My good friend Bunny and I, who are really great friends, but we like to quibble a lot, have found something else to disagree on. She claims the Gulf disaster was the fault of that Damn Bush that allowed the rig to be built in the first place. I claimed it was the fault of that damn Obama who was caught asleep at the switch again. Some claim that it was neither of their fault, but the problem lies with Eco-terrorists, or maybe even international intrigue. Could a submarine's missle have taken out the rig? All that we know for sure is that nobodys taking, which usually means that somebody knows exactly what happened. I've tried to research a few theories and post links here for those that like mystery stories.
It appears that both Bunny and I are right, that damn Bush okayed the off-shore drilling, but the drilling rig was built recently, the well was drilled recently, and it all happened squarely on that damn Obama's watch.
I have been able to find some information on the rig:
"On location in Mississippi Canyon Block 252 in the Gulf of Mexico, the Deepwater Horizon recently concluded exploration drilling on the Macondo prospect. According to the Minerals Management Service, BP filed a permit to temporarily abandon the well, which commenced drilling in February 2010.
According to RigLogix, the Deepwater Horizon, an RBS-8D-designed dynamically-positioned semisub, is rated to work in water depths up to 10,000' and with a rated drilling depth capacity of 30,000'. The rig is under long-term contract to BP through September 2013 and its current dayrate is $502,000. The Deepwater Horizon was built in Ulsan, South Korea by Hyundai Heavy Industries at a cost of approximately $365 million and entered service in 2001" link to full article
The rig was built in South Korea by HYUNDAI, all three-hundred-sixty-five million dollars worth! Hell, if they had spent just a million dollars more they could have instituted a few really good safety devices.
Sorry. Obama is not off the hook on this one. My only questions are: Who controls the drilling in the gulf? Are they international waters? And we have nothing to say about it?
Sabatage? One theory on "Dakota Voice"
Engineering specs on the Deepwater horizon
E
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
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11 comments:
The reason there's no "safety valve" on most of the rigs is that lobbyists said they were too expensive (half milion each)and an unnessary burden on "Big Oil."
That deal with the devil was signed in Bush's 2nd dance at the White House. Fact: there's over 270fulltime lobbyists in Washington, D.C. = Power.
If this rig that blew up had a safety valve as discussed, the situation might not be so bad. Then again, whatever failed might have been too much for it. Who knows?
Halliburton, the boys who put in the cement cap that some investigators think may have been the problem - had another similiar job blow last year off the coast of Australia.
Obama has bartered our coasts away to the Republicans while trying to compromise with them. When Sarah Palin said, "Drill, baby, drill," she was praising that "victory" for Big Oil and corrupt politicians.
As usual, our environment is being sold out to wealty business interests.
You want to really hear a kicker to this mess?
Those oil rigs are selling their oil in the international market and are foreign owned.
They lease from our department of mines for a paltry fee, and expolit the areas they drill in at the expense of fish and wildlife.
The American people aren't getting squat from these rigs.
If people think that oil is going to us (and we're saving up millions of barrels everyday to become energy independent), then they better think again.
I suppose you could say that if you meant they will SELL it back to us we'll get some!
When something goes wrong, the public ends up paying for those private interests failures.
Wait and see. BP said they're paying for this. By our own laws there's a cap on how much they have to pay - and experts are already saying it'll only be a fraction of the future costs to our economy and environment.
Sorry, Ernie. I didn't mean to go off. I'm concerned too.
I was reacting in surprise when you said it happened on Obama's watch. I did say that but I Do Not think it's Bushs' fault. Do you expect these presidents to know everything about everything? I certainly don't. But it's about deregulation for the good old boys. Or no regulation in this case. It's about corporations running (ruining) America. And now they can back, support and elect anybody they want. You think it's bad now, boyfriend you just wait.
It's kinda funny how so many of the big guys are in big trouble these last couple years. They do terrible things and the rich get richer.
By what line of rational thought can this disaster be blamed on President Obama? This sounds like the partisan spinners who live to feed bizarre and paranoid fantasies, desperately hoping to discredit Obama. It is a testimony to the fragility of the human mind that any situation can be described in ways that enable people to believe whatever it is they want to believe. One begins with a conclusion and twists all evidence to support that conclusion. It is astonishing! And Ernie, you usually seem to try so hard NOT to show bias. Perhaps it is too much to expect you not to let down that effort on occasion.
This blog is the only place I have heard that there was no safety valve on that oil rig. I'm sure someone knows where to get this information but, I have not heard it anywhere else. I am skeptical on any information I hear anymore. It sounds funny to me that BP or any other oil company would skip something as important as a safety valve for a mere 1/2 million dollars, but what do I know.
The timing of this catastrophe smells like a rat to me.
Oregon
Oregon
You ain't heard nothin'yet. Hide and watch!
Joseph
Don't lose faith in me yet, I can explain. But, right now I have to go to a fire meeting.
Joseph
"By what line of rational thought can this disaster be blamed on President Obama? This sounds like the partisan spinners who live to feed bizarre and paranoid fantasies, desperately hoping to discredit Obama."
Sorry to drop one of Bunny and my disagreements on you without at least some up front explanation. Bunny and I have been friends for years. She has very liberal views compared to my somewhat conservative views. When I say conservative that doesn't mean that I buy into the whole mantra and become a drum beating Republican. But, conservative enough that I can watch Fox News with out loosing it to bad, but not liberal enough to make through a complete Kieth Oberman broadcast, if you get my drift.
Bunny is a very good person. Evidence of that is what she did after the attack on the Twin Towers by the terrorists.
I watched the whole thing on television. I've been a volunteer firefighter for 37 years. I watched the firefighters throwing hoses on their shoulders and marching into the Twin Towers. I remarked to my wife “I know what that's all about, they are trying to get in there, get the people out, and stabilize the building before disaster happens” soon after I had said that, the first building collapsed. I stood in front of the television in unbelievable horror, like I've never experienced before. I was unable to speak about it, I stood there in front of the Television knowing full well if I tried to move or say anything that I was going to lose it. I was still standing in front of the television when the second building collapsed. A little bit of me died with those firefighters that day. There is some kind of a bond that firefighters form that crosses all boundaries. In my mind I knew the hearts and minds of all those firefighters that died that day. I was able to suck it up and move on, but I avoided talking about it, I knew that I couldn't handle it.
Bunny was the Rotary Club President that year, and I was a board member. At the Rotary Club the next week, at the board meeting, I very carefully measured my sentence and delivered it calmly. I said, “I think we should send a donation to the New York Firefighters.” I said my piece and hoped desperately that nobody would ask me about it, or engage me. Bunny grabbed the ball and ran with it. There was some discussion as to how much, and it was decided that we should also donate to the New York Police Department. The Garberville Rotary Club sent a very substantial donation the the New York Rotary Club to be distributed amongst the Police and Fire Department as they saw fit. It was a better outcome than I expected, thanks in a great part to Bunny. She probably doesn't know it, but I will be eternally grateful, not only for the donation, but the way she handled it. I didn't have to say another word.
(Continued below)
Later in Bunny's year she proposed that the club complete my Paul Harris fellowship donation, and I was made a Paul Harris fellow. Not a big deal, but very nice.
Maybe now you can see that I have a lot of admiration for Bunny, and I wouldn't ever want to lose her friendship. That doesn't mean that I always have to agree with her! I will always be grateful to George Bush for going after the terrorists. That doesn't mean that I always have to agree with him. I can see that Bush did some very good things while he was in office. He also did some obviously bad things. Bunny hated the fact that Bush moved into Iran. I pointed out to Bunny that the Democrats and liberals in congress approved it.
When Bunny mentions “Bush” it is understood between her and I that it means not only Ol' George himself, but all of the Republicans and all of the conservatives, and all of Bushes cabinets and administration. And maybe the horse that he rode in on.
When I mention “Obama” she knows that I mean Obama, all of the liberals, and his Department of Energy, that is supposed to be briefing him and making recommendations. Especially if there was unsafe oil drilling going on while he is recommending off-shore drilling. So, you see, just saying “Obama” is shorthand for all of the above. And, I do believe that he owns a big hunk of the responsibility for the oil-well blowout. You may not believe this, but I'm sure that I would have been absolutely sure that any, and all, safety measures were being used before I would have wrapped my mouth around a recommendation to drill off-shore. I would expect anyone in a position of responsibility to do the same.
You might be surprised to know that I like Obama, he is very likable and charming. He is smart and a good speaker. I think that Reagan is flopping in his grave knowing how well that man can communicate. Maybe that's why I'm so disappointed that he isn't filling some of the promises that he was elected on.
Now you know why Bunny and I just say “that damn Bush” and “that damn Obama”. Probably from now on you will just accept that Bunny and I are both reasonable people. It's just that we disagree a lot.
I might also say that Dave up there in the top “comment” is a professional journalist, a Vietnam vet, and a veteran of “the war that didn't happen in Cambodia”. He is very credible and doesn't take the truth lightly. You can believe what he says. So pay attention to his posts on this oil rig thing. Like I said, “You ain't seen nothin' yet”
Sorry, Ernie. I should hold my tongue, I suppose. Over generalization and stereotyping really annoy me a lot, even though many (or maybe most) people can hardly express an opinion without using such devices. It has been said that "all generalizations are false, including this one." I should get used to it. I hear some pretty annoying ones from my geezer cronies at the Dott General Store near where I live (it reminds my of the Honeydew Store or the old Bull Creek Store). So one of my cronies makes no bones about how much he dislikes having a "black man" as President, and he considers Obama an elitist foreigner. Another fellow, who used to pressure me to attend his "full gospel holiness" church often storms in shouting "I just HATE that Obama!" He seems to be trying to sell me on his church of holiness and hate. Oh, and then there was the otherwise pleasant woman preacher who went off on a rant when I told her where I was originally from--in the context of a conversation about earthquakes. She wanted to be sure that I knew that California was going to fall into the ocean because of all the "queers" out there. I often ask people if they have read DREAMS FROM MY FATHER, Obama's best selling biographical book that he wrote before he was running for anything. Of course, most people who hate him and all that the have been told that he stands for, have not read his book. But, I suppose, to be fair, I should mention that I have found very few "liberals" who have read McCain's book--or, for that matter, very few McCain supporters. I have to say that I admired McCain more before I read his book (not actually written by him) than after. So, anyway, I'll try to get off the politics. I am less disappointed in Obama than in congress. He could get more done if reasonable legislators of both parties would support action to solve problems instead of making every possible effort to keep him from succeeding at anything.
Ernie... I had the idea that there was an emergency valve on the ocean floor and that it failed... I think they need a good refrigeration guy to freeze the damn thing shut. I never argue with Bunny.
P.S... I do find this disaster terribly serious. Don't want to give the wrong impression.
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