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03 Aug 2010 10:09

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U.S.: In Louisiana, half a dozen teens drown in underwater sinkhole

  • Unfortunately, I’m afraid, and it’s with a heavy heart, to report that we have pulled so far (six) bodies from the river. … I can honestly say that in my 26 years of service I’ve never seen anything of this magnitude. And I hope I never see it again.
  • Shreveport, La. Fire Chief Brian Crawford • Describing the sinkhole that killed six people last night. (A seventh was rescued.) The 18-foot hole sucked in the teenagers, who largely didn’t know how to swim and had otherwise been in the shallow water. A friend of the families, Marilyn Robinson witnessed the deaths: “None of us could swim. They were yelling ‘help me, help me. Somebody please help me.’ It was nothing I could do but watch them drown one by one.” Harrowing. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Jul 2010 09:20

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Biz, U.S.: BP’s oil spill bill keeps going up, and then some

  • $3.12 billion spent on cleanup and claims so far source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Jun 2010 20:50

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U.S.: Oil Spill: Thad Allen says it’s been spreading out, scattering

  • We’re no longer dealing with a large, monolithic spill. We’re dealing with an aggregation of hundreds of thousands of patches of oil that are going a lot of different directions.
  • Thad “the good guy” Allen • Discussing the latest status of the oil spill. In explaining further, Allen said that while tackling the surface oil issues will take a couple of months, “long-term issues of restoring the environment and the habitats … will be years.”Not only are we not out of the woods, but the woods just keeps growing, and we have to see the forest for the trees. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

03 Jun 2010 11:28

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Biz, U.S.: BP’s CEO: We didn’t plan for an oil spill below the surface

  • What is undoubtedly true is that we did not have the tools you would want in your tool kit.
  • BP CEO Tony Hayward • Regarding his company’s lack of plan to take care of the massive oil spill that happened on their watch. While there has been some good news today – they managed to cut that pipe, which may allow them to further limit the damage caused by the spill – the fact of the matter is that they didn’t have a plan. Sure, they had tools ready to take care of an Exxon Valdez-like situation, but they had no plan for any sort of trouble below the surface. Hayward calls it “an entirely fair criticism.” We call it downright unbelievable. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Jun 2010 09:17

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Biz: Oil spill-riddled failure BP’s stocks take a massive hit this morning

  • 16% freefall on the London Stock Exchange this morning; oh boy
  • 14% fall in the U.S. in its first session since the top kill failed source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

30 May 2010 23:27

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Politics: Max Headroom: Dr. Uncomfortable is ready to see you


  • Never discuss this again On Fox News today, this doctor discusses how women’s sexual desires go down as a result of taking birth control pills. The awkward silence at the end, just a second or so, feels like 20 minutes.

  • playing politicsThe Obama/Joe Sestak thing is kind of annoying because it happens often enough that calling people out for it is lame, but you expect more from Obama. At least this “Meet The Press” panel does.

  • Not a man from NantucketJames Carville sounds like the angriest human being alive in claiming that the entire federal government would’ve helped if the oil spill happened in Nantucket. We’re trying not to rhyme.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

29 May 2010 17:28

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U.S.: BP: Yeah, the top spill is sucking it. Let’s go to oil spill Plan Q.

  • I don’t think the amount of oil coming out has changed. Just by watching it, we don’t believe it’s changed.
  • BP’s Chief Operating Officer, Doug Suttles • Regarding how well the “top spill” process is working. Short answer: It’s not, really, and it sucks to be BP right now. The next step would be removing the pipe and putting a cap on the leak, a process called a lower marine riser package cap. “If we have to go to it, we can do it as quickly as possible,” Shuttles said. BP also has long-term plans to stop the leak in the form of two relief wells, but the first well won’t be finished until July or August, easy. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

28 May 2010 18:47

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U.S.: Obama on oil spill: It’s not going to be easy, but I have smart people

  • There are going to be a lot of judgment calls here. There are not going to be silver bullets or perfect answers.
  • Barack Obama • Speaking about the oil spill in Louisiana today. What are his plans? A few things. First off, check this site for the latest info on the response to the spill, which combines everything from all the involved parties. Second, he’s tripling the size of the response crews in Louisiana. Third, he’s keeping pressure on BP to pay for damages caused by the spill. Fourth, he’s going to help small business with loans needed due to the spill along with loan deferments for those they needed during Katrina. Finally, and most importantly, he’s approving a barrier island that will help prevent some of the oil from reaching shore. Will it help? Fingers crossed. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 May 2010 18:16

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U.S.: Obama’s in Louisiana, willing to help for the long haul

There’s Obama, on his A-game, trying to help. Despite what some apparent lobbyist flack commenters who are trying to influence our posts think, we think this is a good thing. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 1 Comment • Permalink

20 May 2010 12:05

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Biz, U.S.: BP’s at least managing to grab a good chunk of the oil spill

  • 5,000 number of barrels they’re
    grabbing each day
  • a lot the amount that’s still getting
    into the ocean source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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