Drill, baby, drill!!

[yolland]

The news coverage of this is really frustrating. Does anyone know exactly where the oil slicks have hit land? All I can find are sensationalized pictures and political banter.

There's a good collection of articles at the Southern politics blog Facing South.

you know, i never liked Florida anyway.

It's got some of the best nature travel, from hiking and kayaking to diving, of any state in the lower 48...we love it for winter vacations. Can't speak to what it's like to live there, though my mother was certainly happy with that. The bigger cities aren't necessarily very interesting, though Miami has some great museums, restaurants, etc.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

The news coverage of this is really frustrating. Does anyone know exactly where the oil slicks have hit land? All I can find are sensationalized pictures and political banter.

As for the dead animals, I keep coming across these pics but they all say "cause of death undetermined". Not trying to undermine the possibly catastrophic consequences here but I've walked these beaches every year and see dead birds, fish, dolphins, rays, sharks, etc. You all know I love animals and my life revolves around dogs but it's kind of disturbing to see more coverage about a few dead fish than the people that died because of this.

i think i heard in the news this morning, but i don't remember what they said. i think i remember hearing west florida, but regardless, that's kinda vague.

and i totally agree. i too love animals and am a big supporter of things like wwf, but like you said, there's practically no mention of the people that died. the only thing i can figure is because they can get photos of the dead fishes and such washing up on the shore, but there's nothing to show of the people. regardless, it's insane.

 

[Irvine511]

It's got some of the best nature travel, from hiking and kayaking to diving, of any state in the lower 48...we love it for winter vacations.

that may be well and true, but those pluses pale in comparison to the need to continually pump our SUV's full of oil. if we have to sacrifice one state in order to keep that beautiful, beautiful organic oil flowing cheaply into our dystopic exurban sprawl, then so be it. we have 49 more.

drill, baby, drill!

 

[Tiger Edge]

though Miami has some great museums

where?

 

[INDY500]

that may be well and true, but those pluses pale in comparison to the need to continually pump our SUV's full of oil. if we have to sacrifice one state in order to keep that beautiful, beautiful organic oil flowing cheaply into our dystopic exurban sprawl, then so be it. we have 49 more.

drill, baby, drill!

You do realize that... this doesn't work, right?

 

[coolian2]

i saw a car yesterday with a license plate surround that said powered by jesus.

the fucken christians are holding out on us.

 

[deep]

Reporting from Boston — Yet-Ming Chiang relishes his 20-mile drive to work. His hybrid car gets more than 100 miles per gallon, recharges by plugging into a regular wall outlet and purrs so quietly that it's his favorite place for making important phone calls.

Fighting for 'made in the USA' - Los Angeles Times

 

[kramwest1]

Fighting for 'made in the USA' - Los Angeles Times

^Interesting article. Ironically, it almost certainly will be high oil prices that bring manufacturing back to the U.S., or at least North America. That and China is finding demand for their products right in Asia and China itself.

I lease a Honda Civic Hybrid right now, and I love it. My lowest MPG is around 35-38, but with a little careful driving, I can get 50 MPG or better. So, my average is about 43 MPG.

My lease is up next March, and I'm really hoping to get an all electric car or at least a plug-in hybrid. I love not being a slave to the gas pump, both for price and the number of times I fill up. I wish more people would think of that. 15 minutes at the gas station adds up if you are doing it several times per week, not to mention what you are paying.

 

[kramwest1]

When the Iraq war started, I contacted 2 local gas station chains and asked what countries their oil came from. I was surprised that they both responded; one even gave me percentages. One company (Ashland Oil dba Super America ironically) bought all of their gas from Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq. The other company (Holiday) got all of their oil from Canada and a small percentage from Oklahoma and Texas. This prompted me to contact my Senators and Rep. to ask that we put "Country of Origin" labels on our gas pumps. It either was ignored, or then Senator Dayton responded that it was just not a realistic requirement. I read the response/nonresponses as we don't want protesting/rioting at gas stations where the oil comes from questionable countries.

PATHETIC. So much for informed consumers. Needless to say I try and get gas from Holiday. I should check again to see if the countries have changed.

 

[Irvine511]

You do realize that... this doesn't work, right?

i know, right?

FUCK the gulf coast. you've got to drive your kids to Ruby Tuesday's after soccer practice, and that's like 35 miles away down a straight road that plows through an old corn field and is lined with shitty box store strip malls the whole way.

 

[deep]

^Interesting article. Ironically, it almost certainly will be high oil prices that bring manufacturing back to the U.S., or at least North America. That and China is finding demand for their products right in Asia and China itself.

I lease a Honda Civic Hybrid right now, and I love it. My lowest MPG is around 35-38, but with a little careful driving, I can get 50 MPG or better. So, my average is about 43 MPG.

My lease is up next March, and I'm really hoping to get an all electric car or at least a plug-in hybrid. I love not being a slave to the gas pump, both for price and the number of times I fill up. I wish more people would think of that. 15 minutes at the gas station adds up if you are doing it several times per week, not to mention what you are paying.

In 1980 when I was 24, I bought a new 240 D Mercedes. $18700. The first thing I did was change out the 17 gallon tank for a 35 gallon tank. I only lost 4-5 inches of trunk space.
It was a manual 4 speed.

I got about 750 miles to the tank. Yes it took a little longer to fill the tank. But I figured I saved a lot of time not having to look for diesel stations, leave my route and get back in traffic.

I drove that car 400000 miles. I know I spent a lot less time in filling stations. My current car only goes about 260-290 miles on a tank.


I'd love to get 100 per gallon, or even 50.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

When the Iraq war started, I contacted 2 local gas station chains and asked what countries their oil came from. I was surprised that they both responded; one even gave me percentages. One company (Ashland Oil dba Super America ironically) bought all of their gas from Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq. The other company (Holiday) got all of their oil from Canada and a small percentage from Oklahoma and Texas. This prompted me to contact my Senators and Rep. to ask that we put "Country of Origin" labels on our gas pumps. It either was ignored, or then Senator Dayton responded that it was just not a realistic requirement. I read the response/nonresponses as we don't want protesting/rioting at gas stations where the oil comes from questionable countries.

PATHETIC. So much for informed consumers. Needless to say I try and get gas from Holiday. I should check again to see if the countries have changed.

agreed. as far as american chains go, i know valero says they get their gas from america. (though of course they could get 10% from america and the rest from the middle east.) another is sunoco. neither is in my area though, which bums me out. i definitely think we should keep consumers informed - after all, when you buy a $2 shirt from wal-mart, even that has a tag saying where it was made.

 

[deep]

Citco gasoline is from oil produced in america.

 

[ramblin rose]

Citco gasoline is from oil produced in america.

That's strange considering it's owned by PDVSA. I guess it's oil imported from Venezuela and refined in the US?

 

[deep]

Venezuela is in America

 

[BVS]

Venezuela is in America

Don't give me your elitist talk, it aint Real America.

Speak American damnitt

 

[Irvine511]

Venezuela is in America

and it's ruled by Obama's BFF Chavez, history's most evil dictator.

 

[kramwest1]

and it's ruled by Obama's BFF Chavez, history's most evil dictator.

Sounds like he needs to be preemptively stopped since people like him can't be contained through sanctions and military blockades.

Ooops, did I mean Obama or Chavez?

(Sorry, my snark is jumping threads.)

 

[deep]

World's deepest oil well may rival Alaskan field in production | ASSOCIATED PRESS


I don't know if anyone watched 60 minutes tonight
this thing is unbelievable

this was the deepest well on the planet

 

[kramwest1]

Unreal. Our Coast Guard takes orders from BP?

Coast Guard Under 'BP's Rules' - CBS News Video


(Sorry, I don't think I can embed the video)

Freedom of the Press?

 

[corianderstem]

I was listening to some talk radio on the way home, and they brought up some things I thought were good questions to ask, although obviously, I'm just taking them at their word that these things were true.

They said Holland had offered to help out with some equipment they had available for just this reason. But they were turned down so far, because:

A) BP doesn't like that idea because apparently they wouldn't be able to refine the oil after that, and they would like to be able to do that.

(Really, BP? Really. REALLY??????? Is there more to this, or is this just a disgusting example of the US bending to Corporation's wishes, since apparently they're more important than the environment or the livelihoods of people along the gulf coast.)

B) We turned down Holland because ... something about how their environmental standards don't measure up to our own rules.

Can anyone give any more info about those two scenarios? If that's the case, I just want to vomit.

Also - can you imagine what would happen with all that oil out there if it's still floating around when the next hurricane comes? I guess all that oil will be tossed right onto the land by the storm? Hurricane season is right around the corner.

I'm not about to join the conga line of people saying this is Obama's Katrina, as I don't think the two are comparable, but it's time for someone to step up and make BP effing FIX the problem, and tell them their profits are not an issue that's up for discussion. Or am I seriously naive for thinking that's a possibility?

/rant

 

[deep]

I've heard the hurricane thing brought up.

I don't know how much ocean water a hurricane brings up onto the land?

This is a humongous spill, but the oil will eventually break down on its own.

It will take years, decades and beaches will have tar/ oil patches that get on your skin and clothes.

And the fish, game, wildlife in the Gulf area are going to take a big hit for years and years. People's livelihoods will be gone.

But it will come back, over time.

 

[~BrightestStar~]

What if Great White Shark semen could power your car and regrow hair? Great, but I don't want anything to do with it, and I don't want to get involved in producing it.

This is possibly the most amusing thing I've read all day.

I don't know how much ocean water a hurricane brings up onto the land?
This is a humongous spill, but the oil will eventually break down on its own.

It will take years, decades and beaches will have tar/ oil patches that get on your skin and clothes.

And the fish, game, wildlife in the Gulf area are going to take a big hit for years and years. People's livelihoods will be gone.

But it will come back, over time.

I've heard a number of discussions about the fact that a large portion of the oil is remaining underwater, and is mixing into the sea bed. An unusual situation since most oil spills occur on the surface...so the long term impacts are very much unknown. They also seem to think it will impact a greater portion of the ecosystem this way...while being essentially "invisible", and thus easy to forget. There will be fewer "opportunities" to tug heartstrings with images of baby birds and sea otters being thrown into bubble baths.
[eta: sadly I don't have any links on hand. I will try to find some later.]

Also, we really do need to get more unbiased people out there to investigate things. Why the f*ck are we relying on BP for all our info?

 

[Irvine511]

Why the f*ck are we relying on BP for all our info?

because of Dick Cheney.

 

[deep]

they could have to pay a huge fine

it could be as large as $75,000,000.!!!

 

[kramwest1]

they could have to pay a huge fine

it could be as large as $75,000,000.!!!

You know at least that amount is stuck in the couch cushions in the CEO's office.


Has anyone heard of the other major oil companies coming to help yet?
(Exxon, etc.) Think of the consulting fees!

 

[deep]

they put a call into one of their lobbyists

might need his walking around money

 

[Knuckle]

Awww. Isn't oil dependency just adorable? I wonder if they use the same advertising agency that does the "Joe Camel" cigarette ads.

YouTube - new animated BP ad

 

[financeguy]

Barack Obama vows to take responsibility for BP oil spill - Telegraph

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Nice to see a president who does that for a change, even if they didn't really have a whole lot to do with the problem.

I just saw something on MSN where a U.S. official said that the oil flow had stopped, or at least is potentially on its way to being stopped. I sincerely hope that's true.

Angela