The Flooding and Water Crisis in Jackson is a Warning That We Ignore at Our Peril

Water is the most precious and vital resource on Earth. Without it, all life ceases to exist. It is also extremely powerful and can both take life and give life.

In Mississippi, the recent flood in Jackson is more than just a flood. It is a warning that we cannot ignore. As the rain continued to fall and an important pump at the local water treatment plant failed, residents were surrounded by water, and ironically, unable to use it for bathing, drinking, or cooking.

Halfway across the world, another flood in Pakistan has killed 1400 people, disrupted the lives of those who survived, and has created losses that are estimated to be worth $30 billion dollars.

Regardless of whether excessive and repeated flooding occurs in Jackson, Pakistan, or any other place in the world, we cannot pretend that it is not happening. Climate change is real. Wars are fought over water.

I’m not usually a pessimist. But in this case, it’s hard not to be. How many more chances will Mother Nature give us before she destroys the world as we know it to be?

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Flashback Friday: Feud (2017)

For every great movie, there is a great behind-the-scenes story.

The F/X 2017 miniseries Feud tells the story of the making of the 1962 movie, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?. Playing the film’s leads are Susan Sarandon (Bette Davis) and Jessica Lange (Joan Crawford). Manipulating the actors while directing the film is Robert Aldrich (Alfred Molina).

As the series goes on, it becomes more apparent that the feud between Davis and Crawford has been partially manufactured by the press and the male heads of the movie studio as they play the aging actresses against one another.

Wow. Though I’ve never seen the film that the series is based on, I might be tempted to watch it. Lange, Sarandon, and Molina are fantastic in their roles. One of the points that were made was that while men are allowed to age, a woman has a shelf life. Once she is on the figurative shelf, she is automatically replaced by a younger model. The number of older women that are still allowed to be active is often limited and pitted against one another because G-d forbid a woman of a certain age is active and vital as her male counterpart.

Like other Ryan Murphy-headed projects, there is a message built into the story. There is also a subtle level of campiness that allows the audience to laugh while observing that the superficial bullshit that is the backbone of the narrative is still alive and well today.

Do I recommend it? Yes.