Friday, April 22, 2011

There is no such thing as safe methane 'extraction' as sea or on land.



The BP Deepwater Horizon Disaster was caused by an exploratory well that when 'accessed' was 50% crude oil and 50% methane. The videos of the disaster shows an offshore drilling platform listing and burning, but, the videos show more than that, they show an uleashed vat of fossil fuel deposits reaching the surface of the sea with uninhibited fury.

The burning of the Deepwater Horizon, a state of the art drilling platform, was unabated.  There was absolutely nothing any human or human imagination could do to stop that well from doing exactly what occurred.  Sure there were huge mistakes along the way.  Complete abandonment of the original drilling plan as the vat became more and more challenging to access.  A Blowout Preventer that was never going to work even before it was lowered to the seabed.  Substandard materials, substandard practices and more and more 'bargaining' with fate as the vat became more and more unattainable. 

By the time BP's disaster became reality, it had abandoned its business plan, its safety margin, its insight and its desire for anything except greed.  That is no wrod of a lie.  The event will be the worst disaster to the USA in its history and continues to cause huge environmental damage was guaranteecd to happen.  The petroleum industry is out of control and that is never more evident as the hydraulic fracturing that is occuring around the world.

Chesapeake Energy (click here) suspended the use of a controversial natural-gas production technique in Pennsylvania on Thursday as it worked to contain a well blowout that spilled toxic fluid into a local waterway....

Evidently the way to have a save environment in the USA is to first destroy it !

Definately see the movie. Disney is donating funds for protections during the first week.



When watching the movie keep in mind that 'in the wild' these magnificent animals have a chance to survive. 

But.

The entire scenario changes when a human enters the scene with a single gun.

Wildlife and natural places that remain on Earth are endangered in the most profound ways.  If humans become uncivilized these animals haven't got a chance.  The 'wild' is not the place for humans and it is the way it should be.

Today is Earth Day. And don't forget it.

Starbucks, Caribou offering free coffee Friday for Earth Day  (click title to entry - thank you)


8:20 p.m. CDT, April 21, 2011

Carrying around your own coffee mug on Friday could prove lucrative, while also benefiting Mother Earth.

Coffee giants
Starbucks and Caribou are among the retailers offering freebies and other specials to customers Friday in observance of Earth Day. Both are giving away free coffee to people who bring in their own mugs, and Starbucks is also offering free tea.

Caribou normally gives mug-presenting customers 50 cents off, while Starbucks ordinarily gives 10 cents off....


...In 1993, the Rainforest Alliance (click here) and its partner groups in the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) demonstrated that traditional, forested coffee farms are havens for wildlife. Now, coffee lovers everywhere can support farmers who maintain these rainforest refuges simply by buying beans stamped with the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal of approval....

Gadaffi wouldn't talk to anyone. He used his people as human shields.

NATO is introducing USA Predators Drones to understand ways to help the people of Libya.

...Western forces (click title to entry - thank you) began air raids on Libya on 19 March to enforce a United Nations-sanctioned no-fly zone and to protect civilians from attacks by government troops....

There are some ground troops from within NATO; I think it was Great Britain.  The USA is not sending troops.  The purpose of the drones is to continue to attempt control over Libya's irreverent military to UN sanctions and orders for protection of the civilians. 

The Predator Drones are usually effective and far more invasive than simple aircraft.  Their technology can fidn a 'fly' on a wall without much sound.

I heard Pakistan is getting some small 'spy' drones.  I guess.  I don't believe the ISI will put them to good use.  The only real solice is that they drones Pakistan is getting can be dismantled by the Predators without much effort. 

David Cameron has insisted there is no prospect of British forces becoming part of an "occupying army" in Libya.
Amid concerns that the deployment of UK military personnel as advisers to the rebels is a sign of mission creep, the Prime Minister said: "We're not allowed, rightly, to have an invading army, or an occupying army."
He added: "That's not what we want, that's not what the Libyans want, that's not what the world wants."
MPs have expressed alarm at the announcement that British forces were being sent to Libya to act in an advisory capacity to opponents of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi....

When I think of the Pakistani ISI and their acquisition of spy drones, it more or less reminds of my sons when they were young.  They played with toys for awhile but they always had to try to figure out what makes them tick. 

The only real reason I can come up with in providing Pakistan with spy drones is for the USA to actually spy with them to find out what they are up to.  That is the best I can up with.  Radio frequencies and that stuff.  If the Pakistani ISI thinks for one minute they aren't going to be monitored by the USA through shared radio frequencies;...well, they have some awakenings coming.  Mullens doesn't trust them as far as he can spit, so I can't imagine they are going to get away with much.

Oops.  Did I say too much?

Well, its all for the purpose of peace.  Can't go wrong there.  I hope Pakistan behaves before there is a greater war they didn't think they were going to get.  There goes Waziristan.  How are things after the flood?

Wazirastan Return Tank



The people look in good condition.  What's this thing about a tank?  Their traffic jams always look like the circus just got there.

Hey, what do I know?

Bahrain needs to stop being stupid. Bahrain would rather face human rights abuses rather than a few unarmed protesters?

A wounded Shia man is treated in Salmaniya hospital in the Bahraini capital, Manama. (click title to entry - thank you)

"The Independent" is a good news source.  I do not doubt their reporting.  I can't help but wonder why Bahrainian leaders are being so silly about their own people.

Please stop, the government is hurting itself more than its people.

...At least 32 doctors, including surgeons, physicians, paediatricians and obstetricians, have been arrested and detained by Bahrain's police in the last month in a campaign of intimidation ...

There is simply no reason for this type of paranoya in Bahrain.  The police and whatever mlitary they may have are loyal to the government. 

The economy of Bahrain is entrenched in tourism, the treatment of their own people in a manner that is going to cause 'pause' to visitors will hurt not only the economy of Bahrain, but, the reputation of being an open and progressive society. 

King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa is concerned for his country, as is his Queen and his son, the heir apparent, however they are hurting themselves by taking such an aggressive stand toward unarmed protesters.  I believe King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa is capable to understanding the unrest he finds in his country and seek resolve to it without such strong retaliation. 

As in Egypt, it is some of the impoverishment in the country that has the citizens intent on removing their President.  Bahrain has its poor.  It has its young people that have ideas of democracy.  The best course for Bahrain is to recognize the unrest and address it though forums where the people can be heard.  I wouild expect that to be the best redress of the circumstances, especially if the King is planning on abandoning the Kingdom.

Bahraini ruler suspected of transferring $42bn to Swiss banks  (click here)


Regardless, the people of Bahrain need their physicians and it is against any oath to practice medicine of any kind to ignore the needy and allow those that can be helped to die.

Bahrain needs to stop being difficult with its citizens and return to a state of calm and give confidence to its reputation rathar than its uncertainty.