So - which one of you is still for oil drilling in the Gulf?

[Rik]

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/0 ... hores.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ChrisR]

Those pictures are powerful. What a mess!

[Rik]

I am having a very hard time understanding how the mess on the beaches and wetlands wasn't prevented. They had 30 days to do something to keep the oil out of the sensitive areas. We can put a man on the moon in less time. 10,000 people with buckets could have done a better job than all that high priced stuff they are doing. Looking at the unemployment numbers, I'd say there are people available.

The more I read about this, BP becomes a company that deserves little respect. Did you know that BP was the initial responder in the Exxon Valdez incident? Had to do with an oil consortium that was set up in Alaska. After watching BP fail miserably for a month, Exxon stepped in and took over cleaning up the mess. They didn't do much better, but......

When you watch what they are doing in the Gulf, they are using all of the same technology they used in Alaska. You'd think they'd have learned what didn't work up there and not try it again down here. The miles of hard and soft boom failed in Alaska and now it is failing in the Gulf.

I have been a strong proponent of drilling but not if these guys continue with their "Nah, it'll never happen" attitude.

[1okbyme2]

It's simple really, "Get U.S. off oil".

[Todd]

Interesting.

http://bp.concerts.com/gom/kentwells_update24052010.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Rik]

It's simple really, "Get U.S. off oil".

Worthy long term goal but it isn't going to happen anytime soon even if we make a concerted national effort. For the foreseeable future, oil will be a major part of of our lives. Look at the desk around your computer. At least half of everything there is made with a petroleum by product.

So, yes, we need to find alternatives but that is really for our children's generation. Right now, we need to be able to safely pump oil with solid and workable worst case scenario plans.

It just shouldn't take 5+ weeks to stop the flow from a broken pipe.

[Todd]

It just shouldn't take 5+ weeks to stop the flow from a broken pipe.

Exactly.

[justabucup]

Interesting.

http://bp.concerts.com/gom/kentwells_update24052010.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Watching this video gives one the appreciation (or should) the logistics involved with such a major undertaking as this. I imagine it would take some time to get the resources together ships rigs pumps mud together in one location to attempt the "Top Kill".

Too many of us have too much confidence in when you flip the switch the light will come on.

That being said



Now while this is great news it is still to be seen that it holds!

[1okbyme2]

Rik wrote " Look at the desk around your computer. At least half of everything there is made with a petroleum by product. "

You are correct sir, even our little boats are made from oil.
I guess we will always need a little of the stuff, but I'd like to see the internal combustion engine go away.

[Rik]

I agree with you okbyme, it does need to go away or become much more efficient. Sadly, though, it is not like flipping a switch. It will take decades. Plus, the alternatives we have now, such as the Prius, have another eco concern with their batteries. Hydrogen seems to be a viable alternative but the PR problem of 'driving around an atomic bomb' will be tough to overcome. Even then, all of the manufacturing processes for the alternative methods require oil.

This oil disaster got a double whammy of more bad news yesterday. The top kill procedure failed and the oil has hit the loop current. The new procedure is again another unproven method and will take a week. It involves cutting the pipe for a clean edge but the downside is that it will be remove a bend in the pipe that many feel has been slowing the flow of oil. If the next try fails, we'll likely have a higher flow.

Now that it has hit the loop current, they are saying 6 days for the oil to hit the keys. I fear that our Gulf of Mexico will never be the same in our lifetime.

[Swamprider]

I happen to own land in Louisiana and have a lot of family and friends there. So I have a personal stake in this. It is very easy when faced with this disaster to say stop offshore drilling. But lets face it that is about feasible as safe sex when a carrier group hits port. We didn't get into this mess overnight (our dependance on oil) nor will we resolve it overnight. Stop offshore drilling and you have destroyed our economy. We are here now we have to do it. But we need to do it safely and ethicly.

We should be mad. We should be upset that according to all news accounts BP cut corners, that we didn't plan for this, that even knowing it was coming we still failed to protect the Gulf marshes.
I think this is proof positive that regardless ot the party in control of Federal Government is incapable of responding in a timely manner to largescale disasters.

First we have to fix the problem we have on hand i.e. the leak. Then there is more than enough blame to go around when we get done. In fact, all we have to do is look in the mirror. But we can't destroy our country's economy either.

[Grit]

Does anyone know how to volunteer for the Florida cleanup crew?
Who in the State would be heading this up?

[DoubleM]