[NYCAP123]

Originally Posted by Savasa

Greetings,
Getting back to the topic at hand and NOT pointing fingers at anyone, I have been reading about other concerns that I hadn't thought about.
Levels of H2S were found to be upwards of 1,192 ppb (Safe limit <5-10 ppb) in some areas of the Gulf. Levels of benzene, a known carcinogen, were found to be 3X higher than what OSHA deems safe. Add to this the tens of thousands of gallons of dispersant atomised into the air by arial drops and you've got quite a toxic soup to be breathing. Further, add in the products of combustion.This is going to, if it hasn't already, be carried westward across FL by prevailing winds affecting not only clean up crews but land based folks as well.
Another thing to consider is land values. I'll bet you waterfront will be going cheap not just around FL, but up the whole east coast as well I supect for the next few years or so and seafood prices will be going in the other direction.
If the relief well is not successful, what other option is there? I've read everything from high explosives to nukes! Due to the very high pressures the oil is being expelled at, there will be very few options left.
Hurricane season has already started, bringing yet another set of variables into the equation.
This stuff is going to get into the Gulf Stream and spread through all of the Atlantic and eventually to European shores as well.
Thanks for reading these idle thoughts.
Peter.

Everybody seem fairly certain that the second well will stop the flow, but that won't happen until late August. The problem is how many millions of barrels will pour forth between April and then.
On a related note "BP will set aside $20 billion to pay the victims of the massive oil spill in the Gulf" http://www.verizon.net/newsroom/port...rticle=2868777

[NYCAP123]

Just saw an excellent commercial put out by BP. In it they used an affable man who has lived and worked in the affected area all his life as spokesman. The fellow volunteered for the job. In the commercial BP took responsibility for the spill and promoted their claims number and website, promising to do the right things. Good for you BP. The boss may not need that asbestos suit tomorrow. Anybody can screw up, especially with huge profits at stake. Sounds like BP is realizing that, although they're going to lose a bunch of money, in the long run they can come out as good neighbors. That's a strategy that could get them a lot of new customers making them quite profitable in the not too distant future.

[airship]

Unless I'm very much mistaken, I raised the following points in my earlier posts? And if any of you really give a ****e about this oil spill, you'll trawl back to the beginning of this thread, instead of wallowing in and pursuing your own personal vendettas against so-called "anti-US interests" hitherto expressed on this forum:

1) On 30/05, I posted: http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/104466-post28.html

When I suggested that the actual oil spill was far more important than had previously been announced.

2) On 01/06, I posted this reply: http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/104594-post35.html.

But everyone preferred to consider my post and replies with complete disrespect.

Now that the US government (authorities) today consider that the BP oil spill may have really reached the flow rates that I suggested back on 30/05, yachtforum contributors, but especially NYCAP123 might have accorded me some leeway.

But no, so many people on this forum have their own agenda/s. The oil spill per se doesn't worry some of them directly. They are merely concerned about the fall-out. I suggest that they're often here on this forum, either as active and remunerated agents or, merely "dumb" agents, with their "dumb" posts and inconsiderate replies within these threads.

The overwhelming number of "vitriolic posts" compared to the far fewer measured replies to date are perhaps indicative that a true debate on the subject in question is impossible.

Until Carl or other responsable yachtforums.com representative intervenes, I shall not allow those individuals spout out anything they like in this thread without receiving a response.

Mostly, I've liked every American I've ever met. Same goes for every Iranian, Iraqi, Pakistani or Afghani over the past 20-30 years. Should I be worried about this?

Whatever, I'm not about to let some current or other aspiring "world-superpower" of the 20th /21st century (with due consideration of all the other previous superpowers that "reigned supreme" over vast tracts of the globe over the past 1,000 years. I'm 49 years old, hope to live to about 60 or 70 (or whenever France grants me an old-age pension).

If the USA wants to basically bankrupt BP today, then we might also ask why they saved AIG and numerous other financial institutions on and off Wall St. just a few months ago? I would suggest that "interests" are not always declared, whether or not these are the interests of elected public-officials or mere contributors to a yachting discussion here on yachtforums.com...?!

[rocdiver]

Originally Posted by airship

- and then I discovered I'd run out of Scotch...

Me thinks maybe that problem has been resolved . . .

[airship]

rocdiver, I believe that I could drink all afternoon, perhaps consuming 1/2L of (admittedly cheap) Scotch, and I could still come across as someone to be treated seriously, or at least in an everyday situation, whether or not in an internet discusssion forum...?!

In what way did your last post contribute to this thread?

This thread is about the oil spill in the gulf of Mexico, in case you needed reminding...

If you want to insult me personally, I believe that you can send me a PM or email instead. Which would be more appropriate perhaps...?!

Since you've apparently zero to contribute concerning the BP oil spill (the subject of this thread)...

PS. Are you a friend of NYCAP123 per chance? Sorry if you're not. Simply, referring to someone else in these discussions, who instead of dealing with any arguments, prefers to neglect any real serious discussion on the subject, and hides behind accusations of supposedly "anti-American" sentiments instead of engaging in any serious reply...

Here is how I suggest North Americans should vacation in 2010, as an example of my good-will:

Come to Europe for your vacation this summer. The €uro is going down, your US$ will go further. You don't even have to visit France (though you should), the US$ is welcome throughout the 25-nations of the EU. And I can just about guarantee you and your entire family complete security against crazed-attacks by lone-gunmen equipped with military-type automatic weapons (Bosnia, Montenegro, souithern Italy etc excepted). In some parts of Europe today, you can still light off a few fire-crackers in celebration of a birthday or wedding, without the risk of being targetted by a Predator-launched missile...?!

I'm not too sure how long the present situation will continue for however.

The beaches in the Mediterranean are pretty-much oil-free, though I would never use the term "pristine". Instead of taking the risk of spending summer vacation in Florida / Louisiana etc. this year, why don't American families fly over to Europe instead if they can be botherd to apply for passports?! BA and/or Emlirates etc; are offering great deals I understand.

You see, I'm really quite harmless. And I really wouldn't care that unscrupoulous individuals attack me personally on this forum, attacking me instead of my arguments etc. - being lazy / tee-total etc. is not yet a crime in the USA so far as I understand.

But I do worry about all the sea creatures in the Gulf - the bigger ones who get ashore and then get rescued by the aid agencies, surely they're a very small percentage. And what about all the other wildlife that merely "disappear", unnoticed, unrecorded etc. When I talked about the human-beings involved previously, well, I believe that they will receive substantial compensations for their losses, sooner or later, but perhaps not in time to assure their perenity. Whatever BP as a company is forced to pay out, I believe that the eventual pay-out, worth some $20 billion today, will not (unlike Heineken lager) reach all the parts that the compensation is supposed to reach.

With such huge sums involved, even elected politicians, intermediaries etc. must already be licking their lips in anticipation of hitherto unknown opportunities to fill their offshore bank accounts (though not their Swiss bank accounts) which the Swiss have apparently conceded finally to divulge full details of these accounts with the US IRA etc.

Someone let me know when a single dolphin (perhaps by decree of a Florida court) later this year is awarded "damages" of US$ 100 or more, and how that's spent. Or perhaps some court in Louisiana will award US$ 10 million to the Gulf shrimp...?!

Those who really suffer never get any true recompense...whether they're shrimp or dolphins in the Gulf, or GIs serving in Iraq / Afghanistan who come home severely injured if they're lucky, or in body-bags if not.

When you consider that the USA is apparently using more resources in prosecuting BP, compared to the ostensibly "real war" in Afghanistan currently, well, what more can anyone say?

[NYCAP123]

Airship, Please stay on point. This has nothing to do with Britain, Afganistan, declarations of war or AIG. This thread is about the oil spill, and, quite frankly, I believe that matter has been resolved to everyone's satisfaction for the time being with BP's statements yesterday. They have accepted responsibility, are no longer trying to minimize the scope of the disaster and have set up a $20 billion fund to pay claims.

[brian eiland]

Deja vu - The Gulf of Mexico in 1979. How this same disaster was handled then.

http://www.wimp.com/oilspills/



PS: And think about this, in those Congressional hearings the other day with all of the current CEO's of the major oil companies appearing, NOT ONE OF THEM KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS MAJOR OIL SPILL that occurred in our recent history....NOT ONE thats a scary thought that these guys are in charge

[dennismc]

Modern education does not teach "history" as it relates to CEO's jobs etc....the CEO is firstly a figurehead in a major organization and has very highly paid execs to take care of day to day issues, just like politicians, "and us .."do you know where your kids are " ?

That was just a political photo op and chance to rescue the Governments lack of action at the shoreline, word yesterday from ground zero was that the CG was totally disorganized...

[NYCAP123]

Originally Posted by brian eiland

Deja vu - The Gulf of Mexico in 1979. How this same disaster was handled then.

http://www.wimp.com/oilspills/



PS: And think about this, in those Congressional hearings the other day with all of the current CEO's of the major oil companies appearing, NOT ONE OF THEM KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS MAJOR OIL SPILL that occurred in our recent history....NOT ONE thats a scary thought that these guys are in charge

"Those who fail to learn from history are destined to repeat it". Old story. One more reason I feel that strict regulations are needed in this industry (besides profiteering and price rigging).

[NYCAP123]

Originally Posted by dennismc

word yesterday from ground zero was that the CG was totally disorganized...

That was one of the points in President Obama's speech last night. He said that the coast guard was in charge, but had no way of doing anything. That was one of the things he wants changed going forward. The CG needs not only the authority to say 'Do this' but also to demand to hear 'Yes sir' from the other side.

[Seafarer]

Originally Posted by airship

But everyone preferred to consider my post and replies with complete disrespect.

There is an old axiom that goes somewhat like this: as ye sow, so shall ye reap.

[wildkactus]

Hi,
here are a couple of sites I came accross that maybe of intertest,

Unifed Command: www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com

A NOAA site: www.geoplatform.gov/gulfresponse

it's going to be a long time before this is all over,

Happy Boating

[NYCAP123]

I'm not sure what exactly Tony Hayward is so good at that earns him the big bucks, but so far public relations and showing compassion or empathy don't seem to be it. Just when they finally make the right moves w/ the fund and putting a good face on as spokesperson they start with the who's going to be in charge when and then this:

Gulf residents outraged by BP CEO's yacht outing
Associated Press/AP Online
By RAPHAEL SATTER and HOLBROOK MOHR
VENICE, La. - Just when it seemed Gulf residents couldn't get any more outraged about the massive oil spill fouling their coastline, word came Saturday that BP's CEO was taking time off to attend a glitzy yacht race in England.

Tony Hayward's latest public relations gaffe didn't sit well with people in the U.S. who have seen their livelihoods ruined by the massive two-month oil spill.

http://www.verizon.net/newsroom/port...rticle=2874609

[FISHTIGUA]

Just to cheer you all up, there wasn't much wind.

www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/business/Industry/article322683.ece

[NYCAP123]

Originally Posted by FISHTIGUA

Just to cheer you all up, there wasn't much wind.

www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/business/Industry/article322683.ece

There may be a problem with that link. It goes dark within seconds of opening it. All I caught there was that BP has a "secret plan" to raise $50b to pay for the clean up. I'm guessing it is to triple the price of gas until they can't take the screaming anymore, banking those profits, and then do the world a favor by pulling the increase back to only double. As for the wind, I hear his boat came in fourth in class. Apparently they can do good when they go slow. Maybe Tony should take that boat for a slow round the world cruise following the slick, but not stop back in the Gulf states.