The power of the media and it usually isn't a good thing.

 I wrote this four years ago as Harvey was ravaging the Gulf Coast from Corpus Christi to Houston. Sadly, nothing has changed in the media. If anything, it is getting worse. Folks, if we'd turn it off and stop parroting their crap, they might actually wake-up and start reporting the news instead of spouting off useless rhetoric. 

I want to thank the media and social media warriors for creating the biggest dumb-ass-itis in the DFW area since I moved here in 1983. For the conspiracy theorists, what happened today will support any thoughts you had on how the media can influence people. It started last night when people started talking and posting about fuel prices rising. Okay, Hurricane Harvey slammed into Gulf Coast of Texas. This will affect production levels in Texas, but not in Tulsa or Ponca City. I blew it off as prices have been fluctuating for the last three weeks or so. We saw them go up with Katrina, Ike and the Deep Well Horizon platform. No biggie, but you knew something else was coming and this morning it started. “Fuel Shortage in DFW!” Really? Let’s see, I went to the Raceway I trade with at 7am. No lines, no panic, no hysteria and plenty of fuel. Got my coffee, a few scratch-offs and went back to work. What a difference four hours makes. While working on bids, I would check on FB and twitter for the dreaded updates. It had exploded! The media and all their minions on social media took the gospel, hook, line and sinker! I went back to the same store at 11:15am. It was packed with morons trying to fuel up over a shortage that didn’t exist. Did I fill up? Hell no! I have ¾’s of a tank and know how far it will get me. You could tell this was going to get ugly real fast.

Driving to Plano to see my Optometrist revealed how effective a “fake story” can be. SpringCreek Parkway and US 75: RaceTrac-out. 7-Eleven-out. Quicktrip: line of cars blocking the services roads waiting in line. Costco-cars lined up on the service road. Flash forward to tonight. Quicktrip, depending on the location, you could count on one to two hours waiting time. And for what? That’s right, a major gas shortage in the DFW area. If you were one of those who spread the word, you are just as responsible for this CF as the media. There is, no wait, there is a gas shortage now because of the crap that was being spread around.

The press has yet to report how many fights broke-out at stations over a non-event. I have one report that a friend was almost involved in three fights and a woman tried to run him over getting to the pump. And for what? That’s right. The imaginative fuel shortage you all bought into. Now, if you’re sitting their shaking your head and deciding I’m a raving lunatic, then I will assume you posted that there was a fuel shortage. If I offended your sensibilities, then you were also part of the problem.

But the effects aren’t over. Oh, no. Not by a long shot. This is Labor Day Weekend. Stores had already placed their orders for the influx of driving. Well that’s going to be a mess because none of them could ascertain or plan for the rampant panic and hysteria that gripped the DFW area today and for the following days until the tankers can replenish all the dry storage tanks. Hell, the folks from Corpus Christi to Houston just got the shit kicked of them and have managed to keep it together, keep it calm, and maintain their sanity when many know, they have lost everything. For the folks in the DFW area, you have truly embarrassed yourselves believing “fake news.”. And that is nothing to be proud of.

So, to all of you so called social media warriors out there and those of the press who posted unsubstantiated news, I hope you learned your lesson today. If you defend your actions, go look at a brick. It has more common sense then you will ever be able to fathom.

***NEWS ALERT.***

TRUMP NUKED NORTH KOREA.

US INVADES JAPAN.

HITLER ISN’T DEAD.”

And last but not least,

“ALL RESIDENTS IN MANHATTAN, NEW YORK HAVE FORTY-EIGHT HOURS TO PACK-UP AND MOVE. MAYOR DI BLASIO SOLD IT BACK TO THE LENAPE INDIANS.”