Hopefully, even a novice would know how easily facts are lost in Time -- whether it's poorly kept minutes of the Hamblen County Commission, or the ravaging of wetlands around the Gulf Coast. Recent or ancient, there are always many versions of events.
Take the story from National Geographic from 2004:
"Louisiana has the hardest working wetlands in America, a watery world of bayous, marshes, and barrier islands that either produces or transports more than a third of the nation's oil and a quarter of its natural gas, and ranks second only to Alaska in commercial fish landings. As wildlife habitat, it makes Florida's Everglades look like a petting zoo by comparison.
Such high stakes compelled a host of unlikely bedfellows—scientists, environmental groups, business leaders, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers—to forge a radical plan to protect what's left. Drafted by the Corps a year ago, the Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA) project was initially estimated to cost up to 14 billion dollars over 30 years, almost twice as much as current efforts to save the Everglades. But the Bush Administration balked at the price tag, supporting instead a plan to spend up to two billion dollars over the next ten years to fund the most promising projects. Either way, Congress must authorize the money before work can begin."
Read the full story here.
Not many news reports have noted another interesting change in Lousiana, that they farmed out the preparations for evacuations to a consulting company. They have so far evaded any blame in the breakdown of support and aid following Katrina.
And at least one person claims our knowledge of "Gulliver's Travels" by Swift are just wrong. Who knew it was all about sex?
Mmmm half inch women in knee deep jizz. That ain't erotic...is it?
ReplyDeleteAs any good American I have been lied to so much I can't feel my aphrodisia anymore.