By our reckoning, ethanol has added about 20 cents a gallon to the cost of gasoline here in California.

A decline of more than 40 cents (a gallon) in gasoline prices this month and the improving job outlook have combined to help restore consumers' confidence.

The only consolation is that prices in North County tend to run about 3 cents cheaper (than the rest of the county).

We have gasoline at $2 a gallon. If that doesn't drive demand, I don't know what will.

This is in spite of gasoline rebounding 10 to 15 cents in January. This also squares with the jobless claims data.

Refineries are squeezing out every gallon of gasoline possible, and they?re doing a good job of it. The problem is, it?s coming at the expense of the other products like heating oil.