I am becoming a disgruntled Obama supporter

It will be difficult to have any environmental cases tried, as they should be, on their merits, as long as judges are in the pockets of big oil:

Appeals court can't rehear Katrina greenhouse-gas suit because of judges' recusals | NOLA.com

Define 'embrace'. I am all for embracing green technology, ie, research and development, with the given that we are at least a generation or two from large scale weaning from oil. I heard a piece about some people who were having some success somehow or the other extracting petroleum products out of algae utilizing much of the same refining technology we currently use. The perfected process is, of course, years away. But there is this myth that somehow we can just turn off the oil spigot, slap up some solar panels and windmills, unroll the suppressed plans for the electric car and away we would go. Not gonna happen like that.

No, not like that. We'll follow the lead of some other country who gets there before we do.

Define 'embrace'. I am all for embracing green technology, ie, research and development, with the given that we are at least a generation or two from large scale weaning from oil. I heard a piece about some people who were having some success somehow or the other extracting petroleum products out of algae utilizing much of the same refining technology we currently use. The perfected process is, of course, years away. But there is this myth that somehow we can just turn off the oil spigot, slap up some solar panels and windmills, unroll the suppressed plans for the electric car and away we would go. Not gonna happen like that.

I don't know anyone who expects that. Most discussions I hear and read involve the widespread use of cleaner fuel sources within 20 years- that is the goal.

I think Rita what they were really saying and thinking was " WTH (your words) we
have a live one here. She is not your normal same old
same old candidate."

I think not, under the circumstances of what was thrown at him after the innauguration.

Lazin n' drinkin'--what would you have had him do differently?

He didn't have to waste nine months and a large quantity of political capital passing the largest taxpayer give away to private industry in our history. (aka Obamacare).

Instead of squandering a trillion dollars on democrat special interests, he could have cut taxes across the board to spur growth and help American consumers rebuild their balance sheets.

He could have saved the 20 billion on cash for clunkers, a system designed to siphon money out of consumer pocket books and into the hands of union special interests.

Instead of bailing out the big banks, he could have forced them into bankruptcy so that today they wouldn't control 2/3 of the American banking system.

He could have avoided pumping billions into propping up the housing industry and instead let it correct as it will do no matter what they try.

He could have reformed Freddie and Fannie instead of kicking the can down the road, so that today taxpayers wouldn't be on the hook for trillions in bad housing loans.

He could have injected new blood into the FED instead of turning that and treasury over to the same crooks and tax cheats that helped get us into this mess in the first place.

He might not have let GM and Chrysler walk away from their bad loans and instead used that money to fund unemployment insurance.

I could have overhauled the MMS like he promised he would.

Just to name a few things he could have done differently..

He didn't have to waste nine months and a large quantity of political capital passing the largest taxpayer give away to private industry in our history. (aka Obamacare).

Instead of squandering a trillion dollars on democrat special interests, he could have cut taxes across the board to spur growth and help American consumers rebuild their balance sheets.

He could have saved the 20 billion on cash for clunkers, a system designed to siphon money out of consumer pocket books and into the hands of union special interests.

Instead of bailing out the big banks, he could have forced them into bankruptcy so that today they wouldn't control 2/3 of the American banking system.

He could have avoided pumping billions into propping up the housing industry and instead let it correct as it will do no matter what they try.

He could have reformed Freddie and Fannie instead of kicking the can down the road, so that today taxpayers wouldn't be on the hook for trillions in bad housing loans.

He could have injected new blood into the FED instead of turning that and treasury over to the same crooks and tax cheats that helped get us into this mess in the first place.

He might not have let GM and Chrysler walk away from their bad loans and instead used that money to fund unemployment insurance.

I could have overhauled the MMS like he promised he would.

Just to name a few things he could have done differently..

Nice talking points Mr. Steele. Hasta la vista!

Nice talking points Mr. Steele. Hasta la vista!

It might be funny if weren't so true. We expect vision from presidents. From Obama all we've received is bandaids. I think it's obvious we elected the wrong man and with him the wrong team for the job.

It might be funny if weren't so true. We expect vision from presidents. From Obama all we've received is bandaids. I think it's obvious we elected the wrong man and with him the wrong team for the job.

Do you honestly think McCain & Palin would have done better?

Do you honestly think McCain & Palin would have done better?

We'll never know. The policies would likely be quite different. But this is pointless, there's no way to answer the question. We're stuck with what we have and need to deal with it.

OK, sorry to have taken a personal jab at you if you took it that way.

By the way, I do appreciate your enthusiasm for what you believe to be true.

Thanks, and I apologize for being so sensitive. I believe this whole fiasco is having an effect on all of us. Your points are well taken, it's just a shame we feel we have to extract every single drop of oil from the earth no matter what the costs to centuries old ways of life and the environment . I feel for the oil workers losing their wages but hopefully one day they will join the lamplighter, iceman and other occupations whose services we no longer require.

You have to go to industry to find the expertise. Loyalty to the industry, not to a company within the industry, would be a good thing. Loyalty to the industry means that they are unhappy with outcomes like the Deepwater Horizon.

Only an idiot would want experts not from the industry. You wouldn't hire a plumber as an expert witness in a medical malpractice suit.

That being said, consultants loyalty is to the money from the engagement.

The government could easily categorize the safety issues of concern pay them a base consulting fee plus an incentive for each major problem they uncover. They could also attach a couple of government personnel (hopefully from technical, not bureaucratic roles) to monitor each team.

Excellent points, great post.

There are parallel universes. Which one do you frequent? Feelings? Honest in them? Check out Doonesberry in today's (7/4) paper or online. Trudeau is liberal and he's apparently being honest with his feelings. Bush's second term was bad enough, but Obama's first is the all-time worst. Honest feelings elected this idealogue, and we're going to suffer for it for many years.

So was his first but you still turned a blind eye and elected the self proclaimed gods chosen one to another four years, what universe were you living in?

Thanks, and I apologize for being so sensitive. I believe this whole fiasco is having an effect on all of us. Your points are well taken, it's just a shame we feel we have to extract every single drop of oil from the earth no matter what the costs to centuries old ways of life and the environment . I feel for the oil workers losing their wages but hopefully one day they will join the lamplighter, iceman and other occupations whose services we no longer require.

Those occupations may soon return if many such as you have their way. I really don't know where you come up with "every single drop of oil from the earth" bit but I have never seen that projected by anybody. There are sensible and sane ways to recover petro but at every step of the way, oil companies are thwarted by those wishing to go back to the 17th century. I am sorry but I like my present lifestyle and really do feel we have the knowledge, expertise and wherewithall to do what needs to be done and still maintain a strong, vibrant environment.

There are sensible and sane ways to recover petro but at every step of the way, oil companies are thwarted by those wishing to go back to the 17th century. I am sorry but I like my present lifestyle and really do feel we have the knowledge, expertise and wherewithall to do what needs to be done and still maintain a strong, vibrant environment.

The addict says, "I am not addicted. I use moderately. I don't need to change. Nothing needs to change."

Those occupations may soon return if many such as you have their way. I really don't know where you come up with "every single drop of oil from the earth" bit but I have never seen that projected by anybody. There are sensible and sane ways to recover petro but at every step of the way, oil companies are thwarted by those wishing to go back to the 17th century. I am sorry but I like my present lifestyle and really do feel we have the knowledge, expertise and wherewithall to do what needs to be done and still maintain a strong, vibrant environment.

No, the people protesting the indiscriminate extraction and use of oil are the ones who want to move forward with new technologies. The Luddites are the petroleum advocates.

No, the people protesting the indiscriminate extraction and use of oil are the ones who want to move forward with new technologies. The Luddites are the petroleum advocates.

Fine. You keep riding your bicycle, I'll drive my car.

Fine. You keep riding your bicycle, I'll drive my car.

How you can consider adoption/suppression of new technologies to be anything but a step forward/backward is beyond me.

How you can consider adoption/suppression of new technologies to be anything but a step forward/backward is beyond me.

I don't think Andy is suppressing anything, he's just being a realist. Are you putting your money on the table to do your part? Do you have solar panels on your house? Do ride your bike to work? Maybe you should stop lecturing everyone and get busy adopting new technologoes to help move us forward.

I don't think Andy is suppressing anything, he's just being a realist. Are you putting your money on the table to do your part? Do you have solar panels on your house? Do ride your bike to work? Maybe you should stop lecturing everyone and get busy adopting new technologoes to help move us forward.

Very simply I'm driving my car a lot less than I was a couple of years ago and staying home a lot more often. This is not because I can't afford to drive the way I used to. It is with the deliberate intent of putting the screws to the oil industry. Further more my average mpg has gone from 20 to 30 in that time period. Solar panels aren't far off, but neither are solar power providers. The Gulf oil volcano has opened a few eyes. Feast yours on this:

Those occupations may soon return if many such as you have their way. I really don't know where you come up with "every single drop of oil from the earth" bit but I have never seen that projected by anybody. There are sensible and sane ways to recover petro but at every step of the way, oil companies are thwarted by those wishing to go back to the 17th century. I am sorry but I like my present lifestyle and really do feel we have the knowledge, expertise and wherewithall to do what needs to be done and still maintain a strong, vibrant environment.

Andy, this is the second post recently where you have claimed that if I have my way it will somehow screw up your way of life. I realize you conservatives need constant fear and someone to blame in order to survive, be it the wrath of god or liberals and conservatives trying to protect mother earth. If I am in some way helping to fullfill that need then I'm happy to oblige.

If you have some secret information on earths oil reserves being infinite or the oil companies have a maximum number of barrels they will extract before shutting down operations please share it with the rest us.

I don't think Andy is suppressing anything, he's just being a realist. Are you putting your money on the table to do your part? Do you have solar panels on your house? Do ride your bike to work? Maybe you should stop lecturing everyone and get busy adopting new technologoes to help move us forward.

I had solar panels intalled on my home in the late 70's. They were expense to purchase and maintain. After 20yrs. I had them removed and installed a well insulated gas heater and didn't notice any increase in my energy bill.

How you can consider adoption/suppression of new technologies to be anything but a step forward/backward is beyond me.

Do you ever remember anything you read? And please spare telling me you don't read what is posted by me. I have said on many occasions that we need new technologies to be developed and put in place. I have also said it will not happen over night and we must have a bridge to reach them. Regardless of how you may couch it, that bridge is fossil fuels.

Andy, this is the second post recently where you have claimed that if I have my way it will somehow screw up your way of life. I realize you conservatives need constant fear and someone to blame in order to survive, be it the wrath of god or liberals and conservatives trying to protect mother earth. If I am in some way helping to fullfill that need then I'm happy to oblige.

If you have some secret information on earths oil reserves being infinite or the oil companies have a maximum number of barrels they will extract before shutting down operations please share it with the rest us.

Snarky, snarky, snarky. And please show me where I said in my post someway you will screw up my way of life. Nothing could be further from the truth as you have no affect on my way of life whatsoever nor will you ever have.

All those that want to do away with this evil crude oil, I ask you to pick any 10 items on this list and stop using them now. I don't think any of these were created from wind or solar. This is just a short list from the more than 4,000 that come from crude oil.

There are more than 4,000 petrochemical products that are made from petroleum (crude oil).


Here's a list of the most popular and frequently used products:


?Artificial Limbs
?Bags (garbage bags, shopping bags)
?Balloons
?Bandaids
?Candles
?Clothing (polyester, nylon)
?Combs
?Computers, calculators
?Crayons
?Credit Cards
?Dishwashing Liquids
?Disposable Diapers
?Eye Glasses, Sunglasses
?Fertilizers
?Fishing Rods
?Flooring (linoleum, tiles, carpets)
?Garden Hose
?Hand Lotion, Cream, Petroleum Jelly
?Helmets (bicycle, hockey, etc.)
?Heart Valves
?Helmets (bicycle, hockey, etc.)
?Insect Repellent
?Insecticides
?Life Jackets
?Milk Jugs
?Paint Brushes
?Panty Hose
?Parachutes
?Patio Furniture
?Pens
?Perfume
?Rope (nylon)
?Safety Glass
?Shampoo
?Shower Curtains, Shower Doors
?Soft Contact Lenses
?Soft Drink Bottles, Plastic Bottles
?Tape (clear, masking, etc.)
?Tapes - (cassettes, vcr tapes)
?Telephones
?Tennis rackets
?Tents
?Toys, Dolls, Model Cars
?Tires (synthetic rubber)
?Toothbrushes, Toothpaste Tubes
?Trash Bags
?TV Cabinets
?Umbrellas
?Unbreakable Dishes
?Waterproof Jackets, Boots, Pants

Snarky, snarky, snarky. And please show me where I said in my post someway you will screw up my way of life. Nothing could be further from the truth as you have no affect on my way of life whatsoever nor will you ever have.

Ok, maybe an indirect effect on your life but an effect none the less. Since you believe I have the power please don't deny me this pleasure.

Your quotes:

Those occupations may soon return if many such as you have their way

In my mind, it is attitudes such as yours, that to a great degree, have our nation in the financial peril it is in, as far as the support of our citizens of retirement age is concerned