Supply chains falter; WTH in Canada?
Confusion reigned this week, as fuel shortages manifested themselves willy-nilly across the nation, most notably in shortages of food. These spot occurrences seem to have set off a general panic and another round of rampant hoarding, and some grim thoughts about the weeks ahead.
While the local eye surveyed empty produce shelves, the national eye was focused on a little-known area of Alberta, Canada - apparently the scene of a U.S. military operation. The story broke with local reports of U.S. soldiers and an indignant inquiry by Canadian government, met with firm denials by the U.S. State Department. Until, that is, a video surfaced, apparently taken by headcam of a U.S. soldier. The U.S. line is now "national security" - with "we were in hot pursuit of terrorist suspects poised to attack Canadian oil resources" being leaked by an unidentified source.
Meanwhile, the Canadian government would neither confirm nor deny that they had proposed their own "unilateral renegotiation" of oil delivery contracts a week earlier. They did say however that the "situation is fluid" - ah, haha, "fluid" - get it? And are now apparently moving troops west.
'LOAD SHEDDING'
In a possibly related incident, power outages rippled through parts of the western U.S. this week, apparently sparked by interruptions in the supply of natural gas. From (you guessed it) Canada.
NO UNIFIED RATIONING PLAN
The week spent itself with no concerted action on organized gasoline rationing. The matter has effectively been kicked downstairs to local governments to ponder. It is of course an impossible situation for them: will any police force really take officers off trying to stem fuel thefts and set them to checking rationing coupons?
No national speed limit, either: promises to get that in place for the good of America fell apart when the states (who have to actually enforce it) refused to commit.
AUTOMAKERS STOP PRODUCTION LINES
Amid a storm of protest automakers shut down many assembly lines this week. (Judging by the overflow of cars on lawns with FOR SALE - NO OFFER TOO LOW signs in the windows, many of us felt this measure long overdue.) Lines would be stopped "until conditions improve," the manufacturers said. Uh-oh. I'm worried for youporkchop...
SO WHO'S GETTING OIL?
Okay, so I saved the big one for last, and I have to shout out to mtalon_wwo for getting me onto this. Are there actually decisions being made behind the scenes as to who gets oil and who doesn't? Is the flow of fuel being manipulated? Once the question is asked, you pretty much know the answer. Turns out some reporters are in jail for asking the question. More on this next week.
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