Ruby Red Slippers

So you’re concerned about the rising cost of gas prices? But feeling powerless to do something about it? Don’t fret.

Your ‘Fairy God Father, cum ‘Good Warlock’ is here to the rescue. Lately, big oil companies have raised oil and gas prices with impunity.

And if we don’t put a stop to this we’ll soon be ponying up $5.00 a gallon!

Sure, OPEC countries and economic supply and demand play a role in the direction of oil and gas prices. But it’s a small one. The real cause of gas price increases rest largely with financial hedge fund managers (remember, the guys that were too big to fail?) who, through determining the value of oil stocks, drive up the cost of oil and thus, gasoline.

Still, as consumers, we can do something about it. We can make a difference. Stop buying gas. Granted, we need gas to get us around to the jobs that we make our living. However, by collectively limiting our purchase of gas we can lower the cost. It’s as simple as that.

How do we get started? We can start by choosing a day (or two) not to visit our local gas stations. We can even give our plan a theme. We can call it "Passin’ Gas" day.

To coordinate all of this all we need to do is use one of the greatest tools invented, the Internet. And the power of the Social Network.

You know how that works. You tell two friends, they tell two friends and so on and so on.

But don't stop there. Make changes in your daily travel routine. Park that big beautiful SUV and other gas guzzling vehicles in the driveway for two days out of the week. Then bike it to work, use Metro trains or organize car pools. These measures not only help reduce our dependance on gas (ever hear that before?), they also lend a hand at improving our overall health by getting us to be... uh-um, more mobile.

Do you remember the classic movie "The Wizard of Oz?" Dorothy already possessed the power to change her fate in the ruby red slippers she wore.

She just needed to hear how they worked. She got that news from Glinda, the Good Witch. We too, have the power to change how much we pay for gas. We just need someone to tell us that we do.

Consider yourself told.

Now, hungry enough to eat a cow and a calf and a hog-and-a-half, but food prices have gone through the roof? Well, in the words of my mother, "If it ain’t one thing, it’s another."