It’s not surprising that young Dorothy, discovering that this isn’t Kansas anymore, would say “Oh My!” over the prospect of lions and ligers and bears. I’m not so young or innocent, but I’m saying “Oh My!” over the prospect of the Walruses and Sea Lions and Seals that BP promised to protect in the Gulf of Mexico. That isn’t the worst of it!
An oceanographer just back from two weeks of taking water samples in the Gulf of Mexico told a House panel on Wednesday that BP officials are utterly wrong to keep saying there are no large masses of oil lurking below the surface.
"I think part of the problem is that it depends on what the definition of ‘large’ is," said Samantha Joye, a senior marine scientist at the University of Georgia. "I don’t know what their definition of large is, but I’ll bet it’s not the same as mine."
Joye’s instruments, deployed from a University of Miami research vessel, the Walton Smith, detected both the presence of oil and the depletion of oxygen in very deep water — 900 to 1200 meters below the surface — in a plume five to eight miles away from the leak site. As she explained in an interview: "All of the sensors we have to pick up oil and its various components go crazy in the plume."
Lab results from one of the first research vessels doing subsurface tests found only minor concentrations of oil, but Joye, who is expecting test results back shortly, said her samples will inevitably show more than that. "These stank to high heaven," she said. "They smelled like creosote, asphalt and diesel."
"These plumes are real," she said, "and it’s not just oil." Joye, who blogged her research, said she is also very concerned about the concentrations of methane and other gases, such as ethane, propane, butane and pentane, in the water… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Common Dreams>
From the beginning, BP has fed us lie after lie. Keith Olbermann and environmentalist Rick Steiner discuss BP’s many deficiencies and deceptions.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
BP claims that a line has to be drawn somewhere. I agree. Let’s start here:
Sen. Bernie Sanders is pushing a measure to end more than $35 billion in tax breaks for the oil and gas industry.
The Vermont independent today proposed putting $25 billion in savings toward reducing the deficit and $10 billion toward the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program over five years. Such funds help municipalities build windmills, make energy efficiency improvements or improve sewer treatment plants.
"If there is anything we should be learning from the Gulf disaster, it is that it is time to move aggressively away from polluting and unsafe fossil fuels, which are getting more and more difficult to produce as we move further and further offshore to drill for them," he said in a statement. "And, with a $13 trillion national debt, the last thing we need to be doing is giving tax breaks to big oil and gas companies that have been making record-breaking profits year after year after year."…
Inserted from <Common Dreams>
Furthermore, Obama should demand that BP not spend a penny in dividends to shareholders or brand advertising until the GOP gusher is plugged, the environment restored, and the victims justly compensated.
Next I expect BP to ask us to be thankful, because they have not killed one freaking Polar Bear in the Gulf of Mexico!
12 Responses to “BP: Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!”
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TC
Like you said, they’ve been lying since the inception of this crisis. They have resisted every suggestion and some demands. I certainly hope they will have to pay for the lies told in a civil court. I’ve been doing a little research on BP, they have had a bad reputation for over 60 years. At the heart of many Wars and regime changes. Real nice people….
I don’t think they’ll change for us.
Thanks Tim. And in a criminal court as well.
When you have to take your CEO off of commenting on the gusher, that’s bad. He should be fired for the dumbass stuff he’s said, not to mention the lies. The tax breaks have needed to go for forever – they make bazillions a year and get tax breaks – who’s fucking stupid idea was that? Let me guess – umm, Repubs? And with that money they are supposed to be developing alternative fuels – bullshit.
Lisa, if BP survives, he won’t. The only reason they haven’t fired him is to let him take the heat until it’s over.
I’m going to post this to my FB – not that any of my family will read it, not even the ones in GA. Good post.
Thanks, Leslie. Maybe they will learn something.
Great job Tomcat!
My opinion is that these ‘unnatural disasters’, financial and environmental, are to be used alongside the ‘natural’ disasters, as scare tactics designed to overwhelm the populace.
In my world it is a conspiracy to set things up to fail. When companies opt out of safety measures the government goes along with it.
I think we need to redefine what responsibility AND accountability are.
For example, neglecting your child is abuse. Not feeding them, not taking them to see a doctor or even teaching them how to survive in the world.
I see thousands of bloggers, maybe millions sewing a new quilt of what freedom, justice and equality really mean. And if we can get a good majority to align with basic core issues and be willing to defend them, then real change can be made.
And the cool thing about it is, what we do, even if we are just online could be remembered forever if society survives intact. It might actually be appreciated and honored by future generations, the same ones that we are fighting for.
Thanks.
Jason, I disagree. This tragedy is born of the marriage between corporate greed and GOP lust for power. However, from that point on, I’m right with you.
I think BP will file for chapter 11.
http://www.pafundi.com
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Number of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom
casualties as confirmed by U.S. Central Command: 5477
Ted, I’m not so sure of that. Chapter 11 is a US law and BP is a foreign corporation. I think they may go for the UK equivalent, though.
Actually heard today that the new British PM wants us to cool down with the bad media on BP, that British retirees depend on BP stocks for their retirement funds. I have always had awarm place for the Brits but all I can say after this is get fucked.
The Gulf, at best, will be DEAD for generations and far more likely gone for good.
Beach, it saddens me that elderly Brits are losing their pensions over this, just as it saddens me that elderly Americans lost their pensions in the GOP recession. Cameron is trying to look out for the best intererests of their citizens, just as Obama is doinbg the same for ours. It’s not a good countrt, bad country thing. It’s a ‘financial constructs in with no personal liability for the misdeeds of their officers should not exist’ thing