dave lackey
Veteran
Anyone down in the Lousiana/Mississippi/Alabama/Florida coast areas that is thinking about getting some photos of the oil spill? Would be a great Kodachrome documentation!
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
Yeah ... some close ups of the dead marine life could be so much more stimulating with all that extra colour saturation!
The more I hear about this over here in Oz the more I fear for that coastline and the marine life that inhabits the waters ... I heard someone say the other day that it has the potential to make the Exon disaster look like a 'splash and wipe' operation.
I was married to a marine bologist and she taught me a healthy respect for what lives under the surface of our oceans ... I hope someone nails BP's miserable hide to the wall over this!
The more I hear about this over here in Oz the more I fear for that coastline and the marine life that inhabits the waters ... I heard someone say the other day that it has the potential to make the Exon disaster look like a 'splash and wipe' operation.
I was married to a marine bologist and she taught me a healthy respect for what lives under the surface of our oceans ... I hope someone nails BP's miserable hide to the wall over this!
dave lackey
Veteran
Hi, Keith...
Never knew you married to a marine biologist!
But, yeah, a large-format image would be really something with the rainbow-colored oil sheen on the sugar sand beaches. Come to think of it, a 35mm RF would be great too!:bang:
Never knew you married to a marine biologist!
But, yeah, a large-format image would be really something with the rainbow-colored oil sheen on the sugar sand beaches. Come to think of it, a 35mm RF would be great too!:bang:
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
Not to mention the macro potential ... all those tiny crustaceans entombed in their new oily world!
I agree Dave ... the photo ops are limitless! :angel:
I agree Dave ... the photo ops are limitless! :angel:
brachal
Refrigerated User
Those of us in the affected area are probably a little too freaked out to go take pictures. This is going to be an enormous tragedy for the entire coast.
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KenR
Well-known
This is such a terrible blow to an already hard hit area. The articles about the recovery of New Orleans were just starting to appear and now this. What next - locusts? No wonder people in the area can't pick up their cameras, they're too depressed about life.
NickTrop
Veteran
Sad, depressing... I hope by some miracle this disaster is averted.
Bob Michaels
nobody special
Having followed and photographed the continuing impact of hurricane Katrina on the Mississippi Gulf coast and the Louisiana bayou, I predict the real photos will not be immediate but will begin in about 3 -4 months and continue for years. The photos of merit will not be of an oil slick but the impact on the people, their culture and their economic well being for an extended period of time.
Most have forgotten Katrina and assume that the impact is some historical event. 12 months ago, there were still many people on the coast struggling to rebuild a life that may never come back. This oil spill will be the same.
Most have forgotten Katrina and assume that the impact is some historical event. 12 months ago, there were still many people on the coast struggling to rebuild a life that may never come back. This oil spill will be the same.
raid
Dad Photographer
Healthwise, the effects can be bad for people living close to the water.
I received this email today:
If you are close to Florida’s Gulf Coast, you may detect an odor because of the oil spill. Some people are more sensitive to these odors and may experience nasal irritation and feelings of nausea. In combination with seasonal allergies, such as sensitivity to pollen or pre-existing respiratory conditions such as asthma, some people may experience more severe symptoms.
We recommend that people experiencing symptoms that are aggravated by the odors from the oil spill consider:
Stay indoors, in air conditioning, and avoiding strenuous outdoor activity.
If symptoms do not improve, you should contact your primary care physician or other health care provider for medical advice.
If you have pre-existing medical conditions, such as asthma or other respiratory illness, you should consider communicating with your physician if you feel symptomatic.
I received this email today:
If you are close to Florida’s Gulf Coast, you may detect an odor because of the oil spill. Some people are more sensitive to these odors and may experience nasal irritation and feelings of nausea. In combination with seasonal allergies, such as sensitivity to pollen or pre-existing respiratory conditions such as asthma, some people may experience more severe symptoms.
We recommend that people experiencing symptoms that are aggravated by the odors from the oil spill consider:
Stay indoors, in air conditioning, and avoiding strenuous outdoor activity.
If symptoms do not improve, you should contact your primary care physician or other health care provider for medical advice.
If you have pre-existing medical conditions, such as asthma or other respiratory illness, you should consider communicating with your physician if you feel symptomatic.
Pfreddee
Well-known
BP has, of course, decided it is not responsible at all, at all. Of course.:bang::bang::bang:
I wonder, those of you who are engineers, work/have worked in the oil industry: is it too much trouble to fit a giant cut-off valve at the opening(?) of the well, which can be slammed shut when something like an off-shore oil rig fire occurs? Just wondering.:bang::bang:
With best regards.
Pfreddee(Stephen)
I wonder, those of you who are engineers, work/have worked in the oil industry: is it too much trouble to fit a giant cut-off valve at the opening(?) of the well, which can be slammed shut when something like an off-shore oil rig fire occurs? Just wondering.:bang::bang:
With best regards.
Pfreddee(Stephen)
ebolton
Number 7614
You can't nail BPs hide to anything yet. It was another company doing the drilling, another company that made the blowout preventer, and yet another company or other companies that made the controls for it. Given the rig blew up, burned to a crisp, and sank in 5000 feet, the responsibility may never be assigned accurately. BP, so far, seems to be stepping up to the extent they are required to.
ebolton
Number 7614
raid
Dad Photographer
What about possible increase in cancer cases at the Gulf Coast.
Who will pay for this?
Who will pay for this?
robklurfield
eclipse
raid, we'll all pay for it.
all these companies made money, BP included, and probably plenty of it. by federal law, however, BP's liability for the clean up is limited to $75M. a ridiculously low amount given the probable magnitude of this tragedy. so, these companies make out like bandits while the citizenry and taxpayers are left holding the bag. for some reason, congress saw fit to protect companies like this from being liable for TOTAL actual costs (a law passed, BTW, AFTER the Exxon Valdez accident).
we americans are so dumb sometimes that most folks probably don't understand that, as a fungible asset, there's no guarantee that any of the oil drilled and pumped in the US will even get used or sold to customers in the US. so while politicians wrangled over idiotic notions like "drill baby, drill," the reality it is that not only are we profligate wasters of resources, but we are easily duped into thinking drilling here somehow assures us of a ready supply of energy (ie, that we should drill here so we can end our dependence on foreign oil... A COMPLETE FALLACY; once that oil is out of the ground, the oil co's can do whatever the hell they want with it; it's not our oil).
it would be nice to think that the upside to this disaster is that we'll come to our senses and change our ways, moving to safer, less polluting, renewable, environmentally friendlier ways of powering our lives while curtailing all of our waste. as a terminal cynic and disappointed idealist, I doubt it.
if BP and the other companies involved can't or won't cover ALL of the costs of fixing this, maybe we ought to nationalize 'em and take all their assets here in the US.
as to fault: I'm no lawyer, but it seems to me that if I run you over while driving a rent-a-car, your heirs will sue my butt off. if my lawyer thinks he's got case against the manufacturer of the car or the rental agency for some defect that contributed to the accident (let's say, I was driving a Toyota), I've probably got to go after them for their share by bringing them in as third-party defendants or launching a separate suit. the victim of the accident shouldn't be ham-strung by any of this. If I can't come up with funds to cover my liability, maybe you end owning my house. well, maybe we need to take BP's proverbial house.
ok, enough venting for me for tonight. all I can say is this sucks.
all these companies made money, BP included, and probably plenty of it. by federal law, however, BP's liability for the clean up is limited to $75M. a ridiculously low amount given the probable magnitude of this tragedy. so, these companies make out like bandits while the citizenry and taxpayers are left holding the bag. for some reason, congress saw fit to protect companies like this from being liable for TOTAL actual costs (a law passed, BTW, AFTER the Exxon Valdez accident).
we americans are so dumb sometimes that most folks probably don't understand that, as a fungible asset, there's no guarantee that any of the oil drilled and pumped in the US will even get used or sold to customers in the US. so while politicians wrangled over idiotic notions like "drill baby, drill," the reality it is that not only are we profligate wasters of resources, but we are easily duped into thinking drilling here somehow assures us of a ready supply of energy (ie, that we should drill here so we can end our dependence on foreign oil... A COMPLETE FALLACY; once that oil is out of the ground, the oil co's can do whatever the hell they want with it; it's not our oil).
it would be nice to think that the upside to this disaster is that we'll come to our senses and change our ways, moving to safer, less polluting, renewable, environmentally friendlier ways of powering our lives while curtailing all of our waste. as a terminal cynic and disappointed idealist, I doubt it.
if BP and the other companies involved can't or won't cover ALL of the costs of fixing this, maybe we ought to nationalize 'em and take all their assets here in the US.
as to fault: I'm no lawyer, but it seems to me that if I run you over while driving a rent-a-car, your heirs will sue my butt off. if my lawyer thinks he's got case against the manufacturer of the car or the rental agency for some defect that contributed to the accident (let's say, I was driving a Toyota), I've probably got to go after them for their share by bringing them in as third-party defendants or launching a separate suit. the victim of the accident shouldn't be ham-strung by any of this. If I can't come up with funds to cover my liability, maybe you end owning my house. well, maybe we need to take BP's proverbial house.
ok, enough venting for me for tonight. all I can say is this sucks.
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antiquark
Derek Ross
It's sad especially because it's not sudden. You can see it coming. It's like watching a train wreck in slow motion.
Frank Petronio
Well-known
Actually you are responsible (you're going to get the bill regardless, in the form of taxes and energy prices).
If we didn't demand oil and energy then it wouldn't have happened.
To hold anybody or any industry to 100% perfection is impossible. If we have nuke plants, there will be a nuclear incident. If we use coal, a mine will collapse, etc. We can lessen the chances of having a problem, but we will never completely eliminate it. And the Socialists had just as many disasters, if not more, so it can't all be blamed on those evil greedy capitalists.
If we didn't demand oil and energy then it wouldn't have happened.
To hold anybody or any industry to 100% perfection is impossible. If we have nuke plants, there will be a nuclear incident. If we use coal, a mine will collapse, etc. We can lessen the chances of having a problem, but we will never completely eliminate it. And the Socialists had just as many disasters, if not more, so it can't all be blamed on those evil greedy capitalists.
I'm visiting Lafayette, LA right now - do a lot of business with the shipyards in the gulf. I talked with an experienced platform worker who was on shore getting some cigars, and he thought there was some shortcuts taken, like where's the casing?. A lot of talk in the shop about who's to blame, then the owner said the name of a good client, one of the eleven missing, and it really hit home.
For LA, this will be a big disaster if it goes west into the marshes. They are hoping it will stay on the beaches, where at least it's easier to deal with. This is such a friendly state and a pretty laid back place, nice to deal with all around. Sad so many think it's fly-over country. Then again, I like to go to the shipyards -they are so far off the grid I no longer need my tin foil hat!!!
For LA, this will be a big disaster if it goes west into the marshes. They are hoping it will stay on the beaches, where at least it's easier to deal with. This is such a friendly state and a pretty laid back place, nice to deal with all around. Sad so many think it's fly-over country. Then again, I like to go to the shipyards -they are so far off the grid I no longer need my tin foil hat!!!
ebolton
Number 7614
Frank Petronio is right regarding who will eventually pay for it. Maybe the stock market should work differently so that when companies suffer losses (like the billions this is going to cost) the divedends should go negative, and investors have to fork over the money. That would be real capitalism.
dave lackey
Veteran
Is there anyone with photos of the oil spill? Or is it a bit too early?
N
Nikon Bob
Guest
There is not much I can say about the disaster happening in the Gulf except to say I am sadden by what has happened. In our local paper this morning there was an article by The Canadian Press in which it was stated that some companies interested in drilling for oil in the Canadian Arctic wanted regulation changed so that relief wells do not have to be built. Here is a link to the article http://ca.news.finance.yahoo.com/s/...il-spill-enforce-thorough-drilling-rules.html . I see that a relief well is now being drilled to try to stop the flow of oil in the gulf. I think the lobbying to drop the requirement for relief wells speaks volumes about the oil industry.
Bob
Bob