The oil spill has got me worried. (Dover: camp, place to live)

[121804]

Originally Posted by rikoshaprl

I don't know about your family's feelings, but Bush had the respect of the military. Obama doesn't. He was even booed at West Point. He treats terrorists like common criminals. The idea of having the trial in NYC is sick. He hates the US and tells the world every chance he gets.

I'm sorry for what you and your husband have been through and I thank you both for your service.

Getting back to oil, the riser has been cut. Let's pray the top hat works and most of the oil can be pumped onto tankers.

And you know this b/c?

Oct 2005, that fine man made a 20 min visit stop to FT Hood around 11am for some lame canned PR pump up speech before the remainder of 4ID deployed. Can't tell you how many middle fingers I saw or the words that were used before, during & after this man's speech. Respect of the military? Not even close. Donald Rumsfield told family members in Alaska that he was not Santa Claus and didn't know what to tell them about their continually stop/lossed soldiers. The admin was a laughing stock and those that dared speak up got fired. Gen Shinseki. Read up on him.

We respected our commanding officers & enlisted soldiers who did their job Plain & simple. For those are the ones who one works with everyday, be it stateside or deployed. GWB was & is still laughed at. Been there & seen it first hand from every rank.

He wasn't even sending the fallen family members letters until it got leaked. Cheney was sending out computer generated letters. Obama has personally written every letter of to the family members. It's been well documented & discussed in the military.

Obama is still treading water. He'll have his day too. My best friend was in the SRP when the psycho doctor shot a bunch of soldiers at FT Hood in Nov.'09. She is still pissed that he took it so mildly & didn't grab hold of that nutcases balls and rip into him. That is the issue we deal w/ Obama...a little too much calmness. GWB didn't know proper english or anything about military history. Obama is very calm & soft spoken about many things.

But unless you were in the military during the reign of GWB, you really don't know what you are talking about. Sorry.

And yes, let's all hope that something works. It's pathetic how long it has taken but all we can say now is lesson learned...hopefully!!!

[hiknapster]

Nicely put, 121804. I was just waiting for your response because I knew what it was going to be. Talk to these folks coming home and see what they have to say about Bush/Cheney. People need to turn off the tv and the radio and really see what is going on.

But calm, well-thought-out leadership will ultimately prevail because the majority, so far, have common sense, no matter how much these folks run around yelling and waving their hands.

And they are being used. Don't doubt it. Hardball really began with the healthcare debate. That's when the insurance companies rolled out their billions and created these pseudo-groups and the nutjobs, the disenfranchised, the smug and the racists came out like ants to the sugar.

There isn't a day that goes by that they haven't complained about something. I say, in the end, they don't have enough sense to come out of the rain. In the end, they don't have enough sense to come out of the rain.

I say we stick with the level-headed intelligence. We will prevail.

[justNancy]

I worked for a national company that processed auto loans during the Bush Administration and several applicants were in the military. I have to agree with 121804, just from what I heard. Also, Bush not only cut billions from programs to help the poor while cutting taxes for the wealthy, but he also cut $1.5 billion for military housing. Then he opposed a health plan that would allow the National Guard and Reserve members to buy insurance through the Pentagon's health plan. He cut $172 million that was allotted for the education of children of military personnel. I learned these things during the 2008 presidential campaign. The retired military people I met at the Obama field office gave me quite an education and didn't want McCain in the White House because he supported many of the Bush cuts. (there were other reasons, but this isn't the political forum, so I won't elaborate)

Back to the current crisis in the Gulf, after hearing Bobby Jindal & Michele Bachmann on the news tonight, I am shaking my head with disbelief. They're all hypocrites, but she is certifiable.

[monikac21]

I am so sorry that this discussion turned into politics. Even so that I think that President Obama could do more - the accident was not his fault.

On the other hand, the President of the United States has access to the best scientists and technicians in the world. In my opinion he should have a gremium of people who know what is going on - on the Oil Plattform - not in Washington. They have to look BP over the shoulder to make sure that descisions are made with the right motivation in place - that means not "how can BP make some money" rather the moivation should be, what can we do to stop the oil. I still have the feeling the BP is looking for alternatives which could save the well and still make some money off it. Right now BP is in charge and can pretty much do what they think is right - they should be able to stop the oil and do so - if that means destroy the well - so be it.

[hiknapster]

Pensacola seems to be doing fine.

Florida Beaches Full as Playtime Runs Short - NYTimes.com

I don't think we have this link on this thread. In any event, it is great for following the spill.

Map and Estimates of Oil Spilled in the Gulf of Mexico - Interactive Map - NYTimes.com

It looks like they capped it, overnight, but of course it is still leaking. They are drilling a couple of relief holes that will ultimately be blocked off. Barring any setbacks, which we will probably see, we are at least moving forward, for now.

We are all Americans, well, except for a few exceptions (the funny Canadian and the lady that talks to herself), and we need to stick together guys. We rise and fall as one.

[kroeran]

Originally Posted by sheldoncreek

ok so now they have the riser sheared off

Question: Why didnt they just do this from jump?
Cut the entire parts that above the ocean floor off, have some kind of sinker like contraption drag the explosive say couple hundred feet down into the subterrain portion of the well, then detonate it.
Seems like and effective way to kill a well.

I believe there was the fear of increasing the pressure on the wounded pipe, causing a messier blowout lower down above ground or just below the ground surface, which makes it more difficult to work the problem.

just guessing though

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by kroeran

I believe there was the fear of increasing the pressure on the wounded pipe, causing a messier blowout lower down above ground or just below the ground surface, which makes it more difficult to work the problem.

just guessing though

Well, once they made that cut it REALLY started gushing. Not that they have the containment dome on, it is still coming out. In fact, it looks like it may be a little worse than when they first started this latest attempt.

I'm hoping those two relief holes will help. Who knows. By the end of the year, we could still be where we are now. Crazy.

[rikoshaprl]

121804 But unless you were in the military during the reign of GWB, you really don't know what you are talking about. Sorry.
The military families that I know respected Bush. They are mostly conservative. Like you, perhaps the folks you know that hate Bush are liberals. The military is partisan too just like the public.

[sheldoncreek]

Politics. geeze louise. *sigh*

[sheldoncreek]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Well, once they made that cut it REALLY started gushing. Not that they have the containment dome on, it is still coming out. In fact, it looks like it may be a little worse than when they first started this latest attempt.

I'm hoping those two relief holes will help. Who knows. By the end of the year, we could still be where we are now. Crazy.

if this goes even for a few more days we're in for it.

We not only talking about the contact effect, but also the air quality.
The fumes from the oil slick is pretty adverse. Imagine that picked up by the wids and carried into communities away from the coast in the hot humid summer.

Lets see how today unfolds, and lets hope there is not another explosion.