This Sorta Thing Occasionally Happens

Me and my big mouth. Okay, I took the kids on a mini family vacation, birthday getaway back in October. APPARENTLY, I've mismanaged my account and am still trying to recover from the blunders I've made. How does this relate into me and my big mouth? Well, it's common knowledge that I live from pay check to pay check...most of us do. I've been playing catch up since the first of November and I think with the next employer installment into my checking account, I should have things back to normal.

Today, my darling Annie asked that I grill her some burgers since the weather was so nice. I responded, "You're going to have to wait until Thursday when I get paid. I grilled chicken yesterday and that's what we're going to have today." A little later, I noticed she was rather quiet and when I looked at her face, she had streams of tears silently cascading down her pink cheeks.

"What's wrong?" She blurted, "We're poor! We don't even have enough money to buy stuff from the grocery store to make hamburgers!" Oh my...sometimes, I guess I'm too forthcoming with my children and I don't shield them enough from the "real" world. I explained that we were far from being poor. I mean really, how many poor people have three televisions, two XBOX 360s, a portable gaming system, a rather fantavulous tree house, and not to mention took TWO vacations in one year?

The problem seemed more to do with instant gratification. These days we're not willing to delay gratification, prolong the experience, but we want everything NOW! Kinda like the oil and gas industry...cutting corners, poorly training, disregarding safety regulations just to get a job done.

I've got some friends that live in Commerce City, CO. Commerce City isn't the prettiest place in Colorado, it's the industrial hub of the North Denver area. My friends that live there were upset about a natural gas pipeline accident; just between you and me...Commerce City already smells terrible. The accident was frightening, but I suppose what caused them alarm was the nonchalant attitude of the company spokesman.

"The company says the men were doing what they were supposed to be doing and this sort of thing occasionally happens."

This sorta thing occasionally happens when safety regulations aren't followed, when training is poor, when companies aren't responsible, when people are reckless...what do you think would have been the response if the pipeline had been ignited by their carelessness and people died? Would it go something like this:

This sorta thing occasionally happens, gas lines rupture, gas lines explode and people die.

Brittle Pipeline Syndrome

Seems that a once healthy, viable, well cared for pipeline has tragically developed none other than...dum, dum, dum...BRITTLE PIPELINE SYNDROME!

Taylor ISD bus crew saw some bubbling brew and contacted the Taylor fire department. They said, "HEY! Don't move a muscle, don't even hustle...that there's a gas leak!" Atmos gas provider was called to the scene, started digging and digging until it was discovered that that old gas line was older than dirt, all brittle you see, and had to be replaced. Do you think this syndrome could spread?

Checking On Friends After A Gas Line Fire Forces Evacuation

One of my best friends from junior high lives in Pearl, MS. I used to live in Wiggins, MS which isn't far from there. She and I attended Hattiesburg Prep School seventh grade together, and we have stayed in touch since then. Imagine my worry and concern when I find out that there was a pipe line fire in her area!

She told me that a contractor was putting down some fiber optic cable and in the process of digging hit the pipe line. What was truly disturbing was that the guy digging said that he'd been doing this kind of work for ten years, has hit pipe lines before, but has never had them explode! That means that this pipe line is extremely high pressured.

She and her family are okay and are now able to return home. She said they were a bit shaken, could hear the rumbling from where they live.

Why weren't the pipes marked? Before the digging ensued, the contractor called and was told exactly where to dig to avoid a pipeline. They're guessing that the mapping isn't accurate. Better put a stop to anymore digging before someone gets killed! View the video here.