Spill, Baby, Spill
Sara Palin where are you now? Because of the tabloid style “debate” which passes for political discourse in this country- we don’t have intelligent discussions about cause and effect. Off-shore oil drilling sounds great and fine- as does nuclear power, as does strip mining and “clean coal” (which doesn’t exist except in some highly paid PR flak’s imagination- but it “sounds good”).
One little mechanical error and we won’t be eating shrimp at those lobbyists’ parties in D.C. anymore:
Billions of dollars generated by outdoor sports, commercial fishing and beach tourism along the Gulf of Mexico coast are at risk if crude oil leaking from a damaged well off the coast of Louisiana washes aground. BP Plc, which owns the well, says it is leaking five times faster than previously thought, spewing 5,000 barrels of oil a day into the Gulf.
The spill may threaten wildlife and seafood production in a state known as “Sportsman’s Paradise,” as well as in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida or Texas, said Robert Shipp, chairman of the Marine Sciences Department at the University of South Alabama.
“If this thing really gets to the coast, to those sugar-white beaches from Gulf Shores, Alabama, to Panama City, Florida, that would be just a horrible disaster,” Shipp said in an interview.
via Oil Spill Imperils Gulf Coast Fishing Industry (Update1) – BusinessWeek.
Even Florida Governor Charlie Crist- a Republican, has flipped on off-shore drilling- realizing that no one wants to come to Florida to lie on a beach covered in 10W40.
While it’s easy to throw these catch phrases about- and take things down to simple terms that morons can understand (voters and legislators)- the reality is we have to live with these decisions- and so will our children, and their children on into eternity (which may not be that long for the human race if we ruin our ability to feed ourselves).
Ecosystems are fragile. It’s not just the shrimp- it’s the things the shrimp eat- and what eats the shrimp- etc. -it’s all affected.
Much the same way that the growing CEO pay, the casinoization of Wall Street- the rewards for off shoring American jobs, two wars, a government out of control with spending and legislating has devastated the American economy/ecosystem driving millions out of their homes and jobs – to a point where groups of armed people are “protesting” in D.C. and comparing our President to Hitler- one little oil spill is going to wreak havoc on so many related economies. These create the breeding grounds for despots to rise to power.
Critical thinking and discussion are our only hope for getting rid of idiots like “Hell no” Boehner and”Drill baby” Palin so that we can move our country forward. We have to look at the big picture, and the long-term implications of our short-term actions- because catch phrase politics is a recipe for disaster.
Another sign of Peak Oil – Drilling in places where the costs are greater to the environment and consumer. However, living and driving are part of America’s Freedom it even says it in the Constitution, doesn’t it?
Look we are still going to have to have oil and we should drill it now while the expertise and infrastructure are in place. The oil age is winding down and we have to make decisions to reduce oil for Transportation, which is why trains and bicycle paths should take precedence over roads. PS we also have to reduce the production of people.
Karl says it nicely Drill, Baby, Drill!
For the lvoe of GOD, please don’t call Crist a republican – he is just as much a RINO as Voinovich.
For the lvoe of GOD, please don’t call Crist a republican – he is just as much a RINO as Voinovich.
He’s even less of one, having decided to run for the Senate as an independent.
Gotta love what seems to be the Republican Party’s current strategy — keep making that formerly big tent smaller and smaller. Never mind the reality of current demographic tends.
For once, I agree completely. Transportation, energy, sprawl – all connected. We need to get smarter. This is one area in which government planners get it right – we see it coming but can’t do much to stop it until the people wake up and change the political culture of more, more more.
Don’t tell that to the Europeans. They are facing severe shortages of young people over the coming decades. Even Catholic enclaves like Italy are seeing very low birth rates and little immigration. Aging populations mean less productivity and more social costs.
This is where one needs out of the box thinking or designing an economy in a declining population. Quality not Quantity. The social costs can be absorbed if people change their mindset. It will either be done by man or by nature and in the worst possible scenario by both man and nature. War disease and pestilence is typical instead of reliance on one another for things, but hey that is Socialism or is it the basic tenets of Christianity?
Where has Obama been during all of this? He has not done anything. What a horrible leader. This is a real problem, and our president has done nothing. This is unreal folks. We have a president that has done nothing. Oil will be all over the coast of Florida and Alabama and Mississippi and Louisianna and Texas. And OBAMA HAS DONE NOTHING.
THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM.
This is so sad…. and so sad that Obama has done nothing. I keep watching MSNBC and they keep saying Obama has done nothing. I am selling my car.
What’s he supposed to do? Jump in a boat and start corralling all of the oil himself?
Yes. Or send the Navy. Coast Guard. Anyone, anything. Something…..
Fudge…….. we have millions not working. Give each a 5 gallon Home Depot Orange bucket.
This is terrible leadership. What has he done? NOTHING… Where has he been? Vacation… This is going to cost us all, and our frickin president is nowhere to be found. What a loser…. Obama has done nothing, and in about a week or two you will see this will be the worst thing ever. And your president, the one you folks elected bc of white guilt and “oh look, I am not racist” has done NADA.. Nothing… Zip.. Zero…
You folks feel better about this election now…. wait a week, then we will all be saying ” what the f*c*! “
Low comment rating on your loser President who has done nothing about this oil spill. Great leadership folks.
You should be happy Gene, government can’t do anything right anyway.
Happy? I don’t like suffering… Obama has dropped the ball. He is to blame. This is bullshit. And I am calling out Obama. What a loser. He is a terrible leader.
“Every asshole who ever chanted ‘Drill baby drill’ should have to report to the Gulf coast today for cleanup duty,” – Bill Maher.
@Gene, are you channeling Rushbaugh again?
Master Sergeant Bob Barko Jr said on Friday that two U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules planes specially modified for aerial spraying were sent on Thursday from the Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Ohio to start dumping chemicals on the oil spill threatening the Gulf Coast
US Navy sailors prepare to deploy an oil containment boom. The Naval Sea Systems Command has sent 66,000 feet of inflatable oil boom, skimming systems, related support equipment, and personnel to support cleanup efforts for the oil spill.
President Barack Obama promised to use “every single available resource” of government to help with the spill, which could be one of the largest in U.S. history. The U.S. military began mobilizing for what could be a major effort to prevent environmental damage to Louisiana and other states.
BTW – That last comment was with heavy sarcasm.
Yup – Gene channels the talking points.
Gene shouldn’t want the government to do anything because according to him they can’t do anything right with his stolen tax dollars that help everyone drink, smoke and make babies.
Gotta love what seems to be the Republican Party’s current strategy — keep making that formerly big tent smaller and smaller. Never mind the reality of current demographic tends. (David Lauri)
And this observation, dear David L, is what the political and media elite refuse to acknowledge. The GOP is more openly becoming the Caucasian Party and the Democrats are evolving into the party of everybody else. The percentage of caucasians in the United States declines about one-half percent a year, a demographic trend that been in full swing for over a decade, with no decrease in sight. Illegal immigration aside, the legal immigration to the US is equal to the legal influx of all the world’s countries combined. As the percentage of caucasians decrease and hispanics rise, look for less sympathy for such side issues as civil rights; hispanics have none of the baggage that is “white guilt” and view these issues with antipathy at best and hostility at worst……
Anyone know if Dayton officials have a plan in the works to recruit Gulf Coast companies that need clean water?
Looks like the entire Gulf Coast is ruined for at least a decade or two.
More importantly, an abundant water supply.
look for less sympathy for such side issues as civil rights; hispanics have none of the baggage that is “white guilt” and view these issues with antipathy at best and hostility at worst
Yeah, yeah, which is why gay marriage is legal in Mexico City and Buenos Aires. I’ll gladly take my chances with the parties the Republicans scare Hispanics off to.
This guy sums it up pretty well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KDQkNXS748
Yeah, yeah, which is why gay marriage is legal in Mexico City and Buenos Aires. I’ll gladly take my chances with the parties the Republicans scare Hispanics off to. (David Lauri)
David L. Does the Old Bandito sense a lack of familiarity with Latin American culture? South of the border to Tierra del Fuego is the cult of machismo, even in that large swath where the dominant language is Portuguese. And the Spanish slang “mericon” is not a neutral term as is the American term “gay.” So tolerant is that culture that an increasing number of Mexican gays and hiv patients are seeking political asylum and sanctuary in the United States. Furthermore, dear David L, the Old Bandito senses in many of your posts an anticipation of anti-gay sentiment where it may or may not exist. The Old Bandito, for example, thinks that defining, licensing and promoting marriage is just one more arena that the government is no good at, and a responsibility that government should probably abandon…..
@ IB: With the money made from licensing, and the court system for divorces, child support, etc…that will only happen when trees made of candy canes begin sprouting all around us. Wishful thinking doth not make reality though.
Does the Old Bandito sense a lack of familiarity with Latin American culture?
Perhaps it is the Old Bandito who has a lack of familiarity with current Latin American culture. I spent two weeks in Costa Rica earlier this year, so yes, I know that there is, of course, a conservative element–during the time I was there, now-President-Elect Laura Chinchilla’s family values signs were all over, and she was opposing civil unions for queers–but support for equality for queers is hardly non-existent even outside big cities such as Mexico City and Buenos Aires–even in Costa Rica there’s a push to legalize civil unions, supported by none other than outgoing Costa Rican president Oscar Arias.
Closer to home we’ve got Ricky Martin’s coming out met by a collective yawn from Latino/Latinas, and we’ve got Ozomatli singing about “Gay Vatos in Love”–this LA Times article about the song does report mixed reaction to it, but that’s mixed reaction, not all out opposition.
Furthermore, dear David L, the Old Bandito senses in many of your posts an anticipation of anti-gay sentiment where it may or may not exist.
It wasn’t I but rather the Old Bandito who seemed to be anticipating anti-gay sentiment (“As the percentage of caucasians decrease and hispanics rise, look for less sympathy for such side issues as civil rights”). It was I, in my comments above about gay marriage south of the border and here in this post, who pointed out that there are Hispanics who do support civil rights for all, including queers.
“Sprawl” has not been discouraged by government.
The idea du jour nature of government, because it does not have to respond to market forces, has misdirected capital both into and away from cities at various points throughout history. As pointed out in the Cato piece, it is often schizophrenic enough that it misdirects in both directions at once.
Please see the following links:
http://www.cato.org/dailypodcast/podcast-archive.php?podcast_id=1141
http://mises.org/daily/4264
http://mises.org/daily/4328
http://mises.org/daily/4331
I like just putting up links. Nobody reads them so I don’t get as many thumbs down! http://mises.org/daily/4331
Boy oh boy, where is Barry Obama when you need him? Annie Duke complained that this is not what she voted for……. ahhh, no honey, this is exactly what you voted for. Leadership, something of an Obama myth. This is why we should not let everyone vote.
Obama money? Sure, that works for some. But we have a man made problem and he is not doing anything. You cried and bitched at Bush when NATURE delivered a hurricane to NOLA, but a man made thing is OK. You guys voted for him….
Or we all can take the lead from Obama and ignore this huge problem.
Face it folks, your government has no plan. They are not doing anything.
We have millions of unemployeed and millions of boats and buckets. You do the math.
Here is the deal OIL is a natural product and will clean it self up naturally. Usually the more things that man does the more of a problem it becomes. I have been involved in numerous chemical clean ups and the first priority is too get the “source term” or source terminated. BP is the expert in deep water and how pray tell is this government going to do anything but react. BP needs to stop it and is trying. Our Government repairs things in SPACE because that is where OUR Military operates and where we have weapons. Our government does not operate at a mile below the surface of the ocean, BP does. EVERY chemical that is ADDED to solve the problem will probably make it worse. MTBE was the worst chemical to cleanup in a gasoline spill and it was added to GASOLINE at the behest of the EPA’s AIR DIVISION. DUMB decision marginal clean air benefit, but screws up the water. GASOLINE naturally attenuates or in layman’s terms “goes away” rather rapidly. So asking OBAMA to spend more of BP’s money for marginal return IS STUPID GOVERNMENT. Stop the leak, protect sensitive breeding areas, screw the rest. We NEED oil, but we also need a rational energy policy and not the one Bush/Cheney gave us by sending 19 year olds to secure Iraqi Oil (PS now that we have it by God do not let it go, which BHO has not done by the way). AMERICANS are ADDICTED TO OIL and as addicts there are consequences. Now lets have Karl rant I ask that people who are driven to emotional and irrational expectations and demands take a look in the mirror and around their homes first. Come talk to me about halting drilling here when you’re willing to go door-to-door with all the dead GIs that come home as a consequence of our shipping that money to Saudi Arabia, you’ve sent your cars to the crusher, you’re either riding horses or using a golf cart (plugged in of course) to get around, and have ceased buying anything that has plastic or rubber… Read more »
Isn’t it only “light crude” that is flowing into the shores off the Gulf of Mexico? Rush said that it would take care of itself…
Ahh the great and powerful Oz or is it OZZY Codone…… As they increase the ban on DEEP sea fishing.
What would the liberal media be saying if Bush were still president during this oil spill?
Hmmmmm,………,……..,………,……,……
BP is trying the “top kill” plug. I have a very good feelling about this–hopefully this should do the trick.
Seriuosly folks, what has Obama done? Oh, I know, NOTHING. Not a GD thing.
I thought liberals were not supposed to be blindly loyal. Fact is he has done nothing. Ask Bill Maher.
What has he (Obama) done? NOTHING… (Gene)
And that, dear Gene, is a good thing. Didn’t take long for the Great Helmsman to display what can only be described as the Reverse Midas Touch; everything President Obama touches turns into weapons-grade fertilizer. If the Old Bandito were Mayor of New Orleans, he would personally pay for Air Force One to usher the President to Paris, or Vegas, or Katmandu, just anywhere but the Big Easy. If the Great Helmsman takes it upon himself to stop the oil spill, within two weeks crude will be coming out every kitchen faucet and Crescent City residents would be able to get an oil change without moving their cars….,
Whiners – First you scream that Obama should stay out where government does not belong… Now you want the Great Sellout to do what exactly? It was easy to see what was required in the Gulf post Katrina but Georgie Bush hoodwinked America in spending its blood and treasure for the Gusher in Iraq instead of having the Guard (formerly a well regulated Militia until it was Nationalized) available to aid in the crisis.
PS Keep Iraq as it is the “easiest and most oil” left in one Place to feed the American Oil Addiction. War will solve all of our problems as it destroys an unemployed generation allowing the remaining population to get jobs using all that extra oil the dead do not require. The bright and shining light…..
He could form a committee, a group…….. or he could do nothing, like he is doing. btw, the “group” thing is nothing.
We could ask people to leave…. oh, we did that. but they were too lazy to go. or they waited it out to loot, and forgot that there was a lot of water and wind on the way….
Obama is not a leader. Defend him, fine. But he has done nothing.
Greg, you are so smart.
Hmm much like Jimmy Carter told the public to hunker down and get off oil…..but Americans were TOO LAZY and waited it out to get sheared like sheep by WALL STREET, K STREET, Saudis and Chinese. Nice work Ronnie with Dick Cheney playing the man behind the curtain.
Hmm somebody trained by Hymen Rickover or a Grade B movie actor who was a Puppet of GE.
Do you own a car Greg? Did you ever? Do you buy products that arrive via truck? Hmmmmmm, Me thinks you are apart of this problem, but blame everyone else…
Just like Al Gore…. Get off oil (as he flies alone on his privare jet) Stop traveling (as he gets a foot massage on his other jet)
DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO (Greg Hunter, Al Gore, most liberals, Davis Esrutises)
You feed oil just like the rest of us big boy. Riding a bike is hardly a solution. Keep buying, you are feeding the Oil Companies,
As we all wait for the Greg Hunter, BUT……..
But what Greg?
Ahh Gene what do want Jesus? Sack clothes and ashes? That would not change your mind I am certain. On the scale of hypocrisy I consider myself at the low end as I have sacrificed income and savings for a higher principle. You have rationalized your actions by some mass delusion while I have predicted and done exactly enough to survive in the current environment. I will admit that I LOVE OIL. I LOVE MY CAR. I LOVE THE FREEDOM. It is the greatest gift ever and as I recognize that I also recognize that breeding like cockroaches because of the benefits of oil will bring un natural and horrific deaths to others I am conscience of what “needs to be given up” for the common good. I want people to be well fed and well traveled and I would gladly have a single point of food distribution in Downtown Dayton, delivered by train, and then ride my bike to that distribution point for purchase. I consistently pay a higher price for eggs, meat and produce from the 2nd street market because in “theory” that food is at least within 100 miles of me, which is called a resilient system. I am hoping my standing in this system will help it grow and thrive for those times when Daytonians WILL ask for more than the local producers can provide as the benefits globalism wane as the oil is drained from the system. It is amazing how few people take advantage of the wonderful trails and bike paths available in the area. I want to thank Sue for showing me the path to Taylorsville Metro Park from the Riverscape. Great ride and great history may be found on the path. I would like to ride more times but as the summer heats up it is frowned upon to sweat or not have shoes or too wash off in the fountains but I will eventually endure that ridicule as well and live simply so that others may simply live. Gene I have been ridiculed but loved all my life and… Read more »
So I guess that this is only SOOOOOO important to you. I mean we would not want to inconvience you Greg. Lord knows you want to others to change, but you – not so much.
Like my little cry baby fb friend said, “I am mad as hell about the greed of oil” as he sits in India traveling the world. Yep, flew on planes, no sail boats for him.
If you don’t want oil to ruin the earth, STOP using it folks. Or is it the typical liberal mentality of “someone else should sacrifice, not me.”
Yep, those vendors at the second street market walk there from the farms.
Obama still has done nothing. Companies and countries have offered help, he said no thanks. I hope he understand that this does need to be cleaned up at some point, why not start now?
Daniel Larison writes in The American Conservative about Republicans’ reaction to President Obama’s handling of the BP oil spill, commenting in particular about the irony of supposed conservatives wanting smaller government while at the same time wanting a strong executive interfering in the private sector. Money quote:
Whiners – First you scream that Obama should stay out where government does not belong… Now you want the Great Sellout to do what exactly? (Greg Hunter)
Scream? How un-Bandito like. The Old Bandito would scream, or urinate on a electric fence for that matter, if he thought it would do any good. But El Presidente is encircled by a bevy of syncophants, protected by agenda-driven and sympathetic media, and shielded by the (ever diminishing) hope-and-change cult, so screaming at him is kinda’ like running in place insofar as it requires a lot of effort, and when you’re done, you’ve gotten nowhere. Nosiree, dear Greg, the Old Bandito has found mockery, acerbic ridicule, sarcasm and laughing at the Great Helmsman to be a far better weapon than large decibels, especially in view of El Presidente’s and his zealots surprisingly thin skin. And since Obama’s poll numbers are going down faster than a porn star on amphetamines, the army of El Presidente’s amateur comedian detractors has seemed to have gained traction. But what do we want the Great Helmsman to do, dear Greg? Take the rest of the year off until his constitutionally required State of the Union Speech around Super Bowl time in 2011. That way, he won’t be spending money we don’t have or creating constitutional messes that are time consuming in cleaning up…..
I punched the thumbs up for the old bandito……