Different Views

Reiki Clown’s written commentaries on characteristic human evaluations and subsequent repercussions to the seemingly obvious.
Never let it be said that humans-at least the “mature” ones-are quick on the uptake. I qualify my statements by mentioning that the subjects under observation were confined to the parameters of the United States. That group of states whose populace, in mass majority, considers themselves to be of higher caliber-intellectually, moralistically, and spiritually-than those native to other developed countries. Americans as they are wont to refer to themselves when speaking of the group in its entirety display some of the most baffling behavior I’ve ever chronicled. Let me hasten to add that there are, as with any situation, exceptions to the rule. The younger humans, those not yet indoctrinated into their roles as “mature” adults and a scattered few mature citizens, those who never allowed their sensibilities to be perverted, exhibited acute grasps of the energy situation.
Having allowed me the luxury of sharing my opinions with you let me now elaborate regarding the source of these judgments. Early 21st Century headlines, both verbal and written, made incessant mention of the vertical upsurge in gas prices. Barrels, dollar signs affixed floated across computer and TV screens embellished with backdrops of oil rigs busily sucking forth liquid gold from the bowels of the earth. Such visuals illustrated the rising value of oil in much the same way greenbacks, organized in stacks and bound with inch wide confining belts of paper signified (particularly when placed in brown or black attaché cases) an abundance of wealth. You’d hypothesize that even the most unsavy viewer would grasp the relationship between the rising cost of a barrel of oil and the rise per gallon at the pumps. As blatantly obvious as the huge placards displayed across the breadth and depth of this nation warning prospective gasoline connoisseurs that more and more of their hard earned dollars-symbolized by a flat piece of plastic bearing its identifying magnetic strip-were about to be removed from their bank accounts may seem to some, the continued behaviors displayed evidenced that, generally speaking, powers of perception were at an all time low. An encouraging volume of Hybrid vehicles began gracing the highways but most new car buyers cringed their comparably higher cost when compared to the cost of a vehicle powered solely by gasoline.. Apparently the unhealthy environment, not to mention those escalating gas prices didn’t factor into the deciding equation for these types.
For some reason many political and business pundits foretold of an eventual price drop. The first anticipated one failed to occur following the Fourth of July Weekend and now projections point to a decline after Labor Day Weekend. And I quote, “providing (the fact that they felt it necessary to qualify predictions should have raised all sorts of red flags) there are no natural occurrences such as major hurricanes to disrupt production”. Even if they did drop-a point of note, there hadn’t been a substantial, sustained drop in years so why one should be looming on the horizon defied rational thinking-only a stiff vertical plunge would relieve the financial issues.
A pathetic few-or so it seemed-exclusive of the President and/or other members of the influential governing body seemed to grasp the permanence of the increases. As prices reached then surpassed the $3.00 a gallon for Regular, the harsh reality began to crack the Veneer of Oblivion behind which so many continued speeding on the roadways in their gas guzzling behemoths.
Displaying his usual stunning poor timing August of 2005 saw the President signing into law, amidst much hand shaking and gleeful political grinning, a thousand page bill giving those agencies responsible for increasing the quality, complexity and mileage of roadway infrastructures billions of dollars to continue the debacle. Very little if anything went to encourage big business or any size business to seek alternative means to accommodate American’s energy needs. Means such as air, water and sun, none of which if harnessed in an ethically proper manner, will deplete Earth’s resources or produce residual toxins such as is now seen (an example of which would be nuclear energy).
There were people who bought hybrid cars (those vehicles that use both gas and electricity to propel vehicles from point A to point B) then converted them further. The procedure, done in private garages, increased the electrical use of these cars. Some got as many as two hundred miles per gallon, dramatically reducing toxic belching soiling the atmosphere. Big arguments put forth by big politicians and big business touted the impracticality and exorbitant costs of converting. Apparently they chose to ignore the successfully working examples of inventive laypeople.
I won’t even broach the subject of mass transportation other than to say that no mention of it was made in the transportation bill.
Living with my favorite little girl during the oil embargoes of the 1970’s provides me with memories of sitting in the car waiting, at times up to an hour, to have our $5.00 allowance of gas pumped into the Duster’s gas tank. Five dollars went a lot further then than now. As well as costing much less per gallon, vehicles got better gas mileage then than most of the hybrids boasted in the early 21st Century. At least the hybrids-straight from the factory-went further than any other generally manufactured vehicles in cutting emissions. It was a step in the right direction.