Dirty fracking water: a flood of permanent pollution.

From Scientific American, we learn that huge amounts of precious water are being polluted to such an extent that it can never feasible be returned to the planet's fresh water system. This is horrifying, especially since there are much safer alternatives, including conservation and sustainable energy supplies.

The nation's oil and gas wells produce at least nine billion liters of contaminated water per day, according to an Argonne National Laboratory report. And that is an underestimate of the amount of brine, fracking fluid and other contaminated water that flows back up a well along with the natural gas or oil, because it is based on incomplete data from state governments gathered in 2007. The volume will only get larger, too: oil and gas producers use at least 7.5 million liters of water per well to fracture subterranean formations and release entrapped hydrocarbon fuels, a practice that has grown in the U.S. by at least 48 percent per year in the last five years . . . The problem is that the large volumes of water that flow back to the surface along with the oil or gas are laced with everything from naturally radioactive minerals to proprietary chemicals. And there are not a lot of cost-effective options for treating it, other than dumping it down a deep well.

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African proverbs

I've often posted on quotes, but a friend recently sent me a link to a big collection of African proverbs. Lots of wisdom in these words, and here are some of my favorites: To get lost is to learn the way. ~ African proverb He who learns, teaches. ~ Ethiopian proverb You always learn a lot more when you lose than when you win. ~ African proverb You learn how to cut down trees by cutting them down. ~ Bateke proverb Instruction in youth is like engraving in stone. ~Moroccan Proverb Traveling is learning. ~Kenyan Proverb Peace is costly but it is worth the expense. ~Kenyan proverb War has no eyes ~ Swahili saying There can be no peace without understanding. ~Senegalese proverb If you can’t resolve your problems in peace, you can’t solve war. ~ Somalian proverb He who thinks he is leading and has no one following him is only taking a walk. ~ Malawian proverb A large chair does not make a king. ~ Sudanese proverb Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable. ~ Bondei proverb It takes a village to raise a child. ~ African proverb Cross the river in a crowd and the crocodile won’t eat you. ~ African proverb Hold a true friend with both hands. ~ African proverb Show me your friend and I will show you your character. ~ African proverb Bad friends will prevent you from having good friends. ~ Gabon proverb Make some money but don’t let money make you. ~ Tanzania The rich are always complaining. ~ Zulu Money can’t talk, yet it can make lies look true. ~ South Africa What you give you get, ten times over. ~ Yoruba The surface of the water is beautiful, but it is no good to sleep on. ~Ghanaian Proverb You are beautiful, but learn to work, for you cannot eat your beauty. ~Congolese Proverb Three things cause sorrow to flee; water, green trees, and a beautiful face. ~Moroccan Proverb A beautiful thing is never perfect. ~Egyptian Proverb Youth is beauty, even in cattle. ~Egyptian Proverb

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Journalism malpractice unabated

At Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, Steve Rendall discusses numerous stunning examples, historical and recent, of journalists withholding important stories from the public at the request of the federal government.

Journalism is supposed to hold power to account. That’s the principle implicit in the U.S. Constitution’s singling out a free press for protection. If that principle were respected, the Washington Post’s admission (2/6/13) that it and “several news organizations” made a deal with the White House to withhold the news that the U.S. has a drone base in Saudi Arabia would have been a red flag, triggering widespread discussion of media ethics. But these deals have become so commonplace that the story generated less concern among journalists than did the denial of press access to a recent presidential golf outing.

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The Bechdel test for movies

The Bechdel Test is a simple test which names the following three criteria for rating movies: (1) it has to have at least two women in it, who (2) who talk to each other, about (3) something besides a man. [Update 4/28/13]: More on the Bechdel test from the Double Parent, focusing on princesses who need to be rescued by a prince, many of these movies by Disney. And . . . the story of Wonderwoman. You can view the entire one-hour video at PBS.

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