The injustice of American capitalism continues to plague the country.

This is Labor Day Weekend and short of necessary infrastructure for emergencies and rescues; people should be at rest.

The country should stage a national walk out tomorrow.

September 3, 2017

By Richard Trumka

Labor Day. (click here) For some Americans, it’s a time for friends, family and fellowship. The end of summer. The beginning of the school year. The start of the football season. An American tradition.

That’s not all. Labor Day is an important opportunity to recognize and honor the achievements of working people. It was meant to be a day of leisure, especially for workers and working families; it was also meant to be a day to remember the power and purpose of working people united in unions.

The tension between work and time off has always been a concern of the American labor movement. Work may be one of our core values, but it has a purpose, which is to allow us to live good lives, provide for ourselves and our families and, yes, to earn some time off to enjoy the fruits of our labor....

Newt Gingrich PERMANENT working poor. The USA IF based in freedom and liberty is for all, not simply the wealthy.

...The poorer you are, the less time you have. The Economic Policy Institute found this August that only 41% of workers who earn wages in the bottom 10th percentile have paid time off and paid vacations, compared to over 92% of workers with wages in the top 10th percentile.

Across the board, union and non-union workers alike work more than ever: 54% of everyone surveyed reported working more holidays, 63% reported taking fewer vacation days and 43% bring work home at least one night a week.

Americans are among the hardest working people in the world, yet pay has flatlined for decades as the richest take away all the added wealth created by our rising productivity. Only 14% of workers have access to paid family leave. More than 37 million workers don't get paid sick days, says the Bureau of Labor Statistics. America is the only advanced nation that does not require employers to provide paid vacation. And erratic and inflexible scheduling practices have made it harder for workers to plan for the little time off we do have....

I apologize to US Seantor John McCain.

At a time when a Senior Senator should be an easy authority while enjoying his life long dedication to this country, US Senator John McCain rises to demand respect for the authority of the legislature.

US Senator John McCain is a national treasure and a national hero. No one can say otherwise no matter how they try. His sacrifices in his service to the United States are legendary. There are Americans alive today that owe their safe return home to him.

Well, Senator McCain, our favorite Maverick, you are called again sir to protect the country and assert the special place the USA legislature has in history. Once again hero comes to mind.

I don't deny the political differences and the void I find myself from time to time for some of your views, but, I have to trust you at a very difficult time in this country. Don't forget me, Senator McCain. Don't forget the country's great natural resources and the ungodly storm we have all faced in disbelief and with bravery Americans can find deep in their hearts full of compassion for each other.

I trust you, sir. I trust you to lead the USA in unsteady waters and apologize this has fallen on a hero's shoulders at a difficult time for him as well. Who would have guessed this would be your responsibility? 

I trust you, Senator McCain. I believe in you. Take care of us, sir. I am sincerely worried about this country. I trust you when I can't seem to trust others.

September 1, 2017
By Amber Phillips

"We must respect his authority (click here) and constitutional responsibilities. We must, where we can, cooperate with him. But we are not his subordinates. We don't answer to him. We answer to the American people."

And with that, mark Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., down as the second Republican senator to call on his colleagues to be a bulwark against President Donald Trump. (The second being his Arizona colleague Sen. Jeff Flake.)

On Friday, McCain published an op-ed in The Washington Post (click here) contrasting Trump's tepid response to white supremacists in Charlottesville with his own ("There is nothing in their hate-driven racism that can match the strength of a nation conceived in liberty"), justifying his surprise "no" vote on Republicans' attempt to repeal Obamacare, calling on congressional leaders to compromise with Democrats and vice-versa, and basically advising all of Congress to prioritize its own relationships over its standing with Trump:

"[W]e have to respect each other or at least respect the fact that we need each other. That has never been truer than today, when Congress must govern with a president who has no experience of public office, is poorly informed and can be impulsive in his speech and conduct."...

Kids. Not funny.

August 31, 2017

By Oona Goodin-Smith

Vandalism pictures (click here)

Flint, MI - The perpetrators (click here) behind the vandalism of Flint's historic Sit-Down Strike memorial have been caught and will be punished accordingly with a lunchtime history lesson, says Genesee County Sheriff Robert J. Pickell.

After finding a kitchen chair and a can of paint not far from the scene of the Sit-Downers Memorial Park in Flint, investigators caught up with the culprits - three cousins, ages 9, 10, and 11, who police aren't identifying - on Monday, Aug. 28, Pickell said.

Knocking on doors, an investigator from the sheriff's office was able to identify the suspects after he was invited into an apartment not far from the scene of the crime at the UAW office off Atherton Road, when he noticed the kitchen chair he was sitting in matched the one found near the scene.

"The kids are not criminal, they made a bad mistake," said Pickell, who said the three children smashed windows and painted the memorial "because it was there."...                        

Public university minority students are under attack in North Carolina. It is far more than a controversy.

The state's legislature has a White Supremacist agenda. There are still many bad eggs in the NC Legislature. 

CLEAN HOUSE at the Board of Governors! This is a direct assault on UNC minority students.

August 31, 2017
By Chris Williams

Chapel Hill, N.C. -- A rally was held at UNC-Chapel Hill (click here) Thursday to save the UNC Center for Civil Rights.

Next week, the full UNC Board of Governors will vote on a key measure, which could essentially shut down the legal center.

The center takes on many pro-bono cases representing clients in civil rights lawsuits against state and local governments.

Earlier this month, a UNC Board of Governors’ committee voted that the center could no longer sue state and local governments, saying that's not the purpose of the center. Instead, it should be geared more to academic research.

Many say stopping the center from engaging in lawsuits could effectively shut the center down, leaving many low income families without legal representation. 

The full board of governors will vote on the issue next week. At that time, they could also discuss alternatives for the center.

Supporters of the center have a week of events planned for next week. They include reaching out to officials, a march on campus, plus a protest when the full Board of Governors meets on Sept. 8.

A better focus to criticize Texas government is the outrageous explosions of a chemical plant. They just let it happen as if it was best for the world.

They are insanely stupid people. It is incredible the lack of leadership that actually exists. Lots and lots of god driven compassion, but, completely stupid leadership. The Texas government cares more about shuttering abortion clinics than protecting the lives of citizens from chemical leaks, explosions or any type of pollution. It is hideously stupid priorities.

The lax government laws and rules are the reason companies like Arkema build in Texas. Government leadership, such as former Governor Perry, like to brag about all the new companies and new jobs coming to Texas. Really? It isn't safe to live in Texas. Besides these disasters that happen on a regular basis killing folks, there is an increase in maternal deaths since the abortion clinics were shuttered. It is a state radically in need of decent leadership. 

The flooded Arkema plant in Crosby, Tex., where explosions early Thursday sent emergency responders to hospitals.

...The blasts at the plant, (click here) owned by the French chemical company Arkema, came after its main electrical system and backups failed, cutting off refrigeration systems that kept volatile chemicals stable. While nearby residents had been evacuated, 15 public safety officers were treated at a hospital after inhaling smoke from chemical fires that followed the explosions.

The Arkema plant has been identified as one of the most hazardous in the state. Its failure followed releases of contaminants from several other area petrochemical plants and systemic breakdowns of water and sewer systems in Houston and elsewhere in the storm-struck region.

The explosions — more are expected, the company said — will bring fresh scrutiny on whether these plants are adequately regulated and monitored by state and federal safety officials....

There are no safeguards in place. There is no back up anything. Considering the plant's dangerous chemicals, it should have had a plan to remove the chemicals to a safer location where they could be safely stored incase of a hurricane. There should have been better PLANNING. But, planning and back up systems require the expenditure of money. Why be safe and protect the air and water when stockholders are demanding better outcomes from it's CEO? Makes no sense to REGULATE in Texas. People simply aren't that important and that is the take away message from Harvey. TEXAS doesn't care if the world comes to an end so long as it has plenty of money when it does.

So, what is Texas' plan when disaster strikes? LET THE DAMN THING EXPLODE, it is easier than being prepared.

This is a western culture. Money is always king. The world wants to emulate this? You've got to be joking!

There are presidents that have come from Texas because it serves Wall Street. At least LBJ believed in civil rights.

No sympathy from "Charlie Hebdo."

September 1, 2017
By Amanda Erickson

...The art (click here) on the Charlie Hebdo cover shows swastika flags and hands raised in what looks like Nazi salutes poking out above floodwaters. The text reads: "God exists! He drowned all the neo-Nazis of Texas." The illustration is an apparent reference to Texans' support of Donald Trump, who won 52.6 per cent of the state's vote in the presidential election....

The White Supremacists of Texas don't live along the coast. The people that live along the coast are poor and work for the White Supremacists. There were 47.4 percent that didn't vote for Trump. That is an all time high.

Many of the people being rescued are African Americans and their children. 

If God was talking it was in answer to Pope Francis. I guess there is something in it for everyone.

It is important not to lose sight of the terrible nature of the administration in DC. While trying to bask in the glory of heroes in Texas, Trump is still carrying out some really awful policies. 

Australia is seeking diplomacy with China being the major player to rein in North Korea.

September 1, 2017
By Mark Kenny

...Despite some preposterous raving (click here) from China's The Global Times newspaper, Turnbull's diplomacy here is about avoiding military misadventure on the Korean Peninsula. It is actually calibrated to be less about blame, and more about animating China's strategic self-interest through its economic "leverage" over Pyongyang.

Turnbull's oil reference has ruffled feathers in Beijing but it aims to remind China that its long-term strategic security will be better served by retaining a functioning buffer-state between its south-eastern border and a US-aligned South Korea.

And it's a coded message to Trump too that ultimately, this is China's problem to fix despite Washington's bizarre like-for-like bellicosity.

So, what's next? Move right into Superstorm season from Hurricane Season?

September 1, 2017
0930.18z
UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite of the north and west hemisphere (click here for 12 hour loop - thank you)

Every one of the storms, including Harvey, are building in velocity.

The vortex street is intact, of which Harvey is the second storm, Lidia is the most southern. All the vortexes have tapped into a water vapor source. Water brings the capacity to hold more heat and with heat comes velocity. In case it is not easy to discern, the most northern of the vortex street is near Iceland. I can imagine what is occurring over the Greenland ice sheet right now. It's meander has probably increased dramatically. The Greenland ice sheet is monitored for a meander in case it becomes unstable and slides into the Atlantic. Such an event would cause a coastal tsunami of some height all the way to Antarctica.

Tropical Storm Harvey

31.70 -92.30 08/31/00Z 30 998 TROPICAL DEPRESSION
32.30 -92.00 08/31/09Z 25 998 TROPICAL DEPRESSION
32.50 -91.40 08/31/15Z 15 1002 TROPICAL DEPRESSION
33.80 -90.50 08/31/21Z 15 1000 TROPICAL DEPRESSION
34.30 -89.00 09/01/03Z 25 1000 TROPICAL DEPRESSION

Irma is in the east Atlantic and taking a slightly northwest track.

Hurricane-3 IRMA

16.40 -30.30 08/30/12Z 45 1004 TROPICAL STORM
16.40 -31.20 08/30/18Z 50 1001 TROPICAL STORM
16.40 -32.20 08/31/00Z 55 999 TROPICAL STORM
16.50 -32.90 08/31/06Z 60 997 TROPICAL STORM
16.90 -33.80 08/31/12Z 85 979 HURRICANE-2
17.30 -34.80 08/31/18Z 100 967 HURRICANE-3
17.80 -35.60 09/01/00Z 100 967 HURRICANE-3
18.20 -36.50 09/01/06Z 100 967 HURRICANE-3

September 1, 2017
0600
Intellicast map of US Current Temperatures (click here)





This is the path of Lidia. The Baja is going to be underwater now.


Tropical Storm LIDIA

20.70 -109.20 08/31/00Z 35 1001 TROPICAL STORM
21.30 -109.40 08/31/06Z 40 997 TROPICAL STORM
22.30 -109.70 08/31/12Z 45 994 TROPICAL STORM
22.70 -110.10 08/31/18Z 55 991 TROPICAL STORM
23.30 -110.40 09/01/00Z 55 991 TROPICAL STORM
23.80 -111.00 09/01/06Z 55 987 TROPICAL STORM

Large incident fires on map to the right, in the northwest where conditions are abnormally dry according to the US Drought Monitor above.

Hopefully, Lidia will continue moving north along the coast to extinguish some significant fires.

There is one fire, the Pier Fire, in central California.

August 31, 2017
By Rebecca Harrington

The end of the London Avenue pump station is seen with the New Orleans skyline in the background on August 29, 2017

While Hurricane Harvey's destruction (click here) was most severe in Texas, neighboring Louisiana didn't escape the storm's wrath.

Harvey threatened the state 12 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans. Thankfully, the tropical storm had lost most of its bluster by the time it crossed the Texas-Louisiana border.

Areas of southwest Louisiana saw up to 22 inches of rain, though, and widespread flooding filled the streets in towns like Iowa and Lake Charles, forcing many residents to evacuate....

Up to 60 inches of rain. 5 feet. Katrina's rainfall didn't come close. It was its wind and storm surge that did the most damage and deaths.

...KMOB radar (click here) showed the greatest rainfall amounts occurred east of Katrina’s eye and very close to the coast. A general 5-10 inches of rain fell with isolated amounts exceeding 12 inches. Rain bands extending well east of Katrina’s eye brought isolated rainfall totals of 3-6 inches over extreme northwest Florida. Significantly lighter rainfall amounts (less than 2 inches) fell east of a line from Camden, AL to Evergreen, AL to Navarre, FL. The highest rainfall total observed in our county warning area was in Philpot, FL where 7.80 inches of rain fell in 48 hours. Flash flooding occurred throughout the day as Katrina made landfall due to the heavy rainfall....

It isn't a bad idea. The burning chemical structures are in four feet of water.

If it exists there is the matter of buoyancy in addition to the water in the engine. Four feet of water is a lot of buoyancy. If there are heavy bulldozers they could bury the burning building under the standing water and smother the fire. 

Sand is the other option. If there are dumps that won't float, like the ones the length of tractor trailers; sand can be dumped on the burning areas and smother the fire.

There is the idea that burning off the chemicals will actually prevent pollution of the water. But, the water probably already has leaks in to it.

Bulldozer for underwater operations

US 3757438 A

ABSTRACT

A bulldozer adapted to carry out operations on ground which is submerged beneath water. The existing frame and belly guard of a conventional bulldozer are interconnected so as to form a watertight enclosure in which the engine and additional components are housed. At the upper part of the enclosure is a support for the operator and the various controls are accessible to the operator at the upper part of the enclosure. All liquid-holding tanks are located at an elevation sufficiently high to prevent flooding thereof, and the intake and exhaust of the engine also extend to an elevation high enough to maintain them out of water in which the entire bulldozer is situated during underwater operations.

I find it odd if there weren't something that can smother that fire. There is heavy industry and handling dangerous chemicals.

It can't float. Is has to have traction and it has to be able to roll out of the area it will demolish.

There should be an attempt to contain the leaks. I cannot believe the company simply abandoned the chemical plant and it was okay with the State of Texas. It is crazy the stuff that goes on in that state.

The only time the people seem to matter is when it is a national shame. There need to be prosecutions that come out of this and I am not just thinking about the chemical factory. It is complete negligence. These levels of negligence don't happen in other states. 

I know survivors feel grateful to be alive and out of the water. But, for god sake!

This is ridiculous. Stop the plans for this enormous and glamorous building.

The current building has an image problem. It just does. The Kushner lawyers need to apply to the city for a change in number for 5th Avenue or simply use a side street address.

Changes can be made for the right reasons. This is not illegal.

April 15, 2017

More and more (click here) continues to come out about US president Donald Trump Jared Kushner which we weren’t aware of back in 2016 during the elections.

You have got to prepare spiritually for this because what you are about to read will turn you upside down no matter if you are a Christian or atheist.

Turns out the billionaire president Jared Kushner owns a New York City building called 666 Fifth Avenue. The building bears the number 666 as if it is the street number but no, it is not its the building’s name. The building is located right between 52nd and 53rd Streets in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.

Jared Kushner’s own office is located in this building. The also building used to have a bigger 666 logo which has now been replaced by Citibank:...

It isn't marketed correctly. The assets of the building are already good, it needs a new image to attack businesses and residents. The 666 has to go.

Belligerence isn't going to work. Making a gigantic and fancy building in its place isn't going to do a darn thing until the image of the building and city block changes.

Kushner and his family need to strike out on their own and stop listening to Trump. Have they looked at the Trump casinos lately? Get a new business manager and a new marketer.

Everyone is laughing Jared.

Trump is a typical Republican and promotes Corporate Welfare.

First, Gigrich's legislature creates the working poor with no way of becoming the Middle Class. The working poor was and still is corporate welfare. Places like Walmart developed and office within it's corporation to direct employees to apply for Medicaid and food stamps. That is corporate welfare in a very big way.

August 31, 2017
By Tory Newmyer

...Instead, (click here) Trump relied on some bank-shot logic — some might called it trickle-down — that easing the tax burden on businesses of all sizes will encourage them to invest more in their operations, including their workers, who’d see wages rise faster....

Now with the debt ceiling looming Trump is going to pretend there is an answer to the economy.

To start, what's wrong with the economy? It is doing fine, there is virtually no unemployment and there are very, very appropriate demands for a higher minimum wage WHEREBY companies are no longer on 'the dole' from Washington, DC.

August 30, 2017
By Pete Shroeder and Michelle Price

...The debt ceiling (click here) is a legal cap on how much money the government can borrow to fund its budget deficits and meet debt obligations. Failure to raise it from the current $19.8 trillion could lead to default, sending shockwaves across global markets....

There is no room for tax cuts at the top. The middle class can use a break and encourage upward movement, but, I don't see tax cuts above $250,000 or any corporate taxes. NONE!

This is ridiculous. The country is going to top $20 trillion in debt. What country is going to finance that?

The American people (click here) haven't seen a budget surplus since President Bill Clinton and the following years up to the entrance of the USA into the Afghan War and the illegal and immoral war in Iraq.

President Obama had his hands full. He inherited a failed and failing economy. I think the 2008 global economic collapse is the definitive definition of an economic slump. I don't see the USA economy today has problems. It just doesn't. Obama did a great job. His stimulus of 2009 built a strong country on the right path.

The economy grew strongly to the point where in 2013, the DEFICIT (not the DEBT) was cut in half. FIFTY PERCENT. Five-zero percent. 50% for its height of 9.8 percent of 2009. It only got better after that.

Donald Trump has no problems with the economy or the growing resolve to the national deficit. 

Kindly note, the year President Obama saw a 50 percent reduction in the National Deficit was 2013.

Got that? 2013.

On January 29, 2013, (click here) the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013, a $50.7 billion package of disaster assistance largely focused on responding to Hurricane Sandy, was enacted as P.L. 113-2. In late October 2012, Hurricane Sandy impacted a wide swath of the East Coast of the United States, resulting in more than 120 deaths and the major disaster declarations for 12 states plus the District of Columbia. The Administration submitted a request to Congress on December 7, 2012, for $60.4 billion in supplemental funding and legislative provisions to address both the immediate losses and damages from Hurricane Sandy, as well as to mitigate the damage from future disasters in the impacted region....

President Obama and Governor Christi found bipartisanship to save the donor state of New Jersey.

President Trump is bragging the GDP is increasing to 3.1 percent. Fine. If the facts back that up, then there is every reason to believe additional taxes from that GDP will reduce the national deficit AND the national debt even more.

The problem with the increase of the USA GDP over three percent is at a far higher cost to environmental insults. This is the growth is the very cause of storms like Harvey.

The only tax cuts I see is to the middle class and working poor to encourage their upward movement and even more growth of the country. With increasing income and wages the need for food stamps will drop naturally with income growth of the working poor and middle class. The same will become true of the Medicaid Extension as more citizens find their income increases. The Medicaid Extension enrollees will have a long runway to reach enough income to 'qualify out' of that important program.

Have a better day.

There is significant movement in the troposphere and Harvey is weakening. This time I do believe there is no going back.

August 31, 2017
0930.20z
UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite of the north and west hemisphere (click here for 12 hour loop - thank you)

The vortex over Mexico has successfully launched a storm into the Pacific Ocean and the jet stream showed up. It does at times become the big mover to the air mass. It is moving that Pacific system that has been rippleless and lacking movement. So, things are moving. Harvey still exists by is weakening.

28.10 -94.80 08/29/06Z 40 997 TROPICAL STORM
28.40 -94.30 08/29/12Z 40 997 TROPICAL STORM
29.20 -94.30 08/29/18Z 45 994 TROPICAL STORM
29.00 -93.60 08/30/00Z 45 994 TROPICAL STORM
29.80 -93.40 08/30/06Z 40 990 TROPICAL STORM
30.50 -93.30 08/30/12Z 40 993 TROPICAL STORM
30.80 -93.10 08/30/18Z 35 998 TROPICAL STORM
31.70 -92.30 08/31/00Z 30 998 TROPICAL DEPRESSION

There was a big change in the central pressure of Harvey at the 6:00 PM satellite. The 6:00 AM is not posted yet.

Lidia showed up off Mexico at midnight. It is the primary driver to the weakening of Harvey. It looks like it will strengthen quickly and pull all that water vapor heat energy away from Harvey.

Date: 31-31 AUG 2017
Tropical Storm LIDIA

20.70 -109.20 08/31/00Z 35 1001 TROPICAL STORM
21.30 -109.40 08/31/06Z 40 997 TROPICAL STORM

There is also another storm that manifested in the Atlantic. It is within the ITCZ and west of Africa. It began its presence around noontime yesterday with a central pressure that is rapidly rising. This independent system from Harvey is changing the heat dynamics of Harvey as well.

Date: 30-31 AUG 2017
Tropical Storm IRMA

16.40 -30.30 08/30/12Z 45 1004 TROPICAL STORM
l6.40 -31.20 08/30/18Z 50 1001 TROPICAL STORM
16.40 -32.20 08/31/00Z 55 999 TROPICAL STORM
16.50 -32.90 08/31/06Z 60 997 TROPICAL STORM

The dynamics of the two more northern vortexes of the Harvey system have changed as well. They are both moving more normally and to the north and east. At least more normally for the very hot planet we are experiencing in the 21st century.

The pinching off of Harvey from the rest of the water vapor system did not occur. Instead with the addition of a storm in the Pacific and the Atlantic; the jet stream was able to build and is now moving the air mass from the Pacific region where the motionless cloud masses existed toward the east where the two northern vortexes are finding movement toward the Arctic Circle.

Now, as to Harvey. It is still be renewed in its water vapor content from the Gulf waters. But, it is losing its longevity. There will still be rain along its path, but, it will ultimately resolve. The Gulf of Mexico is very hot. The feeder system this storm has developed achieved static equilibrium and that is a significant change for this warming event. It cannot be ignored and there is a very good chance it will repeat in the future.

It is a little difficult to know what company is in Texas. It is not on the map with a multi-national company by the same name that is a chemical company.

Isobutyl.....?

Isobutyl Acetate? Yes? 

CDC Isobutyl Acetate (click here)

"Vapour/air mixtures are explosive."

Pregnancy Risk Group: C

ROUTES OF EXPOSURE: The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of its vapour. 

INHALATION RISK: A harmful contamination of the air will be reached rather slowly on evaporation of this substance at 20°C. 

EFFECTS OF SHORT-TERM EXPOSURE: The vapour is mildly irritating to the eyes and the respiratory tract. The substance may cause effects on the central nervous system . Exposure far above the OEL could cause lowering of consciousness. 

EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM OR REPEATED EXPOSURE: The liquid defats the skin.

Jackson's Deer Processing is within stone's throw of this chemical plant? Are they crazy?

Ya know, the people taking their deer for processing are not high-end income folks. Okay? The majority. What does Texas think they are doing to people?

I am less concerned about Buffalo Steel Fabrication Plant, except, when the wind blows the wrong way. Long term exposure to what is in that plant is a concern for these folks.

Digging deeper is necessary to come up with this.


Well if that isn't enough confusion there is this:

? Atofina Chemical, Inc. ? Something is rotten in the state of ??? Denmark ???

I try very hard to be accurate. I don't like to give false information and have it cause problems in the year of cyber-critics. So. Given this level of oddity....hm?

Given no real explanation about such issues, let's just go with it.

The Beaumont, (click here) TX plant produces methyl mercaptan, ethyl mercaptan, dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and methyl mercapto-proprionaldehyde (MMP).  Beaumont is celebrating its 40 year anniversary in 2016!

2016? They move the plant? Subsidiary? Contractor?

Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) (click here) has been identified as the major volatile sulfur compound in 628 samples of surface seawater representing most of the major oceanic ecozones. In at least three respects, its vertical distribution, its local patchiness, and its distribution in oceanic ecozones, the concentration of DMS in the sea exhibits a pattern similar to that of primary production. The global weightedaverage concentration of DMS in surface seawater is 102 nanograms of sulfur (DMS) per liter, corresponding to a global sea-to-air flux of 39 x 1012grams of sulfur per year. When the biogenic sulfur contributions from the land surface are added, the biogenic sulfur gas flux is approximately equal to the anthropogenic flux of sulfur dioxide. The DMS concentration in air over the equatorial Pacific varies diurnally between 120 and 200 nanograms of sulfur (DMS) per cubic meter, in agreement with the predictions of photochemical models. The estimated source flux of DMS from the oceans to the marine atmosphere is in agreement with independently obtained estimates of the removal fluxes of DMS and its oxidation products from the atmosphere.

I've got this thing about containment. It is for good reason. Chemicals. Methane. All that stuff.

Dinoflagellates and coccolithophores? You mean the phytoplankton human beings should value above all else because they produce 60 percent of the atmospheric oxygen on Earth? Those dinoflagellates and coccolithophores?

Significant dimethyl sulfide (DMS) (click here) production is confined to a few classes of marine phytoplankton, mainly the Dinophyceae (dinoflagellates) and the Prymnesiophyceae (which includes the coccolitnophores). One hundred and twenty-three individual clones of phytoplankton representing twelve algal classes were examined in exponential growth for intra- and extracellular DMS (and its precursor DMSP). There is a strong correlation between the taxonomic position of the phytoplankton and the production of DMS. Although the Dinophyceae and Prymnesiophyceae predominate, other chromophyte algae (those possessing chlorophylls a and c) also contain and release significant amounts of DMS, including some members of the Chrysophyceae and the Bacillariophyceae (the diatoms). The chlorophytes (those algae possessing chlorophylls a and b) are much less significant producers of DMS with the exception of a few very small species. Other classes, including the cryptomonads and the cyanobacteria, are minor producers. 

You mean to tell me this mulit-national company is about to pollute the marine environment in the Gulf of Mexico? You've got to be joking. No wonder it is in Texas.

Ethyl mercaptan is the stinky stuff in methane. Where else would it be produced by Texas? It has a very low boiling point. 95 degrees Fahrenheit. It most probably will explode on temperatures higher than that, especially in large amounts of a storage facility.

It is not benign to human beings.

Ethyl mercaptan (click here):

Symptoms

irritation mucous membrane; headache, nausea; In Animals: incoordination, lassitude (weakness, exhaustion); liver, kidney damage; cyanosis; narcosis

The explosive area is dependent on the amount stored in that facility and whether or not that is the ONLY chemical stored there. My guess is not. Tell the company to keep their garbage in Europe.

methylmercapto-proprionaldehyde (MMP) (click here)

...More than 60 % of the worldwide production volume of the substance is used as on-site intermediate. Approximately 35 % may be transported in specially designed railroad cars or trucks and to a lesser extend (ca. 5 %) ships to a limited number of industrial sites. The substance is transported in specifically designed strictly sealed ISO-containers approved according to international regulations on transport of dangerous goods. The German producer only transports the material to his own subsidiaries or to one of the other producers (Degussa, 2003a)...

Normally, these chemicals are benign in the ocean environment when released by phytoplankton. That release is at ocean temperatures and evaporates into the air. It is not dangerous under 'normal' circumstances. However, no different than any other naturally occurring chemical when human activity turns them into a product, there is danger that enters into such processes. Sometimes it's is dangerous to human health and in this case it is dangerous to it's release because it has such low boiling points. The products can be turned into something far safer than it is now. It is a shame the company isn't interested in protecting human health and the environment. This is ridiculous. These are well established chemicals. There is no reason for this level of negligence.

It is more or less a storage facility with some capacity to produce some of the products. IF THAT IS THE COMPANY INVOLVED. That fact is still unclear.