There Are None So Blind...

[Baut Images: Beyond the Visible]

There is an old saying that comes to mind, as I think about the latest eco-disaster in America, and that saying is "There are none so blind as those who will not see!" With the oil spill in the Yellowstone River, in Montana on July 3, 2011, courtesy of Exxon Mobil, we now have one more episode in a long list of environmental disasters, that is adding to the contamination of our land and bio-shere. For further information on this and other stories, please go to the following link http://www.projectworldawareness.com/

We have only to look about us, watch the evening news, or read the newspapers, to see that our planet is fast becoming more of a toxic dump every day. As a hiker and photographer I get to see many out of the way places, and believe me I am always surprised to see plastic bottles, papers, and refuse laying about in the most unexpected places. It's always hard for me to believe what other hikers, backpackers and "supposed" nature lovers leave behind. A sad statement about mankind.

What I do find really interesting, however, is the focus of the media, on how eco-disasters will be cleaned up, or how this or that will be done to remedy the situation. In reality, folks, there is no way, for anyone, to clean any of these messes up 100%!

It also surprises me how blithely people just go about their daily lives as if nothing has happened in the Gulf of Mexico, Kalamazoo River, fracking, the Fukushima nuclear disaster, et cetera, et cetera. Simply go on as if nothing has, or is happening in their world. We are at a nexus point where people have a great opportunity to stop all of this insanity and make our world a better place, or watch it desintegrate day by day before our eyes. John Major Jenkins has written, "The materialist delusion has run its course," which I hope is true, but it seems like it's still hanging on in Washington, D. C., and other major cities.

Some time ago, I watched a program based upon a book entitled, The World Without Us, by Alan Weisman, which addressed the idea, of what the world might be like, if mankind were suddenly no longer on the planet. I heartly recommend this book to anyone interested in our environment, and how the planet might correct itself without the intereference of mankind.

Homo sapiens has been contributing to the demise of our eco-system, and itself, for hundreds of years, but now with all the chemicals, pollutants, GMOs, radiation, weapons, carcinogins, and toxins it has developed, it is speeding up the process of changing the planet and itself in a negative way that may go on for many years. I sometimes wonder, if that's what occurred on the Planet Mars?

As I have written before, mankind, for the most part, is the only species I know of that not only maims, kills, poisons and tortures others of its own kind, as well as the flora and fauna of the planet it lives on. It almost seems as if our species is innately destructive.

Osho says, that "99.9% of the people living on the planet are either asleep or drunk," which might explain why we seem to be living in a Dark Age of intolerance, ignorance, bigotry, hate, and greed. A time when little is done to help the millions of homeless verterans, youth and families that abound. A time of apathy and uncaring. A time our forefathers might not have thought could ever occur, but in their wisdom said, "United we stand. Divided we fall."

One day, and hopefully soon, people will begin opening their eyes, and start working together for the benefit of everyone, and the old phrase, "There are none so blind, as those who will not see," will be a thing of the past!

Roger Allen Baut

Realm of the White Heron

The Heron is a bird that has been given a symbolic nature in many cultures. In China, the Heron represents strength, purity, patience and long-life. In Egypt, it has been honored as the creator of light. In Africa, the Heron was believed to communicate with the gods.

As a creature of the water, the Heron is symbolic of going with the flow, and working with the elements of nature, rather than trying to manipulate and struggle against it.

The White Heron may then be seen as a representation of the purity and cleanness that is present in nature when it is not tampered with by mankind, and that is why I have chosen to title this project the Realm of the White Heron.

It is time for Homo Sapiens to stop its insane plundering of the planet and it's resources, as well as the blatant manipulation of plant and animal life. Already we are seeing dramatic climatic change in many parts of the world, as well as the melting of the polar caps.

Those perpetuating these insidious crimes against nature, or associated with them through greed, are guilty of crimes against humanity and the planetary bio-sphere. It is time to hold those who are perpetuating these horrendous acts accountable, as has the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society http://www.seashepherd.org/. This society has put a damper on the brutal whaling industry in the Southern Ocean.

We stand at a nexus point, or crossroads in all of our lives. We only have to look about us, or listen to the daily news, to understand that the path mankind travels each day is becoming more and more precarious. Each day our planetary bio-sphere is being subjected to new abuse from chemicals and toxins, whether through technology, mining, nuclear energy, or the oil industry. Our air, water and food is becoming increasingly more and more contaminated and unstable, as well as the emerging of new virulent species of bacteria, such as E. coli, which has recently emerged in Germany, and already spread to many parts of the world.

The images you will see within this ongoing project, entitled the Realm of the White Heron depicts a world that is visually free from the many toxins that are polluting and driving our planet and species into a crisis mode. It presents the wonder of nature as it is, and may be, by simply becoming environmentally friendly, and working together for the mutual benefit of the planet and mankind. If we do not begin in this "now" moment to correct the damages to our bio-sphere, planet may one day look like the surface of Mars.

As you view the images presented herein, and the beauty that earth's wildlife and nature has to offer us, please consider taking part in some type of action, to help stop the destruction of our species and planet. Whether you write or email letters to your local, state and/or governmental representatives, and/or join groups such as the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Green Peace, or Wildlife Conservation Society, whatever you do, can only make a positive difference. We know not how long these images from the Realm of the White Heron will be a valid representation of life forms on Earth.

"One little light can light ten thousand." Koichi Tohei-sensei
To view the Realm of the White Heron, please go to: http://www.behance.net/gallery/The-Realm-of-the-White-Heron/1543327

Update 60+ Days in Deepwater: Karma Coming to America?

Since the post of 06•20•10, entitled 60+ Days in Deepwater: Karma Coming to America, a few other pieces of information have been revealed themselves seriously concern me, and that is there are more "hidden" aspects to this Deepwater eco-tragedy, than one might think.

Yesterday, I was made aware of an article by Lynn Hasselburger and Leslie Scales that revealed more "horror" about this whole Gulf disaster and scandal! Yes, scandal, and that's exactly what it is, because I cannot believe that everyone in our legislative, judicial and executive branches of government were all unaware of the "nightmare" aspects of Corexit 9500, and that using it would cause such widespread damage to our land and people! If they were "all" unaware, that would be one thing, but if any of them knew then it's another, for "knowing" would be tantamount to allowing the outright "poisoning" of the land and people of the United States of America! Please take the time to take a look at Ms. Scales site http://www.earthspeak.org/ for related information on how toxins have been affecting people in this country for some time now.

So, what's so dastardly about Corexit? Nancy Chuda, with LUXECOLIVING, writes in her article entitled, "Does EPA Mean Business as Usual?" that as far back as 1989, and the oil spill from the Exxon Valdex that Corexit was used. Particulary noticable was the fact that during the clean-up from the Valdez oil spill, biohazard suits and masks were worn by those working in the clean-up process. So, the information on how toxic this stuff is, has been around for quite a while!

Now, with that information, come down to the present day where thousands upon thousands of gallons of Corexit 9500 have been dumped into the Gulf of Mexico, think about what that means! Now think about clean-up crews in the Gulf without proper biohazard gear and breathing its vapor in. No wonder a lot of workers had to be taken to the hospital. Now think about what the Corexit will have upon the aquatic life, marshes and southern states. Ms. Chuda writes, "...the use of Corexit during the Exxon Valdez oil spill caused respiratory, nervous system, liver, kidney and blood disorders in people." As I mentioned before, if anyone knew about the insidious effects of Corexit, it would be tantamount to allowing the outright "poisoning" of the land and people of the United States of America! Now, think about that.

Some of the ingrediants in Corexit include: Arsenic, Cyanide, Chromium, Lead, Mercury, et cetera. I am including a link to Ms. Chuda's article so you may read her more in-depth perspective of what is happening in the Gulf of Mexico. Also, please take a look at the people walking on the beach with the oil stream on it. Source: http://tinyurl.com/2cmjqmd

60+ days ago this whole tragedy began, and I don't think many us garden variety citizens, realized the disaster of epic proportions that was about to occur. Thinking back over these days, it reminds me of some really bad "B" movie the SyFy channel might be playing. To me, one of the worst parts of all of this, are the blantant "lies" that this administration has been perpetrating from the beginning of the oil spill! Keep the citizenry ignorant of facts is obvious, but that's the game the D.C. oligarchs have been playing for 10 years now. "Smoke and mirrors!" "Mirrors and smoke!" Shame on our elected officials and administration. I wouldn't trade places with any of them no matter how wealthy they are, for though the "hammer of karma" may not fall upon them today, it will soon enough! As the saying goes, "The sun shines equally upon the just and the unjust!" and so shall the toxic Corexit/oil rains fall upon all of us.

It also seems that no one is "learning" from this 60+ day disaster, as I found a new article, today, entitled, "Despite Spill, Deep Water Drilling is Here to Stay!" by Steve Mufson, of The Washington Post. According to Mr. Mufson, "Willie Sutton robbed banks because that's where the money is. And oil companies venture into deep waters for exploration because that's where the oil is." Source: http://tinyurl.com/2dexkel

There seems to be nothing short of a total eco-collapse that is going to stop these greedy, materialistic oligarchs who seem to care about nothing but stuffing their pockets and bank accounts, full of worthless US$! And, the US$ has to be worthless, especially if gold is riding on the $1,200 to $1,500 an ounce level!

So, it looks like Shakespeare was right when his character Puck said in A Midsummer Night's Dream, "Lord! What fools these mortals be!" But, as the ancients have said, this is the Kali Yuga, the Iron Age: The Age of Chaos!

Sharron Rose writes, "In our current Age of Iron, dominated by the forces of chaos and confusion, entranced by the flickering vibrations and images of our technological wonders, pumped full of pharmaceuticals and food additives to enhance our sensations or ease our pain, we have not only lost our fundamental virtue and integrity, but we have literally lost our minds."

Ms. Rose goes on to say, "Whether we are in the final phase of the dissolution or, as some teachings argue, merely the beginning of the end, it makes no difference. Regardless of our exact location in the great cycle of time, as luminous spiritual beings in material form, as Keepers of the Light, we must remain true to the divine principles of honesty and righteousness. Our task in this time of darkness and oppression is to journey to the depths of our beings and rediscover the essential light and power that has always been hidden there by the veils of corporeal existence." Source: http://tinyurl.com/25xegd2

So, there is indeed a ray of hope, that even in this time of chaos and confusion, something brighter and better will emerge for mankind in the future! Karma? Certainly karma for those who have perpetrated horrendous acts upon Planet Earth, and all life that exists here! But, let's not forget those who have, and are doing what they can to "make a positive difference" in this world.

As Osho has said, "99.9% of those living on the planet today are asleep or drunk," but that still leaves .1% of the population who aren't! One person can still make a difference in this world. "If we want the world to change, we must first begin with ourself," Koichi Tohei-sensi.

USA Titanic

The world thought the HMS Titanic was unsinkable, it sank! The world thought the USA was invincible after WWII, it wasn't and Viet Nam proved that! Now, after a series of many foolish mistakes, one right after another, the mighty USA is crumbling, as did the Roman empire in 410 A.D.

Faced with incredible debt incurrred from misbegotten wars, greed, failed foreign policy, pollution of air, land and sea, the USA Titanic is poised, as was the HMS Titanic, to slide into the icy depths of the sea.

Each day new headlines confirm this, in "America's Most Polluted Cities," MSN brings the information collected from Forbes.com to the forefront, and shines a light on ozone pollution and how it is affecting people in various parts of the country. Forbes also lists the 25 worst cities for ozone pollution. Personally, I knew ozone was bad, but not as bad as this, "...inhaling ozone is akin to 'getting a sunburn on your airways,' says Dr. Norman H. Edelman, the ALA's (American Lung Association) chief medical officer." Source MSN/Forbes http://tinyurl.com/22jm4k3

Listed as Forbes #1. "worst city" is Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, CA; followed by #2. Bakersfield, CA; #3. Visalia-Porterville; CA #4. Fresno-Madera, CA; and #5. Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Yuba City, CA & NV. For the other 20 cities and various medical problems related to them please go to http://tinyurl.com/2aftaas

Also, the oil rig catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico continues in the headlines, along with its tragic consequences. On Saturday, May 15, MSNBC quoted the New York Times (NYT) that reported scientists had found giant oil plumes in the Gulf, one of which was 10 miles long, 3 miles wide and 300 feet thick! "...the leak from the broken undersea well could be substantially worse than estimates that the government and BP have given." says the NYT. No surprise here with the BP and government estimates!

The NYT goes on to say, "The plumes are depleting the oxygen dissolved in the gulf, worrying scientists, who fear that the oxygen level could eventually fall so low as to kill off much of the sea life near the plumes." Full article http://tinyurl.com/29vhbnb

Today, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) reported, "Coast Guard officials have found nearly two dozen tar balls on Key West shores but have not determined if they came from the Gulf of Mexico's massive oil disaster." So where else might the tar balls come from? Are there other leaking undersea wells we're not aware of? Hmmm, very interesting! NWF article http://tinyurl.com/2aj7jb4

In another article from the NYT, relative to the plumes, it reported that, "Dr. Samantha Joye [University of Georgia] 'said the oxygen had already dropped 30 percent near some of the plumes in the month that the broken oil well had been flowing. “If you keep those kinds of rates up, you could draw the oxygen down to very low levels that are dangerous to animals in a couple of months,'" she said Saturday. "That is alarming!"

Alarming indeed! We may be witnessing one of the greatest eco-tragedies in recorded history, as well as its affects on the United States and the world! Is it possible there may be a glimmer of hope, somewhere, for the USA Titanic? Is it possible that it's citizenry will wake-up, before the Great Ship of State takes its final plunge into the icy seas? Is it possible?

America the Polluted, or Don't Drink the Water!

The first item of news that took me aback today was the fact the United States Department of Interior, "...exempted BP's calamitous Gulf of Mexico drilling operation from a detailed environmental impact analysis last year, according to government documents, after three reviews of the area concluded that a massive oil spill was unlikely."

Well, this certainly seeems like another brick in the wall of either governmental myopia, nonchalance, stupidity, or something else. What that something else may be, well, there's a long list of things that one may chose from. A day late and a doolar short, "...environmentalists and some key senators are calling for a reassessment of safety requirements for offshore drilling."

It was reported yesterday on Dylan Radigan's program, MSNBC, that other wells are "seeping," oil. Seeping may not be a volcano of oil, but it is a leak and a danger to aquatic life in, and of itself. Something is so wrong with this picture that I'm sure it gives sane people migranes. Source: MSNBC/The Washington Post.

As troubling as the Gulf of Mexico disaster is, another one that is particularly disturbing is one that is related to the Boeing Company, near Seattle, WA. "To resolve a multi-party federal lawsuit, the Boeing Company will pay $2 billion to remediate environmental damage in Seattle’s Duwamish waterway, the ancestral grounds for the Duwamish, Muckleshoot, and Suquamish Tribes." Talk about a mess!

The $2 billion is "...to fund the cleanup of the site where Boeing built many of the B-17 bombers used during World War II. Solvents, oils and other chemicals polluted the property and leached into groundwater that migrated to the Duwamish waterway."

The number of new and ongoing eco-tragedies is really disheartening, and no matter what anyone says, there is no way to totally eradicate, clean-up, or return land or water to its original prisitine environment. Chemicals, and/or other pollutants which have gone into our air, water, ground, plants and wildlife are simply absorbed, and will eventually be ingested by people. Only nature, over thousands of years can cleanse the planet from the pollutants and toxins, that a greedy and self-absorbed Homo sapiens moronus has dumped into it.

America once a beautiful and pristine land has become a trash heap! If you don't believe me look at the photo in the following link (Source: Native American Legal Update)

America the polluted! Don't drink the tap water! I don't!

Oil Spill Eco-Tragedy 2010!

The question now becomes, "What is it going take to wake people up?" Almost every day there is some new problem for people and the planet. Not to mention, all those ecological and societal problems that have been created by mankind over the past years.

As Naomi Wolf has so aptly said, we have reached several "tipping" points as a nation, and once that tipping point has been reached it is difficult going back, and/or correcting whatever has occurred. If you are not familiar with her work, I would suggest you to go to: http://www.endofamericamovie.com/ and find out what she has to say about the "End of America."

Environmentally, we have also reached a tipping point with our latest oil spill disaster. America has been on a collision course with an eco-tragedy for many years; it looks like it may be here now. As our esteemed caesar now says, "...we are dealing with a massive and potentially unprecedented environmental disaster." Well, yeah! Wake-up for God's sake and smell the coffee (see full article: MSNBC) http://tinyurl.com/2ckqrfq

No amount of clean-up is going to restore the Gulf of Mexico to its original pristine condition. Water, fish, plants, birds, et cetera are all being affected. As a matter of fact, there is already "dead" zone in the Gulf. Yup, a dead zone, check this out from smm.org http://www.smm.org/deadzone/ on the Gulf area that cannot support aquatic life.

As the old cliche goes, this is a "train wreck in slow motion," except the train wreck has been going on for years. Planet Earth has been turned into a polluted garbage dump by Homo sapiens moronus! The list of atrocities that mankind/governments have perpetrated on this planet is a long one. I need not go into all the gory details, but I am always reminded about the 10,000 +/- pieces of debris floating around our planet by our glorious space program.

So, who's responsible for all of this mess? None other than American people, who have NOT demanded accountability, responsibility, or transparency from their elected officials/administration. It is the American people, for the most part, have allowed their government to do whatever it wants. Why? Because they're often too busy being self-absorbed with their phoney baloney celebrities, junk television, junk food, junk beverages, and lost inside some computer screen either self-stimulating themselves mentally, or physically. When the USA Titanic goes down, it's gonna make a BIG splash folks!

No need to tell you what can be done to SOS (Save our Ship)! You already know, but if you don't, it's simply this: if you want to make a difference and stop the eco-tragedies and loss of our civil liberties from happening, you just have to get up and take a stand, and STOP the insanty and the greed.

Return our government to one that is really a representative one, and one that is, "...of, by, and for the people." This government was set up to provide for the necessities of its people, not vice-versa! It's now up to all of us to STOP the mismanagement of this nation, or we will all suffer the consequences, and those consequences will impact us forever!

The tipping point has been reached!

Of oil spills and E. coli

The latest piece of big, "bad news," is the oil spill which occurred in the Gulf of Mexico from the Louisana oil rig disaster of April 20th. Now, 9 days later, it's become a real crisis as the spill has moved toward the Mississippi River, Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Breton national Wildlife Refuge, and rich oyster grounds.

One fisherman was quoted as saying, "The oil come in everywhere, the shrimp die, the crabs die, the fish die. What do I do?"

MSNBC reports that, "If the well cannot be closed, almost 100,000 barrels of oil, or 4.2 million gallons, could spill into the Gulf before crews can drill a relief well to alleviate the pressure." The size of the oil spill is now, "...600 miles in circumference and about 23 miles offshore." Think about the ecological significance of this event.

A "...decision to burn some of the oil came after crews operating submersible robots failed to activate a shut-off device that would halt the flow of oil on the sea bottom 5,000 feet below." Now where do you think all those toxic fumes are going? Correct! Right into the atmosphere.

Late yesterday, Wednesday, a lawsuit was filed that, "...seeks at least $5 million in compensatory damages, plus an unspecified amount of punitive damages against Transocean, BP, Halliburton Energy Services Inc. and Cameron International Corp." Hmmm, Halliburton, doesn't that name sound very familiar? Why yes, come to think of it, this administration is still playing "patty-cake" with them, in a number of different ventures? Yes, siree!
It will be interesting to see what transpires with this latest environmental situation as it progresses. Unfortunately, no amount of money is going to eradicate, or return the Gulf or animal life to what it was before the spill. Sources: The Baltimore Sun http://tinyurl.com/2bfmx2c and MSNBC http://tinyurl.com/24tyhay

Now, on to another topic: food! It was announced today that the State of New York is now linked to an E. coli O145 Outbreak in Michigan and Ohio! It is reported that as many as 47 have now sickened in three States, in the Marler Blog http://www.marlerblog.com/ The Marler Blog is an excellent resource for finding out about what food/health-related challenges are presently occurring.

So, what is E. coli? Well, for the most part, it's the name of a type of bacteria that lives inside the intestines. Most types of E. coli are quite harmless. However, some types can cause illness and diarrhea. One type causes travelers' to have diarrhea. The worst type of E. coli causes bloody diarrhea, and may sometimes result in kidney failure and even death. Needless to say, it's something that one doesn't want to contract.

How do People contract E. coli? Well, one may contract it by drinking contaminated water, eating fruit or vegetables that have been watered with contaminated water, drinking unpasteurized milk, or eating undercooked ground meat. An E. coli infection may also be caught by coming into contact with others who are infected with it, or by working in environments where one might come into contact with human or animal feces.

At this point in time, it is not known for sure, whether or not this outbreak is from hamburger or some leafy green vegetables such as lettuce, or spinach.

So, there you have it, some new issues that are causing a bit of havoc for the planet and Homo sapiens! It seems to be an ongoing saga. Hmmm, I wonder what the final outcome will be?

Oh, by the way, here's a recommendation for some late night reading, for you: The World Without Us, by Alan Weisman, a fascinating book that asks us to envision the Earth without us. Think about it!

Earth Changes

Earthquakes seem to be making the news rather frequently these days. On March 4, 2010, a strong earthquake hit Taiwan (6.4M), injuring approximately sixty-four people, disrupting communications, and triggering a fire. It is alledged to be the biggest earthquake to hit this region in more that a century, and unrelated to the Chilean earthquake 6 days earlier.

On February 27, 2010, an impressively strong earthquake (8.8M) hit Chile and generated several tsunamis, causing mild to moderate damage in that country. A short while before, on January 12th, Haiti was rocked by a (7.0M) earthquake, while the Sumatran earthquake (9.1M) of 2004 generated a massive Indian Ocean tsunami killing thousands of people. Everyday there are earthquakes of various size and magnitude that occur in different areas around the globe.

Unfortunately, many people don't even give a second thought to earthquakes, or the earth changes that occur as a result of them, unless they are directly affected by one. The problem with a compalcent attitude, is that people believe that tomorrow is just going to be another another day, and life will continue as it is.

This, however, is an erroneous assumption, since our planet is in a constant state of movement and change. The environment, continents, oceans, air, plant and animal life changes from moment to moment, depending upon what is going on in our biosphere. If Homo sapiens is going to continue its life on earth, then it needs to wake-up and become conscious as to what is occurring within its realm of being.

Richard Gross, a geophysicist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, said, “The length of the day should have gotten shorter by 1.26 microseconds (millionths of a second),” he went on to say in an e-mail reply to questions. “The axis about which the Earth’s mass is balanced should have moved by 2.7 milliarcseconds (about 8 centimeters or 3 inches).” He added, “The Sumatran earthquake shortened the day by 6.8 microseconds and shifted the axis by about 2.3 milliarcseconds."

Although this may not seem like a great deal of earth change, we must remember that even the tinest shift in the earth can result in significant changes in the planet's environment as we move forward in time, and with more significant earthquakes, the amount of change in axis and length of day may be compounded.

Earth is a delicately balanced bio-sphere, and even the slightest imbalance can cause unknown consequences and effects in the weather, seasons, et cetera. It is time for people to wake-up to this fact and realize there is much they can do, to reduce the damage that Homo sapiens is doing to the planet.