Midterm Vote 2018 Escambia County, Florida

What is it about Escambia County voters?  You vote to keep the beaches public and out of the hands of corporate rule, and you vote “No” to offshore drilling, but you still freely give your vote for the Congressman who introduced the legislation to privatize Pensacola Beach, and who is clearly an advocate for offshore drilling, who has even gone as far as attempting to abolish the Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.).    I’m speaking of Matt Gaetz, who by the way didn’t sink a dime into winning your vote!   A pretty confident move if you ask me. 

Although Congressional House District 1 encompasses six Northwestern Florida counties, did you see any Gaetz for Congress signs anywhere in Escambia County?   Because I didn’t.  I didn’t even see a television commercial for Matt Gaetz.   Although somewhat refreshing to be spared from another political ad, I have to ask, “WTF?”

And if you haven’t noticed, in addition to three area hospitals, there are quite a few dialysis centers popping up all around the county.   I found eight dialysis centers in Escambia County alone, and that is not counting two of the area hospitals that provide this service.  You would think that healthcare would be a priority among our community.  But apparently not.

Republican, Matt Gaetz was running against Democrat, Dr. Jennifer Zimmerman, who rallied for universal health care for all.  Gaetz on the other hand, is all about abolishing the Affordable Care Act that protects those American’s who have preexisting conditions.  In other words, one of the candidates wants to build and give, while the other wants to destroy and take away. 

Maybe Dr. Zimmerman should take a hint from Matt Gaetz - next time run as a Republican.   That red label is apparently all that is needed to win the hearts and minds of Escambia County.  You don’t even have to invest any money into being reelected. 

Simply take a look at the election results:  https://enr.electionsfl.org/ESC/1953/Summary/   Not one Democrat was elected to office, by Escambia County voters.   Regardless of how we all feel about the environment and our beaches, we contradict ourselves by electing candidates like Gaetz and Red Tide Rick.

Not only did Rick Scott pave the way for a pipeline to be laid across Florida wetlands, he profited from it too![1]  And let’s not forget the largest Medicare Fraud in history in which Scott pled the fifth 75 times, meaning he refused to answer questions for fear of criminating himself; he profited from that as well. [2]

Rick Scott has NEVER had an approval rating over 50% the entire time he has been Governor of Florida.   In May 2011, 57% of registered voters were unhappy with Scott’s performance, while only 29% of voters said they approve of Scott’s job performance. Still, Rick Scott was re-elected as governor.[3]

And more recently, according to Morning Consult, Rick Scott comes in second as the least popular governor in 2018.  Yet, Red Tide Rick is contending for a Senate seat, “with 27% net approval,” and he may have won, pending a recount of close race.  Again I have to ask, “WTF?”[4]

Morning Consult also polled registered voters in regards to Senator Bill Nelson; 51% approved his job performance, while 29% did not.[5]

Still, according to Escambia County voters – Republican, Rick Scott was a far better choice.  Scott walked away with 59% of the vote over Senator Bill Nelson, who happens to be a Democrat.

So I ask, why would you vote for someone who does not support your interest?  Clearly that is the case for Escambia County.  If we took away the colors, red and blue, and stopped with the labels (Democrats/Republicans), would Gaetz and Scott still have a chance in hell of winning?    I think not. 

Otherwise, why vote to protect the beaches from corporate rule or another Deep Water Horizon Disaster and then turn around and elect those who wish to do just that?  Isn’t that kind of like chasing your tail?

Please feel free to leave comments & explain this to me.

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[1] http://www.floridabulldog.org/2015/08/gov-scotts-pipeline-investment-gets-a-boost-from-florida-environmental-regulators/

[2] https://www.factcheck.org/2014/06/floridas-medicare-fraud-flashback/

[3] https://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/poll-rick-scott-earns-his-worst-approval-rating-ever

[4] https://morningconsult.com/2018/02/01/governor-rankings-jan-2018/

[5] https://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2018/01/poll-bill-nelson-has-highest-net-approval-of-any-red-state-senate-democrat-running-in-2018.html

Be Careful What You Wish For Pensacola

I recently traveled to the West Coast to a place I use to live.  It has been 28 years since I’ve lived in San Diego County (El Cajon, CA).  I was blown away by how much it has grown.  I use to tell my friends that I’d rather live in California verses Florida any day.  But after my trip, I changed my mind.  Pensacola is a fine place to live.  But it got me thinking, do I really want my home to become another San Diego, or Columbus, Ohio?

I was living in Columbus before I moved to Florida, and it has grown beyond belief as well, in the 15 short years that I have lived here in Pensacola.  Growth is often associated with wealth, but when it comes to a city, I’m not so sure that growth is a good thing.

The more people, the more trash; the more cars on the road, the greater the aggravation to travel about, not to mention the greater the exposure to toxic air pollutants.   And traffic on the beach has most certainly become a major concern over the past few years. 

TOLL BOOTH NUMBERS (for Bob Sikes Bridge – Memorial Day Weekend):

                2009 – 45,620 (inweekly)

2010 – 43.356 (WEAR TV)

                2011 – 48,774 (WEAR TV)

                2012 – 53,797 (WEAR TV) (57,472 inweekly - inweekly.net/wordpress/?p=15314 )

 

                2015 – 246,750 (Escambia County, Florida)

                2016 – 267,402 (Escambia County, Florida)

                2017 – 274,402 (Escambia County, Florida)

                www.publicnow.com/view/36CFE50014FA9432EC747B687918B9FB3DB55C92

Although these are holiday statistics, they are also an indication as to how popular Pensacola Beach has become over the years.  And it doesn’t have to be a holiday to get caught up traffic going to and coming from the beach.

This past Saturday on June 10^th, the wife and I attended a drum circle out on the beach that began at 6:00 pm.  Traffic was backed up in Gulf Breeze from 3-mile Bridge on.  I didn’t time the ride, but it certainly took quite a bit longer than we anticipated.

When we arrived at the pavilion we witnessed bumper to bumper traffic exiting the Casino Beach parking lot, and the entire time we were playing it stayed bumper to bumper busy.  When we decided to go home at 10:00 pm, there was still a long line of cars.

I’ve been out there twice now since they changed that particular parking lot with one way in and one way out, and I can honestly say, “It sucks!  And it isn’t working.”  We’ve all heard the rumors of roundabouts as well, and from a personal perspective, I believe that roundabouts will cause more accidents to occur on the beach then what we see now. 

 I like the idea of a ferry, and the trolley is good, but they are not impacting solutions. 

Face it Pensacola, we’re growing out of control.  With growth comes more hotels and high rises.  Do we really want that?  I moved to Pensacola, because I found it to be a treasured secret place on the planet.  If we begin adding more hotels and condo’s we’ll be no different than Ft. Walton, Destin, Panama City and all the rest of Florida.  We’ll no longer have bragging rights!

Maybe we ought to simply take ourselves out of the spot light for a minute?

Here’s the words I use to use when I spoke of San Diego – laid back, rancher style people, best Mexican food in America, upbeat, very friendly, environmentally aware. 

Now here’s how I describe San Diego today, after my short visit – very fast paced, unfriendly, mean-spirited people, you may want to think twice if you’re white and you go into a Mexican restaurant, and the people may be environmentally aware, but totally ignorant of the damage being caused by over populating an area. 

Now you may say Pensacola is no where near the size of San Diego, but we’re not talking about the county, we’re talking about a “small” island that has seen its limit.  If the island cannot handle the amount of traffic coming onto it (and leaving), and in turn has traffic backed up for hours at a time, then we’re killing ourselves with the smog alone.  In addition, long waits in line promotes anger anger!  We’re tired of sitting in the sun, and then we sit some more as we wait in a parking lot made of black asphalt and hot metal cars everywhere! 

If people are getting angry and frustrated just to get to the beach, they’ll eventually quit coming.  I know.  I did.  I’m a local and I avoid the beach like the plague when the Angels fly.  And although I am a lesbian, you won’t catch me anywhere near that beach on Memorial Day Weekend.  For me, it’s not worth the frustration and anger that accompanies these mob-cramped holidays. 

Maybe we should do like they do in New Mexico, at Bandelier National Monument.  They post several signs saying you are not allowed to drive into the park.  Instead you must park in a designated area and take the tour bus.  Only if you had a pet(s) would they allow you to drive into the park.  Here in Pensacola, we could take it step further and only allow locals to drive onto the island, and/or those with reservations who are staying more than one night on the beach.

We could use the parking lot at Gulf Breeze High School.  We could post signs that say all out of state visitors must exit here (at the high school) and take the bus.  And if a tourist does blow off the warning signs, we could charge them $20 just to cross the toll booth, or even more. 

Clearly, roundabouts and one way parking lots will not address the overcrowding.  Common sense dictates limiting the amount of vehicles on the island.  And in order to benefit from the trolley and ferry, we need to enforce legislation that restricts access to the beach.

And we can begin by ditching this needy corporate attitude of more, more, more.  We’ve seen our hey day; enough’s enough.  I’m grateful to live in such a place of beauty, and I would love to see it preserved for generations to come, not for just any Tom, Dick or Harry with a white collar and a fat wallet looking to profit at our expense.  It’s we the residents of Pensacola and Gulf Breeze that suffer and struggle with the negative consequences of these horrific traffic jams, not the CEO of Day’s Inn, or any number of these other hotels and condo owners looking for that uninterrupted daily 100% capacity.  So don’t buy into that false facade that we need to build more.  More hotels and more parking lots promote more traffic and more heat.  Think about it. 

We live here, and we need to protect what we love.

Gulf Islands National Seashores Propose Fee Increases

Gulf Islands National Seashore officials are proposing a fee increase from $8 to $15 dollars; a $25 to $30 for an annual pass.  In addition park officials want to charge a new fee to travel the seven mile stretch between Navarre and Pensacola Beach, daytime hours, during tourist season. 

You have until January 2, 2015 to voice your opinion to park officials. 

EMAIL:  GUIS_superintendent@nps.gov

U.S. POSTAL SERVICE:  Gulf Islands National Seashore, Attn: Fee Program, 1801 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze, FL 32563

FOR MORE INFO:  http://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?projectID=55396

 

 

Here are a few points that I made:

I am totally against the proposed fee restructure of Gulf Islands National Seashore; this includes raising park entrance fees!

First off, I don’t know why anyone would want to pay money to visit these beaches, when they can enjoy other parts of the island for free. 

Secondly, I live in Pensacola, and I am a witness to the lack of regard for the beaches that lie within the National Seashores.  Most times they are trashed and the chance of stepping on a toxic tar ball is much higher.  I never ever have seen a ranger, or anyone else for that matter, picking up trash on these beaches that fall under the National Seashores protection. 

Which brings me to this question, why do you need a raise?  Apparently, the only overhead the National Park service in this area has is paying for people to collect money at a guarded gate entrance into the park.  And the fees you are proposing go way beyond a cost of living raise for those employees. 

In addition, because I am a resident in this area, to pay a fee to use the road to get to Navarre from Pensacola, is an insult, after all these years of traveling that route for free.  You didn’t need the money to maintain the park then; then it would only make sense that you wouldn’t need it now, because nothing has changed.  It isn’t like you are offering to widen the lanes to include parking or anything along those lines.  Instead, the National Park service only sees an opportunity to make money.  This behavior is nothing more than an act of greed - plain and simple.

So as you see, there is no justification for these fee increases.  Adding an additional fee to travel between Navarre and Pensacola Beach would increase traffic on State Route 98, which is notorious for traffic accidents, and most certainly would contribute to the mortality rate, as well as the air pollution that comes with stop and go travelling.  So not only are you promoting an economical hardship upon an area of Florida whose citizens are financially challenged as it is, a fee increase would impact the health and wellbeing of those of us who live here as well.

You asked for my opinion and you got it.  Please reconsider your fee increase proposal.  The National Park Service was established to preserve and protect the natural beauty of this place we call Holy Ground.  Not make a mockery of it by taking advantage of the tourism industry.  Thank you for your time.

Respectfully,

VOTING & THE BLAME GAME

How does a governor whose approval ratings have never been over 50% while in office wins a second term and is re-elected?  That is exactly what happened in the State of Florida, on November 4^th, 2014.  Rick Scott should have lost the election by a landslide.  Although I share in the anger of such a notion, I find it even more disturbing when others begin attacking those who voted in support of Governor Rick Scott. 

Don’t be mad at your neighbors and family for whom they voted for; be mad at the system that is widely corrupt. 

Rick Scott spent his evening on the day of the elections in Escambia County, of all places.  It’s the night of the elections; wouldn’t you rather be at home or in Tallahassee (the Capital City of Florida) to await the results? Why would you spend your evening in small town Northwest Florida?  Was he here to grease some palms to ensure he won this close race?  What’s to keep the supervisor of elections, for any county or the state, from switching up the count?  Then there’s the software used to tally up the count statewide – how do we know it’s working correctly?

When you consider the year 2000, when Jeb Bush was Governor, and his brother G.W. miraculously won the presidential election, based on the controversial Florida hanging chad, you begin to see a pattern of sophisticated voter fraud within our State’s boarders. 

On August 28, 2014, the Gainesville Sun reported glitches in the software that uploads election results for Alachua County’s primary to the Supervisor of Elections web site.  The software vendor had to reset the system.  Reset the system?  I wonder how many votes were lost.

In addition, a problem with phone lines kept poll workers from sending that areas results electronically.  Pam Carpenter (Supervisor of Elections) said they had checked the each of the phone lines before the elections, “So something had gone wrong in the meantime.” 

On the same day, Putman County’s phone lines went down, and poll workers had to actually drive the results to Supervisor of Elections, Charles Overturf’s office.  “Things that make you go hmmmm.”

On November 4^th, Charlie Crist, Rick Scott’s opponent requested that Broward County extended polling hours due to one location being off line for over an hour and a half, as well as confusion among voters as to which polling place to vote at.  But only the current Governor can officially approve voting hours, which would be Rick Scott.  Consequently, Crist’s request was denied.

So you see, there are many hands in the pot, so to speak; from poll workers to software manufactures, to the candidates themselves.  There are a hundred ways to illegally tip an election to one side or the other.  Don’t allow the powers to be divide us by pointing the finger at the common voter.  Instead direct your anger at those who will stop at nothing to be in power.

THE BATTLE OF ATHENS

August 1 – 2, 1946

Tennessee, USA

The Battles of Athens was an armed revolt that gained national attention.  Attempting to end the control of an entrenched political machine, World War II veterans used force to ensure that on the day of local elections in 1946 every vote “was counted as cast.”  After local authorities locked themselves and the ballot boxes in the jail, veterans suspicious of foul play gathered weapons and ammunition and exchanged fire. The besieged authorities surrendered.  At a meeting in the courthouse, and interim government was set up, followed by the election of the veteran’s slate.

SELLING PENSACOLA - Jobs & the Oil Industry

Has it really been that long ago that the people of Pensacola, Florida can not remember the devastation of the Deepwater Horizon Disaster?

Since the BP bungle, the health of the Gulf of Mexico remains in dire straits.  It hasn’t even begun to heal from the damage caused by the Corexit (a toxic oil dispersant), let alone the crude that gushed uncontrollably for eighty-seven days directly into the Gulf waters.

Despite the lesions on fish, the eyeless shrimp, the death of the oyster industry, dolphin and whale strandings, and the steady incline of vibrio vulnificus (flesh eating bacteria), Pensacola has opened its port to the oil and gas industry.  This includes a new manufacturing facility that would test flexible, deep sea piping.

In an inweekly (Independent News) article, reporter Shannon Nickinson writes, “. . . we are poised to exploit a niche market related to offshore oil and gas work that is bringing jobs into the community and investment into the Port of Pensacola.”

WHAT? 

According to the Pensacola News Journal, Buddy McCormick, vice president of offshore operations for Offshore Inland, said the average salary for the positions would be in the $60,000 range; that’s a six figure income for engineers, and $20 per hour for laborers.  An estimate of 200 new jobs was provided by the Pensacola News Journal, but if you do some research, you’ll find that DeepFlex Inc., the manufacturing company that is coming to the Port of Pensacola, states that only 100 direct jobs will be created.

The Houston BizBlog posted, “Houston-based DeepFlex manufactures flexible pipe used in the subsea oil and gas industry. The company currently has 100 employees, but about half of them are based in its Wisconsin manufacturing plant.”

And what about those 50 Wisconsin jobs?  Back to the Pensacola News Journal article, McCormick said the Pensacola plant is to replace the factory in Wisconsin.  Do you truly believe that those 50 people who are familiar with DeepFlex’s manufacturing operation will not be offered jobs here in Pensacola?  Of course they will. 

So now, we’re talking maybe 70 new jobs for the locals.  And don’t let the word laborers fool you.  I know plenty of laborers who have a technical degree to qualify for their jobs.  That could quite possibly narrow that number from 70 to just 30 jobs for the average Joe, if we’re lucky.

So is it really worth selling out to the oil industry?  Are we really going to pat ourselves on the back for attracting such an enterprise?   Where’s the pride?

In the meantime, we have pipe laying ships in and out of our port that spew carbon all day long.  We have tar mats laying just off our shores attracting the vibrio vulnificus bacteria.  And with new oil spills occurring, the oil companies are still using the same toxic dispersants they’ve been using for years.  No new research, no improvements on how to clean the oil from the water.

And here’s a little something more to chew on as we roll out the red carpet for the fossil fuel industry.  On March 13, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lifted its ban on BP’s drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.  Less than one week after the ban was lifted, BP bid on and won rights to drill in 24 new blocks of the Gulf of Mexico for $42 million. 

 

On March 25th, BP spilled tar sands (heavy sandy oil) into Lake Michigan just a few miles from Chicago. 

 

Then on April 28th, a BP pipeline ruptured spraying a 34-acre area with crude oil and natural gas along Alaska's North Slope.  To top it all off, shortly after the EPA lifted the ban, BP put an end to its internal claims program here in the Gulf of Mexico.

 

Aligning ourselves with an oil manufacturing company is the same as supporting BP, or any other oil and gas enterprise.  It doesn’t make good cents for tourism, if you know what I mean.  Oil and water just don’t mix!

BOOK: The Crude Oil Adventure of the Human Re-Evolution

 

GET YOUR COPY TODAY!

 

REVIEWS: 

"This book is grounded in personal experiences of how the BP oil spill effected life along the Gulf Coast. A must read for anyone who wants a more in depth look into on the ground, real world aftermath of an eco-system crash."  – Dot Schwartz

 

"A raw account of a personal journey through hell after the BP disaster takes the Sunshine State into darkness. Kim takes us through the Gulf Coast tragedy that impacted the health and welfare of people all along the Gulf region, the death of thousands of wildlife, plant life and a rare tribute to the death of the 11 men on the rig Deepwater Horizon. This is the read for anyone that wants to understand the impact of the BP tragedy had on one individual that reflects the stories of thousands. A narrative of sorrow, faith and belief we all can make a difference; reminding us of the rape mankind is having on Mother Earth though drilling, dumping, the spraying of deadly toxins on land and on the water with no regards to the lethal consequence on all life and the survival of the earth. She reminds us that none of us stand alone in the battle for the right of a clean and healthy environment."  - Gloria G. Horning, Ph.D. Social Justice Advocate and Scientist.

 

“I just finished reading your book. I cried.............you did a wonderful heartfelt piece of work and it had a lot of Great information in it. Thanks. Love and Light” - Trisha Springstead

 

 

 



Connecting the Dots - BP/Deepwater Horizon Disaster

July 6, 2012 - Connect the dots. When you view the news regarding the Gulf of Mexico this past month, you can't help but feel we're under a terrorist attack down here. The use of Corexit has been documented and seen from Louisiana to Florida. Including a large number of fish kills, and two newly reported stories regarding human health.

   THERE ARE FOUR PARTS TO THIS VIDEO


And here's a story of another fish kill in Miramar, Florida on July 18, 2012: 

THE FOLLOWING VIDEO WAS PROVIDED BY: Melissa Carter Neidert

Seascape Resort in Miramar Beach Florida. This was taken today at 7:00 pm. Over the past year we have lost our turtle population, then we watched our ducks disappear, and now our fish are dead!

Jesus Was A Tree Hugger Too

Whenever BP, or any other major establishment, such as insurance companies and drug manufactures, comes across a group of people, who speaks the truth, they shut them down by making them sound like a bunch of radicals, hippies and tree huggers. Or even terrorist, with some hidden agenda to overthrow the government. And these accusers, often hide behind a cross to make themselves appear to be righteous and beyond approach. But you know, Jesus was a tree hugger too.

Jesus had long hair, wore sandals, often spoke of love and peace, fished, hiked, and he pissed off the establishment (the Jewish High Priest) often. They eventually killed him, when they noticed Jesus, a Jew himself, was getting a little too popular. You could say, they labeled him a terrorist. The people who crucified him are the same kind of people that hide behind the cross today; the same evil hypocrites. I don't normally like to use the word evil, but how else can you describe these power hungry personalities that put money above life?

I have seen what BP has done to the Gulf Coast. I see the million dollar commercials they are airing, telling you all up North that the oil is gone, and it's safe to swim off our shores. It's not true. The oil is still here. I live here, and I have no reason to lie to you; I have nothing at stake, except pissing a bunch of money hungry people off, like the CEO's of the corporations, who own the hotels in the area (including Jimmy Fn' Buffett). Anyone who says it's safe for your children to be on the beaches in this area are not friends of Jesus. They're more concerned with what's in their wallet, than they are for you and your family.

I'm not the only one posting blogs, and photos, and videos. Put "BP oil spill" into any search engine (youtube for sure), and you'll see for yourself. Mississippi has got to be the worse, and the state line is only about an hours drive from here (Pensacola). They have dead dolphins and sea birds washing up daily. And it smells rank. None of us want to be burdened with the responsibility of tracking this sad mess. But the media isn't informing you of the dangers. So we sacrifice our health and well being with the hope of by keeping America informed, we can force BP to fix what they made wrong. And possibly stop this runaway madness for oil.

So call me a tree hugger or what you will. But I stand in front of that cross, not behind it.

The Crude Oil Adventure of the Human Re-Evolution

I recently wrote a short story regarding the BP Oil Spill, and how it has affected Pensacola Beach in particular.  As well as the morality of it all.  This past summer, after grieving for a year, I realized that sometimes bad things have to happen in order for there to be a greater good.  It's tragedies like 9/11, and the BP Oil Spill that deeply touches our hearts and motivates change in humanity as a whole.  With the year 2012 upon us, and the threat of mankind destroying itself, the book also addresses the spiritual evolution of the human condition, which will save us from destruction. 

Not only does my book include a historical account of the spill in regards to Pensacola Beach, but it's an inspirational piece as well.  It's also a story about nature and learning to heal ourselves as well as the planet.  It's not too late.  It is as easy as learning to control and direct our thoughts.  It's learning to believe in ourselves, and in others. 

This book is also interactive with my Youtube Channel:  www.youtube.com/user/WoMenHead101

AVAILABLE ON  Amazon.com

NATIONAL SHRIMP FESTIVAL BP PROTEST Gulf Shores, Alabama

You know when 2011 rolled around, I really didn’t have any hope for myself, let alone mankind. But as the end of the year draws near, I can feel little seeds of encouragement growing inside. We’ve gone from silence and dead birds falling from the skies, to a time when thousands are standing up across America protesting the banks on Wall Street, our corporate government, and the environment injustices that our nation faces today, as well as the entire planet.

Here in Florida Trisha Springstead and Trisha James have stepped up and made headway regarding the health of Gulf Coast victims of the Deepwater Horizon Disaster. And in Alabama, Michele Harmon and Kimberly McCuiston have risen as leaders in their communities, uniting a BP demonstration during the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama this past Saturday. In comparison to the thousands of people who showed up for the festival, only a couple dozen people demonstrated. Some may find this discouraging. But considering this to be the first demonstration that has taken place, east of the Louisiana boarder, since capping the Macondo well, I applaud the day.

In contrast to Hands Across the Sand, these two women had to get a permit to demonstrate. At first the city refused their request. Then after speaking to the ladies attorneys, there was a reversal by city officials, with restrictions. The demonstration had to be two hundred feet away from the festival, and on the beach. And the use of a bull horn or any other type of devise, electric or battery operated, was prohibited. And my favorite was, if you were wearing a t-shirt that is associated with the oil spill, you were not allowed to walk through the festival to get to the beach; you had to walk the beach to get to the demonstration. In turn, this meant one would have no access to a toilet, or food and water, without walking a mile to a restaurant. Considering the protest began at noon and was to end at four p.m., it made for a long day. But I can say that I did walk into the festival area to use the bathroom and get a drink on two occasions, without any hassle. And we didn’t disperse until 4:30, without dispute from the police or security. I guess they didn’t see our small group as a threat.

But what they didn’t realize at the time is that our little demonstration was photographed and video taped and plugged in to the masses across the Internet, before the day was over. And within twenty-four hours those twenty-four people shared their day with all their friends, who in turn shared the event with their friends. As a result, our story touched the lives of thousands. And that day will continue to live on. And it will inspire others too.

There is hope for the Gulf life as well. Recently I learned of a technique called bioremediation. It’s a natural, fast, effective and cheap way to clean up the oil that remains in the Gulf of Mexico. And it has been around for over thirty years, and used successfully in twenty other countries. It’s even on the EPA’s list of approved remedies for oil spills. Yet, our bureaucratic government has not approved its use to this day. If you don’t believe this technology is effective, put the word, bioremediation, in a search engine and read on. I even found YouTube videos going back four years on the subject.

And this is all we want . . . we want the Gulf of Mexico restored to the way she was before the oil spill.  We want to eat fresh Gulf shrimp. We love it! We want our children to be able to dig in the sand, without worry of what kind of cancer they may die from in ten to twenty years. Or to be able to breath the air, without assistance of a nebulizer. This is what we protest to. And what American wouldn’t want these things?

“The oil is still here and so are we!” We are not going to disappear or be silenced. As one protester pointed out, there were only fifty-six people who signed the Declaration of Independence. And at that time, the forefathers of this country were considered renegades themselves. Now they are considered as heroes. Be a hero! Stand up for your county, because it’s your land that’s under attack! The gas companies are fracking the land across the state of Pennsylvania, and there was the Exxon oil spill in Yellowstone River, outside Billings, Montana, this year And the list goes on and on, and it will continue until we as a people demand a change. The technology is available. All we need to do is spread the word and act upon it today. Even if it’s in some small way, like standing on a hot beach with a sign in your hand, or surfing the web for new energy solutions. Everything counts, even in small amounts.

PETROLATUM, MEDICINE?

The other day I was transplanting cactus, when I ran the tip of my finger into one. It felt like a dart jammed me. The needles broke off deep in my skin in three places. Instead of picking at my sore finger with a needle, I decided to go to Walgreens and see if they sold some sort of drawing salve. I was surprised and relieved when the lady behind the pharmaceutical counter said she could help me. Even though a prescription was not needed, they didn’t keep the product on the shelf, where a shopper would have access, but instead they kept it behind the counter. I didn’t question why they kept the product hidden. But when I got home, I was floored to find not only was this medicine brown and greasy, but it smelled like used motor oil!

The product is called, Ichthammol Ointment 20%, distributed by Perrigo. The ointment contains petrolatum (which is used in make up and skin care products, as well as petroleum jellies such as Vaseline), Ichthammol (also known as black drawing salve, and a home remedy used for skin disorders, derived from sulfur-rich oil shale), light mineral oil, and lanolin (wool wax or wool grease).

Coming from a Gulf Coast perspective, I find it somewhat suspicious and outright crazy that medicine would smell like dirty motor oil. So I decided to do a little research.

PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), are common contaminants in petrolatum, also called petroleum jelly. Petrolatum is found in one of every fourteen products on the market, including fifteen percent of all lipstick and forty percent of all baby lotions and oils. Exemplifying lip balm, sun screen and tanning oils; everything you need for a day on a Florida beach.

Studies at Columbia University show that women with breast cancer were two point six times more likely to have elevated levels of PAHs. To further the concerns of using a petrolatum based products is the European Union’s Dangerous Substance Directive (2004) restricting petrolatum use in cosmetics, by targeting it as a probable human carcinogen. And of course, not only is it legal to use the product in cosmetics here in the United States, but the FDA has taken it a step further and approved petrolatum as an indirect food additive as well.

Petrolatum became known as a a medicine in 1859, by the men who worked on the first oil rigs in the United States. These men would use this worthless substance that forms on rigs to heal their cuts and burns. It dose not heal, but instead it seals keeping germs from getting into the wounded area. And that’s how petrolatum got its start as a medicine.

The reason why Petrolatum became so popular among the cosmetic industry is that it’s used as a barrier to lock moisture in the skin and it makes your hair shine. So be sure to check your bath soap, shampoo and hair conditioner, if you find this information concerning, along with all the other products I mentioned.

As always when dealing with corporate America, there are two sides to every story, but the moral seems to stay the same - greed. I think for myself. Common sense tells me, if it smells like dirty motor oil, then it most likely is; medicine it is not.

How Can You Miss The Shit?!

Last Tuesday evening I went to the Pensacola Beach with a small group of friends.  It's kind of a new ritual we have started amongst ourselves to help the Gulf heal from the oil spill.  Each of us collects water from the Gulf of Mexico, in a glass container, and we tape words/affirmations onto the glass, such as Love, Gratitude, and Heal.  Then we take it home and sit the glass container somewhere special and/or pretty and meditate on it here and there, until we meet again in a month.  Usually on or close to a full moon, and then we return the water to the Gulf again.

Anyway, I had just returned from a weeks trip to Ohio, so I grabbed my back pack, which just happened to have two cameras in it along with the other items I needed, and made my way to the beach to meet my friends.  I wasn't planning on video taping oil on the sand or Corexit in the water.  But low and behold, we're standing at the waters edge, collecting new water to take home, and I see this brown foamy crap right there on the shoreline not even five feet away from us.  This is like the fourth or fifth time I've collected water for the purpose of healing, and this time my water had a yellow tint to it, and the sand in the bottom of the container is brown (vs. white). 

I do not normally go to the touristy beach, known as Casino Beach, because I don't like being crowded.  But it seemed logical to go the pier to return the water we had collected four weeks before, instead of standing on beach, where the water comes ashore. Knowing this is the tourist spot, it is kind of scary when you think of all the people from around the country who came here and played in the sand and in the water.  I wonder how many people are walking around wondering why they don't feel well?  There doctors clueless, because they are not aware of the symptoms that accompany chemical exposure.  But that's not what my blog is about today.

Instead, it's about how easy it is to find oil on Pensacola Beach, especially after a good storm.   On March 5th, 2011, I recorded a video that showed a lot of dead sea life that had washed ashore after a blustery storm had passed through the Gulf.  And on Sept 3rd, 2011, while Tropical Storm Lee passed through, I recorded a thick oily substance all over the Casino Beach.  It was awful.  Both of those videos went somewhat viral and afforded me the option to become a YouTube partner.  That's how badly the beach looked!

And here we are on a calm day, Sept 13th, and this brown shit is floating along the shoreline.

Two days later, Celia and I go to the beach to chill for a minute.  Walk-out #27.  The temps are in the seventies, it's a beautiful day.  We set our chairs up, and Celia goes for a walk, and I sit there and take it all in for a minute.  And I swear, I don't know where it came from, but it begins to rain.  I rush to pack out stuff up, then Celia come along finishes, while I bee line it to the truck to shut the sunroof.  I know if we give it a minute, the rain will pass. And we decide to take a ride to pass the time.

So, we head toward National Seashores (Navarre).  And before we made it to the first parking lot, where you're allowed to pull off the road, I know we're going to turn around and take this trip again, because the sand looked that bad.  But when we made it to the parking lot, that's when I first grabbed my camera.  BP workers began pulling up into the parking lot.  And the area looked as bad as Casino Beach did when Lee splashed oil all over the place.  Immediately after pulling out of the parking lot in Nat'l Seashores, we spotted an area on the sound side of the road, where water had collected in between the dunes, and the sand was brown all the way around it.  Then after doing a second drive-by from Pensacola Beach through Nat'l Seashores, we went to Casino Beach. 

Casino Beach had little tide pools all up and down the beach.  Out of the two we investigated, one looked really trashed.  A sea gull was sitting in it.  When he seen me hesitate, he began squawking and looked up to the sky, then back down to the water.  He splashed at it with his beak, as if to say, "Hey, come look at this shit!" 

So I did.  There's some kind of black shit along the edge of this tide pool.  And there's thick brown bubbly crap as well.  And I know that birds going to die.  There are three other birds sitting on the beach with there legs folded below them, who do look sick.  And there's people everywhere playing in the tide pools and digging in the sand.  And for the first time, I said something to a couple who was sitting in black sand, "Do you know you're sitting in oil?!"  I said it so matter of factly, like how could you miss it idiot, that the dude looked at me like what?  You didn't just say, what I thought you said, did you? 

Surprised at my own words, I said nothing more and walked away.

SEPTEMBER 03, 2011 - TROPICAL STORM LEE - PENSACOLA, FL

SEPTEMBER 13, 2011

SEPTEMBER 15, 2011 - PENSACOLA BEACH & NAT'L SEASHORES

Leonard Peltier & The Gulf Coast Warriors

You know Leonard Peltier’s story is kind of similar to the oil struggle along the Gulf Coast. I am member of a few facebook communities that consist mostly of Gulf Coast residents who report and share information regarding BP and the oil spill. Some of these individuals, whom I consider leaders of the struggle, are very outspoken about how they feel regarding the mess that BP has left us with. Some are even willing to give up their freedom, in defense of their land and their families. With this in mind, I would like to share with you Leonard’s story.

In 1973 murder ran rapid on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, in South Dakota. It was the “Corporations,” like the strip miners after uranium reserves, who divided the people on the reservation with the promise of money and jobs. Kind of like the way the oil and gas companies took advantage of the three poorest states in the South (Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama). One of these corporations called, The Tennessee Valley Authority, was government owned. Considering our government has never honored a treaty made with Native American’s, it’s kind of insulting when the FBI starts showing up on the reservation unannounced, whenever the hell they pleased. And they weren’t there to help the Indians.

Sixty people were murdered violently on this small reservation within three years. On one occasion, the FBI coroner concluded that two Native victims had committed suicide by stabbing their selves in the face repeatedly. “Hmmmm.. . . . I always said, if I was going to commit suicide, it’s gonna be a knife to the face . . . repeatedly” Yeah right! Give me a break.

So the Indians, who own the reservation (the land), and who are to be considered a sovereign nation, decide to ask the American Indian Movement (AIM) for some protection. We’re talking about protecting the women and children, and the elderly. So a young, 29 year old, Leonard Peltier, an Ojibwa French Sioux Indian, volunteered to sit with these families, in their homes, and protect them. He’s not like standing at the entrance of the res, waiving a gun and waiting to blow away people who approach the boundary line. He’s no different than those of us who wish to protect our families and our land from the oil companies.

So one sunny day, Leonard’s out on this ranch, on the res, and he’s kicking it in a tent, when he hears gunshots. No one knows who started shooting first, or why the shooting began. But two FBI agents were killed. This pissed the FBI off. And the real kick in the ass was the fact that a whole gang of them Indians got away. Including Leonard Peltier.

From that point on, it’s been proven that the FBI fabricated evidence, hid evidence, and intimidated witnesses, without any regard to Mr. Peltier’s rights as a U.S. citizen. Even admitting that they (the FBI) don’t know who killed their agents. Leonard Peltier has been a prisoner of the United States for over thirty-five years now. Even though historically he’s been a model prisoner, he’s been denied parole twice.

www.whoisleonardpeltier.info
“Silence they say, is the voice of complicity. But silence is impossible. Silence screams. Silence is a message, just as doing nothing is an act. Let who you are ring out and resonate in every word & every deed. Yes, become who you are. There’s no sidestepping your own being or your own responsibility. What you do is who you are. You are your own comeuppance. You become your own message. You are the message." - Leonard Peltier

And the reason I share this story with you today is because this man is just like one of us. One facebook group I belong to is in part called the Gulf Coast Warriors. Leonard is a warrior too; a man of honor and truth. His fight is the same as our fight - what landed him in prison is the same corporate greed protected by the same corrupt government that we are fighting today. Only the names have changed.  Because there is approximately two thousand of usook groups that I am posting this blog to, I’m asking you to spread the word and join the existing worldwide support to help Leonard Peltier break free of that prison. Please visit: