Drill, Drill, Drill

[Guest]

If the unprecedented huge oil leak from the sunken drilling platform blackens the Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana beaches as now predicted, you won't be hearing that political mantra anytime soon.

The rig that exploded and sank was one of the newest and largest, definitely state-of-the-art. My brother, who works in the drilling pipe and fitting business in Houston, tells me this should never have happened. In fact, he explained that it couldn't happen because of the redundant automatic shut-off valves built into the pipe underwater.

But leak it did. It's still leaking 42,000 gallons a day and they're saying the slick will reach the beaches in 3 days. I'm worried about one of our favorite places, Cedar Key. Not only is the island a favorite resort destination, but about half the annual production of clams comes from the ocean within about ten miles of the island.

"Drill, baby, drill!", as a couple of candidates intoned almost daily in the 2008 elections...not likely you'll be hearing that as a campaign plank anytime soon.

Do we need a comprehensive energy policy? You betcha'.

[Guest]

Too easy to just jump onto a bandwagon. Anything worth it's while will have bumps in the road. Had many accidents on our way to space exploration. Too easy to throw hands in air and give up.

[Guest]

I believe the blowout and the failures in the automatic shutoff valves happened because of the depths (over 18,000 feet) the Deepwater Horizon rig was drilling. The temperatures and pressures are unpredictable below 10,000 feet. The depth may also hinder BP's robotic subs with efforts to shut off the valves and stopping the leaks.

My husband worked offshore on oil rigs years ago. He was an electronics expert. After President Obama spoke at a memorial service for the coal miners who lost thier lives in the West Virginia mining explosion, I asked my husband why the media or the White House hasn't made as big of a deal over the oil explosion deaths. He said, in his opinion, is because Obama made the big announcement about more oil and gas exploration and it doesn't serve his purpose to make a big deal out of the oil rig deaths.

With cap and trade legislation and the lack of support during the last Presidential Primaries and election from a Democrat state like WVa., Obama seized a political opportunity.

The White House is also not backing off the issue of green house gas emission and the money they can get from offshore drilling.

It's all pollitics.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703709804575202320324530444.html

[Guest]

I say DRILL BABY DRILL.

[Guest]

would suggest eliminating flying or not flying since airplanes do crash with more frequency than oil rigs blow up! ? ! ? ! This event is what number out of how many oil rigs around the world?

Is it a political opportunity to duck the issue and for some to revel in the event and say.....SEE? Absolutely.

I would like to see Obama pursue energy independence with the same fervor he did for health care reform. The positive effect on all of America and mankind would be so much more significant...plus has the potential to put Americans back to work and show the rest of the world we know what the real priorities are instead of the political sham called Obama-care.

I say drill....not just off shore but on shore where there are significant fields not being pursued for some other political reason or not.

btk

[Guest]

Go Donna Go...........DRILL, DRILL, DRILL......And tell the Arabs where to go!

[Guest]

See this link.

http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1037068/Garfield_on_the_oil_crisis

[Guest]

See this link.

http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1037068/Garfield_on_the_oil_crisis

:beer3: So very true!!!

[Guest]

If the unprecedented huge oil leak from the sunken drilling platform blackens the Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana beaches as now predicted, you won't be hearing that political mantra anytime soon.

The rig that exploded and sank was one of the newest and largest, definitely state-of-the-art. My brother, who works in the drilling pipe and fitting business in Houston, tells me this should never have happened. In fact, he explained that it couldn't happen because of the redundant automatic shut-off valves built into the pipe underwater.

But leak it did. It's still leaking 42,000 gallons a day and they're saying the slick will reach the beaches in 3 days. I'm worried about one of our favorite places, Cedar Key. Not only is the island a favorite resort destination, but about half the annual production of clams comes from the ocean within about ten miles of the island.

"Drill, baby, drill!", as a couple of candidates intoned almost daily in the 2008 elections...not likely you'll be hearing that as a campaign plank anytime soon.

Do we need a comprehensive energy policy? You betcha'.

Chit happens. We should have outlawed planes, trains and automobiles for all the people they have killed.

Comprehensive energy plan? We certainly do not need any comprehensive energy policy that this regime would pass.

Yoda

[Guest]

This is going to be worst environmental disaster in history....this thread kind of reminds me of Caesar fiddling while Rome burned.

I wasn't actually there but I did study it in school.:1rotfl:

[Guest]

It's Obama's fault too, it happened on his watch. He should have been more alert to safety and fail safes on oil rigs. Obama wants to ramp up off shore drilling and he lead us to believe it was safe, now look what happened. Talk about being in bed with big oil...

Hey, that was kind of fun.

Seriously though, accidents happen. No way around it and it will happen again some day. Just like the Exxon Valdez spill, it will get cleaned up, nature will takes it's course and that will be the end of that.

[Guest]

I think it's horrific when something happens that hurts the environment and then takes another terrible hit on the economy of a vast area. Animals and all forms of wildlife are injured and even killed. What a tragedy. This could even have a dramatic affect on people's health. Who knows the actual far reaching toll it will take on people. It will take some time for things to even begin to get back to normal. But it will. Nature does have a way of taking care of things, it may take awhile, but the effects of the volcano in the Icelandic area or Eyjafjallajoekull will settle down eventually.

[Guest]

This is going to be worst environmental disaster in history....this thread kind of reminds me of Caesar fiddling while Rome burned.

I wasn't actually there but I did study it in school.:1rotfl:

You weren't? Now I a disappointed. Seriously, while I agree that this a disaster, we need to be careful not to let overblown media magnify it beyond what actually occurs. This reminds me of the many around the clock stories on hurricanes when nothing of the sort was justified. The oil, in this case, is light crude as opposed to the heavy, almost tar like discharge from the Exxon Valdeze. This will make cleanup easier and quicker.

This does not mark the death of the sea life in the affected area. It will come back just as it did in Alaska and Spain. As for drilling off the Florida coast, this should not be a factor. The eastern Gulf supplies natural gas not oil. If you doubt this look at all the platforms south of Alabama. All natural gas.

While we must do everything necessary to stop the flow of oil and clean up the damage, we should not lose track of this nation's need for energy independence.

[Guest]

...while I agree that this a disaster, we need to be careful not to let overblown media magnify it beyond what actually occurs. This reminds me of the many around the clock stories on hurricanes when nothing of the sort was justified. The oil, in this case, is light crude as opposed to the heavy, almost tar like discharge from the Exxon Valdeze. This will make cleanup easier and quicker.

This does not mark the death of the sea life in the affected area. It will come back just as it did in Alaska and Spain. As for drilling off the Florida coast, this should not be a factor. The eastern Gulf supplies natural gas not oil. If you doubt this look at all the platforms south of Alabama. All natural gas.

While we must do everything necessary to stop the flow of oil and clean up the damage, we should not lose track of this nation's need for energy independence.I agree, with one exception.

The U.S. Department of the Interior establishes the regulations for the construction, placement, operation and inspection of "U.S.-flagged" drill rigs. I've read articles recently--sorry, I can't provide a link--that the regulatory requirements for blowout protection and mediation are less restrictive on rigs close to our coasts than in other parts of the developed world. The lesser regulatory requirements substantially reduce the cost of the construction and operation of oil rigs close to our coastlines.

How that happened would take a lot of study, I'm sure. Unfortunately in our system, the influence of big oil lobbyists immediately comes to mind.

Whether or not such additional regulatory protections might have avoided or mitigated the current disaster remains to be investigated and reported on. But at the very least, rigs which present a threat to our coastlines should be regulated at least as well as those in other countries.

[Guest]

based fossil fuels.

I know, how about spending a few billion $$$ on research to be 100% oil free in 20 years? All the nay sayers will jump front and center and say it can't be done in 20 years. Well if it had the same emphasis of need as did the Obama need for health care reform....it can and will happen. It will not only put us strategically in the right direction it will create untold new jobs.....and maybe as importantly allow us to attain world leadership again.

Now just why is it not many are in support of this approach? Maybe when gas hits $4++++ per gallon it will be a priority for fickle Americans and politicians trying to sooth them......too....too bad.

btk

[Guest]

Just one more reason to research and invest away from carbonbased fossil fuels.I agree completely, Billie. A lot of these "green energy initiatives" are way overblown, both in the amount of money actually being spent on them as well as how much effect they will ever have.

In my opinion, if the political leadership of the country really wanted to lay a cornerstone of a new energy policy, they'd do two things...
Pass legislation that would drive the country towards nuclear power for electricity. Does it make sense that it takes 10-15 years to bring a nuclear powered generating facility online in this country? For crying out loud, France generates 90% of its electricity using nukes and can bring a plant online in half that time.
Secondly, pass legislation that will drive the U.S. consumer towards buying much, much smaller and fuel efficient cars and trucks. As long as gasoline is reasonably affordable, U.S. consumers will keep driving SUVs, trucks, and other less efficient vehicles. There may be other ways to accomplish this, but passing a stairstep significant increase in federal gas taxes might do the trick. With advanced notice of the stair step increases, the auto companies could prepare for the demand for smaller, more fuel efficient cars. And knowing that higher-priced gas is coming would drive the consumers in that direction as well.
I'm not wed to the idea of a gas tax. Maybe a stairstep increase in CAFE standards could accomplish the same thing. But until we do something that actually reduces our consumption of gas and oil, the flow of money to Saudi Arabia and the Middle East will continue. Doing nothing is not an option.

[Guest]

based fossil fuels.

I know, how about spending a few billion $$$ on research to be 100% oil free in 20 years? All the nay sayers will jump front and center and say it can't be done in 20 years. Well if it had the same emphasis of need as did the Obama need for health care reform....it can and will happen. It will not only put us strategically in the right direction it will create untold new jobs.....and maybe as importantly allow us to attain world leadership again.

Now just why is it not many are in support of this approach? Maybe when gas hits $4++++ per gallon it will be a priority for fickle Americans and politicians trying to sooth them......too....too bad.

btk

The top six CEO's of the oil companies make more than $1 billion a year, so where is the "free market" for investing in the future of private industry? Exxon brags when it talks about spending $1 billion dollars in research for horizontal well drilling, yet all this discussion centers around Uncle Sam putting out the money to do the research.

This is the problem with unfettered "free" markets- it's not really capitalism, and the CEO's have not produced any "product" and there really isn't any competition. It's just unregulated greed, not free enterprise.

The non-productive rich- the corporate class (not entrepreneurs)- have declared a class war since the days of Carnegie, Kennedy, Mellon and Rockefeller. It's not fought by the little guy or the working person because, other than unions, they have no power to overcome that class.

It's been age old Republican policy since Taft- and now multi-millionaires like Rush & Palin- to make people think these non-productive rich are just plain folks like you and me.

[Guest]

Sally Jo and GatbTester...why dont you go and tell the shrimp and fishermen in La. and Miss. your sentiments. I'm sure they can use more bait. And Donna a "bump in the road?" It might be a little more than that. The next thing I'll here is that BP is innocent it's all the fault of the Democrats or as fat boy Rush claims a plot to prevent future drilling.

[Guest]

You forgot Obama on your list of multi-millionaires

No, that's precisely my point. Obama made his money from sales of his book- and he paid about 30% of his income in taxes and was a very generous donor (To be honest Biden only gave away about $4,000! Cheapskate.)

I don't agree with them, but Beck & Rush MADE their money by selling a product as well. I'm talking about CEO's, execs & traders brought in for multi millions before they even walk through the door. I'm talking about derivative traders and credit default brokers who make multi-millions, evens over a billion in one year, but pay only a 15% capital gains tax (instead of regular income tax), while bankrupting companies and America.
I'm talking about the five Wal-Mart "heirs" who each got 7 billion dollars when Sam Walton died- for doing nothing but having the right bloodlines- and then together got a 2.7 billion dollar tax cut under the Bush plan.

So how much is too much? Considering one Walmart heir received more in a tax break than the total expenditure of oil corporations on energy independence, something's wrong with the system.

[Guest]

Forbes 2010 list of billionairres lists number two and three, by wealth, in the entire world as William Henry Gates III and Warren Buffett. The next American on the list is Lawrence Ellison coming in at number 6. Number 12 and 15 on the list, respectively, are now deceased Christy Walton and Jim Walton. These are the only Americans on the list.

I'm still looking for the Wall Street billionaires on the list. Wait, here's number 1 on the list Carlos Sim Helu' from Mexico City, Mexico. His business is some sort of cellphone and Internet provider. Okay, there's number 4, Mukesh Ambani from India, Bernard Arnault from France, Eike Batista of Brazil, Amancio Ortego from Spain, Karl Albrecht from Germany, Ingvar Kamprad from Sweden, Stefan Persson also from Sweden and Li Ka shing form China.

Let's see, an oil based private corp. in India, a steel company based in India, computer technology companies in the US, the owner of Hennessy and Louis Vuitton, a Spanish Fashion Group,the owner of ALDI discount grocery store; who by the way is richer than the Waltons who own Walmart, but you didn't complain about that family, the owners of Ikea.... there it is EBX Group, a Brazilian holding founded by Eike Batista, the richest man in Brazil. That dirty bast-rizian.

I hate to even look at the list of filthy Hollywood, fashion model, restaurant owner, physician/surgeon, lawyer, small business ower, musician, investor, construction company, real estate owning, sports player, dirty millionaires. Or the dirty rotten scoundrels do nothing families who might benefit from their filthy money!!! Damn them.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbes_list_of_billionaires

[Guest]

You go girl!!!! Nothing wins an argument better then facts. :a20:

[Guest]

This is going to be worst environmental disaster in history....this thread kind of reminds me of Caesar fiddling while Rome burned.

I wasn't actually there but I did study it in school.:1rotfl:

I don't know what school you went to but it was Nero.

Yoda

[Guest]

I don't know what school you went to but it was Nero.

Yoda

Cologal getting her "facts" wrong?:rolleyes: Who would have guessed? LOL

[Guest]

The top six CEO's of the oil companies make more than $1 billion a year, so where is the "free market" for investing in the future of private industry? Exxon brags when it talks about spending $1 billion dollars in research for horizontal well drilling, yet all this discussion centers around Uncle Sam putting out the money to do the research.

This is the problem with unfettered "free" markets- it's not really capitalism, and the CEO's have not produced any "product" and there really isn't any competition. It's just unregulated greed, not free enterprise.

The non-productive rich- the corporate class (not entrepreneurs)- have declared a class war since the days of Carnegie, Kennedy, Mellon and Rockefeller. It's not fought by the little guy or the working person because, other than unions, they have no power to overcome that class.

It's been age old Republican policy since Taft- and now multi-millionaires like Rush & Palin- to make people think these non-productive rich are just plain folks like you and me.
Get your facts straight. Kyle Wingfield:http://blogs.ajc.com/kyle-wingfield/2010/04/30/exactly-who-makes-enough-money-in-obamas-eyes/?cxntfid=blogs_kyle_wingfield
In fact, the $2.4 billion in total earnings of the 100 highest-paid CEOs, regardless of industry, barely beat out the $2.1 billion of the twenty-five best-compensated celebs (living ones, that is). Just seven of those 100 CEOs worked in the financial industry.