From Gerald Herbert, long-time AP photographer.
And thanks, Sis. Gina, for the link.
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Links
“Blowout.”
http://news.discovery.com/earth/the-oil-spill-anatomy-of-a-blowout-and-how-it-will-happen-again.html
In the 70s I worked on a team at Schlumberger (the good guys, not Halliburton) that was developing a new tool to measure the “cement bond,” the bond between the metal casing and the cement that fills the space between the casing and the hole. A good bond is vital to the prevention of a blowout–a good bond and a $500K blowout preventer.
I find it ridiculous that this is still gushing. I mean, Jaysus.
I have this icky, sticky feeling that someday, when I mention “9/11″ to my grandkids, they will look confused and ask, “Huh, grandpa? Was that BEFORE or AFTER they broke the Earth in The Gulf and everything died??”
What a sad thought.
Stunning.
“Among the many efforts in Congress to rein in large oil companies in the wake of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a proposal by several Democrats to raise or even eliminate the cap on liability costs for oil companies drilling off the coast of the United States.
“As the law is now written, companies like BP must pay to clean up any oil they spill, but their liability costs are capped at $75 million if they are not found guilty of gross negligence or willful misconduct. In recent weeks, Senate Democrats have introduced bills to exponentially raise oil companies’ liability to $10 billion or even eliminate the caps altogether, thus forcing the companies to pay unlimited sums to anyone adversely affected by the spill, including individuals, businesses and local governments.
“But Republicans have blocked those efforts three times, and each time Democrats have accused the GOP senators of protecting big oil companies.”
The rest is at
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/05/26/oil-spill-liability-caps-oddly-raising-them-could-help-bp-som/
Poor, put-upon oil companies. Of course we all know that the cleanup costs are not going to come out of the pockets of BP’s officers or stockholders. The part of the costs that’s not covered by taxpayers will be passed on to consumers, because BP is too big to fail. And that’s our own fault. If this doesn’t make us call and write our congresspeople and demand some real action on renewable energy and sustainable living, I don’t know what will.
Gee, I thought that our President was going to give us some “real action on renewable energy and sustainable living,” like he proposed as a candidate?
Oh, well. Another one bites the dust!
Perhaps in his second term!
Gee, maybe at that point in time he didn’t have the insider information on the true state of the economy.
Don’t tell Todd.
I apologize for claiming that BP has become Obama’s Katrina…it’s worse-according to this shrimper! (I learned a new word today…”shrimper”-and all this time I just thought that they too were fishermen)
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/05/27/oil-spill-worse-than-katrina-shrimper-says-this-is-like-a/
AND???
So you’re saying that Katrina WAS Bush’s reponsibility?
I am always skeptical of “knee-jerk” laws by Congress immediately after some national tragedy. Most are counter-productive to their purpose, written to satisfy the need of Americans to punish or the desire for politicians to appear pro-active.
Why the rush?