From the Watthead blog. Had you heard about this?
Let's see how the "clean coal" PR hucksters at the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity try to spin this tragic news: a retention pond holding toxic coal ash slurry burst Monday in Roane County, Tennessee, releasing over half a billion gallons of potentially toxic sludge that swept into the nearby town of Harriman and contaminated tributaries of the Tennessee River. The resulting flood damaged 15 homes, injured one man as it knocked his house of its foundations, and has left over 400 acres of land covered by several feet of coal ash, mud and contaminated water (see video below).
Coal ash and slurry is the normal byproduct of coal-fired electricity generating, and is usually stored in giant retaining ponds near coal plants. The resulting coal slurry is frequently contaminated by heavy metals, mercury and arsenic.
Monday's tragedy struck at the coal ash impoundment associated with the Tennessee Valley Authority's Kingston coal-fired steam plant and released about 2.6 million cubic yards of slurry, the Tennessean reports. That's enough to fill nearly 800 Olympic-sized swimming pools, and is over 40 times more contaminated sludge than the infamous Exxon Valdez oil spill.
As usual, a picture is worth a thousand words - and a video is worth even more; you can see scenes from the environmental disaster at the photo gallery here and the video below:
Greenpeace has called for a criminal investigation into the disaster, noting that similar spills in the past have resulted in felony charges.
"Every facility like this is supposed to have a spill contingency plan to prevent this kind of disaster," said Rick Hind, Greenpeace Legislative Director. "The authorities need to get to the bottom of what went wrong and hold the responsible parties accountable."
The coal industry has a long and not-so-stellar record of coal slurry disasters.
"This is the kind of scary thing that people living with coal worry about every day," notes Dana, a West Virginia-based activist with the Student Environmental Action Coalition.
At ItsGettingHotInHere.org, Dana writes:
In February 1972, Buffalo Creek Sludge Impoundment, [burst and released] a mere 132 million gallons, killed 125 people, left 5,000 homeless and thousands more with post traumatic stress disorder. In 2000, a 2.2 billion gallon coal waste dam failed in Martin County, Kentucky. The largest dam in the hemisphere is the Brushy Fork Sludge Impoundment, which holds 9 billion gallons of toxic coal waste.So, this is the history coalfield residents hold in our hearts when we open our emails and see “Slurry Pond Bursts.”
The Sierra Club's Bruce Nilles, writing at DailyKos, notes:
"There are literally hundreds of these sludge impoundments across the United States. As coal has dominated Appalachia, it has left behind a toxic legacy for residents, a legacy that will haunt the region for decades. For example, in Sundial, West Virginia, an elementary school sits just 400 yards downhill from a massive impoundment containing 2.8 billion gallons of toxic coal sludge."
Greenpeace notes that, like Exxon Valdez, the millions of gallons of coal sludge released Monday could take years to clean up, and some of the damage to the ecosystem could be irreparable.
"If the Exxon Valdez was a symbol of pollution 20 years ago, the Tennessee Coal Spill of 2008 is the symbol of it today," said Kate Smolski, Senior Legislative Coordinator for Greenpeace.
Smolski added that these local impacts represent only a small fraction of coal's negative impact."
The really sad thing about this spill is that it's only a small example of the damage coal causes," Smolski added. "Add in global warming, tens of thousands of annual premature deaths from power plant pollution, and hundreds of mountains leveled across Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky and West Virginia, and that's the real picture of coal."
Monday's tragic slurry spill puts the lie to the coal industry's recent multi-million dollar "clean coal" PR blitz. You simply can't argue with reality - at least not for too long.
the blog is here.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Cox defends the SEC
Oh, yeah, you have done an absolutely outstanding job, Cox-sucker. You have opened up the floodgates and allowed your financial wolf-friends to devour as many dollars as they could swallow. You have done your job well, Cox-sucker. Your pals have made billions, and they really do not care what damage they do, as long as they are making profits. Thus is capitalism. Run amok.
What is so striking is how oblivious and un-self-aware these thugs really are. But it's gotten so bad in so many sectors that it no longer appears like incompetance. It looks a lot more like pure greed and intentional destruction.
SEC chief defends response to economic turmoil
Wed Dec 24, 4:08 am ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Christopher Cox, responding to heavy criticism, said in an interview published on Wednesday he takes pride in his response to the U.S. financial crisis. (Amazing hubris.)
"What we have done in this current turmoil is stay calm, which has been our greatest contribution -- not being impulsive, not changing the rules willy-nilly, but going through a very professional and orderly process that takes into account unintended consequences and gives ample notice to market participants," Cox told The Washington Post.
This caution "has really been a signal achievement for the SEC," said Cox.
"When these gale-force winds hit our markets, there were panicked cries to change any and every rule of the marketplace: 'Let's try this. Let's try that.' What was needed was a steady hand," he said.
The SEC, created after the 1929 stock market crash to police markets and restore investor confidence, has come under heavy criticism after the Wall Street meltdown and financial scandals exposed lapses in its oversight.
Cox last week acknowledged that the SEC had failed to detect the alleged $50 billion fraud by disgraced Wall Street investment manager Bernard Madoff, despite many warnings. (How much did Madoff pay you off, Cox-sucker?)
Cox told The Washington Post the biggest mistake of his tenure was agreeing in September to an extraordinary three-week ban on short selling of financial company stocks.
Cox told the newspaper he had been under intense pressure from Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke to take this action and did so reluctantly.
They "were of the view that if we did not act and act at that instant, these financial institutions could fail as a result and there would be nothing left to save," Cox said. (So, how is that your biggest mistake, fuck-head, when you allow bear raids to decimate once-mighty companies?)
Cox, a former California Republican congressman, argued that the SEC has carefully defined responsibilities and that it was unfair to blame it for every problem on Wall Street. (Nobody is blaming you for EVERY problem on Wall Street. Just the really important ones.)
Cox became SEC chairman in mid-2005. He plans to step down early next year before his five-year term expires. (Hallelujah!)
President-elect Barack Obama has chosen Mary Schapiro, chief executive of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and a former SEC commissioner, to replace him.
the whole insulting story is here.
What is so striking is how oblivious and un-self-aware these thugs really are. But it's gotten so bad in so many sectors that it no longer appears like incompetance. It looks a lot more like pure greed and intentional destruction.
SEC chief defends response to economic turmoil
Wed Dec 24, 4:08 am ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Christopher Cox, responding to heavy criticism, said in an interview published on Wednesday he takes pride in his response to the U.S. financial crisis. (Amazing hubris.)
"What we have done in this current turmoil is stay calm, which has been our greatest contribution -- not being impulsive, not changing the rules willy-nilly, but going through a very professional and orderly process that takes into account unintended consequences and gives ample notice to market participants," Cox told The Washington Post.
This caution "has really been a signal achievement for the SEC," said Cox.
"When these gale-force winds hit our markets, there were panicked cries to change any and every rule of the marketplace: 'Let's try this. Let's try that.' What was needed was a steady hand," he said.
The SEC, created after the 1929 stock market crash to police markets and restore investor confidence, has come under heavy criticism after the Wall Street meltdown and financial scandals exposed lapses in its oversight.
Cox last week acknowledged that the SEC had failed to detect the alleged $50 billion fraud by disgraced Wall Street investment manager Bernard Madoff, despite many warnings. (How much did Madoff pay you off, Cox-sucker?)
Cox told The Washington Post the biggest mistake of his tenure was agreeing in September to an extraordinary three-week ban on short selling of financial company stocks.
Cox told the newspaper he had been under intense pressure from Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke to take this action and did so reluctantly.
They "were of the view that if we did not act and act at that instant, these financial institutions could fail as a result and there would be nothing left to save," Cox said. (So, how is that your biggest mistake, fuck-head, when you allow bear raids to decimate once-mighty companies?)
Cox, a former California Republican congressman, argued that the SEC has carefully defined responsibilities and that it was unfair to blame it for every problem on Wall Street. (Nobody is blaming you for EVERY problem on Wall Street. Just the really important ones.)
Cox became SEC chairman in mid-2005. He plans to step down early next year before his five-year term expires. (Hallelujah!)
President-elect Barack Obama has chosen Mary Schapiro, chief executive of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and a former SEC commissioner, to replace him.
the whole insulting story is here.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
A Gift Idea
Now THIS looks like something we BOTH could benefit from. And it could be as a gift from both of us to both of us. Some sites show this item discontinued, however....
Description
Created with the professional Massage Therapist in mind, the Portable Folding Professional Massage Therapy Chair is solid in design. This new Portable Massage Chair by EarthGear™ is impressively lightweight and portable. As comfortable as it is strong, this Professional Massage Chair adjusts to fit more of your clients than any other chair on the market and is backed by a limited lifetime warranty. Complete with carry case and sternum pad.
Features- Benefits of the EarthGear TravelPro Professional Massage Therapy Chair:
- Compact and Portable
- Amazing Lightweight Aluminum Frame
- Easy Incline Adjustment
- Fully Adjustable Chest Pad, Seat Pad, and Arm Rest
- Sternum Pad and Deluxe Head Rest Included
- Available in 5 Standard Vinyl Colors
- Filled with 2" of High Quality Medium Density Foam
- Personal Items Holder Conveniently Stores Client Belongings
- Travel Case included
- Integrated Wheels for Easy Portability
- Weight: 19 pounds
- Support: 350 pounds (working weight)
- Lifetime Warranty for frame
- 5 year Warranty for Fabric and Foam
Happy Winter Solstice
"Happy"
Thus begins the suns northward journey in the sky once more - the birth of the Son. The closing of one epoch (Bush) and the dawning of another (Obama). Today is the shortest day of the year; the longest night of the year; the returning of the light; the first day of winter (and half the country is already buried under tons of snow and ice, and has been for days now).
Learn all about the solstice here. It's too damn cold to go out dancing in the woods this year!
Here's a Happy Winter Solstice from a conspiracy theorist:
Forget December 25th. 12 noon on Saturday, 21st December marks the moment when the New Year begins, in the sense that for those of us living in the northern hemisphere it begins a process when our part of the Earth begins moving closer to the Sun and the hours of daylight gradually and continually increase.
This begins the seasonal process of Spring and Summer in succession, before going back to the Autumn and Winter periods again.
So what is Xmas about? It is largely an invention of Charles Dickens and the Coca Cola Company. Following Oliver Cromwell’s outlawing of Xmas, December 25th was just another working day – unless it fell on a Sunday. When Dickens’ A Christmas Carol was published, December 25th was just another working day.
Dickens book, together with general social change movements, brought about a desire for one day in the year which could be special for families.
Coca Cola invented the character we now know as the fat, jolly, red-coated Father Christmas in order to boost sales of their product during the colder winter months.
I will be spending December 21st thinking about my friends and family members. December 25th will be – for me – just another working day at home.
Also here.
Thus begins the suns northward journey in the sky once more - the birth of the Son. The closing of one epoch (Bush) and the dawning of another (Obama). Today is the shortest day of the year; the longest night of the year; the returning of the light; the first day of winter (and half the country is already buried under tons of snow and ice, and has been for days now).
Learn all about the solstice here. It's too damn cold to go out dancing in the woods this year!
Here's a Happy Winter Solstice from a conspiracy theorist:
Forget December 25th. 12 noon on Saturday, 21st December marks the moment when the New Year begins, in the sense that for those of us living in the northern hemisphere it begins a process when our part of the Earth begins moving closer to the Sun and the hours of daylight gradually and continually increase.
This begins the seasonal process of Spring and Summer in succession, before going back to the Autumn and Winter periods again.
So what is Xmas about? It is largely an invention of Charles Dickens and the Coca Cola Company. Following Oliver Cromwell’s outlawing of Xmas, December 25th was just another working day – unless it fell on a Sunday. When Dickens’ A Christmas Carol was published, December 25th was just another working day.
Dickens book, together with general social change movements, brought about a desire for one day in the year which could be special for families.
Coca Cola invented the character we now know as the fat, jolly, red-coated Father Christmas in order to boost sales of their product during the colder winter months.
I will be spending December 21st thinking about my friends and family members. December 25th will be – for me – just another working day at home.
Also here.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Wasilla, Alaska = Meth Capital of the World
I guess they don't call Wasilla, Alaska (where Sarah Palin is so proud to call home) the "Meth Capital of the World" for nothing. Just recently, Bristol Palin's fiancee's mother was busted for possession of meth. SIX FELONY COUNTS. Oh, no, Sarah's daughter's baby's daddy's mama is in big trouble! Let's hear it for those small-town values! The REAL America!
It looks like Levi and Bristol STILL have not gotten married! What are they waiting for?! And Bristol is giving birth THIS WEEKEND! So, not only do we have pre-marital sex here, we have a baby born out of wedlock! Hey, that's the REAL America, alright!
I can only imagine the total uproar we would hear if Barack Obama's daughter was pregnant before marriage, and her fiancee's mother got busted for meth. We'd hear an astounding amount of right-wing gnashing of teeth about how "liberal values" are destroying America. But, when it happens to conservatives, well we just have to have sympathy, now don't we?
No, we don't. If Sarah Palin had not held up small towns as being the "REAL America" and if we had heard some denunciation of Bristol's pre-marital sexual behavior, I might not be gloating now. As it is...nyuk, nyuk, nyuk!
These families are white trash. Period. Not poor white trash. Rich white trash.
It looks like Levi and Bristol STILL have not gotten married! What are they waiting for?! And Bristol is giving birth THIS WEEKEND! So, not only do we have pre-marital sex here, we have a baby born out of wedlock! Hey, that's the REAL America, alright!
I can only imagine the total uproar we would hear if Barack Obama's daughter was pregnant before marriage, and her fiancee's mother got busted for meth. We'd hear an astounding amount of right-wing gnashing of teeth about how "liberal values" are destroying America. But, when it happens to conservatives, well we just have to have sympathy, now don't we?
No, we don't. If Sarah Palin had not held up small towns as being the "REAL America" and if we had heard some denunciation of Bristol's pre-marital sexual behavior, I might not be gloating now. As it is...nyuk, nyuk, nyuk!
These families are white trash. Period. Not poor white trash. Rich white trash.
Mother of Bristol Palin's fiance arrested
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) – The mother of an 18-year-old man who plans to marry Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's pregnant daughter, Bristol, has been arrested on drug charges, authorities said on Friday.
Sherry Johnston, 42, was taken into custody at her home in Wasilla, Alaska, on Thursday after an undercover narcotics investigation, Alaska State Troopers said in a statement.
She faces six counts of misconduct involving a controlled substance, said trooper spokeswoman Megan Peters. She was released on $5,000 bail shortly after her arrest. All the charges are felonies.
Peters declined to release any further information about the case, saying police needed to protect the investigation.
Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee in the 2008 election, revealed during the campaign her 18-year-old daughter was pregnant and that Levi Johnston was the father.
The two have said they plan to marry and Bristol Palin is due to give birth this weekend.
Original story is here.
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