An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth A Pound of Cure

The title refers to a well-known quote from one of our founders, Benjamin Franklin.  Personally, I think it is easily as important as a guideline on how we live as is the Golden Rule.  I do my best, when making a decision or before going forward with an action, to consider the consequences.  If only those who wield power or who influence our lives now and into the future would adopt such a long range vision instead of seeming to only be concerned with immediate gains or results (the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico & Keystone XL pipeline to cite two examples), I feel all life on this planet would be better served.  That includes the lives of the powerful and otherwise influential as well.

Once again Moyers & Company had a powerful episode today.  His guest on the show was Anthony Leiserowitz, a researcher with the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication.  I feel that everyone should take a little bit of time out of their busy schedules to watch this show.  The information provided, along with the presentation of that information, puts forward a wealth of information necessary for every person everywhere.  It isn't filled with charts or incomprehensible facts and figures to write down or commit to memory.  Instead he presents an easily understandable reason to move NOW to take action to do something about climate change.  He also presents facts in a reasonable way that anyone can understand, with or without an advanced degree in any of the sciences.

Some of the facts he presents are startling.  Working with Gallup, a worldwide poll about climate change was taken.  In some countries, they found that up to 75% of the people polled had NEVER HEARD about climate change.  He delineates six distinct groups based upon their position on climate change.

Most people rely on the media for their information.  Not only do environmental issues receive short shrift in the media, but climate change is barely a blip on the media's radar.  If our information sources don't treat this issue (or group of issues) as critical, why would the general populace?  Add to that the current state of our media, where a few corporations or moguls control most of the print and airwaves in the marketplace.  Plus the media rely upon advertising revenues to keep them up and running.  If the advertisers have a policy of denying climate change, what are the chances that the media will give front page coverage to the problems of climate change?  We have the internet, right?  Well, contrary to a current commercial - not everything you read on the internet is true.  Unfortunately much of the internet is polarized and biased.  A rush to be first in reporting something often leads to the wrong information being put out there.  We only need to look back to last summer when CNN reported that the Supreme Court had overturned the Affordable Care Act.  They didn't read the full verdict and were left standing with egg all over their faces.

Below is the video of Moyers & Company with Anthony Leiserowitz.  It's about 45 minutes long.  It is worth YOUR time.  Please take that time and watch it.  Let me know what YOU think.

For more information on Anthony Leiserowitz, visit this link.

Information about the Gallup Poll can be found here.

Hopelessness?

Where once there seemed to be a bright, shining future now all seems dark.  This past week has been one of an inordinate amount of bad, sad, gloomy news.  

 First three icons have died.  Dick Clark’s death was the first announced.  American Bandstand lives in such fond memories of my childhood.  Not all of the new dances those kids in Philadelphia introduced on the show were all that easy for me to pick up.  My father, on the other hand, was a great dancer.  Not in the professional sense, but when he and my mother were young they used to go dancing to all of the Big Bands before “the War”, which was WWII.  I remember my dad teaching me how to do the stroll.  And then there were all of the stars Dick Clark brought on the show.  I fell head over heels in love with Frankie Avalon, Fabian and my personal favorite, James Darren.  Yeah, I really loved those Italian boys.  SWOON!

Next was Levon Helm, drummer and singer for The Band.  I really wasn’t a big fan of The Band, although I liked several of their most popular songs.  Way back when, I had purchased their Rock of Ages album.  I played it once and never played it again.  A few years ago I gave it to a young friend, who is a Bob Dylan devotee (not my taste) because I figured she would enjoy it. 

 

 

And then yesterday the death of Jonathan Frid was announced.  My mom always said, “they come in threes” when a celebrity death was first announced.  True?  I don’t know.  When you are looking for a pattern, you usually notice one.  Dark Shadows, after so many years, is back in the news because of the impending premiere of the Johnny Depp/Tim Burton movie release.  It is a remake of the late 60s, early 70s afternoon ABC Gothic soap opera of my youth.  I was mad crazy for Jonathan Frid’s vampire, Barnabas Collins.  Dark, brooding, troubled, sensitive and sad – what young girl wouldn’t fall in love?  If you read any of the tributes on the web or in the newspapers, apparently LOTS of young girls did fall in love with Frid/Barnabas and carried that flaming torch throughout their lives.  While it hadn’t occurred to me before reading the posts, many suggested that the character of Barnabas Collins ushered in a new type of vampire, leading the way for Louis from Interview With the Vampire, Angel (oh,my) of Buffy The Vampire Slayer (personally I’m a Spike aficionado) and Edward Cullen of The Twilight series.  I think the authors are correct.  Jonathan Frid’s portrayal of the vampire Barnabas Collins was a new perspective on the age old monsters that previously had only terrified us.  They became romantic figures.

Adding to these sad reports, April 20^th was the second anniversary of the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico.  Contrary to Oh, Happy Day! Commercials on TV, all is far from well in the Gulf of Mexico and the states which border it.  The dolphin and turtle deaths on the coasts have seen record numbers.  The nesting sites of most sea birds are either in decline or absent.  Deformed shrimp, fish and crabs are being caught in the Gulf waters.  The people aren’t doing well either, experiencing many health problems.  To read a compilation of the many stories, check out this link:  http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2012/04/guest-post-the-gulf-ecosystem-is-being-decimated.html  

As if that wasn’t enough to drag me to the depths over concern over the very survival of our planet and amazing wildlife who share it with us, I listened to Science Friday on Talk of the Nation.  You can listen to it here:  http://www.npr.org/2012/04/20/151047262/exploring-the-deepest-darkest-spots-on-earth   Hope, maybe.  Optimism, not much.

 

The final thing that brought me to full fledged tears this morning was totally unexpected.  I went on an Amazon buying spree about 2 weeks ago after listening to Terry Gross’ interview with Carole King (give it a listen here:

http://www.npr.org/2012/04/11/150418594/for-carole-king-songwriting-is-a-natural-talent ) .

Maybe I should listen to it again, because it was wonderful, delightful and just made me smile.  But, I digress.  One of the things I bought was The Definitive John Denver Greatest Hits.  Denver, the epitome of sunshine, rainbows and roses, right?  Well, I couldn’t wait for my absolute favorite John Denver song of all time to come on.  Calypso, a song he wrote because of his trip with Jacques Cousteau (the man who opened the world’s eyes to the wonders of the world’s oceans and marine life) onboard Cousteau’s ship, Calypso.  The ocean, John Denver and Jacques Cousteau, two of which are dead and the other dying at the hands of humans, not exactly where I had expected the song to take me.  So instead of feeling transported and uplifted, it was more like a stake in the heart.  The tears just flowed. 

Earth Day, the 42^nd anniversary, is April 22^nd.  Has ANYONE been listening?  Right now, it certainly doesn’t seem like it.  It isn't just about US or our needs and our greed  - it is about ALL life on Earth.  

The future is up to you and me.

More Random Thoughts

Well, 2011 started off as 2010 ended – still recovering from the surgeries, but able to work part time and still have weekday hyperbaric treatments.  When will this be over?  It’s anybody’s guess.

So, while I recover, the world keeps spinning.  While going through this extended recovery period, it’s harder and harder to look on the bright side. The state of our planet continues to spiral downward and seems to concern only a small percentage of Americans.  More and more species are not only endangered but are going extinct.  Last year was the hottest year recorded and polar bears may die out in the next 20 years.  Big cats throughout the world are still being killed, either because of concerns over protecting livestock or just for the sport of it.  Over 700 manatees died last year, the worst year on record as well.  Millions of unwanted, homeless cats, dogs, puppies and kittens are killed in shelters each and every year.  Children in developing countries are dying in mines, due to pollution, war or lack of clean food and water.  Lack of regulation and strict oversight allows things like the Macondo well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico and the West Virginia mining disaster, yet Florida’s new governor wants government to get out of the way of business.  When will people realize that the one and only thing that business is interested in is PROFITS?  It isn’t about worker safety, it isn’t about creating jobs, it isn’t about providing healthcare for their employees, it isn’t about insuring that generations to come have a healthy planet to live on.  PROFITS, that is the only concern.  Government regulation is the only thing protecting the average citizen and worker.  Without regulation our air, water and food supply would be in even worse shape.  There would be no OSHA overseeing workplace safety. 

Of course, there has been good news as well, both on a personal and world level.  Chaz, who was given not much chance of surviving long back in September, is still with me and hanging in there.  His brother, Charlie, although still way too thin, continues to eat everything that isn’t nailed down.  CARE Feline TNR helped pull 40 cats from Orange County Animal Services and is finding homes for many of them.  Animal rescuers, from the one person to multi-volunteer ones, continue to place cats and dogs in loving homes.  According to the Washington Post, vegetarian and vegan diets are becoming more mainstream.  China is putting large amounts of money into renewable energy and water conservation.  And, for the time being, the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is safe from oil drilling.  Let’s hope 2011 will have more Good News stories than Tragic News stories. 

FOCUS

I’ve been experiencing an increased difficulty in focusing lately. I don’t know if it’s an age thing, the time of year or the excess of sensory input. My professional life requires me to handle a bit of everything – I often feel like Mikey from the old Life commercials. For those of you over 30 you may remember: the older brothers say “give it to Mikey, he’ll eat anything.” I often feel like, “give it to Connie, she’ll handle anything.” I wish that was true. I feel like I am fumbling “the ball” more often than running for the goal line and making that touchdown.

So this year has seen the death of two of my cats, the illness of another two, with a third pending. Add to that my getting involved with street cats/kittens again. I had “retired” from that part of my life because I had exceeded my limit……….too many critters to care for and an inability to say no. While dropping off a darling girl kitten for spay, I stuck my nose into a situation where 3 kittens were going back to the street after their surgeries. I am adamantly opposed to releasing kittens back on the street when there is the slightest chance they can be socialized and then get adopted. A side note here, expect a multi-part blog on why Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is not only a good thing, but critically important. The little girl kitten was adopted by a nice young man who lives in the mobile home park. Her brother is being fostered by a wonderful young woman who works with me. And those 3 wild boy kittens are in my miniscule, single bathroom awaiting taming. And Sweets (the sweetest of the 3, hence the name) PURRED for me tonight. In my world, pretty much everything can be made alright by purrs. So, one of three is on his way to lap catdom. Two to go. It’s simply CATASTIC.

See what I mean about focus? I was listing the overload of incoming distractions/concerns I’ve been exposed to and went off track and expanded upon the kitten issue. Along with cat stuff, there has been the Deepwater Horizon oil well explosion and spewing oil into the Gulf of Mexico, not to mention the use of the toxin Corexit to disperse the oil. That has consumed me since April, much the same as the aftermath of Katrina did in 2005.

I want to green up my life and eliminate, as much as is humanly possible, plastics from my life. Rather difficult in what has become a plastic world. I’ve wanted to start growing some of my own organic produce, although I have TWO black thumbs. Botany was never my forte; plants seem to like me even less than I like them, although I seem to have a really green thumb when it comes to weeds. I’m sure I could make weeds grow just about anywhere. Tomorrow (this morning actually) I’m attending an Organic Gardening class. Keep your fingers crossed that I don’t cause root rot in all the plants in the nursery where the class will be held.

And, primarily due to our wonderful summer rains, I’ve been in an extraordinary amount of pain lately. Arthritis from car accidents and my own clumsiness flairs up when low pressure systems are approaching. The pain clouds my brain and makes everyday tasks nearly impossible to accomplish. And there was the hospital stay at the beginning of the year. I stepped on one of my cats, in the dark, and she – naturally – bit me. That resulted in an infection, causing an elevated concern because of my diabetes, which led to several days in the hospital.

Add to all of this, financial concerns. I am struggling to not use my credit cards. There was a time, a few years ago when I thought nothing of pulling out that plastic and purchasing whatever stuff I wanted. Digging out from under credit card debt is difficult at best and worse during these horrible economic times. And, I’m so tired of all of the stuff - most of it seemingly useless and unnecessary – surrounding me wherever I turn. I want, desperately, to simplify my life and unburden myself of things I don’t use, don’t need and no longer want. However, I don’t want to add to the overburdened landfills. Finding the energy, time, motivation and room to pull the stuff together for a yard sale has been impossible for me to accomplish.

So, with so much on my mind and in my life, I’ve opted for inertia. Where to start, how to start become the questions instead of just getting started, no matter where or what I choose. Just make a choice and do it. Instead, I sit here, at my computer and write about it at 3 in the morning. Sleep? What’s that? Maybe I should just start the laundry (and figure out how to get a clothesline put up in the backyard) and clean some litterboxes, load the dishwasher, rinse out the cat & dog food cans for recycling or even try going back to sleep for a few hours. I need to organize my brain and my life! FOCUS, I ain’t got it.

What if?

Amidst all of the criticism for the President and the government’s handling of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, a question popped into my head. Before I get to that, however, realize that I’m not saying this unbelievably devastating disaster has been handled well………….by anyone. I’m left with “if only THEY had listened”, but that isn’t an option. It is what it is. It’s a waste of time to discuss just how this horrendous tragedy could have been avoided, except to make sure it doesn’t happen again. That’s another post.

So, on to the question. Up until Congressman Barton’s apology for the mistreatment of BP by the President, nearly every person – left, right & center – was criticizing the Administration for doing it wrong. So, I wondered the following: what would be different if the election had a different outcome? Would things be better if John McCain and Sarah Palin had been the folks in charge? I know what I think, what about you? Think about it:

• Would the state of affairs at the Mineral Management Services been altered in any way, for the better, leading up to the disaster?

• Would any fewer permits, without necessary oversights in place, been approved?

• Would more people have been deployed to the area?

• Would the Unified Command actually have been unified?

• Would the government have taken charge immediately, or would McCain/Palin have relied upon the expertise of BP?

• Would the “leak” streaming from the ocean floor been visible to everyone sooner?

• Would the press have had better access to what was happening?

• Would any of those responsible for this calamity have been called before Congress for questioning and castigation?

• Would the folks – and the wildlife – along the Gulf Coast have fared better?

• Would the efforts to stop the flow have worked?

• Would efforts to prevent oil intrusion along the coast have been stepped up?

• Would they have worked?

You can probably guess my answers to those questions. A resounding NO! If these two had answers and solutions, wouldn’t it be in the best interest of the people and wildlife of the Gulf and the planet to share those with the world? It’s too damn easy to criticize and much harder to work toward a solution. So, patriots, be patriotic and step up to the plate and make this all better NOW! Let’s stop kicking ass and roll up our sleeves and get to work and help.

The Spill, The Scandal and the President | Rolling Stone Politics

The Spill, The Scandal and the President Rolling Stone Politics

The Neverending Oiling of the Gulf Region

Many believe that Jesus turned water into wine and now we are all witnesses to BP rapidly turning sea water into oil. Jesus is believed by many to have risen from the dead and the head of BP has promised to perform a miracle of his own and remediate (resurrect?) the resultant devastation in the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf Coast caused by the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. Read the story and Hayward’s quotes here: http://www.daily-chronicle.com/articles/2010/05/24/47551028/index.xml  Let us rejoice that BP’s Mr. Hayward has the powers of God to return the Gulf to its former state, before the devastation that is the ongoing ejaculation of oil from the depths of the sea bottom.

I’ve often wondered just how one “restores” the land from the ravishment of land clearing, oil spills, chemical poisoning and mountaintop removal. Is it something akin to Noah’s two by two collection of ALL of the animals aboard the Ark? Gather ye together a male and female of each and every species of plant and animal that once lived and breathed in each ecosystem that has been destroyed. Let them go forth and multiply and repopulate the land/seascape. I decree it!

I hate to be the one who bursts your bubble, Mr. Hayward, but once broken, there are some things that simply cannot be repaired or restored to their former selves. A few of the things that come to mind include: a priceless vase, innocence, a hymen, clean water, the web of life, trust and once thriving and diverse ecosystems. Realizing that even though life on our planet, the only home we have, is quite amazing and resilient does not negate the fact that life is still fragile and, once broken, dies. Regardless of your personal religious persuasion, death is a permanent end to life. What once was is no longer and is gone forever. Each and every individual life that has been lost due to this catastrophic disaster in the Gulf supported another life, whether as a source of food, a source of protection or as a caregiver. Each of the individual lives who depended upon the ones lost will now, most probably, die as well. I can’t stop thinking about the hatchlings on shore waiting for Mom or Dad to return with dinner who will die from either predation or starvation because Mom and Dad won’t be returning from the oil covered sea. Those hatchlings won’t survive to reach adulthood and, thus, to repopulate the species that has been decimated by this greedy pursuit of profit. And I think of the already endangered sea turtles who swallow the oil soaked jellyfish and die from ingesting the toxic oil. The female turtle dies, sinks to the bottom of the Gulf and her fertilized eggs, never to reach the shoreline, die within her. Another generation of endangered sea turtles lost forever.

Had the gravity of the possible consequences of this risky undertaking, drilling nearly a mile into the sea floor, been thoroughly considered, would anyone have determined that is was worth the risk? Although it appears that public sentiment is shifting away from support for offshore oil drilling, there is still a staggering percentage of people who support this gamble. Our refusal to sacrifice our thirst for a continuing supply of oil has already cost thousands of lives of men and women serving in the military, along with tens of thousands of civilian lives, the livelihoods of hundreds, if not thousands, of people along the Gulf Coast and the devastation of every ecosystem in and around the Gulf of Mexico. Isn’t it well past time to embrace a more Earth friendly approach to our energy needs?

There are simple things each of us can do to reduce our consumption of petroleum products. Some of them include: drive less; buy less packaged products, choosing instead loose fruits and vegetables; eat none or fewer animals and animal products; recycle; take reusable bags to the store instead of using plastic bags; if you use plastic bags, recycle them; turn up the thermostat by one or two degrees; donate unused goods instead of putting them into the trash and then the landfill; shop at a farmer’s market; reduce the number of products you buy that contain petroleum products, like most commercial soaps and shampoos; cook more often instead of eating out; switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs; use natural cleaners like vinegar, baking soda and borax. None of these things are difficult or painful. Give them a try. You may like it.

Offshore Oil Drilling: All those in favor, raise your hands

 Deepwater Horizon Leak An oil slick (lower right) in the Gulf  of Mexico threatens wildlife refuges around the Mississippi Delta. NASA

I can’t resist…………………..TOLD YOU SO! The BP oil rig that exploded and crashed in the Gulf of Mexico has been leaking A QUARTER OF A MILLION GALLONS OF OIL FOR OVER 7 DAYS! The slick has already begun reaching the shoreline. Is this finally the wakeup call that our elected leaders needed to make them start acting like responsible adults? Lately, they’ve all acted like lousy parents giving in to the whiny brats and letting them eat M & Ms for dinner because “that’s what they wanted.” The policies of “Give ‘Em What They Want” versus “Give Them What is in Their and the Country’s Best Interests” need to end. Is it possible for the American people to elect a veterbrate (someone with a backbone) instead of an invertebrate (a jellyfish)?

Early in the Presidential primaries, none of the Democrats supported offshore oil drilling and John McCain stood alone on the Republican side against offshore oil drilling. Florida’s Governor, Charlie Crist, was against offshore oil drilling. Fast forward just a bit and Obama, McCain and Crist flipped. Why? Because the political pulse seemed to have changed and some people (maybe those with the deepest pockets and aligned with the oil and gas industries???) pushed for energy independence. We got CLEAN COAL ads, let’s start building CLEAN, SAFE nuclear power plants again and let’s open up America’s coastlines to more drilling for oil because the technology is SAFE. What could go wrong? Apparently only those perennial naysayers, the predictors of Doom – Environmentalists - raised red flags. After all, why should Americans be expected to pay $ 3.00 a gallon for gas or have to downsize to a fuel efficient car? Sacrifice? That’s un-American. This is the land of the free and the home of the brave. After all, God is on our side, isn’t He? Why listen to scientists? Everyone knows scientists are just elitist, ivory towered, and grant seeking intellectuals. They can’t be trusted. Instead, many Americans put their trust in those who speak the truth, religious leaders like Pat Robertson or good Christian women like Sarah Palin. DRILL BABY DRILL.

Even though the Earth is about 75% ocean and 25% land mass, the coastal areas are where the majority of sea life exists and is critical for the survival of life, not only in the oceans, but on this planet. Coastal areas serve as rookeries for many species of birds, the seagrasses and mangrove roots offer cover for all kinds of sealife from shrimp to newly hatched fish species, and the beaches are where sea turtles and horseshoe crabs lay their eggs. Coastlines across the world are already seriously damaged by stormwater runoff, dumping of raw sewage, leaking septic tanks, discarded trash from humans, aquaculture and development. Oil spills could be the final straw that decimates our oceans. If our total disregard for the needs of species other than humans continues apace, we will kill our oceans. When, not IF, our oceans die, we humans won’t be far behind.

You can read more about the advancing oil slick here: http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/04/29/louisiana.oil.rig/index.html?hpt=T1

Edited to add:  check out this perspective on the oil spill
http://challengeoppression.com/2010/04/29/quickly-quickly-kill-them-before-they-die/

Adding this too:  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703572504575214593564769072.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLETopStories  Halliburton strikes again!