Five Bucks a Gallon?

As hurricane Rita nears Texas, I have read rumors that gas prices could hit five dollars a gallon. This is due to the fact that there are so many refineries in that area. Five per gallon is high, no doubt. Europeans are probably wondering what we are whining about, because they have been dealing with prices that high for years now. Still, Americans will continue to shell out the dollars to feed their Hummers and Armadas and such because they "have the right" to drive huge vehicles.

Did you ever notice how people avoid changing because they "have the right" to do as they please? Isn't that just a lame excuse for destructive behavior? Think about it. We may have the right to do a number of things, but does that make it right to do so? We have the right to use all the gasoline that we want, to throw out as much garbage as we want, to use as much electricity as we want....but is that what is best? Frankly, most people aren't going to change their ways until they are forced to by regulations or shortages, or until they see the results first hand.

I'm no liberal. I have no political affiliation whatsoever. I do look at facts, though. And the facts show that people are ruining this earth. Just look around. Look at the landfills. Look at the rainforests. Shoot, just walk down the street. And yet...people don't or won't change their habits. Maybe gas lines and five dollars a gallon isn't such a bad thing. Maybe some SUVs will see the scrap heap. Maybe mass transit will gain a foothold in places it hasn't before. And maybe...just maybe...people will stop thinking they have the right to be selfish.

Kids Today...

I was talking to my son the other day. He's a Junior in High School. As we spoke, I thought back to my time in high school. Oh sure, we had problems. It was 1982, and we dealt with things like drug use and alcohol use and such.

We like to tell our kids about how things were tougher "in our day". But as I compared my world back then with his world now, I realize that, in general, we didn't have it tougher. Granted, we didn't have all of the conveniences that are abundant today. We didn't have CD players or cell phones. But really...if you look back on your high school days if you were, say, pre-1985...you may be surprised.

Our kids are dealing with incredible pressures from schools to "be a success". In the eyes of the school, that means going on to a grand college or university and getting a high degree so that you can be a doctor or a lawyer or such. When I say incredible pressure, I mean it. These kids hear it several times a day in my son's high school. Add to that the fact that drug use is everywhere, pressure to be sexually active is everywhere, bad language, bullying and abuse is everywhere....incredible.

Frankly, I wonder what would happen if every kid became a doctor or a lawyer. Who's going to fix the plumbing? Who will build houses? Who will work in the dirty jobs?

So I ask you parents....are you pushing too hard to have a doctor or a lawyer in the family? Encourage your kid to do what he or she enjoys! Too many of us are stuck in jobs we hate, rather than doing what we want to do. Let your child thrive in their field of interest. Plumbers earn good money too!

Also, listen to your kids. Understand that the pressures they are facing are greater than what most of us faced. They are not adults yet. They need advice, they need encouragement, and they need a listening ear. Yes, they need limits too. Most of all...they need your time. Something they don't get during those hours they are asleep or in school. Nor do they get it when involved in myriads of after-school activities.

And start when they are young if you can. But even if they are already teens...just start.

You Might Find...You Get What You Need

I've never been a fan of the Rolling Stones. I think Mick Jagger belongs in some sort of rehab clinic along with Keith Richards. That isn't the point of this blog, thank goodness.

They have a song that contains the lyrics, "you can't always get what you want...but sometimes...you get what you need."

As I went through my young adult years, I believed that, even if I didn't like it. However, I still had trouble accepting it, because so many times I got exactly what I didn't need, even if it was usually my own fault. Now, however, I have seen this happen too many times to ignore it.

As an example, once (several years ago) I didn't get a job I was applying for. I felt angry...upset...etc. However, shortly after that, my current job came through with a raise. If I had been offered the other job, I would have paid more for insurance, had fewer days off, and, it turns out, gotten less money. You just never know how these things will work.

Yesterday it happened again. I was up for a position that I didn't get. But this time, I remembered past lessons. As I analyzed my situation, I realized that this was for the best. I have a lot on my plate right now between homework, family responsibilities and other responsibilities. A six month wait is actually what's best right now.

Funny how these things work Once you look at things calmly and from a more detached viewpoint. The problem arises when your emotions get in the way and you take offense at a perceived slight.

Guess that's all part of being an adult, eh?

The Human Tragedy Continues

The South hasn't seen such destruction since General Sherman went on his torching spree during the Civil War. As pictures continue to fill the screen, I have to wonder if this part of the country will ever truly recover.

I was looking over some political cartoons this morning at: http://cagle.msnbc.com/news/HurricaneKatrina/main.asp

The cartoons were divided between the hurricane itself, the oil companies price gouging, the human tragedy, and the resilience of the human spirit. Yet, as I flipped over to the news sites such as CNN and MSNBC, I wasn't reading about the resilience that people are showing. Instead, I read about looters, arsonists and fighting at the SuperDome, people taking shots at helicopters, and a general breakdown of order. I understand that people are desperate, but do they think that these actions are going to get them help any sooner? In one case, someone took a shot at an evacuation helicopter at the SuperDome and they stopped all flights. Brilliant move, Mr. NRA. Instead of helping, you created more misery. Then, at another helicopter landing site at a hospital, people with clubs were crowding the landing spot. The pilot was so fearful that he broke off the landing, leaving people standing there. Again...brilliant.

I'm sure that we will be reading stories about bravery and endurance over the days ahead. It's just very sad that some idiots out there are creating even more heartache for the victims.