First thing is why does not the Federal Government renationalize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. They were nationalized until 1968, I think. They don't seem to good at making a profit and we have to bail them out. Let's take the profit margin out of it so it again becomes a public service organization. Oh wait, they might not get the best and brightest administrators if there were no profit. They might be run into the ground. Imagine that. I mean with good administration, they would never have to worry about not making profit, and having to be bailed out. A free market economy solves all. Especially when you can completely fuck up, run a billion dollar business into the ground, take your bonuses and ask for a bailout. Thanks, St. Reagan. If it weren't for government help...

I see Ford Motor Company just lost their ass this quarter after banking on big trucks to take them out of the red. Wow! Who could have seen that one coming? Again, did the executives get a bonus for their forward vision? Big Pick Ups + $4.50/gallon gas = one big loss. Man, I want a job where I can make such stupid decisions, keep my job, make millions and get bonuses. Betcha the hourly workers and middle management take the brunt of the cuts. Gotta love the free market. Always someone else to blame.

And don't get me wrong--I have lived in communes, experienced half-assed communism and know that doesn't work either, because of human nature. My dad used to tell me that in my youthful idealism. I was to inexperienced to know he was very right. Guess what, unbridled capitalism doesn't work either, for the same reason. Some aspects of human nature are not necessarily conducive to the betterment of the human community. In fact, when it comes to money and power, much of the motivation is really venal.

One thing is certain is that aspects and need for my job treating water and wastewater will never go away. Here are some things I have come across on the web today. This is from www.waterthinktank.com.

" Commissioned by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Water Science and Marketing (WSM) recently completed a study identifying a limited number of commercially available point-of-use (POU) water treatment devices as effective for the removal of Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) from drinking water supplies.

A new class of contaminants, referred to as PFC’s, has now been detected in drinking water supplies in Minnesota, Ohio, West Virginia, and other states. Due to the number of years of widespread, and continued use of products containing PFC’s (Teflon, Scotchgard, etc.), measurable concentrations are likely to be found in drinking water supplies throughout the US and World. While toxicity of various PFC compounds are known, third-party performance data has not been available to determine if the use of commercially available POU devices represent a viable drinking water treatment option for their removal in residential applications.

To secure this information the MDH commissioned WSM to conduct an extensive study to provide data relevant to PFC removal performance/capacity for such POU devices, in addition to, identification of factors affecting reliability, and operational characteristics/limitations. Execution of this $640,000 study required WSM to determine the theoretical bases/mechanics of PFC removal for candidate technologies and associated POU devices, create new test methodologies to ensure reliability of data, design/construct specialized test stations, and conduct both in-lab and field-testing.

WSM has released their final report on this study to the MDH. It will be published and accessible through the following link: www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/brochures.html within the next few days/weeks. This study represents the first third-party performance evaluation of its kind, and is considered a groundbreaking effort in the area of performance testing for the removal of emerging health-effect contaminants of concern such as:

• Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs),
• Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs),
• Perfluorochemicals (PFCs)
• Nano-particles from unregulated advances in nanotechnology.

WSM personnel have been directly engaged in research, new product development, performance testing, and regulatory review of these emerging contaminants for the last several years. They are advising public health protection agencies and private corporations on technical and regulatory aspects, including their removal from drinking water sources and public supplies. WSM specializes in technology evaluations and assessments for the removal of contaminants that are weakly addressed by current certification standards, or are extremely expensive to conduct through these agencies. In addition, WSM provides services related to business growth initiatives including market research, new product/technology development, training, business plan development, and identification/procurement of strategic partners. "

This is from the Minnesota Department of Environmental Health.

Let's see, we have solvents still in groundwater, percholates still migrating, high salinity in drinking water in CA, MTBE in groundwater and now we are seeing endocrine disruptors and pharmaceuticals in surface and groundwater. O yeah, I have employment for life if I keep my nose clean and stay up on issues. And here in CA, I am amazed at how many laws there are, how many organizations and government bodies there are to regulate these things and how proud they are of their forward thinking---yet, the basic hydraulic designs used to model the parameters of wastewater effluent are based upon dilution is the solution to pollution. It makes me nuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There so many lagoons in this state that are there because there is water reuse, using the treated effluent to irrigate fields and return to groundwater. But the ponds do so little for treatment it is ridiculous. High nitrates and phosphorus, no treatment of pharmaceuticals, lower energy costs, much less operator costs (how experienced do you have to be to watch a pond?, therefore, much cheaper labor). Yup, I have employment for life.

rojo