Toxin levels higher than normal in 11 Coast areas

If we didn't have enough to worry about. :-(

Folks, don't let them neglect us - don't forget about us. This is so much more important than the "war on Christmas" crap. Help us, get your congress critters to support the reconstruction/recovery efforts.

This is about 3rd world conditions on our own soils. The money being spent on the illegal and immoral war and the resources expended should be used to help US citizens, not to satisfy corporate and political greed. This is about the DEQ covering up the contaminants and the pollution. This is about FEMA incompetence and the screw ups that this administration is so good at.

Damn the tax cuts - tax the wealthy and the corporations. Pull our troops out of Iraq and take care of our own.

(And if anyone posts that "red states got what they voted for" crap, so help me, I will become unhinged. NOBODY deserves to be subjected to this whether they be freeper, fundie, progressive or uncommitted.)

Sending this to my sister-in-law who just returned to NO with her children. They are living in a trailer in the front yard until they can get the house repaired.

It looks like the DEQ is not giving us the true results of the tests.

Our goverment is covering up yet another problem, protecting the corporations. :cry:

:argh: But, I don't hear members of our party talking about this.

I don't see them seizing the opportunity to slam the admin over the head with this.

Hell, at least the repuke senators in my state are speaking out against the admin.

All the nasty shit they have to pay to dispose of, just ghot weashed into the water that went everywhere..

People who move back with their children and subjecting those kids to chemicals that will damage their longterm health..

Think Love Canal...After 5-10 years, there will be cancer-clusters, and of course the government will throw up their hands and pretend to be surprised..

No house or lot is worth the health of your child..

This is why the govt should buy out (at a fair price) everyone who lived in the devastated areas, and the whole area should be allowed to lay fallow until they can reassess the chemical content...

.

We all need to know.

How the hell does something like this get cleaned up?

From the article:

What they found:

Heavy metals - arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, selenium

Dioxin

Bacteria - Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp.

Mold

Yeast

- www.sierraclub.org/

This NEEDS attention! The gov't isn't looking at this, but shoving it under the rug. The sampling was done by "several environmental groups, including Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council."

Time to tax the corporations for a fucking clean up.

Write, write, and call congress to keep this and other recovery and rebuilding efforts in the Gulf on the

FRONT BURNER!

"We are reviewing the report right now," said Carl Terry, a spokesman for the EPA. "It would be premature to discuss it."

Delay is their favorite form of action.

Lying, too. Remember how they misreported the levels of toxins in Manhattan air after 9/11?

And get a load of this, "The EPA has stated they do not feel there is an acute impact with this sludge," she said. "They have no evaluation of the chronic impact." But didn't they just say "It would be premature to discuss it"? Yeah, whatever.

They do not "feel" there is an acute impact. It's nice to know that the EPA is run by the same technique president Feely McTouchy runs the country.

I wonder if the EPA is filled with similarly instinct-driven drunks who will wait for "god" to let them know when Cadmium becomes a problem in the course of their regular Deity-to-mortal chats on policy and science?

It is the most likely scenario of all that corporate industry will let them know in no uncertain terms that it is not.

I certainly do remember their post 9-11 Bullshit.

We cannot let em get away with this again. This is OUR country. The Gulf residents are OUR countrymen, and we must keep at our congressmembers to support and rebuild the Gulf areas.

Front Burner!!!!

They Ain't MY countrymen! They want to vote to all but kill me, if they can! They so badly hate GLBT people that they will vote for the shit they do, just to keep people like me oppressed! Fuck 'em! They're no countrymen of mine. Let the fuckers secede, and take their motherfucker Bush along with 'em, and don't let the door hit 'em in the ass!

Really?

"I lived in Austin, Texas...and I wanted nothing more than to STAY THERE, TOO. But, the rotten Bush economy forced me into moving..."

Isn't Austin in Texas, a RED state?

Every single state in our union is comprised of both republican and democratic voters.

Here is a map by county... look at those blue spots in LA and MS.




Then there's this:




"Let the fuckers secede..." Exactly who do you think should secede?

That blue spot is TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS...AS IN AUSTIN

EVERY GODDAMN STATE THAT ENDED UP GOING RED...THAT'S WHO OUGHT TO SECEDE.

And yes, I include Texas. Austin would likely secede from Texas in that event, and join US. Austin sure wouldn't want to be a part of Red America. In 2004, Austin voted 80/20 for Kerry. Travis County, as a whole, voted 70/30 Kerry.

Unfortunately, Austin is outnumbered by a vast Red Sea, and Texas cannot split it's electoral votes. So, goodbye Texas, and take the Red voters with ya. Same for Mississippi, Alabama, and every other Red Hell.

I'd be quite happy to see them all secede, and leave us Blue States alone! We would be better off without the Red States.

they ain't my countrymen. Far as I'm concerned, these moran Red voters can go create their version of hell on earth all they want, as long as they don't drag me into the pit with 'em!!

Let the bastards secede.

I see no sense in talking to you any further.

Your belief that "THEY" should secede is about as progressive as those who think certain people should "go back where they came from".

Rather than working to bring people to our side, you just want THEM to get out.

You've made your views perfectly clear. It's pointless for me to respond any more.

n/t

:kick:

Back in the 1960s, a lot of people (even some social justice advocates) thought that the environment didn't rank up there with civil rights or peace issues -- but the assumption that "poor people don't need or even deserve a clean, safe environment", which she argued against, is being discredited.

We are now finding out, to our dismay, just how hard it can be to keep a stable, prosperous community in the presence of toxins like heavy metals and PCBs. We saw this up north (native communities facing the effects of mercury) -- and now this. Human, environmental, and economic health (what will happen to the Gulf fisheries?) are all linked.

for the next several years. Only fish I want are pond raised catfish from the northern part of the state and maybe Atlantic salmon.

:scared: I think the fisheries for now are screwed. This is just what they have reported - imagine what the Chevron plant in Pascagoula may have left us after it was flooded.

who eat much Gulf coast fish have high/dangerous levels of mercury;
according to studies by the Gulf coast environmental protection agencies, Mobile Register, and Green Peace on mercury in fish and mercury in people along the Gulf coast

http://www.flcv.com/flhg.html

what happens when you mix that with high levels of arsenic?

:shrug:

There are several federal standards for arsenic, dioxin, and chromium. The article is unclear as to why the sampling was undertaken, what the actual levels encountered were, and if there were any background samples taken for comparison. Here in California, there is the preliminary remediation goal for arsenic in a residential context of 0.3mg/Kg (cancer end point). The only problem is that the background levels are an order of magnitude higher; and that these levels are established with the most conservative estimate of toxicity (e.g. levels most protective of human health), but there are more conservative measures than these (soil phagy is the most conservative level I am aware of--residential levels for lead is set at 350mg/Kg, but if building a park, you might want to use 100mg/Kg lead based upon a scenario of repeated ingestion of soil)

The other problem is that the quality assurance/quality control standards for environmental laboratory testing can permit samples with within 40% of the true value as accurate. Then there are the false detections,....

Follow up by the Sierra Club, and NRDC with additional testing and parameterization will be welcome. Given the environmental history of Louisiana, I am not inclined to attribute this solely to Katrina...yet.

Mike

Don't know who or what caused it, I do know the DEQ is trying to down play it.

BTW - our waters are tested constantly - they have the results of previous tests to compare should they need.

We DUers really need to keep the focus on Katrina and aftermath issues rather than engaging in silly war on war on Xmas posts.

:kick:

http://www.counterpunch.org/stclair09182003.html

<snip>"Stewart had ample reasons to be cautious. In 1994, Leavitt purged 10 biologists in Utah's Department of Wildlife Resources, who had been holding up mining and logging plans because of concerns over rare wildlife. "I blame the political hacks from the governor on down," biologist Craig Miya told High Country News a few days after being fired. "They've gutted the agency for doing our jobs too damn well."

According to Todd Wilkinson's excellent book, Science Under Siege, the replacement biologists were warned "to refrain from identifying endangered species."

Even some corporations view Leavitt with contempt. Earlier this year, the Outdoor Recreation Industry Association threatened to move its annual trade show out of Utah in protest of Leavitt's secret deal with Interior Secretary Gale Norton which prevented the BLM from designating any new wilderness study areas on federal land in Utah. The move opens up 6 million acres of roadless land to ORVs, mining and oil leasing.

In April, Norton and Leavitt sealed another backroom deal, which Utah greens dubbed the "pave the parks" scam. Under this novel agreement, old hiking trails and wagon roads through national parks, wildlife refuges and forests will through the magic of bureaucratic redesignation now be considered "constructed highways" and open to paving and attendant development. Leavitt loves his roads.

<snip>

I keep pointing out, to anyone who will listen, that we have here in Mississippi more liberal Democrats than there are in Vermont. Every state has its share of lousy rightwingnuts, but I agree with you, even they don't deserve to be poisoned to death slowly (though sometimes I'd like to strangle them, but that's a different story and I'm a pacifist anyway!) Mississippi is my adopted home, and I'm terribly defensive of it, because I love the state and (most of) its people. I'll help spread the word, of course, and thank you for posting this thread. Your fellow Mississippian and DEMOCRAT,
Glorfindel:pals: :kick:

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

:hi:

It is good to have another Mississippian posting here. We have a few others, some that frequent the lounge.

We do have more liberal members of the democratic party in our state than most folks realize. We also have had interference with our elections for years. They don't need Diebold to steal them here, just get boss or the business owner or the rich patron to tell the average, hard working joe that if they don't vote repug, they will lose their jobs, or their tips or their contracts.

Folks just don't go, they get the private threats and they need their jobs, so they stay away from the controversy.

I think you will like it here.

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

n/t

The public and Media are letting scam artists take all attention away from the real problems affecting the world and most people

A National Academy of Sciences study documented that 50% of pregnancies in the last decade resulted in birth defects or developmental/chronic conditions such as ADHD, autism,learning disabilites, mood/anxiety disorders, eczema, asthma, chronic allergies, etc.
And it has been documented that the majority of these were caused by toxic metal exposure, much of it prenataly.(to the Mom)

Millions of kids have been affected
http://www.flcv.com/tmlbn.html
http://www.flcv.com/kidshg.html
etc.

and Ron Reagan of Connected: Coast to Coast, on msnbc. I hope it gets the attention that it needs to get somebody to do something about it.

Also, if anyone has a good email address for Anderson Cooper (I had to use the show feedback page) and Ron Reagan (I guessed that it would be "Connected@msnbc" but I'm not certain), I'd appreciate it if you could PM me or post them here. Thanks.

Edited to add: Recommended.

I hope they cover the story.

Thanks for letting us know about this, merh.

and have a lot of support. I do appreciate the fact that you care about this, many have grown weary of the Katrina drama and have shut it off.

It is I that thanks you.

:kick:

:hi:

:hi:

:hug:

That's what one a guest said on Hardball tonight.

It's costing us 9 BILLION DOLLARS A DAY to wage a war based on all lies, greed and corruption for Oil while our soldiers are dying and Iraqi's want us the hell out of their country.

I mean, 9 BILLION DOLLARS A DAY... Can one imagine!?! Think of what they would do for our fellow Americans right here on our soil, like Gulf Coast victims forgotten by *&Co and propaganda-pundits.

All they're good for is keeping their political party alive and kicking. At least its got life to it worthy of mention. And there they are today and tonight, bashing Dean & Democrats and pushing for war, as if none of us will "catch on," and care about Katrina victims!

And ole' Rita still talking about that Aruba gal...

What about her fellow Americans that lost everything from Katrina!?!
Shouldn't that be on the news morning, noon & night!?!

Happy Holidays Tweety & Rita. Lord knows you'll be ranting tomorrow over how the Dems stole Christmas, a.k.a. you're profits.

9 billion dollars a day could go to help, economically...all the GLBT people that the bigot assholes refuse to employ...and get away with discriminating against!

THAT should be on the news morning noon and night!

SEVENTY FUCKING PERCENT of transgender people are un- and or under-employed!!

SEVENTY FUCKING PERCENT!! Can you say that about YOUR sub-group??

THAT should be on the news morning noon and night. But I bet you never even fucking heard it or cared about it till just now. and I bet you doubt my figures. so I'll back them up.

from the article....
Some studies have put transgender unemployment as high as 70 percent, well above even the worst levels in these economically troubled times. While many places have enacted legislation to protect the rights of individuals seeking and keeping employment -- regardless of their gender expression or identity -- no such protections exist nationally, or in Washington, D.C.

And here's the link....
http://www.planetout.com/pno/news/feature.html?sernum=663

Now tell me I'm full of shit.

Some of us care. I am unable to do anything about your situation except nag my congress critters.

I do certainly understand about environmental toxins; we live within 10 miles of a Super Fund site. We are told not to eat most of the fish that come out of the lake here because of high mercury levels, both from natural and man-made sources. This is the legacy of nearly a century of mining for various minerals.

And no one "deserved" the devistation caused by the hurricanes. Sending you much love from California...:hug:

I think anyone who has a concern for this and other major issues needs to realize that ORGANIZATION is the key. Yeah, its also going to take some cash, but there needs to be a huge DNC/Liberal base to cordinate from. Which also will connect Democrats and Liberals accross the nation.
You can be pissed off, but be pissed off in a productive manner, you cant accomplish anything by just spitting fire. Anger is motivation and there is always SOMETHING that you can do and an organization you can join to help aid in getting America a real Government and not this double speaking, lying, waremongering, fearmongering Bushitters.

This GOP has the right-wing keeping it afloat...Christian Coalition, AFA, FRC and other Xtian Cult organizations that fund these immoral bastards which are taking this country straight to hell. IRAQNAM is totally uncalled for, Operation Iraqi Liberation is done and they need to back out of there ASAP. Its not cutting an running, its doing the right thing. keep some troops around the region(Turkey, maybe) but none in Iraq.

To the "insurgency", that will never give up, its western occupation..Jihad all over again. There are major religious immplecations here that have been played out in the past, something thats never been brought up. Hundreds of Crusades have been through that area, the Crusades have only been successful once and the rest were failures. The Westerners were determined to take Jerusalem, which only happened one time. Mesopotamia, it was called back then, was the region which is now Iraq. Another HOLY WAR with the grand prize of OIL to the corperations that will benefit if it was to be a successful occupation, which it will not be obviously.

This mess that FEMA left behind in the south is terrible, I copied the story and sent it to my congress man Evan Bayh. It just goes to show that the enivronment and the people that live in/around/near it are no concern to "OUR" government. The Repiglicans do not give a shit about the everyday Joe.

I will admit that I am a gay male, I do feel that I am supressed to an extent. I have been in a relationship for 11years and the fact that if something happened to me or him, neither could make that life or death call because we are not legally married and thats not right. What burns me is that the people that object to this, are the ones that will never even notice the difference if and when Gay Marriage happens..Does anyone ever notice when 2 breeders get hitched? Only if you are tied to those breeders some how, other wise you dont and you dont give a shit either. Same principles apply to gay marriage, who gives a shit but the already morally corrupted right wing bible masterbating haters. Its really none of their damn business what others do in their private lives and thats alot of nerve to be making personal moral decisions for people they dont even know.

"Dont like abortion? Then dont have one!"
"Dont like Gay Marriage? Then dont get one!"

I dont like TBN, so I dont watch it....
I dont goto church, because I dont like it...

Its that easy...But what the problem is, is that these people take their moral code and push it upon everyone else and those who do that are not Xtian at all, but bigots with religious insecurities. Thats what they do, they have to act out their lack of security in their faith by supressing others that they feel are not equal to them...If your not Xtian then your not equal, if you dont have the same belief system as they do then your a heathan.

"I would rather goto hell for being myself, then spend an eternity in a heaven thats filled with bigots and assholes."

"Going to church doesnt make you anymore christian then standing in your garage will make you a car."

I'm pissed off with the Red Voters, and the Red states, for continuously voting to oppress us.

I never said anyone DESERVED Katrina, but I find that I have little sympathy available for those who don't show it to others. And so, when the Red States voted as they did, on Election Day...they voted with meanness and spite in their hearts. and now, it has backfired on them. They got what they voted for, and now they come crying wanting my sympathy. I. THINK. NOT. I'm sorry for the blue folk stuck down there in the shithole, but I've no sympathy for the area in general...they have had no sympathy for ME or my plight, so why should I give a fuck about them?

They made their bed (and mine) on Election Day...and if I have to lie in that bed, damn as hell they are gonna lie in it, too. They chose to support liars and crooks, they chose to support haters over their own economic best interest. and now it has blown up on them. Awww...where's that freaking violin?!!?

Well, anyway, THIS is what a friend of mine, Serenity Priscilla Abler, has to say to the self-righteous Red Voter ass holes. And I whole-heartedly agree with Serenity.

Judgement
by Serenity Priscilla Abler


I lived my life full of the Lord, at least that's what I thought
I taught my kids how to live so they would suffer naught.
I fell to my knees and fasted and I prayed
Took my family and my friends to church on Sabbath day.

I thought myself a soldier in the army of Our Lord
And knew I'd be rewarded once He tallied the score..
Yet men had misinterpreted the Word of Our Father
And led me to despise what I JUDGED to be fodder.

The abortionists, the wretched, the Lesbians and Gays
Yea even the Transsexuals, Why they would surely PAY!!
I didn't know it then but I'd took Jesus' place
I had forgotten Our Father's Gift of Grace.

My heart remain unchanged throughout my devout life
Outwardly benevolent, yet inward hid a knife
At last it was my time to go and ashes turned to dust
Then I heard the trumpet sound, Christ came back as he must.

The book of life he read from, and the names I had despised
Suprisingly were written there and they were given LIFE
As the last one standing I stood before our Lord
"I cannot find your name here son, die by your own sword"
-----------------------------------------------------------
And that is what I have to say to the Gulf Coast. DIE BY YOUR OWN SWORD!! You (red voters) thought it more important to hurt us GLBT people, now live with it. And let's hear, once again, just how great them Repukes are, huh?

Beat the Swords to Plowshares




:kick: