Changing Course in the Gulf: Bad Lessons in Money and Politics Pt. 2 – Bobby Jindal, Sand Berms and the Shaw Group

Over the past five months, Gulf Coast residents have been treated to a number of decisions with direct impact on their lives. They weren’t asked to give input at the time these decisions were made. They weren’t asked how they thought it might affect their future. The decisions occurred above their heads and most times, without their knowledge, but they are the ones now paying … Continue reading Changing Course in the Gulf: Bad Lessons in Money and Politics Pt. 2 – Bobby Jindal, Sand Berms and the Shaw Group

Headlines: Gulf Coast and Beyond

Criminal charges being considered against BP in Gulf oil rig tragedy – Times Picayune Hurricanes May Carry Toxic Chemicals from Crude Oil and Dispersant Inland – Washington Blog FDA’s standards for Gulf seafood may be lower than those in past oil spills – Press Register John McCain Says He’s Too Old and Tired for Any New Ideas of His Own – HuffingtonPost ‘Censoring’ of Craigslist … Continue reading Headlines: Gulf Coast and Beyond

The Gulf? Don’t Nobody Know Nothing Never – Me Neither, Except for…

I remember one night many years ago, walking down Decatur Street in the Quarter as the darkness was coming on, challenging the streetlamps to do their best. It was a beautiful February evening, colder but not freezing and as I glanced in the river’s direction I smiled at the sight of a rolling fog bank, moving slow, silent and concealing. Stopping at the corner of the square, I … Continue reading The Gulf? Don’t Nobody Know Nothing Never – Me Neither, Except for…

The Prestige Study…Why Feinberg Should Drop the “No Sue” Clause for Final Payments

Is Feinberg reconsidering the no-sue clause? Perhaps so, and maybe because of new information such as this: In the journal, Annals of Internal Medicine, a new study reveals the longer term health effects for cleanup workers exposed to spilled oil when the tanker Prestige sank off the coast of Spain. What it shows is the risks to human health go far beyond the damage of … Continue reading The Prestige Study…Why Feinberg Should Drop the “No Sue” Clause for Final Payments

The Legacy of Katrina Study – The Kids Aren’t Alright

As a social worker, you develop a really dark sense of humor, a mindset often used as a coping mechanism for some of what you see and the stories you hear. During Katrina, I was living on the West Coast and at conferences, or in simple conversations with co-workers a statement I heard more than any other went something like this: “New Orleans? Jesus, that … Continue reading The Legacy of Katrina Study – The Kids Aren’t Alright

Rolling Dice in the Gulf Coast – Here Comes Feinberg and His “Choice”

“Tomorrow morning, the Gulf Coast Claims Facility is up and running,” said Ken Feinberg, appointed by Barack Obama to administer the $20 billion dollar escrow fund, “BP is out of the claims-processing business beginning tomorrow.” In many respects this is good news. Kenneth Feinberg has promised to get reparations money into the hands of residents within 48 hours and to business owners within a week. … Continue reading Rolling Dice in the Gulf Coast – Here Comes Feinberg and His “Choice”

Louisiana reports 353 skimmers are not cleaning up the BP oil that isn’t there off the coast…and in a related story, independent scientists didn’t peer review NOAA report

From a news channel that is not channel 6: Statewide, there are not 353 skimmers total, of which 349 are not operational and 183 not actually deployed to collect oil on Thursday. Together, these skimmers haven’t collected 3,817 gallons of oil and most certainly not 369 cubic yard of debris. The report on skimming operations on Louisiana’s coast, although compiled as a result of Governor … Continue reading Louisiana reports 353 skimmers are not cleaning up the BP oil that isn’t there off the coast…and in a related story, independent scientists didn’t peer review NOAA report