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Like many Americans, truckers are furious about fuel costs that can be as much as $4/gallon for diesel. A big rig's typical run could cost upwards of $1,000! Truckers are trying to draw attention to the financial hurt with a disorganized strike. But this is not the first time they've been behind the 8 ball. In 1973, Pres. Nixon proposed a strictly enforced 50 mph speed limit during the nation's first energy crisis. Truckers mounted an organized strike and called for a 60 mph nationwide speed limit. A compromise was reached at 55 mph, which became the national speed limit for many years. Nixon was trying to save fuel costs in suggesting the lower speed.

Money magazine reports that for every 10 mph you go over 60, that's equivalent to the price of gas going up another 55 cents/gallon. So you might try saving dough by slowing down. You can also improve fuel economy by unloading your trunk and keeping your tires properly inflated. So many people ask Clark when gas will drop again. Several months ago, he shared some pundits' predictions that the price of a barrel of oil would again drop to $45/barrel. That seems almost like a joke now. Meanwhile, Dow Jones reports that all those spam e-mails you might be receiving about gas enhancers are total malarkey.

You'll also be hearing a lot of politicians attacking the oil companies alleging a price conspiracy. But when oil prices were low, nobody thought there was a conspiracy to lower prices, right? The real problem is the demand for oil, coupled with the Federal Reserve's poor stewardship of our economy. The Wall Street bail outs have caused our dollar to decline in value, which affects the price we pay for oil. Don't forget that your neighborhood gas station owner actually wants cheap prices. That way you'll buy more chips, cigarettes and sodas!

At the end of last year, Clark proclaimed that HDTVs would be getting cheaper in January; more expensive closer to the Super Bowl; and cheaper once again as spring came. But that hasn't been the case. One disgruntled listener wrote in to say prices aren't getting cheaper, and Clark doesn't know what he's talking about.

The reality is that the prices of bigger screens are falling, while the prices on smaller screens are hanging out where they've been the past few months. Here's why: The early adopters got the biggest sets they could. Then the next wave of buyers bought in the 23-36 inch range. So demand remains strong in the smaller sizes and prices have stagnated. Meanwhile, the larger sets are dropping steadily in price.

Plasmas and rear projection HDTVs are the real deals, now that LCDs have emerged victorious in the format war. But over time, the prices of all HDTVs will decline and the picture will improve. Today it's not uncommon to get a 42-inch LCD in the $800 range, while you might find comparable plasmas in the $700 range. On a related note, did you know that you can get the best hi-def picture for free? Just buy an HDTV antenna for around $20, hook it up to your HDTV and you'll get a superior picture on regular broadcast channels than you would with satellite or cable.

Economics have forced medical students to abandon primary care. The costs of medical school and the current health insurance system mean that everyone wants to be a specialist. Clark believes that nurse practitioners and physician assistants are the answer to the shortage of primary care doctors -- and the looming shortage of pediatricians. Clark recently read in the Personal Journal about a new program called Doctor of Nursing Practice that's being offered at 200 schools. This doctoral-level program requires nurses to take the same qualifying exam as a doctor. Clark loves that the marketplace is developing an answer to the primary care crunch.

Tax refund loans have declined 25% over the last two years, according to ConsumerAffairs.com. Today only 9 million people get ripped off this way each tax season. These loans are heavily advertised in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods and they come with exorbitant interest rates. Clark wishes the numbers were down to 0, but the trend is moving in the right direction. But it's not time to let your guard down just yet this tax season. Now comes word that refund loans are also being offered for your government rebates. Clark's advice is simple: Don't do it. Wait until your money comes either by direct deposit or in the mail.