02 Sep 05 Gas Prices after Katrina
When we wake up this morning and start the commute to work many of us are angry that gas prices are climbing thru the roof right now, when we stop to gas up our vehicles. Those gas stations that are taking advantage of the situation, and blantantly price gouging deserve to be boycotted until they go out of business. There is no excuse to make a quick buck out of such a tragedy, period.
However, let’s put this into perspective.
- Some people are waking up in the Deep South this morning with no vehicle to gas up.
- Some people are waking up this morning with no job to go to.
- Some people are waking up this morning with no home.
- Some people aren’t going to be waking up any more.
So although you might have to bear some pain in the pocket right now when you gas up, just thank God that you’re still here, that you still have your vehicle, your home, your job, your loved ones. Just thank God it wasn’t you, or the folks you hold so dearly, and pray to God that those that survived the hurricane get out of the aftermath unscathed, and go on to rebuild their shattered lives as quickly as possible.
01 Sep 05 Katrina
They need help in New Orleans. Now. They needed it yesterday, and the day before. For the people there it’s the longest week of their lives… and some of them won’t live the week.
Hurricanes are too big a drain on resources and money for any state alone. That’s why FEMA was set up. Why oh why, aren’t people in places ready to roll at a moment’s notice when a storm is obviously going to hit an area, like Katrina was?
OK, so it’s not known the EXACT spot where landfall will happen, but supplies and resources could have been stocked up ready to go as soon as that storm hit.
The politicians talk, and people die. People are dying that needn’t have died, because they should have all evacuated. That’s fine and dandy to say but not everyone has the money or the means to leave. For those that don’t have those means, but do want to leave, is it beyond the capability of this country to provide the logistics? It is just a question of organizing, and organizing quickly some mass transit.
Also, as good neighbors, should we all do more if we’re in one of those affected areas? Take an elderly or poor neighbor with us when we leave?
It’s never going to be possible to persuade everyone to go, but surely more could be done to get more people out.
If New Orleans had been empty, then it wouldn’t have mattered as much what happened afterwards.
It’s a well-known fact that as many if not more deaths happen after a hurricane than during it.
Let’s hope, and it’s surely a vain hope, that lessons are learnt from this tragedy. A tragedy that, for many people, could have been greatly lessened.
01 Sep 05 Cars & Computers
I make a living from computers, but hey, one shouldn’t be despondent if you’re not a computer literate. I don’t profess to know that much, on the grand scale of things – the whole picture is just too vast. But I know what I need to know to do what I have to do, and learn more about the ever expanding technology all the time. Quite simply I enjoy the challenge.
On the other hand, take the car. Like most people, I drive one. For me it’s a functional thing. A box that takes me from A to B. Sure, I’d like a luxury limo for a more comfortable ride, and perhaps more power under the hood (but I’d probably end up getting a ticket or six). Anyways, I know very little about cars. Like people ask me to fix their computers, I ask someone to fix my car when it needs it. I know I could buy the manual, and with some time and effort save myself a whole lot of greenbacks doing it myself.
I’d much rather be sitting inside in my cool air conditioned home office fixing a computer, and let someone else crawl about under my car in the heat… (I don’t know of too many air conditioned automotive repairers).
After the job’s done, I can enjoy a drive in the car, and the mechanic can cool off inside….
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