The Crime of the Century: What BP and the US Government Don't Want You to Know

[kpete]

Jerry Cope and Charles Hambleton
Posted: August 4, 2010 11:46 AM

The Crime of the Century: What BP and the US Government Don't Want You to Know, Part I

............................

In May, Mother Nature Network blogger Karl Burkart received a tip from an anonymous fisherman-turned-BP contractor in the form of a distressed text message, describing a near-apocalyptic sight near the location of the sunken Deepwater Horizon -- fish, dolphins, rays, squid, whales, and thousands of birds -- "as far as the eye can see," dead and dying. According to his statement, which was later confirmed by another report from an individual working in the Gulf, whale carcasses were being shipped to a highly guarded location where they were processed for disposal.


Magnolia landfill during initial cleanup, courtesy of Press-Register, Connie Baggett

The majority of the disposal operations were carried out under cover of darkness. The areas along the beaches and coastal Islands where the dead animals were collected were closed off by the U.S. Coast Guard…

Robyn Hill, who was Beach Ambassador for the City of Gulf Shores until she became so ill she collapsed on the job one morning, was at a residential condominium property adjacent to the Gulf Shores beach when she smelled an overwhelming stench. She went to see where the odor was coming from and witnessed two contract workers dumping plastic bags full of dead birds and fish in a residential Waste Management dumpster, which was then protected by a security guard. Within five minutes, a Waste Management collection truck emptied the contents and the guard departed.


Dead Northern Gannet, reported but uncollected. Photo by Drew Wheelan
....
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jerry-cope/the-crime-of-the-century_b_662971.html
via:
lots of links:
http://blog.buzzflash.com/contributor/3571
http://www.truth-out.org/behind-media-blockade-gulf62004

[G_j]

1. K&R

[HCE SuiGeneris]

2. We are held in the dark, prisoners of our government colluding with corporate agendas.

'Land of the free' tastes bitter in in my mouth.

[Lorien]

5. Once upon a time our government wanted corporate crimes to be exposed

now they have made it illegal to expose corporate corruption and wrongdoing. What ever happened to the new age of transparency and accountability that we were promised?

[HillbillyBob]

11. The only thing we can do is if we witness it TELL

I have done so in the past and got a lot of crap for telling the truth and had my honor and motives questioned, once at the point of a gun.
Some of the events i witnessed got me death threats from feds. I still will tell and next time I ll take pics. The last time was election fraud perpetrated by bush cronies in the 2000 fl election.....

[truedelphi]

19. Yep, the Powers that Be have many ways of insisting on our complicity

You can end up with computer viruses at the very least, death threats at the very most.

I was just this morning thinking about a long time colleague, who died of natural causes (i.e. a heart attack.)

But given his propensity to travel to many places and tell the truth, who knows if his heart attack was indeed a natural event. (He was one of the first journalists to ever discuss in print Global Warming - and it took several trips to Chile to get information from scientists there. He took on many fiendish types inside the county where he lived as well.) Most of his travel expenses he he paid out of his own pocket -as the indies who published him had no cash to reimburse.

Often I wonder if his heart attack was manufactured, and if so, who brought it about.

[wuvuj]

53. What they do and how they do it....

http://www.freedomfchs.com/thehiddenevil.pdf

[truedelphi]

65. What an amazing and scary document.

It certainly explains a great deal, and thank you for posting it.

[Lorien]

28. You too eh? I worked a polling place in a minority district here in Central FL in 2000

and witnessed the intimidation and disenfranchisement of hundreds of black and hispanic voters by white cops. I and others reported it to the board of elections, the party and the local media, but ZILCH was done in response. The only reporter who wrote about my experiences was Greg Palast of the BBC. I knew America had changed radically from the Country I had grown up in from what was NOT done by our authorities and media in response to an outright criminal coup.

[Grinchie]

43. It turned into Profits and Dividends for All

Corruption is how the big Ponzi scheme stays afloat, and the people that still buy the offshored product, drive miles to work each day because there is no other choice, and those that consume the fast food burgers because they are allocated insufficient time to eat real food, all keep the big Ponzi scheme going.

The majority of white collar jobs are irrelevant, and serve only a wealth transfer mechanisms to the Government in the form of taxes. This is why "Non Farm Payroll" is so significant. You see, farmers don't get paid normally until the crop is harvested and sold. Whereas, all other jobs are payroll based, and are subject to mandatory withholding.

Personally, I'd like to see how this "Witholding" is actually produced. Do companies actually physically pay this to the Government? If so, what does the money flow look like.

All we are told is that our Gross Pay has a chunk taken out of it. If you want it back at the end of a year, you have to fill out a sworn deposition, under penalty of perjury and imprisonment, to get what was witheld back. Well guess what, the majority of people get refunds at the end of the year after they file taxes, but in return, the Government and the IRS and the Federal Reserve get to see exactly how you spent your money.

If you dont file taxes, you lose the withholding, but in case of an audit, you would end up clean and get a refund. I would like to know the statistics on how many people that didn't file taxes, yet were owed a refund actually get audited.

Anyhow, it's a pretty good scam Uncle Sam the Flim Flam Man has going. It instills the mantra of you must file taxes, which is only true if you owe money. Personally, I keep all receipts as matter of being able to make wise decisions, but if I were actually in the rat race, faced with mandatory witholding, I doubt that I'd file anymore unless I had some sort of windfall that pushed me into the tax bracket where I owed money.

In the meantime, I will not out of an ethical responsibility to myself, provide funds for War. Besides, they haven't needed my money to wage war for the last 7 years, so why start now?

Transparency and Accountability were Power Words the Sloganeers came up with to dupe us into falling for Brand X1 vs Brand X. You can remind everyone as much as you want, but the reality is that it was a sham, and you'll be shouted down by the cheerleader squad that demands full lobotomy from smal d democrats in order to retain the power they continue to abuse.

[toppertwot]

56. GOVERNMENT & CORPORATE POWERS IN CAHOOTS

I think Mussolini said that was Fascism! And Mussolini knew something about Fascists.

[bjobotts]

38. Until there is violence, until guards,contractors and coast guard men are shot it will all remain hi

hidden. When corruption runs unabated and protected by government in secret only violence will turn a spotlight on this darkness. We are watching our air earth and water being destroyed by greedy corporations beyond salvage because they think their wealth will protect them. Corporations and government should be afraid of the people...not the other way around. Only "Democratic Socialism" will ensure both our Freedom AND our Survival in this modern world.

They will not listen, they will not change...and they will not stop until complete destruction prevents them from continuing.

[RoccoR5955]

58. They're changing it to "Land of the Fee," and you should remember that Feedom isn't free! n/t

[City Lights]

3. K&R. nt

[Karenina]

4. Go ahead, y'all! EAT the results of government and corporate collusion.

Guten Appetit!

[Vapor Trails]

6. K&R n/t

[sandnsea]

7. Better to have humans tromping around in the poison

What the fuck? This is not a secret. Oil kills wildlife. We all know this.

If they hadn't kept people out of these areas, you'd be screaming about that negligence.

Is thinking just not done anymore? Anywhere??

[BeFree]

9. Right

Obviously the trawlers on the gulf weren't trolling for oil, they were scooping up the dead animals so we wouldn't have to step across them on the beaches. And people are complaining about that? The nerve.

But what's cute about the trawlers is that, officially, there were only about 2,000 dead birds collected. Just 2G. Ain't that grand? They saved us from the truth. The bloody awful truth that oil kills damn near everything it gets into or on.

Thank gawd we have them to protect us, right?

[Goldstein1984]

13. The issue isn't whether or not oil kills wildlife--a no-brainer

The issue here is deception:
-Concealing the extent of the damage to natural resources
-Controlling images that will raise public awareness
-Hiding the collusion between government and corporations

[sandnsea]

17. 1300 tons of waste cannot be "hidden"

What exactly are they "hiding"? We know this happened and we know how bad it is. Why do you think holding up a picture and jumping up and down will make it any different? It's a long slog to hold BP and oil companies accountable, day in and day out. One set of pictures and a righteous rant doesn't do jack shit.

[Goldstein1984]

18. I was assigned to work in the Gulf last month

I spent two weeks in a completely dysfunctional Mobile Command Center and watching operations in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida before demanding to be taken off the assignment.

During my stay, and off-the-clock, I was able to hitch a ride on an unauthorized, after-hours observation flight out of Pensacola.

The public isn't seeing anything approaching the reality of the situation.

That's all I can say. You can believe it, or you can call me a liar. Reality goes on without regard to your opinion.

[sandnsea]

27. Like this?

http://deepseanews.com/2010/07/flyover-of-the-gulf-of-mexico-oil-spill/

I mean come on, do you think people believe dolphins are jumping in sparkling blue water down there?

[sabrina 1]

30. Do you think that they are telling the truth that Corexit is safe

human consumption? Were they telling the truth when they told the first responders at the site of 9/11 that the air was safe to breathe?

Why do you think they kept the Press from reporting on what was really happening? If they had nothing to hide, why not allow the press to do their job rather than threatening them with arrest?

Many of the workers from 9/11 are dead, many are very ill and dying. We know that Corexit is banned in other countries where the government actually cares about its citizens.

Why are we being told it is all gone, we can eat the fish from the Gulf and not worry, just like those workers could breathe the air at the WTC?

And why are people in Colombia being shot and killed who protest the destruction to the environment by BP and the human rights abuses practiced by this Corp. with the help of the Colombian government?

Do you really want people to stop reporting on what they find, to trust BP and this government? That's what many of us were told when people began questioning the EPA regarding Ground Zero. So nothing was done and it's too late now for so many of those people.

You dismiss it all with that jaded 'oh, we know all that' attitude if you like. I'm glad that there are people who take the lives of their fellow Americans more seriously than our government or BP does, who in case you forgot is responsible for the deaths of 11 workers this time, 15 five years ago and are continuing to demand accountability.

[sandnsea]

39. What are you talking about?

The EPA told BP to stop using Corexit. Who said it was safe for human consumption?

They asked the press be 60 feet from toxic areas and work areas. That is not remotely keeping the press from reporting.

What is it that you think you don't know? Who said anybody should stop reporting? Who said we should trust everything to BP?

Your post is dang near incoherent from your hysteria. Calm down. As I said, this is going to take long term monitoring as we clean up and repair the damage, and make sure BP pays for every penny. That takes diligence and perseverance. Not half-baked rants.

[sabrina 1]

40. For someone who claims we know what is going on, you appear

to have missed the little we do know.

As I said, this is going to take long term monitoring as we clean up and repair the damage, and make sure BP pays for every penny.

You missed the statement made by the new head of BP. He announced a few days ago that they will be 'scaling back on the cleanup'.

The White House and BP has declared that Corexit is not harmful and fishing in Gulf Waters is resuming, the oil has mostly magically disappeared and we should all just move on now. I guess you missed that also.

Reporters not being allowed to report had nothing to do with 'safety' it had to do with hiding information from the American people.

They are hiding the amount of oil spilled and the numbers of dead sea life because according to the law, they have to PAY depending on how many gallons spilled and how much sea life they killed. Get it? They don't WANT TO PAY every penny! :eyes:

As for being hysterical, we are nowhere near hysterical enough, that is the problem with this country.

We need MORE not LESS anger and demonstration of that anger.

The American people are far too apathetic which is why this whole travesty happened in the first place, isn't it, because people like you think we should just sit back and relax because we can trust SOMEONE (tell us who if you don't mind) to make sure that BP, what did you say? 'pays for every penny'?? That's the funniest thing I've ever heard. And how do you think 'we' are going to make that happen, considering THEY have already covered up so much because they do not intend to pay 'every penny'?

That's why they are hiding dead sea-life, why they don't want the press prying into exactly how much damage there has been.

I'll leave you in your fantasy world. I'll place my trust in those who don't think we can just count on BP or this Government to make sure they pay 'every penny' as you so hopefully expect.

BP will 'pay every penny'! You've got to be kidding. No wonder this country is in the condition it is in.

[sandnsea]

41. That is all hysterical bullshit

The White House did not say the oil disappeared, the media did.

Yes, they will scale back the clean-up. There is no more oil going into the gulf. Why would they keep the same number on clean-up? Repairing the damage is going to required skilled ecologists, don't you think?

Of course they don't want to pay every penny. Duh. That's why I said it is going to take long term monitoring by people with calm heads who have the capacity to do the grunge work, day in and day out. Screaming on the beach is not going to cut it.

I am sorry, but people like you are absolutely worthless to accomplishing anything on this planet.

[sabrina 1]

50. Lol, well I got you pretty riled up.

Trust me, I can almost guarantee I have accomplished a great deal more than you ever have.

I think it's probably cruel for me to go on talking to you. It is just making you look bad. Robert Gibbs is the WH Press Secretary, FYI. Please educate yourself regarding what he said on behalf of the WH this week before you make yourself look any worse than you do already.

Who are these people who are going to 'monitor BP with calm heads'? The same ones who monitored them so far? You need to come to down to earth. Do you believe in the tooth fairy also?

Keep your head in the sand (although I wouldn't advise putting it in the sea for a long, long time if you live anywhere near the Gulf) the rest of us will do the work that people like you are unable to do. You'd rather whine about people who actually do get things done.

Now feel free to use the word 'hysteria' one more time. Your vocabulary appears to be as limited as your general knowledge of the what is going on in the real world.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

55. ooooh...it's the 'i'm better than you' ploy

from someone who can't prove anything about herself on the intertubes to someone she doesn't know who ALSO cannot prove anything about themselves here on the intertubes...

argue with fact...baffle with bullshit...

sP

[HCE SuiGeneris]

64. There is zealotry allright,

and your blind defense of the Whitehouse is making you look very silly. Perhaps you should revisit the actual statements that were made.

An example: a statement that White House climate and energy czar Carol M. Browner made Wednesday on NBC's "Today" show. An initial assessment showed that "more than three-quarters of the oil is gone. The vast majority of the oil is gone," she said.

[sabrina 1]

68. Thank you. It's stunning isn't it, the blindness of people who have

so much access to news? At least back in Germany, and yes I am invoking Godwin's law so don't anyone bother to remind me, we could say that they might not have known what was going on as they did not have the means of communications we have. We have not accepted that excuse of course. But here we are today, with the information about the wars, the slaughters, the torture etc. and we still have people like this covering their eyes and ears when it is their political party now.

I always wondered IF the German people had had the information we have today, would it have made a difference as I could never understand how it all happened, why people did not stand up early on.

Now I know, I finally got the answer since 9/11 happened, it all has become clear.

[Pooka Fey]

54. Great post. You have more patience than I, and I tip my hat to you.

[Goldstein1984]

49. No, not like that.

The flight I was invited to join was not sanctioned by or controlled by BP or the Coast Guard.

The Gulf was nothing approaching pristine before the spill occurred. You do understand that that makes things worse, not better?

[Ricochet21]

20. I agree

I agree

[snake in the grass]

69. Bullshit and the weakest excuse I've heard thusfar!

They weren't trying to protect us. They were protecting BP. Why else was it tolerated that a private corporation could put hired thugs on public land to chase off bystanders and journalists?

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Poboy]

10. The OP is missing the most incriminating photo fr. the article-

Dauphin Island was one of the sites where carcasses of sperm whales were destroyed. The operational end of the island was closed to unauthorized personnel and the airspace closed. The U.S. Coast Guard closed off all access from the Gulf. This picture shows the area as it was prepped to receive the whale carcasses for disposal

----

There was boom put around these areas to collect the animals and we know this happened at Exxon Valdez too. The rips are where the dead things collect. We also know from Exxon Valdez that only 1% in our case of the carcasses that floated off to sea actually made landfall in the Gulf of Alaska. I don't believe there have been any carcass drift studies down here that would give us some indication that when something does wash up on the beach what percentage it is of the whole. But we know that offshore there was an attempt by BP and the government to keep the animals from coming onshore in great numbers. The excuse was this was a health problem -- we don't want to create a health hazard. That would only be a good excuse if they kept tallies of all the numbers because all the numbers - all the animals - are evidence for federal court. We the people own these animals and they become evidence for damages to charge for BP. In Exxon Valdez the carcasses were kept under triple lock and key security until the natural resource damage assessment study was completed and that was 2 1/2 years after the spill. Then all the animals were burned but not until then.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jerry-cope/the-crime-of-the-century_b_662971.html

[G_j]

14. the Coast Guard even closed off the airspace

covering for criminal activity.

how nice..

[Cetacea]

51. Someone was expecting large "guests".

Amazing. And very incriminating.

[flyarm]

12. The Magnitude of the Gulf Cover ups..has been a disgrace to this nation!

People will get cancers and all kinds of Health issues will have been caused by this disgrace!

The cover up has been perpetrated by the following:

BP a foreign owned Corporation

Coast Guard
Homeland security
FAA
NOAA
Congress
Senate
White House

[madfloridian]

15. Even the local stations here are sounding dubious...

I can't believe anyone believes the oil is gone or that the waters are not toxic in many cases.

One local restaurant owner was on TV, a seafood place. He said he would only buy frozen shrimp from other waters.

Our party leaders need to be speaking out strongly on this.

[blindpig]

16. This is capitalism. This is 'due diligence'.

Can there be any doubt that our government is run for the benefit of the capitalist class?

[Ricochet21]

21. I agree

I agree

[maryf]

25. no doubt at all...

:(

[defendandprotect]

33. Agree completely . . . but even worse . . . oil is "national security" issue . . .

Pentagon uses 80% of the oil --

no oil/no wars --

If Obama wasn't protecting them -- wasn't use our Coast Guard to protect them --

wasn't aiding and abetting in this foul situation, he'd probably be held for

treason by Pentagon!!

[KakistocracyHater]

37. here I want to point something out: Ancient Rome, Ancient Sumeria, Greece

even the Aztecs(the Spaniards called their canal city the New World Venice) had a good quality of life. All had good trade routes, all traveled, all WITHOUT OIL.
I could also point out steam engines from the 19th Century-yes they may have-back then-used coal to power them, but we now have better ways.

No one involved/tangled in the tentacles of the oil trap wants anyone to know that there are other ways to live well.

[defendandprotect]

42. I believe it ... in fact, Pentagon is talking about solar airplanes . . .

and I understand hemp will make a fuel --

but that wasn't the point I was trying to make --

it was trying to point to how OIL right now is protected and set in military

consciousness --

Have you ever seen the movie: "Three Days of the Condor" ... ? With Robert Redford/

Faye Dunaway? It's playing on TV more often again.


-- but as to your point, if we NATIONALIZED oil we'd have a much better chance of getting

to alternative energy. Leaving private/military interests in charge of oil isn't working

in the interests of the public -- never has!

[G_j]

63. a self feeding monster

looking out only for itself, all else be damned.

[SusanaMontana41]

59. No doubt at all.

Welcome to the U.S. of BP.

[flyarm]

22. Good thing this isn't one of those Dear Mr President , you are wonderful threads..

because he won't answer my Dear Mr President letters..because I ripped him to shreds!And as much as I hold Bush and Cheney accountable , I also hold Obama and his admin. accountable!

I am past pissed, past angry ..I am so furious of the lies and deceit I could spit nickles!

[G_j]

24. accountability..

now there is a radical concept!

[slay]

29. oh i was about to

LOSE it on one of those threads last night.. more and more people are seeing through that crap though. at some point any logical/rational person is going to have to admit that as much as we wanted Obama to be a man of the people - he isn't. it looks to me like he's THE man of the corporations who's there, along with MANY other Dems, to cover the crimes of Bush/Cheney as well as provide cover for corporations siezing power at all levels of government. Oh and for all those who mocked conspiracy theorists in the past - might want to go back and look at some more rationally - this is not the first time our government has engaged in major reality altering cover-ups. Can't let the sheeple know what's REALLY going on. I'm sooo fucking sick of all the lies and bullshit - from our entire government.

[JDPriestly]

47. We were tricked. We need to join together to back an alternative candidate in

2012. I hate to do that because the risk that a conservative Republican will win if we do that is very great. But Obama just is not strong enough to stand up to the forces of evil that have taken over the country. He just refuses to initiate a rational economic policy. He refuses to put in place a rational energy policy. And his education policy is a ridiculous distraction.

As for his health policy, the cost of health care for seniors will rise while the benefits seniors receive from Social Security will decrease. And Obama thinks that will somehow save money. I have news for him.

Instead of rescuing homeowners and the middle class, he rescued the banks and the upper class. That's just not a sensible thing to do if you want to win elections.

[flyarm]

48. I believe it is backfiring..had dinner tonight with 20 dems that are damn sick of the lies and

the bullshit they are trying to blow up people's asses..it is having the reverse effect!!

The Rovian tactics are not appreciated by Dems I know! And they are recognized as just that!

[G_j]

62. I hear ya

and I'm hearing similar outrage.

[Uncle Joe]

23. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, kpete.

[me b zola]

26. K&R

:grr:

[defendandprotect]

31. BP/Oil = "natural security" state . . . has to be hidden . . .

and the public is being so dumbed down I can't see them ever waking up

on this issue --

[Beam Me Up]

57. Or any other! Perception management is what it is all about. n/t

I laugh at people who say they couldn't do something like 9/11 and keep it secret. Oh yes they could, and they did and they still are. Now there's this -- who and what will it be next? Some provocation for invading Iran and or instituting a military draft? Wouldn't surprise me in the least.

[defendandprotect]

32. Presume they wouldn't be taking all these carcasses off to be examined ....!!!

Or to even one location which might expose them - ???

But, someone must have a clue?

Some journalists?

Of course BP would be caught "red-handed" were it not for our Coast Guard

providing protection and cover!!

[tex-wyo-dem]

34. K&R!

One wonders about the status of the sperm whale population in the gulf. Biologists have stated that the unique population would be seriously affected by only a few deaths...by these pictures it looks like it's a lot more than just a few.

The article also points out that in an area that normally teams with life is now lifeless...the wildlife did not just disappear into thin air. this is a coverup of massive propotions.

[unkachuck]

35. no problem....

....everyone knows it's 'natural' for oil to leak into the Gulf and kill things periodically, everyone knows that....and everyone's done such a wonderful job fixing that leak and cleaning that mess....

....now that the Gulf clean-up is nearly complete, I'm feeling like a real proud American again....

[eowyn_of_rohan]

36. Horrendous

What can we do...

[Frisbee]

45. More and more I'm thinking nothing...

:cry:

[bertman]

44. Rec. My inlaws live on the Gulf Coast. We are being shown only what they want

us to see. BP and our government are controlling EVERYTHING that happens there, including the news. The fascists are in charge.

[flvegan]

46. It would be forgivable if we could have eaten them. Learned that on DU.

Doesn't really matter how they got on our plate, just so long as they taste good.

Pass the A-1, please.

[destes]

52. just a little spread sheet I built if you like that sort of thing

Gulf of Mexico BP Oil Leak
90,646 Barrels Leaking Per Day

Leak start date: 4/20/2010
todays date: 7/30/2010


quantity unit Item Description
101.00 Days Total leak duration
10% Percent estimated volume of gas discharge vs gas and oil combined
3.00 Feet Per Second estimated leak discharge velocity (from visual via submarine cam)
20.00 Inches pipe diameter
6.54 Cubic Feet discharge rate per second of all material (oil and gas)
565,486.2 Cubic Feet discharge rate per day of all material (oil and gas)
57,114,106.2 Cubic Feet total current volume of discharge (oil and gas)
90% Percent volume of oil discharge vs gas and oil combined
3,807,117 Gallons leaking per day (oil only)
508,938 Cubic Feet leaking per day (oil only)
90,646 Barrels leaking per day (oil only)
384,518,864 Gallons leaked to date (oil only)
51,402,696 Cubic Feet leaked to date (oil only)
9,155,211 Barrels leaked to date (oil only)

0.0000031 Foot depth of oil, minimum thickness of oil equally distributed over the entire gulf
0.0000369 Inches depth of oil, minimum thickness of oil equally distributed over the entire gulf
0.0368764 1/1000th inch depth of oil, minimum thickness of oil equally distributed over the entire gulf

0.001 Foot estimated slick thickness with dispersant
51,402,695,580.00 Square Feet covered to date
1,843.82 Square Miles total covered to date

1.00 Percent estimate of Gulf area effected
16,727,040,000,000.00 Square Feet area effected by oil in gulf based on percentage estimated
0.00000 Foot depth of oil, minimum thickness of oil equally distributed effected area of gulf
0.00004 Inches depth of oil, minimum thickness of oil equally distributed effected area of gulf
0.03688 1/1000th Inch depth of oil, minimum thickness of oil equally distributed effected area of gulf

25.00 Feet width of slick at shoreline
0.10 Feet thickness of slick at shore line
3,894.14 Miles estimated length of effected shore line
20,561,078.23 Feet estimated length of effected shore line
2.50 Cubic Feet of oil per foot of shore line
18.70 gallons of oil per foot of shore line

1.67 Feet pipe diameter
0.83 Feet pipe radius
3.14 pi
2.18 Square Feet pipe opening area
86,400.00 Seconds per day
7.48 Gallons per Cubic Foot
42.00 Gallons per barrel of oil
5.61 Cubic Feet per barrel
27,878,400.00 Square Feet per square mile
600,000.00 Square Mile total area of the Gulf
16,727,040,000,000.00 Square Feet total square feet in gulf (16.73 Trillion)

[wildbilln864]

60. k&r! nt

[L0oniX]

61. Of course the government is protecting BP ...you silly little people.

BP is still among the biggest suppliers of fuel to the U.S. military, and the Defense Department has no plans to stop awarding the company lucrative contracts.

http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/15/news/companies/BP_government_contracts/index.htm

[nightrain]

66. kick for the truth. wish I could rec.

[stevietheman]

67. How is cleaning up a big mess a crime?

Especially when most of us have been screaming at BP to clean it up?

I don't get it.

[snake in the grass]

70. How could anyone believe that...

...the hundreds of millions of gallons of raw oil simply disappeared? What sort of denial mechanisms are involved to make one so blind?

Here's a suggestion: pour a quart of oil into your toilet and wait 60 days; Hell, wait 90 days is you want, then come back and describe to all of us how it just "disappeared".

I'll be looking out for that post with both eyes wide open.

[Flubadubya]

71. It's not the clean up, it's the cover up. That's the crime.

British Petroleum, with full and active collusion of the government, have worked diligently and in tandem to make it appear that there was no real disaster, only an unfortunate accident that is easily remedied, hiding from the public eye as much of the carnage that actually took place (and is still taking place for that matter).

Obviously, allowing the full extent of the damage to be shown fully in the media would be damaging to BP (corporation enterprise per se) and the governmental "powers that be", both of whom are responsible for this.

The crime is the glossing over of the truth of the disaster, not so much the glossing over of the Gulf of Mexico with oil.

[chatnoir]

72. Dear god...

Kicking for truth and exposure.

Wish I could still rec this.