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islandgurl wrote: I was at the gas station the other day and right across the street from this one was a BP station. The one I was at was PACKED with cars, the BP was empty... tells you a lot about how people feel around these parts.

I never got that man, they drilled as much as the US Gov. allowed them to drill, remember the whole "Drill baby drill" thing? I thought there'd be more anger directed towards the Gov. and those that encouraged offshore drilling than BP itself?

How's the Sealife round those parts holding up IG, do you know anything about it or is too far away to have much of an idea? Is there alot of a fishing industry around those parts that are going to be affected? One of the most worrying things i heard was that Oyster Fishermen were eating a heap of oysters because they didn't know when they was going to get the chance again.

At least it's stopped them wanting to drill in the Antarctic areas, hopefully this will put people of reliance on fossil fuels ( yes im horribly aware of my hippy/environmentalist side shining through.)

Sir Niall of Essex-sire wrote:

islandgurl wrote: I was at the gas station the other day and right across the street from this one was a BP station. The one I was at was PACKED with cars, the BP was empty... tells you a lot about how people feel around these parts.

I never got that man, they drilled as much as the US Gov. allowed them to drill, remember the whole "Drill baby drill" thing? I thought there'd be more anger directed towards the Gov. and those that encouraged offshore drilling than BP itself?

How's the Sealife round those parts holding up IG, do you know anything about it or is too far away to have much of an idea? Is there alot of a fishing industry around those parts that are going to be affected? One of the most worrying things i heard was that Oyster Fishermen were eating a heap of oysters because they didn't know when they was going to get the chance again.

At least it's stopped them wanting to drill in the Antarctic areas, hopefully this will put people of reliance on fossil fuels ( yes im horribly aware of my hippy/environmentalist side shining through.)

"Welcome to the real Oil business" said the man from the Niger Delta.




"If you need advice on how to cope with the trauma give us a call, we've had 30 years of wading around in the worlds oil playground. No big bucks for us though"

From me guys, I'm sorry for whats happening to you and your wildlife, I guess in the game of chance it had to happen somewhere eventually where it would be noticed. I dare say you yanks will survive though yer made of tough stuff.

Peace Spider.

Jeez, that's shocking stuff Spider.

I think there was a Dispatchers program about the oil trade in Africa? It's amazing 'how out of sight out mind' is such a common phenomenon in human existence eh?

Hello Professor how yer bin keepin' I think we missed you a bit mate.I was listening to this tonight.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0 ... 4_06_2010/
A brilliant program I listen to most days on the BBC World Service, a window on the real world. Its worth an hour of your time.
I spent time on the West African coast in the early 80's just as the oil there was starting to flow and saw for myself the growing catastrophe, oh and don't forget the Toxic waste which even now 30 years later is still being dumped down there. With the US Gulf they have the resources and the will to put it back together again. West Africa? well corrupt Governments and corrupt multinationals (and thats what BP, Texaco, Elf, Shell etc. are), I think it may take a little longer. Sorry hijacking thread, rant over.

On topic; the elephants have populated my manor now. so this is technically "My City"

Spider, all is well thank you, thanks for your kind words. I hope all is good with you?

That's an awesome radio show man, many thanks for making me aware of it. I'll keep up to date with it for sure!

You were over in the West African regions when it happened? Spider that must of been an enlightening time! Did it all happen quickly ( the destruction ) or did it take some time to deteriorate?

Sir Niall of Essex-sire wrote:

islandgurl wrote: I was at the gas station the other day and right across the street from this one was a BP station. The one I was at was PACKED with cars, the BP was empty... tells you a lot about how people feel around these parts.

I never got that man, they drilled as much as the US Gov. allowed them to drill, remember the whole "Drill baby drill" thing? I thought there'd be more anger directed towards the Gov. and those that encouraged offshore drilling than BP itself?

How's the Sealife round those parts holding up IG, do you know anything about it or is too far away to have much of an idea? Is there alot of a fishing industry around those parts that are going to be affected? One of the most worrying things i heard was that Oyster Fishermen were eating a heap of oysters because they didn't know when they was going to get the chance again.

At least it's stopped them wanting to drill in the Antarctic areas, hopefully this will put people of reliance on fossil fuels ( yes im horribly aware of my hippy/environmentalist side shining through.)

i'm not going to front like iv been through an oil spill because i haven't , but if i woke up and my local beaches /water was covered in crude oil i'd be pretty pissed off/sad. I agree unless it was overwhelmingly bp's fault i'd place blame on both parties. i think for the avg joe schmoe in the gulf coast blames bp because fact is they are the easiest people to put blame on. i'd say its 50/50. i'm sure if exxon ran aground again while delivering oil to say..iceland and there was a spill alot of the blame would go on exxon and not iceland for doing business with them. i think alot of people think like that. maybe we're diff though? just my 2 cents.



spider: what are the elephants? are they a tradition in your area? hand painted by local artists? they look cool. i think we used to do something similiar here only with metal/porcelin pigs.

You're right cantona, the blame game is just a gut reaction for most people a human emotion. Like your President says, if jumping up and down making a noise fixed anything things would soon be sorted.
In the US Gulf that was an accident, in as much as that when you push the envelope like operating at the depths and in the conditions that they do then once in a while it fucks up, but mostly it doesn't because we work hard for it not to. In Africa and other out of the way places it happens because it can, a nice contribution to the right political bank accounts does wonders to smooth the way. Niall yes, right from the off when they struck the black gold down africa way it was like the klondike over again no rules, crooked pols. and all us first world investors licking our lips over our share dividends, trouble is unless the locals take a rig hostage or something no ones interested. I dont know guys I'm as bad as the rest, 65 litres in the old jeep yesterday.

The Elephants are part of an environmental campaign they had them all over Amsterdam last year and this year its our turn, and they are cool, the idea is that different artists are invited to decorate one and then they are auctioned off at the end, money for the conservation charity

http://www.elephantparade.com/gallery/g ... ant-parade

Sail Amsterdam this year though, got the hotel booked and we can't wait
http://english.sail2010.nl/

spidergawd wrote:You're right cantona, the blame game is just a gut reaction for most people a human emotion. Like your President says, if jumping up and down making a noise fixed anything things would soon be sorted.
In the US Gulf that was an accident, in as much as that when you push the envelope like operating at the depths and in the conditions that they do then once in a while it fucks up, but mostly it doesn't because we work hard for it not to. In Africa and other out of the way places it happens because it can, a nice contribution to the right political bank accounts does wonders to smooth the way. Niall yes, right from the off when they struck the black gold down africa way it was like the klondike over again no rules, crooked pols. and all us first world investors licking our lips over our share dividends, trouble is unless the locals take a rig hostage or something no ones interested. I dont know guys I'm as bad as the rest, 65 litres in the old jeep yesterday.

The Elephants are part of an environmental campaign they had them all over Amsterdam last year and this year its our turn, and they are cool, the idea is that different artists are invited to decorate one and then they are auctioned off at the end, money for the conservation charity

http://www.elephantparade.com/gallery/g ... ant-parade

Sail Amsterdam this year though, got the hotel booked and we can't wait
http://english.sail2010.nl/

http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q=pa ... a=N&tab=wi


heres some of the pigs in seattle if your interested.


is that oil in nigeria? i used to know this dude from gambia and he said something about shell using nigerian oil. maybe they should be boycotted?

cantona7 wrote: i'm not going to front like iv been through an oil spill because i haven't , but if i woke up and my local beaches /water was covered in crude oil i'd be pretty pissed off/sad. I agree unless it was overwhelmingly bp's fault i'd place blame on both parties. i think for the avg joe schmoe in the gulf coast blames bp because fact is they are the easiest people to put blame on. i'd say its 50/50. i'm sure if exxon ran aground again while delivering oil to say..iceland and there was a spill alot of the blame would go on exxon and not iceland for doing business with them. i think alot of people think like that. maybe we're diff though? just my 2 cents.

I think that's probably right man, if your livelihood/hometown has just been destroyed you're probably not going to be too into going into the politics surrounding the incident.

I was just hoping this situation would signal a bit of a move away from the corporatism represented by certain American parties. I think those politicians ( Sarah Palin being a prominent one ) should be brought to account for such blind support of off shore oil drilling and asked why they supported it so much know there could be such devastating consequences. Im hoping the American voters will not be so anti-Government involvement in the free market as they are at this moment, i think to embrace Government setting certain limits etc. on Corporations is a good thing, a completely free market isn't going to help the people. Corporations are profit guided, not guided by humanitarian concerns.

cantona7 wrote: is that oil in nigeria? i used to know this dude from gambia and he said something about shell using nigerian oil. maybe they should be boycotted?

Agree.

Wont happen in reality man, too many people are concerned with powering their own luxuries than taking care of the enviroment or their fellow man.[/u]

Spider : That's shocking man, people are so ready to blame the corrupt leaders for the state of certain African areas ( which is of course sometimes justified) without always looking at the fault lying in the West. I hope that some parts of Africa gets a fair chance at change in my lifetime.

i think its kind of human nature for people under stress/angry to blame the easiest party. whenever we used to get those school shootings here people would blame the gun companies, schools, politicians ,etc instead of the system that let these kids get bullied(not that thats an excuse) the lack of security or....the parents? or the media for making a field day and giving these guys media attention that they want. instead people will be lazy and come tot he easiest conclusion that they can because they're angry.

I thought there'd be more anger directed towards the Gov. and those that encouraged offshore drilling than BP itself?

No doubt the government has played a part in the whole thing but ultimately BP is responsible. There are several hundred more oil rigs in the Gulf and nothing has happened to them, knock on wood.

How's the Sealife round those parts holding up IG, do you know anything about it or is too far away to have much of an idea?

I can tell you that the emergency animal hospital only saw one animal a day. The last week or so it has been at least 25.

Is there alot of a fishing industry around those parts that are going to be affected?

Shrimping, Crabbing and Fishing of the coast have come to a hault. The boats are now working for BP deploying booms until they can get there life back.

I think most of the fault should be blamed on Transocean, the owner of the rig. There were several problems the morning of the blowout but they failed to act. Ans don't forget Halliburton made/installed the blowout preventer that failed. What bothers me most is they didn't have a known fix for a problem like this. They knew it was a possibility and should have planned for the worse. BP CEO is not winning of the public, some of his comments have shocked me. This picture has disturbed me the most

Peace,
Balou

cantona7 wrote:i think its kind of human nature for people under stress/angry to blame the easiest party. whenever we used to get those school shootings here people would blame the gun companies, schools, politicians ,etc instead of the system that let these kids get bullied(not that thats an excuse) the lack of security or....the parents? or the media for making a field day and giving these guys media attention that they want. instead people will be lazy and come tot he easiest conclusion that they can because they're angry.

You're right enough there man, hopefully when they get time to step back they'll call into question the people that were supposedly representing the interests of the American people.

Cisco sorry about the thread hijack man...back to Edinburgh

Cantona, love the pigs man, (I just realised what I said there but I'll leave it in ).

Last word from me on the oil, Yes those pictures are from the Niger Delta in west africa, but it could be a lot of places to be honest. If I remember rightly we were boycotting shell right through 90's. Its not hopeless and when it affects the bottom line then things do change, I like to think that the megacorps do have humans operating them and even the likes of these CEO's have children and grand children that they care about. you are right Niall, but we will change it or at least you young people will have to now, so its not all doom and gloom. Power to the people and all that .