Oil Companies Bribing Gulf States to Ignore Spill?

 Interesting reading from whowhatwhy.  A news site I've just stumbled upon.

Recently, Gulf area legislators have been pushing to get their states a larger share of government income from offshore drilling. We’re told that they need the extra revenue to improve flood protection. But more is afoot here, and it deserves scrutiny.
First, here’s the background, from the Los Angeles Times:

Severe flooding from Hurricane Isaac has prompted a new effort by Gulf Coast lawmakers to secure a larger share of federal offshore drilling revenue to fund projects such as flood protection.

But the idea faces opposition from lawmakers who say it would siphon away money needed to pay Uncle Sam’s bills.

Sen. Mary L. Landrieu (D-La.) stoked the debate this week by appealing to President Obama during his visit to the storm-battered area to support letting states share 37.5% of federal revenue from energy production off their coasts…..

Fair enough. But there’s a missing piece of this, about who benefits most. And it’s not the public.
Flood control work generates a ton of local income. It creates jobs. Channeling a larger share of the federal share of drilling income into the local area, you give residents a reason not to oppose continued drilling. Of course, these are the same people whose environment has been so badly harmed, perhaps permanently, by the risky practices of offshore production.

Read the rest HERE.

 I know.  Bribery is such a harsh word. But the truth is sometimes indelicate.

And so it goes.
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Finally, The Truth is Evident

The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over the Lazy Dog.

Shameless!  What can I say? 

And so it goes.

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Still. Not Calm

The full moon this weekend brought out the coo-coos, no mistake about it.  It was chaos all around the beach communities. And, to make it more intense, it was NASCAR, a Classic Car show, Motorcycle weekend, some kind of end-of-summer Festival and, well, you get the idea. The crisp Autumn weather brought representatives from all the above into Rehoboth Beach at one point or another. 

It was like July - with traffic jams, people milling about on the boardwalk and beach - only enjoying the cool Autumn air rather than stifling heat.

Staggering into the restaurant blind drunk before noon was the norm for many of these folks and a major problem for other businesses, not just restaurants. The unpleasant full moon is waning and most everyone I know seems to be on pins & needles for some reason. Anxious, but can't put a finger on a cause. 

Today, the uneasiness remains. My dreams overnight reflected the emotion  (In a large house, surrounded by strangers, couldn't find a bathroom, kitchen, or any place to be alone) and I awoke exhausted with taut muscles in shoulders and legs. I got out of bed carefully, looking like a hunchback and praying that nothing would snap while walking to the kitchen.

No plans for the day. Just hang out at home, read, and do some cleaning.  The rain and winds are excuse enough not to venture outdoors.  Maybe tomorrow.

A big pot of cabbage soup is in the making, I mean, it being October and all. No soup bones, so chopped, smoked beef sausage will fill in, instead.

And so it goes.
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Forbidden Love Caturday

Think of the children!

More later.
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Doctor, Drug, & the Dubious SSA

It's been a slow week at work, so we're gearing up for this weekend - NASCAR is in Dover, DE - and too many find their way to Rehoboth.  Most are a strange lot, but a few are really nice, intelligent folks and enjoy the beach.

This week's Doctor's appt. went well. BP and cholesterol are down (a very good thing) and when I complained about the increased pain in hands and back, he suggested we try a new medication. The Meloxicam was not doing a good job and managing the pain has been rough.

The doctor ordered x-rays of the hands and wrists which I had done that day, (he already has the most recent spinal pics) then called to tell me he was going to prescribe a combo drug, anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxant in one, Flexeril (sp?) he faxed the scrip to the pharmacy. He verified the increased inflammation in both hands, the presence of the Rheumatoid swelling of the finger joints and thought this was the best way to proceed, considering my history with narcotics and all. I can't take anything that will impede my attention and activity at work, so we'll see if this is an improvement and I get a little more rest sans pain. I picked it up today.  Tonight will be the first dose. We shall see. I have a follow-up appt. in a month to check for improvement and/or side effects.

Received a letter from the SSA (Social Security Administration - if one can call it that) informing me that I will become eligible for "partial" benefits next month.  Having been told in July that I made more than the allowable yearly gross income 'before' my birthday this year, I didn't expect anything and still don't. Of course, WHEN and HOW MUCH I will receive isn't mentioned.

I won't be holding my breath.  After 16 months of mixed messages and threats, I won't believe any of this until a check is actually deposited in my account. And even then, I'm not sure I'd use the money for a few months. Colour me skeptical!

And so it goes.
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Record Gulf Catch - With a Catch

 Playing with numbers can always skew the facts to suit the need. I mean, have you ever heard of the "menhaden" fish before?  Well before reading the rest of this piece, check out the Wikipedia story  link HERE.
From the Gulf Restoration Network.

Recently, headlines loudly proclaimed great news in the fish harvest totals released by NOAA for 2011.  "Gulf seafood catch reaches 12-year high", "Louisiana seafood catch rebounds in 2011" & "U.S. seafood landings reach 17-year high in 2011".  
Wow, sounds great.  Unfortunately, digging beneath the headlines reveals a less glowing report from Gulf waters.
The most significant increase in Gulf catch comes from the uncontained, uncapped, Gulf menhaden harvest.  Going from 900 million pounds on average for the past 10 years, they lept to 1.3 billion pounds in 2011.
In other species, catch totals weren't nearly so rosy.  Louisiana oysters were significantly off their ten year average, Louisiana white and brown shrimp were similarly off their 10 year average. Louisiana blue crab were down from their 10 year average.  In Mississippi, things were so bleak that a federal fisheries disaster was declared for their oyster and crab fisheries.
So yes, buoyed by an enormous menhaden catch, which is a high-volume, low-value fishery, the Gulf's totals were increased, but wherever BP's oil impacts were significant, shrimp and crab harvests were off their ten year average.
The AP told this story well ahead of these rosy headlines last year, when they analyzed catch information for specific areas, and warned that problems were afoot.

Read the rest of the report HERE.

And so it goes.
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There Was This Bungalow...

For the past 2+ years I've lived on the block this charming, roomy, 2 bedroom bungalow with a cozy screened porch, intimate hearth and fireplace, and furniture that was utilitarian, weathered, and most comfortable as you can imagine, always made me smile. One could tell it was well lived in and enjoyed by all inhabitants.

Last week I noticed the interior doors were open and all furnishings removed.  Then on my walk the next day, I noticed the front door was open revealing the empty rooms beyond, and there was a sign on the front lawn announcing "demolition" of the dwelling, but no date was listed.  This all made me very sad, as if a family member was to be put to death and there was nothing to do about it.  And that was true. I wish I had taken photos of the house nestled among the others and surrounded by pines, large and small.  But...no. I would have been embarrassed if I got caught by the owners taking pictures of their property.

In less than 72 hours that history, generations of memories, laughter of kids growing up, weekend cocktail parties, cookouts with family and guests, is no more.

And this is what I saw:

Thursday: Screened porch & front bedroom are gone.

Friday: House and Chimney are rubble.

Saturday: No signs of the house, or shed.  Only a pile of pine roots and dirt.

Building lots in town are tiny, pricey bits of land and I hope another lovely beachside bungalow will be erected on the lot, but I fear the worst: replacements of late have been small-footprint, 3-story houses which we call "MacMansions" and for good reason. They are out of place here, as most front doors are only a few feet from the curbside. Oh, and they tend to be very, very ugly.

The block is eerily silent, no residents in sight, so I think everyone is kind of grief-stricken at this time.


And so it goes.
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Vicious Cycle

This Post

Intentionally

Deleted by

The Author.

Caturday Art Critic

In your heart you just KNOW he's right.

More later.
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Les Miserables: Old is New Again

In most movie musicals the songs are recorded in advance of shooting - in the studio with part of or most of the intended orchestra.  Not this time. To me this is a fascinating look into the future of film using the best technologies and vocal talents singing live while acting out the scene. Of course, this will put the likes of Marni Nixon out work.

As the saying goes, "movies were never silent, there was always live music on set to create and maintain the mood of the scene."  This takes that concept one step farther down the road and I think (especially considering the difficult material) the way musicals will (hopefully) be shot in the future.

I REALLY want to see this one.

And so it goes.
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Twain, Cher, Izzard, & Elysium

Now, how's that for an itinerary? Forget the metaphors, there ain't any.

Woke at normal time (at least for me) yesterday, and chose to stay in bed and read. Seemed to be a gray day, anyway.  Finished another Kindle book of essays by Mark Twain, which was a shame because his tongue-in-cheek humor makes my day. I tend to milk these books just for the daily chuckle, but there was no way this time. It was the last entry. Bother!

After a coffee and breakfast, did my best imitation of a slug most of the day.  Had no desire to venture outdoors.  The weather wasn't cooperative, by mid-day offering only high winds and rain storms lasting through the night.

In the afternoon I streamed two concerts; Cher's "Farewell" Tour (I don't know which one) and Eddie Izzard's "Dressed to Kill" then dealt with visual overload while prepping supper. It's been a while since I've watched anything on the tee-vee.

With a Shrimp Remoulade on the dinner menu, cocktail hour began with a Sazerac as the cooked shrimp chilled. Decided to make it an international event by enjoying fresh, warm, garlic Naan instead of warm baguette. Turned out to be an excellent idea. (One can never have too much garlic.) All washed down with 2 glasses of wine. Feeling warm and cozy; took a shower, hit the sheets, and slept like a rock.

Waking well rested this morning, the 2 errands on the gay agenda were accomplished in record time. 

Took a drive down to the bay hoping to find and photograph a few local wind-surfers, but there were none.  Bother! 

I was cheered up when I got home as there was a package waiting for me.  The pre-ordered CD of the new Pet Shop Boys " Elysium" was sticking up out of the mailbox.  Snoopy Happy Dance! Really!

Listening to it now and it's kind of cerebral with some tunes containing swelling orchestrations and a beaucoup use of strings.  But, that's a first impression.  I'll make a copy CD for the car and download it to the cellphone, too.

Stimulated the senses over the past 48 hours and that's not a total waste of time, is it? Have to be at work tomorrow at 8 am, so this will be an early evening - meaning - IT'S TIME FOR OLIVES, boys and girls!!!  Oh, sorry.

And so it goes.

No Doubt Whether Weather Is Responsible...

As I wrote earlier in the week, the weather has been absolutely magnificent, making up for July that pounded us with temps over 105'F for 10+ days. A joyful way to catch our collective breath, to say the least. However...

Long weekend hours persist, and if I was questioning the decision to continue opening early on Saturdays & Sundays, I do no longer.  The town was jumping all weekend with the weather bringing folks to the shore and a chance to have one more fling at the beach.

Served 300 diners at lunch yesterday and more than 200 today.  Everyone continues to be in a jolly mood, enjoying the sun and sand without the summer crowds.

Hruumph!  And I thought this was going to be a quiet, easy weekend.  For reasons I won't go into, I was pressed to remain at my post for an additional 1.5 hours.  This meant 10.5 hours on my tired, old feet and so I literally waddled home. 

While typing this I am enjoying a few olives as supper is being cooked.  Tonight is Thai Lamb Curry Sausage (from guy at the Farmers Market) with roasted fingerling potatoes and a cucumber/tomato salad.  Simple, refreshing and about all I have the energy to cook tonight.

Oh, and I just noticed (looking down at my bare feet) that my ankles are swollen to twice normal size.  No wonder they hurt.  This hasn't happened in a very long time.

After supper and a shower, I will slide under the bed covers with ice compresses on the feet and the Kindle at hand for a little reading before sleep. Tomorrow is my Friday - my weekend is Tuesday & Wednesday - and I am looking forward to resting up on one of the two.

The aromas from the kitchen are distracting and I still have to prep the salad. I'll finish the martini and likely enjoy a glass of wine with the meal. I'll report on the lamb sausage in the near future...or not.

And so it goes.
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