A National Moment of Silence Tonight

Tonight there is a National Moment of Silence being organized for Mike Brown and other victims.  Will this do any good?  I don't know, but I want to think so.  Why do I want to participate in this?  Because I am outraged.  Because I can't comprehend this.  Because I need to be one of the people that stands beside Mr Brown's family, friends, neighbors and community to say that HE MATTERED.  That what happened to him was NOT ok.  I want to see something change.

Would this two minute pause from our routine be able to accomplish any of that?  Maybe - maybe not.  I think it can show solidarity for Mr Brown and his family.  If enough people show up, it can show the politicians that this issue is important to us.

Where we need to follow through though, is with our votes.  Now is the time to pay attention to who does lip service to justice and who actually DOES SOMETHING to start to improve things.

Voters need to take notes and remember who they want in positions of authority when the elections roll around.  Money talks, and it's about the only thing the authorities listen to.  Votes = money.  If only we voters would take it seriously and not be led around like a puppy on a leash - swayed by clever ads and lies.  Turn off the channel when political ads run.  Don't listen to any of them.  Get on your computer and find out exactly what these so-called representatives are voting for and against and make an informed decision.  That is what is going to ultimately bring about the changes that you want to see.

Perils of the Fast Buck

In a paper titled "Geothermal Seismology: the State of the Art", Bruce R. Julian and Gillian R. Foulger discuss fracking and earthquakes:

"Energy related operations increasingly rely on injecting fluid into rock formations.  "Fracking" to increase permeability in gas shale formations has in particular become widespread in recent years.  There are now several case histories of fracking causing earthquakes that are troublesome to local populations, including events up to M ~ 4."

They go on to discuss the problem in depth and their closing remarks are:

"Seismicity in geothermal areas, in particular that induced by fluid injections, presents both challenges and opportunities.  It is important to manage, because it represents a potential hazard, and one that may not be well understood by the general public, especially in areas not prone to natural seismicity."

We've already heard of the earthquakes that occurred around Youngstown since the fracking started.  They had never experienced an earthquake in that area prior to January 2011.  In December of 2011 they experienced a 3.9 magnitude quake. The state has stopped the fracking related activity there indefinitely. Recently the Ohio Natural Resource Department stopped fracking  in another location while they investigate 11 earthquakes with epicenters in the same vicinity (and approximate depth) of a fracking operation.

Why should this concern us?  On the US Geological Survey maps southwestern PA is shown to be in a low hazard area.  Of course the Youngstown and Poland, Ohio area are also in low hazard areas.  Slightly higher risk than SW Pa, but still low.  The point being are we now ready to live with earthquakes when we most likely would never experience one here without fracking?  How much risk are we assuming in the quest for the mighty dollar?  Our politicians seem to be locked onto the monetary opportunity like a dog on their favorite treat - and with about the same amount of thought.  There appears to be complete tunnel vision on what they can get out of the operation and little concern for how much the people living here might ultimately have to pay for it.

We hear a lot of protests about how these operations might be affecting the ground water.  Definitely not a trivial concern. If the water ends up contaminated, what are you going to do?  How about the risk associated with an earthquake in areas that have been heavily mined?  I haven't found any studies on how vulnerable communities might be that already have abandoned coal mines running beneath them.  We already worry about mine subsidence happening.  Does it really need a push from the energy industry?  What type of risk is this activity posing to all the treasures stored in the old limestone mines (Iron Mountain) north of Pittsburgh?  Those old mines are filled with irreplaceable, historic photos, films and documents because it's considered a safe place with a consistent climate.  What might an earthquake destroy there?  Should we really be worried about this?  I don't know.  Lacking any evidence that the people orchestrating the drilling (or the politicians approving it right and left) have even considered the possibility of such ramifications makes me wonder.

A lot of people are making a lot of money on this.  We really need our leaders to be stronger than the lure of a quick buck.  Already the industry has grown too fast and with too few safeguards to our environment IMHO.  Is Pennsylvania ready to step up and put a stop to any activity when it starts to generate seismic events, or will they drag their feet, hem and haw, claiming they can't prove it's related. Will people have to start losing their homes and drinking water in statistically significant numbers before anyone responds?  Should we be backing the politicians that are jumping into bed with the energy companies - ignoring the protesters that are telling them they don't want the fast money, or that they want the whole process slowed down?

Regarding the mine subsidence issue.  For those who don't already live over top an abandoned mine, consider that the fracking industry will be leaving essentially the same hazard in it's wake.  As they extract the oil and gas there are changes in pressure and an increased risk of subsidence issues.  Many people without mine subsidence insurance might want to consider getting it soon.

Elections are coming up.  If any of this worries you then you might want to consider what your representatives are approving, or where the candidates stand on it.  This isn't just happening out in the countryside - drilling is being approved in local parks, airports, and on neighborhood school property.  Think about it.

 

Someone Needs a Time Out

We need to figure out a new name for the people we elect to government positions because "representatives" they.are.not.  These self-serving, power addicts don't make decisions based on what's right or in the best interest of the country.  Instead they spend their entire term in the pursuit of their next term, increased power, and ways to advance their own objectives.

The Affordable Care Act has nothing to do with the current antics in Washington.  It's merely the most convenient excuse for the toddlers we've elected to play their games.  It doesn't matter if it will help anyone or not.  They have dubbed it "Obamacare" simply for the PR effect.  By calling it that they can get a good soundbite.  Their rhetoric is very effective in manipulating the opinions of the voters that have attention spans shorter than the average donut.  

Do we blame the elected officials or ourselves?  We're the ones that keep electing them.  Positions in the House of Representatives and US Senate were never meant to be careers.  When the government was founded, these positions were established with the intent that people would serve a term and then return to their previous life.  No one could have imagined how being a politician would become a life career.

We don't need to worry about outside groups or countries destroying the United States.  We're going to destroy ourselves from the inside out with corruption and apathy.

The government has shut down.  The politicians are getting exactly what they want - attention - and their chance to grandstand in front of the cameras.  Plus they're still getting paid (unlike a lot of their constituents).  Nothing is going to change unless and until fundamental changes in the way we do business happens.  

• Both major political parties have gotten too big for their britches and should be disbanded.  
• Lobbyists should be taken out of the equation and any politician accepting so much as a Snickers bar from someone for free should get jail time. 
• Campaigning should be eliminated.  All candidates should be given equal space on one website where they can state their case.  Maybe also use some of that Sunday morning public interest time on TV to do the same thing.  That might stop the massive arsenals of campaign contributions that buy votes on things that are counterproductive to our Nation's health. 
• Not only do we need term limits, but the law should only allow them to serve in ONE office/position in a lifetime (with the exception of President).  After that you're done.  Go back and work for a living in the real world with the rest of us.  
• Most importantly, bills should be required to stand alone.  Absolutely no combining things up or attaching anything to a piece of legislation to shove something through that could never make it on it's own merit.  

It's all become a big game for rich people to play, with the rest of us stuck being the pawns.  We pawns need to wake up and smell the corruption.  Voting needs to be taken more seriously.  Perhaps we need to clean house - vote all the encumbents out and don't ever RE-elect anyone.  At the very least we have to take the time to educate ourselves on our options and make sure we do vote - every time.

Time to Step Up, Pittsburgh.

It has recently come to my attention that Pittsburgh is still firmly ensconced in the 1960's, and it makes me profoundly sad. Back in the 60's I was a child who believed that my generation would fix things. I was sure that by the time that I was an adult attitudes would be changed and people would respect each other. I'm all grown up now, and apparently not a lot has changed. OK, there has been some progress – progress that I think is measured very differently depending on your perspective. From a white, middle class background I recognize the huge differences in the number of minority students attending universities; the number of highly positioned minority professionals; minority politicians (yes, even as high as our president), and I think “things” are different! Then I talk with some friends and I discover how wrong I am. Those things only indicate that the nation has been slowly improving in some aspects. They say nothing of attitudes. To my shock and embarrassment I've learned that Pittsburgh, in particular, is not a nice place at all. We think we have a wonderful community. We're so proud of our Black N Gold, of all our recent positions in those Top Ten lists for this or that. What a great place this is supposed to be to move to or visit. Little did I realize that an educated, professional, black, man is still treated like a second class citizen on a regular basis here. This is not an aberration. This is not just a few prejudiced individuals being jerks. This in an ongoing problem for him and my other educated, professional, minority friends. Wow. I was ashamed to hear stories of how they're treated by people that they aren't even interacting with. Walking down the street or riding a bike and passing motorists yell crude, racist comments at them. Our local law enforcement officers stop them for no reason to ask them where they got their bike!!! AND I DON'T MEAN IN A FRIENDLY 'WHERE-CAN-I-GET-MYSELF-ONE” KIND OF WAY. This is appalling behavior to me. These are good, law abiding, businessmen who can't move about our city minding their own business without being harassed, humiliated or made to fear for their safety.

I don't know how to fix this. Part of me hopes that my childish beliefs just underestimated how long change would need to really take root. That now sounds naïve even to me. Maybe when this generation is my age things will be different, but do we really want to wait? I'm challenging Pittsburghers to step up. NOW. Start treating each other with the respect that you want to be treated with. When you witness someone being a jagoff, call them out on it. Teach your children and grandchildren to treat others right. It doesn't matter how much pigment someone does or doesn't have in their skin – they have a right to basic, courteous, respectful treatment. Think about it. If you can't treat people decently you have no right to be proud of yourself or your city.