If you see a single image online today, let it be this.

[LLStarks]

[w8liftinglady]

1. is that as of YESTERDAY?..that's terrible!

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Sigh.

Where did you find the image?
I'd like a link to send to some folks, pls.

[LLStarks]

5. Front page of Huff Po.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/03/oil-spill-tripled-in-size_n_560883.html

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. thanks..I just now got on line.

I am 90 miles NW of Mobile Bay.
We had monster thunderstorms hit in the middle of the night, giant explosions going off
all around the house, windows shaking, dog going nutz, so of course no sleep for half the night.
It's like being in a car wash with cannons firing.
So I knew the Gulf was getting lots of wind and choppy water, that the booms were not going to work.

[snappyturtle]

7. Looks like "ABC" on the pictures.

IF the ocean survives this catastrophy, I hope the event will, finally, cement in peoples' minds that we have to get off of oil period....at least as a fuel source. imho

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. Yes, this may be the good side of this

assuming the worst case scenario doesn't happen... worst case... well this could turn to be an extinction level event... and if that is the case, I think I will start believing in prophecy.

[mdmc]

25. hmmn,,,

We could be done by 2012..

[nadinbrzezinski]

26. Who knew the Mayas were right?

:-)

[mdmc]

30. God, I hope so

this world has been treating me like a baby treats a diaper lately..

[The Backlash Cometh]

76. If someone lights a match by then.

[DeSwiss]

53. Think that image is something?

Now, multiply it by 3,857:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_Coast_of_the_United_States#Economic_activities">NOAA map of the 3,857 oil and gas platforms extant off the Gulf Coast in 2006.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_Coast_of_the_United_States#Economic_activities">

[dotymed]

63. Isn't this last "deep spill"

spewing oil directly into the gulf stream? Ever watch the movie, Finding Nemo? The turtles, whizzing along (fast) in the mile deep gulf stream? That will carry that oil everywhere and the topical spill is nothing compared to the oil speeding along deep down. This (seemingly) will cause disasters hundreds of miles away, at an alarming rate. Am I wrong?

[DeSwiss]

86. You're right.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/03/oil-spill-to-hit-florida-_n_561653.html">Oil Spill To Hit Florida Keys: Will Hit Loop Current Within 24 Hours

[jotsy]

3. Ouch

[greencharlie]

4. sickening... nt

[CherokeeDem]

6. Oh my....

that is just horrendous. What more can the people of that area have to endure?

Did you see the CEO of BP say that even though this wasn't "their accident" they would pay for the clean-up? What the hell was that?
I hate to tell him, his rig, his workers, his oil and his profits. You bet he should pay for it...

[sandnsea]

8. It wasn't a BP rig or BP workers

A company called Transocean operated the rig, subcontractors for BP from what I gather. I don't know whether they're a subsidiary of BP or what, I haven't looked into it personally so I don't know any details. But that's what he meant when he said it wasn't really a BP accident.

[liberation]

27. ... and what difference does that make exactly?

[sandnsea]

31. Probably none

Legally. I would think when you subcontract a company, you have liability for what that company does. But I don't know. Regardless, it's important to have the facts, don't you think?

[liberation]

34. Given the magnitude of this tragedy...

... I don't think that nitpicking on contractual issues really matters.

I understand the need to get all the facts correct, but only if this is under the context of criminal charges being introduced into this situation.

[lunasun]

52. this was in another post and answers ?

by
The OP was Lone_Star_Dem not me.......

(Reuters) - Louisiana shrimpers have filed a class-action lawsuit against oil giant BP Plc (BP.L) and owners of the oil rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, marking the first claim for economic losses stemming from the disaster.

The suit names as defendants BP, which holds the lease to the offshore well; Swiss-based Transocean Ltd (RIGN.S) (RIG.N), owner of the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform that exploded in flames on April 20 and collapsed two days later; and Halliburton Energy Services Inc (HAL.N), which the suit says was engaging in cementing operations of the well and well cap.

The complaint says Halliburton "improperly and negligently performed these duties, increasing the pressure at the well and contributing to the fire, explosion and resulting oil spill."

The suit also names Cameron International Corp (CAM.N), which supplied the rig's blow-out prevention equipment "that failed to operate upon the explosion (and) should have prevented the oil spill."

There was no immediate comment about the lawsuit from any of the companies.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2917899720100429?ty...

Halliburton again :mad:

[dotymed]

62. Pathetically,

the people probably would have received more money from that "agreement not to sue" that BP was passing out. After the lawyers take their cut on a class action lawsuit, the defendants get very little. The lawyers make the big bucks. I understand the lawyers put their time etc... into this upfront. Still it is not right when the lawyers get most of the money and the other 67%, minus expenses, is split among (probably) millions of defendants.

[shireen]

79. we should all file class action lawsuits

this disaster will have a ripple effect across the country.
even as little as $20 per resident in this country, it would hurt those bastards enough to put them out of business.

i just bought some excellent aquacultured live rock off ebay for my office microreef, My fear is that someday, all that's left of the Gulf of Mexico fauna would be in aquariums, Fortunately, the seller told me that his leased plots where his rock is cultured is in no danger of being affected by the slick.

[Vinnie From Indy]

71. I think the pertinent fact that should be recognized is that

companies like BP and Transoceanic structure their companies and their deals with each other SPECIFICALLY to avoid liability should things go terribly wrong. That is what has happened in this case.

[jeff47]

67. It makes an enormous difference

when someone is saying: "Did you see the CEO of BP say that even though this wasn't "their accident" they would pay for the clean-up? What the hell was that? I hate to tell him, his rig, his workers, his oil and his profits."

Doesn't change that they are legally liable. But it is important if someone's going to try to slam BP for an error in operating the well.

[BobbyBoring]

72. None

Most of these platforms as well as many of the tankers that carry oil are registered in Liberia so they are away from US "Regulations". How "Slick" these folks are!

[lonestarnot]

40. And not a word about Halliburton.

[jobycom]

10. It was Transocean's rig, and Halliburton's mistake (probably)...

Both of them own a share of this. If Halliburton did cause this, they should go broke over it.

[Plucketeer]

82. Sadly, while there'll be legal wrangling over who's mess this is...

... It's really OUR mess. Just like the demand for drugs is the root cause of so many deaths at our southern border, so is the insatiable demand for the drug that literally drives our lust for the likes of Hummers, mega-pickup trucks and SUVs.

Might be satisfying to point fingers and lament how "they're" fucking up our environment, but as long as we don't change our ways (or exert pressure on those who ignore the need to change), we're just setting the stage for more of these contaminations to happen.

[jobycom]

84. I can agree with all of that, but it doesn't change the fact of who should pay.

Along with all this abstract consent we give to BP and Halliburton, we also give them buckets of money for doing it right. When they do it wrong, they owe us those buckets back.

[German]

22. I think some others did that bet

NEW YORK (The Borowitz Report) - In what is looming as another public relations predicament for Goldman Sachs, the banking giant admitted today that it made "a substantial financial bet against the Gulf of Mexico" one day before the sinking of an oil rig in that body of water.

The new revelations came to light after government investigators turned up new emails from Goldman employee Fabrice "Fabulous Fab" Tourre in which he bragged to a girlfriend that the firm was taking a "big short" position on the Gulf.

"One oil rig goes down and we're going to be rolling in dough," Mr. Tourre wrote in one email. "Suck it, fishies and birdies!"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-borowitz/goldman-sachs-reveals-it_b_558774.html

[SammyWinstonJack]

24. Wtf?

:wtf: Is this for real?

[liberation]

29. At this point I would be surprised if it weren't...

... at what point enough is enough?

[Beartracks]

33. Heh, I'm thinking not.

A short position against the Gulf itself? This is Andy Borowitz; the piece goes on to say, "The news about Goldman's bet against the Gulf comes on the heels of embarrassing revelations that the firm had taken a short position on Lindsay Lohan's acting career."

:rofl:

----------------

[grantcart]

35. Its real Borowitz

[grantcart]

36. Borowitz is a famous satirists - its a joke.

[lonestarnot]

41. Holy motherfucker are you shit'n me?

[lonestarnot]

42. Borowitz.

You had me going for a second.

[SemperEadem]

69. real or not, it's truly an appalling mindset nonetheless even if it is a joke

this shit isn't funny.

[paparush]

74. 1990 law limits BP's damage liability to $75 million

Under the law that established the reserve, called the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, the operators of the offshore rig face no more than $75 million in liability for the damages that might be claimed by individuals, companies or the government, although they are responsible for the cost of containing and cleaning up the spill.

The fund was set up by Congress in 1986 but not financed until after the Exxon Valdez ran aground in Alaska in 1989. In exchange for the limits on liability, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 imposed a tax on oil companies, currently 8 cents for every barrel they produce in this country or import.

The tax adds roughly one tenth of a percent to the price of oil. Another source of revenue is fines and civil penalties from companies that spill oil.

More at DailyKos-
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/5/3/863045/-NYT:-1990-law-limits-BPs-damage-liability-to-$75-million

[derby378]

75. Oh, we are so screwed...

$75 million isn't anywhere near enough to help the region recover from the ecological devastation it's facing.

[paparush]

85. I know. Its going to be like handing out one roll of paper towels per family.

[Xenotime]

11. What is being done?

[jeff47]

47. Well...

Well, BP has constructed 3 domes to lower over the places where oil is leaking, in order to confine the oil so they can pump it into a tanker to haul it off "safely". 1 dome is done, 2 more should be completed tomorrow, expected to be installed Wednesday. The domes should reduce or eliminate the flow of oil into the Gulf. The surprise here is that the "dome plan" was expected to take much longer to build...I guess billions in liability makes one opt for the "rush order".

Part Two of the response is to drill a relief well that will reduce the pressure at the leaking well head. This has been underway since shortly after the spill, mostly because it's expected to take about 3 months. The reduced pressure will let them plug the leak permanently with sand and cement.

This information was all available on the national news, if you can get through all the doomsday reporting.

Btw, anyone claiming that this will "end life as we know it" doesn't grasp just how large the world is. Is it bad for the Gulf? Hell yes. Could it be bad for the Eastern Seaboard? Remote possibility if the plans to contain it all fail completely for months on end and nobody tries to do anything after that. Will it kill all life in the entire ocean? Hell no. And while hyperbole might get you on some TV shows or a bunch of extra hits now, it just diminishes all your future efforts when you are proven completely wrong.

[pundaint]

65. Hope you're right, but if I were Goldman Sachs, I'd be shorting your position right now.

A little oil goes a long way. There is one opportunity here, however. Toothpaste is a well known cure for the tar sticking to your feet on some Baja beaches - it scours it off. Go big on Gulf Coast toothpaste!

[jeff47]

66. If you're going to claim a world-wide catastrophe

Step 1 would be to calculate the total volume of water in the world's oceans....a step which none of the "doomsday" folks appear to have done.

[pundaint]

81. As I understand it, the top is the important concern.

[jeff47]

87. Depends on the scenario

Some are claiming that the oil will spread essentially by diffusion. That would bing all of the water into play.

The reason they've chosen that particular route is that current won't spread surface oil globally. In the scenario where the oil gushes unabated for a year, the North Atlantic would be devestatd by surface oil, but it would have a hard time reaching the South Atlantic, much less the other oceans.

[unpossibles]

12. holy crude! nt

[PDJane]

13. There is not one thing I've read today that says

That there is something in the human race worth preserving. This is just hastening our demise.......and everything else on the planet with us.

[LLStarks]

14. Let's get this to the Reddit and Digg front pages. It's too depressing to stay on DU. *links inside*

http://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/bzhok/if_you_see_a_single_image_online_today_let_it_be/
http://digg.com/world_news/If_you_see_a_single_image_online_today_let_it_be_this

[slay]

15. K&R

my hatred for the oil cartels knows no ends these fuckers! :mad: :grr:

[sabrina 1]

16. Do you know how many miles it covers now?

Yesterday I read that it covered approx. 2,300 milies, and that was the smaller image on the left. Not sure if that is accurate, it seems like an exaggeration. But if it is not, then the image on the right must be covering at least double that.

[Shell Beau]

17. So devastating.

x(

[earth mom]

18. K & R!

:cry:

[Liberty Belle]

20. I need photos I can run on our site - anyone here take images or know

where I can get some in the public domain?

[e-mail].

[WillyT]

21. K & R !!!

:kick:

[geardaddy]

23. But that's just chocolate.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8267490

[Divine Discontent]

38. yep, so it's all good... we'll just get a few giant assed cookies & give 3 cheers to

Rep. Gene Taylor for discovering that for us all!!! What a GENE-YUS he is.... FAIL...

[WeDidIt]

28. At this rate it'll hit the Keys by the 20th. n/t

[Liberal_in_LA]

32. k&R

[CLANG]

37. What a killjoy you are!

[lonestarnot]

39. fucking A.

Sons of motherfuckers!

[complain jane]

43. ah finally

Watching the images of the animals and hearing about what's to happen to the animals and all forms of life that depend on the gulf has been sickening me for days and this map just finally brought me to tears. Battling tonight with pro-drilling assholes who firmly and loudly believe that this earth is simply here for us to abuse at will to profit is just more than I can take anymore. I'm horrified and heartbroken.

[L0oniX]

44. Say goodby to my little friends...

[tango-tee]

60. I saw your beautiful photos in another thread,

and when I think about what will happen to all of the animals, to the ecosystem... I want to hang my head and just cry.

[myrna minx]

45. .

:cry:

[iris27]

50. No kidding.

:cry:

[whereaminow]

46. Can the embellishment please

Show the actual photographs. Damn pictures look a floor wax commercial

[The Doctor.]

54. Really?

"Can the embellishment"???

You really have no clue what kind of damage is being done here, do you?

Lemme guess, you'll be the one complaining about the price of your fish fry this week.

[whereaminow]

56. No I'm complaining about false representation.

I hate "reenactments". If they have to use drawings, they should refer to the NOAA maps and pics. Unfortunately they don't dramatize the event enough for the tastes of mass media. And yeah, I do know the damage being done. The Gulf is a septic field of oil and garbage. Been that way for over 50 years. And I won't ever intentionally eat any fish that comes from there. Tonight is pork night...

[defendandprotect]

48. dupe

Presume that plan has changed -- I hope???

And 90 days to cap this thing!!

Congress hasn't been doing much to protect the planet or humanity . . .

but they've sure been busy protecting corporations and helping them

accumulate those valuable dollar bills --

Dollar bills vis nature -- !!!

Tough choice!

[defendandprotect]

49. And all of that is going to be set afire . . . ?????

Presume that plan has changed -- I hope???

And 90 days to cap this thing!!

Congress hasn't been doing much to protect the planet or humanity . . .

but they've sure been busy protecting corporations and helping them

accumulate those valuable dollar bills --

Dollar bills vis nature -- !!!

Tough choice!

[Orrex]

51. Mmm... Chocolate milk.

[Bette Noir]

55. Damn.

[BrightKnight]

57. Big oil is out of control. - n/t

[BlueIris]

58. Jesus Christ. nt

[maryf]

59. Not on the front page of papers anymore...

The media is clamping down on this, times square minor event trumps disaster...

and the accidents effects are already being minimized in the NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/04/us/04enviro.html?hp

[chillspike]

61. while viewing this thread

the ad that was shown was for some conservative running for office somewhere and his tag line is "stop the radical environmentalists"

[bobburgster]

64. So much is bad about this.

I just hope they can contain it quickly, and we actually learn from this.

[gov for sale]

68. Like war on terror US to prosecute war against corporate interest that perpetrated catastrophe

:popcorn: :shrug:

come on... where are the tanks... torture... where are the detainees... they have to be dragging off lobbiest and corp execs to some detainment facility right now... phone tapping... computers/hard drives. Somewhere they must be serving warrants and working to "pursue enemy in its strongholds".

They wiped out the entire gulf, if that isn't an "enemy combatant" then what is?

:popcorn: :shrug:

[freddie mertz]

70. It's a horror, and could be the end of all of us.

And it is being marginalized by our media and our political leaders, including the Dems all the way up the line.

We need to learn something from this, if it isn't too late.

[laruemtt]

73. if you wanna REALLy get nauseated,

throw a hurricane into the mix. we're almost to the season, and before this mess happened, NOAA said to expect a bad season.................

[SammyWinstonJack]

78. ...

:scared:

[olegramps]

77. I would like to suggest that we stuff Limpballs and Cheney in hole to stop it.

[AnArmyVeteran]

80. I believe right wingers got tired of blue, so they 'remodeled' the gulf...

in typical right wing, conservative extremist fashion...

[L. Coyote]

83. One word: HUBRIS

vs. understanding that if anything can go wrong, likely it will.