Are gas prices really that low?

When I left Washington in the summer, gas was just over 4.00 a gallon. Now I'm reading its like 2.50 or something on the West Coast. Is this true? I suppose it's possible, considering oil prices have like halved in the last couple months. I guess if there's one good thing in the global economy verging on collapse it's that I'll be able to drive when I get back and not go broke. Hooray. I've been working on my case study, incidentally, about the effect of Puritanism on political structures in colonial New England and will have the rough draft of that done tomorrow. It's basically a two week academic dash after a whole lot of nothing, and then there will be another two weeks of nothing until I'm back in the States. And then I will drive my car without regard to the environment, the economy, or my own sanity. Anyway, I'd appreciate it if someone would comment if this news that I have read is untrue, because I feel like I've actually missed something huge in America. Not the changing of a president; I'll get to see that happen for real on January 20. No, gas prices returning to American levels. I think Norwegians hate us; even though they have the largest oil reserves on the planet save Saudi Arabia, they still pay quite crazy gas prices. But at least they have a decent train system. Win some, lose some, I guess. This post seems more like a blog than a travelogue. But do not fear, because I leave for Bergen on Thursday, and after that the content will become blissfully travelogue-y again.