Here's a prototypical conversation with various people over the last several days:

Them - "Man this whole mess in New Orleans is all President Bush's fault"
Me - "How so?"
Them - "Because he didn't do anything, he was still on vacation and didn't get aid to those people"
Me - "Well, did you know that while on vacation he called the governor of Louisiana and told her she should evacuate the city and she didn't until it was too late?"
Them - "Well Bush didn't get aid there quick enough...the federal government wasn't prepared"
Me - "Did you know that the disaster plan for New Orleans that calls for a 72 hour notice for an evacuation of a category 3 storm went ignored?  Did you know that same disaster plan also outlines how those who can't evacuate themselves like the sick and the elderly would be handled by the city?  Did you also know that this plan names the Mayor as the one who oversees all of this?"
Them - "Ummm....well.....ummm....it's still Bush's fault!  He didn't send in the National Guard early enough!"
Me - "Did you know that the National Guard falls under the authority of the governor and the President can only activate them for use in a matter of National Defense or if the Governor of that state ok's it?"
Them - "Well.....ummmm....FEMA didn't get aid in quick enough!"
Me - "Did you know that FEMA doesn't own one helicopter or boat?"
Them - "Oh...well....ummm...Bush still is at fault...those people needed food and water!"
Me - "Well what about the attempts at dropping in supplies where they had to pull out because of gunfire?"
Them - "Bush still should have done something...it's his fault!"

It's been driving me INSANE!!!  This blind hatred is completely stupid.  I know people don't like the President, but jeez man don't let that hatred take away your common sense!  I couldn't stand Bill Clinton...but if this had happened with him as president I wouldn't have sat there screaming that it's all his fault!  Oh, and now my favorite are those who want to say Bush hates black people and no one cares about the poor and how it's almost like genocide and blah blah blah.  Yeah, Bush hates black people, that's why he had Colin Powell as Secretary of State and then after Powell stepped down he named Condoleeza Rice.  I am not a blind supporter of everything Bush does, but man this is appalling.  It's just some of the most underhanded crap I have ever seen...at a time when a part of America is struck with such a tragedy, those with a political agenda want to run out and start blaming Bush.  You know what?  Fine...go right ahead.  Go ahead and blame Bush for diverting the hurricane to New Orleans so it could knock 25% of our refineries out so Bush could jack up the gas prices and line his pockets...go right ahead...because in doing so the majority of people in this country will see you for the idiot you are.  Go ahead and spout off that Bush didn't get the poor out because he hates blacks...go right ahead...people will shake their heads wondering how you became such a pathetic moron.  If you want to go out and spout off ignorant hate during one of the worst disasters to hit this country while thousands of people suffer then please be my guest you idiot.  Jeez...at least when 9/11 happened it took about 2 months before people started blaming Bush...can you people at least have enough decency to do that?

And now for the gas prices.  Yes, they're high and yes it sucks.  It kind of wipes out that whole notion about the war in Iraq being all for oil, doesn't it?  Well one with some common sense would think so...but again I've been hearing things like "well now that Bush controls all the oil he can jack up the prices and line his pockets before leaving the White House!"  Again, if that's what you truly think please keep doing so...because if you are really that ignorant then one day we'll run into each other and you'll be asking me "would you like fries with that?".  Let me give you a little lesson on economics here.  When the demand for something is greater then the supply, prices go up...I don't care what it is.  When it's a seller's market, prices go up.  Oil is a commodity like any other good traded on the open market.  During the summer months a price increase is not uncommon because more people are traveling and there is a greater need for fuel...demand exceeding supply.  Over the last several weeks the price of gas has skyrocketed....why?  A couple of reason.  One is China's increased demand is causing prices of oil to go up...another is the unrest in the middle east...and another is that America's oil use is up due to a robust economy as hard as that might be to believe.  Two weeks ago in Nashville the price of a gallon was around $2.25.  Yeah, a little high....but then last week it shot up to $3.29.  Why?  Well from the people's comments I read on certain messageboards and in conversations, there is a shortage of gas and it's time to panic.  First off, as it stands right now there is NO shortage.  When Hurricane Katrina knocked out 25% of our refineries, speculation in the market was that there might be shorter supplies of gas and the prices went up...again demand exceeding supply.  And just like ANYTHING traded in the market, prices are based on speculation.  Prices are set by looking at buying trends and speculated future events.  Now, 25% of the refineries are knocked out of commission and Labor Day weekend is coming up where a lot of people hit the road and travel and therefore a greater need of fuel is there.  As much as it sucks, the market reflected this speculation.  I was hearing people all last week screaming about a gas shortage and stations running out and blah blah blah.  In fact, one dude on a messageboard I frequent stated that if past generations could make it through the Great Depression then maybe we could survive this.  WHAT???  Oh yeah, high gas prices and the Great Depression are really on equal ground...give me a break.  See, this is what I keep meaning by the pussification of America...people are such wimps that the slightest inconvenience sends their life into a tailspin.  Now I do think this person was saying that about the Great Depression almost sarcastically, but it wouldn't surprise me if people reading it were like "gee...I hope so".  I was on lunch break last Friday and ran to the local Shell Station to get a pack of smokes and talked to someone behind the counter.  He worked for the oil company that handles Shell's gas and told me any shortage is only due to panic buying...that there is no shortage.  Ok, I'll break it down.  Let's say Bill's Gas Station services 100 cars a week...so he orders enough gas to handle about 100 cars a week.  News hits there might be a gas shortage and people panic and run to Bill's and he services 100 cars in 4 days so naturally he is going to be out of gas for 3 days because he wasn't planning on the spike in business.  So now Bill is out of gas and everyone sees this and starts screaming about a gas shortage which leads to more panic buying.  The dude at Shell told me that they have the same amount of gas in their tanks last week that they had the week before and the week before that.  Any "shortage" is due to this panic buying.  If everyone would just calm the hell down it will all work itself out in the marketplace.  Oh, but then you have people screaming for a price limit on gas.  That won't work either...why?  Let's say Bill spends $10,000 a week on his gas for his shop and sells it at $2.00 a gallon (working in round numbers here).  The government comes in and says he can't sell it for more than $1.50 a gallon.  Guess what?  Bill can't buy as much gas if the gas prices form the oil companies go up.  This means he will run out of gas sooner than a week and again everyone will scream about a gas shortage.

Today I noticed prices here dropped aorund 30 cents a gallon...imagine that...Labor Day weekend is over and the demand isn't as great.

Please, let's not panic, let's not do blind finger pointing...let's all stick together and work through whatever comes up.  I'm sick of all the divisiveness.