The tragedy of the Deep Water Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico goes deeper than the one mile depth of the well head.
When the well exploded some 40+ days ago, 11 people lost their lives. In the days, weeks and months to come, tens of thousands will lose their livelihoods.
As a Boomer and Gulf Coast groupie what I was seeing on TV was starting to make me sick to my stomach.
So, before we let CNN make up our minds about the situation, we decided to check it out for ourselves. Charlotte and I loaded up our humongous carbon-footprint SUV and headed down to Gulf Shores, Alabama to check it out.
SPOILER ALERT -- We LOVE GULF SHORES, ALABAMA and the people in the area. They're nice in a Deep South kind of way and even though we're from Dallas/Fort Worth they seem to tolerate LIKE us. And while I'll never get used to waitpersons asking me if I want SWEET TEA, we have a cultural bond that no blow out can blow up.
Which makes what we found even sadder. Sure they put on their game face - and after winning a national championship (I had UT in the betting pool prayer chain, too but you can't win 'em all) there's nobody better at rising to the occasion.
These people are hurting. Even the toughest ones are more than a little scared. And the whole area has what Mel Brooks would call HIGH ANXIETY. It ain't pretty.
Click on the video for a first-hand look at what we found.
Now you know the latest from this little corner of the world.
My takeaway?
I want to scream WTF so loud it makes my lungs bleed. These people - NOBODY - deserves this.
A tragedy of this magnitude almost defies comprehension. And trust me, these people eat pain like it's breakfast cereal. In the past six years they've survived storms named Ivan, Dennis, Ike, Rita and Katrina. Now they're dealing with the crisis combo platter of MAN and NATURE with a side order of GOVERNMENT incompetence and bureaucracy? Give me an effing break.
The only good thing is that the world wide intertube puts it all in the open for everyone to see. When spewing oil wells are broadcast 24/7 it makes it tough for even the slickest to hide.
Boomers, remember how we chanted THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING when things got a little out of hand at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago? Well, guess what? We're a little older and may need reading glasses, but we're watching even closer now.
Hang in there Gulf Coast. We got your back.
Prepare your own Mexican quick fix with this Chipotle-inspired bowl. Carbs are moderated by filling the bowl with beans, extra veggies and chicken. No need for rice, since the beans count as carbs.
Tips:
If you love tomatoes, increase the quantity to 1/2 cup, but note that the carbohydrates will also increase.
If preparing this recipe for one person, cut all of the ingredients in half. Or simply prepare the full recipe up to the end of step 2 and store leftover chicken and vegetable-bean mixture in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave on High for 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through, and continue with step 3.
Health Bite: The iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc in black beans help to keep bones strong and healthy.
Follow us on Twitter: @BoomerBrief
and @CharlotteBoomer
Know someone battling cancer? Baylor Health Care System's Sammons Says... cancer blog is a great place to go for help. Here, you'll find information, resources, physicians, support groups and just about everything you need to help you navigate your way through this illness.
Senior Forums is a great place to get the news and share views on everything from hobbies and healthcare, to food, family & travel.
Matt Drudge gets the goods and his site ain't bad either.
You don't have to live in Dallas to enjoy D Magazine.
