From msnbc.com: Oil prices spiked Friday as continued tensions in the Middle East and concerns of renewed violence in Nigeria pushed the price for a barrel of oil to a record near $146.
By midday in Europe, light, sweet crude for August delivery rose $3.53 at $145.18 a barrel...

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell asks that the Senate consider a bill to allow offshore drilling, but Democrats, led by Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) object. Sen. McConnell then asks if the bill could be triggered when gas reaches