BP spill is already far larger than the 1989 Exxon Valdez (Eagle: homes, maintenance)

[AADAD]

Readers’ Photos: The Gulf Oil Spill - Slide Show - NYTimes.com

[richelles]

Bashing each poster here isn't going to make any of us more knowledgeable about what is going on in real time. That might give someone a mild bit of contentment but I only learn from factual bits that I can string together into a story. Right now I can see the sea bed cameras are showing a different kind of picture than the former oil and methane plume we've been seeing. Apparently what we are seeing is drilling mud being ejected in enormous quantities and I have questions about are they doing any good? Let's try laying off bashing either each other or BP for now and await some answers. I'm tired of reading one conservative saying the other side is all wrong and then the so called liberals saying it ain't so. A pox on both kinds of posts. Let's just show some modicum of intelligence here and discuss the facts not the politics which ain't worth s**t no matter which side the spin is on.

[warptman]

Wonders why this is in the Alaska thread in the first place. Exxon has been mentioned just a few times. Should be moved to one of the gulf coast states.

[NomadicBear]

Originally Posted by warptman

Wonders why this is in the Alaska thread in the first place. Exxon has been mentioned just a few times. Should be moved to one of the gulf coast states.

Given the number of comments, it seems to be quite a popular thread.

[Metlakatla]

By the way you guys would not have believed the sunset here last night; the entire sky and the ocean was violet. I ran outside to take some pics but haven't loaded them yet; hopefully they turned out.

[Metlakatla]

LOL--posted this in the wrong thread.

[RedJacket]

Originally Posted by warptman

Wonders why this is in the Alaska thread in the first place. Exxon has been mentioned just a few times. Should be moved to one of the gulf coast states.

I really don't believe this is a state specific issue. I have no doubt most everyone in America is saddened at what's taking place in the Gulf, just as they were when the Valdez spill happened.

What pisses me off is the cozy relationship that still exists between Washington and Big Oil. I would like to believe that this incident will be the one that'll finally end the money love fest between Big Oil aka The John and Politicians aka The Whores.

Not holding my breath.

[Moose Whisperer]

Originally Posted by Captain Crunch

Comical how the right, and those directly related to their employment in the oil industry, can only offer up "the sky is falling" crappolla and the terms hypocrites & ignorance as some kinda twister defense....

I don't think anyone here has any desire to see the oil industry disappear, .

I seriously doubt it.




If all of this supposed outrage over lack of safety and concern for the environment demonstrated here in this thread WAS ACTUALLY GENUINE, then you (and the other posters here) would be DEMANDING, with the same zeal and passion already expressed in previous postings that:

1. First world, developed nations with the strictest environmental controls (such as the US, UK. Canada, etc) take the lead in global oil production. Instead, all I hear is crazed ranting about how ALL offshore drilling should be suspended, thus by default forcing future oil production into third world regions where safety and environmental concerns are secondary, if they exist at all.
2. That these oil companies then be granted access to the SAFEST areas in which to drill – namely on dry land (ANWR, et al) and the shallow OCS, where PROVEN, RELIABLE technologies for oil spill containment and cleanup have existed for decades.

Why do you think BP and other oil companies drill in 5000+ feet of water where emergency procedures are untested? Because they want to destroy the planet as I have heard here so many times before? The economic consequences of this disaster could well put BP out of business. It is simply illogical to think that any oil company wants to destroy the environment or kill its workers.

Because there is an endless stream of whining from Environmentalists and NIMBY’s who don’t want production near where they live or within sight of “their” shoreline, the oil producers are continuously forced to drill in places where conditions are the absolute worst for purposes of spill containment and cleanup, while vast sources of untapped energy lay fallow in safer, accessible, logical places to drill.

No, you and your ilk are the TRUE OBSTACLES to safety and real environmental protection in the modern world. Rather than being willing to PAY for safety, there is constant screaming and endless congressional hearings on fictitious price conspiracies, encouraging producers to cut corners just to stay in business. Rather than insisting on the safest means possible for oil production, the mind-numbing amount of senseless environmental hand-wringing actually forces production into the most dangerous areas and risky methodologies.

EVEN WITH FULL SCALE DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATE ENERGY SOURCES, OIL PRODUCTION WILL CONTINUE FOR DECADES TO COME ON PLANET EARTH. The oil is going to be drilled whether you like it or not. You might as well become part of the solution, instead of continuing as part of the problem.

Yes, I stand by what I said. The blatant hypocrisy demonstrated in this discussion, and in our greater national political debate as a whole, is not only killing our economy, it is killing our environment as well.

[NomadicBear]

Wow, a lot of hot air, hubris, and hypocrisy. What's lost on the above commenter is the fact that it is these sorts of events, and the outrage they promulgate, which lead to the change which is so desperately needed in industries such as big oil. Asserting that the furious public reaction is disingenuous because their behavior does not meet specific criteria predetermined by the commenter is arrogant beyond words. Further, to try to transfer the blame for the disaster from those responsible for it, to those critical of it, is absolutely delusional, and more laughable than words can describe.

[AADAD]

It is in every sense a disaster. lets hope and pray they can shut it down.