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Nov, 21, 2008

Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: Money matters?

Caroline B. Glick: Civilization walks the plank

Nov, 20, 2008

Rabbi Avi Shafran: Bronfman's blindness

The Kosher Gourmet By Linda Gassenheimer: Portobellos add a hearty flavor to pasta with pesto

Nov, 19, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir : Spread the wealth? Jewish tradition and income equality

Elliot B. Gertel: 'Mad Men': Tackling prejudices or reinforcing them?

Nov, 18, 2008

Dr. Debby Schwarz Hirschhorn: The End of the Age of Reason

Jonathan Tobin: Does Barack + Bibi = Disaster?

Nov, 17, 2008

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: The End of the Age of Reason

Diana West: Gulling Americans into making terror legit?

Nov, 14, 2008

Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: The Power of Spiritual Inertia

Caroline B. Glick: The perils ahead

Nov, 13, 2008

Stratfor Intelligence Briefing: How Bush and Obama together could change the Middle East dynamic

The Kosher Gourmet by JeanMarie Brownson: Sweet and savory, crispy and meltingly tender bestilla

Nov, 12, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir : Tyrannical Co-Workers

Michael Doyle: High Court to consider today donated monuments that may have religious messages in public parks

Nov, 11, 2008

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Will Obama stop government officials considering institutionalizing financial jihad?

Jonathan Tobin: They Will Decide Their Own Fate

Nov, 10, 2008

Rabbi Avi Shafran: $8 billion, modern-day Tower of Babel being built?

Barry Rubin: A letter to the president-elect from a Middle East realist

Nov, 7, 2008

Rabbi Francis Nataf: Of Children and Immortality

Caroline B. Glick: Livni's Obama strategy

Nov, 6, 2008

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: How I tricked a classroom of apathetic students into grasping the fallacy of moral relativism

The Kosher Gourmet By Gina Kim: Tips for making the perfect soup --- includes recipes

Nov, 5, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist By Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Destitute Debtors

Bruce Weinstein: 'Religulos': Bad title,even worse movie

Nov, 4, 2008

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Treasury Dept. submits to Shariah law

Frida Ghitis: A surprise for Obama in the Middle East

Nov, 3, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: Who says Jews are Smart?

Jonathan Tobin: Was He Wrong About Everything?

Oct. 31, 2008

Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: Our Immutable Noble Essence

Caroline B. Glick: Running against Bush

Oct. 30, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: The End of the Special Relationship?

Steve Lipman: 'Kid Kosher' Gets A Title Shot

Oct. 29, 2008

Binyamin L. Jolkovsky: GET US THE TAPE THE L.A. TIMES REFUSES TO RELEASE, AND WE'LL GIVE YOU CASH!

Dr. Ari Korenblit: Making The Write Choice for President

Oct. 28, 2008

Mona Charen: Denial runs through American Jewry

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Sell-off to capitalism or sell-out to Islam?

Oct. 27, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Are tax deductions for charitable donations moral?

Jonathan Mark: The Mystery Of The Arab-American Vote

Oct. 24, 2008

'Why aren't all religious people vegetarians?': Response by Miriam Kosman

Caroline B. Glick: Testing Obama's mettle

Oct. 23, 2008

Daniel Pipes: Obama Would Fail Security Clearance

The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: A fast chicken dish with an Asian accent

Oct. 20, 2008

Gary Rosenblatt: Still One Torah

Jonathan Tobin: Government 'Gifts' Are Not Free

Oct. 17, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: Sukkos and the Great Meltdown

Caroline B. Glick: The disappearance of law

Oct. 16, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Copying DVDs: RIP OR RIPOFF?

Cal Thomas: Blaming the Jews (again)

March 22, 2007

J-Rhythms with Avraham Rosenblum: JWR's cutting-edge music program showcasing performers -- singers, song writers, musicians, and bands -- who learn and live the Torah lifestyle (OUR NEWEST IGODCAST !)

Oct. 29, 2003
Mortimer B. Zuckerman: Graffiti On History's Walls (MUST-READ!)

Jewish World Review August 28, 2006 / 4 Elul, 5766

Sky high? What if sky's the limit?

By Mitch Albom


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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | It has been a few weeks since gas prices were the BIG story. This doesn't mean gas prices have plummeted. It just means, for the moment, our blood pressure isn't boiling over.


Why not? You still can pay more than $3 a gallon anywhere you look. A year ago, the national average was $2.28. The year before that, it was $1.79. Two years before that it was $1.31.


The profits for Big Oil still are embarrassing. The OPEC nations that get filthy rich from our spending — some of which might like to see us wiped out, if we weren't such good customers — still are raking in the money.


But, for the moment, we seem to have sighed and accepted it. We always do. I laugh when people say, "Pretty soon, Americans are just going to say, 'That's it! I'm not taking it anymore!'"


Come on. We're going to take it. You don't think so? I'll give you two words:


Bottled water.


Think about it. Do you remember, not long ago, when the idea of charging for water was obscene? Water? Come on. You get it free at restaurants. You can guzzle it at a public fountain. Water? Who would pay for water?


But look around now. People shell out $2 or $3 for a bottle of water. At a health club or an outdoor fair, they have to have it. At the airport, they buy it with a magazine. Even at home, where they could fill a glass from the sink, they open the refrigerator and unscrew a plastic bottle top.


If we'll pay this much for water, what makes you think there's a cap on what we'll spend for gas?


After all, you need gas to get anywhere. You can't drive to work without it. You can't drive to the movies without it. You can't go anywhere without it — unless you take public transportation. But, oops! There isn't much of that around here.


So what do we do? We complain. We grouse. We swear. We shake our heads.


And we pump. We'll keep on pumping.


And you know what?


The oil companies know it.


Why do you think we get the same lame explanations every time gas prices jump 20 cents in a week? Why is there always some talking head from an oil or gas company who sadly blames this pipeline or that refinery? Why do we accept it when Exxon Mobil and BP announce record-shattering profits while acting as if they're just as concerned as we are? How can they be so brazen?


Because they know we'll come back. They know we'll keep paying for gas. People thought $2 a gallon would be some breaking point. Then they said $3. I hear people say now, "If it reaches $4, that's gonna be it!"


That's gonna be what? We'll pay $5 a gallon. We'll pay $10 a gallon. We'll cut back on all kinds of other things before we stop driving. It's because we are too dependent on our wheels, too used to our comforts and lifestyle, and too beaten down by corporations and multinationals to feel we can make any difference.


All we can do is complain. And after a while, as you can tell by the relative quiet the last few weeks, we even get tired of doing that.


Meanwhile, we keep shelling out for gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs. We keep accepting our politicians' foot-dragging on alterative energies. We keep complaining about imminent danger from certain foreign countries, while continuing to send those countries billions for their oil. Fine. That's our choice.


Just don't tell me the tipping point is coming. We've shown no evidence of having one. And because of that, the only thing you can truly say about gas prices is this: They are not going down.

Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.

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