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[Gulf Coast Oil]: Spill, Baby Spill. Volunteer Info at the top of OP

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Posts

  • enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Actual oil production is not the major worry here.

    enlightenedbum on
    Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
  • DrakeDrake Edgelord Trash Below the ecliptic plane.Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Hey, just wait until the Great Gulf Exodus of 2010.

    Drake on
  • nukanuka What are circles? Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Drake wrote: »
    nuka wrote: »
    nuka wrote: »
    Reason.com, Campaign for Liberty, and Cato are all completely silent regarding the oil spill.

    Which I believe is more telling than if they actually said something.

    What are these websites?

    I've been following this thread for a while, I live far away from the Gulf States but I live on the coast.
    I'm speechless. I'm just going to drink this beer and yeah.

    Those are the hard core libertarian sites. They like to talk about how government can do no right, and how the invisible hand will prevent corporations from ever doing anything wrong. They also tend to be anti-climate change, pro-offshore drilling.

    After Katrina, the libertarian sites were all rallying about how the response proved that government was incompetent, and how private charity launched a much better job with the rescue efforts. Complete bullshit, of course, but that's how their minds work.

    Now? Nothing.
    There's been a lot of hate about libertarians here in this forum, not that I don't disagree with it all, but where did it come from?

    Oher than the fact that to be a libertarian, you need to have an acute unawareness of history?

    Hey, don't worry about us down here on the Gulf Coast. I'm sure we'll be able to bootstrap our way out of this one. You guys just go about your business.

    Drill baby, drill.
    If it was feasible for me to travel so far southeast, believe me I'd not only join the riots but I'd bring extra pitchforks. I'll leave the torches at home though, sounds like a bad idea. D:

    nuka on
    DS: 2667 5365 3193 | 2DS: 2852-8590-3716
  • nescientistnescientist Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Enlightenedbum nailed it. A certain recent two-term presidency provides a simple explanation for why Rand's ideas have fallen even further out of favor than usual.

    nescientist on
  • enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Enlightenedbum nailed it. A certain recent two-term presidency provides a simple explanation for why Rand's ideas have fallen even further out of favor than usual.

    It's more than that. The proverbial chickens are coming home to roost for the last 30 years of libertarianism.

    enlightenedbum on
    Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
  • nescientistnescientist Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Enlightenedbum nailed it. A certain recent two-term presidency provides a simple explanation for why Rand's ideas have fallen even further out of favor than usual.

    It's more than that. The proverbial chickens are coming home to roost for the last 30 years of libertarianism.

    I like this metaphor, because it caused me to imagine Family Guy's Peter beating the shit out of George W. Bush in a chicken suit for some reason.

    nescientist on
  • SchrodingerSchrodinger Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    nuka wrote: »
    There's been a lot of hate about libertarians here in this forum, not that I don't disagree with it all, but where did it come from?

    Well, in the context of this thread, it has to do with the fact that libertarians spent decades opposing any form of government regulation, advocating offshore drilling as well as drilling in ANWR (despite being shown that the latter would have virtually no impact on oil prices), and are opposed to any government effort to ween us off our oil dependency. They also have an incredibly naive point of view on how the market will handle environmental destruction. Even though they don't have much influence as a party, they did force the republicans to adopt a lot of their rhetoric in order to win the election.

    Now, the chickens have come to roost, and it looks like de-regulation is fucking up the environment the same way it fucked up the economy.

    And what do the libertarians have to say about it? Absolutely nothing. This is a major catastrophe with worldwide implication that will last for decades, and they can't even pretend to act concerned about it. Instead, they'll keep posting about the same inane stuff they always post about. Like how someone accused the teabaggers of being racist, and it hurt their feelings.

    In general, libertarians get hated on the internet because they spam the internet like crazy, and it's caused somewhat of a backlash on forums like this and somethingawful.

    Schrodinger on
  • SchrodingerSchrodinger Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    One of the ironies is that the Southern states are going to be the most fucked in the ass by this. And guess who the Southern states vote for?

    Too bad that the North is too nice to let them suffer, though. Which means that we'll end up having to pick up the tab for their fuck ups.

    Schrodinger on
  • DrakeDrake Edgelord Trash Below the ecliptic plane.Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Well, they are big on civil liberties for citizens. Too bad the only thing that fits that definition these days are Corporate Entities. Everyone else is just an employee.

    edit: Hey now, watch that broad brush.

    Drake on
  • UnbreakableVowUnbreakableVow Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    I'm in one of those Southern states :(

    The other side of Florida, though. I'm scared shitless that this oil slick will be caught by the Gulf Stream and then hey, what's up Eastern seaboard

    UnbreakableVow on
  • enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Heh, I just checked out of curiosity and McCardle has completely ignored it as well.

    Yay glibertarianism!

    enlightenedbum on
    Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
  • SchrodingerSchrodinger Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Drake wrote: »
    Well, they are big on civil liberties for citizens. Too bad the only thing that fits that definition these days are Corporate Entities. Everyone else is just an employee.

    Ron Paul's campaign for liberty site is a great example of this. They have dozens and dozens of articles written about how Wall Street Reform will mean an end to civil liberties, and yet they have absolutely nothing written up about the AZ immigration laws. It's not because they don't think the law will only be used to target minorities, it's because they know it will, and they're okay with that.

    Anyway, that was officially a tangent.

    Schrodinger on
  • SchrodingerSchrodinger Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Heh, I just checked out of curiosity and McCardle has completely ignored it as well.

    Yay glibertarianism!

    If they can't figure out how to blame Obama, then the problem doesn't exist.

    Seriously. Most libertarians I talk to can't even conceive of how a corporation can fuck things up without government assistance.

    Schrodinger on
  • enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    It's funny, a friend of mine in college was libertarian enough to intern at Cato one summer. I haven't talked politics much with her in the last couple years, but she's apparently learned a few things. Was very excited that the President was speaking at Michigan's commencement this morning.

    enlightenedbum on
    Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
  • SchrodingerSchrodinger Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    I work for a Vietnamese Newspaper in the Northwest. I think I'm going to start calling up local Seafood restaurants/vendors and ask them for their thoughts.

    I don't think people are aware of the scope of this problem.

    Schrodinger on
  • DrakeDrake Edgelord Trash Below the ecliptic plane.Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Well, to be fair, I don't think the Democratic or Republican Party is any better than the Libs.

    Our system is totally fucked.

    double edit: And political ideology is only good for getting people killed and wrecking shit.

    Drake on
  • Caveman PawsCaveman Paws Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    I'm already sick of the "Business owner cries on tv because of the oil spill" coverage. Ya, he's afraid and his whole life is going down the crapper so exploit his tears for ratings so something good comes of this disaster! I can't wait for the first oil covered baby bird footage to hit.

    But don't stop drilling, we need more jobs for these folks.

    Caveman Paws on
  • RustRust __BANNED USERS regular
    edited May 2010
    I'm already sick of the "Business owner cries on tv because of the oil spill" coverage. Ya, he's afraid and his whole life is going down the crapper so exploit his tears for ratings so something good comes of this disaster! I can't wait for the first oil covered baby bird footage to hit.

    But don't stop drilling, we need more jobs for these folks.

    none of them are afraid

    they're totally free of consequences, what do they have to be scared of

    and if their tears were good for anything constructive, i would like someone to build a machine that kicked them in the nuts exactly once every half hour, squirted mace in their eyes every fifteen minutes, and whispered dark tales of how their children resent them and their wives cheat constantly

    but the cheating, it brings these wives no joy

    because even in the glory of clandestine sex, the shame at being married to such a man seeps through

    Rust on
  • Caveman PawsCaveman Paws Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Rust wrote: »
    I'm already sick of the "Business owner cries on tv because of the oil spill" coverage. Ya, he's afraid and his whole life is going down the crapper so exploit his tears for ratings so something good comes of this disaster! I can't wait for the first oil covered baby bird footage to hit.

    But don't stop drilling, we need more jobs for these folks.

    none of them are afraid

    they're totally free of consequences, what do they have to be scared of

    and if their tears were good for anything constructive, i would like someone to build a machine that kicked them in the nuts exactly once every half hour, squirted mace in their eyes every fifteen minutes, and whispered dark tales of how their children resent them and their wives cheat constantly

    but the cheating, it brings these wives no joy

    because even in the glory of clandestine sex, the shame at being married to such a man seeps through
    I know it's wrong but I kinda want to see that happen.

    And just in case my semi drunk post wasn't clear: Tabloid news reporting is disgusting.

    Caveman Paws on
  • HooverFanHooverFan NCRegistered User regular
    edited May 2010
    I work for a Vietnamese Newspaper in the Northwest. I think I'm going to start calling up local Seafood restaurants/vendors and ask them for their thoughts.

    I don't think people are aware of the scope of this problem.

    Northwest really wouldn't see much change since most all seafood used up there is caught locally or imported from across the Pacific.

    Well, I take that back, depending on just how fucked up things are, the loss of so many ecosystems and farms down here would force people to get most everything from the northwest and therefore demand would far exceed supply.

    HooverFan on
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  • SchrodingerSchrodinger Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Well, I know that this place:

    http://seattlecrawfishking.com/

    Gets their crawfish flown in from Louisiana every morning.

    Or at least they used to.

    Schrodinger on
  • nukanuka What are circles? Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    HooverFan wrote: »
    I work for a Vietnamese Newspaper in the Northwest. I think I'm going to start calling up local Seafood restaurants/vendors and ask them for their thoughts.

    I don't think people are aware of the scope of this problem.

    Northwest really wouldn't see much change since most all seafood used up there is caught locally or imported from across the Pacific.

    Well, I take that back, depending on just how fucked up things are, the loss of so many ecosystems and farms down here would force people to get most everything from the northwest and therefore demand would far exceed supply.

    I would imagine that getting seafood from the gulf would be cheaper than importing it from across such a huge ocean.

    I guess it's a good thing my mother has a shellfish allergy, so seafood in my household is rarely eaten.

    Now I'm curious as to how this would affect my community, I live in a rural, mostly farmland area in the Northwest.

    nuka on
    DS: 2667 5365 3193 | 2DS: 2852-8590-3716
  • SchrodingerSchrodinger Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    I nominate the title, "Spill, baby, spill."

    Schrodinger on
  • nescientistnescientist Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    I nominate the title, "Spill, baby, spill."

    nescientist on
  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    I like how the thread title has [EcoDisaster] in it as if "Gulf Coast Oil Spill" needs to be distinguished from a band or something.

    Henroid on
  • SkeithSkeith Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    I honestly wouldn't be surprised if someone very soon did a IRS style airplane attack on the local bp/haliburton/etc companies. Honestly at this point, hi 5 to whoever does it.

    Man I'd pony up for his fucking bail. This sucks, I'd bet my car that it's a question of decades rather than years until this mess gets cleaned up.

    Skeith on
    aTBDrQE.jpg
  • KageraKagera Imitating the worst people. Since 2004Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    I'd have to question what the bail would be set at for a person going kamikaze.

    Kagera on
    My neck, my back, my FUPA and my crack.
  • OptimusZedOptimusZed Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    If causing the Oilpacolypse and economically crippling the Gulf Coast was wrong, the Free Market would have prevented it.

    Libertarians are really the only reason I hold on to any sliver of belief in the concept of hell.

    OptimusZed on
    We're reading Rifts. You should too. You know you want to. Now With Ninjas!

    They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
  • BarcardiBarcardi All the Wizards Under A Rock: AfganistanRegistered User regular
    edited May 2010
    This so far is my favorite part of the human issues this has
    The oil company BP — which operated the rig whose sinking caused the underwater oil gusher — partnered with government officials to hold town hall meetings throughout the region Saturday to respond to concern about the spill’s consequences.

    But frustration was growing Saturday in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. At a town hall meeting in Bayou La Batre, Alabama, Mayor Stan Wright warned fishermen in the audience that outbursts would be met with arrest. The fishermen were told that they were not allowed to ask questions.

    also the head of BP, in a karma inducing Snidely Whiplash kind of way, is also on the board of directors of goldman sachs

    Barcardi on
  • WarcryWarcry I'm getting my shit pushed in here! AustraliaRegistered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Holy mother of god I hate the people in charge of this world. And I hate that we can't just kick them out whenever we want. Permanently.

    Warcry on
  • SteevLSteevL What can I do for you? Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    I'm in one of those Southern states :(

    The other side of Florida, though. I'm scared shitless that this oil slick will be caught by the Gulf Stream and then hey, what's up Eastern seaboard

    Same here. I don't think it's really sunk in for people yet. Even for me.

    SteevL on
  • RUNN1NGMANRUNN1NGMAN Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Warcry wrote: »
    Holy mother of god I hate the people in charge of this world. And I hate that we can't just kick them out whenever we want. Permanently.

    For thousands of years the "other guys" have been proving that they aren't any picnic either.

    RUNN1NGMAN on
  • DynagripDynagrip Break me a million hearts HoustonRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    edited May 2010
    Rust wrote: »
    Dynagrip wrote: »
    i'm not so sure that 25,000 barrels a day number is accurate...

    why

    i think we'd all like a little reasonable doubt at this point

    cause that's the only site that provided that estimate and it strikes as being a bit on the british tabloid side of the news.

    Dynagrip on
  • Muse Among MenMuse Among Men Suburban Bunny Princess? Its time for a new shtick Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    I nominate the title, "Spill, baby, spill."

    DO IT

    Muse Among Men on
  • RUNN1NGMANRUNN1NGMAN Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Dynagrip wrote: »
    Rust wrote: »
    Dynagrip wrote: »
    i'm not so sure that 25,000 barrels a day number is accurate...

    why

    i think we'd all like a little reasonable doubt at this point

    cause that's the only site that provided that estimate and it strikes as being a bit on the british tabloid side of the news.

    That site says that it "might" be as high as 25,000 barrels/day, and that they reached that conclusion by examining satellite images. So, they're basically looking at day over day increase in surface area and estimating the rate from that. There's obviously a huge margin of error and the estimate is based on quite a few assumptions and variables. The fact is that no one really has a clue how much oil is leaking--I've been taking the 25,000 barrel/day number as being the upper bound of what the rate is, but by no means an accurate estimation of the actual rate.

    RUNN1NGMAN on
  • Jademonkey79Jademonkey79 Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    So here's something I thought the other day. What happens if BP takes a look at the amount it will cost and just says "We can't afford this. We're going out of business."? I mean, I'm sure the government can just take some money but is there anything stopping the company from going tits up, pulling its pockets inside-out, and walking away?

    Jademonkey79 on
    "We’re surrounded. That simplifies our problem of getting to these people and killing them."
  • tinwhiskerstinwhiskers Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    So here's something I thought the other day. What happens if BP takes a look at the amount it will cost and just says "We can't afford this. We're going out of business."? I mean, I'm sure the government can just take some money but is there anything stopping the company from going tits up, pulling its pockets inside-out, and walking away?

    BP made $16.58b last year, they aren't going tits up over this. Especially as until this happened they were looking at 125% increase in profits because of higher oil prices this year.

    tinwhiskers on
    6ylyzxlir2dz.png
  • RUNN1NGMANRUNN1NGMAN Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    So here's something I thought the other day. What happens if BP takes a look at the amount it will cost and just says "We can't afford this. We're going out of business."? I mean, I'm sure the government can just take some money but is there anything stopping the company from going tits up, pulling its pockets inside-out, and walking away?

    Well, the short answer is that's not going to happen. The slightly longer answer is that hypothetically if a company went into bankruptcy and couldn't fund the full cost of the cleanup, the Feds could pull up to $1 Billion from the OPA 90 trust fund to pay for cleanup costs. I'm not really sure who would pay after that, if more money was needed.

    RUNN1NGMAN on
  • DrakeDrake Edgelord Trash Below the ecliptic plane.Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    I nominate the title, "Spill, baby, spill."

    DO IT

    Alright, here ya go.

    Drake on
  • DrakeDrake Edgelord Trash Below the ecliptic plane.Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Here's a report on NOAA's latest worst case scenario.
    Sand is an integral part of the formations that hold oil under the Gulf. That sand, carried in the oil as it shoots through the piping, is blamed for the ongoing erosion described by BP.

    "The pipe could disintegrate. You've got sand getting into the pipe, it's eroding the pipe all the time, like a sandblaster," said Ron Gouget, a former oil spill response coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

    "When the oil is removed normally, it comes out at a controlled rate. You can still have abrasive particles in that. Well, now, at this well, its coming out at fairly high velocity," Gouget continued. "Any erosive grains are abrading the inside of the pipe and all the steel that comes in contact with the liquid. It's essentially sanding away the pipe."

    Gouget said the loss of a wellhead is totally unprecedented.

    "How bad it could get from that, you will have a tremendous volume of oil that is going to be offgassing on the coast. Depending on how much wind is there, and how those gases build up, that's a significant health concern," he said.
    -Mobile Press Register

    Drake on
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