A Short Message From

A Long Denial

Egypt doesn't want any new dams built on the Nile by Ethiopia or any other countries. The upstream countries want to be able to implement irrigation and hydro-power projects, but Egypt plans to exercise the veto power it was given by a 1929 colonial-era treaty with Britain.

When I read about this today, in Al Jazeera, I found myself compromising with my 'save the planet' self. The new dams are sure to screw up the ecology of the river upstream, but Egypt and Sudan have been able to develop industrially, as a result of the dams that have already screwed up the river ecology downstream. So, unless Egypt wants to remove the dams it uses downstream, it only seems fair that Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, and the other upstream countries should have irrigation and hydro-electric benefits, too.

Hi There, Slick

The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico from space. (NASA)

On the other hand, sometimes industry can really screw up the planet's ecology, big time. I suppose that Ethiopia shouldn't be denied the opportunity to put their own blot on this once pristine paradise. The only thing that sort of nags at me, is that it's Halliburton who will be building the dams on the Nile, with money that Ethiopia will have borrowed from the World Bank. Halliburton has had some recent failures, like the big oil spill.

According to President Obama, "You had executives of BP and Transocean and Halliburton falling over each other to point the finger of blame at somebody else."

I think the slogan goes like this; Halliburton, paving the road to Hell since 1919.

While I was looking up stuff about the gulf, I ran across this little tidbit about the shrimp industry;

"90 percent of all shrimp consumed in the US comes from shrimp farms in Asia".

Here In Redding

A rainbow, here at the Treehouse apartments. 5/19/10

We had some rain the past couple of days, so there weren't the usual opportunities for me to take pictures of Lassen and Shasta, but the beauty of my surroundings simply moved in closer, where I could appreciate them more intimately.

I do appreciate the fortune, gifts, blessings, and opportunities that have been bestowed upon me.

Mr. Clean

Happy after a shower, with a cup of spring water coffee.

In an email, earlier today, to Marian, I wrote about a cup of coffee.

I have been trying to balance my budget by reducing some of my expenditures so that I can afford equipment and supplies for my endeavors. I made a pot of coffee this morning with Redding tap water. I have been using bottled spring water ever since I began research about water for my articles and personal curiosity. My research gave me the impression that my health would benefit in the long run if I didn't consume the water from the tap. So for a couple of years I have been using spring water for anything that I eat or drink. I go through about 3 gallons every 2 days, so I thought I would try to conserve by making coffee with tap water. It tasted awful.

I wrote the following to Marian;

"Wouldn't it be wonderful if all the worlds people could have tap water, electricity, coffee beans, an electric grinder, and a Mr. Coffee to make hot coffee, so they could complain about the taste, too?"

My cup truly runneth over, and I am thankful.

After The Rain

The view from the 2nd floor landing. 5/19/10

I went to the store, spent the 98 cents, plus deposit, came back and made some coffee that I decided I can afford, after all.

Today's Relatively Appropriate Clip;
Wilkins Coffee - Jim Henson

Thanks