The Kiss of Isaac

He is now Hurricane Isaac, making landfall in Louisiana. SW Florida spent a couple of nervous wind and rain soaked days, with then TS Isaac lashing over the FL Keys, and drenching Miami, Palm Beach, Naples, Ft. Myers, Saint Petersburg, Tampa, and towns and cities across the FL panhandle.  Awesome power if one thinks about the FL peninsula - 577 miles from 'Land's End' to its Northern state line, and 140 miles across as the crow files, at mid-FL. 19 million folks live across the state.  And, while for folks back in India 19 million (or, 1.9 crore) is perhaps just another day in one of India's large metropolitan cities like Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, or Kolkata, 19 million in FL represents the 4th largest US state by population (behind CA, TX, and NY). Incidentally, fully a third (33%) of the US population (about 300 million) is concentrated in these four most populous US states. Coincidentally, these 4 states represent only 14% of the US 50 states' combined land area.  So tonight, FL breathes a sigh of relief.

For 4.5 million people of Louisiana though, and for those across the US with some ties to LA, and in particular New Orleans, the next 24 hours is likely to feel like eternity.  Hurricane Katrina hit 7 years ago, to the day, and, Hurricane Isaac made landfall at about 7PM Eastern, few miles South-West of New Orleans.

What happened in NOLA, in August 2005, in the aftermath of Katrina is an American national shame and disgrace.  The George W. Bush administration, paralyzed for 'whatever' reason, did NOTHING to send in Federal Disaster Aid, as large swaths of NOLA were being submerged. NOLA's poor, predominantly African Americans living in low lying areas (the 9th ward) were literally buried in watery graves for humans and animals alike. The Superdome, where the New Orleans Saints football team play home games, was the largest dome in America in 2005, and authorities seized upon Superdome as a 'Mega Hurricane Shelter'.  What transpired inside the dome is nothing short of bloody murder and unconscionable dereliction of our Government's duty to protect and preserve life.

Despite the insanity of bigotry and racism, overt or otherwise (yes, it is everywhere in America), on display during Katrina, New Orleans is a very special place.  While a lot of folks left NOLA for good in Katrina's wake, New Orleanians did return, and they have tried to rebuild their city.  Their beloved Saints are now former SuperBowl champions, having devastated teams across the NFL. Quarterback Drew Brees, the one that couldn't get a decent draft coming out of college, only to be picked up by San Diego and dumped by the Chargers in 2005, came to New Orleans in 2006, and took the Saints (the perpetual losers, derisively called the Ain't(s) across America) to its first NFL title.

Bobby Jindal, the son of immigrant parents from India, is presently Governor of Louisiana.  Jindal is Republican, and even though President Obama declared a Federal Emergency for all of LA, well in advance of Isaac's projected landfall, Jindal has been screaming bloody murder at the 'lack of adequate federal response'.  That is just politics, and it is after all RNC Convention week.  Jindal, at one point was rumored to be in consideration for the VP nomination, you see, so his political ambitions are young and perhaps raging enough for him to continue to live in denial of the reality of his home State's plight.

The spirit of NOLA cannot, and will not break because some bureaucrat, or politician, does not like the demographics of New Orleans. I have no doubt that the Obama administration will do everything the Federal Government can, to protect and preserve life across LA, regardless of color, race, or sexual orientation.

I hope I am right.

Good Night, and Good Luck

On Fracking - FOR PROFIT, and FOR a Hellish Explotation of America

The maps shows 'Fraccidents' - accidents, often catastrophic, resulting from the practice of Fracking - the extraction of Natural Gas entrapped in deep shale rock pockets, by hydraulically fracturing the rocks. Fracking agents used to fracture such rocks include water mixed with both known and undisclosed chemicals (read Carcinogens, and Radioactive Isotopes).

In addition to the risks of assured water table contamination - fracking fluids ultimately find their way into natural water bodies (regardless of what the Oil & Gas companies say) fracking also releases huge volumes of Methane gas - deadly, and silent - that ultimately spreads out and up, and into unsuspecting communities.  Containing such toxic residuals is very expensive, and fracking site operators are simply looking the other way.  That is morally repugnant, but highly profitable thing to do.  All of the fraccidents on the map are listed at http://bit.ly/KMqLgG

This video, on YouTube, delves a bit into the real lives of those impacted:

As of now, there are NO safe ways to frack (again, regardless of what one may have seen on TV and print ads).  For obvious reasons, the Oil & Gas companies will not spend the monies to develop "safe for humans" technology - costs too much and reduces profit. The moral dysfunction of an Oil and Gas operators, and the Republican (and Democratic) politicians that support fracking, in lieu of campaign contributions, is a staggering shame.

Fracking is not the first time USA Inc. has profited by literally killing Americans, and it won't be the last.

When they are caught violating statures, regulations or citizens' rights, as usual, the fracking operators will either pay a fine, or settle a lawsuit, and continue fracking until all the viable Natural gas is extracted. Life goes on.  Such is life.  But, such fines and penalties pale in comparison to the profits to be extracted. Oil and Gas companies are investing more in political donations to block legislation, and in PR advertising - of the "Fracking is safe" kind.  It is absurd, for that money that can otherwise help develop the technology needed to frack alongside human safety is being spent on spreading falsehood to bend public opinion.

The human, and environmental costs of fracking, and resulting toll on our communites is too much.  If such "Human Safe" technology cannot truly be developed, the United States should ban fracking forever. I have a hard time believing we cannot develop such technology.  That is simply bull.

The costs of unregulated, unsafe fracking are too high. America belongs to its people, and not to Oil & Gas corporate interests, or dysfunctional politicians.