for the average person to make a decent living.With gas nearly $3, how does one expect an elderly citizen to live off Social Security? It’s impossible. They also have to pay their monthly bills, with most of those funds that are not going to medical care and medication going to gas to get around. When it comes down to it, most elderly citizens who live off Social Security have to cut corners – hard.What about college students? Living in Grambling, and with the only major stores in Ruston, we are forced to drive about 10 miles every time we need groceries and other supplies. That 10 miles has been hitting my budget hard. I don’t know about the rest of GSU, but I want my cheap gas back.I believe gas should be back down to $1.41. Why? There is no way that any oil company should’ve turned over $1 billion in profit when the costs are "rising." Doesn’t that mean less or near-the-same profit as last year? I thought it did. Maybe some of the students who take classes in JTS can tell me different.Oh wait, I’m sorry. Hold that thought. Someone’s changing the numbers at Clark’s…