The oil spill has got me worried. (Cape Coral: contractors, inspections)

[kroeran]

can someone explain to me why US regulatory authorities have jurisdiction over a well in international waters, or am I misunderstanding something.

I don't think this is a Bush/Obama issue...its the problem of government agencies going native (and human nature to be lazy) and the regulated industries corrupting the regulators with free trips, post career employment and outright bribery.

[Southside Shrek]

"Exclusive economic zone
An exclusive economic zone extends from the outer limit of the territorial sea to a maximum of 200 nautical miles (370.4 km) from the territorial sea baseline, thus it includes the contiguous zone.[3] A coastal nation has control of all economic resources within its exclusive economic zone, including fishing, mining, oil exploration, and any pollution of those resources. However, it cannot prohibit passage or loitering above, on, or under the surface of the sea that is in compliance with the laws and regulations adopted by the coastal State in accordance with the provisions of the UN Convention, within that portion of its exclusive economic zone beyond its territorial sea. Before 1982, coastal nations arbitrarily extended their territorial waters in an effort to control activities which are now regulated by the exclusive economic zone, such as offshore oil exploration or fishing rights (see Cod Wars). Indeed, the exclusive economic zone is still popularly, though erroneously, called a coastal nation's territorial waters."

Territorial waters - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[mrcoolmrcool28]

This just in, Fox News is reporting that the tar balls washing up on the Keys are NOT from the Deepwater Horizon spill, samples show a different kind of oil... experts are not sure where they came from. Natural seepage maybe?

The story is also posted on the Wall Street Journal Market watch website.

[121804]

Originally Posted by rikoshaprl

It's been a year and a half since Obama's election. You can't just keep blaming Bush for everything. If Obama is so smart why didn't he change the way the drilling is overseen. He must have been satisfied with the system if he approved a massive expansion of offshore drilling. He must have at least looked into it right? Did he make any changes before the spill?

The man has been in office for 2 years. GWB, well known for his thirst for oil, was in office for 8.

You are aware, I mean you must be, the massive amount of regulatory issues that plague this country & that taking care of everything w/in 24months is not really that possible....Going to take years to screw up the mess created by the GWB admin; oil regs, banking regs, NCLB, 2 ongoing wars w/ no end in site...I mean the list goes on. No thanks for the job

None of these men are perfect.

The oil situation is a nasty game of finger pointing right now. This goes far, far deeper than a few politicans and has been going on for YEARS. And will continue to go on. Americans love their oil and those who make a profit from it and oh do they make a profit, will continue the same paths.

[121804]

Originally Posted by kroeran

can someone explain to me why US regulatory authorities have jurisdiction over a well in international waters, or am I misunderstanding something.

I don't think this is a Bush/Obama issue...its the problem of government agencies going native (and human nature to be lazy) and the regulated industries corrupting the regulators with free trips, post career employment and outright bribery.

Bingo

And other countries are very much involved.

[rikoshaprl]

Originally Posted by 121804

The man has been in office for 2 years. GWB, well known for his thirst for oil, was in office for 8.

You are aware, I mean you must be, the massive amount of regulatory issues that plague this country & that taking care of everything w/in 24months is not really that possible....Going to take years to screw up the mess created by the GWB admin; oil regs, banking regs, NCLB, 2 ongoing wars w/ no end in site...I mean the list goes on. No thanks for the job

None of these men are perfect.

The oil situation is a nasty game of finger pointing right now. This goes far, far deeper than a few politicans and has been going on for YEARS. And will continue to go on. Americans love their oil and those who make a profit from it and oh do they make a profit, will continue the same paths.

Americans NEED their oil if they want to drive, keep warm, use electricity, etc. There are plenty of mistakes Bush made in his 8 years. My question was: did Obama do anything to make the offshore oil drilling operations safer before endorsing its massive expansion?

[121804]

Originally Posted by rikoshaprl

Americans NEED their oil if they want to drive, keep warm, use electricity, etc. There are plenty of mistakes Bush made in his 8 years. My question was: did Obama do anything to make the offshore oil drilling operations safer before endorsing its massive expansion?

Probably not; let's be real here...don't bite the hand that feeds you & big business is what gets 99% of these politicans their jobs on the hill. Some things are overlooked. And many times, there are blatant lies told to the highest in order to keep the coifers filled.

Obama is only told what those around him think he needs to hear. Could he dig deeper? Heck ya. Does he have the time...no. How stupid does a person have to be to stand on a ship and declare a mission is accomplished as his own Soldiers are being killed? To his defense, GWB was also told only what those around him wanted him to know & hear. I find it dissappointing.

Don't know how I feel about Obama. Definitely didn't care for Bush & all the things he screwed up. But then I guess you can just keep passing around the hot potato as the snowball has been being made for more than a few admins.

How BP is handling this is quite appalling but should not be surprising. How the government is not/or is handling this is also questionable though every policitican in LA & FL is on tv right now....

The destroyed marine & ecological life. The lives that were lost on the oil rig. It's quite sad. The politicans don't care about that, though.

It would be nice to see something positive come of this; especially our role in international waters.

Some Dem out of FL is all over CNN right now; good news is that the way the warm current is flowing is that it may stay about 1 mile offshore. Still sucks for LA residents and those who make their living on the water.

[kroeran]

as far as finger pointing, my view is that it is the fault of the average citizen, who spends their energy complaining about government, and doing nothing about it, and the powers at be are just fine with that

as a general statement, my observation is that the vast magority of political precincts (or whatever you call them in your area) are a mix of professional political operatives, desperate job seekers, contract peddlers, self serving vain rich folk, and outright crooks.

if everyone allocated maybe 1% of their time and resources to the politics in their neighbourhood, at the local, state and National level, everything could change.

if you are looking for who is to blame, look in the mirror.

[nhkev]

here's an opportunity for someone instead of debating each other, a set of ears that words hopefully don't get lost on.. I nominate yachtcare to go to represent city data.

http://http://www.news-press.com/article/20100519/NEWS0101/100519033/1075/Cape-residents-invited-to-speak-one-on-one-with-city-council-members (broken link)

[121804]

Originally Posted by kroeran

as far as finger pointing, my view is that it is the fault of the average citizen, who spends their energy complaining about government, and doing nothing about it, and the powers at be are just fine with that

as a general statement, my observation is that the vast magority of political precincts (or whatever you call them in your area) are a mix of professional political operatives, desperate job seekers, contract peddlers, self serving vain rich folk, and outright crooks.

if everyone allocated maybe 1% of their time and resources to the politics in their neighbourhood, at the local, state and National level, everything could change.

if you are looking for who is to blame, look in the mirror.

You know what is humorous though is that those in office are the worst at the finger pointing!!

My dh & I were commissioned officers in the Army. You want to hear stories of desperate job seekers, just look at your average Major in the Army who is all of a sudden a "Yes, Sir!" type of guy as the cush Pentagon positions start to open up & all of a sudden the things he saw down range no longer exist.

Those who tell the truth get fired (cough cough Colin Powell, Gen Shinsheki cough cough). Those who play fair get knocked down.

If everyone just allocated 1% of their time to even think outside their own bubble, SOOO much could change.

If this oil spill "immediately" impacted more people, I think things would have already started to change.