This is my home. I've lived other places but I always come back here. Clearwater beach has been having some really rough times due to "the church". They are pretty much making it so small businesses not tied to the organization can't survive. Now this, I really don't know what will happen. Its foolish to think the oil won't come here, when it does I don't know how the community will recover.

It seems that when hospitality started to drop telemarketing rooms really started to be on the rise, but even the boiler rooms are starting to close down- and rightly so, but I just don't know where people will turn next for work.

Agreed. I think the government needs to make an example of BP and make as much cost stick to that company as possible. They need to make it hurt so bad financially that other companies will stand up and take notice. That is the only thing they understand. If the rewards outweigh the risks it will continue to be business as usual. They need to all have the shut off valves, they need to be sure they are all functional, and someone needs to spot check them to ensure this is done and impose heavy fines if not. They need to have contingency plans for the worst case scenario, they should have had a plan in place for this.

The gulf is just a bad place to put oil wells, period. Its too risky. Hurricanes come through here all the time, every time they have to detach the rigs, etc etc. Huge procedure, lost production time, etc. I mean, its not an industry I'm hugely familliar with, but as an outsider it seems it would be more cost effective to put more wells on stable ground, in say Alaska. :upsidedow

I grew up on Sarasota beaches, pisses me off.


.

heres the thing...they could have "stuck a cork in it" already. BP is trying to syphen the oil off as well to recover lost profits and in the meantime the disaster is ongoing. How the CEO is not in prison right now for environmental terrorism is amazing...but obvious. Obama and his admin hasn't really done anything about this crisis. I read articles which say "obama acted decisively during the oil spill" etc....WTF?

the only thing the govt acts decisively about is war, but when it comes to domestic issues its a complete joke.

You are correct, and the exception is it wasn't at 5000ft. which makes this uncharted territory.


I find interesting that people's attitude towards BP, like they don't care that they lost multi-billion dollar rig and likely billions more in oil lost. I'm not saying they don't have a responsibility in it, but I assure you they want it stopped and contained as much, or more than anyone.

Plus, we all have a small part of the blame because we continue to use oil like its going out of style, which forces oil companies to drill in much more riskier and dangerous places. So maybe this will clue some people in that we need to start utilizing other forms of energy in a hurry.

:1orglaugh selfish.

speak for yourself, i sold my car and now use public transport, bike or walk to get around. why? because in reality i didn't need it. and there are millions of people who have actively cut their use of oil based products for this reason.

forcing oil companies to drill in dangerous places? hahaha yes, its a shame to force those fuckers to do anything to make them record profits.

but at least they aren't being forced to use a 500k safety valve that Brazil even mandates.

It's a shitty situation but it's not like it's the first time it's happened or the last time. Americans live in ignorant bliss - This happens all the time. The truth is we need our oil and this is the price we pay.

At the same time everyone is blaming BP. If I understand correctly, the oil platform wasn't owned by BP. It was leased to them. It wasn't even their people on the rig.

Well now your clouding the issue with facts. :winkwink:

I am speaking for myself, yes I like my gasoline powered car, I like having a wide variety fresh fruit all year round, I like having all sorts electronic gadgets, computers, appliances at my disposal, I like having manufactured clothes that are made by cheap labor in other countries, I like having my TVs, Internet, Wifi, connected all the time. All these things require OIL. So though I'm sad about the accident and will likely effect me because I do own a beach house on the gulf, I also have understand that its all of us that have some blame in the oil game... :upsidedow

thats good, as long as we have that clarified:thumbsup

If I lived on the gulf coast I would be.

Why oh why was that other valve never bought ??

I hope who ever the fuck decided against it is happy now... :mad:

Your information is flawed.

Let me explain: On top of the well head sits the BOP (blow out preventer). This is a house sized valve that is designed to shut of the well in case of a blow out. It does this by cutting through the pipe with a shear ram and sealing it off.

There are several ways to trigger the BOP, "switches" if you will. A hydraulic switch, a manual one (to be engaged by submersible robots), and another one I'm not sure about (spring loaded fail safe in case of loss of hydraulics, I believe).

The device you are talking about would have been an additional BOP activation switch that can be triggered acoustically.

This mess happened not because the switches failed. As the rig sank, it jammed the riser pipe into the BOP, with likely a section of drilling pipe or hardened tool joint in it. As a result the BOP couldn't close because the shear rams were not able to cut through that tool steel section.

The problem is not that the switches failed, but that the BOP could not perform as designed.

The acoustical switch you're talking about would have made no difference.


Another thing, the fact that right now the riser is jammed into the BOP is the only thing that actually LIMITS outflow. Any attempt to remove it in order to install a new BOP or even a new riser could mean that the well starts flowing at its natural flow rate, which would mean it would jump from the current estimated 5,000 barrels a day to possibly 130,000 barrels a day.

That's why they are fucked. They can't fix the BOP and trying to replace it could make things infinitely worse, if one can imagine that.

A viable option that surprisingly doesn't get talked about it to collapse the well pipe with a nuclear explosion below the sea bed. The radioactive pollution would actually be mostly contained underground. The Russians have done this a few times successfully in the past.

Either way, it's a nightmare of apocalyptic proportions.

There have been much bigger spills than this one since Exxon Valdez and many more before that. As terrible as this tragedy is I don't think it's the end of the world if the much larger spills that have occured before are any indication.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oil_spills

I wonder if this is going to affect my cruise ...should probably find out

of course, this is literally in my backyard.

When you think about the small amount of oil it takes to fuck up a VERY large amount of water, then do some simple math based on what's spilling out now --- it's fucking scary, and feels like it could be the end of sea life as we know it -- which could undoubtedly make some things very uncomfortable in our society.

It's a huge deal.

My feeling is that the parties involved could have done more leading up to this. Newer/more safety equipment. Less lobbying. If they cut corners then that was a measured risk on their part and they had to expect consequences like this. They sacrificed safety for profits.

I think it's being blown way out of proportion.

Look at this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_War_oil_spill

I was watching a report on how much natural oil is leaked into the ocean everyday and how much oil comes from boats traveling on the ocean and less than 5% of the oil that's in the ocean comes from oil spills. How they are trying to figure out how to profit from the leaks of methane gas and natural oil leakage coming from the ocean floor, it was all very interesting

Smart thinking... well, up until today anyway. Hopefully, in the future as well.


Damn! I was always under the impression that those zombies were pretty much barred from and ignored on the beach side of the bridge. Ditto for all of the surrounding communities. Sorry to hear that.


The way the coastline is laid out we just might get lucky in this particular area.

But, they need to cap that thing and they need to do it fast otherwise we're talking about an environmental nightmare that will never end.

Lets just hope that it doesn't come to that.


Yeah, and they all got a hold of my phone number too :winkwink:

Its been a slow choke. Started with the downtown area, but for the last decade they have been slowly buying up property on and near the beach and seating people in city council and local government.

It's like they are creating their own little ghost town. The majority of the property they buy they leave vacant and just hold it, creating little islands of active business w/ nothing in between, hurthing the local economy. Last year, in the middle of tourist season, they did major road construction at the beach, closing Gulfview for months. Not sure how well you know the area but just imagine everything south of Pier 60 being near inaccessable. Having to park blocks away and walk through construction tape to get to restaurants that are normally jumping that time of year. I don't know the numbers but if feels like they've got to have close to 30 to 40% of the prime beach property at this point, might be more, might be less.

I'm not sure what their critical mass point will be, but I think the plan is when they hit the property percentage they are looking for or buy whatever peice of real estate they might be waiting on, they are going to build it all up as a giant private resort. I would honestly not be surprised if they wall off entire sections of the beach. I'm sure they will keep it classy, probably build it out with stone and form jettis... but it will be a loss for the community.

It's tough for me. I grew up with and still have alot of scientologist friends, and the way the religion is if you speak out against the church you get labeled an "SP" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suppressive_Person

Even though its against the rules my friends used to be understanding and conversational and engage in discussion and debate about the church, but ever since Anonymous if I ever say anything negative its like pressing a button and they launch into this rehearsed speech. They all repeat the exact same rebuttal, it's like Stepford Wives.

Anyway, to get back on topic everything about the church spending money and bettering the local economy is hogwash. The church supports the church. Some of it trickles down, but for the most part church owned businesses employ church members and buy from church owned and operated suppliers. The church invests money to build up church owned buildings and rents property to church run industry.

I actually live nearer Downtown Dunedin, a small speck directly north of Clearwater. Downtown Dunedin is still largely independent and thriving. It doesn't have the beach though :( Honeymoon island isn't half bad but it's not the same as the beautiful powder on clearwater beach. Sand Key is my favorite part.

So it appears they're now admitting it could take months to stop the leak, and in the meantime they're gonna try and clog it full of garbage.

I'm serious.

Garbage.

That would be great if this was a spill. This is a "blowout" at almost a mile down that is something thats never happened before. It would be awesome if there was some finite amount of oil.

From what I understand the only sure fire solution is to retap the well by drilling in at an angle. Downside is it takes 3 months.

Personally, BP needs to quit fucking around and start drilling, every day they try some bullshit bandaid is another day wasted that they should have been drilling. I don't have a problem with them trying to plug the hole while they drill, but for goddsakes start the process.

This is fucking disgusting.

Just because they have British in their name doesn't make them British owned and operated. British people don't get dividends from profits, nor should they get blame because of this problem. Go ahead and boycott BP. Did you boycott Exxon when the Valdez sank? I'd like to know.

And BP oil is sold to nearly all other gas station companies, so you'll be buying their products one way or another.

Get off the bandwagon, and say something smart for a change. Racist.:321GFY

And for the records I think what has happened is a total tragedy. I blame all oil companies for cutting corners and trying to maximize profits. However I am not a hypocrite and know that i rely on their oil as much as the next person. But what you're saying is unhelpful and wrong in this situation.

/raises pitchfork
For the earth-mother!

It has happened before, just not at a mile deep:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ixtoc_I

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montara_oil_spill

I avoided the Clearwater construction, as best I could, by going to the Palm Pavilion end of town.

I know downtown Dunedin well. I've also been known to absorb copious quantities of alcohol in Kelly's and Flanagan's. Honeymoon Island is nice but Howard Park is closer to where I hang my hat.

As for the late L Ron Hubbard's disciples, all I can say is them be some scary friggin' people. Damn good businessmen though and, as we both know, that's what that gig is really all about.

Of course, the only ones who get to see the money are the ones at the top but, then again, that's how Walmart works too.


Here's hoping that that damn oil doesn't get anywhere near Clearwater Beach!

Where is the rig BTW? why isnt it on top of the leak? How could they lower a 4 story box on top of the leak without the rig being there??? somethings wierd.

Cheers to that.


Feel free to add me on FB and keep in touch. One of these days I want to do like a power lunch or something w/ industry peeps in the area- http://www.facebook.com/mrscrash

The rig blew up and took 11 mens' lives.

I know it blew up, but it sunk also.. those rigs are huge.

I live in Tampa and yesterday the smell was so bad, you didn't want to go outside. Smells like heavy diesel fuel. Second time the wind has been just right to bring that smell inland.

The thought of all those poor birds and other animals makes me sick to my stomach. Imagine a duck landing in the water, just like he has his entire life, and suddenly, he is covered in this horrible substance. He cannot fly away - the more he thrashes, the worse it is. he doesn't undertand what is happening but he is now trapped and will spend the next few days dying an agonizing death. Why? So that some asswipes can become even richer than they already were drilling oil out of the ocean. Drill, baby, drill? I'd like to see Sarah Pallin and all the rest of those idiots tossed right into the middle of that muck. They'd be singing a different tune.

:disgust fuck man this is complete bullshit

Send these fuckers an email or call them and tell to fix the problem! ( maybe it will speed
things up )

:ak47: http://www.bp.com

To be more accurate it's " Drill baby Drill" just not off my coast. How many americans want to consolidate down to 1 car, car pool, ride a bike, or make 1000s of small sacrifices needed so we don't need to depend on so much oil. The people who bitch about the BIG BAD OIL companies are the same people who aren't making any sacrifices. Everyone wants their cake and eat it too, but it doesn't work that way.

If we all sacrificed then demand for oil would go down and there would be no need to do more drilling.


Drilling more is a REACTIVE measure to supply and demand. The demand ( due to all of us) is high so they are trying to make sure the supply is there so people dont freak out over 3 hour lines at the pump or the price of gas goes up to $10 a gallon if we cut back a lot on production.

It fell like a huge tree (cuz its connected with a long stem) so it totally cleared the hole,
and in doing this it created 3 rips in the "stem" as well. i dont remember the real term for it and i'm to tired to look it up now.

Ah ok makes sense.. well thats a relief

You realize how far away that shit still is, right?

Are you really sure that that's what you smelled?


Well, you might get your wish.

BP has just announced that they're gonna try to stop the leak by stuffing garbage down there.

I'm not making this shit up!

Along with Sarah & company, they need to stuff Dick Cheney and Tony Hayward in there as well.