Gulf Sadness.

[jeffp]

I hate to say it, but I think we're doomed, to be honest. This time the boat has too many holes in it, so to speak, in all respects. About 30 years ago i read a great quote from Jerry Garcia, he said matters are so severe that the only way to fix things is for everyone to take one step backwards and two steps sideways at the same time and let the whole thing collapse, and build something new from there.
That's not going to happen.

 

[AreaFour20]

NPR this morning had a follow-up on the sea birds that were cleaned and tagged after the Exxon Valdeese.
All the birds that were cleaned DIE within 2 weeks.
By the time people start to clean them, the birds have already ingested too much toxic crap from trying to clean themselves.

It's extremely sad when I see these poor creatures suffering like that from these fool's greed.
I am fucking pissed!

I bought a new toyota tacoma in 2005 and I have only driven it 4125 miles in 5 years! I do not use it for everything I do. It will be the last gas drinker I ever buy. I will vote with my dollars by not spending them on any gas related machines.

All my yard mowing machines are electric and every week I mow 3400 square feet of lawn.

Don't drive everywhere! Ride a bike! Take public transportation! Walk!!!
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/04/assignment-35/

 

[lwien]

Government officials raise estimate of oil spewing from a well in the Gulf of Mexico to 35,000-60,000 barrels per day.

And BP's original response was 1,000 barrels a day. Not too far off, eh?

 

[Cappella Sistina]

Here's a really well done piece of journalism...

Definetly a good read though.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/111965?RS_show_page=0

 

[bcleez]

I'm not saying BP is innocent at all. I just think that this is a great time to be introspective about personal energy use.

I want to see all of this anger over the destruction of the environment to carry over into all aspects of life. I don't like the idea of burying nuclear fuel rods either.

1 person can make a difference when it comes to energy, if its using CFL bulbs, turning off electronics when you leave, or even just unplugging your cellphone charger when you are done with it as it still sucks energy from the wall.

It's one thing to bash a fucked up corporation, its another to learn from it. That's all, I love the environment, like many of you do, I just wish that the anger was turned into action.

 

[lwien]

^^ On that, I totally agree.

 

[Howie Feltersnatch]

I have come up with the perfect economic solution for the billions of lost revenue in South Alabama. If they legalize MJ, we could become the "Southern Amsterdam!"

Mississippi already has MMJ and legal gambling. so they will be fine I think. Louisiana's crawfish industry will probably survive and New Orleans is a tax machine. Not sure what Florida has going for it if you take away the Gulf (not counting the East Coast yet) so they may have to do something similar.

Too bad our dipshit government is a little too right-wing to allow it.

 

[Cappella Sistina]

Fl is at least a decade from ever having the words "medical marijuana", come across the lips of our state reps.

 

[Cappella Sistina]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100616/ap_on_re_us/us_gulf_oil_spill_marine_life_2

 

[bcleez]

Did anyone see BP on the hill today? Our government is such a fucking joke. I have no clue how these people hold their office. They are so clueless.

 

[momofthegoons]

My favorite line so far, and it hasn't been repeated so his PR people must have flipped, was when Obama said the gulf will be better than before when we are finished. Seriously?????

Edit: The news just keeps getting worse and worse:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100618/ap_on_bi_ge/us_gulf_oil_spill

 

[Qbit]

Yeah, so once they're finished there, no one will have to worry about the marine life in the region ... because there won't be any.

 

[Howie Feltersnatch]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100616/ap_on_re_us/us_gulf_oil_spill_marine_life_2

I have to wonder what kind of clueless morons write news stories anymore.
From the above story by Associated Press (gods help us!):

"Day by day, scientists in boats tally up dead birds, sea turtles and other animals, but the toll is surprisingly small given the size of the disaster. The latest figures show that 783 birds, 353 turtles and 41 mammals have died numbers that pale in comparison to what happened after the Exxon Valdez disaster in Alaska in 1989, when 250,000 birds and 2,800 otters are believed to have died."

Excuse me? I would be willing to bet that number does not encompass even the Louisiana wildlife losses. Seriously, think about it. The VAST majority of the deaths are occurring well beyond our tiny viewing area and the dead are already in pieces or at the bottom or both. What we see on the surface is less than 1% of what is out there.

Valdez my big red ass, that was a relatively small amount of oil spilled once in a relatively insulated area and limited in its effect on the rest of the state.

Here's another awesome paragraph:

"For nearly four hours Monday, a three-person crew with Greenpeace cruised past delicate islands and mangrove-dotted inlets in Barataria Bay off southern Louisiana. They saw dolphins by the dozen frolicking in the oily sheen and oil-tinged pelicans feeding their young. But they spotted no dead animals."

And obviously by this, we should infer that being covered in oil is not harmful? WTF?

What kind of fucking monkeys is AP buying "news" stories from now? Shit, one of them is writing from fucking Michigan!

Watch for the extinction reports.

 

[lwien]

"For nearly four hours Monday, a three-person crew with Greenpeace cruised past delicate islands and mangrove-dotted inlets in Barataria Bay off southern Louisiana. They saw dolphins by the dozen frolicking in the oily sheen and oil-tinged pelicans feeding their young. But they spotted no dead animals."

Frolicking in the oily sheen? Fucking frolicking? You've GOT to be kidding me.

 

[bcleez]

I really don't think you can blame this on Obama. Do you expect him to go down in his special presidential submarine and cap the well himself? Sure it might have been dumb to say, but it's not G.W Bush didn't totally fuck up the Katrina mess, and personally I think that was a MUCH easier fix.

Not to defend BP but don't you think they want it to stop? They have lost over $80 BILLION dollars in the value of their company and are shelling out $20 Billion to help the local population. The government did totally approve their well design. All in all it's a huge tragedy, BP seems to be trying to do the right thing... Exxon dragged the Valdez issue through court for 15+ years, and that accident was WAY more negligent.

What did AIG do for you? BP was at least supplying fuel that we need... AIG was just fucking around with the global economic system for shits and giggles with all of the other large brokerage houses.

All in all I think it's time to accept that OUR government is one of the most corrupt in the world. We always laugh at other countries and are tricked into thinking that our government is different or somehow immune to corruption, when in reality it is one of the most corrupt.

 

[caseball2051]

It is a sad situation, but I think that Obama is doing the right thing here. He should be acting as a mediator and oversee this, not control it. It is BPs problem, and they are going to have to foot the bill, and they will. Costs from shoreline rehabilitation to lawsuits from people effected.

Ive read that the nuclear option is gathering alot of steam, but Im not sure if its the answer or not. The russians have used it effectively in the past. IT could also make things alot worse if it doenst fix it too.

I just hope it gets fixed soon.

 

[momofthegoons]

bcleez, I don't think it's Obama's fault, I just think he is grandstanding his position. When he makes a comment like the one I quoted above, preceded by "make no mistake about it," I find it ludicrous.

Saw a show last night highlighting how the Exxon spill is still affecting the marine and animal life. The seal population has finally recovered, but there are other species that still haven't and pods of whales that have not returned to the bay after many of the pod died. They are also finding oil about six inches under the surface of the sand on the beaches that has not dispersed at all so it is still leaching out and posing a danger.

 

[caseball2051]

I know that it might sound inappropriate and cold hearted, but much of that area is already "dead" anyway. The effects could have been much greater had they occurred in a different area.

It was something I didnt know until today and thought I should share.

http://serc.carleton.edu/microbelife/topics/deadzone/

 

[momofthegoons]

Interesting article, caseball. I guess it could be seen as good and bad news. Good in that it could have happened in an area that would have had a more profound effect on the nutrients, oxygen etc. in the water. But bad in that it will deplete what little is there. There's just really no good spin on this.

 

[Howie Feltersnatch]

This is what comes from not looking at the big picture. No offense caseball, but you're not getting it.

The "dead zone" is a relatively TINY coastal area and its "deadness" is a subject of debate.
Where the hell do you think the majority of recreational fishing happens? Within 20 miles of the coast - slap in the middle of this so-called dead zone.

More damn-near junk science being misinterpreted by many people.

You might as well say that "so much of the ozone layer is depleted already, we might as well just destroy the rest of it."

 

[caseball2051]

thats not what I was saying at all. But interpret it as you wish.

I was merely saying that it could be worse; looking for a brightside to the situation.

Not looking for an arguement, but i didn't say anything that was false or inaccurate.

 

[lwien]

This oil is going to get caught in the currents and will affect other areas...............MANY other areas.

I know it would give us all a bit more comfort if we could minimize the impact of all this, but it is a biblical catastrophe on an epic proportion, but it is just unfolding in slow motion. We have yet to see the worst of this.

 

[ttomo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VfypUzx1tI&feature=player_embedded#
this video claims to have a simple solution to fix this. its been around forever. i'm assuming its just being ignored because cleaning or fixing the problem is not on the agenda.


something i've been curious about is: does this type of underwater leak happen naturally from earthquakes? i know thats not the situation currently, but curious about the possibility of a natural disaster with the same results.

if so, then i'm assuming the world will know how to survive this, even if humans do not.

 

[lwien]

if so, then i'm assuming the world will know how to survive this, even if humans do not.

No question that the world will know how to survive this. It has survived a lot worse. The question is.......at what cost.

 

[momofthegoons]

ttomo, I also saw that on the news as we have a local company that wants to get involved and bring the product to the gulf. He implied that the government has ignored all his attempts to get his product in use. Between this and the fact that the Dutch have also offered their help in the cleanup and been denied makes you wonder what the real agenda is, doesn't it?

And lwien, that the spill is not just our problem is what I've thought all along. Yes, it will get in the currents and could go just about anywhere. But people like to play the blame game and since we're the target this time, many feel we are getting our just rewards. Truth is, nobody deserves this and it's "the people" who become the victims of corrupt business and government.