BoSt Notable Sightings

Megastructures Ultimate Oil Sands Mine

See the wonder for yourself. Take an hour for a tour of the Alberta Oil Sands bitumen mine, the shining hope of the Canadian economy. The pet project of the Harper Government of Canada.
Now just look at the criticism levelled against this shining example of capitalism and enterprise:

To the Last Drop - Part 1

To the Last Drop - Part 2

Who do you believe?

a silent story of invisible people
By @Min_Reyes
want to tell you a story
a story not mine to tell
but it must be told
for some stories are buried with bodies
and while remaining untold
not the rotting flesh nor bones, nor the silent soul
will stop haunting those who seek truth

to those to whom the land belongs
there has been no peace nor justice
to those who humble themselves not by conquering but coexisting
the winds, the secretive waters, the imposing trees, the welcoming earth
while the elders look upon their young with guilt and fear
the young return the gaze with hopes and dreams

there is a war
between the silk suited men and women
and the teary elders, outraged widows, childless parents
those in suits easily claim no understanding can be reached
for there are two languages, yet there is only one truth
but how wrong the suits are
while they bring to the assembly their own bottled drinking water
while denying to take a sip of water from the athabasca river
the same water they claim is safe for kids to drink
there may well be two versions of the truth, yes

but one truth speaks louder through increasing deaths, bloody noses
don’t hide behind numbers, don’t hide behind reports
the truth is in the living, slowly dying
our water is filled with arsenic, aluminum, mercury, and pahs
the dying community confronts

yet the faces of suncor and voices of government claim
tis only natural rivers contain carcinogenic toxins
while for decades denying tests meant to prove otherwise
what are people to eat and drink
when fish caught to fee the children are mutated
does one feed the hungry child tumor
the nets gathered with mutated fish
smell of oil, feel like oil
genocide

oh, how awful what is happening, you let a cry out
while sitting at your dinner table
your child looks shocked, your wife gives you a nod
oh, daddy, what happened to the little birdie?
why can’t the birdie fly?
you softly look at your child with pride assuming that she cares
bad people are killing the environment for money, you tell her
and for a moment you pause and think
you just came to an understanding that you have always known the truth
and because you cannot in all honesty, teach your own child otherwise
because as a decent human being, you refuse to teach your child
genocide is acceptable
and you quietly resume dinner
in silence
not daring to meet her beautiful and curious eyes
and so this story has slightly touched you
while quickly burns like furious fire
you are guilty
of genocide
in indifference, in ignorance, in silence
you are guilty
of genocide