Joined Jul 2008
You can call me "Al"
Forum Thread
BP oil spill. People are paying attention NOW, aren't they? *mad face*
May 2, 2010 at
10:50 PM
in
Chat
Unless my "search" button is broken, I can't find any threads about this oil spill.
Aren't there some Loungers here from the Gulf Coast area, besides myself?
This thing is going to be bad. Really bad.
I grew up in Pensacola, FL and have spent my whole life on these beaches. Pensacola, Gulf Shores, Navarre, Destin ... they are beautiful. And they have already suffered so much devastation over the years from hurricanes and now they have to endure THIS?
If this goes on long enough and the oil makes it's way into the Florida Keys, that will be the end of the natural coral reef habitat. What about the dolphins and fish and turtles and birds?
Environmental disaster aside, I can't even imagine what the economic impact is going to be.
Aren't there some Loungers here from the Gulf Coast area, besides myself?
This thing is going to be bad. Really bad.
I grew up in Pensacola, FL and have spent my whole life on these beaches. Pensacola, Gulf Shores, Navarre, Destin ... they are beautiful. And they have already suffered so much devastation over the years from hurricanes and now they have to endure THIS?
If this goes on long enough and the oil makes it's way into the Florida Keys, that will be the end of the natural coral reef habitat. What about the dolphins and fish and turtles and birds?
Environmental disaster aside, I can't even imagine what the economic impact is going to be.
496 Comments
Your comment cannot be blank.
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
Hmmmm, I'm not convinced.
Twenty-one years after the Exxon Valdez spill, a crew went back and dug 9,000 holes in the Alaska shoreline and oil was found IN MORE THAN HALF. (Link to story [foxnews.com].) Researchers believe that the oil will still be there HUNDREDS OF YEARS from now. And that was after a 4 year cleanup of what was mostly rocks and pebbles. The Gulf Coast beaches are sand beaches. How the hell do you clean sand????? The sad truth is, you can't.
Color me heartless, but the sympathy and empathy I had for the workers of that rig dissipated as soon I heard there was a leak ... or two ... or three!
"Risking their lives"? Have you ever been on a rig? My next-door neighbor's husband works off-shore on a rig 2 weeks a month and he says the work is hard but the money and perks are phenomenal. And not once in all the years I've known him (4), has he ever said he was doing this so that "Joe Public" could have cheaper gas. He does it for the pay and the fact that he's home 2 weeks a month.
Hmmmm, I'm not convinced.
Twenty-one years after the Exxon Valdez spill, a crew went back and dug 9,000 holes in the Alaska shoreline and oil was found IN MORE THAN HALF. (Link to story [foxnews.com].) Researchers believe that the oil will still be there HUNDREDS OF YEARS from now. And that was after a 4 year cleanup of what was mostly rocks and pebbles. The Gulf Coast beaches are sand beaches. How the hell do you clean sand????? The sad truth is, you can't.
Color me heartless, but the sympathy and empathy I had for the workers of that rig dissipated as soon I heard there was a leak ... or two ... or three!
"Risking their lives"? Have you ever been on a rig? My next-door neighbor's husband works off-shore on a rig 2 weeks a month and he says the work is hard but the money and perks are phenomenal. And not once in all the years I've known him (4), has he ever said he was doing this so that "Joe Public" could have cheaper gas. He does it for the pay and the fact that he's home 2 weeks a month.
Yes, someone starting out in the oilfield, even as a low level technician will make at least $60,000 a year, captains and what not make upwards of $150,000. BUT - that means working a ton of holidays, missing their kids grow up and not seeing their wives. Yes, it is their choice, but someone has to do the job to allow us to have oil.
But I digress.
This spill didn't have to happen and all the money in the world isn't going to "fix" the coastline after this mess comes ashore.
But I digress.
This spill didn't have to happen and all the money in the world isn't going to "fix" the coastline after this mess comes ashore.
The spill didn't have to happen, but it did, and there isn't anything that can be done about it now. It's not like someone woke up and said, "hmmm...it's been a while since Exxon Valdez, let's have an oil spill today!!" It was a tragedy.
Yes, after working about 10 years on a drillship offshore, I do know how dangerous rig work is. Unfortunately, it isn't the 1st time that a multiple lives have been lost near me. We lost a helo full of men a few years ago. I'm also familar with the military, retiring from the USN in subs after about 21 years. I'd be out on the rigs now, if not for the cancer that is throughout my abdominal cavity and believed to be from the radiation I received while serving on subs.
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
im just glad ive seen most of the florida beaches before all of this oil hits their coast cause its going to be one major sh*t storm. sux
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm8gLmu
During worst ecological oil disaster in nation's history, President Obama says it's "premature" to...
http://www.huffingtonp
http://www.lookingglas
Hmmmm, I'm not convinced.
Twenty-one years after the Exxon Valdez spill, a crew went back and dug 9,000 holes in the Alaska shoreline and oil was found IN MORE THAN HALF. (Link to story [foxnews.com].) Researchers believe that the oil will still be there HUNDREDS OF YEARS from now. And that was after a 4 year cleanup of what was mostly rocks and pebbles. The Gulf Coast beaches are sand beaches. How the hell do you clean sand????? The sad truth is, you can't.
I'm sure there are some lasting effects from the spill but I bet in general, thanks to the clean-up efforts and nature itself, things are probably working themselves back to normal. Most likely, even if that same oil is still there a hundred years from now there will be no signs that it is hurting anything on the surface.
Not to downplay the Exxon Valdez spill or the current one--they are both horrible tragedies. But nature can and will recover from it in time. Sadly a lot of people will be hurt along the way.
But I digress.
This spill didn't have to happen and all the money in the world isn't going to "fix" the coastline after this mess comes ashore.
I'm sorry you feel the military pay is unfair. I will agree. Your husband has chosen his career path, he could have chosen a job in the oilfield just as easily. The military is dangerous, but the oilfield is a very dangerous working enviroment too. Just walking on the deck or shipyard is a threat to their lives, it is not unusual to have a crane drop something or something fall crushing someone. These are very laborous jobs that are not recognized or rewarded often, there are many risks to the job and much time is spent away from their families for travel and safety reasons. They do not get discounts for food for wearing a uniform or buy groceries at a special merchant for special treatment discount. They work for every dime they earn, so if you think it is unfair for an entry level position to pay $60k a year to sweep the deck then you need to look at the risks. Again, I agree the military personnel is under paid, but the men and woman know the risks and the pay before dedicating themselves to fight for the oil that both parties risk their lives for.
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
Ummm ... where do YOU live that military get discounted food?
But again, this is not a pissing contest about who should/does make more or who takes more risks. This is about the oil spill and the devastation headed our way.
AND the people that have absolutely no idea that a spill even happened. I met another one this afternoon.