Drill Baby Drill (not so fast)

“Drill Baby Drill” was first heard at the Republican National Convention in 2008. Now President Obama has announced that he too is open to expanding the drilling that we do off the United States coastline and in Alaska. This drilling should ease our dependence on the importation of foreign oil. This is a good thing but without massive Federal Government oversight there will be a problem. The recent mining explosion at The Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia in which something like 30 miners were killed. The owners of The Upper Big Branch Mine Massey Energy Company do not have a good record of safety at there mines and have been called a Union Busting company at there non union mines. Part of the problem of the safety issues have be due to the gutting of regulations during the eight years of the George W. Bush administration. So if we are going to “Drill Baby Drill” it can only be done if that massive government oversight I mentioned is incorporated into any drilling contracts with very stern penalties for accidents that may occur I don’t want to happen what happen when a jury imposed a large fine on Exxon after The Exxon Valdez Oil spill then have that fine gutted in various courts. Yes I to want the United States to award contracts for the drilling off our shores and in Alaska but I want a clause included in those contracts that stipulates something along the lines of “If a drop of oil spreads into a coastline or causes the killing of aquatic life due to negligence all of the companies assets will be held until the entire spill is cleaned to the satisfaction of the EPA the cost of this cleanup will be paid for entirely by that company and non of it will be allowed to be claimed as a tax deduction. Simply put I want the EPA and any other Federal agency responsible for oversight on the drilling operations to be looking over the shoulders of the operation every minute form start to finish without this oversight accidents such as The Upper Big Branch Mine will become the norm rather than the exception.

Review- "Chloe"

The synopsis of “Chloe” simply says “A DOCTOR HIRES A ESCORT TO SEDUCE HER HUSBAND WHOME SHE SUSPECTS OF CHEATING” Now if you have seen past Atom Egoyan films you know it’s can’t be that simple. Throughout his career ( The Sweet Hereafter, Exotica, Adoration) non of Egoyan’s characters are ever what they appear to be nothing changes here. Dr. Catherine Stewart a Toronto gynecologist stumbles onto a text message on her husband Music professor David Stewart phone from a young women saying “Thanks for last night” along with a photo of the two together . This along with David’s constant flirting with every women he finds attractive leads her to suspects of cheating. She hires the attractive young escort / prostituted Chloe she has come to know from the neighborhood. to tempt Davis then to report back with the results. What follows keeps you in wonder and suspense and to who is telling the truth who is lying who is cheating who is not doing anything. The mystery surrounding all has Dr. Stewart on the verge of a breakdown. This in a way is a very different film for Egoyan as many familiar names from his past work is missing his wife Arsinee Khanjian has no part major or minor gone is longtime collaborator Robert Lantos even his production company Ego Arts Film is missing from the credits. Having only to direct seems to have allowed Egoyan to work his magic to a new level This may be his best film to date I don’t know if I would consider it his masterpiece but I do feel it does rise above all his previous work I hope this time his peers in the industry take notice this one deserves a Oscar for it’s director. Let’s leave it at that if you a re a fan of Egoyan you will congratulate yourself on having such good taste if you are not a fan or do not even know who he is go see “Chloe” after you do you will be heading to your local video store or Net Flicks to grab up all his previous work.