THE SUMMER EARTH FARTED

It may not be the best title for a Sci-Fi flick, but who cares.  That’s what’s happened, and is happening.

The thought that I may be alive to witness the beginning of the end of human life on the planet is intoxicating. Greed, arrogance, stupidity, quest for power, all shot to hell as most life may disappear, but the planet will heal and maybe be parent to new species when it’s damn good and ready. 

From the UK Telegraph:

Researchers investigating three giant holes that have appeared in the Siberian wilderness may have solved the mystery.
Andrei Plekhanov, a researcher who led an expedition to the original 262ft wide opening, believes rising temperatures, not aliens, could be the cause.
He said that warmer summers in the region, in 2012 and 2013, might have contributed to the permafrost thawing, before collapsing and releasing methane gas trapped underground.
His team discovered that air near the bottom of first hole,found in the Yamal Peninsula, contained an unusually high concentration of methane gas.
They say more tests need to be done to confirm their theory and want to study the methane concentration in the air trapped in its walls.
However Plekhanov, from the Scientific Centre of Arctic Studies in Russia, believes it will be difficult as “its rims are slowly melting and falling into the crater”.
He told science publication Nature: “You can hear the ground falling, you can hear the water running, it’s rather spooky.”

More HERE with more links to related articles.

This from Arctic Ice Expert Jason Box in an article at Salon:

As with everything else in the news anymore, this is one more retribution by an angry god because - - the gay!

And so it goes.

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Candidate Scares Political Analyst

Christ on a cracker.  From a Cook Political Report on a LA State Rep running in the November election.  Scary stuff.

Louisiana state Rep. LENAR WHITNEY (R), candidate, Louisiana's 6th Congressional District 

PERSONALITY: 12 

GRASP OF ISSUES: 3 

SENSE OF PURE ANIMAL TERROR: 30 

LEFT SHAKEN BY ENCOUNTER: OH GOD, YES 

Our Summary 

Review"Fourth in the GOP field" but first among "climate deniers," Louisiana state Rep. Lenar Whitney succeeds in standing out among the "over 300 congressional candidates over the course of seven years" that this reviewer has sampled. Where the average candidate is "accustomed to tough questions" and typically capable of merely leaving one feeling "impressed" or merely "underwhelmed," Whitney -- a self-described "Palin of the South" who "relishes poking Democrats in the eye" -- stands apart from the candidates met in "hundreds of Cook Political Report meetings" by being not just "fact-averse" but, indeed, "the most frightening candidate I've met in seven years interviewing congressional hopefuls." The best moment was when Whitney "fled the room." Sure to be somebody's "worst nightmare."

Jason Linkins

Also, too, She fancies herself as the Palin of the South.  Hahahaha! Isn't the south fucked up enough already?

And here everyone thought there were crazies only in Texas and Mississippi. We grow 'em big in Louisiana swamps, y'all.

October is going to be a long month.

And so it goes.
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Naming Hurricanes: The Climate Name Change

This is a great idea.  Instead of naming violent storms after innocent people, why not name them after the policy makers (past and present) who deny what's happening to the planet.

Yes, I know it's late.  But I had to get up to shower and eat something substantial. If I am not back to full strength in the morning, I will consider asking for a ride to the ER to find out what's happening to my body.

And so it goes.
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Blackout 1965 - Hurricane Sandy 2012: Baby-Makers

Walking to work this morning, as I crossed the Avenue I noticed there was a long line to get into the Bakery.

That in itself wouldn't be unusual for any morning in summer.  What made this queue different was that there were 8 very pregnant women in that line all standing so I could see their profile.  A few had toddlers in strollers which made the image even more amazing.  Many looked like they just might explode if their cravings weren't satisfied  - immediately.  I mean, these gals were HUGE!

I would've taken a quick picture, but I didn't want to embarrass them, or myself.

The Bake Shoppe is the (oldest and) only family bakery in town offering delicious pastries, cakes, croissants, donuts, and muffins.  The only other place in town is Dunkin' Donuts in the beach block and though many tourists are prone to go with what they know, the more adventurous tend to give the bakery a chance and they are not disappointed.

When I got to work, I remembered so many others just like those 8 waddling down the avenue, some nearly unable to sit down on a bench.  So, I wondered why all this potential new life should ripen at this time.  Then, I did the math, worked backwards in time,  and realized that Super Hurricane Sandy hit us 8 months ago and hundreds of thousands of homes were without power for days, even weeks.

It reminded me of the east coast blackout in November of 1965 which produced a bumper crop of babies  the following summer, so we ought not be surprised this time around, either.

I recognized one woman straight away, when she arrived for lunch with the hubby, a toddler, and grandmother.  She was wearing a bright multi-colour  top that drew attention to the belly. They (She) ate the most bizarre combination of menu items, and their total bill for the party of 4 came to over $100. - and mind you, no alcohol.  After they left their server noted that by her menu choices and size, the mom-to-be was likely to deliver twins.  This server knows, she has twins of her own.

Cocktail at the ready, I venture forth onto the Intertubes in search of a travel package to meet my upcoming travel needs. Wish me luck.

And so it goes.

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Drought Stricken Rivers Uncover History

 I do love these stories as each one sheds a little more light on our past.  I especially find the rock etched with a primitive map of what appears to be native American villages fascinating. Wish there was a photo of that in the piece. Alas, no.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — From sunken steamboats to a millennium-old map engraved in rock, the drought-drained rivers of the nation's midsection are offering a rare and fleeting glimpse into years gone by.

Lack of rain has left many rivers at low levels unseen for decades, creating problems for river commerce and recreation and raising concerns about water supplies and hydropower if the drought persists into next year, as many fear.

But for the curious, the receding water is offering an occasional treasure trove of history.

An old steamboat is now visible on the Missouri River near St. Charles, Mo., and other old boats nestled on river bottoms are showing up elsewhere. A World War II minesweeper, once moored along the Mississippi River as a museum at St. Louis before it was torn away by floodwaters two decades ago, has become visible — rusted but intact.

Perhaps most interesting, a rock containing what is believed to be an ancient map has emerged in the Mississippi River in southeast Missouri.

The rock contains etchings believed to be up to 1,200 years old. It was not in the river a millennium ago, but the changing course of the waterway now normally puts it under water — exposed only in periods of extreme drought. Experts are wary of giving a specific location out of fear that looters will take a chunk of the rock or scribble graffiti on it.

"It appears to be a map of prehistoric Indian villages," said Steve Dasovich, an anthropology professor at Lindenwood University in St. Charles. "What's really fascinating is that it shows village sites we don't yet know about."

Old boats are turning up in several locations, including sunken steamboats dating to the 19th century.

That's not surprising considering the volume of steamboat traffic that once traversed the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. Dasovich said it wasn't uncommon in the 1800s to have hundreds of steamboats pass by St. Louis each day, given the fact that St. Louis was once among the world's busiest inland ports. The boats, sometimes lined up two miles deep and four boats wide in both directions, carried not only people from town to town but goods and supplies up and down the rivers.

Sinkings were common among the wooden vessels, which often were poorly constructed.

"The average lifespan of a steamboat on the Missouri River was five years," Dasovich said. "They were made quickly. If you could make one run from St. Louis to Fort Benton, Mont., and back, you've paid for your boat and probably made a profit. After that, it's almost like they didn't care what happened."

What often happened, at least on the Missouri River, was the boat would strike an underwater tree that had been uprooted and become lodged in the river bottom, tearing a hole that would sink the ship. Dasovich estimated that the remains of 500 to 700 steamboats sit at the bottom of the Missouri River, scattered from its mouth in Montana to its convergence with the Mississippi near St. Louis.

The number of sunken steamboats on the Mississippi River is likely about the same, Dasovich said. Steamboat traffic was far heavier on the Mississippi, but traffic there was and is less susceptible to river debris.

Boiler explosions, lightning strikes and accidents also sunk many a steamboat. One of the grander ones, the Montana, turned up this fall on the Missouri River near St. Charles. The elaborate steamer was as long as a football field with lavish touches aimed at pleasing its mostly wealthy clientele. It went to its watery grave after striking a tree below the surface in 1884.

The U.S. Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers urge sightseers to stay away from any shipwreck sites. Sandbars leading to them can be unstable and dangerous, and the rusted hulks can pose dangers for those sifting through them.

Plus, taking anything from them is illegal. By law, sunken ships and their goods belong to the state where they went down.

While unusual, it's not unprecedented for low water levels to reveal historic artifacts.

Last year, an officer who patrols an East Texas lake discovered a piece of the space shuttle Columbia, which broke apart and burned on re-entry in 2003, killing all seven astronauts aboard. And the remains of a wooden steamer built 125 years ago recently were uncovered in a Michigan waterway because of low levels in the Great Lakes.

 The rest is HERE.

I missed my calling, I guess.

And so it goes.

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Will Sandy Beach on Our Sandy Beaches?

Sandy's eye just left of center, and concentrated.

All conversations today were centered around (no pun intended) Hurricane Sandy as it was re-forming and consolidating its power after Cuba and the Bahamas.

Living in an exposed area as we do, it is wise to pay attention to the elements and this storm is taking advantage of all elements of weather on the eastern seaboard - as well as those west moving east toward the coast. 

When I got in this evening I checked NOAA, NHC, and a few news outlets. (Not the Weather Channel! I wish Cantore and the others would actually blow away as they stand in high wind conditions.) I found one news outlet, Reuters, reporting the facts with NOAA and the NHC confirming their reports.

Sandy is HUGE! No doubt about it. The storm continues to grow as it moves northward to an astounding 800+ miles across.  Even if winds remain at 75-80 mph (Category 1) the size of the thing means everything in its path will receive a sustained pounding of those wind speeds with severe heavy rains.  Not a rosy picture, is it?

With a storm this big there is nowhere to run to get out of its path.

Here's the latest Reuters report.  Forget the headline and read the meat of the story. 

Let's see what tomorrow brings.  The Sea Witch beckons.

And so it goes.
*

Martinis in Hell!

Yes, yes, yes! Oh! (Ahem.)

Speaking of Hell, (as I did in the earlier post) it's close to 100' F today and my neighbor - who's in construction - was home for the day at 1 pm. Forecast calls for a high of 108'F tomorrow, which means it's likely to be in the mid-80s for my walk to work.  Oh. I. Am. So. Thrilled!

Kept to the apartment all day, no venturing outside, no desire to deal with the heat and humidity. I need new slacks to replace those ruined by salt stains from sweating all day.  Sorry, that's not a lovely image, but a good reason I wear shirts loosely, outside the slacks. That purchase will wait for another time. I am coping with enough discomfort as it is and don't need any extra right now, thank you very much.

I'm out of bed again (nothing new to report, damn it!) and about to prepare a festive cocktail as I wrap my throbbing skull around ideas for the evening meal. A Bombay Sapphire Martini is likely the best bet for relaxation, so that's where I'm heading. And yes, maybe more than two.

If I can muster up the energy there may be a chicken Stir Fry for supper tonight - quick and easy - if not, maybe a simple salad. I am still kind of weak.  That may be due to the lack of food intake, but one doesn't feel hungry while coping with vile pain and nausea, if you get my drift.

Back to work tomorrow and the heat/drought/humidity will likely take their toll on my already weakened self. I plan to get to the restaurant earlier than usual, turn down the AC to 72'F and pray the locoguys don't open the front doors.  They would be crazy to do so, but that's why they're the "loco" guys!

Cocktail time!  For that which I am about to receive...Thank you, Jeebus!

And so it goes.
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Low Water Levels On The Mississippi A Major Threat To Commerce

Middle America and this entire country is in deep trouble.  Climate Change? What climate change? Really!
From TPM:

Companies operating along the Mississippi River are seeing a drastic cut in business as severe drought lowers water levels and makes shipping increasingly difficult.
The drought, which now covers more than 1,000 counties across the US, has dropped water levels 50 feet below last year’s levels in some places. Last winter’s lack of snow, the absence of any major tropical storms from the Gulf of Mexico, sweltering temperatures, and the lack of rain this spring and summer are to blame for the shallow water.
The Mississippi is a major trade conduit through the central U.S. Barges, which are often cheaper to operate than trains or trucks, carry goods such as grain, corn, soybeans, steel, rubber, coffee, fertilizer, coal, and petroleum products in and out of the interior of the country.
As the water levels fall, barges have run aground near Vicksburg, Mississippi, where the water is already less than 5 feet deep, and shipping companies have been forced to curtail their business. The Wall Street Journal reports:

‘It’s causing headaches all up and down the river system right now,’ said Martin Hettel, senior manager of bulk sales for AEP River Operations, a St. Louis-based barge company.
Mark Fletcher, owner of Ceres Barge Line of East St. Louis, Ill., said about 70% of his 220 barges aren’t being used now. First, the drought cut crops, reducing demand for shipping. Now, low water levels are making it more costly to ship.
‘It’s not good if you are in the barge business right now,’ he said. ‘In the last 60 days, you’ve watched a whole lot of money go out the window.’
Some river ports have been forced to close temporarily or shut down parts of their operations because of the low water levels. At the port of Rosedale in the Mississippi Delta, port director Robert Maxwell Jr. said water levels are about 50 feet below what they were last year, when flooding shut down the port. If the water falls any lower, there was a ‘high likelihood’ he would have to close, he said. One of the port’s public loading docks is inoperable, with equipment normally in the water now hanging the air. The Army Corps of Engineers is supposed to come this week to dredge, where heavy equipment is used to dig out sediment from waterways to make them passable for shipping.
‘This is absolutely not normal,’ Mr. Maxwell said.

In response to the dramatically low water levels, companies have decreased the number of barges in operation. Without some steady rain soon, “the vast majority of commerce would have to stop,” says P.B. Shah, president of Ingram Barge Co., the largest barge company operating on the Mississippi river. 

More later.
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110' in the Shade

And I ain't talking about the musical here.  Oh, look it up.

If you wanted to fry the perfect egg today, I could have given lessons: leave cast iron skillet in the sun for 10 to 15 minutes, drop in your choice of butter, or - - - -; before the butter burns quickly break the eggs neatly into the pan.  Do not leave the pan unattended.  Turn the eggs after 2 minutes and fry for an additional 2 minutes and remove from pan.  Don't worry about eating them right away, they will remain hot (and probably continue to cook) for a few minutes.

Of course I jest, but not too much.  Yes, it really is that hot here. It was already 85'F as I walked to work this morning at 7 AM with not a hint of wind.  The Atlantic was a sheet of glass and with this heat there is a warning of a jellyfish invasion on the coast. The heatwave has already been blamed for a mass fish-kill in a lake nearby and that isn't the worst of it. The fear is that there are more to come.

The restaurant was crowded all day but the air conditioning couldn't keep up with the flow of human heat or the doors opening every few minutes. We stopped taking reservations for today on Thursday, but people just kept coming.  At one point I had a half-hour wait for a table for lunch. Although the temps never fell below 80'F at least the air was dry and acceptable for dining.  Kids and the elderly were the most uncomfortable and we tried to make them as comfy as possible, not always successfully, I must admit.

The walk home was quite unpleasant, but as I arrived I found a small package on the porch. Drenched with perspiration I scooped it up, unlocked the door and entered the amazing coolness of the apartment. The thermostat was set at 78'F, though it felt much cooler as I chucked the package on the counter and shed the work drag.

Following a quick shower I made a cocktail and opened the package. It was from L.L. Bean, an early birthday gift from friends in NOLA.  A beautiful short-sleeve seersucker shirt!  Now, as I am from the deep south I used to wear seersucker shirts, shorts, trousers, and jackets many years ago. I had forgotten how comfortable seersucker is on hot, muggy days.  The shirt fits well, and will likely be worn to work tomorrow. It makes me feel like an old fashioned New Orleans Gentleman again. All I need is a straw hat, and a mint julep, or Sazerac cocktail to complete the mood.

As I write this I am knocking back a second martini (also the last) washing down a light supper and preparing to read in bed before sleep.

Tomorrow is to be the last weekend Brunch.  It hasn't taken off, losing money for the restaurant as well as servers working for tips with no customers to serve for those 3 hours.

And since tomorrow promises to be a weather duplicate of today, I doubt anyone will be stirring early in the morning - on a Sunday, no less. We shall see.

And so it goes,
*

Cinco de Mayo; Oh That's Right

At work at 7:30 am this morning.  Did the prep for the wait and kitchen staff and got coffee brewing for their arrival. Everyone - kitchen and wait staff - was on time and got down to the business of opening the place.
Between 9 am and noon: Served 36 Mexican Brunch dishes.

By comparison, from 12 to 4 pm:  549 meals were served  from regular menus. A real madhouse! While it was crazy-making, it was also instructional and enlightening; giving me insights for dealing with large parties on a busy day.

After clocking out,  I ran from the place and into the quiet peace of my home-street.  I didn't want an AS  cocktail; only peace and quiet. Made supper listening to music and sipping on a cocktail. One has to do what one has to do, right?

ibuprofen is in my immediate future; as is a nice hot shower to help me sleep soundly tonight.  I have to be at work again in the morning at 7:30 am.

And so it goes.
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Early Spring, New Birds, & Comfort Foods

The Crocus are already gone, Hyacinths are blooming, Tulips are popping up, and the trees are exploding with new life - and officially Spring doesn't arrive for another week. I can actually smell the Hyacinths on my walk to work.  Amazing.

Arriving home last evening I got a glimpse of the pair of Cardinals who own a nest in the stand of bamboo next to the driveway. They are always a joy to hear and watch, and since it's been warm this winter I can guess that they will have a new brood of young'uns in the near future.

Then, to my surprise, I heard a bird call I've not heard in a while. (At least not here.) It seems that I have a new pair of Catbirds - apparently nesting in the pine trees in back. Yes, their call does sound like that of a cat and while it's not easy to see them, hearing them is never a problem. (Photo is above.)

I think they've moved into permanent residency because I heard them again this morning; even with the door and windows closed due to the rain.

Yes, it rained again all night and into this morning, though it seems the sky is trying to clear in the west. So, as with everything else changing with this crazy weather, I suppose the saying ought to be changed to "March Showers Bring April Flowers" now.

I developed a hankerin' for comfort food last night and set to work making a fresh Baked Ziti recipe with black olives and thin-sliced Italian sausages. Thawed out a container of my own sauce for the event and enjoyed a really satisfying dinner with a salad, garlic bread & glass of wine on the side.

If the sun makes an appearance I will head outdoors for some activity, if not I'll settle in and read for the day. It is relaxing to have the day to do nothing, if I so choose. Yay for me!

And so it goes.
*

Alien Invasion Threatens Antarctic Ecosystem

Who'da thunk it?  But, I guess since global warming is a "hoax" no one will believe it, anyway.  Fascinating.

SYDNEY (REUTERS) - In the pristine frozen continent of Antarctica scientists fear an alien invasion -- not from outer space, but carried in people's pockets and bags.

Seeds and plants accidentally brought to Antarctica by tourists and scientists may introduce alien plant species which could threaten the survival of native plants in the finely balanced ecosystem.

Invasive alien plants are amongst the most significant conservation threat to Antarctica, especially as climate change warms the ice continent, said a report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Journal published on Tuesday.

More than 33,000 tourists and 7,000 scientists visit Antarctica each year by ship and aircraft, and a two month survey of visitors has found that many are carrying plant seeds picked up from other countries they have already visited.

The study vacuumed travelers' pockets, trouser and sleeve cuffs, shoes and inside their bags, and used tweezers to pry out accidentally hidden seeds. On average each person checked had just 9.5 seeds in clothing and equipment.

"The people that were carrying the most had lots and lots of seeds. They really were substantial threats," said Dana Bergstrom, from the Australian Antarctic Division.

"When we take things in through hitchhiking then we get species which are competitive. The plants and animals there are not necessarily competitive, so there's a good chance... we'd start losing various precious biodiversity on the (Antarctic) continent," Bergstrom told Reuters.

Amongst the alien species discovered were the Iceland Poppy, Tall Fescue Velvet grass and Annual Winter Grass -- all from cold climates and capable of growing in Antarctica.

The Antarctic Peninsula, where most tourists travel, is now considered a "hot spot" on the frozen continent and the warmer the climate, the easier for seeds to propagate.

"The peninsula is warming at some of the greatest rates on the planet," said Bergstrom.

The study, the first continent-wide assessment of invasive species in Antarctica, surveyed about 1,000 passengers during 2007-2008, the first year of the International Polar Year, an international effort to research the polar regions.

It has taken almost three years to identify the seed species and their effects on the icy continent.

Bergstrom said the one alien seed that had gained a foothold is Annual Winter Grass. It is a substantial weed in the sub-Antarctic and is on the Antarctic island of King George. It has also made its way to the tail part of the Antarctic continent.

"That's just one example of the weeds we picked up and a population of it has just been found in the last couple of seasons," she said.

Annual Winter Grass grows very well in disturbed areas like seal and penguin areas, and could propagate amongst the slow growing mosses around those colonies.

"If it got into those areas in the peninsula it would have the potential to overrun things," Bergstrom said.

IMHO, Reuters does a better job of covering these issues, probably because they're not subsidized by corporations with a link to the global problem.

And so it goes.

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Global Warming? Iceberg Visits Harbor Town

All I can say is this is beautiful - and very scary.  Found at Black*Eiffel:

Here's the copy beneath the photos (yes there are 2 of them, the second from NASA as seen from space.) Click the image to embiggen.

Crikey! Did you see this? From what I understand, a mondo iceberg four times the size of Manhattan broke into pieces off the coast of Greenland last year, and now nearly a year later they are seeing it appear off the 'iceberg alley' shores of Newfoundland! 

The top photo is a slice of ice that hit Newfoundland's Goose Cove temporarily blocking the harbor until it broke and melted a bit. 

Cannot imagine what the residents thought when they woke up one morning to find this staring them in the face.  Jeebus!

More later.

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Fur? In This Heat?

Take it easy today, everyone.  Off to work now.

More later.

HEAT!

Care for the elderly in your area and be extra careful about your pets.  It gets worse every day throughout the weekend.  Not many folks on the beach, either.  Take care out there.

More later.
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It's Summer! Stop Complaining.

The honeymoon is over for now. It promises to be a real scorcher today and throughout the week. Just got back from the recycling center 4 blocks away and I am soaked to the skin. Checked the weather online to find the current local temp is 77' but feels more like 90'. I agree. And oh goody, the humidity is back with a vengeance. Another nice touch.

I really can't complain. We've had a week of lovely weather here with overnight temps in the 60s and 80s during the day. For that to happen in July is truly a gift. Besides, given what everyone else is dealing with this isn't so bad, I mean, being at the beach and all.

There are a couple of errands on the gay agenda today (includes purchasing some beer) after-which it will be another day off in a cool apartment trying to find some deviltry to get into. Maybe more searching online travel options for an October holiday, and perhaps a bit of shopping for a new Haversack - my very old one is about to give up the ghost, if you know what I mean. Although I have 2 backpacks I have difficulty wearing them for long periods of time because of the pressure put on my spine.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to wring out my shirt, put on a clean one, and hit the road. The sooner I get out there, the sooner I get back before the thunderstorms hit. Did I forget to mention the thunderstorms on the way? Sorry. Nothing for it but to put on the big-girl panties and cope with it. Yes that's it, just another delightful July day at the beach.

Of course, it won't be long before we're complaining about the cold and snow. Maybe that's what I'll focus on today...Jeebus, we're never satisfied!

More later
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Research Sounds Alarms on Rising Sea Levels

Quite a lot to think about here. From the University of Arizona:

A 1-meter increase in sea level doesn't sound like much.
But the 3.3-foot rise would be enough to flood 90 percent of New Orleans, 33 percent of Virginia Beach, Va., and 18 percent of Miami, according to scientists.
With the release of a University of Arizona-led study earlier this week, evidence continues to mount that the polar ice sheets are melting at a rate that could profoundly affect coastal regions unless greenhouse gases are reduced worldwide, scientists say.
"Sometime before the end of this century, we will cross that critical threshold where the Earth will be committed to 4, possibly more, meters (13.2 feet) of sea-level rise that could occur at a rate as high as a meter per century," said Jonathan Overpeck, a UA professor and atmospheric scientist.
He and other scientists aren't certain when that point will be reached, but he believes it could be in the middle of this century.
Overpeck is co-author of the UA study that examined the effect ocean warming will have on the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets and predicted how much water temperatures could increase by the end of the century.
The research, published in the Nature Geoscience journal, predicts warmer oceans will cause the polar ice sheets to melt faster and cause sea levels to rise higher than previously thought.
The study comes as climate change and its potential impact on the Earth's environment remain a hotly debated topic. Some skepticism about whether climate change is occurring lingers, but much of the debate now centers on whether the causes are man-made. There is little political agreement internationally on how aggressive nations should be in trying to reverse the trend. Some leaders don't think anything can be done at all.

There's lots more HERE.

 

And so it goes.

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Gulf Oyster Deaths Disturbing.

The image at left appeared in the boutique next door to the restaurant yesterday morning. I giggled at the premise and took this picture.  (click image to embiggen) Little did I know what awaited me when I returned home last night. There is nothing like Gulf Oysters and this is a sad chapter in this ongoing disaster perpetrated by greedy BP. This from nola,com.

Surveys of coastal oyster grounds have discovered extensive deaths of the shellfish, further threatening an industry already in free-fall because of BP's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The deaths are blamed on the opening of release valves on the Mississippi River in an attempt to use fresh water to flush oil out to sea. Giant diversion structures at Caernarvon and Davis Pond have been running since April 25 on the orders of Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and local officials with the consent of the Army Corps of Engineers.

For the past 82 days, about 30,000 cubic feet of water per second has flowed into coastal Louisiana, enough to fill the Louisiana Superdome, home to the New Orleans Saints football team, nearly once an hour.
"What I saw does not look good," Patrick Banks, oyster manager for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, said in an e-mail. He said he found no evidence of oil on the reefs east of the Mississippi River, but he said they "looked to be fallow reef."

Banks dove onto reefs at Black Bay, Bay Crab and Telegraph Island, where the state is building public oyster grounds for farmers to collect baby oysters and transfer them to their private leases. Once there, they are raised to market size.

Public reefs account for up to half of Louisiana's oyster harvest, an industry that employs about 6,000 people and is valued at $330 million. On Thursday, Banks said oyster deaths also were found west of the Mississippi, though the surveys there are not yet complete.
Reports also are coming in about damage to private oyster grounds.

John Tesvich, chairman of the Louisiana Oyster Task Force, a state committee overseeing the industry, said the reports of oyster deaths on private leases are worrisome.

Oysters use saltwater to make their shells and need it to keep their vital membranes working properly. They can tolerate small doses of fresh water for perhaps a couple of weeks, but they will die if they suck in too much.

If you've enjoyed Gulf oysters in the past, it may be a very long time before you get to enjoy them again.

The rest is HERE featuring disturbing pictures.

And so it goes.
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ExxonMobil Pay Taxes? Fugetaboutit!

I'm looking at having to pay the IRS almost a thousand bucks and another 4 hundred to the state of Delaware, so this kind of story burns my biscuits, big time. I cut up and returned my Exxon credit card following their response to the Exxon Valdez oil spill.  They begged me to reconsider for years, even sending me another card a few times.

There is this from Forbes via Think Progress:

Last week, Forbes magazine published what the top U.S. corporations paid in taxes last year. “Most egregious,” Forbes notes, is General Electric, which “generated $10.3 billion in pretax income, but ended up owing nothing to Uncle Sam. In fact, it recorded a tax benefit of $1.1 billion.” Big Oil giant Exxon Mobil, which last year reported a record $45.2 billion profit, paid the most taxes of any corporation, but none of it went to the IRS:

Exxon tries to limit the tax pain with the help of 20 wholly owned subsidiaries domiciled in the Bahamas, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands that (legally) shelter the cash flow from operations in the likes of Angola, Azerbaijan and Abu Dhabi. No wonder that of $15 billion in income taxes last year, Exxon paid none of it to Uncle Sam, and has tens of billions in earnings permanently reinvested overseas.

Mother Jones’ Adam Weinstein notes that, despite benefiting from corporate welfare in the U.S., Exxon complains about paying high taxes, claiming that it threatens energy innovation research. Pat Garofalo at the Wonk Room notes that big corporations’ tax shelter practices similar to Exxon’s shift a $100 billion annual tax burden onto U.S. taxpayers. In fact, in 2008, the Government Accountability Office found that “two out of every three United States corporations paid no federal income taxes from 1998 through 2005.”

Reinvested billions overseas?  Oh, that must be all the R & D they're doing for alternative solutions to the energy crisis.  Yeah, that's it.

There is something foul about corporations in this country.
More later.
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Whoa! Giant Iceberg Breaks off Antarctic Glacier

This is happening way too frequently, but there ain't no such thing as "Global Warming" - no, of course not.

Reuters:
An iceberg the size of Luxembourg has broken off from a glacier in Antarctica after being rammed by another giant iceberg, scientists said on Friday, in an event that could affect ocean circulation patterns.

The 2,500 sq km (965 sq mile) iceberg broke off earlier this month from the Mertz Glacier's 160 km (100 miles) floating tongue of ice that sticks out into the Southern Ocean.

The collision has since halved the size of the tongue that drains ice from the vast East Antarctic ice sheet.

"The calving itself hasn't been directly linked to climate change but it is related to the natural processes occurring on the ice sheet," said Rob Massom, a senior scientist at the Australian Antarctic Division and the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Center in Hobart, Tasmania.

Both organizations, along with French scientists, have been studying existing giant cracks in the ice tongue and monitored the bumper-car-like collision by the second iceberg, B-9B.

This 97 km long slab of ice is a remnant of an iceberg of more than 5,000 sq km that broke off, or calved, in 1987, making it one of the largest icebergs ever recorded in Antarctica.

The Mertz glacier iceberg is among the largest recorded for several years. In 2002, a iceberg about 200 km long broke off from Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf. In 2007, a iceberg roughly the size of Singapore broke off from the Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica.

Whole story HERE.

Dealing with stress hasn't been my friend this week. I am tired, running on empty and need some sustained sunshine to cheer me up.

And so it goes.
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