While many, myself included appreciate that the Macondo Well is “effectively dead,” considering the claims that no oil has been leaking from the site since mid-July it is a bit anti-climactic. Many bloggers, myself included have been far more focused on the cleanup activities or lack thereof, the oil still washing up on the beaches and permeating the Gulf, the dying sea life, the increasing … Continue reading The Problem with Sandcastles
Over the past five months, Gulf Coast residents have been treated to a number of decisions with direct impact on their lives. They weren’t asked to give input at the time these decisions were made. They weren’t asked how they thought it might affect their future. The decisions occurred above their heads and most times, without their knowledge, but they are the ones now paying … Continue reading Changing Course in the Gulf: Bad Lessons in Money and Politics Pt. 3 – The Obama Administration and Business as Usual
Criminal charges being considered against BP in Gulf oil rig tragedy – Times Picayune Hurricanes May Carry Toxic Chemicals from Crude Oil and Dispersant Inland – Washington Blog FDA’s standards for Gulf seafood may be lower than those in past oil spills – Press Register John McCain Says He’s Too Old and Tired for Any New Ideas of His Own – HuffingtonPost ‘Censoring’ of Craigslist … Continue reading Headlines: Gulf Coast and Beyond
“Tomorrow morning, the Gulf Coast Claims Facility is up and running,” said Ken Feinberg, appointed by Barack Obama to administer the $20 billion dollar escrow fund, “BP is out of the claims-processing business beginning tomorrow.” In many respects this is good news. Kenneth Feinberg has promised to get reparations money into the hands of residents within 48 hours and to business owners within a week. … Continue reading Rolling Dice in the Gulf Coast – Here Comes Feinberg and His “Choice”
You really didn’t think they’d just give up without a fight. Transocean, the owners of the Deepwater Horizon is reportedly at odds with British Petroleum, accusing the company of not turning over evidence for Transocean’s own investigation of the oil rig’s explosion, while the NOAA, despite congressional demand is refusing to release their data and methodology for the much maligned government study that produced the … Continue reading Fortifying the Wall – BP Accused of, and the NOAA Withholds…Information
Fish research vessel drafted for use at BP oil spill site – Times Picayune Feds order more pressure tests before relief well drilling can restart – Times Picayune WikiLeaks: We Won’t Be Threatened by Pentagon – AP BP clears itself over oil spill disaster – Daily Mail Yes, a British Paper Just How Badly Have We Screwed Up the Gulf Ecosystem? Maddow on Vitter: Hooker, … Continue reading Headlines: Gulf Coast and Beyond…
From the Times-Picayune: BP’s blown-out oil well in the Gulf of Mexico is not yet plugged for good, and work on what’s been touted as the permanent solution will need to continue, the federal government said Friday. Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the government’s point man for the spill response, said during a news conference Friday that crews must move forward drilling the relief … Continue reading Relief Well to be Completed After All…Static Kill Not So Successful
Well, well, well…it appears all is not well in Macondo-ville after all… According to most mainstream media outlets the Static Kill worked out just fine, in fact, they are now even debating the actual need for completing the relief wells. Cue Thad Allen, circa August 3rd when talking about any possibility of not completing the relief wells to finally seal the Macondo: “There should be … Continue reading Did the Status Kill Work? Dissenting from the Company Storyline…shared opinions
According to the Washington Post, the static kill could begin as early as Monday night, part of a two pronged plan to seal the Macondo well for good. The idea is to pump mud into the capped well, very slowly and push the oil all the way back down to its source rock, 2.5 miles below the seafloor. However, “the static kill is not the … Continue reading A Few Notes on the Static Kill…some benefits, a few risks, a series of half-truths
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ With Bonnie threat gone, critical equipment has already returned to Gulf oil well site – Times Picayune Dudley Set to Succeed Hayward at BP – Wall Street Journal Dam fails in eastern Iowa, causing massive flooding – CNN White House sends 2012 rescue team to Florida – Politico US Troops Captured in Afghanistan: Report – HuffingtonPost Germany Love Parade Tragedy: Death Toll Rises After … Continue reading Headlines…Gulf Coast and Beyond
Drake Toulouse: Photography and Words 