The Gulf is NOT ok: What the Media Doesn't Want You To Know

On the one-year anniversary of the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history, the national media coverage is hot and heavy. Topics of conversation vary: how clean the beaches are, how delicious the seafood is; how only $4 billion of the $20 billion reimbursement fund has been paid out; how the new revamped Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (formerly Minerals Management Service) has approved new permits since the moratorium was lifted, how new safety regulations are coming down the pike and how the oil companies' profits are better than ever.

Meanwhile, Gulf Coast residents are getting the shaft. No one, absolutely NO ONE (in the media, that is) will report on the actual conditions in the "isolated areas" where oil is still washing up. It is up to ordinary people to take matters into their own hands and spread the ugly truth that gets no airplay whatsoever.

A recent Associated Press (AP) article headline reads:
SCIENTISTS SAY THE OVERALL HEALTH OF THE GULF IS NEARLY BACK TO NORMAL.

Since Google and every major media outlet runs and reports on feeds from AP, that is the headline being circulated to maintain the public's blindness of the real deal. While the article admits that "Scientists cite significant declines in key health indicators such as the sea floor, dolphins and oysters. In interviews, dozens of Gulf experts emphasized their concerns, pointing to the mysterious deaths of hundreds of young dolphins and turtles, strangely stained crabs and dead patches on the sea floor."

Answer me this, Associated Press: How in the hell can you then print the headline that the health is nearly at pre-spill level??? How do you people sleep at night?

Enter the Coastal Warriors, tenacious and ticked-off residents and their supporters who are delivering the REAL truth about current conditions. These reports of course, are limited to the internet, and it is up to us to share the information.

Two such areas where Coastal Warriors are showing the mess left behind a year later: Ocean Springs, MS and Long Beach, MS.

These photos were taken just two days ago in Ocean Springs, MS. They clearly show the remaining effects and damage to the once beautiful shoreline.

Photos courtesy of Renea Hulett

Another dedicated and courageous Gulf resident, Denise Rednour, has been filming the Long Beach coastline regularly since the spill. Here is just one of the latest videos, Sad Saturday Indeed

What about the "mysterious deaths of hundreds of young dolphins and turtles, strangely stained crabs and dead patches on the sea floor?" Just about every mainstream article related to the sealife deaths is quick to point out these animals show no signs of external oil. Perhaps the cause is related to the toxic COREXIT dispersant used by BP, even after being ordered by the EPA to stop the use of this poison.

There is scant coverage of the Gulf Coast residents whose livelihoods have been wiped out by this disaster.
Video: Gulf Coast Residents Still Waiting on BP

But followed by this limited coverage, the topic is quickly changed to some fabricated, hyped-up non-issue, such as the theatrical 'debate' on cutting the deficit. It is obvious to anyone with a functioning brain that no one in Washington is serious about tackling the ever-looming economic collapse of the United States.

So when you hear that "the fishing's never been better", "the seafood is great", and that things in the Gulf are getting back to normal, think again. There are miles and miles of coastline that are still oiled and a thousand miles of fishing areas that remain closed. Yet each and every day, the BP gas stations in the United States are still brimming with customers, oblivious or just plain ignorant to the grim reality in the Gulf.

What is there to hide? TORTURE

This country is becoming totally unrecognizable. Welcome to the United States of Amerikka. I urge you to see the following article by Michael Whitney on FireDogLake.com:

Quantico Blocks Official Visits by UN, Amnesty International and Rep. Kucinich to Bradley Manning

Kucinich, who sits on the Oversight Committee, wants to inspect the conditions of Manning's confinement. Yet the military's position is that this does not qualify for an official visit because he wouldnt be conducting 'official government business". Really? The last time I checked, Kucinich was a member of CONGRESS. Is that not official enough?

Quantico also is denying visits for the same reason, from both Amnesty International and the UN, which has opened an investigation into Manning's detainment.

The last paragraph of Whitney's article says it all.

"What is the government afraid that Manning will say to these officials when the Brig isn’t able to record his every move? If Manning’s torture is “meeting our basic standards,” president Obama says, what is there to hide?"

The denial of these visits is absolutely unacceptable. The man is a US CITIZEN, but that evidently means nothing anymore.

To quote a comment from user (DEEP HARM) on this subject:
The executive branch has a long, ugly history of refusing to allow insitutions, law or reason to stand in the way of retaliating against a whistleblower. And, despite growing public support for whistleblowers, retaliation is only getting worse.

Calculating the Cost of War

This nifty calculator will give you your personal tax liability for just one of the illegal wars.

How much did YOU pay for war this year?

Gov't Shutdown: Hype or Reality?

All the hype about our "elected officials" pointing fingers at each other about which side can't agree to cutting the astronomical U.S. Budget, is quite frankly, giving me a headache.

Article after article, interview after interview, all that is being said is that the government will inevitably SHUT DOWN ON FRIDAY if no agreement is reached.

The headlines & quotes:

Government shutdown looms as congressional budget talks stall

"I am extremely disappointed that after weeks of productive negotiations with Speaker Boehner, Tea Party Republicans are scrapping all the progress we have made and threatening to shut down the government if they do not get all of their extreme demands" - Harry Reid

Federal workers fed up with lack of information about possible shutdown

Cantor discusses budget stalemate, hopes to avoid shutdown
“I have always said that we do not want to see the government shut down,” Cantor said.

What is missing from the above headlines and corresponding articles? The all important keyword: PARTIAL

The media pundits and grandstanding politicians fail to mention the fact that the pending shutdown is a PARTIAL shutdown. In reality, the shutdown, if it comes to fruition, would look something like this:

National parks would close.
Passport offices would close.
The IRS taxpayer helpline would close.

Not quite the SHUTDOWN the media and Congress Critters would have us believe.

Of course the military, the FBI and the Coast Guard would stay on the job.

Everything the Beltway Boys & Girls are saying & doing is politically motivated, and as usual, what is good for the American people isn't even in the equation.

Operation Odyssey Dawn???

When I first heard the military action in Libya was tagged "Operation Odyssey Dawn", I thought, "What a stupid and cheeky sounding name". I wondered if the military keeps these names on a list somewhere, just waiting to use them whenever the need arises.

The name has continued to nibble at my insides. First of all it sounds more like the name of a porn star or a 70's disco band than a military undertaking.

I was under the impression that the term 'odyssey' in fact meant a voyage, a trek, as in "2001 Space Odyssey". We all know what 'dawn' means. The beginning. So I decided to look the actual definition up. After doing so, it makes the Obama Administration's choice of moniker in this case, a little more puzzling. That is, if you actually believe that this will be a very short conflict. Perhaps it hints at the reality that most in the media are trying so feverishly to ignore.

The actual definition (according to Dictionary.com):

Od·ys·sey [od-uh-see]
–noun, plural -seys for 2.

1. ( italics ) an epic poem attributed to Homer, describing Odysseus's adventures in his ten-year attempt to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War.

2. ( often lowercase ) a long series of wanderings or adventures, especially when filled with notable experiences, hardships, etc.

Hmmmm. Makes it a seemingly erroneous choice of words for what is supposed to be a brief effort. Or are we looking at 'just the beginning' of a long series of wanderings in Libya? With the first six days costing $$373 Million, this long series of wanderings will come with a hefty price tag.

O-SPIN-ION Polls

Two new public (US) opinion polls were released this week, regarding the U.S.-led coalition's military action against Libya. The general consensus of these polls (as it's being reported in the mainstream media) is that the majority of Americans approve of the use of military force against Libya.


The Gallup Poll Headline:
Americans Approve of Military Action Against Libya

While the poll results were that more respondents approved of the military action than disapproved, the 47 percent approval rating is the lowest approval rating for any military action ever.

The highest approval rating was in 2001, when 90 percent of Americans approved of the invasion of Afghanistan, in response to the September 11th attacks.

Quite a difference between then and now.

Reuters also conducted a poll this week in which it reports that a majority, 60 percent, support the U.S. and its allies in bombing Libya.

What is not being as widely reported is that the 60 percent breaks down like this:
20 percent of respondents who 'strongly supported' the action
40 percent of respondents who 'somewhat supported' the action.

How do you 'somewhat suppport' something? You either support it or you don't.



Regardless of how these numbers and headlines are spun, the numbers speak for themselves. There is NOT overwhelming public support for the United States' involvement in military action against Libya.

The big news today is that NATO is to take over completely from coalition forces in Libya. But what does that really mean?

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) includes twenty-eight (28) member countries, including the United States.

From the NATO Core Tasks And Principles:

"The political and military bonds between Europe and North America have been forged in NATO since the Alliance was founded in 1949...and that link remains strong as ever.

The security of NATO members on both sides of the Atlantic is indivisible. We will continue to defend it together, on the basis of solidarity, shared purpose and fair burden-sharing."

The United States is the backbone of NATO. Regardless of whether our involvement is via U.S.-led coalition forces OR via U.S. involvement in NATO forces, the people do not want the U.S. involved at all.

It appears that battle lines are being drawn in the Middle East, and it doesn't look like the U.S. involvement will be ending anytime soon. No matter how it is twisted and spun, the majority of Americans do not support this involvement.

The only way to change that perception is for people to speak out against it. Whether it is through online forums, YouTube, blogs, social networking sites or protesting in the streets...the only way to change it is to be vocal and visible.

Dumbed Down...Dazed, Dense and Dim

NEWSWEEK gave 1,000 Americans the U.S. Citizenship Test--38 percent failed. The country's future is imperiled by our ignorance.

How Dumb are We?

Almost half were clueless about the Bill of Rights. But I bet they can tell you all about Charlie Sheen or some other idiotic topic. Pathetic.