JANUARY 8, 2006 --

There the oil companies go again. In Torrington, January 4, LPR saw that prices were up 18 cents in a week. There was a report that the new year's gas price spike was caused by an oil dispute between Russia and the Ukraine.

(Give us a break.) For LPR, the latest spike is merely the oil companies again testing the waters -- that is, testing the resolve of motorists to resist getting squeezed.

The price policies of the oil companies is to be compared with the announcement from General Motors that is is lowering prices on 90 percent of its products.

Finally, a private enterprise company that sees the possibility of greater income, even profits, from lower prices. That's the Federalist 57 spirit!