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Jet 05-18-2010 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diavolo (Post 108043)
It’s time that we quit being a bunch of self centered bloated petulant children ......[/INDENT]

who is we?

Apocalipstic 05-18-2010 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jet (Post 109082)
who is we?

Maybe people who drive cars with bad gas mileage and use tons of oil by products then whine about the environment and gas prices?

The oil has got to come from somewhere if we are going to continue to use it at the rates we are.

Spirit Dancer 05-18-2010 04:05 PM


Gulf Fishing: Oil Spill To Shut Down 19 Percent Of Area, More Than Double Original Closure
MELISSA NELSON | 05/18/10 05:23 PM |


PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. — The sign outside the Pensacola Beach marina says "We're Still Fishing," but that's not really true.

The federal government announced Tuesday it is nearly tripling the size of an area in the Gulf of Mexico that's closed to fishing because of a massive oil spill off the coast of Louisiana.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it was closing nearly 46,000 square miles, or about 19 percent of federal waters, beginning at 6 p.m.

That's up from the 7 percent of the Gulf that's been closed to fishing boats since shortly after an offshore oil rig exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Rig operator BP PLC estimates that the blown-out well has leaked more than 5 million gallons.

The spill has scared off charter fishing customers at the marina here, even though the water they'd normally trawl is still open to fishing. The 30 boats were almost all tied to their slips Tuesday and Jerry Andrews, the captain of the Entertainer, had the dock to himself.

"Usually you'd see 15 or 20 people walking up and down out here asking about the fishing. Three-fourths of these slips would be empty," said Andrews, a Pensacola native who has been fishing here for 34 years.

The expanded ban covers an area that starts near the Louisiana coast and moves southeast in a diagonal line. From Mississippi to Pensacola, the ban starts about 30 miles offshore. It begins moving away from shore at the Florida-Alabama border. At its eastern end south of Apalachicola, about the midpoint of the Florida Panhandle, the ban starts about 160 miles offshore.

Andrews said that before the spill he was getting between 30 and 40 calls and e-mails a day asking about chartering his boat and his customers were catching their full quotas of vermilion snapper, triggerfish, amberjack and grouper.

But in the month since the spill, he gets hired for one or two trips a week, tops, even though he can still go out the 20 miles he normally travels. Most of his customers, who come from Alabama and Georgia, are now going to the Carolinas.

He said BP, as part of its plan to help coastal businesses harmed by the spill, has paid him $5,000 and the oil giant has promised further help, but he doesn't know when that's coming.

To Harlon Pearce, chairman of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, the latest closure is as much a public relations problem as an impediment to business. He stressed that seafood from the areas not closed is still available and safe to eat. Roughly 60 percent of the state's oyster production areas were still open, Pearce said, and he expected the expanded federal closure to affect fishermen working off the Alabama and Mississippi coasts more than those from Louisiana.

Then there was Florida. Fifty miles to the east of Pensacola, a sign outside the Panhandle tourist hub of Destin welcomes visitors to "The World's Luckiest Fishing Village." Generations of families have gone on fishing excursions while vacationing along the white sandy beaches. The boats return each evening and display the largest snapper, grouper or other fish from the day's catch for passers-by to photograph and admire.

David Krebs, who owns a local seafood market, said the town is tired and frustrated by the continued restrictions and lack of information about the spill.

Local fishermen are catching plenty of fish in non-restricted areas closer to shore, the weather is great, the fish are healthy and the beaches are oil-free, Krebs said.

But the perception that oil has already hit and seafood is unsafe has devastated the tourist-driven economy, he said.

"This is just more fear factor and hype," he said, "but if people are afraid to come on vacation here now and there was already this big wonderment about the economy anyway then the perception is everything."




http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0..._n_580302.html

Spirit Dancer 06-02-2010 11:25 AM

Yet another snafu with the repair out in the gulf.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100602/...gulf_oil_spill


By GREG BLUESTEIN and BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writers Greg Bluestein And Brian Skoloff, Associated Press Writers – 58 mins ago
PORT FOURCHON, La. – As the crude crept closer to Florida, the risky effort to contain the nation's worst oil spill hit a snag Wednesday when a diamond-edged saw became stuck in a thick pipe on a blown-out well at the bottom of the Gulf.

Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said the goal was to free the saw and finish the cut later in the day. This is the latest attempt to contain — not plug — the gusher. The best chance at stopping the leak is a relief well, which is at least two months from completion.

"I don't think the issue is whether or not we can make the second cut. It's about how fine we can make it, how smooth we can make it," Allen said.

If the cut is not as smooth as engineers would like, they would be forced to put a looser fitting cap on top of the oil spewing out. This cut-and-cap effort could temporarily increase the flow of oil by as much as 20 percent, though Allen said officials wouldn't know whether that had happened until the cut could be completed.

Engineers may have to bring in a second saw awaiting on a boat, but it was not immediately clear how long that could delay the operation. Live video of the saw showed oil spitting out of the new cut, and crews were shooting chemicals to try to disperse the crude. The cap could be placed over the spill as early as Wednesday.

The effort underwater was going on as oil drifted close to the Florida Panhandle's white sand beaches for the first time and investors ran from BP's stock for a second day, reacting to the company's weekend failure to plug the leak by shooting mud and cement into the well, known as the top kill.

The Justice Department also has announced it started criminal and civil probes into the spill, although the department did not name specific targets for prosecution.

Shares in British-based BP PLC were down 3 percent Wednesday morning in London trading after a 13 percent fall the day before. BP has lost $75 billion in market value since the spill started with an April 20 oil rig explosion and analysts expect damage claims to total billions more.

In Florida, oil was about seven miles south of Pensacola beach, Allen said.

Thunderstorms were making it difficult to track the slick, Escambia County emergency director John Dosh said, and officials hoped the weather would clear so they could get an aerial view.

"We are looking at a Wednesday to Friday shoreline impact, but there is a line of uncertainty that depends on the wave action and the winds," Dosh said.

"Today we are in a monitoring mode."

NJFemmie 06-02-2010 12:22 PM

I don't know about other areas, but around here, Exxon gas prices are the HIGHEST around. Know why? Because those that fueled up at Exxon paid for their oil spill in Alaska. In fact, Exxon was sued billions of dollars, but court settled for maybe 513M. That was barely the cost to "clean up". Very few Alaskans received monetary damages as promised (if any, honestly) - and they are still suffering the effects of that disaster. They've ushered some species of animals into extinction.

It would be nice to think that the government will fine BP up their ass for this, but reality is, they will find a way to get out of it. Sure looks good on paper, but I doubt they will pay a fraction of what they should for this - and like someone said - it will trickle down to the consumer.

What I can't believe is, this is far bigger than Exxon Valdez now, yet, BP IS STILL CALLING THE SHOTS. How does that happen?

Andrew, Jr. 06-02-2010 02:37 PM

Day 44
 

The CEO of BP tells the media he wants his life back. WTF?

Then the fisherman, their families/crews, are moving to new fishing grounds off Texas. It seems that BP doesn't want to do anything to stop the flow of oil, at least that is the perception I am receiving from all of BP and BP's management.

Where is President Obama in this? He could have been there over the Memorial Day Holiday excusing him from his responsibilities at The Naval Academy and Arlington Cemetary whereby Vice President Biden gave the speeches. I guess maybe July 4th President Obama will pick up the pace. I am so disappointed in him.

I guess we all will be soon swimming in pools instead of oceans, bays, lakes, and so on. We are just killing the planet.

Rockinonahigh 06-02-2010 03:13 PM

So the head of bp wants his life back,how rich is that?What about the people that this oil spill is efeting??This mess is ruining the lives of anyone who makes a liveing on the gulf or lives there..heck now ppl are getting sick from the fumes or whatever is doing it.All we have been told is mostly lies about this issue from the beganing,first we didnt have a leak them we have the leak from hell,wich is contenueing and has no end in sight.BP has been grossly neglegent(sp??) in all of this and will contenue to cover there ass till hell freezes over.On the news I herd that the ppl who have been hired have to sign a gag order to work for them in the clean up,one of the wives was on cnn,she said to hell with BP if she had to be the one to tell the world what they had to do to work she would..good for her.
WE all know he gulf is ruined and will be for generations to come,BP could give a shit,I personaly feel the gov should hold BP in recevership and put the hammer down on them to fix this mess they created.Yes,im pissed,they are runing my state,its people,our water ways and fisheries.Dam BP to efin hell for what they have done and will contenue to do unless our goverment dose something.Obama get off your ass and quit makeing photo shoots for publicity..step on BP's butt now before they drop the ball again and compleatly.
Dam that felt good to get off my chest.Please what ever powers that be save our gulf cause its turning into a cauldron of oil.

AtLast 06-02-2010 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockinonahigh (Post 120618)
So the head of bp wants his life back,how rich is that?What about the people that this oil spill is efeting??This mess is ruining the lives of anyone who makes a liveing on the gulf or lives there..heck now ppl are getting sick from the fumes or whatever is doing it.All we have been told is mostly lies about this issue from the beganing,first we didnt have a leak them we have the leak from hell,wich is contenueing and has no end in sight.BP has been grossly neglegent(sp??) in all of this and will contenue to cover there ass till hell freezes over.On the news I herd that the ppl who have been hired have to sign a gag order to work for them in the clean up,one of the wives was on cnn,she said to hell with BP if she had to be the one to tell the world what they had to do to work she would..good for her.
WE all know he gulf is ruined and will be for generations to come,BP could give a shit,I personaly feel the gov should hold BP in recevership and put the hammer down on them to fix this mess they created.Yes,im pissed,they are runing my state,its people,our water ways and fisheries.Dam BP to efin hell for what they have done and will contenue to do unless our goverment dose something.Obama get off your ass and quit makeing photo shoots for publicity..step on BP's butt now before they drop the ball again and compleatly.
Dam that felt good to get off my chest.Please what ever powers that be save our gulf cause its turning into a cauldron of oil.

I know, that guy is one of the most arrogant SOBs on earth! Hey, billionaire mentality at its finest!

Why anyone would think that huge oil companies give a flying fuck about shorelines, birds, wetlands, estuaries, the fishing industry, etc. is beyond me.

Our government doesn't have the knowledge or skills, or equipment to deal with this. We are subject to the whims of these assholes. THAT is what needs to change. Oil drilling needs to be part of the government, not private industry. And the chances of this happening are not good.

The only thing the federal government can do is sue and make criminal charges. As far as having the experts, equipment and know-how to plug that pipe, forget it.

Now, cleaning-up and making certain BP is liable to all the folks that are loosing their livelihoods, that is a different matter. And I hope to hell they are not just tossed to the wind like in Valdez and the Katrina catastrophe (which was not an act of God, the storm did not hit N.O., the damn levies broke that were built by the Army Corp).

I feel your frustration and I am sickened by this, but, it is a wake-up call about deep water oil drilling. Most of the technology being used to try and stop that leak have never been tested under these conditions by anyone (governmental or private industry). So, why the hell did BP and all the other oil companies get permission to build oil rigs out there?

Take a look at the corruption within this entire industry and government entities for the answers.

I'd love to see BP officials taken into custody for criminal charges that would actually result in prision time... but not until the damn leak is contained. We are at their mercy right now. And the Gulf region has been changed forever. There are types of fish that are still not back in the waterways of Valdez.

dreadgeek 06-02-2010 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MsDemeanor (Post 107646)
By the way, those chemicals being used to disperse the oil? The formulas and ingredients are protected, so we have no way of knowing what is in them. The companies refuse to divulge the information.

The thing is, nature *may* already have a solution. See below:

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtLastHome (Post 107727)

Bet Dick Cheny knows what they are and what is in them! Probably will get a kick-back off them.

The whole idea that someting that is developed to break down sweet crude could possibly not be harmful is just nuts! And I am sure that future generations will be posting on-line about birth defects, cancers, etc. resulting from these chemicals getting into the food-chain.

And we worry about foreign terroists destroying us!

There are bacteria that have evolved--without interference from humans--the ability to break down oil naturally. These microbes exist *now*. They are soil bacteria but anywhere there are large collections of oil it is possible to find them in the soil. Now, admittedly, it would be ideal if nature had thought to make oil-eating bacteria that lived in salt water but since there are bacteria that DO live in salt-water (bacteria live everywhere) and since bacteria, over a billion years ago, hit on the very, very cool trick of simply trading genes across different species (as if that word means a lot to bacteria) it seems to me to be a relatively trivial exercise to introduce the oil-eating bacteria to some salt-water dwelling bacteria and, in a remarkably short amount of time* we'd have a salt-water dwelling bacteria that eats oil. Introduce them to the spill and let the feasting begin.

Now, I know that some folks are going to say "hold on, wouldn't this be just as dangerous" to which I say "not necessarily", here's why.

1) As far as introducing the gene although it would be more efficient to simply find the gene(s) for salt-water dwelling and insert it into a colony of oil-eating bacteria, we probably don't have to do that. Nature could probably get there *almost* as fast because of the really fast bacterial generation. (The average bacterial species will go through in a year the same number of generations as there have been homo sapiens generations--roughly 20,000 or so)

2) If we're *really* worried about it, then we could engineer in a 'kill-switch'. Give them N amount of time to live after which cell division stops or something else which causes the bacteria to become inert.

This isn't science fiction, folks. The bacteria already exist and nature hit upon the idea first. The genetic engineering (if any) that might be necessary is *well* within what we know how to do and know how to do safely (as opposed to, say, deep water oil drilling). It's a non-toxic solution. The byproducts are methanol (alcohol), water and carbon dioxide. The CO_2 would be in the ocean where it *doesn't* contribute to global warming (and tends to get locked up as a calcium carbonate in the shells of mollusks). This is a win-win solution that is viable now.

dreadgeek 06-02-2010 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr. (Post 120595)

The CEO of BP tells the media he wants his life back. WTF?

Then the fisherman, their families/crews, are moving to new fishing grounds off Texas. It seems that BP doesn't want to do anything to stop the flow of oil, at least that is the perception I am receiving from all of BP and BP's management.

Where is President Obama in this? He could have been there over the Memorial Day Holiday excusing him from his responsibilities at The Naval Academy and Arlington Cemetary whereby Vice President Biden gave the speeches. I guess maybe July 4th President Obama will pick up the pace. I am so disappointed in him.

I guess we all will be soon swimming in pools instead of oceans, bays, lakes, and so on. We are just killing the planet.

I'm curious, outside of photo-ops what precisely do you expect the President to do here? I'm not making excuses but OTHER than a photo op what would he bring to the table? This is outside of his subject-matter expertise and he *has* sent, for example, Steven Chu down to the Gulf because Dr. Chu is a physicist and has better understanding about this subject matter than does the President.

Cheers
Aj

dreadgeek 06-02-2010 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jet (Post 109082)
who is we?

If you drive a car or use plastics then it includes you. The only people on the planet who get an exemption on THIS (and only on this) are those few populations still living a hunting-gathering-fishing lifestyle. Everyone else, pretty much, uses petroleum-based products in some form or another.

Cheers
Aj

AtLast 06-02-2010 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dreadgeek (Post 120658)
The thing is, nature *may* already have a solution. See below:



There are bacteria that have evolved--without interference from humans--the ability to break down oil naturally. These microbes exist *now*. They are soil bacteria but anywhere there are large collections of oil it is possible to find them in the soil. Now, admittedly, it would be ideal if nature had thought to make oil-eating bacteria that lived in salt water but since there are bacteria that DO live in salt-water (bacteria live everywhere) and since bacteria, over a billion years ago, hit on the very, very cool trick of simply trading genes across different species (as if that word means a lot to bacteria) it seems to me to be a relatively trivial exercise to introduce the oil-eating bacteria to some salt-water dwelling bacteria and, in a remarkably short amount of time* we'd have a salt-water dwelling bacteria that eats oil. Introduce them to the spill and let the feasting begin.

Now, I know that some folks are going to say "hold on, wouldn't this be just as dangerous" to which I say "not necessarily", here's why.

1) As far as introducing the gene although it would be more efficient to simply find the gene(s) for salt-water dwelling and insert it into a colony of oil-eating bacteria, we probably don't have to do that. Nature could probably get there *almost* as fast because of the really fast bacterial generation. (The average bacterial species will go through in a year the same number of generations as there have been homo sapiens generations--roughly 20,000 or so)

2) If we're *really* worried about it, then we could engineer in a 'kill-switch'. Give them N amount of time to live after which cell division stops or something else which causes the bacteria to become inert.

This isn't science fiction, folks. The bacteria already exist and nature hit upon the idea first. The genetic engineering (if any) that might be necessary is *well* within what we know how to do and know how to do safely (as opposed to, say, deep water oil drilling). It's a non-toxic solution. The byproducts are methanol (alcohol), water and carbon dioxide. The CO_2 would be in the ocean where it *doesn't* contribute to global warming (and tends to get locked up as a calcium carbonate in the shells of mollusks). This is a win-win solution that is viable now.


An example of how science can kick butt! Now, I ask, is there the funding for the scientists that can make headway here? We don't seem to pump $ into our educational and research arenas like we do into oil production!!

And, last night after watching stuff on TV about the spill, I opened a box of cereal. As I was pulling apart the plastic-based pouch the cereal is in, I thought.... Hummmm, petroleum based product.... I opened up some other cabinets in the kitchen and looked in the fridge... plastic containers, kitchen appliances with plastic parts, plastic handles on some of my cooking ware pots... And the best slap in my face are all the plastic parts involved in all of the solar products I have installed!

It just isn't a matter of conserving gas and oil in our vehicles..... or switching to hybrids and electric cars and trucks. Ummm... which have a shit-ton of petroleum-based plastics in them!

Oh, and then there are the plastic recycling bins .....

And all of these products can be manufactured green via our tech know-how, but costs prevent our doing so. Now, where the hell are our priorities. That's right, buying cheap products from Asia made by people treated like shit and paid shit!

Whenever I get on my personal eco high horse, I take a look around my home and try to figure out how I can actually change some things in my little world. Not easy at all, given what drives our economy in a global sense. When I think about a future remodel of my kitchen and bathroom, I have found recycled glass counter tops, cabinets made without harmful chemicals and a garbage disposal system that is actually a composter, toilets that are waterless and composting and made from new less harmful plastics, tankless water heaters, energy-star washer & dryers, etc. The costs involved are about 50% higher than the usual appliances. So, my saving-up for these projects has to be increased. Also, as appliances break (i.e., washer & dryer, water heater), I can replace them with more eco-friendly ones prior to the whole remodel job. When I insulated my home, I used eco-friendly material and guess what? It actually was less expensive!

In the last 2 years, I have cut my electric and gas bill by over 20% with very simple changes. I don’t need a scalding shower and the degree water needs to be for sanitizing dishes is not that high!

Rebate and loan programs are available to help cut costs with these kinds of things. it’s the thinking part that takes work in making changes. And we need to fund the science that develops alternatives.

Toughy 06-02-2010 06:45 PM

Quote:

BP IS STILL CALLING THE SHOTS. How does that happen?
I see two parts to this question.

First concerning stopping the hemorrhage of oil and gas: The reason BP is calling the shots is they have the technology, expertise and equipment. In other words they have the capability and capacity, along with Haliburton and TransOcean. They just haven't done this at 5,000ft....and are failing miserably with 31 yr old technology that did not work in 1979 when this happened in the Gulf and that was in about 200ft of water. That hemmorage lasted 9 months until the relief well was completed. That capability and capacity does not exist within the state and federal governments.

Second concerning mitigating the environmental damage. BP should not be calling the shots. The US government should be in charge of that. Unfortunately........BP is calling the shots. I am truly pissed Obama didn't step up and declare a national emergency and take over this aspect. This should be a FEMA response.

AtLast 06-02-2010 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toughy (Post 120853)
I see two parts to this question.

First concerning stopping the hemorrhage of oil and gas: The reason BP is calling the shots is they have the technology, expertise and equipment. In other words they have the capability and capacity, along with Haliburton and TransOcean. They just haven't done this at 5,000ft....and are failing miserably with 31 yr old technology that did not work in 1979 when this happened in the Gulf and that was in about 200ft of water. That hemmorage lasted 9 months until the relief well was completed. That capability and capacity does not exist within the state and federal governments.

Second concerning mitigating the environmental damage. BP should not be calling the shots. The US government should be in charge of that. Unfortunately........BP is calling the shots. I am truly pissed Obama didn't step up and declare a national emergency and take over this aspect. This should be a FEMA response.

Good points.

Even though I would love some fantastical mega-boss in charge of this whole mess, it isn't possible.

BP (espeially the CEO) makes me sick. However, this just isn't a single-entity situation in terms of regulation and responsibility.

MsMerrick 06-02-2010 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr. (Post 120595)

The CEO of BP tells the media he wants his life back. WTF?



Maybe if he can restore the 11 lives, already lost...... Then he can have his back.,...
This was negligent homicide.

Daryn 06-02-2010 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtLastHome (Post 120648)

I'd love to see BP officials taken into custody for criminal charges that would actually result in prision time... but not until the damn leak is contained. We are at their mercy right now. And the Gulf region has been changed forever. There are types of fish that are still not back in the waterways of Valdez.

One could make the argument for negligent homocide charges for the lives of the 11 workers that were lost in this. Who would get tagged for those charges would be an interesting legal debate... but it's not out of the realm of legal possibility to prosecute on those grounds....

************************************************** *
I am not a lawyer but I play the devil's advocate from time to time

dreadgeek 06-02-2010 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtLastHome (Post 120694)

An example of how science can kick butt! Now, I ask, is there the funding for the scientists that can make headway here? We don't seem to pump $ into our educational and research arenas like we do into oil production!!

A

This is why I am concerned for the direction our country is taking. We really *could* have a crash program along the lines of Apollo to get us largely off oil. SciAm about 2 years ago, devoted most of an issue to a plan to have the US off fossil fuels for heating and electricity generation in twenty years! Off it *entirely* and the beauty of this plan is that it didn't require building any new nukes just a combination of wind, solar and geothermal along with underground transmission lines (we actually lose quite a bit of power using overhead transmissions lines). We could realistically be off of fossil fuels for private transportation within that time frame and, quite honestly, if folks were willing to slow their pace of travel a bit we could largely eliminate jet aircraft and use dirigibles for long-distance air travel. Yes, it would take longer but it would be ecologically more sustainable. With maglev trains (already existing) we could have transcontinental rail travel that would also be far more ecologically sustainable and all of this is technology that we have in hand *now*.

Our problem isn't one of basic science--there are some longer term problems that ARE basic science problems but how to get our fossil fuel use down quite a bit isn't one of them--rather it's a matter of political will. There is just no will to actually *do* the things that we need to do and, unfortunately, we as a culture are so entirely in thrall to this idea that if we just wait long enough the market will take care of it that we can't actually do anything. The market isn't going to take care of this one though.

Cheers
Aj

Andrew, Jr. 06-02-2010 09:03 PM


Dreedgreek,

President Obama should have been giving the address at The Naval Academy and at Arlington Cemetary at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during Memorial Day. Instead he chose to go to Chicago to celebrate with his friends. I have lost respect for him for making this decision. I honor our vets, and am very inspired by what they have done for me and my country.

I could have understood if President Obama chose to go to Gulf to spend the holiday. In my mind that would be excusable, and understandable. I really do not care what he would have done with his time in the Gulf. It would have been a good idea for him to have given comfort to those 11 who died families for starters. Then President Obama could have spoken to the fisherman who have lost their jobs. And it doesn't look like BP is going to help them with jack.


Miss Scarlett 06-02-2010 09:18 PM

Now I've got 3 oil companies that will never see my money - BP, Exxon and Citgo...


socialjustice_fsu 06-02-2010 09:25 PM

It is here.
 


I live in Pensacola, Florida. As I type this the first oil sheen is about 7 miles off-shore. The city is somber. I can assure you that MANY local folks have stepped up to the plate and are volunteering to secure booms and beginning to set up emergency treatment facilites for the injured marine life. I never thought I would see this. Maybe I have been one of the millions that have become complacent about how we are butchering our environment. Now I am about to see the results. I have read the posts about BP, the President, and so on. Yes, there should be accountibility but at this time I am asking that you simply hold our precious coast close to your hearts. It will never be the same here again.

Toughy 06-02-2010 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr. (Post 121035)

Dreedgreek,

President Obama should have been giving the address at The Naval Academy and at Arlington Cemetary at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during Memorial Day. Instead he chose to go to Chicago to celebrate with his friends. I have lost respect for him for making this decision. I honor our vets, and am very inspired by what they have done for me and my country.

I could have understood if President Obama chose to go to Gulf to spend the holiday. In my mind that would be excusable, and understandable. I really do not care what he would have done with his time in the Gulf. It would have been a good idea for him to have given comfort to those 11 who died families for starters. Then President Obama could have spoken to the fisherman who have lost their jobs. And it doesn't look like BP is going to help them with jack.


Obama is not the first President to not be at the Tomb on Memorial Day. Bush jr sent Cheney a couple of time so he could go to his ranch. It's not that big of a deal to me and I am a veteran.

-----------

I keep thinking about Jimmy Carter and solar panels on the roof of the White House and Carter's call for 20% of our energy coming from non-fossil fuels (I think he actually specified solar) by the year 2000.............then Reagan was elected and the solar panels came down and Carter's energy policies were dumped.

I remember those gas station lines around the block and people getting shot and killed in those lines.

-----------edited t o add: yeah for Tesla Motors. They are going to make their electric Roadster in the now closed NUMMI plant in Fremont......batteries are being made in the bat area also...........

Miss Scarlett 06-03-2010 04:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toughy (Post 121064)
Obama is not the first President to not be at the Tomb on Memorial Day. Bush jr sent Cheney a couple of time so he could go to his ranch. It's not that big of a deal to me and I am a veteran.

-----------

I keep thinking about Jimmy Carter and solar panels on the roof of the White House and Carter's call for 20% of our energy coming from non-fossil fuels (I think he actually specified solar) by the year 2000.............then Reagan was elected and the solar panels came down and Carter's energy policies were dumped.

I remember those gas station lines around the block and people getting shot and killed in those lines.

I think sometimes we expect way too much from our elected officials. I would be much more upset with the President if he sent someone else in his place to give the State of the Union address than for sending someone to one of the academies to deliver a commencement. I also have no problem with the Vice-President laying the wreath at Arlington, especially since his son was (or is?) active duty.

Sometimes the President just needs a break from it all for a day or two. I certainly don't want his job.

So many people laughed at President Carter but he was correct to put those solar panels on the White House. I have wondered for years why office buildings do not have rooftop panels to power their HVAC systems (at they very least). They have installed a few solar powered street lights here but not many. This hardly new technology. Just makes sense to me.

I remember those gas lines too. Isn't it strange that despite those lines and the "oil crisis" we did little to move away from fossil fuels??? Yeah, Detroit made some more fuel efficient vehicles...but they also produced those HUGE SUVs, pick-up trucks as big as a school bus and other assorted urban assault vehicles and America bought them. Why do I think this cycle will repeat yet again?

I can understand it taking some time to get this mess in the Gulf under control but this is ridiculous. I believe that rather than stopping the leak they are determined to make money from it.

I will not buy their gas. I will, however, not stop going into one of the stores to buy a drink or something. The store owners are not BP (BP actually owns very few stations in the US) and I don't want to punish the small business owner.

MsDemeanor 06-03-2010 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr. (Post 121035)

Dreedgreek,

President Obama should have been giving the address at The Naval Academy and at Arlington Cemetary at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during Memorial Day. Instead he chose to go to Chicago to celebrate with his friends. I have lost respect for him for making this decision. I honor our vets, and am very inspired by what they have done for me and my country.

I could have understood if President Obama chose to go to Gulf to spend the holiday. In my mind that would be excusable, and understandable. I really do not care what he would have done with his time in the Gulf. It would have been a good idea for him to have given comfort to those 11 who died families for starters. Then President Obama could have spoken to the fisherman who have lost their jobs. And it doesn't look like BP is going to help them with jack.



THIS is how you choose to evaluate a presidency? Comments like this - stupid ass dribble put forth by the Repugs and Faux Newz and then repeated by all thier little followers until people think that it's true - show so clearly what is so very wrong with this country - that too many people get caught up in nonsense shit instead of paying attention to what matters. I understand judging him on policy and stuff that matters, but to go all high and mighty over where he spent a holiday? Give me a fucking break.

MsDemeanor 06-03-2010 09:45 AM

Also, remember that on Veterans Day, after official ceremonies at Arlington, Obama cleared his schedule and spent time at the cemetery walking around the graves and talking to families. Shrub spent a Memorial Day - along with a quarter of his entire presidency - at his Texas ranch. And the almighty Reagan missed a Memorial Day at Arlington.

As for spending the weekend in the Gulf area, people clearly don't understand the impact that a Presidential entourage has on an area. Hundreds of hotel rooms locked up, roads blocked for motorcades, areas cleared for security details, etc. People would have been bitching that they couldn't get to the cemetery or missed their picnic because the freeway was shut down for an hour or cleanup crews couldn't work because the Secret Service had to cordon off areas. The righties would have been spewing froth over how he disrupted the efforts in the area for a three-day photo shoot.

dreadgeek 06-03-2010 10:42 AM

Andrew:

I'm curious, did you lose respect for Bush the Younger because he didn't go in 2006? Did you lose respect for Bush the Elder because he didn't go in 1992? Did you lose respect for Reagan because he didn't go in 1983? I'm just curious if there is a different standard at play. In 2006, Bush the Younger didn't go because he was in Crawford, TX on vacation. In 1992, Bush the Elder didn't go because he was in Kennebunkport, ME. In 1983 Reagan didn't go because he was at a summit.

Despite what TV and/or talk radio might have you believe it is not uncommon for the POTUS to have either the Veep or another proxy lay the wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier in Arlington. I'm not saying don't use whatever metrics you wish to use, if for you what the POTUS does on Memorial Day is the deciding factor, that's the deciding factor. I trust, though, that you are applying a consistent standard without favor or bias and so pretty much have no respect for any President from the last half of the 20th century and into the first part of the 21st based solely on that criteria.

Cheers
Aj


Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr. (Post 121035)

Dreedgreek,

President Obama should have been giving the address at The Naval Academy and at Arlington Cemetary at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during Memorial Day. Instead he chose to go to Chicago to celebrate with his friends. I have lost respect for him for making this decision. I honor our vets, and am very inspired by what they have done for me and my country.

I could have understood if President Obama chose to go to Gulf to spend the holiday. In my mind that would be excusable, and understandable. I really do not care what he would have done with his time in the Gulf. It would have been a good idea for him to have given comfort to those 11 who died families for starters. Then President Obama could have spoken to the fisherman who have lost their jobs. And it doesn't look like BP is going to help them with jack.



dreadgeek 06-03-2010 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MsDemeanor (Post 121333)
THIS is how you choose to evaluate a presidency? Comments like this - stupid ass dribble put forth by the Repugs and Faux Newz and then repeated by all thier little followers until people think that it's true - show so clearly what is so very wrong with this country - that too many people get caught up in nonsense shit instead of paying attention to what matters. I understand judging him on policy and stuff that matters, but to go all high and mighty over where he spent a holiday? Give me a fucking break.

One of the things that gets me about where our politics are now is that they are almost COMPLETELY divorced from facts. It's not just that right-wing talk show hosts or FOX news say things that are factually untrue. It's that they know that for many people it does not *matter* if things are factually true or not. Most people, on hearing "President Obama isn't going to Arlington", wouldn't even *think* to Google "how many times have Presidents been out of Washington DC on Memorial day". This might seem trivial but it's not.

What this means is that our politics are no longer at all fact-based or fact-biased. If someone says that, for instance, Reagan was POTUS from 1968 until 1988 it no longer *matters* whether or not that is even possible! Let me repeat that--it no longer matters, to a non-trivial portion of the American body politic--whether or not some statement X is true or not, or even if the statement is *plausible*. When a culture reaches that point, they have a serious problem on their hands because politics stops--or more poignantly politics becomes nothing *but* scoring political points.

Were 'Death panels' in the HCR bill? No. Did it matter? No. All that mattered is that people *said* that they were in the bill. The facts were irrelevant and it was considered perfectly acceptable to vote against the bill based upon *false* information. Does it matter that other Presidents missed Memorial Day at Arlington? No. All that matters is that people say that Obama is the *first* POTUS to miss that holiday at Arlington.

So here we are with a slate of problems on our plate, any ONE of which is difficult but taken together appear overwhelming and we have both a political class and a body politic that, it appears, are no longer interested in making decisions based upon facts and, in fact, seem to be rapidly losing the ability to distinguish between a fact and an opinion or to acknowledge that there is a non-trivial difference between the two. The Gulf oil spill is going to be yet another example of this. In six months or a year, when clean-up operations are still proceeding someone--probably at FOX--is going to make a statement along the lines of "the shrimp catching industry wasn't big along the Gulf Coast, why enviro-whackos are making this big deal about shrimp when there were no shrimp there..." and people are going to react *as if* it were true. Very few people will actually take the 30 seconds it would take to Google 'shrimp industry Gulf coast' to see if, in fact, there was ever a thriving shrimping industry in Louisiana. They will vote for some politician who takes up what is said on FOX and parrot it even though it is demonstrably untrue. That person will go to Washington or their state legislature or governor's office or what-have-you and make decisions based on something but not based on facts. And then, when the next election cycle rolls around, that person will not be punished for making non-fact based decisions and pushing non-fact based policies.

How we get out of this problem I have no idea. The people who repeat these non-factual assertions aren't stupid. Some of them are quite intelligent. It's just that as a *culture* we have lost the ability or willingness to think critically and can no longer make a useful distinction between fact and opinion.

Cheers
Aj

MsDemeanor 06-03-2010 11:29 AM

My new favorite is "there were no terrorist attacks on US soil during the Bush (43) administration".

dreadgeek 06-03-2010 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MsDemeanor (Post 121445)
My new favorite is "there were no terrorist attacks on US soil during the Bush (43) administration".

Yeah, I love that one too!

Andrew, Jr. 06-03-2010 02:59 PM


I'm Democrat. I never voted for any of the Bush's.

Sorry my remarks here are worthless pieces of shit, MsDemeanor and Dreadgeek. I am very offended when people have no respect for our vets and active duty soldiers. I have relatives who are both vets, and in Iraq. One of my nephews just joined the Army. He is headed for his first tour of duty, and left last week. I also have a problem when a sitting President cannot offer comfort to the families of those who died in the blast. And due to some bullshit of a bill from the 40's those families will not receive much if any money because of it. Obama signed up for the job, and should be held to it.

I will keep my opinions to myself.

dreadgeek 06-03-2010 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr. (Post 121602)

I'm Democrat. I never voted for any of the Bush's.

Sorry my remarks here are worthless pieces of shit, MsDemeanor and Dreadgeek. I am very offended when people have no respect for our vets and active duty soldiers. I have relatives who are both vets, and in Iraq. One of my nephews just joined the Army. He is headed for his first tour of duty, and left last week. I also have a problem when a sitting President cannot offer comfort to the families of those who died in the blast. And due to some bullshit of a bill from the 40's those families will not receive much if any money because of it. Obama signed up for the job, and should be held to it.

I will keep my opinions to myself.

Firstly, I didn't say your remarks were worthless pieces of shit. I'm curious, though, if you held every other president to the same standard? You said that you lost all respect for Obama because he didn't go to Arlington this year. I'm curious if you have no respect for Bush the Younger, Clinton, Bush the Elder, Reagan, Carter, Ford, and Nixon based upon their performance of that act. This isn't about who you voted for, Andrew. It's not about your party affiliation. YOU (not I or MsD) said that you lost all respect for Obama based upon his not going to Arlington on Memorial Day. Now, whatever I might think about using that as a touchstone for grading a President (and I have thoughts on that matter), what I was asking about was whether or not you applied this standard in a consistent fashion. If not, then why not? If so, then why *that* standard? All I was looking for from you, Andrew, was whether or not this "what did you do on Memorial Day, Mr. President" standard was applied fairly and evenly or was this a special standard for Mr. Obama. That's it.

Look, perhaps we have different standards for Presidents. For you, perhaps their performance of symbolic and ceremonial duties (which count for something) trumps policy. For me, policy trumps everything else. I don't even care, as much, about always keeping all their campaign promises but I DO care about what kinds of policies they enact, why they enact them and how they fight for those policies. The ceremonial duties may or may not put a lump in my throat but I'm not going to lose respect for some pol because of what s/he chose to do on some holiday.

One last thing:

As far as doing this thing--and people here do this a lot and as a veteran it *REALLY* pisses me off, by the way--is trotting out their relatives who are veterans to be air cover. Look, I am a vet, as is my son, as is my sister, as was my father before us. A member of my extended family has served in every single war this nation has fought since WWI. There are, within my immediate family, two Purple Hearts and a Bronze star. I have, on my mother's side, three former Tuskegee Airmen. My father was a member of the storied 761st Tank Battalion. My sister made it a career and retired as a Major in 2005. I would have made it a career but I was cashiered for being queer. My son is a Ranger. He is *not* on his fourth deployment to Iraq because he's on his *first* deployment to Afghanistan. So it's been Iraq-Iraq-Iraq-Afghanistan. That's been the last six years of his life and you know what, he's signing up for a second hitch! Now, what have I just proved? Have I made myself more correct? Do I have an argument that judging the POTUS on what he did on his long Memorial Day weekend might not be the best standard?

We're not props and we don't give folks an argument when they don't otherwise have one. I was a soldier. I'd do it again in a heartbeat but I didn't do it so I could be trotted out on an Internet message board as a prop to bolster a flailing argument. I am glad and appreciative that you honor our veterans--but you aren't the only one and, pardon me for being obtuse but I was just enlisted--what on Earth do your relatives have to do with THIS topic? The day someone here says something horrible about a veteran *because* they are a veteran, I will absolutely stand with you but I just don't get why you felt the need to wave your service-member relatives and/or friends around on this thread.

Cheers
Aj

AtLast 06-03-2010 04:05 PM

Fact finding and BP...
 
Ummm... if my facts are correct... I remember President Obama receiving the bodies of fallen soldiers at about 4 am early in his term. I believe (if I am wrong, do tell me), that this was the first time the bodies of the fallen were greeted by a US President upon arriving home since the start of both the Iraq & Afghanistan Wars.

During both Bush admins (maybe Clinton, as well), this did not occur.

Yes, facts.... seems we in the US have no use for them any longer. Personally, I am sick of what so called news reporting has become. It isn't!

I did a personal experiment last week because I realized my BP is not as good as I need it to be (even on medication, loosing weight, eating well, etc). The economic tide of the Great recession is taking its toll on me (and everyone). So, in an attempt to be more in touch with what shoots my BP up, I started taking it pre and post watching my usual news programs. I actually watch several different ones.

Yup, my BP soared post watching! And it didn't matter what show I watched... Rachael or Anderson, Keith, or Chris or Ed. I sometimes take a look at faux news programs so I can get a feel for all the fact reporting.. not much difference in how high my BP rose compared to the other programs!

I am cutting down on all news programming! No matter what I watch, there are discrepancies with facts. The only programs that seems to agree with my BP is the News Hour, Democracy Now, NPR and BBC coverage as well.

Guess I need to stay away from talking point types...

Jet 06-04-2010 06:59 AM

I could cry

Several photos are released on Yahoo today

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Animal...788f972a9e2e99

http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/r...icture14-6.png

MsDemeanor 06-04-2010 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr. (Post 121602)

I'm Democrat. I never voted for any of the Bush's.

Sorry my remarks here are worthless pieces of shit, MsDemeanor and Dreadgeek. I am very offended when people have no respect for our vets and active duty soldiers. I have relatives who are both vets, and in Iraq. One of my nephews just joined the Army. He is headed for his first tour of duty, and left last week. I also have a problem when a sitting President cannot offer comfort to the families of those who died in the blast. And due to some bullshit of a bill from the 40's those families will not receive much if any money because of it. Obama signed up for the job, and should be held to it.

I will keep my opinions to myself.


Wow, that's quite a pity party response. The whole point of posting on a discussion board is to discuss. If you don't want people to respond to or question your opinions, then keeping them to yourself might be an appropriate course of action.

MsDemeanor 06-04-2010 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtLastHome (Post 121642)
Ummm... if my facts are correct... I remember President Obama receiving the bodies of fallen soldiers at about 4 am early in his term. I believe (if I am wrong, do tell me), that this was the first time the bodies of the fallen were greeted by a US President upon arriving home since the start of both the Iraq & Afghanistan Wars.

Yep, that's what happened. There is an official 'ceremony' (not the right word, but it's too early for the dictionary side of my brain to work) for each casket - part on the plane and part once on the tarmac. Though the cameras were there for only one or two of these, Obama stayed all night.

Also, until Obama, no cameras had been allowed since 1991:

President George H.W. Bush's administration imposed the ban on media coverage of the arrival of fallen troops' remains at Dover Air Force Base during the Gulf War in February 1991. It came about after a controversy arose when Bush held a news conference at the same moment the first U.S. casualties were returning to Dover the day after the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989, and three television networks carried the events live on split screen, with Bush appearing at one point to joke while on the opposite screen the solemn ceremony unfolded at the Delaware base.

Both Republican and Democratic administrations have upheld the Dover ban, but both have also made notable exceptions, which some observers view as politically expedient. For example, under President Bill Clinton in October 2000, the Pentagon distributed photographs of coffins arriving at Dover bearing the remains of military personnel killed in the bombing of the USS Cole.

linkyloo

Diavolo 06-04-2010 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtLastHome (Post 121642)

I am cutting down on all news programming! No matter what I watch, there are discrepancies with facts. The only programs that seems to agree with my BP is the News Hour, Democracy Now, NPR and BBC coverage as well.

Guess I need to stay away from talking point types...

I turned off my cable about four months ago. I search out my news online and listen to NPR when I'm driving. (I drive a lot for work) I'm happier and better informed.

Linus 06-04-2010 01:08 PM



Interesting graphic that suggests possible outlook of the flow if it continues for an extended period (until relief wells are built)

chefhottie25 06-04-2010 07:59 PM

I am a chef...and with the fishing industry on hold, it has been impossible to get any seafood from the gulf. I also saw on the news tonight that BP just spent 5 million dollars to make a commericial apologizing for the disaster. That money could have been spent on the rescue of wildlife, or the effort to stop the leak. I can't believe this happening.

Glenn 06-05-2010 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chefhottie25 (Post 122836)
I am a chef...and with the fishing industry on hold, it has been impossible to get any seafood from the gulf. I also saw on the news tonight that BP just spent 5 million dollars to make a commericial apologizing for the disaster. That money could have been spent on the rescue of wildlife, or the effort to stop the leak. I can't believe this happening.

Goldman Sachs somehow knew the fish would be gone. They sold 250 million of BP stock before the spill, which was 46 per cent of their holdings. RawStory.com

MsDemeanor 06-05-2010 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by popcorninthesofa (Post 123184)
Goldman Sachs somehow knew the fish would be gone. They sold 250 million of BP stock before the spill, which was 46 per cent of their holdings. RawStory.com

This looks more like a case of the internet focusing on one number, sans context, and turning it viral. on 3/31/10, 5 institutions and one fund linkyloo each sold over 1M shares of BP. This was the day that Obama announced opening coastal waters to offshore drilling linkyloo , and the day after BP let $500M in contracts as part of it's new plan to drill in Iraqi oil fields linkyloo. Trading volumes were fairly normal that day, and the stock price was on an upswing.

Post hoc ergo propter hoc? Get all the facts, then decide.

AtLast 06-05-2010 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linus (Post 122528)


Interesting graphic that suggests possible outlook of the flow if it continues for an extended period (until relief wells are built)


This is not just going to effect the US. This oil and the toxic chemicals used by BP will be inour food chain .... globally. The oil will be damaging eco sytems worldwide.

oil drilling and exploration as well as its use is a global issue. We have to start realizing this and work together globally in dealing with these matters.

Seriousness about cutting the need for oil in our lives starts on a personal level. Implementing some really simple changes by many makes a difference. However, what about the monied elite? The belief that being able to buy whatever you want no matter what it does in terms of environmental issues and energy-use just because you have the bucks is a big part of the equation.

I have been going nuts trying to figure out what to do with my beloved T-Bird. Yes, I admit, I love big, fast, Detroit engines. I know they must go, but, it hurts. But, this is not a good thing. I have less than 8000 miles on this car (bought it in 2003 and these have stopped being built). I don't drive it much. I have thought about selling it. Then, I realize that most likely someone who buys it will have it on the road more. I had wanted to give it to my niece eventually, but the same applies. I did some research with collectors (only ones that do not drive their cars and have public show rooms for car enthusiasts. And found out that I might be able to do an upon my death contract, in which a collector will buy it, and put it in their collection and give the money for the car to this niece. Just have to get the details worked out. Worth a try.



Quote:

Originally Posted by chefhottie25 (Post 122836)
I am a chef...and with the fishing industry on hold, it has been impossible to get any seafood from the gulf. I also saw on the news tonight that BP just spent 5 million dollars to make a commericial apologizing for the disaster. That money could have been spent on the rescue of wildlife, or the effort to stop the leak. I can't believe this happening.

I know, this pissed me off! Rescue efforts or how about cutting some checks to the people that are loosing their livlihood- as in the fishing and resturant businesses? Probably best for efforts to save the critters. There are several organizations trying to clean as many birds as possible in the Gulf.


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