When It's Hot In The Poor Places Tonight

I once heard that self-righteousness is the default mode of the human psyche.

Which might help explain my response whenever the wife yells at me. Or why in a job interview when asked, "Why you?" I blurted the response, "Because I'm the best."

If you're a husband you know what I'm talking about. And don't worry, that job interview was for Big-Pharma. So for the most part, I'm at peace with my own inept psyche-juggling.

But when protracted across a wider cross-section of the universe we get into trouble.

Obviously with this expensive fuel business, we are being tested as a population like we never have before. The rise in oil prices ($128/ barrel last time I checked) and $4.00+ at the pump has effected everything.

Take food. Food has become so shockingly expensive that a recent wave of articles went so far as to blame obese people (who eat 18% more than they should and are too fat so they drive everywhere) for all the problems of the world.

But that isn't even the most shocking oil-related trend. In the past two days, I've heard of three friends, or friends of friends, who have been attacked in mugging-like altercations. Thank God everyone is okay. I understand that this is the city, and these things happen and violence increases with the temperature. But muggings? Its disturbing.

And sure a little uptick in petty crime is just one bump on the road to Mad Max World. But the problem is that perhaps last summer that twenty bucks might not have been worth it for the young dude threatening to bash your face in--or worse. But in 2008, after going thru the driver-thru and having zero extra spending cash, perhaps the perpetrator slips into default mode.

It doesn't take a big stretch of the imagination. Some of us are already in default mode, and the rest are probably close.

You just have to keep your head on a swivel...

Have a little faith..

Or don't go outside.

Other projected possible side-effects of $4.00+ Gas:
1. Fewer drive-bys.
2. Boost in ski-mask sales.
3. Skinnier people.
4. My new part-time job in the siphoned gasoline business.