Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
|
|
I keep waiting for one of the local neo-cons to tell us this could have been avoided by cutting taxes, reducing regulation, reducing the role of the federal government (if not eliminating it), trusting corporations, and leaving it up to the states to manage. Bobby Jindal, who espouses such absurd rhetoric, is now on the horns of a dilemma. The most he can now do is say that the federal government didn't respond quickly enough, or co-ordinate its efforts with those of the state (if any) and BP.
|
|
apogee
climber
|
|
I heard a great line the other day:
"The government is the enemy until you need a friend."
Then, there's all kinds of hands out and questions why the government hasn't done enough to fix the problem.
I believe the context of the quote directed it at Republicans and the financial system reform, but it is sure to apply to this disaster as well.
|
|
High Fructose Corn Spirit
Gym climber
Full Silos of Iowa
|
|
The girl, HDDJ, was a metaphor, then again, maybe not. "Grand Theories" insofar as they're true reflect Grand Realities. I am sure you agree you cannot arrive at solutions by ignoring realities large or small.
There are pickles and traps and dilemmas all over these subjects.
I agree with your response and/or solution.
Speaking in terms of biology and Animal Planet and speaking broadly and fundamentally, if more females were to get involved in pulling back from consumption, greed and profiteering as reflected in their pursuit of males who express these, males would follow. So they might hold the key to any future moderation of consumption, greed and profiteering.
P.S. In your post, you contrasted theoretical and pragmatic. I get your point, however these are not antithetical in my world as long as the theory is right theory and applicable.
HB81 wrote-
"We really need some grand scale solutions ASAP."
Ditto. Great posts. Sounds like you follow the field of "Peak Oil" perhaps and maybe know the likes of Richard Heinberg.
I posted because I seek solutions to these conundrums.
Chief wrote-
"We live in the age of privatization of profit and the socialization of loss.
The public will pay for this mess, that's the law now.
WTF bailed out the bankers and automakers?
Where was the emergency response plan for this event?
There wasn't one, it was avoided through deregulation in the name of "free market economy", the very one right wing, neoconservative capitalists keeps recommending."
Damn straight.
A lot of good stuff here.
"Make it cool to use less." (HDDJ) That's an important key, I think, it's got my support. Regarding the over-population problem: Two additional continents of people added to the earth in 10 years. Boggles the minds of those concerned enough to think about it...
"Make windfarms and oil platforms good and visible: it's about time people became truly aware of where their energy is really coming from, and why conserving it is really important. "
I like you, Apogee. Smart, you are.
|
|
apogee
climber
|
|
Ah, here it is:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/17/AR2008031702154.html
WaPo's conservative commentator EJ Dionne wrote regarding the financial disaster, conservative rhetoric, and what has come of efforts towards reform:
"In 1996, back when he was a Republican senator from Maine, William Cohen told me: "We have been saying for so long that government is the enemy. Government is the enemy until you need a friend."
|
|
MisterE
Social climber
Across Town From Easy Street
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 1, 2010 - 06:18pm PT
|
This thread needs some pictures:
|
|
Mimi
climber
|
|
Really horrible for the northern Gulf Coast. A friend from Baton Rouge sent these. The platform was roughly twice the size of a football field. Photos: Kyle Redmond, Houston, TX.
|
|
Chief
climber
|
|
It that isn't an unholy mess it'll sure do till the real thing gets here.
|
|
Mimi
climber
|
|
I questioned the ten-minute sinking time too. From the time of the explosion to the time it sank was much longer. I shouldn't have quoted that report. I'm editing my post.
|
|
MisterE
Social climber
Across Town From Easy Street
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 1, 2010 - 09:14pm PT
|
Thanks.
I wish I could spend a week or so there right now, to see the viscous flowing into the estuaries...feel the helplessness...I had a friend who worked on the Valdez spill, and he said everything got quiet when the oil came...the lapping waves stopped, water became still, and it was as if the whole ecology of the area was holding it's breath, waiting for this monstrosity to pass...which it doesn't...
|
|
Mimi
climber
|
|
The first reports I read stated that three hours passed after the initial explosion. Then a high level SOS was sent from the rig. Authorities want to know what was going on during that three-hour period. It knocked guys out of their bunks. I'm sure men were scrambling big time to control the blast.
Eleven souls lost on the drilling platform. Sincere condolences to the families.
Let's hope it's light crude and that most of it volatilizes with wave action before too much damage is done.
|
|
rlf
Trad climber
Josh, CA
|
|
I just finished reading an article about what is currently going on. This is really bad. Really bad.
They are discussing the possibility of the pipe into the well head collapsing. If this happens, nobody is sure if they can stop it anytime soon. Since the things is 5000 feel below the surface, my guess is they are going to have an impossible time with this.
Anybody know about how the "fail" safe valves are supposed to work on these things?
|
|
rlf
Trad climber
Josh, CA
|
|
Thanks, reading it now.
Apparently they don't...
"U.S. regulators don't mandate use of the remote-control device on offshore rigs, and the Deepwater Horizon, hired by oil giant BP PLC, didn't have one."
Bet they're gonna think twice about this decision now...
|
|
rlf
Trad climber
Josh, CA
|
|
This is really good:
"A report commissioned by the Minerals Management Service said "acoustic systems are not recommended because they tend to be very costly.""
I'll bet they seem pretty cheap by comparison to the economic disaster this is likely to cause.
|
|
apogee
climber
|
|
Sarah Palin: Don’t retreat from ‘drill here, drill now’ following Gulf spill
By Ben Geman - 04-30-10 06:26 PM ET
Sarah Palin said Friday that the Gulf of Mexico oil rig explosion and spill should not sap efforts to expand offshore drilling.
"I repeat the slogan ‘drill here, drill now’ not out of naiveté or disregard for the tragic consequences of oil spills – my family and my state and I know firsthand those consequences," Palin wrote on her Facebook page, reviving a slogan from the 2008 presidential campaign....
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/95403-sarah-palin-dont-retreat-from-drill-here-drill-now-following-gulf-spill
|
|
Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
|
|
So how else would you go about getting oil without drilling?
By consuming oil, and products produced and delivered using oil, you are demonstrating your support for whatever it takes to extract the oil.
|
|
WBraun
climber
|
|
So how else would you go about getting oil without drilling?
Olive oil ......
:-)
|
|
Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
|
|
Whale oil works too. Plus it's renewable.
|
|
Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
|
|
Some friends worked on cleaning up after the Exxon Valdez, in early 1989. Near Tofino on the southweast coast of Vancouver Island. Over 2,500 km southeast of the spill. This may get extremely messy.
A friend died when the Ocean Ranger, a rig off the coast of Newfoundland, overturned during a big storm early in 1982. No survivors of the 80+ on board. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_Ranger
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!