oil slick..

[sofadoc]

If Iraqui insurgents were to blow up an oil well in the middle east, it would take the oil companies about a nanosecond to use that as an excuse to raise the price of gasoline. Yet this explosion in the gulf hasn't affected prices at the pump. Does that strike anyone else as odd?

[fragged8]

you're not wrong HD, we have oil tankers sitting off our coast here
waiting for the oil price to be suitable for them to offload !!!

btw heres a pic for you
family fun night at my little guys school.
i thought you might like the fire engine

[Mojo]

The latest computer models show that the area Mike and I live in has a 20 % chance of seeing any oil.

The Key's as well as Miami is now looking at an 80 % chance of seeing oil.

In regards to the political aspects of this oil spill, I am not going to comment except to say I hate oil companies as much as I hate politicians.

Nuff said.

Chris

[bobbin]

I don't hate oil comapanies.  They provide something all of us need.  And, as businesses, they have every right to turn a profit. 

I don't hate polititians.  They are there to represent the wishes and needs of their constituents.  Evaluted by that, we have precisely the elected body we vote in... since statistically only older and more wealthy citizens tend to vote with any regularlity... representation of their needs/wishes is well represented. 

I have a big problem with lobbyists, however.  When there is no control over when and how the ranks of the vocal and well financed lobbyists find their way into the offices of our duly elected officials I see a big problem... .  And, IMO, what we are now witnessing in the Gulf of Mexico at the hands of BP is entirely traceable to the doorstep of lobbyists and beneficial governmental appointments to assorted boards charged to "oversee" regulation.   Those boards and agencies are stocked with "plants" from huge, muliti-national corporations backed by huge bankrolls.  Those appointees don't represent the fishermen, motel owners, take-out food restauranteurs....  .  Maybe this horrible, entirely preventable ecological disaster will finally wake up the country about the way "business is done" in "the land of the free and home of the brave. 

We are  supposed to be a "free enterprise" Capitalist enonomy? give me a break.  The "free" part was squelched decades ago, my friends.  It ain't, "free"... it's totally and completely in the hands of major corporations... and those wealthy and regular voters (who receive dividends from those major corporations). 

When Bubba in Redneckland and some spoiled Soccer Mom in Suburbia decides that he (or she) doesn't really need 4WD in Florida/wherever they "call" school for 3" of snow and begin to lobby for an electric commuter "truck" or actually require Jr. to use the publically funded schoolbus we'll turn the corner.  Until that time we'll laugh at Europe, pound our fists on our chests and repeat over an over again how we are the greatest nation on the face of the earth. 

I don't disagree with the sentiment.  But I have huge problem with the how and the why of the sentiment.  We, as a nation need a very serious "grow up pill", and I've been tirelessly writing to my elected officials about the necessity since 1985. 

[fragged8]

hiya

On the plus side I see there are plans to build the worlds biggest solar
collector power station in Arizona. Thats got to be a step in the right direction.


Some of my friends question the usefulness of wind farms and how efficient they
actually are but like all this emerging technology it's just a stepping stone to hopefully
something better. 


rich