The Gulf of Mexico oil spill is already the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history, but what most people don’t know is that it is rapidly turning into a public health disaster of frightening proportions. Reports are scattered and mostly anecdotal at this point (as BP and the U.S. government try to keep a lid on information getting out), but it is becoming increasingly clear that the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and/or the chemical dispersants being used are making a lot of people sick. So far most of the reports have been about breathing difficulties, vomiting and various flu-like symptoms. But it is the health effects that will take a long time to show up that are the most concerning. For example, this oil spill has released massive amounts of benzene into the Gulf. Benzene actually enters human cells and damages DNA material. In fact, the Department of Health and Human Services tells us that exposure to benzene has been proven to cause leukemia. So are we about to see a massive wave of cancer sweep the Gulf coast? At this point nobody knows. What is becoming clear is that a whole lot of people are becoming ill. Several days ago, the state of Louisiana announced that 71 cases of oil spill-related illnesses had been reported to the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals up to that point. A significant number of those had not even been involved in any of the clean up efforts. But the cases of illness are most prominent among those involved in cleaning up the oil spill. CBS news has reported that more than 75 oil spill disaster workers have already been treated for mysterious symptoms. The most common symptoms being reported by oil spill disaster workers include vomiting, dizziness, headaches and shortness of breath. The wife of one fisherman who is involved in disaster relief efforts in the Gulf recently told CNN what her husband has been telling her about what is really going on out there…. “I received several calls from him saying, ‘This one’s hanging over the boat throwing up. This one says he’s dizzy, and he’s feeling faint. Everybody’s loading up their stuff, tying up their rigs and going back to the docks.'” Down in Texas, they are referring to these illnesses as “TILT” – Toxicant-Induced Loss of Tolerance. The following is an excerpt from a local news report out of San Antonio…. For weeks now, local hospitals have tracked patients with suspicious symptoms coming in from the gulf coast. Doctors are having trouble distinguishing it from the flu. “What makes it challenging is that patients show up with non-specific symptoms. Headaches, fatigue, problems with memory and concentration, upset stomach,” lists Dr. Claudia Miller at UT Health Science Center. So what in the world is causing all this? Nobody knows for certain yet. But if the smell of the oil on some Gulf beaches is already so strong that it burns your nostrils, then what in the world is this oil going to do to our health? Needless to say, this is a story that the mainstream media needs to start following a lot more closely. One of our readers named Debra from Louisiana recently left a comment describing the breathing difficulties and headaches that she is now experiencing…. I live in Gretna, La just a little past the Huey P Long bridge. I have had headaches for several days now. I am also having trouble breathing like i am having a asthma episode. I don’t even have asthma. If it gets any worse i am going to the hospital. All i can say is someone needs to look into this seriously, The air smells like burning crayons (that is the best way to explain it). It has smelled like this for several days now. A reader named Stacy on our sister website recently posted a very alarming comment regarding what is happening in her area down in Florida…. We live in the navarre, florida area and in the past week almost every family we know has had vomiting and diarreha. This could just be anecdotal – maybe we just have a stomach bug circulating, but it is strange. We had a huge storm the week before it happened that blew in from the gulf so who knows. Also, the city of destin, florida has taken it upon themselves to close the destin pass with their own purchased boom and barges. This is an elite destination and they are not waiting around for bp and their hired prison workers to clean the beaches. Apparently, the coast guard was at the meeting and told the locals that they will face criminal prosecution, but they don’t care. They are protecting their million dollar properties. Another commenter from Louisiana named Joe says that everyone in his family is dealing with these kinds of health issues right now…. We live near Hammond, LA which is some 60 miles NORTH of New Orleans, LA. For the past two to three weeks we have been having mild flu like symptoms. I hardly never get sick but cannot get ride of a runny nose and a constant headache that only goes away when I leave this area (heading North). My entire family has the same problems as well as many of our friends in the area. The most frightening thing is that nobody knows exactly what we are dealing with here. Are there any other factors other than all the oil that is causing all of these health issues? Are these illnesses being caused by the extremely high levels of methane that scientists have detected in the Gulf of Mexico? Are the 1 million gallons of dispersal agents such as Corexit 9500 and Corexit 9527 that BP has poured into the Gulf to blame? Are people becoming sick due to all the hydrogen sulfide and benzene being released by the oil spill? Considering the fact that exposure to benzene has been proven to cause leukemia, it is imperative that we get some answers sooner rather than later. And unfortunately, the threat from this oil spill is only going to continue to grow. The truth is that this is not just an “oil leak”. This is an “oil volcano” that is pumping out oil at such high pressure that BP is totally at a loss for how to stop it. In fact, BP’s Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles recently told CNN that BP’s data indicates that BP can’t cap the leaking oil, or it might cause the well casing to blow out. So when will this oil volcano be stopped? Nobody knows. Meanwhile, at least one industry expert is estimating that the oil beneath the surface of the water already covers 40% of the Gulf of Mexico. 40% of the Gulf of Mexico? And it is still getting worse? It is hard to even find the words to describe how horrific this nightmare is becoming. If you live along the Gulf coast and you know of some health issues where you live, please leave a comment below. Hopefully if we all work together we can start to piece the facts together about this very dangerous health crisis…. (Read More...)
14 Reasons Why The U.S. Government Will Never Have A Balanced Budget Ever Again
The United States government will never have another balanced budget again. Yes, you read that correctly. U.S. government finances have now reached a critical “tipping point” and things are going to spin wildly out of control from this time forward. Why? Spending on entitlement programs and interest on the national debt are now accelerating at exponential rates. Some time around 2020 they will eat up every single dollar of federal revenue that is brought in before a penny is spent on anything else. Of course the solution to all of this would be to radically cut entitlement programs, but no U.S. politician in his or her right mind would do that. After all, do you think elderly people (who vote in droves by the way) would vote for you after you just cut their Social Security checks in half? That is not the way the world works. You see, democracies always get into trouble once the people realize that they can vote for the candidates that promise them the largest gifts out of the public treasury. That is where the United States is at now. Over 100 million Americans now receive direct payments from the United States government. For millions of Americans, the American Dream now means getting a government check and kicking back and enjoying life. We have become a nation that is chock full of people that can’t take care of themselves and that are totally dependent on the monolithic nanny state that the U.S. government has created. (Read More...)
Benzene And Hydrogen Sulfide: The Real Dangers From The Gulf Of Mexico Oil Spill?
While most of the attention so far has been on the millions of gallons of oil that have escaped from the damaged BP rig in the Gulf of Mexico, many environmentalists are now wondering if the real danger to humans from this whole crisis may be the massive amounts of benzene and hydrogen sulfide that are escaping into the air. Hydrogen sulfide is a chemical asphyxiant, similar to carbon monoxide and cyanide gases. It causes “biochemical suffocation” by inhibiting cellular respiration and the uptake of oxygen. Benzene is a highly carcinogenic gas that can cause death if inhaled at high enough concentrations. Not only that, benzene has been shown to cause leukemia in all its forms. High levels of both gases have been detected at testing stations in the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, it is being reported that many fishermen in the Gulf that have been assisting with cleanup efforts have been getting seriously ill from breathing that air. There have been reports of symptoms including headaches, nausea, dizziness, burning eyes, coughing, sore throats, and stuffy sinuses. So as this oil spill continues and even more of these gases are released, are people across the southeast United States about to start breathing air that is filled with highly toxic gases? Are we about to see the American Dream turned into a total nightmare for tens of millions of Americans? What some scientists are now telling us about the release of these gases is truly frightening. (Read More...)
Yes, They Really Do Want To Reduce The Population – 22 Shocking Population Control Quotes From The Global Elite That Will Make You Want To Lose Your Lunch
Most Americans have absolutely no idea, but a very dark philosophy is spreading like wildfire among the global elite. This philosophy is an obsessive belief that humanity has become a cancer that is destroying the earth. There are now large numbers of global leaders that are convinced that the exploding population of the world has become like a virus or a plague, and that it must be combated as such. In fact, it would be very difficult to understate just how obsessed many members of the global elite are with population control. The United Nations puts out position papers about it, universities have entire courses dedicated to it, radical population control advocates have been appointed to some of the highest political positions in the world, and some of the wealthiest people on the planet get together just to talk about it. Those who believe in this philosophy are constantly talking about the need for “increased access” to abortion, contraception and other “family planning” services. But even with all of their efforts, the population of the world is still expanding and those who believe in this population control philosophy are getting nervous. (Read More...)
Why Is U.S. Government Spending So Wildly Out Of Control?
As the world watches in horror as the financial nightmares in Greece, Spain and Portugal unfold, most Americans are oblivious to the fact that a great day of financial reckoning is soon coming to the United States as well. The truth is that the United States is not “the richest nation in the world” anymore. What the United States actually has become is the biggest debtor in the history of the planet. In our lust for the “good life” and the American Dream we have spent ourselves into a financial black hole from which there is no escape. U.S. government spending has been wildly out of control for decades, but over recent months Obama, Pelosi, Reid and their cohorts have taken things to an entirely new level. Certainly it cannot be denied that the Bush administration badly mismanaged America’s national finances, but budget deficits during his administration were generally in the three to five hundred billion dollar range. (Read More...)
20 Quotes About The Economic Collapse In Europe That Will Make Your Hair Stand On End
Most Americans have been paying very little attention to it, but right now Europe is desperately fighting to avoid a complete financial and economic collapse. As the euro continues to fall precipitously, European leaders are openly declaring that this is the biggest financial crisis that Europe has experienced since at least World War II. So exactly what is causing all this? Well, just like the United States, countries throughout Europe responded to the economic crisis of the last several years by spending a ton of money. The problem is that quite a few of these European nations got into debt way over their heads. In particular, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and Italy are literally drowning in debt. There is a very real possibility that several of them may soon default on their debts. If that happens it could set off a financial shockwave that could encircle the entire world. Because of the interconnectedness of the global economy, a financial meltdown in Europe would have a dramatic impact on the U.S. economy. In fact, the continued ability of millions of Americans to enjoy the American Dream is dependent on events that are currently playing out in Europe. Most Americans completely do not understand this, but it doesn’t make it any less true. If Europe’s economy goes down hard, the already very fragile U.S. economy will be crushed as well. (Read More...)
How Does Any American Family Make It On Less Than $50,000 A Year?
A rapidly increasing number of American families are finding it really, really hard to make ends meet each month. The price of food, gas, health insurance and other basic necessities has continued to escalate, but wages have not followed suit. So more Americans are finding themselves squeezed financially at the end of every month. Instead of having extra money with which to enjoy the American Dream, millions of families are now experiencing the American Nightmare of working too hard but never having quite enough. But what can be done? Certainly we can all cut back on unnecessary expenditures, but there are some expenses that just cannot be eliminated entirely. We all have to eat, we all have to drive to work and we all have to pay the rent. In fact, it is very hard to imagine any American family making it on less than $50,000 a year. Of course millions of American families are making it on far less than that, but it isn’t easy. The truth is that $50,000 doesn’t go nearly as far as it used to. (Read More...)