The Keystone XL Pipeline

Yesterday, the imminent decision to allow the TransCanada pipeline to run through the center of the US was delayed. President Obama would have had one difficult call and someone will still have to make it sometime in the not so distant future. Whether the decision will fall to him or to his successor, does not matter:  the issues will remain the same in 2013 as they are today.

The decision was and still is  whether to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline through the center of the US from Alberta to the Texas Gulf, providing jobs to thousands of Americans in building the pipe line and hundreds of thousands to maintain and operate the pipeline through 2035. (per TransCanada). The alternative, then, is to cancel it, thus mollifying the concerns of environmentalists and all of their concerns. There are so many levels to this issue,  it is my belief that no matter what the president decides, it will be the wrong decision for 50% of our citizens.

These are some of the issues and concerns:

Issue one, the environment: an article by Seth Borenstein from The Associated Press, states that greenhouse gas levels have risen drastically since 2009 and far exceed the dire prediction of experts from just four years ago – the reason? The world dumped something like 500 million more tons of carbon into our atmosphere in 2010 than the year before. What will the statistics be for 2011?  Greenhouse gases are the unfortunate result of "fracking," the process proposed by TransCanada to extract oil. (Discussion below).

Issue two, job creation and future industry deals with Canada: most labor unions and local politicians support the pipeline with the exception of Nebraska. Today the US is the major source of energy exports from Canada. What will an annulment of the project do to our relations?  The Canadian oil industry believes if this deal does not go through, that it will be the end of export to the US and they will have to expand their markets to Asia, primarily China and India by building a pipeline through Canada west to the Pacific.

Issue three, water, specifically the Ogallala Aquifer in Nebraska: a portion of the pipeline would pass through the Sandhills region in Nebraska and the Ogallala aquifer which is said to supply water to Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. At the moment, Nebraska stands alone in an attempt to take the decision making process out of the hands of the State Department and into their own.

Issue four, unexplained increased seismic activity: the earthquake that occurred over last weekend in Oklahoma was the strongest in the state’s history. Some believe that the increased seismic activity is a result of the drilling of injection wells. Natural gas companies use a process called “fracking” (hydraulic fracturing) to break apart the sand and shale from rock in order to release the natural gas. The water used is then disposed of by injecting it into the ground through “injection wells.” Arkansas is said to have experienced more seismic activity in recent history because of injection wells.  Where, exactly, did the earthquake occur? The pipeline is scheduled to cross near Cushing, OK.

Additionally the "fracking" process requires intense heat that is said to create more greenhouse gases than conventional pumping of crude.

Issue five, the Law of Eminent Domain: which means the government can appropriate your property whether you want to sell or not. They will pay you, of course, but “fair value” is a dubious term.

Issue six, the State Department vs. the State of Nebraska and jurisdiction: Currently the State Department holds jurisdiction over the decision making process since the pipeline would cross a US border; however, there has been a bill presented to the Nebraska State Senate by State Senator Anne Dubas which proposes that responsibility for the decision should rest in the hands of Nebraskans. We will see.

Issue seven, giving a foreign country eminent domain through our lands: Eminent domain is seen by some as a subsidy through private lands that most oil and gas companies must negotiate on an individual basis – to obtain easement rights. This broad access to our lands by a foreign company, they claim, is an infringement on our rights and an argument that amazingly has brought “tea party supporters” and environmentalists together with the same outrage. Per the Washington Post, “. . .TransCanada filed with the Texas Railroad Commission as a “common carrier” – meaning the project is for public use which gives TransCanada eminent domain rights. . .” (Rachel Weiner, Friday, November 11, 9am)

Issue eight, energy sources: The project could significantly reduce our dependence on foreign oil (unless of course, you consider Canada to be a foreign country) and if the pipeline is scrubbed, it could mean that in the future Canada will ultimately have to turn to Asian (Chinese) markets to sell their oil because they believe that if the US decides against this pipeline, further exports to the US will be few and far between (See comment above regarding Canada's alternate plan to access Asian markets by building a pipeline through Canada to the Pacific.)

Issue nine, changing the route of the pipeline: could add hundreds of miles to the pipeline to avoid the aquifer in Nebraska and hence delay the construction for perhaps three years.

Note 1: The Keystone XL pipeline would double the capacity of TransCanada’s oil operation because of their existing line already in operation. On November 9, this Keystone pipeline suffered a power failure and had to be shut down for inspection for a period of 15 hours. The pipeline runs from Hardesty, Alberta to Illinois (2100 miles in length) with a second leg routed to Cushing OK. This, even without the additional 1661 mile proposed extension, seems to be a disaster waiting to happen.

Note 2: Another earthquake occurred in Oklahoma  just yesterday in the same region as the 5.6 quake last week.

With the increased seismic activity in the states that will host the pipeline in a shallow easement, there seems to me to be sufficient warning, that perhaps we need to reconsider the proposed route. The  jobs are important -- no one denies that; but do we want another disaster such as the BP oil spill in the Gulf, whose ecological ramifications are still unknown to this date?

I do not have the answers; but I know the answers are out there.  Let us deliberate; let us consider.  I believe the president has made the right decision in postponing a major commitment that could lead to environmental disaster and yet I believe the jobs creation is an imperative. I've been talking about a WPA project akin to FDR's in the 30's for years now.  Why is this such an outlandish idea?  With a national agenda such as this, we could put people to work building and producing, and not add to the environmental hazards; a project that would be CON-structive rather than DE-structive.

E. L. Doctorow and the Postmodern Era

Here is a sample of my essay on Doctorow in my soon to be released collection entitled The Moving Finger Writes: 

The Stylistic Freedom of E. L. Doctorow
The postmodern agenda has been described as a revolt against the Moderns, a departure from order, Enlightenment, reason, unity and system, while it embraces fragmentation, depthlessness, indeterminacy and chaos, to name only a few of its most frustrating characteristics. The postmodern world in general favors a creation-centered, spirituality over the "God is Dead" alienation of the Moderns and the anthropic principle over the accidental universe. In aesthetics, the search by the Moderns for meaning and transcendence from alienation has been discarded like yesterdays newspapers to be recycled into a "New Age" cosmic consciousness, whose superficiality discourages the need for interpretation. Much of the writing (Marquez, Borges and Pynchon, notwithstanding) is self-indulgent and cathartic, exemplified by the poetry of Adrienne Rich, or deliberately vague and flaccid as in much of John Ashbery, or it rests haphazardly within the category of the absurd; it becomes carnavalesque, anti-form and diegetic as in Robert Coover's work. There is a very superficial tip of the hat, if indeed there is any acknowledgment at all, to serious issues, with which the Moderns at least attempted to grapple.

E. L. Doctorow is one of the few writers today who is eager to embrace the larger political and social issues of our time, believing it to be not only the writer's responsibility, but "the passion of our calling…the belief that writing matters, that there is salvation in witness and moral assignment" (qtd in Harter 12). However, in portraying the social issues of the past and present, Doctorow combines an impelling synthesis of authorial devices; he is neither a realist in the modernist tradition, nor depthless and ludic' in the postmodern sense, yet his work embraces many of the techniques of both worlds, resulting in an historical view which he has described as slightly off center. "Somehow I was the kind of writer who had to put myself though prisms to find the right light--I had to filter myself from my imagination in order to write" (Trenner 34). It is this distorted view of history, the juxtaposition of imaginary historical characters with real ones, all of whom are implanted into altered historical situations, which is the focus of much poststructuralist criticism today and indeed occupies several paragraphs in Fredric Jameson's often quoted essay, "The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism." While discussing Doctorow's novel, Ragtime, Jameson states, "This historical novel can no longer set out to represent the historical past; it can only 'represent' our ideas and stereotypes about the past (which thereby at once becomes 'pop history')" (69). "Re¬presentation" is a major tenet of postmodernism and a valued tool in Doctorow; it is "simulacrum," the exact copy for which there is no original.

That Jameson admires Doctorow is clear, once referring to him as, "…one of the few serious and innovative Left novelist's at work in the United States today…" (68), a sentiment which is echoed by others perhaps less knowledgeable than Jameson, who read into Doctorow's work a political message that is both simplistic and reductive. Still others are outraged by Doctorow's manipulation of historical facts, regarding them as mis-representations rather than representations. Nevertheless, in most of the criticism reviewed, it is the content of Doctorow's social comment that fires the debate today rather than his treatment of it. The focus of this essay will be Doctorow's techniques, many of which I believe fall well within the postmodern paradigm: the revision of history, which is evident in all his works, the almost cinematic structure of his prose as seen in The Book of Daniel, his early and perhaps greatest novel, and his voice--the symbiosis of author and character--evident not only in The Book of Daniel, but more recently in the novella and collection of six short stories, Lives of the Poets.

To be continued . . .

When the Eagle Flies with the Condor: a novel of the sixties

A Review of my Book;  See below:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
An Unforgettable Novel with Deep Thematic Elements

- October 7 2011-

There is a two thousand-year-old prophecy that says that when the eagle flies with the condor, there will be peace and brotherhood among the nations. When the Eagle Flies with the Condor: A Novel of the Sixties, by Sue McGhee, is a riveting tale based on this prophecy, set against the backdrop of the 1960s and spanning both North and South America.

Two American children growing up in Bolivia while their father builds roads in an attempt to bring commerce to its natives must return to the United States for reasons that they do not know or understand at the time, and have deep psychological reactions to being uprooted. Nicky joins the Army and is deployed to Vietnam and Bernie returns to South America to minister to the needs of the natives, who she recognizes as filled with knowledge, latent power, and untapped potential for good. As the turbulence of the 1960s claims blood sacrifices and brings political turmoil, Bernie hopes that the prophecy of the eagle flying with the condor will be fulfilled in her lifetime.

The story is rich in meaning and themes, taking it out of the realm of the ordinary—catapulting it into the sphere of the extraordinary and the truly literary, appealing to readers of all genres with its unique blend of plot elements and thematic elements. When the Eagle Flies with the Condor synthesizes a gripping story with compelling characters, interwoven with themes of brotherhood, social issues, and the struggle for meaning. Whether you lived through the 1960s or simply love a great story, McGhee’s heartrending novel is an absolutely unforgettable must-read.

McGhee’s prowess for storytelling is undeniable and readers are certain to fall in love with her gift, and will be anxiously awaiting her next release.

Contact:

Archer Anderson
BookReviewerList.com
1501 Broadway - 12th Floor
New York, New York 10036-5601
646.571.2246

Little Theatre

I attended a performance of Midsummer’s Night Dream over the weekend at the Front Range Theatre Group in Castle Rock, Colorado. The crowd was good and the performances were great. The requisite energy between audience and performers was there in full measure and made for a strong and moving performance.
This kind of "little" theatre provides the life blood of the arts community across the country. The actors, for the most part, are not professionals (many are children) nor is the rest of the crew, yet they donate weeks and weeks of time to construct sets, design costumes, provide props, and experience long hours of rehearsals for the accompanying music as well as for the stage performances.

I am full of admiration for those who dedicate their time, effort and unconditional love to the arts in our community. There is vision here, a simple and effective way to bring together neighbors and neighborhoods. It is a lofty idea that is repeated in hundreds of communities across our nation. What could be more gratifying than to expose our children to the art of "giving back" rather than allow them to focus on "what you can do for me." And, how much more rewarding than watching endless hours of vacuous television.

Please make an effort to visit Front Range Theatre Group in their upcoming production of “The Wisdom Within these Walls – Wisdom in Uniform” at Tri Lakes Center for the Arts in Palmer Lake. As the program states, “Based on poignant, moving interviews, these stories have been beautifully rendered into a readers’ theatre production.” After seeing last year’s production, I have no doubt Anne McGhee Stinson and Sandy Haworth South will bring this to a reality.

Performances are November 11 through 13, 2011. See  http://www.thewisdomwithinthesewalls.com/

Ode to Green

There's a chilling similarity in the disregard of public outcry for two projects in two separate hemispheres -- both of which have been home to me.  

Here in the US, the controversy is raging over a decision still pending regarding the Tar Sands Project (Keystone XL pipeline) -- a proposed 1661 mile pipeline from Canada through the middle of the US all the way to Texas refineries.

In Bolivia, an 185 mile highway has been proposed from Brazil  through virgin lands of the Amazon jungle all the way to the Pacific Coast of Chile.  This road is to be largely paid for by Brazil, to whose benefit it would accrue because of increased exposure to trade in the East.

The indigenous people of Bolivia to whom Evo Morales owes two terms in the presidency are protesting this road through their land. Morales wants the road to gain commerce for Bolivia, Brazil favors the road in order to gain access to the sea and the Indians want their land to remain untouched.

Through a temporary order on October 13, the Bolivian Judiciary delayed construction;  however,  the peasants still march in protest towards their capitol in LaPaz as they believe it could be overturned and is not binding.

Morales, the first indigenous president in the history of Bolivia, had promised his people upon re-election in 2009 that they would always have a voice in the development of the country.  It seems he has forgotten, but the people remember.  And Morales is in danger of losing the opportunity to win a third term in 2014.

To the north of them we, in 2008, elected Barack Obama in part to help put a stop to wanton development of our lands and to adhere to a reasonable approach to global warming.  Obama has dragged his feet and now has to make a stand or lose what popularity he still has and agree to a project that would  (by many counts), support 600,000 American jobs by 2035  (see below for source).

This of course is the good part -- we need jobs. But some environmentalists believe it would be an ecological disaster (James Hansen from NASA for one).

These are monumental decisions - both, and I do not envy these two progressive leaders in this strangely symmetrical dilemma who are both so eloquent in their defence of global warming and saving "mother earth."

A White House decision is forthcoming November 1, at which time we will see which way the political winds blow.

Sources:

http://www.energyandcapital.com/articles/canadian-energy-oil-sands/1713
http://www.thedemocracycenter.com/
(This site is now closed)

http://www.andeaninformationnetwork.com/

http://www.gazettenet.com/

http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/news-and-blogs/campaign-blog/shining-light-on-obamas-tar-sands-pipeline-de/blog/36542/

http://blog.energytomorrow.org/2011/07/no-unnecessary-delays-on-keystone-xl.html?gclid=CNC2sq7WhKwCFQUKKgodGkwj_Q

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/17/bolivia-president-election-road-protest

http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20110826/james-hansen-nasa-climate-change-scientist-keystone-xl-oil-sands-pipeline-protests-mckibben-white-house








   

A Degradating End

Qaddafi will, along with Hitler and Hussein, take his place in the annals of history and crimes to humanity.

And how to judge them (and others of course)?  Are they devils come to wreak evil upon the world?  Or are they ordinary humans whose accumulation of power placed them in a position where they could no longer see the evil they brought.  I don't know the answer.

I thought I believed that we all choose the lives we enter into. That if our lives are difficult, it is because we've chosen that in order to work through some weaknesses.  I feel naive in that belief now as I contemplate what men like Qaddafi face ahead.  Will it all become clear to him, once he's made the "grand transition" and will he regret not using his tremendous power to enrich the lives of his countrymen rather than to drag them into poverty and dependence and degradation. 

I do not know the answer.

I do know that the Libyan people have brought about a revolution and thrown off the mantel of oppression.  They have won and I commend them. Now let them show us what they can do with the liberty they've won. 

John the Divine

Here is an excerpt from my collection of essays, entitled, "The Moving Finger Writes," coming soon on http://www.amazon.com/. This essay concerns the religious and erotic passions of one of my favorite poets, John Donne, famous for his use of "conceits," during the literary period known "metaphysical." 

In John Donne's poem, The Extasie," two lovers lie like statues, imbued with a sense of wonder. Sated by love-making, their souls have departed their bodies temporarily, and hover above, suspended in a sort of mystical communion. That their souls could indulge in this spiritual communication is due solely to their physical needs, and the sensual longing which attracted them in the first place.

The poet says, "We owe (our bodies) them thanks, be¬cause they thus/Did us, to us, at first convay, Yeelded their forces, sense to us,' (53-55).

This poem encapsulates Donne's life-long dilemma of reconciling the desires of the body with the yearnings of the soul. And in order for one to fully appreciate the ardent Donne of the Divine Poems, one must first experience the suggestive, even lewd Donne who wrote Songs and Sonnets, for it was a single mind which created them all, a mind belonging to a man whose feet were firmly planted on the earth.

That Donne was a man of passion becomes as obvious in his religious poems as it does in his love poetry and though he is never pious in a passive sense, the reader feels a certain distance in some of The Holy Sonnets, in which he characterizes his god as victim: "Loe, faithful Virgin, yeelds himself to lye/ In prison, in thy wombe;..." ("Annunciation," 5-6), and in "Nativitie," "There he hath made himself to his intent/Weake enough, now into our world to come;" (3-4), and in "Crucifying," "...Loe, where condemned hee/Beares his owne crosse, with paine, yet by and by/When it beares him, he must beare more and die" (9-11).

These poems, regardless of their chronological placement in his writing, are filled with awe and a hesitant familiarity.  He remains tentative and somewhat at a distance, and only occasionally intrudes himself into the poem with the personal "I."

Copyright (c) 2011 by G. Sue McGhee