Sure, it happens to be Tuesday at this moment. But there are still hate-worthy things out there. One hateable topic on my mind today is price-gouging. In this corner of the world we have just endured a crippling snow storm, followed by an ice storm that was even worse, and then to top it all off, an earthquake.
After the ice storm, about 100,000 homes in this area were without power for days. Generators were a hot item and in short supply. There were very few news reports about price gouging here, but sadly, the vultures often begin to circle soon after a natural disaster. In what amounts to extortion, unscrupulous merchants or private individuals will charge exorbitant prices for vital necessities like water, gasoline, chainsaws, generators, and building materials.
The gas prices shown below were in New Jersey in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, but the problem is a global one in the aftermath of most natural disasters. It’s a shame that laws have to be enacted against these practices when a simple “do unto others” philosophy would completely eliminate this type of crime. One benefit of the laws, though: they do allow for the prosecution of these low-lifes.
