Bwild: We're past 4 bucks here. There was a refinery fire and since then the prices here have remained high most of the time.

Artful Dodger: we jumped .50 in the past 2 weeks

Artful Dodger: I've heard the equivalent of $5 US per gallon is the norm in Europe. And our unemployment norm appears to be approaching or has already reached Europe's normal (average) percentage. Depending on how things go in the next few years, unemployment here may hover at 8 to 11 percent, if we can hold it there... I don't think it will be coming down anytime soon. However, that currently estimated 8 to 11 percent may just be wishful thinking... it could be higher than that.

Artful Dodger: Right now I'm "effectively" retired, but I prefer to say that I'm unemployed. Depending on the outcome of the presidential election, I'll know whether or not to call myself retired or unemployed.

I think the same is true with other people. Some doctors have already retired sooner than they had planned, thanks to the added headaches of Obamacare... and some people who were thinking of going into medicine are having second thoughts. Remember reading about the so called "brain drain" during the middle of the last century? Brains were "draining" out of Europe and finding their way to the US. We may be facing our own brain drain soon... either going overseas, or essentially being redirected and absorbed (in other words, effectively lost) in our own economy.

Iamon lyme: I'm effectively tired. Those little kiddies wear me out!