“…when there’s a dollar to be made?”

This haiku was inspired by the oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico last week, one that will inevitably result in a spill to eclipse the Exxon Valdez over 20 years ago.

I find it curious that the two largest maritime oil spills in history both occurred in such proximity to U.S. coastlines — a coincidence I can’t help but imagine has to do with my country’s reverence for greed as a principle. We have mining disasters, oil spills and countless other industrial accidents — most of which are treated as collateral damage in our never-ending quest for higher profits.
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I’ve never been good at sending Christmas cards to my friends, no matter how many of my friends think to send me holiday greetings. That hasn’t changed this year, but since I know a few of those friends visit this site on occasion, I’ve decided to post a sort of online Christmas wish. This one goes out to my friends, family and anyone else who happens to view it.

By the way, if the meaning of this haiku is too muted, click here to see a different angle on the same sentiment.

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the patriot’s dream
is to be a martyr for
capitalism.

*
It was the blackest of Fridays for Jdimytai “Jimmy” Damour (and his grieving loved ones):

Emergency workers tried to revive Mr. Damour, a temporary worker hired for the holiday season, at the scene, but he was pronounced dead an hour later at Franklin Hospital Medical Center in Valley Stream.

Four other people, including a 28-year-old woman who was described as eight months pregnant, were treated at the hospital for minor injuries.

Detective Lt. Michael Fleming, who is in charge of the investigation for the Nassau police, said the store lacked adequate security. He called the scene “utter chaos” and said the “crowd was out of control.” As for those who had run over the victim, criminal charges were possible, the lieutenant said. “I’ve heard other people call this an accident, but it is not,” he said. “Certainly it was a foreseeable act.”

…

Some shoppers who had seen the stampede said they were shocked. One of them, Kimberly Cribbs of Queens, said the crowd had acted like “savages.” Shoppers behaved badly even as the store was being cleared, she recalled.

“When they were saying they had to leave, that an employee got killed, people were yelling, ‘I’ve been on line since yesterday morning,’ ” Ms. Cribbs told The Associated Press. “They kept shopping.” (full story)