I think the tragedy on the Gulf is in the back of all of our minds. I alternate between being concerned for all those directly affected and cannot imagine what it would be like to face the possibility of having lost everything, and being angry at the inefficiency. callousness, and general lack of concern that have caused the situation. Yes it is true that we cannot control hurricanes. But so much of what has happened in New Orleans was predicted and even expected and yet nothing has been done. This was not even esoteric information: It has been in papers, journals, even on TV, and in that sense we all have to take the blame on some level. Somehow that is even more discomforting. How much easier it is to blame the politicians or bureaucrats. How much easier still to blame Mother Nature.
How do we balance our desires and greed (houses on the beach, ports, business, money-making, etc) with the consequences of our actions? We seem much better at putting the consequences off for another day and then when the day of reckoning comes, blaming it on someone else.
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The reaction I see most however, locally at least, is anger at the price of gas. It is not that gas was cheap before, but the sudden rise has brought out the worst in many. Everyone is talking about it. Most people are angry. Many are downright rude. Frustration is understandable. Bad behavior is not. The situation is really out of our control.
Yes there is profiteering. Yes the gas station owners respond to demand, have to pay for the next load of gas at whatever price it will be, and yes deliveries have been interrupted. It is going to be hard. The disruption of oil and gas production and delivery will affect absolutely everything. Worldwide production was already barely keeping up with demand. There is no place to make up the difference. Gas prices will have to go up and demand will have to be reduced. Even the release of the reserves will not mean immediate relief at the pumps, the US stockpiles crude oil. Half of the refineries in the country are in the affected gulf states.
There are no easy solutions.