Oil is boiling uncontrollably from a damaged oil well in the Gulf of Mexico off the Louisiana Coast. Life-killing oil threatens the coasts fisheries, resorts and wildlife preserves of 3 other states. The president of the oil drilling company BP says that the initial explosion was due to "equipment failure."
Is it coincidental that the price of gasoline was jacked-up ten cents, and is now hovering just under $3.00?
Here in the Boston area over the weekend, a catastrophic "equipment failure" event came when a break in a ten foot pipe sent gillions of gallons into the Charles River and millions of people in 38 communities endured a third day with no pure water. This was not some ancient Roman aqueduct. This is a new facility. The construction of the complex that processes the water was completed just a year or so ago.
Today, the leak is is fixed. But for how long?
One cannot help but think of the faulty construction that characterized "The Big Dig. Can anyone who has read about the corruption and shabby construction practices drive through those tunnel without worrying just a little about safety? Will the ceiling cave-in again?
==========
The necessities of life - stuff we take for granted such as pure drinking water and available automobile fuel can suddenly become scarce. When this happens, we see how thin the veneer of civility actually is. People who just hours ago were smug assholes proud of their lifestyles turn into snarling beasts fighting over the few bottles of water left at the supermarket.
No comments:
Post a Comment