by Muskegon Critic
As hard up as my town is at nearly 17%+ unemployment and with vacant factories...and as much poverty as there is, I still don't think of it as the sort of town where Americorps comes in to help out. But apparently it is. It is, indeed, a place where Americorps comes to help make the city a better place to live. A friend and I went to visit the McLaughlin Urban Farm in Muskegon...which is not an Americorps endeavor, by the way...it's a Community enCompass endeavor. The farm is about a half acre in the middle of the McLaughlin neighborhood where several abandoned and condemned houses had been plowed under and as of 2009 replaced with an organic, urban farm with a large hoop house and several mounds of composting leaves and vegetable matter. It's a for-profit urban farm whose goal is to employ people in the impoverished McLaughlin neighborhood, provide local residents with fresh produce, and replace crumbling buildings with green space.
continued at Daily Kos....
Monday, May 31, 2010
food justice NOW earthship & the snowball effect
by eKos
Welcome to Monday's Ecojustice series, which tonight hosts the eKos Earthship. We dedicate this evening to gaining M-O-M-E-N-T-U-M towards motivating you to ACT NOW for Food Justice as we report out on the results of this weekend's Feeding America blogathon. Scroll down for today's eco-diary roundup and welcome aboard the Food Justice NOW Earthship! Follow ekos earthship on Twitter! Today's editor: boatsie
continued at Daily Kos....
Welcome to Monday's Ecojustice series, which tonight hosts the eKos Earthship. We dedicate this evening to gaining M-O-M-E-N-T-U-M towards motivating you to ACT NOW for Food Justice as we report out on the results of this weekend's Feeding America blogathon. Scroll down for today's eco-diary roundup and welcome aboard the Food Justice NOW Earthship! Follow ekos earthship on Twitter! Today's editor: boatsie
continued at Daily Kos....
Rep. Markey & smart phones take on BP
by Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse
Earlier this month, EcoAdvocates: Let's Ushahidi BP!, focused on how citizen witnesses and observers are using a mobile reporting platform to collect information on the impacts from BP's oil gusher. The database of information collected will be used to help the community, scientists and engineers to clean up this mess and to assist lawyers filing legal actions against BP. Now, a free app called Oil Reporter is available for everyone to report impacts of BP's oil gusher using iPhone and Android. The data is compiled at their website for everyone to use. People can report what they are seeing on the ground, such as oil sightings or harmed wildlife and upload photos or videos. Video here explains the process.
continued at Daily Kos....
Earlier this month, EcoAdvocates: Let's Ushahidi BP!, focused on how citizen witnesses and observers are using a mobile reporting platform to collect information on the impacts from BP's oil gusher. The database of information collected will be used to help the community, scientists and engineers to clean up this mess and to assist lawyers filing legal actions against BP. Now, a free app called Oil Reporter is available for everyone to report impacts of BP's oil gusher using iPhone and Android. The data is compiled at their website for everyone to use. People can report what they are seeing on the ground, such as oil sightings or harmed wildlife and upload photos or videos. Video here explains the process.
continued at Daily Kos....
SeaScum Uber-Barbie with Cheney Ties Now Speaks for BP.
by RLMiller
SeaScum: like pondscum, but bigger! Multinational corporation-sized bigger! BP has apparently come to the same conclusion that 300 million Americans have: Doug Suttles isn't photogenic, and every time Tony Hayward opens his mouth he digs himself a deeper hole (5,000 feet deep and counting). Poor BP! Poor Tony Hayward, who just wants his life back! Excuse me, Mr. Hayward, but we'd like our ocean back. Rather than trust Hayward to say anything intelligent, BP has hired a spokesperson. And not just any spokesperson, but one fresh from the heart of darkness! Anne Womack Kolton, congratulations. You win the SeaScum of the Day award.
continued at Daily Kos....
SeaScum: like pondscum, but bigger! Multinational corporation-sized bigger! BP has apparently come to the same conclusion that 300 million Americans have: Doug Suttles isn't photogenic, and every time Tony Hayward opens his mouth he digs himself a deeper hole (5,000 feet deep and counting). Poor BP! Poor Tony Hayward, who just wants his life back! Excuse me, Mr. Hayward, but we'd like our ocean back. Rather than trust Hayward to say anything intelligent, BP has hired a spokesperson. And not just any spokesperson, but one fresh from the heart of darkness! Anne Womack Kolton, congratulations. You win the SeaScum of the Day award.
continued at Daily Kos....
The New York Times! — For The Second Time This Year!
by WarrenS
Some day in the future I will no longer feel the need to write daily letters on climate change. Perhaps the Arcturans or Betelguesians will arrive with magic CO2 sponges, or perhaps some mild-mannered nerd in a basement somewhere will invent a tiny nanodevice that pulls carbon out of the atmosphere and turns it into diamonds, which are collected by another device so they don't fall to earth and hurt people. Perhaps. Meanwhile...the Business-As-Usual Complex keeps on destroying the planet, and their handmaidens in the media keep looking the other way. So I keep writing my letters. On May 27 I sat down to write my letter for the following day.
continued at Daily Kos....
Some day in the future I will no longer feel the need to write daily letters on climate change. Perhaps the Arcturans or Betelguesians will arrive with magic CO2 sponges, or perhaps some mild-mannered nerd in a basement somewhere will invent a tiny nanodevice that pulls carbon out of the atmosphere and turns it into diamonds, which are collected by another device so they don't fall to earth and hurt people. Perhaps. Meanwhile...the Business-As-Usual Complex keeps on destroying the planet, and their handmaidens in the media keep looking the other way. So I keep writing my letters. On May 27 I sat down to write my letter for the following day.
continued at Daily Kos....
Macca's Meatless Monday..Help! for oil addiction here
by beach babe in fl
In this weekly series we have been discussing the benefits of a vegetarian diet including; better health, animal rights, global food crisis, food safety, frugal living and the immense contribution of meat production to climate change/depletion of resources. If all Americans went meatless once a week, it would save the same CO2 emissions as 90 million airplane flights from NYC to LA. If all Americans cut out meat for two days a week, this would have the same positive effect on reducing greenhouse gasses as replacing all household appliances like fridges, freezers, microwave ovens, dishwashers, washing machines, tumble dryers and so on Continued below the fold
continued at Daily Kos....
In this weekly series we have been discussing the benefits of a vegetarian diet including; better health, animal rights, global food crisis, food safety, frugal living and the immense contribution of meat production to climate change/depletion of resources. If all Americans went meatless once a week, it would save the same CO2 emissions as 90 million airplane flights from NYC to LA. If all Americans cut out meat for two days a week, this would have the same positive effect on reducing greenhouse gasses as replacing all household appliances like fridges, freezers, microwave ovens, dishwashers, washing machines, tumble dryers and so on Continued below the fold
continued at Daily Kos....
Science Tidbits
by possum
Once again Monday is here. Today is the time to take a well deserved hiatus from all the politics of the day and enjoy some of the fine science news of the past week. New discoveries, new takes on old knowledge, and other bits of news are all available for the perusing in today's information world. Over the fold are selections from the past week from a few of the many excellent science news sites around the world. Today's tidbits include risk of climate change to small mammals, making tiny nanofibers, star of the African savanna ecosystem may be the lowly termite, coastal birds carry toxic metals inland, ancient jawbone of new pterodactyl, and a new method for calculating greenhouse value of ecosystems. Come gather around the fire for one more session of Dr. Possum's science education and entertainment.
continued at Daily Kos....
Once again Monday is here. Today is the time to take a well deserved hiatus from all the politics of the day and enjoy some of the fine science news of the past week. New discoveries, new takes on old knowledge, and other bits of news are all available for the perusing in today's information world. Over the fold are selections from the past week from a few of the many excellent science news sites around the world. Today's tidbits include risk of climate change to small mammals, making tiny nanofibers, star of the African savanna ecosystem may be the lowly termite, coastal birds carry toxic metals inland, ancient jawbone of new pterodactyl, and a new method for calculating greenhouse value of ecosystems. Come gather around the fire for one more session of Dr. Possum's science education and entertainment.
continued at Daily Kos....
They thought it could never happen?
by Jed Lewison
After telling David Gregory that he thought Tony Hayward is "doing a fantastic job," BP Managing Director Bo Dudley comes up with a novel argument for saving Hayward's skin: that nobody thought the blowout preventer could fail. CROWLEY: Do you think after this is all over that there are BP executives that ought to resign over the fact that there didn't seem to be any contingency plans for this sort of thing? DUDLEY: Well, Candy, this is an unprecedented accident in the oil and gas industry. ... The failure of the blowout preventers, which is the ultimate multiple redundant fail-safe system, has not happened like this before ... everyone in the industry now has to step back, look at this piece of equipment that generally the industry regarded as fail-safe, go back, figure out what happens, understand it, disseminate that, make sure it doesn't happen anywhere, anytime -- anywhere in the world again. Let's look at this in a couple of different ways. First, assume that Dudley is correct and nobody thought the blowout preventer could fail. Isn't that incredibly damning? He's basically saying that everybody failed to anticipate the possibility of a massive blowout like the one gushing into the Gulf. If that's really true, that's a really, really big screw up. It's so big that not only should Hayward be fired, but the entire drilling industry should pack up their bags, because if they can't see the risk in a blowout preventer failing, they've got no business working in dangerous waters. Second, assume that Dudley is wrong, and that there were people who anticipated the possibility of a blowout preventer failure. (This scenario seems infinitely more plausible, at least to me.) If that is the case, what possible argument is there against firing Hayward? We know BP was cutting corners. If BP (as seems overwhelmingly likely) also knew that cutting corners increased the risk of blowout preventer failure, getting fired should be the least of Hayward's concerns. Either way, it's just amazing that after a screw up of this magnitude, Tony Hayward isn't looking for a job. The fact that he's still in the driver's seat tells you a lot about the character of the people at BP. And it sheds light on how this occurred in the first place.
continued at Daily Kos....
After telling David Gregory that he thought Tony Hayward is "doing a fantastic job," BP Managing Director Bo Dudley comes up with a novel argument for saving Hayward's skin: that nobody thought the blowout preventer could fail. CROWLEY: Do you think after this is all over that there are BP executives that ought to resign over the fact that there didn't seem to be any contingency plans for this sort of thing? DUDLEY: Well, Candy, this is an unprecedented accident in the oil and gas industry. ... The failure of the blowout preventers, which is the ultimate multiple redundant fail-safe system, has not happened like this before ... everyone in the industry now has to step back, look at this piece of equipment that generally the industry regarded as fail-safe, go back, figure out what happens, understand it, disseminate that, make sure it doesn't happen anywhere, anytime -- anywhere in the world again. Let's look at this in a couple of different ways. First, assume that Dudley is correct and nobody thought the blowout preventer could fail. Isn't that incredibly damning? He's basically saying that everybody failed to anticipate the possibility of a massive blowout like the one gushing into the Gulf. If that's really true, that's a really, really big screw up. It's so big that not only should Hayward be fired, but the entire drilling industry should pack up their bags, because if they can't see the risk in a blowout preventer failing, they've got no business working in dangerous waters. Second, assume that Dudley is wrong, and that there were people who anticipated the possibility of a blowout preventer failure. (This scenario seems infinitely more plausible, at least to me.) If that is the case, what possible argument is there against firing Hayward? We know BP was cutting corners. If BP (as seems overwhelmingly likely) also knew that cutting corners increased the risk of blowout preventer failure, getting fired should be the least of Hayward's concerns. Either way, it's just amazing that after a screw up of this magnitude, Tony Hayward isn't looking for a job. The fact that he's still in the driver's seat tells you a lot about the character of the people at BP. And it sheds light on how this occurred in the first place.
continued at Daily Kos....
Heckuva' job, Tony
by Jed Lewison
BP Managing Director Bo Dudley thinks CEO Tony Hayward is "doing a great job...a fantastic job" and should keep his job, even despite BP's oil spill in the Gulf: Yeah, a real heckuva' job, Tony. Consider: Hayward has presided over the largest oil spill in American history and it's getting worse each day with no end in sight. Before the oil spill, Hayward led a company that willfully cut corners on safety measures in order to reduce costs and increase profits. Despite cutting corners, thereby increasing the risk of a spill, Hayward never made sure that BP could stop an oil spill like this, despite his company's assurances to regulators that it could. Since the spill, BP has done everything in its power to minimize the magnitude of the leak, whether its Hayward calling the spill "tiny" or BP dragging its feet on releasing undersea video. To BP's Managing Director, none of that matters because Hayward has boosted BP's bottom-line. In BP's world, Hayward isn't just adequate, he's exceptional. That's as good an argument as any that once this crisis is over, the U.S. government should sever all ties with BP: no more leases, no more authority to tap into our national resources. If that happens, it'll be a damn good riddance.
continued at Daily Kos....
BP Managing Director Bo Dudley thinks CEO Tony Hayward is "doing a great job...a fantastic job" and should keep his job, even despite BP's oil spill in the Gulf: Yeah, a real heckuva' job, Tony. Consider: Hayward has presided over the largest oil spill in American history and it's getting worse each day with no end in sight. Before the oil spill, Hayward led a company that willfully cut corners on safety measures in order to reduce costs and increase profits. Despite cutting corners, thereby increasing the risk of a spill, Hayward never made sure that BP could stop an oil spill like this, despite his company's assurances to regulators that it could. Since the spill, BP has done everything in its power to minimize the magnitude of the leak, whether its Hayward calling the spill "tiny" or BP dragging its feet on releasing undersea video. To BP's Managing Director, none of that matters because Hayward has boosted BP's bottom-line. In BP's world, Hayward isn't just adequate, he's exceptional. That's as good an argument as any that once this crisis is over, the U.S. government should sever all ties with BP: no more leases, no more authority to tap into our national resources. If that happens, it'll be a damn good riddance.
continued at Daily Kos....
Tony Hayward issues Executive Order: Plumes do not Exist.
by jamess
Since everything they try, to clean up the mess in the Gulf fails, BP CEO Tony Hayward has decided to take a different tact. CEO Hayward has decided to "will away" the Oil by some sort of Divine Executive Fiat! (Managing Billions of Dollars can inflate a person's Ego sometimes, it seems.) BP CEO disputes claims of underwater oil plumes Associated Press -- 05/30/2010 VENICE, La. — Disputing scientists' claims of large oil plumes suspended underwater in the Gulf of Mexico, BP PLC's chief executive on Sunday said the company has largely narrowed the focus of its cleanup to surface slicks rolling into Louisiana's coastal marshes. During a tour of a BP PLC staging area for cleanup workers, CEO Tony Hayward said the company's sampling showed "no evidence" that oil was suspended in large masses beneath the surface. He didn't elaborate on how the testing was done. Hayward said that oil's natural tendency is to rise to the surface, and any oil found underwater was in the process of working its way up. "The oil is on the surface," Hayward said. "There aren't any plumes." So that's, THAT, then.
continued at Daily Kos....
Since everything they try, to clean up the mess in the Gulf fails, BP CEO Tony Hayward has decided to take a different tact. CEO Hayward has decided to "will away" the Oil by some sort of Divine Executive Fiat! (Managing Billions of Dollars can inflate a person's Ego sometimes, it seems.) BP CEO disputes claims of underwater oil plumes Associated Press -- 05/30/2010 VENICE, La. — Disputing scientists' claims of large oil plumes suspended underwater in the Gulf of Mexico, BP PLC's chief executive on Sunday said the company has largely narrowed the focus of its cleanup to surface slicks rolling into Louisiana's coastal marshes. During a tour of a BP PLC staging area for cleanup workers, CEO Tony Hayward said the company's sampling showed "no evidence" that oil was suspended in large masses beneath the surface. He didn't elaborate on how the testing was done. Hayward said that oil's natural tendency is to rise to the surface, and any oil found underwater was in the process of working its way up. "The oil is on the surface," Hayward said. "There aren't any plumes." So that's, THAT, then.
continued at Daily Kos....
BP Gulf of Mexico Disaster - Liveblog Mothership - Day Six
by Liveblog
RECS ARE NEEDED TO KEEP THIS RECLISTED. If you haven't rec'd this mothership, please do so now. This is the BP Assault on the Gulf of Mexico Mothership, Day Six. Rules of the Road Let's keep this a meta diary. To volunteer to host an ROV (submersible) diary, leave a comment here. For commenting on anything related to the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, please go to the current ROV diary. Please rec this mothership diary, not the submersibles. Please be kind to fellow kossacks who may have limited bandwidth and refrain from posting images or videos. To repeat: please refrain from commenting in this mothership diary, unless you're volunteering for a submersible shift.
continued at Daily Kos....
RECS ARE NEEDED TO KEEP THIS RECLISTED. If you haven't rec'd this mothership, please do so now. This is the BP Assault on the Gulf of Mexico Mothership, Day Six. Rules of the Road Let's keep this a meta diary. To volunteer to host an ROV (submersible) diary, leave a comment here. For commenting on anything related to the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, please go to the current ROV diary. Please rec this mothership diary, not the submersibles. Please be kind to fellow kossacks who may have limited bandwidth and refrain from posting images or videos. To repeat: please refrain from commenting in this mothership diary, unless you're volunteering for a submersible shift.
continued at Daily Kos....
The oil spills in Nigeria, where we get 40% of our oil.
by quantumspin
In the referenced "The Guardian" article, Nigeria's 600+ oil fields supply about 40% of all crude the U.S. imports. What is the 'spill status' like in Nigeria, in specific, the Niger Delta? The article spells it out.
continued at Daily Kos....
In the referenced "The Guardian" article, Nigeria's 600+ oil fields supply about 40% of all crude the U.S. imports. What is the 'spill status' like in Nigeria, in specific, the Niger Delta? The article spells it out.
continued at Daily Kos....
Fishgrease: Booming The Money Shot
by Fishgrease
Hello Boomers! This time I'm going to talk to BP. Maybe BP will listen, maybe not. I guess we'll see. With the failure of the Top Kill procedure that was discussed in my last two diaries, now we're moving on to what BP is calling the LMRP. Lower Marine Riser Package. If you've read my stuff up to now, you know that I've been pretty pessimistic. I've mostly made negative predictions. This ain't going to work and here's why. That's going to be a complete fucking failure because taadaaa taadaaa taadaaa. Fishgrease = Debbie Downer I mean, I've been largely right about stuff. Look where we are now! I've told some DKos Boomers my prediction trick. It's an illusion, just like a Sigfried and Roy do, only I do it without tigers and I'm generally a little more ummmm... butch about it. Let's jump through the flaming hoop and I'll continue on the other side.
continued at Daily Kos....
Hello Boomers! This time I'm going to talk to BP. Maybe BP will listen, maybe not. I guess we'll see. With the failure of the Top Kill procedure that was discussed in my last two diaries, now we're moving on to what BP is calling the LMRP. Lower Marine Riser Package. If you've read my stuff up to now, you know that I've been pretty pessimistic. I've mostly made negative predictions. This ain't going to work and here's why. That's going to be a complete fucking failure because taadaaa taadaaa taadaaa. Fishgrease = Debbie Downer I mean, I've been largely right about stuff. Look where we are now! I've told some DKos Boomers my prediction trick. It's an illusion, just like a Sigfried and Roy do, only I do it without tigers and I'm generally a little more ummmm... butch about it. Let's jump through the flaming hoop and I'll continue on the other side.
continued at Daily Kos....
BP: "We're Not Blaming Anyone... Yet"
by Edger
The other day in BP Blaming Employees For The Gusher I wrote about BP looking to wriggle out of responsibility for their catastrophe in the Gulf. On Sunday David Edwards noted in a RawStory article that "Oil giant BP has said it is responsible for the Gulf oil spill, but now the company seems to be reserving the right to blame someone else" and that "Fox News' Chris Wallace questioned the managing director of BP, Bob Dudley, about the company's poor safety record. While taking full responsibility for the spill, Dudley indicated they may shift that responsibility in the future".
continued at Daily Kos....
The other day in BP Blaming Employees For The Gusher I wrote about BP looking to wriggle out of responsibility for their catastrophe in the Gulf. On Sunday David Edwards noted in a RawStory article that "Oil giant BP has said it is responsible for the Gulf oil spill, but now the company seems to be reserving the right to blame someone else" and that "Fox News' Chris Wallace questioned the managing director of BP, Bob Dudley, about the company's poor safety record. While taking full responsibility for the spill, Dudley indicated they may shift that responsibility in the future".
continued at Daily Kos....
Republicans Who Would Be Run Out of Their Party Protecting the Environment
by Ellinorianne
I'm not going to defend these Republicans on their policies regarding other social issues or their defense spending, the destruction of the middle class, etc. This is not what I'm attempting to write about. But the point I am trying to make is that the Party of No has gone so off the rails that they are putting our very future at risk because it is politically expedient and they would rather see Obama fail, our Country fail than work towards a common good. In the year and a half since Barack Obama was elected president, Republicans nationwide seem to have given up on the whole governing thing and chosen instead to play a long, rancorous game of “I’m More Conservative Than You Are.” Even Reagan Wasn’t a Reagan Republican
continued at Daily Kos....
I'm not going to defend these Republicans on their policies regarding other social issues or their defense spending, the destruction of the middle class, etc. This is not what I'm attempting to write about. But the point I am trying to make is that the Party of No has gone so off the rails that they are putting our very future at risk because it is politically expedient and they would rather see Obama fail, our Country fail than work towards a common good. In the year and a half since Barack Obama was elected president, Republicans nationwide seem to have given up on the whole governing thing and chosen instead to play a long, rancorous game of “I’m More Conservative Than You Are.” Even Reagan Wasn’t a Reagan Republican
continued at Daily Kos....
PLEASE UNRECOMMEND! - Overnight Mothership 30 May 2010 - Day Five
by alkalinesky
RECS ARE NEEDED TO KEEP THIS RECLISTED. If you haven't rec'd this mothership, please do so now. This is the BP Assault on the Gulf of Mexico Mothership, Day Five. Rules of the Road Let's keep this a meta diary. To volunteer to host an ROV (submersible) diary, leave a comment here. For commenting on anything related to the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, please go to the current ROV diary. Please rec this mothership diary, not the submersibles. Please be kind to fellow kossacks who may have limited bandwidth and refrain from posting images or videos. To repeat: please refrain from commenting in this mothership diary, unless you're volunteering for a submersible shift.
continued at Daily Kos....
RECS ARE NEEDED TO KEEP THIS RECLISTED. If you haven't rec'd this mothership, please do so now. This is the BP Assault on the Gulf of Mexico Mothership, Day Five. Rules of the Road Let's keep this a meta diary. To volunteer to host an ROV (submersible) diary, leave a comment here. For commenting on anything related to the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, please go to the current ROV diary. Please rec this mothership diary, not the submersibles. Please be kind to fellow kossacks who may have limited bandwidth and refrain from posting images or videos. To repeat: please refrain from commenting in this mothership diary, unless you're volunteering for a submersible shift.
continued at Daily Kos....
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Cold Comfort, Cold Facts: August and After.
by RLMiller
In some circles, a "cold comfort letter" confirms certain accounting information and provides limited negative assurances concerning changes in the issuer’s financial condition since the last audit. To most of us, "cold comfort" means very slight consolation. (Graphic credit: Mike Mitchell) Today, both BP and high-ranking Obama Administration officials acknowledged what many of us have suspected and feared for some time: chances of stanching the flow of oil from the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico before August are slim at best. Some truth is finally being told after misstatements. It's cold comfort in light of cold facts: Do not pin all hope on the relief wells working in August.
continued at Daily Kos....
In some circles, a "cold comfort letter" confirms certain accounting information and provides limited negative assurances concerning changes in the issuer’s financial condition since the last audit. To most of us, "cold comfort" means very slight consolation. (Graphic credit: Mike Mitchell) Today, both BP and high-ranking Obama Administration officials acknowledged what many of us have suspected and feared for some time: chances of stanching the flow of oil from the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico before August are slim at best. Some truth is finally being told after misstatements. It's cold comfort in light of cold facts: Do not pin all hope on the relief wells working in August.
continued at Daily Kos....
Sunday Train: Help Wanted. 1% Solutions. Apply Within.
by BruceMcF
Burning the Midnight Oil for Living Energy Independence OK, the story so far: "BP", which seems to stand for "Blatant Phonies", lies about being able to fix a problem it lies about being almost certain not to happen and due to entirely predictable criminal negligence catastrophe strikes ... because we in the US are addicted to crude oil, the "Texas Tea" that finances the Texas Tea Parties ... and if we cut our petroleum addiction by 5% each year, in 20 years we'll be off the stuff. Transport needs about 7 5% solutions per decade over the next two decades. With the White House policy as one, Steel Interstates, Nationwide Oil-Free Liberty Transport networks, 5% of trips by Active Transport, and doubling the fuel efficiency of cars carrying 10% of passengers, that's 5 of the 7. But of course, five 1% solutions make a 5% solution too. So I am looking for 10 "1% solutions". Heck, if we have enough of them, we can get 10% over the next two decades from 1% solutions even if they are not all 1%.
continued at Daily Kos....
Burning the Midnight Oil for Living Energy Independence OK, the story so far: "BP", which seems to stand for "Blatant Phonies", lies about being able to fix a problem it lies about being almost certain not to happen and due to entirely predictable criminal negligence catastrophe strikes ... because we in the US are addicted to crude oil, the "Texas Tea" that finances the Texas Tea Parties ... and if we cut our petroleum addiction by 5% each year, in 20 years we'll be off the stuff. Transport needs about 7 5% solutions per decade over the next two decades. With the White House policy as one, Steel Interstates, Nationwide Oil-Free Liberty Transport networks, 5% of trips by Active Transport, and doubling the fuel efficiency of cars carrying 10% of passengers, that's 5 of the 7. But of course, five 1% solutions make a 5% solution too. So I am looking for 10 "1% solutions". Heck, if we have enough of them, we can get 10% over the next two decades from 1% solutions even if they are not all 1%.
continued at Daily Kos....
White House Increasingly Angry With BP Over Its Lies
by slinkerwink
Here's this interesting news story from Politico about the anger within the White House towards BP: The White House has become increasingly angry with BP, which initially assured administration officials the spill would be no greater than 1,000 barrels per day; estimates now range from 12,000 to 19,000 barrels a day. And Obama’s team was incensed that the company kept them in the dark for a half-day last week after suspending their unsuccessful "Top Kill" efforts to plus the leak with mud and dross. I didn't know that the government was kept in the dark by BP for a half-day after the Top Kill effort initially was suspended. This is confusing though, because it's been said that there are federal scientists and officials right there in the control room. How can the White House be kept in the dark for a half-day? How is that possible?
continued at Daily Kos....
Here's this interesting news story from Politico about the anger within the White House towards BP: The White House has become increasingly angry with BP, which initially assured administration officials the spill would be no greater than 1,000 barrels per day; estimates now range from 12,000 to 19,000 barrels a day. And Obama’s team was incensed that the company kept them in the dark for a half-day last week after suspending their unsuccessful "Top Kill" efforts to plus the leak with mud and dross. I didn't know that the government was kept in the dark by BP for a half-day after the Top Kill effort initially was suspended. This is confusing though, because it's been said that there are federal scientists and officials right there in the control room. How can the White House be kept in the dark for a half-day? How is that possible?
continued at Daily Kos....
The Nuclear Option
by Stranded Wind
British Petroleum's well capping antics are looking more and more like just that – public relations stunts with very low probabilities of success. The relief well solution has always been the thing most likely to work, but our media is getting this wrong, too. Relief wells have a 60% - 70% chance of success, which is why two or more are required. British Petroleum was drilling two, but now have cut back to just one. You, dear taxpayer, should be holding on to your wallet very tightly, because it is we and our President who are being set up to take the fall for this mess. I have been following this story closely and today I took a little time to look into the nuclear option …
continued at Daily Kos....
British Petroleum's well capping antics are looking more and more like just that – public relations stunts with very low probabilities of success. The relief well solution has always been the thing most likely to work, but our media is getting this wrong, too. Relief wells have a 60% - 70% chance of success, which is why two or more are required. British Petroleum was drilling two, but now have cut back to just one. You, dear taxpayer, should be holding on to your wallet very tightly, because it is we and our President who are being set up to take the fall for this mess. I have been following this story closely and today I took a little time to look into the nuclear option …
continued at Daily Kos....
How do I loathe BP? Let me count the criminally negligent ways.
by Cedwyn
I, for one, was thrilled to discover the other day that the Department of Justice is conducting its own investigation into BP's shenanigans. Granted, it's just the first steps, laying the groundwork for a formal investigation if whatever turns up warrants it, but you can't find evidence if you don't look for it, right? And based on what we do know, it's appearing increasingly likely that further investigation will be warranted, according to a handful of legal experts, anyway. One of them, former federal prosecutor Chic Foret, had this to say: "I can almost guarantee you that a grand jury will be convened to take testimony, receive documents, hear evidence about exactly what happened."
continued at Daily Kos....
I, for one, was thrilled to discover the other day that the Department of Justice is conducting its own investigation into BP's shenanigans. Granted, it's just the first steps, laying the groundwork for a formal investigation if whatever turns up warrants it, but you can't find evidence if you don't look for it, right? And based on what we do know, it's appearing increasingly likely that further investigation will be warranted, according to a handful of legal experts, anyway. One of them, former federal prosecutor Chic Foret, had this to say: "I can almost guarantee you that a grand jury will be convened to take testimony, receive documents, hear evidence about exactly what happened."
continued at Daily Kos....
Worst Case Scenario
by Crashing Vor
Rachel Maddow brought up a serious issue on Wednesday evening's show (transcript): How is it that we are forced to use the same tools and techniques for fighting oil spills that have already proved fruitless in the deep-water Gulf? Same busted blowout preventer, same ineffective berm, same underwater plumes, same toxic dispersants, same failed containment domes, same junk shot, same top kill—it‘s all the same technology. ... The oil companies keep talking about how technologically advanced they are—but what they‘ve gotten technologically advanced at is drilling deeper. They haven‘t gotten any more advanced on how to deal with the risks attached to that. They haven‘t made technological advances in the last 30 year when‘s it comes to stopping a leak like this when it happens. All they‘ve gotten better at is making the risks worse, by putting these leaks further out of our reach.
continued at Daily Kos....
Rachel Maddow brought up a serious issue on Wednesday evening's show (transcript): How is it that we are forced to use the same tools and techniques for fighting oil spills that have already proved fruitless in the deep-water Gulf? Same busted blowout preventer, same ineffective berm, same underwater plumes, same toxic dispersants, same failed containment domes, same junk shot, same top kill—it‘s all the same technology. ... The oil companies keep talking about how technologically advanced they are—but what they‘ve gotten technologically advanced at is drilling deeper. They haven‘t gotten any more advanced on how to deal with the risks attached to that. They haven‘t made technological advances in the last 30 year when‘s it comes to stopping a leak like this when it happens. All they‘ve gotten better at is making the risks worse, by putting these leaks further out of our reach.
continued at Daily Kos....
BOPGate - A Study in Oil Industry Arrogance
by grapes
Someday, this disaster will be over. Someday, the world will stop deepwater drilling. Someday, the world will wean itself off of oil. Unfortunately, none of those days will come soon enough for most of us. Meanwhile, oil companies will get government permission to drill in deep water using technology that is similar to the package that failed on the Deepwater Horizon. In this diary, I want to share some documents that bear on the Blowout Preventer (BOP), the fundamental safety device that is the ultimate protection against a catastrophe like the GoM. These documents are not secret. They are publicly viewable on the website of the Minerals Management Service (www.mms.gov). I warn you that the contents of these serious, industry-supplied presentations and studies will set your hair on fire. They will also prove that the Oil Industry (and their regulators) have been systematically, cynically and stupidly lying to us for decades. If aircraft had BOPs, the documents linked in this diary would ground every plane in the world.
continued at Daily Kos....
Someday, this disaster will be over. Someday, the world will stop deepwater drilling. Someday, the world will wean itself off of oil. Unfortunately, none of those days will come soon enough for most of us. Meanwhile, oil companies will get government permission to drill in deep water using technology that is similar to the package that failed on the Deepwater Horizon. In this diary, I want to share some documents that bear on the Blowout Preventer (BOP), the fundamental safety device that is the ultimate protection against a catastrophe like the GoM. These documents are not secret. They are publicly viewable on the website of the Minerals Management Service (www.mms.gov). I warn you that the contents of these serious, industry-supplied presentations and studies will set your hair on fire. They will also prove that the Oil Industry (and their regulators) have been systematically, cynically and stupidly lying to us for decades. If aircraft had BOPs, the documents linked in this diary would ground every plane in the world.
continued at Daily Kos....
Can a Middle-Aged Dad Find ECSTASY?
by WarrenS
E.C.S.T.A.S.Y. — End Consumption, Save The Air & Sea, Y'all! A support group and discussion forum for those who want to kick the habits of consumption that are damaging the world we live in. I am alone. My wife and daughter are in India, dealing with the recent passing of my father-in-law. The past two weeks have been hysterical; as the stay-at-home-and-work component of our marital pair, I've been responsible for organizing tickets, organizing passport renewals (thanks to Ed Markey's office for their support!) and emergency visa authorizations. And, because I have massive amounts of work (including a Very Important Concert), I couldn't go with them. I am, instead, trying to clean and straighten the house, so that when they return in mid-summer there is order instead of uproar. Which means that I'm currently dealing with a problematic epiphenomenon of 21st-Century American Childhood. To wit, a serious stuffed toy problem.
continued at Daily Kos....
E.C.S.T.A.S.Y. — End Consumption, Save The Air & Sea, Y'all! A support group and discussion forum for those who want to kick the habits of consumption that are damaging the world we live in. I am alone. My wife and daughter are in India, dealing with the recent passing of my father-in-law. The past two weeks have been hysterical; as the stay-at-home-and-work component of our marital pair, I've been responsible for organizing tickets, organizing passport renewals (thanks to Ed Markey's office for their support!) and emergency visa authorizations. And, because I have massive amounts of work (including a Very Important Concert), I couldn't go with them. I am, instead, trying to clean and straighten the house, so that when they return in mid-summer there is order instead of uproar. Which means that I'm currently dealing with a problematic epiphenomenon of 21st-Century American Childhood. To wit, a serious stuffed toy problem.
continued at Daily Kos....
Gulf of Mexico Disaster - Liveblog Mothership: 30 May 2010 - Day Five
by Liveblog
RECS ARE NEEDED TO KEEP THIS RECLISTED. If you haven't rec'd this mothership, please do so now. This is the Gulf of Mexico Disaster Mothership, Day Five. Rules of the Road Let's keep this a meta diary. To volunteer to host an ROV (submersible) diary, leave a comment here. For commenting on anything related to the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, please go to the current ROV diary. Please rec this mothership diary, not the submersibles. Please be kind to fellow kossacks who may have limited bandwidth and refrain from posting images or videos. To repeat: please refrain from commenting in this mothership diary, unless you're volunteering for a submersible shift.
continued at Daily Kos....
RECS ARE NEEDED TO KEEP THIS RECLISTED. If you haven't rec'd this mothership, please do so now. This is the Gulf of Mexico Disaster Mothership, Day Five. Rules of the Road Let's keep this a meta diary. To volunteer to host an ROV (submersible) diary, leave a comment here. For commenting on anything related to the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, please go to the current ROV diary. Please rec this mothership diary, not the submersibles. Please be kind to fellow kossacks who may have limited bandwidth and refrain from posting images or videos. To repeat: please refrain from commenting in this mothership diary, unless you're volunteering for a submersible shift.
continued at Daily Kos....
Even the MSM is catching on!
by don mikulecky
So many times in my diaries about the nature of technology someone claims we can find a fix for anything. Now even the MSM questions such arrogance. In the NYT we have this:Our Fix-It Faith and the Oil Spill A growing number of reductionist trained scientists and engineers are beginning to understand the limits to the Cartesian reductionism that serves as the philosophical basis for their understanding of the real complex world. Physics supplied them with a good model of reality for dealing with machines and mechanisms, but not for most complex systems that make up the real world. The surrogate model we worshipped does not do it. Read on below for more.
continued at Daily Kos....
So many times in my diaries about the nature of technology someone claims we can find a fix for anything. Now even the MSM questions such arrogance. In the NYT we have this:Our Fix-It Faith and the Oil Spill A growing number of reductionist trained scientists and engineers are beginning to understand the limits to the Cartesian reductionism that serves as the philosophical basis for their understanding of the real complex world. Physics supplied them with a good model of reality for dealing with machines and mechanisms, but not for most complex systems that make up the real world. The surrogate model we worshipped does not do it. Read on below for more.
continued at Daily Kos....
BP: Wounding My Mother, Wounding Pachamama
by davidseth
It begins as helplessness. Nothing more, nothing less. I watch as oil spews from BP's well into the Gulf of Mexico, killing sea life, destroying the ocean, ruining the breeding grounds near the shore. The Gulf of Mexico is becoming a vast petroleum gumbo garnished with oil soaked sea birds and drowned turtles. I watch this. I wish that all of the wise men and women of the world could find a solution, could stop the flow. But as the time elapses, and the failures to stem the flow mount up, it should be obvious to me. There may be no solution. At least not for the foreseeable future. And by then, by then what even BP is calling a "catastrophe" will be that much more enormous. That much more irremediable. The leak will have killed much of the Gulf of Mexico, and unchecked, it will continue to kill as the currents carry its devastation farther and farther away. Please join me on this voyage.
continued at Daily Kos....
It begins as helplessness. Nothing more, nothing less. I watch as oil spews from BP's well into the Gulf of Mexico, killing sea life, destroying the ocean, ruining the breeding grounds near the shore. The Gulf of Mexico is becoming a vast petroleum gumbo garnished with oil soaked sea birds and drowned turtles. I watch this. I wish that all of the wise men and women of the world could find a solution, could stop the flow. But as the time elapses, and the failures to stem the flow mount up, it should be obvious to me. There may be no solution. At least not for the foreseeable future. And by then, by then what even BP is calling a "catastrophe" will be that much more enormous. That much more irremediable. The leak will have killed much of the Gulf of Mexico, and unchecked, it will continue to kill as the currents carry its devastation farther and farther away. Please join me on this voyage.
continued at Daily Kos....
Corexit Toxicity Tests not so hot, When Mixed with Oil
by jamess
I started to dig into this toxic trail about a week ago, and hit a "jargony math wall", which I had to set aside, until now. ProPublica Blog In Gulf Spill, BP Using Dispersants Banned in U.K. The two types of dispersants BP is spraying in the Gulf of Mexico are banned for use on oil spills in the U.K. As EPA-approved products, BP has been using them in greater quantities than dispersants have ever been used in the history of U.S. oil spills. BP is using two products from a line of dispersants called Corexit, which EPA data appear to show is more toxic and less effective on South Louisiana crude than other available dispersants, according to Greenwire. [...] As we’ve reported, Corexit was also used after the Exxon Valdez disaster and was later linked with human health problems including respiratory, nervous system, liver, kidney and blood disorders. One of the two Corexit products also contains a compound that, in high doses, is associated with headaches, vomiting and reproductive problems. No wonder skimming crews are getting violently ill, look what they have to deal with.
continued at Daily Kos....
I started to dig into this toxic trail about a week ago, and hit a "jargony math wall", which I had to set aside, until now. ProPublica Blog In Gulf Spill, BP Using Dispersants Banned in U.K. The two types of dispersants BP is spraying in the Gulf of Mexico are banned for use on oil spills in the U.K. As EPA-approved products, BP has been using them in greater quantities than dispersants have ever been used in the history of U.S. oil spills. BP is using two products from a line of dispersants called Corexit, which EPA data appear to show is more toxic and less effective on South Louisiana crude than other available dispersants, according to Greenwire. [...] As we’ve reported, Corexit was also used after the Exxon Valdez disaster and was later linked with human health problems including respiratory, nervous system, liver, kidney and blood disorders. One of the two Corexit products also contains a compound that, in high doses, is associated with headaches, vomiting and reproductive problems. No wonder skimming crews are getting violently ill, look what they have to deal with.
continued at Daily Kos....
Dawn Chorus: Of Warblers and Weekends
by juliewolf
Warblers are small, fast moving birds, which can be very hard to identify, but when you are lucky with them, it's pretty awesome. [as I prep this piece, there are chimney swifts flying around the house, mocking me with their speed. Warblers may be fast, but chimney swifts are insane] This prairie warbler is one such bird. I've only seen prairies a few times in my life, and about half those times were in one specific location. Kennebunk Plains, in Kennebunk, ME. They show up in other places, but I mostly find them at this one spot. They're not hard to identify: notice the white on the tail. When they fly,it's like a yellow dark-eyed junco. And notice the facial lines: like someone took the letter "P" and faced it down. If you remember those two pieces of information, you'll know Prairie warblers from a lot of others. Today's dawn chorus will talk about warblers, warbler IDs and pretty much anything else I want to talk about :)
continued at Daily Kos....
Warblers are small, fast moving birds, which can be very hard to identify, but when you are lucky with them, it's pretty awesome. [as I prep this piece, there are chimney swifts flying around the house, mocking me with their speed. Warblers may be fast, but chimney swifts are insane] This prairie warbler is one such bird. I've only seen prairies a few times in my life, and about half those times were in one specific location. Kennebunk Plains, in Kennebunk, ME. They show up in other places, but I mostly find them at this one spot. They're not hard to identify: notice the white on the tail. When they fly,it's like a yellow dark-eyed junco. And notice the facial lines: like someone took the letter "P" and faced it down. If you remember those two pieces of information, you'll know Prairie warblers from a lot of others. Today's dawn chorus will talk about warblers, warbler IDs and pretty much anything else I want to talk about :)
continued at Daily Kos....
The last most beautiful thing
by erratic
is back. What was the last most beautiful thing that you experienced? I was just reading back through old diaries I'd written, and was reminded of how despairingly godawful I often felt during the W years. So that was pretty beautiful. And it was beautiful to read all these old comments and discussions and battles, and remember how awesome the DK community can be. But also, how annoying. But my last most beautiful thing is after the jump.
continued at Daily Kos....
is back. What was the last most beautiful thing that you experienced? I was just reading back through old diaries I'd written, and was reminded of how despairingly godawful I often felt during the W years. So that was pretty beautiful. And it was beautiful to read all these old comments and discussions and battles, and remember how awesome the DK community can be. But also, how annoying. But my last most beautiful thing is after the jump.
continued at Daily Kos....
Images from the Oilpocalypse w/ new unidentified leak.
by Tomtech
I caught our favorite rover approaching the blow out preventer on the main BP feed and was able to get some screenshots of where we are in the process. See the last image below and help me identify what it is.
continued at Daily Kos....
I caught our favorite rover approaching the blow out preventer on the main BP feed and was able to get some screenshots of where we are in the process. See the last image below and help me identify what it is.
continued at Daily Kos....
Oil & My Childhood Chesapeake Life
by LaniN
This is my first diary. I'm a reader, not a writer. But the Gulf disaster is haunting me. I'm a child of the Chesapeake, with my roots going back thousands of years. For what are we losing this magnificent world? More polyester? More big cars? Our food chain is dying. Our lives are ending. For what, I keep asking.
continued at Daily Kos....
This is my first diary. I'm a reader, not a writer. But the Gulf disaster is haunting me. I'm a child of the Chesapeake, with my roots going back thousands of years. For what are we losing this magnificent world? More polyester? More big cars? Our food chain is dying. Our lives are ending. For what, I keep asking.
continued at Daily Kos....
Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday (Memorial Day 2010/BP Oil Spill edition)
by Neon Vincent
Welcome to Science Saturday, where the Overnight News Digest crew informs and entertains you with this week's news about science, space, and the environment. This week's featured story comes from Democracy Now! via Alternet. BP Oil Spill Confirmed as Worst in US History By Amy Goodman Although President Obama has extended the moratorium on new deepwater drilling permits for six months and halted operations at thirty-three deepwater wells in the Gulf of Mexico, some oil rigs are continuing their operations. The Center for Biological Diversity has filed a lawsuit to halt forty-nine offshore drilling plans in the Gulf of Mexico that were approved without full environmental review. Meanwhile, the group Food & Water Watch is leading an effort to shut down the Atlantis, another BP oil rig in the Gulf. The group warns an oil spill from the Atlantis could be many times larger than the current spill and even harder to stop. More science, space, and environment stories after the jump.
continued at Daily Kos....
Welcome to Science Saturday, where the Overnight News Digest crew informs and entertains you with this week's news about science, space, and the environment. This week's featured story comes from Democracy Now! via Alternet. BP Oil Spill Confirmed as Worst in US History By Amy Goodman Although President Obama has extended the moratorium on new deepwater drilling permits for six months and halted operations at thirty-three deepwater wells in the Gulf of Mexico, some oil rigs are continuing their operations. The Center for Biological Diversity has filed a lawsuit to halt forty-nine offshore drilling plans in the Gulf of Mexico that were approved without full environmental review. Meanwhile, the group Food & Water Watch is leading an effort to shut down the Atlantis, another BP oil rig in the Gulf. The group warns an oil spill from the Atlantis could be many times larger than the current spill and even harder to stop. More science, space, and environment stories after the jump.
continued at Daily Kos....
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Feeding America #5 Food Forward - Fallen Fruit and Food Banks
by Ellinorianne
Welcome to the Memorial Day weekend blog-a-thon for Feeding America! This weekend's series is the latest in an on-going community fund-raising project for our nation’s food banks that began in 2008. Since then, thanks to all of you, Daily Kos has provided a quarter-of-a-million meals to hungry Americans. Part of the challenge to feeding so many people is dealing in perishable foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables and those are so very important to any healthy and well rounded diet, especially in this age of cheap and unhealthy fast food. Alternet had a very good piece to explain exactly Why Salads Are More Expensive Than Hamburgers.
continued at Daily Kos....
Welcome to the Memorial Day weekend blog-a-thon for Feeding America! This weekend's series is the latest in an on-going community fund-raising project for our nation’s food banks that began in 2008. Since then, thanks to all of you, Daily Kos has provided a quarter-of-a-million meals to hungry Americans. Part of the challenge to feeding so many people is dealing in perishable foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables and those are so very important to any healthy and well rounded diet, especially in this age of cheap and unhealthy fast food. Alternet had a very good piece to explain exactly Why Salads Are More Expensive Than Hamburgers.
continued at Daily Kos....
Top Comments 5-29-10 – The 3Rs: Recycle Edition
by carolita
REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE For the next few Saturdays, we are going to look at the 3Rs -- reduce, reuse, recycle -- focusing on simple things we can do in our daily lives to save the planet. Of course, we still have to call and write and march and try to move our congresscritters and business leaders toward a more sane energy policy. But seeing progress through simple acts of conservation can it can be highly motivating and help us keep up the fight. So far we have explored Reduction and Reuse. Tonight we Recycle!
continued at Daily Kos....
REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE For the next few Saturdays, we are going to look at the 3Rs -- reduce, reuse, recycle -- focusing on simple things we can do in our daily lives to save the planet. Of course, we still have to call and write and march and try to move our congresscritters and business leaders toward a more sane energy policy. But seeing progress through simple acts of conservation can it can be highly motivating and help us keep up the fight. So far we have explored Reduction and Reuse. Tonight we Recycle!
continued at Daily Kos....
Boreal Forest dis-Agreement
by meralda
The world's largest conservation agreement was signed May 18, 2010. The Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement was announced by a consortium of 21 major Canadian forest products companies and nine leading environmental organizations (listed at this link). The NYTimes explained: Timber companies and environmentalists unveiled an agreement today that suspends logging and road building on about 70 million acres of Canada's boreal forest for the next three years... In exchange, nine environmental groups have promised to end campaigns urging boycotts of boreal timber products and calling for investors to pull their cash out of companies that sell them. The Boreal Forest is a global ecosystem larger than the Amazon rainforest. Canada's portion is over 1.3 billion acres. In Canada, it is also home to over 600 First Nations communities. And they were not consulted when the agreement was being made.
continued at Daily Kos....
The world's largest conservation agreement was signed May 18, 2010. The Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement was announced by a consortium of 21 major Canadian forest products companies and nine leading environmental organizations (listed at this link). The NYTimes explained: Timber companies and environmentalists unveiled an agreement today that suspends logging and road building on about 70 million acres of Canada's boreal forest for the next three years... In exchange, nine environmental groups have promised to end campaigns urging boycotts of boreal timber products and calling for investors to pull their cash out of companies that sell them. The Boreal Forest is a global ecosystem larger than the Amazon rainforest. Canada's portion is over 1.3 billion acres. In Canada, it is also home to over 600 First Nations communities. And they were not consulted when the agreement was being made.
continued at Daily Kos....
Mr. Abbey Goes to Washington, Cleans Up MMS. Or Not.
by RLMiller
Last week President Obama announced that the Minerals Management Service would be split into three parts, informally titled Money, Safety, and Giving Away The Store. Elizabeth Birnbaum has resigned as head of the MMS, and Mr. Abbey has been nominated to serve as acting head. The plan doesn't go far enough to satisfy Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), who believes that it's time to abolish MMS and start anew. Nor does it please Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, which has scathing comments about Ken Salazar's "erratic leadership" and wants to see MMS' environmental and safety functions transferred outside the Interior Department entirely. But is Mr. Abbey a good choice to clean up the MMesS?
continued at Daily Kos....
Last week President Obama announced that the Minerals Management Service would be split into three parts, informally titled Money, Safety, and Giving Away The Store. Elizabeth Birnbaum has resigned as head of the MMS, and Mr. Abbey has been nominated to serve as acting head. The plan doesn't go far enough to satisfy Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), who believes that it's time to abolish MMS and start anew. Nor does it please Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, which has scathing comments about Ken Salazar's "erratic leadership" and wants to see MMS' environmental and safety functions transferred outside the Interior Department entirely. But is Mr. Abbey a good choice to clean up the MMesS?
continued at Daily Kos....
Oil offshore Texas & on Florida Shelf - EPA's Big Error
by FishOutofWater
Today's Terra Imagery from NASA shows a sheen of oil offshore of Port Arthur, near Beaumont Texas.Oil may begin coming onshore on Texas beaches. There's a strong liklihood that black area is weathered oil below the water's surface coming ashore on barrier islands southwest of Galveston, Texas. And to the east in deep and shallow water a toxic mass of oil in the water column threatens to poison and smother the corals and fisheries of the west Florida shelf. PDF
continued at Daily Kos....
Today's Terra Imagery from NASA shows a sheen of oil offshore of Port Arthur, near Beaumont Texas.Oil may begin coming onshore on Texas beaches. There's a strong liklihood that black area is weathered oil below the water's surface coming ashore on barrier islands southwest of Galveston, Texas. And to the east in deep and shallow water a toxic mass of oil in the water column threatens to poison and smother the corals and fisheries of the west Florida shelf. PDF
continued at Daily Kos....
BP still working -- to avoid liability. Now it's sick workers.
by 8ackgr0und N015e
As I pointed out before, BP has been working hard to keep down the estimated size of the spill to minimize their liability. You might say that one datapoint doesn't make a pattern. Well, here's a second one. Fishermen working to clean the spill are starting to show up in local hospitals with respiratory complaints. Why? BP is not providing them with respirators. According to Clint Guidry, president of the Louisiana Shrimp Association (interviewed on Democracy Now): It is a question of liability. The minute BP declares that there is a respiratory danger on the situation is the day that they let the door open for liability suits down the line. If they could have gotten away with covering this up, like they did in Alaska Valdez situation, like Exxon, they would not have to pay a penny for any kind of health-related claims.... Don't tell me "no one could have predicted this."
continued at Daily Kos....
As I pointed out before, BP has been working hard to keep down the estimated size of the spill to minimize their liability. You might say that one datapoint doesn't make a pattern. Well, here's a second one. Fishermen working to clean the spill are starting to show up in local hospitals with respiratory complaints. Why? BP is not providing them with respirators. According to Clint Guidry, president of the Louisiana Shrimp Association (interviewed on Democracy Now): It is a question of liability. The minute BP declares that there is a respiratory danger on the situation is the day that they let the door open for liability suits down the line. If they could have gotten away with covering this up, like they did in Alaska Valdez situation, like Exxon, they would not have to pay a penny for any kind of health-related claims.... Don't tell me "no one could have predicted this."
continued at Daily Kos....
Save the Bronx Zoo Today
by Eddie C
What a difference a year makes. About a year ago in my extremely popular The Animals are Getting the Pink Slip (A Bronx Zoo photo and action diary) this is what big sister Moxie looked like; Yesterday I took my camera to see the three new lion cubs at the Bronx Zoo. The diary is called Friday Evening Photo Blogging: Lion Cubs Today! I can hardly tell Moxie and her mama Sukari apart but I got some great photos of Moxie playing loving sister to three 25 pound cubs. Now the stars of the zoo are Nala, Adamma and Shani; What hasn't changed is that both Bloomberg and Paterson are still screwing the zoo and many cultural institutions. This year much harder than last. See below for what actions we the people have left.
continued at Daily Kos....
What a difference a year makes. About a year ago in my extremely popular The Animals are Getting the Pink Slip (A Bronx Zoo photo and action diary) this is what big sister Moxie looked like; Yesterday I took my camera to see the three new lion cubs at the Bronx Zoo. The diary is called Friday Evening Photo Blogging: Lion Cubs Today! I can hardly tell Moxie and her mama Sukari apart but I got some great photos of Moxie playing loving sister to three 25 pound cubs. Now the stars of the zoo are Nala, Adamma and Shani; What hasn't changed is that both Bloomberg and Paterson are still screwing the zoo and many cultural institutions. This year much harder than last. See below for what actions we the people have left.
continued at Daily Kos....
Action: PROTEST IN NEW ORLEANS.....
by eb23
Hey you all, gonna be a quick diary. This is what we might be doing tomorrow: Uploaded with ImageShack.us follow me below the fold......
continued at Daily Kos....
Hey you all, gonna be a quick diary. This is what we might be doing tomorrow: Uploaded with ImageShack.us follow me below the fold......
continued at Daily Kos....
Feeding America #2: Urban Farms & Fisheries
by Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse
Millions of Americans need more nutritious and affordable food that can address problems of hunger, malnutrition, obesity and poverty. Yet, critics whine that our food stamp program for 40 million people that now costs $73 billion a year is "part of a long-term expansion in welfare and related programs." Chris Edwards from libertarian Cato institute says that "some government figures show that only 10 million people have a serious problem with hunger," yet the "number of people on food stamps is four times higher than the number of people with a serious hunger problem."
continued at Daily Kos....
Millions of Americans need more nutritious and affordable food that can address problems of hunger, malnutrition, obesity and poverty. Yet, critics whine that our food stamp program for 40 million people that now costs $73 billion a year is "part of a long-term expansion in welfare and related programs." Chris Edwards from libertarian Cato institute says that "some government figures show that only 10 million people have a serious problem with hunger," yet the "number of people on food stamps is four times higher than the number of people with a serious hunger problem."
continued at Daily Kos....
Create WPA-Style Gulf Cleanup Army
by Kalkaino
It's just an idea, but it's got real possibilities. Why not create a WPA-style army to clean up the Gulf of Mexico beaches and marshlands? There are millions of able-bodied folks crying for work, and years' worth of work that will basically need to get done by hand, with shovels, bags, wheelbarrows et cetera. This is work that can't be outsourced to Inda. It'll be hot, hard, buggy, smelly work so even if we pay a real wage, (like, say $20 an hour) nobody will be said to be getting a handout. I envision a real corps, with barracks or trailer camp bases being thrown up quickly. Recruits, should be by quota drawn from all over America (with some allowance for relief of those directly affected, fishermen etc) to maximize support for the program.
continued at Daily Kos....
It's just an idea, but it's got real possibilities. Why not create a WPA-style army to clean up the Gulf of Mexico beaches and marshlands? There are millions of able-bodied folks crying for work, and years' worth of work that will basically need to get done by hand, with shovels, bags, wheelbarrows et cetera. This is work that can't be outsourced to Inda. It'll be hot, hard, buggy, smelly work so even if we pay a real wage, (like, say $20 an hour) nobody will be said to be getting a handout. I envision a real corps, with barracks or trailer camp bases being thrown up quickly. Recruits, should be by quota drawn from all over America (with some allowance for relief of those directly affected, fishermen etc) to maximize support for the program.
continued at Daily Kos....
Robot Subs Seek Oil off Florida Coast
by bob zimway
The appalling lack of data on the size, location, and characteristics of the infamous oil plumes in the Gulf led me to explore the efforts of a marine sciences org named Mote Marine that's conducting data collection of oil off the Florida coast.
continued at Daily Kos....
The appalling lack of data on the size, location, and characteristics of the infamous oil plumes in the Gulf led me to explore the efforts of a marine sciences org named Mote Marine that's conducting data collection of oil off the Florida coast.
continued at Daily Kos....
Killer Rigs: There's More Death in Offshore Drilling Than Meets the Eye
by Limelite
The offshore drilling industry in the Gulf of Mexico is an equal opportunity death merchant, even when operating normally, meeting "industry standards." Mercury levels around some rigs are so high as to qualify for the National Priorities List, a roll call of the nation's most hazardous contaminated sites. [snip] . . .[and] eventually lead to a federal "Superfund" clean-up effort, like those at Love Canal in New York. Mobile Press Register Only they won't because the danger doesn't pose an immediate threat to humans. And because the rigs are sources of Federally permitted pollution. But there's the rub -- it does and is posing an immediate danger to marine animals. Fish. Big time commercial and sports fishing industries target the rigs; some estimate as much as 75% of all fishing trips out of Louisiana do. That's only one of the Gulf States. Shocked? Here's the BIG shocker.
continued at Daily Kos....
The offshore drilling industry in the Gulf of Mexico is an equal opportunity death merchant, even when operating normally, meeting "industry standards." Mercury levels around some rigs are so high as to qualify for the National Priorities List, a roll call of the nation's most hazardous contaminated sites. [snip] . . .[and] eventually lead to a federal "Superfund" clean-up effort, like those at Love Canal in New York. Mobile Press Register Only they won't because the danger doesn't pose an immediate threat to humans. And because the rigs are sources of Federally permitted pollution. But there's the rub -- it does and is posing an immediate danger to marine animals. Fish. Big time commercial and sports fishing industries target the rigs; some estimate as much as 75% of all fishing trips out of Louisiana do. That's only one of the Gulf States. Shocked? Here's the BIG shocker.
continued at Daily Kos....
"A Strange Corporate Oil State"
by Edger
Author and activist Naomi Klein has been visiting Louisiana, and conducted a short on camera interview with Al Jazeera about her impressions of the disaster response to BP's oil leak catastrophe... Senator Dick Durbin once described Capitol Hill as being owned by the banks. He said the banks 'own this place' describing why it was so hard to get financial reform through in Washington, and all I can say from having spent the week here in Louisiana is that it really feels like the oil and gas industry owns this place. I think we're dealing with two factors here. One is an election strategy for the Obama Administration, they want to keep some distance, they don't want to own the disaster fully, they want to still have somebody to point fingers to. But then there's also just this major attitude in this administration from day one really, to trust industry.
continued at Daily Kos....
Author and activist Naomi Klein has been visiting Louisiana, and conducted a short on camera interview with Al Jazeera about her impressions of the disaster response to BP's oil leak catastrophe... Senator Dick Durbin once described Capitol Hill as being owned by the banks. He said the banks 'own this place' describing why it was so hard to get financial reform through in Washington, and all I can say from having spent the week here in Louisiana is that it really feels like the oil and gas industry owns this place. I think we're dealing with two factors here. One is an election strategy for the Obama Administration, they want to keep some distance, they don't want to own the disaster fully, they want to still have somebody to point fingers to. But then there's also just this major attitude in this administration from day one really, to trust industry.
continued at Daily Kos....
Solar Power is So Expensive?
by TheEnergyMiser
"But why is it so expensive?" - It was the third person that weekend to come to my home show booth and ask that question. I wish I could talk to them now. What I would say to them today, "If you think solar is expensive, you haven't thought about the Gulf enough." Full Disclosure: Four years ago, I started a business installing wind and solar electric systems. In those four years the solar business has taken off.
continued at Daily Kos....
"But why is it so expensive?" - It was the third person that weekend to come to my home show booth and ask that question. I wish I could talk to them now. What I would say to them today, "If you think solar is expensive, you haven't thought about the Gulf enough." Full Disclosure: Four years ago, I started a business installing wind and solar electric systems. In those four years the solar business has taken off.
continued at Daily Kos....
BP's Assault on the Great Lakes
by agnostic
2005 - 15 people were killed and over 170 injured from a fire and explosion on the Isomerization plant (ISOM) at the BP Products North America 2006 - BP's Prudhoe Bay pipeline exploded, spilling hundreds of thousands of gallons of heavy crude. BP attack on the Great Lakes comes in three parts: a) BP wants to drill under Lake Michigan, almost a mile below the lake's bottom. Think of the Gulf leak, but with fresh, not salt water. b) BP is the 6th largest polluter in the Chicago area. With its new Whiting Refinery capacity (Canadian oil shale & tar sands), that will increase by 40%. c) BP is deliberately pollutes Lake Michigan with benzene & mercury. Remnants from tar sands refining process will be far, far worse.
continued at Daily Kos....
2005 - 15 people were killed and over 170 injured from a fire and explosion on the Isomerization plant (ISOM) at the BP Products North America 2006 - BP's Prudhoe Bay pipeline exploded, spilling hundreds of thousands of gallons of heavy crude. BP attack on the Great Lakes comes in three parts: a) BP wants to drill under Lake Michigan, almost a mile below the lake's bottom. Think of the Gulf leak, but with fresh, not salt water. b) BP is the 6th largest polluter in the Chicago area. With its new Whiting Refinery capacity (Canadian oil shale & tar sands), that will increase by 40%. c) BP is deliberately pollutes Lake Michigan with benzene & mercury. Remnants from tar sands refining process will be far, far worse.
continued at Daily Kos....
Superpollution means conservatism to the junk heap
by worldforallpeopleorg
Ideologies are born, have a life of their own, and in the minds of their proponents can replicate the notions of a Dylan Thomas masterpiece: "raging, raging, against the dying of the light." But today's thinking conservatives have to be straddling a barbed fence: There is enough evidence before them that a disturbing conclusion must be stirring - they have been fundamentally and profoundly wrong. Conservatism belongs on the scrap heap of isms. Proof, over the fold,
continued at Daily Kos....
Ideologies are born, have a life of their own, and in the minds of their proponents can replicate the notions of a Dylan Thomas masterpiece: "raging, raging, against the dying of the light." But today's thinking conservatives have to be straddling a barbed fence: There is enough evidence before them that a disturbing conclusion must be stirring - they have been fundamentally and profoundly wrong. Conservatism belongs on the scrap heap of isms. Proof, over the fold,
continued at Daily Kos....
Initial Federal Oil Spill Estimate May Be Not Be True!
by slinkerwink
Two of the scientists on the National Flow Rate Technical Group are disagreeing with how the estimates were put out by the group. The current federal estimate is that the oil spill ranges from 12,000 to 19,000 barrels of oil per day. Here's the story on the disagreement with the oil spill estimate: The 12,000-to-19,000-barrel estimate was based on individual estimates from three different methods: one that used satellite images to study the amount of oil on the surface of the water, one that analyzed video of the underwater oil "plume," and one that analyzed the amount of oil collected by the Riser Insertion Tube Tool (RITT) that BP installed last week to capture some of the escaping oil. But it was impossible for members of the team that analyzed the oil plume video to estimate the upper boundary of the oil spilled, according to the Ira Leifer, a researcher at the Marine Science Institute at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Steven Wereley, a researcher at Purdue University. That means that what we have is not a full actual range of the numbers of barrels spilled per day, and that this is a lowball estimate.
continued at Daily Kos....
Two of the scientists on the National Flow Rate Technical Group are disagreeing with how the estimates were put out by the group. The current federal estimate is that the oil spill ranges from 12,000 to 19,000 barrels of oil per day. Here's the story on the disagreement with the oil spill estimate: The 12,000-to-19,000-barrel estimate was based on individual estimates from three different methods: one that used satellite images to study the amount of oil on the surface of the water, one that analyzed video of the underwater oil "plume," and one that analyzed the amount of oil collected by the Riser Insertion Tube Tool (RITT) that BP installed last week to capture some of the escaping oil. But it was impossible for members of the team that analyzed the oil plume video to estimate the upper boundary of the oil spilled, according to the Ira Leifer, a researcher at the Marine Science Institute at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Steven Wereley, a researcher at Purdue University. That means that what we have is not a full actual range of the numbers of barrels spilled per day, and that this is a lowball estimate.
continued at Daily Kos....
Something has Changed in the Climate Change Game -- the CIA
by jamess
Who says Climate Change is not anything to worry about? Climate Change Climbs the Ranks in the Pentagon and CIA Bryn Baker - 12/14/2009 The US Military and the CIA are increasingly concerned that climate change raises the prospects for military intervention to deal with the effects of severe weather, rising seas, drought, mass migration, spread of disease, and increased competition for resources. In Pentagon, CIA Eye New Threat: Climate Change, National Public Radio reports today that "for the first time, climate change will feature as one of the key threats under assessment in the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review. [...]" Recent war games and intelligence studies have found that sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and South and Southeast Asia will likely be the most vulnerable regions, facing food shortages, water crises and severe flooding that could require an American humanitarian relief or military response. If they can plan War Games to manage the Human Chaos, expected from Climate Change -- Why can't we plan to minimize that Climate Change, in the first place?
continued at Daily Kos....
Who says Climate Change is not anything to worry about? Climate Change Climbs the Ranks in the Pentagon and CIA Bryn Baker - 12/14/2009 The US Military and the CIA are increasingly concerned that climate change raises the prospects for military intervention to deal with the effects of severe weather, rising seas, drought, mass migration, spread of disease, and increased competition for resources. In Pentagon, CIA Eye New Threat: Climate Change, National Public Radio reports today that "for the first time, climate change will feature as one of the key threats under assessment in the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review. [...]" Recent war games and intelligence studies have found that sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and South and Southeast Asia will likely be the most vulnerable regions, facing food shortages, water crises and severe flooding that could require an American humanitarian relief or military response. If they can plan War Games to manage the Human Chaos, expected from Climate Change -- Why can't we plan to minimize that Climate Change, in the first place?
continued at Daily Kos....
Top Kill/Junk Shot Liveblog Mothership: 29 May, 2010 - Day Four
by Liveblog
This is the BP Junk Shot Mothership, Day Four. Rules of the Road Let's keep this a meta diary. To volunteer to host an ROV (submersible) diary, leave a comment here. For commenting on the Top Kill/Junk Shot attempt, please go to the current ROV diary. Please rec this mothership diary, not the submersibles. Please be kind to fellow kossacks who may have limited bandwidth and refrain from posting images or videos. To repeat: please refrain from commenting in this mothership diary, unless you're volunteering for a submersible shift.
continued at Daily Kos....
This is the BP Junk Shot Mothership, Day Four. Rules of the Road Let's keep this a meta diary. To volunteer to host an ROV (submersible) diary, leave a comment here. For commenting on the Top Kill/Junk Shot attempt, please go to the current ROV diary. Please rec this mothership diary, not the submersibles. Please be kind to fellow kossacks who may have limited bandwidth and refrain from posting images or videos. To repeat: please refrain from commenting in this mothership diary, unless you're volunteering for a submersible shift.
continued at Daily Kos....
Oil Leak Widget Features 'Spillcam'
by Hyde Park Johnny
just posting if nobody has already thanks in part to congressional pressure, we have a way to watch the environmental crisis unfold in real time via a live video feed. We modified our original Gulf Leak Meter because the video takes our sliding scale out of the abstract and into reality.
continued at Daily Kos....
just posting if nobody has already thanks in part to congressional pressure, we have a way to watch the environmental crisis unfold in real time via a live video feed. We modified our original Gulf Leak Meter because the video takes our sliding scale out of the abstract and into reality.
continued at Daily Kos....
Green diary rescue & open thread
by Meteor Blades
lao hong han passed along a poignant and chilling letter from a friend BP's Gulf Blowout And Our Future: "Our son-in-law, Lee, earns his living as a fisherman in Key West. Has done so for 30 years. Today is his 52nd birthday and he is now, effectively, jobless for the rest of his life." The intent of these restrictions would be believable if the same restrictions were placed on sportsfishers, but until this year, that hasn't happened. Instead, commercial fishers are restricted from catching, say, grouper in certain weeks because they're spawning, and they have to sit idle while sportsfishers pack them in, put them on ice, and take them home to their families and friends. ... Lee has been scrambling for work -- any kind of work. Captaining boats, scraping barnacles off boat bottoms, anything to bring in money. He's a worker, always has been, and this is very hard for him. He's also become a local spokesman for the small fisher community because he's smart and articulate and a no-bullshitter. Since the oil blowout, he and his fellow small fishers and others in the Keys who are out of work because tourism is down have all taken haz/mat training at the local college, at a cost of $550 a head. BP gave the college a grant to run the training, a few thousand dollars, and also the promise that those who completed the training would be reimbursed for their costs. Of course they're all hoping for work with BP to help clean up the oil when it hits -- which it will do eventually, and get swept into the Gulf Stream and get carried to other Caribbean countries, but also to the coasts of Europe and Africa. The dispersants, highly toxic to humans and all living creatures, will break up the oil into tiny drops making it less visible on beachers but infinitely harder to deal with. Like sending coal ash into the air. I am put in mind of the lyrebird, which resides in the Indonesian rain forest. This bird is noted for its amazing capacity to imitate the sounds of the forest all around it, incorporating the sounds into its mating song. In recent years ornithologists have recorded the lyrebird's songs, which include the sounds of the bulldozers and chainsaws cutting down the very trees around it. That's how I see Lee and his fellow fishermen, working to save the ass of the industry that has spelled their doom. = = = Once, you had to search to find environmental diaries. In the past five days, there have been so many that they wouldn't all fit in the rescue box. So I had to put the rest in a comment. [Green diary rescue appears Thursday and Sundays. Inclusion of a particular diary does not necessarily indicate my agreement with it. The diaries begin in the jump.]
continued at Daily Kos....
lao hong han passed along a poignant and chilling letter from a friend BP's Gulf Blowout And Our Future: "Our son-in-law, Lee, earns his living as a fisherman in Key West. Has done so for 30 years. Today is his 52nd birthday and he is now, effectively, jobless for the rest of his life." The intent of these restrictions would be believable if the same restrictions were placed on sportsfishers, but until this year, that hasn't happened. Instead, commercial fishers are restricted from catching, say, grouper in certain weeks because they're spawning, and they have to sit idle while sportsfishers pack them in, put them on ice, and take them home to their families and friends. ... Lee has been scrambling for work -- any kind of work. Captaining boats, scraping barnacles off boat bottoms, anything to bring in money. He's a worker, always has been, and this is very hard for him. He's also become a local spokesman for the small fisher community because he's smart and articulate and a no-bullshitter. Since the oil blowout, he and his fellow small fishers and others in the Keys who are out of work because tourism is down have all taken haz/mat training at the local college, at a cost of $550 a head. BP gave the college a grant to run the training, a few thousand dollars, and also the promise that those who completed the training would be reimbursed for their costs. Of course they're all hoping for work with BP to help clean up the oil when it hits -- which it will do eventually, and get swept into the Gulf Stream and get carried to other Caribbean countries, but also to the coasts of Europe and Africa. The dispersants, highly toxic to humans and all living creatures, will break up the oil into tiny drops making it less visible on beachers but infinitely harder to deal with. Like sending coal ash into the air. I am put in mind of the lyrebird, which resides in the Indonesian rain forest. This bird is noted for its amazing capacity to imitate the sounds of the forest all around it, incorporating the sounds into its mating song. In recent years ornithologists have recorded the lyrebird's songs, which include the sounds of the bulldozers and chainsaws cutting down the very trees around it. That's how I see Lee and his fellow fishermen, working to save the ass of the industry that has spelled their doom. = = = Once, you had to search to find environmental diaries. In the past five days, there have been so many that they wouldn't all fit in the rescue box. So I had to put the rest in a comment. [Green diary rescue appears Thursday and Sundays. Inclusion of a particular diary does not necessarily indicate my agreement with it. The diaries begin in the jump.]
continued at Daily Kos....
N_TION_LIZ_TION — Can America Buy a Vowel? Oil Made Easy
by Pluto
Who remembers this? It was published just about one year ago. Take a brief trip with me down Memory Lane -- and by the time we reach the end, you will learn a dangerous but empowering truth and discover a transformational and disruptive idea whose time has come. You will see the inevitable future of this nation -- one that will save your children's lives and free them from the crippling slavery of debt that is about to consume them.
continued at Daily Kos....
Who remembers this? It was published just about one year ago. Take a brief trip with me down Memory Lane -- and by the time we reach the end, you will learn a dangerous but empowering truth and discover a transformational and disruptive idea whose time has come. You will see the inevitable future of this nation -- one that will save your children's lives and free them from the crippling slavery of debt that is about to consume them.
continued at Daily Kos....
Friday, May 28, 2010
Friday Evening Photo Blogging: Lion Cubs Today!
by Eddie C
Hello and welcome to Friday Evening Photo Blogging. Tonight's Memorial Day weekend diary was intended to be a dedication to the Navy and Marine personnel that are enjoying my city this week but the weather in Manhattan hasn't been good enough to get good shots. So I took a trip to the African veldt today instead. You guessed it, I never made it out of the Bronx. Today I went to see the three new lion cubs that were born on January 27th and made their public début this week. So give a roaring welcome to Nala, Adamma and Shani as they get used to their new digs. Their big sister Moxie is a very good baby sitter for these 25 pound kittens.
continued at Daily Kos....
Hello and welcome to Friday Evening Photo Blogging. Tonight's Memorial Day weekend diary was intended to be a dedication to the Navy and Marine personnel that are enjoying my city this week but the weather in Manhattan hasn't been good enough to get good shots. So I took a trip to the African veldt today instead. You guessed it, I never made it out of the Bronx. Today I went to see the three new lion cubs that were born on January 27th and made their public début this week. So give a roaring welcome to Nala, Adamma and Shani as they get used to their new digs. Their big sister Moxie is a very good baby sitter for these 25 pound kittens.
continued at Daily Kos....
Phytoplankton are Phun! eKos Earthship Friday
by eKos
Welcome to the eKos Earthship, your one-stop-shop for green diaries and series. Beneath the fold you will find announcements, today's eco-diary roundup, news, and of course phun with phytoplankton! Be sure to follow us on Twitter! Today's editor: Hopeful Skeptic
continued at Daily Kos....
Welcome to the eKos Earthship, your one-stop-shop for green diaries and series. Beneath the fold you will find announcements, today's eco-diary roundup, news, and of course phun with phytoplankton! Be sure to follow us on Twitter! Today's editor: Hopeful Skeptic
continued at Daily Kos....
Dr. Soos on the Oil Spill
by chadlupkes
Dear Mr. President, I know this is tough, but for the Gulf Coast, the future promises to be rough. What you will see will most likely make you want to flee. The questions from the GOP make me wonder how hard on BP you should actually be. Should the government take over the oil spill response through eminent domain, or should you direct the DOD and Homeland Security to take things over with a military campaign?
continued at Daily Kos....
Dear Mr. President, I know this is tough, but for the Gulf Coast, the future promises to be rough. What you will see will most likely make you want to flee. The questions from the GOP make me wonder how hard on BP you should actually be. Should the government take over the oil spill response through eminent domain, or should you direct the DOD and Homeland Security to take things over with a military campaign?
continued at Daily Kos....
How To Share A [REDACTED] Sandwich
by Stranded Wind
Th Gulf gusher has, as the experts of The Oil Drum feared and predicted well in advance, not been capped from the top side. The solution has always been relief wells, reaching 13,000' beneath the seabed to interdict and fill the leaker with cement. These take two or three months and are subject to the exact same hazards that killed eleven men and sank the Deepwater Horizon. There's been a lot of media orchestrated sniveling about Barack Obama not swimming a mile down into the Gulf of Mexico completely nude with a pipe wrench in his teeth to personally stopper the well. And Kossacks have gone along with the doubly foolish framing. I'm not here to criticize my President, I'm here to help him. And I'm not talking about just stoppering the leak, which is merely a symptom; we're going to go right to the source of a couple of problems.
continued at Daily Kos....
Th Gulf gusher has, as the experts of The Oil Drum feared and predicted well in advance, not been capped from the top side. The solution has always been relief wells, reaching 13,000' beneath the seabed to interdict and fill the leaker with cement. These take two or three months and are subject to the exact same hazards that killed eleven men and sank the Deepwater Horizon. There's been a lot of media orchestrated sniveling about Barack Obama not swimming a mile down into the Gulf of Mexico completely nude with a pipe wrench in his teeth to personally stopper the well. And Kossacks have gone along with the doubly foolish framing. I'm not here to criticize my President, I'm here to help him. And I'm not talking about just stoppering the leak, which is merely a symptom; we're going to go right to the source of a couple of problems.
continued at Daily Kos....
Dear Mr. President, The Time is NOW
by whoknu
Right now, I sit here completely uninspired and I am angry! I feel helpless. I want to change. I want to break my addiction but I can't do it alone. You are our Leader and you need to start acting the part. You speak for us and you need to start saying the right words. You were elected to lead us, and you need to start NOW. That's right LEAD. You are our Leader. If not now, when? The Gulf of Mexico oil volcano is a NATIONAL EMERGENCY! We need to start acting as if our lives depend on solving this problem, because the truth is, they do. We have had our Crude Awakening. The time is now to show the country what we must do. You know what we have to do. We need to take this disaster, this National Emergency, and use it to make a bold turn towards changing the paradigm. You see, this ship is headed for an ice berg and we need you to pull the wheel hard to the left or we are all doomed.
continued at Daily Kos....
Right now, I sit here completely uninspired and I am angry! I feel helpless. I want to change. I want to break my addiction but I can't do it alone. You are our Leader and you need to start acting the part. You speak for us and you need to start saying the right words. You were elected to lead us, and you need to start NOW. That's right LEAD. You are our Leader. If not now, when? The Gulf of Mexico oil volcano is a NATIONAL EMERGENCY! We need to start acting as if our lives depend on solving this problem, because the truth is, they do. We have had our Crude Awakening. The time is now to show the country what we must do. You know what we have to do. We need to take this disaster, this National Emergency, and use it to make a bold turn towards changing the paradigm. You see, this ship is headed for an ice berg and we need you to pull the wheel hard to the left or we are all doomed.
continued at Daily Kos....
DE-AL: In-depth interview on energy, environment w/John Carney
by Cpt Robespierre
On May 20th, I interviewed U.S. House candidate John Carney on energy and the environment, for my internet radio show at the University of Delaware. You can listen to the full show here (mp3). Full Disclosure: I worked as an intern on John Carney's House campaign from February through May this year. This interview was conducted through my show at the university, and the campaign and Mr. Carney were only told the overall topic in advance. Since John Carney has been vocally opposing offshore oil drilling off Delaware (and the other areas the President plans to open), I feel this interview somewhat qualifies as "earned media" attention, especially in light of the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster. The campaign has authorized me to publicize the interview here, although I no longer work there and they have not read this ahead of time.
continued at Daily Kos....
On May 20th, I interviewed U.S. House candidate John Carney on energy and the environment, for my internet radio show at the University of Delaware. You can listen to the full show here (mp3). Full Disclosure: I worked as an intern on John Carney's House campaign from February through May this year. This interview was conducted through my show at the university, and the campaign and Mr. Carney were only told the overall topic in advance. Since John Carney has been vocally opposing offshore oil drilling off Delaware (and the other areas the President plans to open), I feel this interview somewhat qualifies as "earned media" attention, especially in light of the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster. The campaign has authorized me to publicize the interview here, although I no longer work there and they have not read this ahead of time.
continued at Daily Kos....
We Need A Dept of Cleaning Up
by J Orygun
The gulf oil crisis raises several distinct problems. There's clearly a problem with regulating the drilling, that the government has to solve before another well gets drilled. There's clearly a problem of an out-of-control wellhead that only a few drilling professionals have the tools and knowledge to plug. But there's one more problem, which is NOT a "never seen before" problem: a massive oil spill. We had one in Valdez. There was one in the gulf 30 years ago. There was a small one a few years ago in SF bay. Oil spills in water are not rare. And they obviously don't just come from mismanaged drilling. They come from mismanaged ships. They come from collisions. And they could even come from an act of terrorism. The only thing different about this one is the size. So what do we do when the oil hits the water? We need treat it like the invasion of a foreign enemy, 'cuz that's what it is. We need a government agency that is ready to go to work the day the next spill happens. We need a fire department for oil spills. We clearly don't have one.
continued at Daily Kos....
The gulf oil crisis raises several distinct problems. There's clearly a problem with regulating the drilling, that the government has to solve before another well gets drilled. There's clearly a problem of an out-of-control wellhead that only a few drilling professionals have the tools and knowledge to plug. But there's one more problem, which is NOT a "never seen before" problem: a massive oil spill. We had one in Valdez. There was one in the gulf 30 years ago. There was a small one a few years ago in SF bay. Oil spills in water are not rare. And they obviously don't just come from mismanaged drilling. They come from mismanaged ships. They come from collisions. And they could even come from an act of terrorism. The only thing different about this one is the size. So what do we do when the oil hits the water? We need treat it like the invasion of a foreign enemy, 'cuz that's what it is. We need a government agency that is ready to go to work the day the next spill happens. We need a fire department for oil spills. We clearly don't have one.
continued at Daily Kos....
Fishgrease: Booming The News Media
by Fishgrease
Hey Boomers. Not feeling well right now, Ol Fishgrease isn't. We're being lied to, consistently, by BP, Our Government and in the most damaging fashion, by Our News Media. Before any of you jump my ass about making such an accusatory claim, irresponsibly, please let me admit that "Lie" is a relative term. WMDs in Iraq was such a relative lie. Some of you will claim that Bush-Cheney's use of the WMD lie to get us into a useless, probably-illegal war was in no way a relative lie. Maybe so. But Colin Powell didn't think it was a lie -- I remain convinced that he did not think it was a lie. I think there's a chance, however slim, that George W. Bush himself thought there were really Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq. What makes it a lie is that there weren't fucking Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq and somebody had a pretty god damned good idea that there weren't. Take the hop with me here and we'll continue. Or not, if you wish. This diary won't be as entertaining or light hearted as my previous ones because this isn't funny. OH AND PLEASE KEEP THE MOTHERSHIP TK JS DIARY REC'D UP!!!! HERE!!!!!!
continued at Daily Kos....
Hey Boomers. Not feeling well right now, Ol Fishgrease isn't. We're being lied to, consistently, by BP, Our Government and in the most damaging fashion, by Our News Media. Before any of you jump my ass about making such an accusatory claim, irresponsibly, please let me admit that "Lie" is a relative term. WMDs in Iraq was such a relative lie. Some of you will claim that Bush-Cheney's use of the WMD lie to get us into a useless, probably-illegal war was in no way a relative lie. Maybe so. But Colin Powell didn't think it was a lie -- I remain convinced that he did not think it was a lie. I think there's a chance, however slim, that George W. Bush himself thought there were really Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq. What makes it a lie is that there weren't fucking Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq and somebody had a pretty god damned good idea that there weren't. Take the hop with me here and we'll continue. Or not, if you wish. This diary won't be as entertaining or light hearted as my previous ones because this isn't funny. OH AND PLEASE KEEP THE MOTHERSHIP TK JS DIARY REC'D UP!!!! HERE!!!!!!
continued at Daily Kos....
Renewable Energy Round-Up
by mark louis
Someone made the suggestion in the previous installment of this series that I consider changing the title, and I decided to take their advice. I hope this change does not create any unrealistic expectations for future installments of the series. Unfortunately, there are no poo-related stories in today's installment.
continued at Daily Kos....
Someone made the suggestion in the previous installment of this series that I consider changing the title, and I decided to take their advice. I hope this change does not create any unrealistic expectations for future installments of the series. Unfortunately, there are no poo-related stories in today's installment.
continued at Daily Kos....
(Video) President Obama's News Conference Today in Southern Louisiana
by icebergslim
First off, this was a good news conference. President Obama was concise, on point, he had the Gulf Coast Governors beside him, with exception of Haley Barbour. What he said was vitally important to the residents of that area, "We will not abandon you." That is what they needed to hear. As many of you know, I have been critical of the communication coming from this White House and it does need to be fixed. But the people down there was beginning to think this was another treatment like "Katrina" and this perception needed to be fixed ASAP. This is good first step, because the people of this region do not trust BP nor the slowness response of the government, thus far.
continued at Daily Kos....
First off, this was a good news conference. President Obama was concise, on point, he had the Gulf Coast Governors beside him, with exception of Haley Barbour. What he said was vitally important to the residents of that area, "We will not abandon you." That is what they needed to hear. As many of you know, I have been critical of the communication coming from this White House and it does need to be fixed. But the people down there was beginning to think this was another treatment like "Katrina" and this perception needed to be fixed ASAP. This is good first step, because the people of this region do not trust BP nor the slowness response of the government, thus far.
continued at Daily Kos....
No Text. Just Photos. You May Wish to Avert Your Eyes
by Meteor Blades
[The following photos of the collision between oil and land in the Gulf of Mexico are from Greenpeace.] Daniel Beltra/Greenpeace Daniel Beltra/Greenpeace Sean Gardner Sean Gardner/Greenpeace Sean Gardner/Greenpeace
continued at Daily Kos....
[The following photos of the collision between oil and land in the Gulf of Mexico are from Greenpeace.] Daniel Beltra/Greenpeace Daniel Beltra/Greenpeace Sean Gardner Sean Gardner/Greenpeace Sean Gardner/Greenpeace
continued at Daily Kos....
Protesting the Palomar LNG Pipeline - Next Steps
by Cedwyn
I blathered a bit about this proposed LNG pipeline in attempts to get the word out about the protest planned for the NW Natural shareholders' meeting yesterday. I am very happy to report today that the protest was a resounding success, if you ask me. We were definitely seen by a lot of people and since one of the organizers was inside the meeting and asked questions, I know NW Natural noticed us. Video, etc. below the fold.
continued at Daily Kos....
I blathered a bit about this proposed LNG pipeline in attempts to get the word out about the protest planned for the NW Natural shareholders' meeting yesterday. I am very happy to report today that the protest was a resounding success, if you ask me. We were definitely seen by a lot of people and since one of the organizers was inside the meeting and asked questions, I know NW Natural noticed us. Video, etc. below the fold.
continued at Daily Kos....
Obama's Press Conference: You Can't Negotiate With Disaster
by RJ Eskow
There's a lot to admire about the President's consensus-seeking style, however frustrating it can be to activists. But his press conference yesterday, and the management problems that led up to it, show the limits of that style in times of crisis. Hopefully the oil tragedy - let's not call it a "spill" when it's more like a sustained explosion - will help the Administration understand something that seems to elude them at times: You can't negotiate with disaster or compromise with danger. The President's tendency to see and sometimes embrace both sides of an issue was in full view yesterday. One example: "You never heard me say 'drill, baby, drill'," he said about offshore drilling. True enough - but he did say "drill," most famously a few short weeks before the BP disaster. "I don't agree with the notion that we shouldn't do (any drilling)," he said. "It turns out, by the way, that oil rigs today generally don't cause spills. They are technologically very advanced."
continued at Daily Kos....
There's a lot to admire about the President's consensus-seeking style, however frustrating it can be to activists. But his press conference yesterday, and the management problems that led up to it, show the limits of that style in times of crisis. Hopefully the oil tragedy - let's not call it a "spill" when it's more like a sustained explosion - will help the Administration understand something that seems to elude them at times: You can't negotiate with disaster or compromise with danger. The President's tendency to see and sometimes embrace both sides of an issue was in full view yesterday. One example: "You never heard me say 'drill, baby, drill'," he said about offshore drilling. True enough - but he did say "drill," most famously a few short weeks before the BP disaster. "I don't agree with the notion that we shouldn't do (any drilling)," he said. "It turns out, by the way, that oil rigs today generally don't cause spills. They are technologically very advanced."
continued at Daily Kos....
Senator Sanders Takes Action On The Oil Spill!
by slinkerwink
This is why Senator Sanders is one of our best progressive leaders in Congress. He's decided to take action by introducing legislation that bans offshore drilling: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced legislation that goes far beyond temporary bans on additional offshore drilling permits. The Vermont Independent-Socialist is calling for the reinstatement of bans that expired in 2008, which would fully prohibit permits for "exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas" on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts as well as sections of the Gulf. In short, the bill would have the effect of essentially forcing the country to go cold turkey on offshore oil consumption. "[Obama] wants a moratorium for six months. We want a permanent ban," Sanders said, in a call announcing his legislation. "I think the president is probably seriously regretting the fact that he lifted the moratorium... he is right to re-impose the moratorium as a time out." And for those who worry about the effect this would have on "oil junkies," here's a provision Senator Sanders has added to the bill that would help with oil addiction:
continued at Daily Kos....
This is why Senator Sanders is one of our best progressive leaders in Congress. He's decided to take action by introducing legislation that bans offshore drilling: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced legislation that goes far beyond temporary bans on additional offshore drilling permits. The Vermont Independent-Socialist is calling for the reinstatement of bans that expired in 2008, which would fully prohibit permits for "exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas" on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts as well as sections of the Gulf. In short, the bill would have the effect of essentially forcing the country to go cold turkey on offshore oil consumption. "[Obama] wants a moratorium for six months. We want a permanent ban," Sanders said, in a call announcing his legislation. "I think the president is probably seriously regretting the fact that he lifted the moratorium... he is right to re-impose the moratorium as a time out." And for those who worry about the effect this would have on "oil junkies," here's a provision Senator Sanders has added to the bill that would help with oil addiction:
continued at Daily Kos....
What's next for coal ash?
by Sue Sturgis
Disaster has pushed Washington to call for new standards for handling waste from coal-fired power plants. It's invited citizens to weigh in, but will their voices carry above lobbyists fighting tough regulations?
continued at Daily Kos....
Disaster has pushed Washington to call for new standards for handling waste from coal-fired power plants. It's invited citizens to weigh in, but will their voices carry above lobbyists fighting tough regulations?
continued at Daily Kos....
Scientists on the trail of some New Plumes of Unknown Origin
by jamess
Here we go again. Those Scientists are back out there, taking samples, plotting data, and Kicking Uncertainty's Butt! Underwater Oil Plume Discovered Near Mobile Bay By Bobbie O'Brien -- May 27, 2010 TAMPA -- New tests show what appears to be a massive, second underwater plume in previously untested waters northeast of the leaking BP wellhead in the Gulf of Mexico. Marine scientists have discovered a new, wide area of "dissolved hydrocarbons" in that Gulf. It is six miles wide and goes as deep as 3,300 feet. More tests are being run, but researchers from the University of South Florida suspect the plume may be from chemical dispersants used to break up the gushing oil leak a mile below the surface. They suspect the gunk to be Disperants, But HOW can you be sure -- you can't even see it! Because for most of America, those Underwater Plumes won't really exist, until they SEE them on the Evening News!
continued at Daily Kos....
Here we go again. Those Scientists are back out there, taking samples, plotting data, and Kicking Uncertainty's Butt! Underwater Oil Plume Discovered Near Mobile Bay By Bobbie O'Brien -- May 27, 2010 TAMPA -- New tests show what appears to be a massive, second underwater plume in previously untested waters northeast of the leaking BP wellhead in the Gulf of Mexico. Marine scientists have discovered a new, wide area of "dissolved hydrocarbons" in that Gulf. It is six miles wide and goes as deep as 3,300 feet. More tests are being run, but researchers from the University of South Florida suspect the plume may be from chemical dispersants used to break up the gushing oil leak a mile below the surface. They suspect the gunk to be Disperants, But HOW can you be sure -- you can't even see it! Because for most of America, those Underwater Plumes won't really exist, until they SEE them on the Evening News!
continued at Daily Kos....
Gulf Oil Rig Victims Anger Should be Shared by All
by RDemocrat
Crossposted from Hillbilly Report. In testimony about the Gulf Oil rig disaster on Thursday some victims got to air their anger on the Congressional record. Some have lost loved ones that can never be replaced, and others were encouraged to sign away their rights as victims. This did not even include the millions who will lose their livelihoods. Their rage should be felt by us all.
continued at Daily Kos....
Crossposted from Hillbilly Report. In testimony about the Gulf Oil rig disaster on Thursday some victims got to air their anger on the Congressional record. Some have lost loved ones that can never be replaced, and others were encouraged to sign away their rights as victims. This did not even include the millions who will lose their livelihoods. Their rage should be felt by us all.
continued at Daily Kos....
Great News: Indonesia Ends Its Deforestation
by LaughingPlanet
We have been getting hammered with too much bad news these days. It is time to celebrate something huge and wonderful. Indonesia Agrees to Curb Commercial Deforestation By AUBREY BELFORD Published: May 27, 2010 The deal, signed Wednesday at a climate conference in Oslo, is open to other countries and would tie the $1 billion in funding to "verified emissions reductions" as part of the United Nations-backed effort known as Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, or REDD. Under the plan, rich countries help pay for the preservation of forests in developing countries.
continued at Daily Kos....
We have been getting hammered with too much bad news these days. It is time to celebrate something huge and wonderful. Indonesia Agrees to Curb Commercial Deforestation By AUBREY BELFORD Published: May 27, 2010 The deal, signed Wednesday at a climate conference in Oslo, is open to other countries and would tie the $1 billion in funding to "verified emissions reductions" as part of the United Nations-backed effort known as Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, or REDD. Under the plan, rich countries help pay for the preservation of forests in developing countries.
continued at Daily Kos....
Mr. President, Let Us In
by Crashing Vor
Dear Mr. President: First, thank you for returning to Louisiana today to inspect the effects of the ongoing oil catastrophe and for your strong words of support to the people of the Gulf Coast. Thanks as well for your efforts to speed resources to combat this mess. Your pledge to reform the corrupt Minerals Management Service is extremely welcome. This message is not to excoriate you for failing to do things you cannot or blame you for the failings of others. It is a simple request: lower the barriers to the coast so that those who want to help can do so.
continued at Daily Kos....
Dear Mr. President: First, thank you for returning to Louisiana today to inspect the effects of the ongoing oil catastrophe and for your strong words of support to the people of the Gulf Coast. Thanks as well for your efforts to speed resources to combat this mess. Your pledge to reform the corrupt Minerals Management Service is extremely welcome. This message is not to excoriate you for failing to do things you cannot or blame you for the failings of others. It is a simple request: lower the barriers to the coast so that those who want to help can do so.
continued at Daily Kos....
No Words. Only Tears & Heartbreaking Images
by ridemybike
Today, during a House subcommittee meeting on the BP oil spill, Representative Charlie Melancon, a Democrat from Louisiana representing much of the coastal area being directly affected by the spill, broke down in tears while delivering his remarks. He started to quiver, and was unable to finish. He asked that his remarks be submitted for the record, and walked out of the hearing. His tears belong to all of us.
continued at Daily Kos....
Today, during a House subcommittee meeting on the BP oil spill, Representative Charlie Melancon, a Democrat from Louisiana representing much of the coastal area being directly affected by the spill, broke down in tears while delivering his remarks. He started to quiver, and was unable to finish. He asked that his remarks be submitted for the record, and walked out of the hearing. His tears belong to all of us.
continued at Daily Kos....
BP Top Kill Diary # 7 as of 10 pm MDT appx
by Miep
Hope i'm doing this right. This should be a subset of teh Mother Ship the Second. Don't rec this, rec the Mothership diary so that we keep this solidly on the rec list with ONE pointer only. So this is where you go to continue to comment and look at the link and read the news and tell us when people are lying and otherwise be helpful and really, really appreciated.
continued at Daily Kos....
Hope i'm doing this right. This should be a subset of teh Mother Ship the Second. Don't rec this, rec the Mothership diary so that we keep this solidly on the rec list with ONE pointer only. So this is where you go to continue to comment and look at the link and read the news and tell us when people are lying and otherwise be helpful and really, really appreciated.
continued at Daily Kos....
Thursday, May 27, 2010
How to Change US Energy in One Growing Season
by gmoke
Consistently demonstrate practical, affordable energy efficiency and renewable energy ideas, devices, and systems at the over 4000 weekly farmers' markets that take place across the USA from Memorial Day to Halloween or Thanksgiving. The people who attend farmers' markets are a core constituency for green technology and practical applications that save money, energy, and resources. They are likely to be early adopters who can spread those possibilities into the community. I've done energy demos at my local farmers' market and know that a renewable energy company sometimes participates in the year-long weekly market near Providence, RI. I wouldn't be surprised if there were more examples out there. Do energy education weekly at as many of those 4000 weekly markets as possible and over one growing season energy use and attitudes would change significantly. See Mr Franklin's Folks for one vision of how this might work.
continued at Daily Kos....
Consistently demonstrate practical, affordable energy efficiency and renewable energy ideas, devices, and systems at the over 4000 weekly farmers' markets that take place across the USA from Memorial Day to Halloween or Thanksgiving. The people who attend farmers' markets are a core constituency for green technology and practical applications that save money, energy, and resources. They are likely to be early adopters who can spread those possibilities into the community. I've done energy demos at my local farmers' market and know that a renewable energy company sometimes participates in the year-long weekly market near Providence, RI. I wouldn't be surprised if there were more examples out there. Do energy education weekly at as many of those 4000 weekly markets as possible and over one growing season energy use and attitudes would change significantly. See Mr Franklin's Folks for one vision of how this might work.
continued at Daily Kos....
Thursday Night Express: High Speed Rail, Rapid Streetcars, and Democracy
by BruceMcF
Burning the Midnight Oil for Living Energy Independence Welcome to the Thursday Night Express. This is a new service joining the Sunday Train. In Sunday Train, I try to dig into some information related to energy independent transport and share what details I can find. And of course, some people have time to ride the Sunday Train, and some people do not have the time to spare. The Thursday Evening Express is an experiment that will pick three specific topics, primarily from the previous Sunday Train, and present three short arguments in two to three paragraphs.
continued at Daily Kos....
Burning the Midnight Oil for Living Energy Independence Welcome to the Thursday Night Express. This is a new service joining the Sunday Train. In Sunday Train, I try to dig into some information related to energy independent transport and share what details I can find. And of course, some people have time to ride the Sunday Train, and some people do not have the time to spare. The Thursday Evening Express is an experiment that will pick three specific topics, primarily from the previous Sunday Train, and present three short arguments in two to three paragraphs.
continued at Daily Kos....
BP Blaming Employees For The Gusher
by Edger
Crossposted from Antemedius It now appears that BP, while attempting to plug the gusher with their so called "top kill" operation, has moved to trying to blame the Deepwater Horizon platform explosion and the BP oil gusher in the Gulf on it's employees who were on the platform at the time of the explosion. In this short clip from CBS Wednesday, beginning at the 1:26 minute mark, you hear CBS News Correspondent Mark Strassman say that... BP officials have told congressional investigators that right before the rig exploded, workers on it ignored strong warning signs - equipment readings that something was terribly wrong, including contaminated cement and leaking gas, signs that the rig could blow - and two hours later, it did.
continued at Daily Kos....
Crossposted from Antemedius It now appears that BP, while attempting to plug the gusher with their so called "top kill" operation, has moved to trying to blame the Deepwater Horizon platform explosion and the BP oil gusher in the Gulf on it's employees who were on the platform at the time of the explosion. In this short clip from CBS Wednesday, beginning at the 1:26 minute mark, you hear CBS News Correspondent Mark Strassman say that... BP officials have told congressional investigators that right before the rig exploded, workers on it ignored strong warning signs - equipment readings that something was terribly wrong, including contaminated cement and leaking gas, signs that the rig could blow - and two hours later, it did.
continued at Daily Kos....
Sponsored by BP; The Gulf of Mexico. FYYFF!
by eb23
So my girl and i got to play tourist last week at home here in New Orleans. We went to the Aquarium of the Americas. It was beautiful. It was fun. And it was also sad. But the thing that ticked me off the most was this image: Uploaded with ImageShack.us All i have to say to you BP is this; FYYFF! follow me below the fold while i rant a bit....
continued at Daily Kos....
So my girl and i got to play tourist last week at home here in New Orleans. We went to the Aquarium of the Americas. It was beautiful. It was fun. And it was also sad. But the thing that ticked me off the most was this image: Uploaded with ImageShack.us All i have to say to you BP is this; FYYFF! follow me below the fold while i rant a bit....
continued at Daily Kos....
2nd undersea oil plume discovered in the gulf - updated
by joanil
This just gets worse and worse. A second, huge undersea oil plume has been discovered in the gulf waters.
continued at Daily Kos....
This just gets worse and worse. A second, huge undersea oil plume has been discovered in the gulf waters.
continued at Daily Kos....
BP Wants Judge With Ties to Big Oil
by Steven D
While BP's engineers, and all the other industry experts arrayed to assist them, are praying that the "Top Kill" procedure to end all the oil leaking into the Gulf works (it's still too soon to know), BP's legal team is deeply involved solving a different crisis: how to limit BP's liability for the mess it created. So it should come as no surprise that BP wants only one judge to handle all litigation involving the Deep Horizon disaster, a judge with troubling ties to the oil industry:
continued at Daily Kos....
While BP's engineers, and all the other industry experts arrayed to assist them, are praying that the "Top Kill" procedure to end all the oil leaking into the Gulf works (it's still too soon to know), BP's legal team is deeply involved solving a different crisis: how to limit BP's liability for the mess it created. So it should come as no surprise that BP wants only one judge to handle all litigation involving the Deep Horizon disaster, a judge with troubling ties to the oil industry:
continued at Daily Kos....
Salazar Delays Arctic Drilling!
by Senor Unoball
In light of the Gulf gusher, the Obama administration is apparently backing down from proposed oil drilling that was slated to begin this summer in the Arctic Ocean. Shell had proposed exploratory drilling in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas; this drilling is now said to be on hold for at least a year. This is great news for environmentalists and those who care for the Arctic ecosystems!
continued at Daily Kos....
In light of the Gulf gusher, the Obama administration is apparently backing down from proposed oil drilling that was slated to begin this summer in the Arctic Ocean. Shell had proposed exploratory drilling in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas; this drilling is now said to be on hold for at least a year. This is great news for environmentalists and those who care for the Arctic ecosystems!
continued at Daily Kos....
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
eKos Earthship Wednesday: "it's the climate, stupid!"
by eKos
Welcome to the eKos Earthship, your one-stop-shop for green diaries and series. As an added bonus, today's Earthship hosts Edition #7 of Laughing Planet's This week in climate change. All hands on deck! Hoist the cyber sails. We launch with climate news, announcements, today's eco-diary roundup, and our environmental video of the day. BTW, follow us on Twitter! and tweet us above with the #ekos tag! Tonight's Commander is boatsie
continued at Daily Kos....
Welcome to the eKos Earthship, your one-stop-shop for green diaries and series. As an added bonus, today's Earthship hosts Edition #7 of Laughing Planet's This week in climate change. All hands on deck! Hoist the cyber sails. We launch with climate news, announcements, today's eco-diary roundup, and our environmental video of the day. BTW, follow us on Twitter! and tweet us above with the #ekos tag! Tonight's Commander is boatsie
continued at Daily Kos....
BP Caught Lying About The Oil Spill Estimate!
by slinkerwink
This report by Bloomberg basically confirms what we've known all along---BP was lying about the original oil estimate from the start. They knew the oil estimate could possibly be higher than the 1,000 barrels a day, and this is precisely why we've needed an independent official estimate of the oil spill----and we still don't have that estimate. May 26 (Bloomberg) -- A BP Plc document shows the company’s well in the Gulf of Mexico may be leaking about 14,000 barrels of oil a day, more than publicly estimated, U.S. Representative Edward Markey said today. The internal BP document from April 27 put a high estimate for the leak at 14,266 barrels a day, Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, said today at a House Natural Resources Committee hearing. At the time, BP was saying publicly that its well was leaking 1,000 barrels a day, Markey said. Please read for more information about the BP internal document below the jump, and the excellent work that Representative Markey (D-MA) has done on this issue:
continued at Daily Kos....
This report by Bloomberg basically confirms what we've known all along---BP was lying about the original oil estimate from the start. They knew the oil estimate could possibly be higher than the 1,000 barrels a day, and this is precisely why we've needed an independent official estimate of the oil spill----and we still don't have that estimate. May 26 (Bloomberg) -- A BP Plc document shows the company’s well in the Gulf of Mexico may be leaking about 14,000 barrels of oil a day, more than publicly estimated, U.S. Representative Edward Markey said today. The internal BP document from April 27 put a high estimate for the leak at 14,266 barrels a day, Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, said today at a House Natural Resources Committee hearing. At the time, BP was saying publicly that its well was leaking 1,000 barrels a day, Markey said. Please read for more information about the BP internal document below the jump, and the excellent work that Representative Markey (D-MA) has done on this issue:
continued at Daily Kos....
EcoAdvocates: Where the Buffalo Don't Yet Roam
by Meteor Blades
"The buffalo are disappearing rapidly, but not faster than I desire. I regard the destruction of such game as Indians subsist upon as facilitating the policy of the Government, of destroying their hunting habits, coercing them on reservations, and compelling them to begin to adopt the habits of civilization." – Secretary of the Interior Columbus Delano, Testimony to Congress, 1874 The Wasichus [white men] did not kill them to eat, they killed them for the metal that makes them crazy, and they took only the hides to sell. Sometimes they did not even take the hides, only the tongues. You can see that the men who did this were crazy. Sometimes they did not even take the tongues; they just killed and killed because they liked to do that. When we hunted bison, we killed only what we needed. And when there was nothing left but heaps of bones, the Wasichus came and gathered up even the bones and sold them." – Lakota shaman Black Elk in Black Elk Speaks, 1932 By 1870, the great herds of buffalo, or American Bison, that had in the 1500s roamed everywhere except present-day New England, were limited to 11 Western states and territories. There were still millions of them, perhaps 40 million. The massive slaughter that began in earnest in 1874 ended nine years later. By 1890, only 500 bison remained, and the devastated, decimated tribes who had depended on them were confined to reservations. Today, there are around 400,000 fenced bison in commercial herds, most of them genetically intermixed with cattle breeds and sold for meat domestically and abroad. But over the past 23 years, there has been a movement to repopulate the lightly populated areas of the West with vast new herds of genetically pure bison. That idea began with Deborah Epstein Popper and Frank J. Popper in a 1987 article in Planning, The Great Plains: From Dust to Dust.
continued at Daily Kos....
"The buffalo are disappearing rapidly, but not faster than I desire. I regard the destruction of such game as Indians subsist upon as facilitating the policy of the Government, of destroying their hunting habits, coercing them on reservations, and compelling them to begin to adopt the habits of civilization." – Secretary of the Interior Columbus Delano, Testimony to Congress, 1874 The Wasichus [white men] did not kill them to eat, they killed them for the metal that makes them crazy, and they took only the hides to sell. Sometimes they did not even take the hides, only the tongues. You can see that the men who did this were crazy. Sometimes they did not even take the tongues; they just killed and killed because they liked to do that. When we hunted bison, we killed only what we needed. And when there was nothing left but heaps of bones, the Wasichus came and gathered up even the bones and sold them." – Lakota shaman Black Elk in Black Elk Speaks, 1932 By 1870, the great herds of buffalo, or American Bison, that had in the 1500s roamed everywhere except present-day New England, were limited to 11 Western states and territories. There were still millions of them, perhaps 40 million. The massive slaughter that began in earnest in 1874 ended nine years later. By 1890, only 500 bison remained, and the devastated, decimated tribes who had depended on them were confined to reservations. Today, there are around 400,000 fenced bison in commercial herds, most of them genetically intermixed with cattle breeds and sold for meat domestically and abroad. But over the past 23 years, there has been a movement to repopulate the lightly populated areas of the West with vast new herds of genetically pure bison. That idea began with Deborah Epstein Popper and Frank J. Popper in a 1987 article in Planning, The Great Plains: From Dust to Dust.
continued at Daily Kos....
Another Oil Spill in Alaska
by Quite Contrary
Perhaps the MSM would have picked this up if it weren't for the Mother of All Oil Spills in the Gulf. http://www.adn.com/... Alyeska 'may have dropped ball,' official says The trans-Alaska pipeline remained shut down today as responders took a cautious approach to cleaning up thousands of barrels of crude oil that spilled into a containment area at a pump station. Investigators from six state and federal agencies have arrived or are on their way to the pump station near Delta Junction to investigate the accident there...
continued at Daily Kos....
Perhaps the MSM would have picked this up if it weren't for the Mother of All Oil Spills in the Gulf. http://www.adn.com/... Alyeska 'may have dropped ball,' official says The trans-Alaska pipeline remained shut down today as responders took a cautious approach to cleaning up thousands of barrels of crude oil that spilled into a containment area at a pump station. Investigators from six state and federal agencies have arrived or are on their way to the pump station near Delta Junction to investigate the accident there...
continued at Daily Kos....
This is not the candy store of the oil and gas kingdom...
by zapus
Obama's Interior Secretary delivers a scorcher on Lamborn (Idiot R-CO) No matter what you think of Ken Salazar (he's taken a somewhat undeserved beating on this site, IMO), this was a sweet truth laid on a Repug nit-wit from Colorado Springs... See this and more below the fold...
continued at Daily Kos....
Obama's Interior Secretary delivers a scorcher on Lamborn (Idiot R-CO) No matter what you think of Ken Salazar (he's taken a somewhat undeserved beating on this site, IMO), this was a sweet truth laid on a Repug nit-wit from Colorado Springs... See this and more below the fold...
continued at Daily Kos....
“Greening” Fisheries Could Calm Troubled Waters
by BorderJumpers
Cross posted from Worldwatch Institute's Nourishing the Planet.
continued at Daily Kos....
Cross posted from Worldwatch Institute's Nourishing the Planet.
continued at Daily Kos....
A U.S. success story in bicycling: Davis, CA
by pat of butter in a sea of grits
How do we improve the ability to bicycle in the United States? I thought I'd share some information from a success story, Davis, California, the first (and one of only three) U.S. cities to have earned a Platinum Level award from the League of American Bicyclists. The other two are Boulder and Portland.
continued at Daily Kos....
How do we improve the ability to bicycle in the United States? I thought I'd share some information from a success story, Davis, California, the first (and one of only three) U.S. cities to have earned a Platinum Level award from the League of American Bicyclists. The other two are Boulder and Portland.
continued at Daily Kos....
Nalco: Profiting from the Gulf environmental catastrophe
by Eclectablog
Ahh, Nalco. Such a truly wonderful chemical company you are. Making over $100 MILLION PER QUARTER in profits. And such a caring, environmentally and socially-conscious company, too. Why, they only sold $40 MILLION worth of dispersants in one month. Heck that's nuthin'...
continued at Daily Kos....
Ahh, Nalco. Such a truly wonderful chemical company you are. Making over $100 MILLION PER QUARTER in profits. And such a caring, environmentally and socially-conscious company, too. Why, they only sold $40 MILLION worth of dispersants in one month. Heck that's nuthin'...
continued at Daily Kos....
Climate Skeptics Win Debate at Oxford
by pragprogress
Last week, members of the historic Oxford Union Society, "the world’s premier debating society", held a debate on climate change policy, with skeptics carrying the day by a vote of 135 to 110. Some may argue that the debate was a bit "stacked" given that it was sponsored by the Science and Public Policy Institute, an organization whose mission statement includes the following: The Institute urges critical appraisal of legislative "climate fixes" for their social, political, and economic and security costs, along with their relative utility or futility. Proposals demanding prodigious economic or political sacrifices for the sake of negligible climatic benefits should be rejected in favor of policies to address graver, more immediate concerns about which something constructive can actually be done.
continued at Daily Kos....
Last week, members of the historic Oxford Union Society, "the world’s premier debating society", held a debate on climate change policy, with skeptics carrying the day by a vote of 135 to 110. Some may argue that the debate was a bit "stacked" given that it was sponsored by the Science and Public Policy Institute, an organization whose mission statement includes the following: The Institute urges critical appraisal of legislative "climate fixes" for their social, political, and economic and security costs, along with their relative utility or futility. Proposals demanding prodigious economic or political sacrifices for the sake of negligible climatic benefits should be rejected in favor of policies to address graver, more immediate concerns about which something constructive can actually be done.
continued at Daily Kos....
To Pres. Obama & Members of Congress Given the Gulf Environmental Emergency - Please Nationalize BP!
by Democrats Ramshield
This action diary asks you to write to the your members of Congress to request that they immediately take action given the environmental emergency in the Gulf to nationalize British Petroleum and to conduct a full and fair investigation, which would bring all culpable parties to justice. Effects of Oil on Wildlife & Habitat Oil has the potential to persist in the environment long after a spill event and has been detected in sediment 30 years after a spill. From The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Dead Dolphins Wash Ashore Along Gulf After BP Oil Spill The diary contains video which gives a quick informed overview including reporters during a White House briefing asking why doesn't the government move immediately to nationalize BP? Let's understand that doing nothing will cost the Obama administration the next election.
continued at Daily Kos....
This action diary asks you to write to the your members of Congress to request that they immediately take action given the environmental emergency in the Gulf to nationalize British Petroleum and to conduct a full and fair investigation, which would bring all culpable parties to justice. Effects of Oil on Wildlife & Habitat Oil has the potential to persist in the environment long after a spill event and has been detected in sediment 30 years after a spill. From The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Dead Dolphins Wash Ashore Along Gulf After BP Oil Spill The diary contains video which gives a quick informed overview including reporters during a White House briefing asking why doesn't the government move immediately to nationalize BP? Let's understand that doing nothing will cost the Obama administration the next election.
continued at Daily Kos....
Bikers: Stop Ruining the Environment
by CheckRaise
I’m hoping that the current Gulf disaster encourages many more people to grab a bike and help cut our dependence on oil. TheFatLadySings has a great diary on the rec list with a video at the end showing bikers during rush hour in the Netherlands. It got me thinking about bike commuting, and it’s always been on my mind to write a diary about this topic. I’ve discovered over the past 3 years of commuting to work by bike that it’s possible to be an irresponsible biker. Though you may save gas at the pump, if you’re not conscientious, you may end up using more oil than you have to. Join me after the jump for the details.
continued at Daily Kos....
I’m hoping that the current Gulf disaster encourages many more people to grab a bike and help cut our dependence on oil. TheFatLadySings has a great diary on the rec list with a video at the end showing bikers during rush hour in the Netherlands. It got me thinking about bike commuting, and it’s always been on my mind to write a diary about this topic. I’ve discovered over the past 3 years of commuting to work by bike that it’s possible to be an irresponsible biker. Though you may save gas at the pump, if you’re not conscientious, you may end up using more oil than you have to. Join me after the jump for the details.
continued at Daily Kos....
Cuba Diaries: My Trip to Peak Oil
by Jill Richardson
With oil filling up the Gulf, I figured a diary about a country that got itself (mostly) off oil is a good idea. When the USSR collapsed, Cuba ran out of most of its oil nearly overnight. For the first four years, Cubans starved. Without agrochemicals and imports, they couldn't feed themselves. Then, out of necessity, they developed a system of agroecology and urban agriculture. Today, Cuba's one of the world's meccas of sustainable agriculture. I've just returned from spending 10 days there, visiting urban farms and gardens. The U.S. has a lot we could learn from Cuba. Travel to Cuba is restricted, although my trip was legal. The trip was ridiculously expensive - double or triple what a trip to elsewhere in Latin America would cost for the same thing - partially due to the requirements to get there legally. I urge you to please write your Congresscritters and Obama to end the blockade and embargo on Cuba. The Cuban people are unfairly its victims and the policies are outdated, silly, and cruel. Here's some info on how Cuba got off oil.
continued at Daily Kos....
With oil filling up the Gulf, I figured a diary about a country that got itself (mostly) off oil is a good idea. When the USSR collapsed, Cuba ran out of most of its oil nearly overnight. For the first four years, Cubans starved. Without agrochemicals and imports, they couldn't feed themselves. Then, out of necessity, they developed a system of agroecology and urban agriculture. Today, Cuba's one of the world's meccas of sustainable agriculture. I've just returned from spending 10 days there, visiting urban farms and gardens. The U.S. has a lot we could learn from Cuba. Travel to Cuba is restricted, although my trip was legal. The trip was ridiculously expensive - double or triple what a trip to elsewhere in Latin America would cost for the same thing - partially due to the requirements to get there legally. I urge you to please write your Congresscritters and Obama to end the blockade and embargo on Cuba. The Cuban people are unfairly its victims and the policies are outdated, silly, and cruel. Here's some info on how Cuba got off oil.
continued at Daily Kos....
Top Kill has begun! Update #2, with multi view link.
by Tomtech
According to tweets from BP the top kill procedure has begun. Oil_Spill_2010 RT @BP_America: BP has started"top kill" operations to stop the flow of oil from the MC252 well in the Gulf of Mexico. #oilspill [Update #1] BP has changed the source of their video feed. It now shows a close up of the blow out preventer. [Update #2] CNN has a multi camera view available here.
continued at Daily Kos....
According to tweets from BP the top kill procedure has begun. Oil_Spill_2010 RT @BP_America: BP has started"top kill" operations to stop the flow of oil from the MC252 well in the Gulf of Mexico. #oilspill [Update #1] BP has changed the source of their video feed. It now shows a close up of the blow out preventer. [Update #2] CNN has a multi camera view available here.
continued at Daily Kos....
What Our Leaders Can Do
by JRandomPoster
There's been a lot of talk about what our leaders can - and should - be doing to address the Gulf catastrophe. This is a time when we need strong leadership. And I'm not talking about waving some magic wand, or having the President personally plug the leak. I'm quite cognizant of the fact that there are no known good solutions at this point in time. But there are actions that can be taken to lead us both towards a solution to the ongoing crisis, towards prevention of further drilling incidents, and towards breaking our addiction to the wasteful use of our energy and resources that can be taken, and taken now. These are pragmatic actions that lead towards a stronger nation and towards ensuring that future generations have at least some resources and energy supplies. Furthermore, they are actions that would increase political capitol and push the electoral calculus in favor of our Democratic leaders.
continued at Daily Kos....
There's been a lot of talk about what our leaders can - and should - be doing to address the Gulf catastrophe. This is a time when we need strong leadership. And I'm not talking about waving some magic wand, or having the President personally plug the leak. I'm quite cognizant of the fact that there are no known good solutions at this point in time. But there are actions that can be taken to lead us both towards a solution to the ongoing crisis, towards prevention of further drilling incidents, and towards breaking our addiction to the wasteful use of our energy and resources that can be taken, and taken now. These are pragmatic actions that lead towards a stronger nation and towards ensuring that future generations have at least some resources and energy supplies. Furthermore, they are actions that would increase political capitol and push the electoral calculus in favor of our Democratic leaders.
continued at Daily Kos....
DOI: Drilling Regulators Ethics Violations. With Friends Like These...
by Gangster Octopus
Yesterday the Office of the Inspector General released a report which addresses a number of allegations that Minerals Management For a brief overview you can go to ProPublica but here is a snippet: The Department of the Interior’s Office of the Inspector General released a report [2] this morning indicating as much. At one Gulf Coast office of MMS, agency officials attended sporting events [3] on the dime of oil companies, stored porn [4] on company computers, used cocaine and crystal meth [4], and falsified inspection reports [5].
continued at Daily Kos....
Yesterday the Office of the Inspector General released a report which addresses a number of allegations that Minerals Management For a brief overview you can go to ProPublica but here is a snippet: The Department of the Interior’s Office of the Inspector General released a report [2] this morning indicating as much. At one Gulf Coast office of MMS, agency officials attended sporting events [3] on the dime of oil companies, stored porn [4] on company computers, used cocaine and crystal meth [4], and falsified inspection reports [5].
continued at Daily Kos....
Power politics: Utilities vs. coal ash regulation
by Sue Sturgis
After years of inaction, federal officials are mulling new regulations to confront the growing problem of coal ash. But energy companies have fought off regulation before, and they're fighting the new rules every step of the way.
continued at Daily Kos....
After years of inaction, federal officials are mulling new regulations to confront the growing problem of coal ash. But energy companies have fought off regulation before, and they're fighting the new rules every step of the way.
continued at Daily Kos....
Even worse: shallow oil pipelines in dying wetlands
by mwmwm
So I'm mesmerized in horror, watching the hypnotic gush of the live feed. I'm groaning over the ocean life that will die unnoticed in the deep, after ingesting toxic dispersants and more-toxic oil. I'm grieving for the oil-soaked wetlands, and all those to come, suffocated by the black coating of our collective addiction to cheap energy. And then: The National Geographic reports on a problem that I'd not considered: a feedback system that I fear will consume the life and livelihoods of the coast.
continued at Daily Kos....
So I'm mesmerized in horror, watching the hypnotic gush of the live feed. I'm groaning over the ocean life that will die unnoticed in the deep, after ingesting toxic dispersants and more-toxic oil. I'm grieving for the oil-soaked wetlands, and all those to come, suffocated by the black coating of our collective addiction to cheap energy. And then: The National Geographic reports on a problem that I'd not considered: a feedback system that I fear will consume the life and livelihoods of the coast.
continued at Daily Kos....
About that Oil Spill ........Leak........Whatever you want to call it
by TheRealAlasandra
Gov. Haley Barbour said he doesn’t think the Deepwater Horizon oil spill should mark the end of offshore drilling in the United States Rumor has it Haley Barbour was considering running for President. Considering his handling of the oil spill "no big deal according to him" I doubt he could get elected dog catcher. At least not by anyone who actually cares about our environment.
continued at Daily Kos....
Gov. Haley Barbour said he doesn’t think the Deepwater Horizon oil spill should mark the end of offshore drilling in the United States Rumor has it Haley Barbour was considering running for President. Considering his handling of the oil spill "no big deal according to him" I doubt he could get elected dog catcher. At least not by anyone who actually cares about our environment.
continued at Daily Kos....
the circuitous path of tracking those undersea oil plumes
by jamess
Gulf oil plume darker; not good news, expert says By SETH BORENSTEIN -- May 25, 2010 The color of the oil gushing from the main pipe has changed in color from medium gray to black. Two scientists noticed the change, which oil company BP downplayed as a natural fluctuation that is not likely permanent. But engineering professor Bob Bea at the University of California at Berkeley says the color change may indicate the BP leak has hit a reservoir of more oil and less gas. Gas is less polluting because it evaporates. Bea has spent more than 55 years working and studying oil rigs. Sounds serious. Too bad we can't get any submarines down there to start tracking all that Oil, which scientists previously reported, looked to be spreading far and wide, at the mid-levels of the Gulf waters. Luckily, the Scientist behind the first effort to track the underwater oil plumes, is mounting a second effort, with some new sciencey gadgets ...
continued at Daily Kos....
Gulf oil plume darker; not good news, expert says By SETH BORENSTEIN -- May 25, 2010 The color of the oil gushing from the main pipe has changed in color from medium gray to black. Two scientists noticed the change, which oil company BP downplayed as a natural fluctuation that is not likely permanent. But engineering professor Bob Bea at the University of California at Berkeley says the color change may indicate the BP leak has hit a reservoir of more oil and less gas. Gas is less polluting because it evaporates. Bea has spent more than 55 years working and studying oil rigs. Sounds serious. Too bad we can't get any submarines down there to start tracking all that Oil, which scientists previously reported, looked to be spreading far and wide, at the mid-levels of the Gulf waters. Luckily, the Scientist behind the first effort to track the underwater oil plumes, is mounting a second effort, with some new sciencey gadgets ...
continued at Daily Kos....
Algae Bloom Dead Zones in the Great Lakes
by Muskegon Critic
I'll get to my environmental topic in a moment, plus a little extra BP angry-candy. But first, it's been hot. Crazy hot. To give you an idea of how crazy hot, last frost isn't until June 4th here. And yet it's been getting close to the 90s. We've had an early summer here this year, and people are doing the Summer thing early, dressing down to their swimmies and heading down to the water's edge to get some cool, free relief from the heat...and maybe to watch other people who have dressed down to their swimmies. Today I went down to the Big Lake on another beautiful day and found a thin, green film floating atop the water. Algae. Growing in the heat.
continued at Daily Kos....
I'll get to my environmental topic in a moment, plus a little extra BP angry-candy. But first, it's been hot. Crazy hot. To give you an idea of how crazy hot, last frost isn't until June 4th here. And yet it's been getting close to the 90s. We've had an early summer here this year, and people are doing the Summer thing early, dressing down to their swimmies and heading down to the water's edge to get some cool, free relief from the heat...and maybe to watch other people who have dressed down to their swimmies. Today I went down to the Big Lake on another beautiful day and found a thin, green film floating atop the water. Algae. Growing in the heat.
continued at Daily Kos....
BP Disaster – Insurance and Risk
by Sara R
A friend made the comment that BP was fully insured for the Deepwater Horizon loss. I did some looking – and was shocked to find that, not only is BP self-insured by a captive insurer and it does not look like they reinsured. I’ll get back to this momentarily – but wanted to share some questions first. If there were interested insurers in the picture, would mitigation of the loss be further along? I’m curious. At the risk of comparing apples and oranges, I have a bone to pick. It was recently mandated that the American people will be required to buy insurance on their own health. Why then are large corporations not required to have the risks of their business better covered than BP’s well was, especially in such environmentally sensitive ventures such as off-shore drilling? Apparently, BP made a business decision not to purchase insurance and not to purchase reinsurance. Did the company at all properly assess the amount of risk they were taking on themselves with their off-shore wells has the drilling been a blind gamble?
continued at Daily Kos....
A friend made the comment that BP was fully insured for the Deepwater Horizon loss. I did some looking – and was shocked to find that, not only is BP self-insured by a captive insurer and it does not look like they reinsured. I’ll get back to this momentarily – but wanted to share some questions first. If there were interested insurers in the picture, would mitigation of the loss be further along? I’m curious. At the risk of comparing apples and oranges, I have a bone to pick. It was recently mandated that the American people will be required to buy insurance on their own health. Why then are large corporations not required to have the risks of their business better covered than BP’s well was, especially in such environmentally sensitive ventures such as off-shore drilling? Apparently, BP made a business decision not to purchase insurance and not to purchase reinsurance. Did the company at all properly assess the amount of risk they were taking on themselves with their off-shore wells has the drilling been a blind gamble?
continued at Daily Kos....
Big Eels and Fish That Fly - A Hawai'ian Photo Diary
by Haole in Hawaii
This is another in a series of diaries offered as a distraction from the struggle of the day, a brief respite from meta wars, and a reminder that the world is full of amazing critters. Of course with the ongoing disaster in the Gulf any photos of marine life may take on a little greater significance. I hope you enjoy your visit here. Makaha Valley
continued at Daily Kos....
This is another in a series of diaries offered as a distraction from the struggle of the day, a brief respite from meta wars, and a reminder that the world is full of amazing critters. Of course with the ongoing disaster in the Gulf any photos of marine life may take on a little greater significance. I hope you enjoy your visit here. Makaha Valley
continued at Daily Kos....
The MMS Division is doing things "Big Pimpin' Style"
by icebergslim
The President tells an aide: PLUG THE DAMN HOLE.... My sentiments too, because this is becoming an embarrassment of the highest caliber and it falls under the Obama Watch. Yes, the Obama Watch. Even though we KNOW that this despicable department had all kind of bullshit, and illegal bullshit attached to it while Bush Co. was in charge, the problem is that it never was FIXED. And we are in year two of the Obama Watch. Thus.... it falls under our watch.
continued at Daily Kos....
The President tells an aide: PLUG THE DAMN HOLE.... My sentiments too, because this is becoming an embarrassment of the highest caliber and it falls under the Obama Watch. Yes, the Obama Watch. Even though we KNOW that this despicable department had all kind of bullshit, and illegal bullshit attached to it while Bush Co. was in charge, the problem is that it never was FIXED. And we are in year two of the Obama Watch. Thus.... it falls under our watch.
continued at Daily Kos....
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Go to the spill cam: Operation Top Kill Has Started
by Zwoof
BREAKING: Sorry, don't have time to type 300 words or whatever... It looks like they are trying something. All kinds of movement. http://www.bp.com/... Hope this works. Robots are dancing in the deep.
continued at Daily Kos....
BREAKING: Sorry, don't have time to type 300 words or whatever... It looks like they are trying something. All kinds of movement. http://www.bp.com/... Hope this works. Robots are dancing in the deep.
continued at Daily Kos....
Good News On Government Response To Oil Spill
by slinkerwink
The Wall-Street Journal has reported the latest actions the government has taken in response to the oil spill, and I'm in approval of these actions: WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama, fighting to stay ahead of the political storm over the Gulf oil spill, is expected to announce on Thursday that the government will impose tougher safety requirements and more rigorous inspections on off-shore drilling operations. ... BP has said it will attempt the operation today. After initially balking a broadcasting the attempt on its live Internet feed, the firm relented at the request of the president and the administration response team, an administration official said. Company officials have cautioned the maneuver has never been done in such deep water. The leaking well is a mile below the surface. Please read for more good news on the government response so far below the jump:
continued at Daily Kos....
The Wall-Street Journal has reported the latest actions the government has taken in response to the oil spill, and I'm in approval of these actions: WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama, fighting to stay ahead of the political storm over the Gulf oil spill, is expected to announce on Thursday that the government will impose tougher safety requirements and more rigorous inspections on off-shore drilling operations. ... BP has said it will attempt the operation today. After initially balking a broadcasting the attempt on its live Internet feed, the firm relented at the request of the president and the administration response team, an administration official said. Company officials have cautioned the maneuver has never been done in such deep water. The leaking well is a mile below the surface. Please read for more good news on the government response so far below the jump:
continued at Daily Kos....
Preparations for Top kill and Live Video Analysis
by yuriwho
For those actually interested in the details and trying to make sense of the images/video from the live feed this diary can be a place to discuss them. First, here's BP's technical briefing from yesterday describing the various things they are considering trying. (I STRONGLY RECOMMEND WATCHING THIS!) Starting on Saturday, people viewing the live feed noticed that there were some strange events happening at the main leak pipe typically shown in the live feeds from the video. A blog post by some guy named monkeyfister claimed these were sub-sea blowouts. After further reading & analysis it appears these were the first tests of the planned top kill operation. Live Video Links: http://www.bp.com/... http://www.cnn.com/ (look for Live: underwater view of leak in the left column)
continued at Daily Kos....
For those actually interested in the details and trying to make sense of the images/video from the live feed this diary can be a place to discuss them. First, here's BP's technical briefing from yesterday describing the various things they are considering trying. (I STRONGLY RECOMMEND WATCHING THIS!) Starting on Saturday, people viewing the live feed noticed that there were some strange events happening at the main leak pipe typically shown in the live feeds from the video. A blog post by some guy named monkeyfister claimed these were sub-sea blowouts. After further reading & analysis it appears these were the first tests of the planned top kill operation. Live Video Links: http://www.bp.com/... http://www.cnn.com/ (look for Live: underwater view of leak in the left column)
continued at Daily Kos....
"BP's Interests are Not the same as America's Interests"
by Unenergy
I've been thinking about the outrage shifting, the blame game going on right now and just want to give you my thoughts on what is happening with respect to spin and the Gulf Gusher disaster. In July 2009, at a lecture to the Stanford Business School, the CEO of British Petroleum Tony Hayward explained to attendees that BP was going in the wrong direction before he took over as CEO because, "we had too many people that were working to save the world." This is the Youtube Video : BP's CEO Tony Hayward
continued at Daily Kos....
I've been thinking about the outrage shifting, the blame game going on right now and just want to give you my thoughts on what is happening with respect to spin and the Gulf Gusher disaster. In July 2009, at a lecture to the Stanford Business School, the CEO of British Petroleum Tony Hayward explained to attendees that BP was going in the wrong direction before he took over as CEO because, "we had too many people that were working to save the world." This is the Youtube Video : BP's CEO Tony Hayward
continued at Daily Kos....
Peak Oil + Lemon Socialism = Oilpocolypses
by chapter1
Peak Oil holds that, due to fundamental limitations of geology, the easy and cheap oil is mostly gone, and "we" must now drill for expensive, hard-to-reach oil. "Lemon socialism" is a shorthand for "privatizing profits and socializing losses." In the case of oil drilling, it means that the drilling companies will keep the profits from the high price of oil, while shifting the cost of drilling to others. The damage to the Gulf is a classic (and tragic) example. Drilling in mile-deep waters is necessary (if we are to continue to maintain supply in the face of Peak Oil) and it is expensive. Most of the expense is due to mitigating risk. So BP and friends keep profit for themselves, while ignoring risk-- i.e., shifting it to society. In this case, the costs were paid by all of us, especially shrimp fishermen, folks dependent on Gulf tourism, etc. In a minute, I'll tell you the bad news.
continued at Daily Kos....
Peak Oil holds that, due to fundamental limitations of geology, the easy and cheap oil is mostly gone, and "we" must now drill for expensive, hard-to-reach oil. "Lemon socialism" is a shorthand for "privatizing profits and socializing losses." In the case of oil drilling, it means that the drilling companies will keep the profits from the high price of oil, while shifting the cost of drilling to others. The damage to the Gulf is a classic (and tragic) example. Drilling in mile-deep waters is necessary (if we are to continue to maintain supply in the face of Peak Oil) and it is expensive. Most of the expense is due to mitigating risk. So BP and friends keep profit for themselves, while ignoring risk-- i.e., shifting it to society. In this case, the costs were paid by all of us, especially shrimp fishermen, folks dependent on Gulf tourism, etc. In a minute, I'll tell you the bad news.
continued at Daily Kos....
BP could face fines of up to $60 billion in Deepwater Disaster
by erratic
According to The Guardian, which reliably has interesting stories on US and global news from a different (and often more informed) perspective than the US news machine, has received confidential information about additional fines being considered. According to the article BP faces extra $60bn in legal costs as US loses patience with Gulf clean-up , The oil disaster unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico could present BP with much higher costs than previously thought as a result of US government penalties of up to $60bn (£40bn), according to City analysts. The penalties are in addition to BP's already huge bill for the clean-up mission, which stood at $760m yesterday, and potentially unlimited damages payable by the company to fishermen and other affected local communities. BP also faces billions of dollars of lost earnings as a result of its damaged reputation in the US, which could result in it being barred from bidding for future contracts.
continued at Daily Kos....
According to The Guardian, which reliably has interesting stories on US and global news from a different (and often more informed) perspective than the US news machine, has received confidential information about additional fines being considered. According to the article BP faces extra $60bn in legal costs as US loses patience with Gulf clean-up , The oil disaster unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico could present BP with much higher costs than previously thought as a result of US government penalties of up to $60bn (£40bn), according to City analysts. The penalties are in addition to BP's already huge bill for the clean-up mission, which stood at $760m yesterday, and potentially unlimited damages payable by the company to fishermen and other affected local communities. BP also faces billions of dollars of lost earnings as a result of its damaged reputation in the US, which could result in it being barred from bidding for future contracts.
continued at Daily Kos....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)