Super Bowl XLVII had its surprises. There was the 35-minute delay when half the stadium lights went out. The 49ers mounted a near-comeback in the second half. And Ravens coach John Harbaugh was not soaked in a Gatorade shower by his players after they won the game. But another surprise rippled that day and has grown to threaten our economy. Folks, the world is running out of helium.
Imagine calling Party City and being told you cannot place a phone order for helium balloons. That happened to me Sunday while on my way to a friend's Super Bowl party. I called ahead to order two bunches of balloons in the teams's colors. The clerk said the store was not accepting phone orders. My girlfriend Marilyn surmised this was due to the helium shortage she heard about on the news. "I'll bet some people don't pick up their orders," she said. "You can write about it on your blog."
Sure enough, a Google search reveals this is the worst helium shortgage in decades. One British chemist is calling for a ban on the sale of helium balloons. Another web site has a gloomy prediction for Valentine's Day. The number of helium balloons you can add to a flower arrangement may be limited, if you can get them at all. By the middle of this century, the supply of helium could be depleted.
Blame the gas companies. Helium is a by-product of natural gas production and two of the major plants in the U.S., the country that supplies 75% of the world's helium, are down for repairs. I don't entirely buy this supply-and-demand explanation. My 8th grade science teacher, Mr. Cameron, taught us helium is the second most-abundant element in the universe. If helium is born free and roams wildly, American ingenuity can find a way to capture it in shiny metal canisters.
Thanks for the story idea, hon. If something's missing at your next birthday party, for your sake I'm glad it won't be due to a shortage of Costco All-American Chocolate Cake.
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