photos from the gulf

I don't think things are going to change. Just look at the comments. Half of the people don't want to rise their fat ass from their SUVs, telling the same old bulls*t "can't bicycle in the rain, your shirt is made form oil too, old people can't walk/bicycle (HA! my grandpa is 88 and still makes 5km a day in bike!)".
More than the BP executives, the average Joe disgusts me.
 
When there is a failure of something mechanical, one of the things that is done is to decontruct the offending item, in this case the blowout preventer which was supposed to seal off the well incase of a castrophy.

So far I have not heard or read anything about detirmining why this device did not work and it is the main safety measure on all the wells.

I heard from a neighbor a person called into a late evening radio talk show
and he stated the reason for the failure was the the blowout preventer is powered by a battery. This preventer was not new, ie used before, and someone detirmined it was too expensive to replace the battery.

So let`s see they saved perhaps as much as $10,000 on a battery, but now are spending hundreds of millions on cleanup plus all the uncorrectable damage to the environment. Experts are saying there is simply no way to access the damaged wetlands for a cleanup.

The same oil company was involved in not inspecting the Alaska pipeline from the inside with a "car" because of cost. Another spill resulted there too from seam failures.

Perhaps instead of limiting the amount that they can be forced to spend on clean up, $75,000,000 by law, we need 100% responsibility plus fines equal to triple damages. But since big oil has bought off the politicians, we ain`t gonna see this. Don`t you feel good about out government watching out for us, both partys, I am not prejudiced. It is rempant.

What we can do is boycott the oli company responsible.
 
Double Negative said:
The Nigerians are more than happy to offer up their land for money and the corruption lies on every level of the government. They've basically been selling their souls to the industry to make a dime.
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My friend, by no stretch do I wish to tell anyone their opinion is wrong however I think you might rethink that position with a visit or two and a refresher on the history of the region.

The people of that land fought a war against profiteering already. The bulk of the world ignored it whilst a heavily armed military put a strangle hold ontherwise region. It is estimated that over 3 million people died with the bulk being from starvation.

I assure you the people are prepared to do it again to regain control of their land however they are facing the largest army in all of Africa and a government that is more than ready to unleash it's full might. Standing up for ones rights there is a very scary prospect.

Combine that with the oil companies track record of hiring hit squads to "deal" with community leaders and activists I can well appreciate the reluctance of the people to resist. The scariest and saddest part is that mos of them see no other option.

I would look deep into how you think things are unfolding there. It is nothing you could ever imagine. I would be more than happy to answer any and all questions you may have as I have been there twice now and will return again this year.
 
Ronald M said:
EDIT

I heard from a neighbor a person called into a late evening radio talk show
and he stated the reason for the failure was the the blowout preventer is powered by a battery. This preventer was not new, ie used before, and someone detirmined it was too expensive to replace the battery.



EDIT
Click to expand...

I understand Halliburton had something to do with it … how surprising :irony:
 
teo said:
I don't think things are going to change. Just look at the comments. Half of the people don't want to rise their fat ass from their SUVs, telling the same old bulls*t "can't bicycle in the rain, your shirt is made form oil too, old people can't walk/bicycle (HA! my grandpa is 88 and still makes 5km a day in bike!)".
More than the BP executives, the average Joe disgusts me.
Click to expand...

But to play the glass is half full guy...

How many folks on RFF alone are ardent cyclists? When would you hbe believed that almost every car manufacturer on the planet would have an electric car on the road? Who would have thought entire poliical platforms would be formed around environmental issues and then gain seats in parliament?

The dialogue has changed dramatically in the past decade alone and this will only spark mire change. Would I like to see it happen faster? Hell yeah! I am positive though that the masses are coming quickly to the conclusion that all of this profiteering is not in our best interest.

Forgive any unintentional Marxist undertones.
 
Double Negative said:
"Experts say that while Big Oil is not blameless, Nigeria's abysmal petroleum record in fact stems from an explosive mix of politics, weak regulation and corruption."

From: Nigerian Spills Make Valdez Look Like Drop in Bucket
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Forgive my language in advance but that article is such a bunch of bulloks it makes me angry.

Shell oil has no position and it is laughable when they speak of "difficulties" operating there. There attempt to feign naievity insults my intelligence. This is the same company that paid out huge sums of money when it appeared they were going to be found guilty for funding murder of community leaders in the region. To claim they thought they could "bribe" community leaders in why is unanimously considered on of the most corrupt countries in the world is either painfully stupid or simply a lie.

The people who profit from the conditions in the region don't live there. Their children go to school overseas. Their money is no longer in the country. They pay no taxes. They steal money intended for community development and ALL the oil companies know this. To say "we didn't know" is weak at best.

The other issue is we are again and again seeing articles in the press written by folks who have never set foot in the region of choice. I can understand this too a degree as the Niger Delta is not a very safe place but this article is nothing more than regurgitated Shell spin. I have been following the Canadian press as they comment on whether or not we should contribute to the UN mission to the DRC. The level of ignorance is boggling! Be wary of press articles written by people who have never set foot in there subject region of choice.

I appreciate being able to have this conversation and please don't mistake my fire for personal attack.
 
after making some calls and trying to find out information about barrel per day spillage amounts i have been informed that BP is determining and monitoring that information?!?!

the same BP who's penalty will be partially determined by amount of barrels spilt? incredible.
 
Photographed enviromentalist and activist Ken Sarowiwa in Africa sometime in the 1990s (can't remember exactly....... too many passports ago ).

The 'Government' Hung him !. Not sure what for.............Profit I think or maybe he was just jaywalking.............

Huge number of arms dealers willingly selling to every country on the continent by generating paranoia.
Plenty of 'ammo' to shoot at anything.......including me.

Not to mention the unmarked truck that turned up at the youth soccer tournament and the nice ladies handed out free smokes to the children. Outstanding !
 
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r2d2 said:
The French governement exploded the Greenpeace vessel "Rainbow Warrior" in a New Zealand port killing one photographer.

They did not want Greenpeace getting in the way when they restarted nuclear testing in the Pacific ocean.
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The two 'operatives' a man and woman were sent to 'jail' for a couple of years. on.some Pacific Island paradice .
And John...we 'lost it 'years ago.....
The question is 'How much of our lives are 'we' prepared to give to get 'it' back ?
Regards
Peter.
 
parsec1 said:
The two 'operatives' a man and woman were sent to 'jail' for a couple of years. on.some Pacific Island paradice .
And John...we 'lost it 'years ago.....
The question is 'How much of our lives are 'we' prepared to give to get 'it' back ?
Regards
Peter.
Click to expand...

well said.
 
This is really heartbreaking. Can't anyone kick out BP and let the Government be in charge? Why is BP stopping all media coverage? Let the world come and help the US in this horryfying disaster, we must all unite during disasters and help one another. I am so sad for the people and the animals of the Gulf. This just goes on and on while it shouldn't been allowed to ever have happened in the first place. Our planet is on stake. We shouldn't let a few people concerned about nothing but profits handling the leak. Bring those who caused this disaster to face justice before a criminal court! End reliance on oil! Stop drilling!
 
This is the cool one: (Andy's title refers to the BP Staged Photo Op!...it is really odd that there doesn't seem to be any oil around, huh?)

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I was in NOLA over the weekend. Imagine my surprise at seeing the NOAA's ship, the Thomas Jefferson, docked on the river instead of being out in the Gulf where one might have expected it to be in the midst of this crisis.

While taking some shots of the ship, I happened upon a local press person with whom I shared my surprise. He said with no surprise of his own that the ship was in port to provide tours to visiting members of Congress. Not exactly the way I like to see my tax dollars spent in the midst of the largest environmental disaster. I'll allow that this was Friday, May 30, the day that the President was visiting. Still, I'd rather that ship were out on the open water doing whatever it can to mitigate this awful mess. That's my rant for today. Here's some pix...
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