Do You Detect A Feeling Of Panic In The Air ?

Just driving around town today, I detected a weird feeling of panic, fear, and/or anxiety (take your pick) in the "air."

Many of the people I encountered today, especially in the afternoon and evening, looked afraid and scared.

I think it may be a combination of the heart-breaking news from New Orleans and the other areas hard hit by Hurricane Katrina -- plus the worries of fuel prices and potential gas shortages -- and their possible economic impact.

Has anyone else picked up this "vibe" of fear/panic/anxiety in their area, or is it just me?

I try to be an optimistic person myself, so I think in the near future, the issues of oil prices and supplies will soon improve, but I do realized it will be a very difficult and long road for the poor folks directly impacted by Katrina.

Where you at (Geographically) David?

I didn't go out today but based on what I'm seeing on TV I think it's much worse than that. High fuel prices combined with impending shortages means people are starting to realize that their way of life is quickly coming to an end, perhaps for good. We're going to lose a lot of our mobility very soon until we develop viable alternatives to fossil fuels, the car, and the plane. This isn't something we haven't known for quite some time. The only pity is that the transition could have been a lot easier had it been planned instead of forced on us by necessity.

I really think countries like France and Japan, both of which are big users of nuclear power and have extensive high-speed and conventional public transportation, will be in much better shape than the US in the next few years. Indeed, if gas prices continue to rise many people in the US who commute many miles to work by auto will find that they have very little left after paying for their gas. This might well be the worst-case scenario everyone feared.

I'm in Florida, so I believe the issue of hurricanes and their path of destruction may hit people more in the "gut" here than in other parts of the country.

Although, almost everyone in the USA, and the world for that matter, can relate to natural disasters (i.e. tornados, flooding, earthquakes, mud-slides, etc., etc., etc.).

I haven't been out much this week, but I do sense a bit of uneasiness amongst my friends who are aware of the factors involved with petrol extraction/processing/distribution. What I find most alarming is the potential shortage of natural gas. Many utilities have been forced into shutting down their older, "dirty" power plants in favor of natural gas. Some have dismantled the old equipment for space considerations. High prices of fuel don't worry me as much as shortages. Granted, high prices will allieviate shortages as people learn to conserve, but it will have a ripple effect in the economy. Maybe this will force the gov't to lighten up a bit on the environmental rules which have severely hampered the buliding of new refineries and basically pushing all of the power producers into building natural gas plants. In 5 years, this will have been a distant memory, but I'm not exactly looking forward to the next 2-3 years.

I heard talk of 3 dollar plus gas today (talking to a customer yesterday).

Then I'm driving 63mph on 59N.... and everything is passing me like I'm sitting still. Do these idiots not realize the savings of going slower?

If the world is to go on in any way of a similar way... I'll have to keep driving and using diesel. It'll be tough, but it has to be done.

well... I did go through and organize my battery supply, getting everything that I had stored in the fridge into little ziplock bags to keep the moisture out and make for easier carting if necessary.

There did also seem to be some panic at one local gas station. People lined up so deep that they were blocking traffic out in the street. Their price was the same as everybody elses though and no other station was so crammed. So I have no idea why that one was so strangely backed up.

As far as this being the end of our easy mobility, i think that may be a little overstated. It has caused an impressive spike in gas prices in the short term. But since this is just an infrastructure problem it can be fixed up. As far as it being a wake up call to what will happen in the future, I'm sure it will be, for a while. People forget too easily.

This is such a complex issue. Basically, the world demand for petroleum products exceeds the world ability to produce those products. The price of all products will increase to the point that it drives demand down to the level of production. It is "just a market adjustment" per
T. Boone Pickens on Bloomberg last night.

We can rehash all the reasons for the demand (gas guzzlers, tremendous demand in china, ....) and all the reasons for the actual production rate(OPEC, restrictive drilling regulations, no new nuke plants, no new refineries in 20+ years, restrictive regulations on existing plants) but until that adjustment takes place, we can expect continuing price increases.

The bright side is that this will surely jump start serious developement and implementation of alternative energy sources.

But it took $90 to fill my work truck yesterday.

I understand the stress, but lets keep a few things in mind:

1- the world's petroleum supply has not disappeared, and more is out that yet to be discovered.

2 - the supply problem related to Katrina is temporary.

3 - the current, temporary situation is impetus for the expedited development of everything from hybrid vehicles to new energy sources - hydrogen, etc. This is good.

best regards

I believe terrorism is a much more insidiously effective weapon than we wish to give it credit for. Anyone willing to blow themselves up, in orfer to accomplish their goals, should be taken very seriously indeed. Courage and conviction will have to be sustained in the longterm for what could well last decades, not years. Nor can it be seen as a "cold" war any longer...

Essentially, we are being engaged in a test of faith. These times demand a deeper instrospection and self-examination, both communally and as individuals. We simply cannot continue blasting into the future without realizing the overall costs. This world is quickly becoming much smaller and what effects one will surely be felt by all, more sooner than later, either voluntarily or not.

Humanity is being forced into a more wholistic integrated consciousness, one way or another, IMHO. The mind is certainly an amazing instrument, whose power is exponentially increased through computers and technology. Lacking proper perspective without the right heartfelt input, it inevitably proves destructive. Strength ultimately resides on our inner foundations, not any outwardly apparent powers, however dazzling they may first appear.

This is a temporary situation and it is our duty not to fall into the fear mongering that the media lives and breathes off of.

Everybody will be stressed and rightly so but it is our duty to steel ourselves and not overreact. Show others that you are not worried therefore why should they be.

Keep reminding yourself that our problems and potential problems, although not insignificant, pale in comparison to the heartbreak, strife and despair that is going on along the gulf right now.

Do little things that you can to help. Drive less if you can. Use your more fuel effecient vehicle if you can. Don't use your AC in your car, use triple 60 etc. Doing our part doesn't have to mean hanging from a helicopter lifting somebody from a roof top.

Most of all don't panic......there is still plenty of liquor to go round.