$2.99 per gallon

I was so excited yesterday to see that gas in NC finally dropped below $3.00 per gallon. From what I understand, our state has on of the highest gas priced in the US. I have been hearing lower prices for the US average, but our stations just went down yesterday. I filled my car about 10 days ago at $3.45 per gallon and thought that was a pretty good deal. Now we are under $3.00.

The scary part is that paying less than $3.00 per gallon is such a huge deal. I remember filling my first car, a 1985 baby blue Nissan Sentra sedan with a manual shift, for less than $13.00. Gas was usually around $.97 per gallon. That was a mere 20 years ago. Boy o boy, have times changed. It really does make me feel old, too.

Back in my day, sonny, we only paid 97 cents for a gallon of
gas...

Dow closes below 9000

I just saw the headline that the Dow closed lower than 9000 today. I have not checked my portfolio in long time, and now I am too scared to look. When and where will the slide end?

I received an interesting e-mail a few minutes ago from a local shop. The shop has to pay a $10,000 business loan, but lacks the money due to poor sales recently. They are asking their patrons to donate $50 per person to keep the store afloat. Wow, I wonder how many local businesses will be taken down in the current economic climate?