The oil spill. Tragic, and another tragic thing is that BP (British Petroleum) is still trying to cover up. Example video:

Post here your thoughts on the oil spill, and the proposed plans to stop it. And how BP is obscuring the truth, which could have stopped this all easily, to save face.

Hey! Free oil.

Obama called this another 9/11 or something like that.

A bit of an overexaggeration, eh, Barry?

Although I guess some of the really stupid 9/11 conspiracy believers would say it's related and the government's making an excuse to invade the UK.

In terms of destruction of the sea bed and the little creepy fish critters It's the enviromental 9/11.

You've obviously never heard of the destructive power of a supervolcano. THAT'S the environmental 9/11 when it eventually happens.

A supervolcano is more like world war two and the black plague happening at the same time.

Meh, if the US wasn't so hungry for oil and the money that comes from that industry that it was so ready to approve massive rigs in environmentally sensitive areas all over the place there wouldn't be a problem in the first instance.

People have a nerve blaming BP. Blame the politicians who caved in and sanctioned rigs in these areas. There is simply no way to guarantee against disasters like this- no way except not having the rig there. There are hundreds of these potential disasters all just waiting for their time to go wrong.

I'll keep this in GD for now I think

I reckon we should just stop using oil; let's burn BP execs and politicians instead.

BffSatan
I reckon we should just stop using oil; let's burn BP execs and politicians instead.

No, you're missing a trick here-
Use the heat of the righteous anger of all the people who're so mad at BP.

“Oooh, BP and Obama, it's all their fault! Those greedy bastards!!! Now where's my ultra-cheap gas and my high standard of living?
What, they want to drill in the national parks and the north pole? If it means more money for me and cheaper gas, do whatever you want! Drill, drill! I'll vote for anyone that supports it”

I guess that's kinda smart. Mine's better though.

ksteak
In terms of destruction of the sea bed and the little creepy fish critters It's the enviromental 9/11.

Then it's a good day to not be a sea bed or a creepy fish critt-

OH NO

I've seen three plans so far. One is spill chemicals into the gulf, one is to pour beer ingredients in (yeast, eats up the oil), and to nuke the oil spout. What could go wrong?

So apparently BP went and registered the rig under the Marshal Islands as a ship to avoid US safety standards. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/ybenjamin/detail?entry_id=65798

buhwah?

Yeah, what nerve people have blaming BP.

You cannot compare the Gulf Spill to 9/11.

Now, if Al Quaida managed to blow up a nuclear warhead in Manhattan and turned half the East Coast into a dead zone, then yes you can compare the Gulf Spill to that.

You think the Gulf is hard hit now, you ain't seen nothing yet (both humans and nature).

BffSatan
So apparently BP went and registered the rig under the Marshal Islands as a ship to avoid US safety standards. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/ybenjamin/detail?entry_id=65798

buhwah?

Yeah, what nerve people have blaming BP.

Um… so how come they can do that then? (assuming it's true)
;)

It all comes down to the greedy, apathetic hypocrites who demand masses of cheap oil to start with. Howling about BP is like blaming The US military for the Iraq war.

ozoneocean
Um… so how come they can do that then? (assuming it's true)
;)

And there you go, you've stumbled onto the big question.
It's because the system lets them, because international coperations exceed the boundries of any one nations law. But just because they can do it doesn't mean they should and although they can't be legally held accountable, citezens and the media have a duty to hold them up to moral standards. The scrutiny of the public is the only thing that can restrain a coperations movements.
And yes, this is true.

ozoneocean
It all comes down to the greedy, apathetic hypocrites who demand masses of cheap oil to start with. Howling about BP is like blaming The US military for the Iraq war.

People demanding cheaper oil doesn't excuse BP from cutting any corners, and it certainly doesn't make anyone a hypocrite. Before the spill most people probably didn't even know there was an oil rig there. Besides, BP and the oil companys have been buying away potential for alternative fuels for years. They are in part responsible for people demanding oil anyway.

BffSatan
And yes, this is true.

- what I mean is- is it true for all aspects of the operation, or just something simple like having to pay cheaper registration fees? I doubt it has much to do with the sort of standards they have to abide by in construction and maintenance of the entire rig.

BffSatan
People demanding cheaper oil doesn't excuse BP from cutting any corners, and it certainly doesn't make anyone a hypocrite. Before the spill most people probably didn't even know there was an oil rig there. Besides, BP and the oil companys have been buying away potential for alternative fuels for years. They are in part responsible for people demanding oil anyway.

Did they really cut corners or is that just an overblown claim to make people feel better about blaming them?

People knew the rig was there. People know very well there are rigs all over the place there. People are definitely hypocrites for demanding, crying for, baying for and protesting for cheaper oil and electing politicians who promise to deliver that to them.
Hahahahaha, it's like they bought a wardrobe full of guns and are crying now that some child got a hold of one and shot herself with it.

ozoneocean
what I mean is- is it true for all aspects of the operation, or just something simple like having to pay cheaper registration fees? I doubt it has much to do with the sort of standards they have to abide by in construction and maintenance of the entire rig.

Even if that is true (which it isn't, BP has admitted that this is why they did it) it is still no excuse. Firstly cheaper registration fees is a bullshit reason. Conservatives in America get up in arms about the poor not paying enough tax all the time, but sneaky moves by coperations to avoid taxes are fine by them.
Secondly, if they wanted cheaper registration costs then they should have taken the initiative to do their own safety checks.
If I can steal something and I know I can't be prosecuted would that make it ok?

ozoneocean
Did they really cut corners or is that just an overblown claim to make people feel better about blaming them?

People knew the rig was there. People know very well there are rigs all over the place there. People are definitely hypocrites for demanding, crying for, baying for and protesting for cheaper oil and electing politicians who promise to deliver that to them.
Hahahahaha, it's like they bought a wardrobe full of guns and are crying now that some child got a hold of one and shot herself with it.

Didn't America just elect the guy who wasn't promising cheaper oil?
Also, isn't it a little ridiculous to assume that everyone who is blaming BP has demanded cheaper oil?
And yes, people knew there were oil rigs. They probably didn't know about this one and they certainly didn't know how it was being run.
Besides, people's opinions differ a lot when it comes to fuel. A very large portion of the community have been demanding alternative fuels for decades. It's those people who are the most pissed off.

Besides, even if they are just trying to cater to a demanding public; that doesn't make it ok. It is still BP's responsibility to ensure that they cater for their demand by acceptable moral standards, even if it meant profit loss.
And that's another thing. Do you really think any of the money they saved really went to the consumers, or did it all go to the CEOs?

BffSatan
Even if that is true (which it isn't, BP has admitted that this is why they did it) it is still no excuse. Firstly cheaper registration fees is a bullshit reason. Conservatives in America get up in arms about the poor not paying enough tax all the time, but sneaky moves by coperations to avoid taxes are fine by them.
Secondly, if they wanted cheaper registration costs then they should have taken the initiative to do their own safety checks…

…Besides, even if they are just trying to cater to a demanding public; that doesn't make it ok. It is still BP's responsibility to ensure that they cater for their demand by acceptable moral standards, even if it meant profit loss.
And that's another thing. Do you really think any of the money they saved really went to the consumers, or did it all go to the CEOs?

As far as I can see BP doesn't even own the rig, they just run it. They didn't even build it. They probably do do all the safety checks that are required. Accidents happen man.

The sorry fact is that no amount of safety checks and super strict magically strong +10 wards of disaster avoidance can fully protect against this sort of thing.
the problem isn't the rig or how it's run in this instance, it's the fact that it was even allowed in that sensitive area in the first place.

End of story.

It's no use joining in with the vast chorus baying for the blood of BP. What I find more interesting is to examine the assumptions behind it. And there are a lot of assumptions.

There are deep water wells that don't blow. They wer properly inspected and had proper safety protocals. BP cut corners and bent the rules and it blows. We can do this and do it safely. BP didn't and the government looked the other way and the Gulf will pay for it.

One pundit compares it to the Titanic. The unsinkable ship, the arrogance of our faith in technology. Plenty of blame to go around but not enough problem solving.

bravo1102
There are deep water wells that don't blow. They wer properly inspected and had proper safety protocals. BP cut corners and bent the rules and it blows. We can do this and do it safely. BP didn't and the government looked the other way and the Gulf will pay for it.

No, this is the the way the story is being framed.

Why?

Because it makes all those other rigs in sensitive places look safe… All those trillion invested in them look safe.

The real truth is that similar accidents can happen at any time, to ANY of them. All it takes is that particular unfortunate conjunction of F-ups.

Can't say they didn't warn us.

Hopi Prophecy
“If we dig precious things from the land, we will invite disaster.”

Sea bed counts as land in my book!

Oil is one of the most dangerous motivators of mankind. These days it seems to cause more violence and strife than anything – even religion, which has been a historical motivator for violence (though arguably still secondary to money). -_- I'm glad most people recognize this and are looking for solutions, but I hope not too many more wars, accidents, and other tragedies take place before the solutions to our oil need/lust are found and implemented.

people don't need oil or religion to start wars just a feeble excuse.

You know what this means…

Free oil.

ozoneocean

bravo1102
There are deep water wells that don't blow. They wer properly inspected and had proper safety protocals. BP cut corners and bent the rules and it blows. We can do this and do it safely. BP didn't and the government looked the other way and the Gulf will pay for it.

No, this is the the way the story is being framed.

Why?

Because it makes all those other rigs in sensitive places look safe… All those trillion invested in them look safe.

The real truth is that similar accidents can happen at any time, to ANY of them. All it takes is that particular unfortunate conjunction of F-ups.

But that is true for everything. You make sure there are a minimal amount of errors and you still do it or else fear of Murphy would make certain you did nothing. Agoraphobia? Pantophobia? Don't take that shower because the floor of that bathtub is a lot less safe than that deep water drilling rig. (actually true) Don't get in that car it's a lot less safe than any jumbo jet. One death is a tragedy, a hundred is a statistic. I spill that oil on the floor (which I've done alot, been in those places where you work with lots of thick icky oil) and you go crazy with it. But what is a million gallons of oil in several quadrillion gallons of water? You clean it up and you use every method available. So far no one has in the Gulf.

I've worked with Murphy at my elbow a long time and it still has to be done. Think safety, live safety, your first mission is safety but shit will happen and you will have to take the necessary actions when it does. And they didn't going in and even now are really stomping on their dicks in the poor reaction to this.

Here's my question about this entire damn thing, why is there all this bickering about who to blame, be it BP or bad government. BP has come forward that they do not understand why it is exactly this happened, and investigations are underway, yet we keep yelling at them for answers they simply don't have. Honestly, I feel bad for the BP ceo. He's a single person at the top of a giant corporation, he won't know anymore about the details of the event than Obama would know about the details of a town burning down. Yes, it's a terrible disaster but don't you think if either were in the place to know it was going to happen they would have stopped it?

At same time as everybody's getting mad at BP, they are also mad at Obama as if he should have been on the platform himself. It's a giant childish blame game!

Meanwhile, thousands of people are suffering from the oil spill and the wild life is being decimated. I could honestly care less about who's to blame. Now I was 10 when it happened so I can't verify this, but I don't remember this going on when 9/11 happened. I remember 24 hour coverage of people being pulled from rubble, firemen and police officers doing all they could to maintain order, and the everflowing help of millions of citizens doing everything they could.

We can figure out who's to blame after things stop dying.

I blogged about this:
http://kyupol.livejournal.com/47791.html

kyupol
I blogged about this:
http://kyupol.livejournal.com/47791.html

Holy god damn fuck.
Holy fucking god damn.
Let me save everyone the trouble of clicking his blog with a few intelligent quotes:

IT'S A CONSPIRACY THEORY

If you're an atheist who doesn't believe in the spiritual,

And the real threat is not the black oil but the different gases that escape from it that have names I can't even pronounce (sound like “sulfur” and "nitrogen'… I'm no chemist)

By the way, intelligent was written in MASSIVE sarcasm quotes.