Helium Shortage
It is unfortunate that the free market was not able to make the transition from government to private industry. The profits would have been large, but things are a mess.
I know of certain groups who struggled to find a source of helium but were shut out because the current suppliers are only dealing with their old customers and not taking on any new customers.
Helium used for party ballons is the least pure of three grades of helium. The second level of purity is used for most commercial use with the highest purity used for research and military applications.
The transition from public to private did not work. There should be a hybrid system so that the public interests can be protected while the private interests can sell helium to those who like to blow up balloons and talk funny.
