An e-mail campaign launched in California is urging Americans to stay awayfrom gas stations Friday in a “Gas Out” protest to help cut price hikes.Petroleum Marketers of Iowa vice president Ron Marr says the threat won’thurt the gas industry as people will just buy gas the next day.Marr says Iowa’s gas situation is completely different from the West Coast’s.Californians are paying twice as much for a gallon of gas as Iowans. Pricesthere are above two dollars a gallon which is more than double the averageIowa rate of about a dollar. Marr says Iowa gas prices have gone uprecently due to the approaching spring and summer travel season.Marr says gas pricing is a hot topic right now, but he maintains local gasprices are reasonable, considering what people spend their money on such aspaying a dollar or more for a bottle of water.If you want a “heads-up” on gas prices, Marr says you should keep an eye onthe Southeast Asian economy.