SUPERBUGS, DROUGHTS, ECONOMY: COVER UP?

By now many of you have probably heard the news about the new ‘superbug,’ designated as MRSA infection. A staph infection, this virus is claiming over 18,000 lives each year which is more than AIDS, heart disease and auto accidents combined. Some 90,000 new cases are reported each year. For all practical purposes, the drug is immune to most antibiotics. What is even more disturbing is that these numbers and reported deaths have been around since at least 2005. Why are we just now hearing about this new pandemic? According to the New York Times (10/17/07), the CDC reported 19,000 deaths from this disease in 2005. The article goes on to say that the infection is cropping up in schools nationwide. Outbreaks of the infection of occurred in Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, Illinois, North Carolina and Florida.

This general lack of information concerning the state of our nation makes on wonder if there isn’t a covert conspiracy to keep the truth from the American public. When deaths begin to occur, the information starts to see the light of day but it is almost as if there is a ‘disinformation’ on the part of the government to play down key news that affects us all. Another example is the worsening droughts in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina., Tennessee and Kentucky. According to a recent news story, this is the worst drought on record since the 1800’s. Pictures on the news have shown major reservoirs looking like mud flats. According to an AP report (10/16/07), The Weather Service says that 26% of the southeast is experiencing an ‘exceptional’ drought, the worst Weather Service category. Another report issued by the National Climate Data Center says that 43% of the contiguous U.S. is experiencing moderate to severe drought. The TVA has shut down Brown’s Ferry number 2 nuclear power plant due to inadequate steamflow. What else is not making the headlines? What is happening to agriculture in all of those states and how are major cities going to deal with dried up water supplies. What is FEMA doing about this? If the new book, RAPING LOUISIANA: A DIARY OF DECEIT is any indication, we may all be headed for deep trouble. This is not be doom and gloom but rather to get someone to wake up and start doing some serious planning as to how we are going to cope with problems.

Take a look at the housing crisis. Why have three major banks agreed to pool their resources to create a safety net to deal with the housing mortgage crisis? To hear the government tell it, the economic system will self-correct. If this is so then why did Treasury Secretary Paulson say, "Let me be clear, despite strong economic fundamentals, the housing decline is still unfolding, and I view it as the most significant current risk to our economy. The longer housing prices remain stagnant or fall, the greater the penalty to our future economic growth," (AP). What is happening to the economy that has Paulson sounding the alarm? What is being kept from the American public?

Obviously, these events have made the news and are not being kept a big secret. Although, one cannot help but be skeptical as to whether we are being given all of the information. There is no overt conspiracy to hide this information, but it does have the appearance of a covert conspiracy to downplay some of the serious issues facing our nation. Do they think that the public will panic? Perhaps they will but I, for one, would like to know if I am in the road with a tractor trailer bearing down on me. Give me the choice.