heres a link to probably the most objective explaination of gas prices out there
explains the actual cause and effect issues, instead of the tin foil hat conspiracy theory bullshit
http://money.howstuffworks.com/gas-price.htm
demand and usage (gas guzzling assholes) goes up = price goes up
millitary conflicts in parts of the world with lots of oil supplies = more difficult to drill and ship oil = price goes up
OPEC cuts production = price goes up
hurricane shuts down / damages oil platforms = price goes up
hurricane shuts down / damages oil refineries = price goes up
hurricane shuts down / damages recieving ports = price goes up
the hurricane effects will be temporary, once the damage can be assessed, and the platforms, refineries, and ports, get back up and running, this last increase will go away
even the risk of lowered supplies will raise fuel prices, and seeing that a LOT of our gas comes from the gulf and most of our refineries are near the gulf, this hurricane could have a HUGE effect on our fuel supply... so companies have jacked the fuck out of prices
ease up on the driving for a week or two, once the supply and refinement issues from this storm are addressed you will see the prices drop back down to something more reasonable
if people would stop driving gas guzzlers all over the fucking place, gas prices would go down a LOT
if some sort of stability returns to the middle east, gas prices will go down a LOT
if we increased our own production, OPEC would be forced to lower their prices, gas prices would go down