Gulf Oil Crisis

[KenHigg]

I just got back from vacation on the gulf coast so this has been on mind for a few days. There was no oil at Panama City were we stayed but it was real close.

I think we are on the cusp of witnessing a rare historical event that could change world history. I didn't want to read through the flag burning thread as it seemed petty from multiple perspectives.

The fact that this is a British company seems significant yet insignificant at the same time. We all know it could just as easily have been a US company or whatever. They couldn't have processes that are that different hence it could have happened to anyone. Yet I think the British people will suffer the brunt of the financial burden via higher taxes, etc... I may be wrong, who knows.

So regardless of how the oil manages to get out, it's out. And more is still coming out. There is so much of this stuff it'll be everywhere in time. If we think its bad now just wait until storms hit the gulf. Some areas could literally be dead forever.

I also think in the months to come the US could see two or three dollars a gallon tax on gas to help pay clean up, etc. There simply is no way BP can pay all the claims and all the clean up costs…

 

[Pauldohert]

I just got back from vacation on the gulf coast so this has been on mind for a few days. There was no oil at Panama City were we stayed but it was real close.

I think we are on the cusp of witnessing a rare historical event that could change world history. I didn't want to read through the flag burning thread as it seemed petty from multiple perspectives.

The fact that this is a British company seems significant yet insignificant at the same time. We all know it could just as easily have been a US company or whatever. They couldn't have processes that are that different hence it could have happened to anyone. Yet I think the British people will suffer the brunt of the financial burden via higher taxes, etc... I may be wrong, who knows.

So regardless of how the oil manages to get out, it's out. And more is still coming out. There is so much of this stuff it'll be everywhere in time. If we think its bad now just wait until storms hit the gulf. Some areas could literally be dead forever.

I also think in the months to come the US could see two or three dollars a gallon tax on gas to help pay clean up, etc. There simply is no way BP can pay all the claims and all the clean up costs…

I presume Panama City in Florida - which I for one never knew existed. Just to clear some confusion before it gets started.

 

[Alc]

Little bit of trivia I heard recently (apologies if it's old news to everyone else):

I was at a small local zoo with my son and noticed that the alpacas had been shorn, in the same style one might see on some French poodles (no fur, other than around the neck and ankles).

I automatically assumed the fur had been sold to make clothes but the zoo's owner told me that all of the local zoos and farms having these animals had donated their fur to soak up oil in the gulf. Apparently, it's extremely absorbent.

I though this was a wind-up but it seems not http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8672124.stm

 

[Brianwarnock]

The fact that this is a British company seems significant yet insignificant at the same time. We all know it could just as easily have been a US company or whatever. They couldn't have processes that are that different hence it could have happened to anyone. Yet I think the British people will suffer the brunt of the financial burden via higher taxes, etc... I may be wrong, who knows.

…

I think that the thing that is pissing off us on this side of the pond is that BP has never tried to duck its responsibilities, the 2 American companies Transocean who own and operate the rig and Hilliburton (sp) who did the seabed work are not saying anything and not being criticsised by Obama, ah I suspect thats political, silly me.

Brian

 

[Kryst51]

I think that the thing that is pissing off us on this side of the pond is that BP has never tried to duck its responsibilities, the 2 American companies Transocean who own and operate the rig and Hilliburton (sp) who did the seabed work are not saying anything and not being criticsised by Obama, ah I suspect thats political, silly me.

Brian

This weekend Some friends and I were watching some back episodes of The Daily Show on Hulu. They were funny and they mentioned Haliburton (sp?) Obama was also made fun of in a lot of those. You might try to find the one, I think the word "blame" was in the title. It might make you laugh, and realize that people in the US are probably scratching their heads on this one as well.

 

[KenHigg]

Yes, Panama City Florida. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[KenHigg]

I think that the thing that is pissing off us on this side of the pond is that BP has never tried to duck its responsibilities, the 2 American companies Transocean who own and operate the rig and Hilliburton (sp) who did the seabed work are not saying anything and not being criticsised by Obama, ah I suspect thats political, silly me.

Brian

Yeah... There'll probably be political posturing for decades, long after the ones now in office are gone...

 

[Vassago]

I think that the thing that is pissing off us on this side of the pond is that BP has never tried to duck its responsibilities, the 2 American companies Transocean who own and operate the rig and Hilliburton (sp) who did the seabed work are not saying anything and not being criticsised by Obama, ah I suspect thats political, silly me.

Brian

BP is taking responsibility? Really? They've been just as much in the blame game as Transocean and Halliburton. They are all pointing fingers at each other. It's truly sad when we should all be working on cleaning this mess up rather than pointing fingers on who is at fault.

I was driving down the coast over the weekend and noticed some protestors in front of a BP station at Jax Beach. Mind you, there were only about 15 people and half of them were kids probably just doing what their parents told them to, but this really made me angry. Protesting at a privately owned gas station is not going to accomplish anything but put a regular person like you and me out of business, if anything. If you really want to help, how about actually helping with the clean up. Organize a fundraiser to send funds to the groups cleaning up the mess. Stop wasting time and energy protesting and actually help rather than complain without resolving anything. You're only making matters worse.

 

[Brianwarnock]

This weekend Some friends and I were watching some back episodes of The Daily Show on Hulu. They were funny and they mentioned Haliburton (sp?) Obama was also made fun of in a lot of those. You might try to find the one, I think the word "blame" was in the title. It might make you laugh, and realize that people in the US are probably scratching their heads on this one as well.

Thanks for that I was wondering how intelligent Americans were seeing it.

Brian

 

[KenHigg]

BP is taking responsibility? Really? They've been just as much in the blame game as Transocean and Halliburton. They are all pointing fingers at each other. It's truly sad when we should all be working on cleaning this mess up rather than pointing fingers on who is at fault.

I was driving down the coast over the weekend and noticed some protestors in front of a BP station at Jax Beach. Mind you, there were only about 15 people and half of them were kids probably just doing what their parents told them to, but this really made me angry. Protesting at a privately owned gas station is not going to accomplish anything but put a regular person like you and me out of business, if anything. If you really want to help, how about actually helping with the clean up. Organize a fundraiser to send funds to the groups cleaning up the mess. Stop wasting time and energy protesting and actually help rather than complain without resolving anything. You're only making matters worse.

Well put. The problem at hand is much bigger than any one company. Or any one country for that matter...

 

[Kryst51]

Thanks for that I was wondering how intelligent Americans were seeing it.

Brian

Well... perceived intelligence is always a matter of opinion. The Daily Show is certainly not a reputable new source, but it certainly does a good job with the satirism. I also suggest finding the one that talks about Obama, his taking "responsibility" for the solution... Oh, so funny.

There is also one that makes fun of Obama for saying that the spill clean-up effort would be his primary effort, but then shows all the functions he has attended since that statement that weren't oil related....

I know this situation isn't anything to laugh at, but somethings are just so absurd, that the laughs need to be had, if only to keep morale up

 

[Brianwarnock]

BP is taking responsibility? Really? They've been just as much in the blame game as Transocean and Halliburton. They are all pointing fingers at each other. It's truly sad when we should all be working on cleaning this mess up rather than pointing fingers on who is at fault.

.

Thats not entirely how it is reported here, but then one cant trust the media. I'm not saying BP is not doing some finger pointing, but at the outset it was quoted as saying that it will pay for the clean up.

I fully agree with your last sentence

Brian

 

[Vassago]

Thats not entirely how it is reported here, but then one cant trust the media. I'm not saying BP is not doing some finger pointing, but at the outset it was quoted as saying that it will pay for the clean up.

I fully agree with your last sentence

Brian

They are stating that they will pay for the damage. But they are still not taking initial responsibility for the actual explosion. I guess it's sort of their way of pleading no contest so they don't actually have to admit guilt.

They are all responsible, but BP is much more capable of financing the clean-up.

 

[Vassago]

I also want to clarify that there really isn't a strong Anti-BP among the majority of people here. The protestors at this one BP were a very small group and the BP they were protesting in front of was actually busier than the Gate gas station across the street. It didn't seem to be affecting business, and I hope it won't. The economy is bad enough without putting individually owned gas stations out of business.

 

[Kryst51]

I also want to clarify that there really isn't a strong Anti-BP among the majority of people here. The protestors at this one BP were a very small group and the BP they were protesting in front of was actually busier than the Gate gas station across the street. It didn't seem to be affecting business, and I hope it won't. The economy is bad enough without putting individually owned gas stations out of business.

I kind of wonder what good protesting will do (Though it is certainly thier right to do so).... Wouldn't it be better to volunteer in the clean up effort? Or do something that would raise some money or supplies for the clean-up? I am not sure that any amount of protesting would affect (right usage?) change in how the company proceeds. It's not as though they aren't already losing money from this.

 

[Rich]

BP is 39% owned by the U.S

 

[Fifty2One]

And the US is currently impacted ecologically by 100% of the disaster...

BP is 39% owned by the U.S

 

[Rich]

And the US is currently impacted ecologically by 100% of the disaster...

And your point is

 

[Fifty2One]

Those 15 protesters should set up camp in fromt of a seafood restaurant whos owners and employees livelyhood depends on the supply of products from the gulf, try to bring some awareness to other people who will be financially impacted by this and try to get people to think out of the box for a while.

People need to wake up and get out of the blame game and who is going to kick whos ass and just get down to fixing and cleaning up the mess.

BP is taking responsibility? Really? They've been just as much in the blame game as Transocean and Halliburton. They are all pointing fingers at each other. It's truly sad when we should all be working on cleaning this mess up rather than pointing fingers on who is at fault.

I was driving down the coast over the weekend and noticed some protestors in front of a BP station at Jax Beach. Mind you, there were only about 15 people and half of them were kids probably just doing what their parents told them to, but this really made me angry. Protesting at a privately owned gas station is not going to accomplish anything but put a regular person like you and me out of business, if anything. If you really want to help, how about actually helping with the clean up. Organize a fundraiser to send funds to the groups cleaning up the mess. Stop wasting time and energy protesting and actually help rather than complain without resolving anything. You're only making matters worse.

 

[Kryst51]

Those 15 protesters should set up camp in fromt of a seafood restaurant whos owners and employees livelyhood depends on the supply of products from the gulf, try to bring some awareness to other people who will be financially impacted by this and try to get people to think out of the box for a while.

People need to wake up and get out of the blame game and who is going to kick whos ass and just get down to fixing and cleaning up the mess.

I really don't think protesting does anybody any good at this point.... I think people are already becoming more and more aware of who and how much is going to be impacted by this. I don't think many people are playing the blame game at this point, just wondering why it hasn't been able to be stopped by this point.