WHO WOULD EVER HAVE EXPECTED...? PART TWO

 

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality has issued two new compliance orders against Williams Olefins over air and potential water releases stemming from a June 13 fire and explosion at its Ascension Parish facility in Geismar.

The new compliance order dealing with air quality cites the Tulsa, Okla.-based company for at least 39 air permit or reporting violations starting in 2007 and extending to the day after the June blast.

The explosion sent a fireball high in the air seconds after a 200-foot-high vapor cloud was emitted from the facility, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board officials testified to Congress last week. Two men were fatally burned and 114 people were injured.
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Separately, DEQ has issued another compliance order over contaminated water that ended up in a pond on site that is usually pumped into the Mississippi River. That order, issued June 19, puts water quality limits on future discharges from the pond.

The Mississippi River in Louisiana is the dumping ground for any number of chemical discharges and waste from refineries and plants along its banks, which, added to fertilizers and waste already present in the river from plants, farms, and farm animals on its borders in states to the north, makes for a mix of heaven only knows what in our source of drinking water.  The mighty Mississippi - aka the sewer of the country.  In addition, the plants release chemicals into the air in the vicinity and their very presence is a reminder of  the danger that something terrible could go wrong. 

Since the plants are a source of well-paying jobs, the regulatory agencies tend to treat them with kid gloves, and there's not a lot of push-back from the people in the area until something goes badly wrong.

As you read the article and keep in mind the recent explosion of the West Fertilizer plant in West, Texas that killed 14 people, injured more than 200, and destroyed a number of structures in the town, and think about the pathetic oversight by state and federal regulatory agencies offered to the citizens of the the two states.  I assume some states are more diligent than Louisiana and Texas in inspections and follow-up to make certain that citations for violations are corrected.  What's the point in issuing citations for safety and environmental violations, if there is no follow-up?  Where is the incentive for businesses to make their operations safer? 

AN IRISH GHOST STORY

This story happened a while ago in Dublin, and, even though it sounds like an Alfred Hitchcock tale, it's true.

John Bradford, a Dublin University student, was on the side of the road hitchhiking on a very dark night and in the midst of a big storm.

The night was rolling on and no car went by. The storm was so strong he could hardly see a few feet ahead of him.

Suddenly, he saw a car slowly coming towards him, and it stopped.

John, desperate for shelter and without thinking about it, got into the car and closed the door.... Only to realize there was nobody behind the wheel and the engine wasn't on. The car started moving slowly. John looked at the road ahead and saw a curve approaching. Scared, he started to pray, begging for his life. Then, just before the car hit the curve, a hand appeared out of nowhere through the window, and turned the wheel. John, paralyzed with terror, watched as the hand came through the window, but never touched or harmed him.

Shortly thereafter, John saw the lights of a pub appear down the road, so, gathering strength; he jumped out of the car and ran to it. Wet and out of breath, he rushed inside and started telling everybody about the horrible experience he had just had.

A silence enveloped the pub when everybody realized he was crying...And wasn't drunk.

Suddenly, the door opened, and two other people walked in from the dark and stormy night. They, like John, were also soaked and out of breath. Looking around, and seeing John Bradford sobbing at the bar, one said to the other...

Look Paddy...there's that idiot that got in the car while we were pushing it!

Thanks not to Paul (A.), but - tah-dah - to whiteycat .

HAPPY ST BENEDICT'S DAY

Saint Benedict Detail from a fresco by Fra Angelico - Museo di San Marco - Florence

"Live this life and do what ever is done in a spirit of thanksgiving. Abandon attempts to achieve security, they are futile. Give up the search for wealth, it is demeaning. Quit the search for salvation, it is selfish. And come to comfortable rest in the certainty that those who participate in this life with an attitude of thanksgiving will receive its full promise."

-- St. Benedict of Nursia (480-543 C.E)

What a lovely way to live, and how often I forget to give thanks, which is the sure defense against falling into a state of cynicism and despair.  Reading the quote this morning brought me up short, because I was in a funk. The words were just what I needed to take me out of myself and mon tristesses.

Image from Wikipedia.

Update from my friend Doug:

"Apparently that lovely quote from St, Benedict that I published earlier today isn't Benedict at all, but from an author of spirituality books primarily for Episcopalians named John McQuiston II."

The words are still wonderful, even if they are not from St Benedict.

  

IT GETS BETTER - DAN PARENT, ARTIST AND WRITER FOR ARCHIE COMICS

Working at Archie Comics is the fulfillment of a dream for me. I grew up loving the Riverdale High characters, and followed my love of drawing to art school. For over 25 years I’ve been able to write and draw many of the characters in the Archie Comics world. 

As a comic book artist and writer, I often use real life experiences in my work. Recently, I thought about the many conversations I’ve had with my kids and their friends about school, friends, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. In doing so I realized that something was missing in the Archie world. There were no LGBT characters.
....

Kevin is a new student at Riverdale leading life as an out, proud high school student. Despite the fact that Kevin comes from a supportive family, growing up is not easy.

We saw a huge response when we introduced Kevin to our Archie readers. Issues featuring Kevin are the first ones to sell out in Archie’s 70-year history and Kevin’s characters received many accolades, including a GLAAD Media Award.

I loved the Archie Comics as I grew up and into my teen years and after.  Though I have not kept up  with Archie lately, I have fond memories of all the characters.   How lovely that Kevin Keller's introduction as a member of Archie's crowd went smoothly and well.

OUR LEGS ARE NOT SO WHITE

Giles Fraser on General Synod of the Church of England:

Picture the scene. The summer meeting at the University of York is focused on a large modernist theatre surrounded by a lake. The lake is full of geese who cover the whole place in distinctive pellets of poo. The theatre is often baking hot, encouraging the gathered Anglicans to dress informally, which is often an excuse for shorts, milky white legs and sandals. Body odour can be a bit of an issue too.

Where I live in south Louisiana, the weather in the summer is so often hot that folks here dress informally in their shorts more often, so, while the legs may not be more shapely, they are not so white.

Then there is all the code language. You have to use the word "mission" a lot (a word so general it has come to be all but meaningless)

That Giles mentions the all-but-meaninglessness of the word "mission" makes me feel not quite so crazy for tuning out whenever I hear the word used by people in reference to church plans and policies. 

HIGHBROW JOKES

A Buddhist monk walks up to a hotdog stand and says "Make me one with everything".

Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

A Roman walks into a bar, holds up two fingers, and says: “Five beers, please.”


Thanks to Lapin.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

What's to be said of the patriotism of Americans who want to shrink government so that would fit in a bathtub?

UPDATE: From the comments comes a brilliant suggestion for a video.

WHAT DID THE LORD SAY?

Reading from The Daily Office this morning:

Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did in opposing the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt. Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”

(1 Samuel 15:1-3, 7-23)

Did the LORD give such a command to Samuel to pass on to Saul?  I don't think so.  Readings like the one above stop me in my tracks in daily prayer.  I ponder the words for a while and then move on, usually without further understanding than when I started out.  Yes, I know the words form part of a story told by a human person or persons, who are not God, but still...

Later in the readings comes the passage from Luke telling of darkness over the land and Jesus' death on the cross, which provides little comfort, except for the account of Joseph of Arimathea's tender care for the body of Jesus.

Finally, consolation from the Collect of the Day:

O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

GET IN LINE!

A crowded flight is cancelled, and a frazzled airline gate agent must rebook a long line of inconvenienced travelers by herself.  Suddenly, an angry passenger pushes to the front and demands to be on the next flight, first class.

The agent replies, "I'm sorry, sir.  I'll be happy to try to help you, but I've got to help these folks first."

The passenger screams, "Do you have ANY idea who I am?"

The gate agent grabs her public address microphone:  "May I have your attention, please?  We have a passenger here WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS.  If anyone can help him find his identity, please come to gate 17."

The man grits his teeth, "Screw you."

She replies, "I'm sorry, sir, but you'll have to stand in line for that, too."



Cheers,

Paul (A.)

WHO WOULD EVER HAVE EXPECTED...?

BP officials are objecting to the state’s decision to close waters around Grand Terre to fishing after a 40,000-pound tar mat was unearthed in the surf just off the island.

Grand Terre is an uninhabited barrier island east of Grand Isle. The tar mat, which was 165 feet long by 65 feet wide, was about 85 percent sand, shells and water, and 15 percent oil. It was removed over a period of a few weeks.

The state issued the closure Friday, a few days after reports of the massive tar mat took off in the media. According to state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries officials, all commercial fishing is prohibited in closed waters off Grand Terre. Recreational fishing is limited to rod and reel fishing and charter boat tours.

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BP claims the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries issued the fisheries closure without explaining its reasons or offering data to show the closure is needed.

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[Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Robert] Barham said that the state will continue to close fishing grounds when oil is discovered. He added that according to the most recent federal estimates, up to 1 million barrels of BP oil remains unaccounted for in the Gulf.

Hey!  The huge tar mat is only 15% oil.  What's the problem?

BP is impatient and wants to be done with its responsibility for the Maconda oil gusher, but - dammit! - oil keeps turning up in the Gulf.  When will the nightmare will be over for BP?  I expect long before the 1 million barrels are accounted for.  When will the nightmare be over in the Gulf of Mexico?  Who knows?  Maybe never.

Tony Hayward, BP CEO, on May 13, 2010, eight days after the Maconda well explosion.

The Gulf of Mexico is a very big ocean. The amount of volume of oil and dispersant we are putting into it is tiny in relation to the total water volume.

The gift that keeps on giving.  Thanks, BP.

Photo from SierraActivist.