Gasland. Several things have reminded me about this film. I had to travel to far west Texas and the closest/southeast part of New Mexico and in the

gasfields (nothing having to do with any film). And, whew.... what an eye opener about what is going on about now in the so called "middle of nowhere." (middle of yonder, is what we call it). Don't get me wrong, I've been around oil towns and rendering plants. Dumps and sulfer wells. Changing adult and baby diapers. I'm just not the squeamish type. Blood and guts, no problem (if not unavoidable, as far as handling the immediate medical need part of it). So, I was down in the Gulf Coast (LA to Florida) about a month ago and all but like Grand I. is clearing up, that can be seen. Yes, some tar balls, some not pleasant smells here and there. Yeah, some energy towns stink. (Fort Stockton as an example in Texas). Pig towns stink. Poverty places are a wreck. Thug apartments, are thuggy. Et cetera. I know we collectively do some not too pleasant things to hang. And then some (don't forget Picher, ok) (or drilling mud spread about). And sometimes nature does too.

But holy toxic vomit and gas masks. What's going on is way more than gas well burn off and old school gas well fracking.

I wasn't looking to see any of this or seeking it.

I can see (did see, smell, taste, hear, feel, get sick) more than ever why the New Mexico people had such a fit when more of the gas (and oil) drilling was about to happen in what is considered a more sensitive area to the west. We need energy. But have mercy. Not a free for all, with what appears to be little to no oversight, record profit of the energy companies at the expense of people's homes, land, other industry, livestock, and water.

I'm all for people being excited about the future and getting things done, and we are human and pollute, but the details and the big picture have to be considered together. It's like certain things have taken too many steps backward. It took la smog and the river catching on fire at one point in history to get a little attention. Oil spills. Blow ups. Things happen. But invariably it seems a very, very short time after major bad things happen, safety measures, if they were tightened or put into place, go slip slidding away (too much or in the wrong places).

I feel like I don't even need to see Gasland now, but will.

They call the once poor landowners "shale-ionaires."

If you watch only one of the following clips, watch all of the second one, but watch them when you get a chance.

Gasland trailer (1 min)


Interesting interview with film maker: 11 mins





60 minutes did a piece on fracking (13 mins)



Barnett Shale saltwater disposal (1 minute)



Cleburne: earthquakes, gas money/taxes, lobbying, etc. (6 mins)