Part of Oil Refinery explodes in Houston spewing out toxic clouds into the air...

[AnArmyVeteran]

A Lyondell crude distillation plant near Houston had an explosion and thick, black toxic smoke is spewing into the air. Lyondell spokesman doesn't even know what's burning. This plant has a long history of accidents and employee deaths. There have been mishaps, explosions and deaths in 1993, 2008, 2010 at the same plant (that have been reported), but this isn't the total figure of loss of human beings at this site.

Reporters are saying it's good news that the toxic smoke is mostly going straight up into the atmosphere, like it's okay if pollution goes up. But they aren't talking about the affect when it comes back down. One reporter sounded like he was gushing over the Lyondell plant representative.

Some area residents are advised to remain inside their homes, or 'shelter in place'.

I hope they can keep this fire contained and hopefully no one was killed...


Meanwhile, tens of thousands of wind turbines are spinning around the globe producing energy with zero impact to the environment.

[AndyA]

1. ANOTHER accident at a refinery?

Someone, somewhere is trying to tell us something.

The pertroleum industry needs to be INVESTIGATED.

I'd start with the super secret Bush Energy Policy. I'll bet 90 percent of our current problems can be traced back to that piece of shit policy.

[RKP5637]

2. If anyone can get through the wall of protection money paid to hush politicians... n/t

[glinda]

14. I suspect a few of these are intentional. No coincidence here. Investagate.

[Rex]

3. Well I guess Halliburton wasn't done, dam if I'd known Cheney

was going to go around blowing up things after his VP gig, I would have called the A-Team!

[AnArmyVeteran]

4. We need a Star Chamber, but one that just imprisons the guilty...

[Rex]

12. Imprison!? No way that would be a waste of taxpayer dollars!

Just use the bodies to plug up the gurshing holes in the bottom of the sea, says I!

[AnArmyVeteran]

22. It would be kind of cool to see those CEO's heads crammed in that gushing pipe!

Ok, I'm now for a full blown Star Chamber!

[Warpy]

5. Well, not zero

Ask the birds about zero impact. In addition, fossil fuels were used to produce those wind turbines.

However, yes, the environmental mess they cause is far less than of an equivalent power capacity coal fired generator.

[ThomThom]

8. the bird thing is over blown, more birds are killed by cats

but yes it takes some some power to make them

[AnArmyVeteran]

11. I understand the bird loss, but I believe it's like #48 out of the 50 top reasons for their deaths.

I know just about any manufacturing process requires fossil fuels, but my intent was to show the difference. Oil keeps polluting from exploration to its final use. Wind turbines, although partially born from the 'evils' of fossil fuels are a clean and efficient source of energy.

Someone posted the list of bird deaths caused by wind turbines in DU and I'll try to find the link. I still believe I'd rather have a wind turbine by my house than an oil rig. I've never seen a wind turbine explosion or 'spill'. :)

[Warpy]

16. I agree with that

and quite possibly design innovation away from the large blade turbines will eventually decrease even those bird deaths.

I sort of agree about the proximity, but I'd rather have neither. A lot of the turbines out there are noisy buggers, not really great neighbors.

[AnArmyVeteran]

23. If they gave me free electricity I'd let them build one on my property!

[damntexdem]

6. Oh, now, everyone wants to get into the act.

But "gushing over it" does appear to be an apt phrase.

[Echo In Light]

7. Zing

[AnArmyVeteran]

13. It aptly described the sound of the reporter talking to the Lyonell guru...

My phrasing was meant to be the third definition of 'gushing' as shown below. The reporter sounded like a kid talking to a baseball star, or 'gushing', but I understand it could be viewed as a double entendre.

Gushing: Definition:

1. To flow forth suddenly in great volume: water gushing from a hydrant. (aka: a BPer, Halliburton, Transocean, or a Tiger Woods :)
2. To emit a sudden and abundant flow, as of tears. (IE: A BECKonstrative ACT)
3. To make an excessive display of sentiment or enthusiasm. (REPORTER GUILTY OF #3!)

[Duppers]

9. link, please.

I email these articles out to some wingers I aim to convert...or at least insult.

:evilgrin:

[AnArmyVeteran]

20. ABC news, I was watching it live... but another print link is below:

http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2010/05/17//pasadena_citizen/news/doc4bf1a5c8370b2340737415.txt

[KamaAina]

10. God Hates The Oil Industry

:P

[AnArmyVeteran]

25. LOL, God give the powerful great wealth, he gives us dirt. And have to inherit it...

Everything from god is conditional...

[daleo]

15. But those wind turbines are redirecting the wind

Thus changing the rotation period of the Earth, via Coriolis Force engineering! Plus, the friction of the blades is heating the atmosphere, causing all the "real" global warming!

Or so the oil companies and their propagandists might claim.

[old mark]

18. My grandmother used to say that airplanes were pushing the clouds away

and stopping the rain.
She was over 80 and a little "funny" at the time...

mark

[AnArmyVeteran]

21. LOLOLOL! Why didn't I see that? It all makes sense to me now!

[JNelson6563]

17. drill baby drill!!

Don't hear that much lately.

[jtrockville]

19. You haven't been listening to Mary Landrieu.

She sees no reason to curb drilling off the Louisiana shores.

[mr clean]

24. KICK

This story needed to be bumped.

[4_TN_TITANS]

26. Who needs Al Qaeda?

We're doing a mighty fine job of destroying this country ourselves. <sigh>