Photo taken on 6/6/08 in Santa Monica | © Copyright 2008 by Jonathan Alcorn (Sundogg) via LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr When it comes to the cost of a gallon of gas these days, it certainly doesn't seem to be the case that "it can't get any worse." We grumbled when it got to $3, winced when it hit $3.40, cringed when it hovered at the $4 mark, and now we're seeing prices......

Mark Lacter at LA Biz Observed is reporting that "the per-barrel price of crude was reached in after-hours electronic trading after the Energy Department reported unexpected declines in U.S. crude inventories and refinery operating rates." That means a barrel is now $115.31 easily tipping gas over $4 in the Los Angeles area. "Prices are up 4.4 percent this week and 82 percent from a year ago," reports Bloomberg. Lacter reports regular is going for $3.95......