Are There Any Natural Cures For The Gulf Oil Spill?

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill is now about four months old and the news about it has quieted down a bit. What seems to be most reported, though, is that the oil disappeared and is not declared to be a major concern, but is that really the case?

Any natural cures for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill? August 18, 2010 at 9:19 PM Now that the Gulf of Mexico oil spill is four months old, news about it has quieted down a bit. What seems to be most reported, though, is that the oil disappeared and is not declared to be a major concern. But if one were to use a modicum of common sense for a moment one would know that of the millions of barrels of raw oil that spewed from the ruptured reservoir a mile below the ocean surface much of it is still somewhere in the gulf. Certainly many gallons of the crude were retrieved but that oil captured is but a small percentage of what leaked. Know this that a large amount of the chemical Corexit was used even though it was banned from Europe; and for good reason. This dispersant is... Oil spilled. But hysteria did the real damage in the Gulf August 18, 2010 at 8:28 AM The saddest sight this week has been of America's first family taking a quick one-day holiday in Florida. Crashing visitor numbers and plummeting fish sales have devastated the Gulf of Mexico after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. There is talk of an 80% drop in revenues in some resorts. Yet figures show just 16 of the state's 180 holiday beaches are at all polluted, while the bulk of the spill appears to have dispersed, or be dispersing out at sea. Having hyped the disaster for political purposes, the president is now frantically trying to play it down. The spill has been another classic of state terror in which incident and response are wholly out of proportion to one another. As the oil... Scientists raise queries about Gulf oil left behind August 18, 2010 at 5:16 AM MIAMI - Two new scientific reports on Tuesday raised fresh fears about the environmental fallout from the world's worst offshore oil spill and questioned government assurances that most of the oil from the ruptured well in the Gulf of Mexico was already gone. In one of the reports, researchers at the University of Georgia said about three-quarters of the oil from BP's blown-out Macondo well was still lurking below the surface of the Gulf and may pose a threat to the ecosystem. Charles Hopkinson, who helped lead the investigation, said up to 79 percent of the 4.1 million barrels of oil that gushed from the broken well and were not captured... This email was sent to dyna999399.bp99@blogger.com. Delivered by Feed My Inbox 230 Franklin Road Suite 814 Franklin, TN 37064 Account Login Unsubscribe Here

Environmental Studies Needed Before Deepwater Drilling

The Obama administration will no longer grant permits for deepwater drilling without environmental studies. The administration imposed a moratorium on most offshore drilling activities until November following the Deepwater Horizon disaster. See the article below


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No deepwater drilling without environmental studies, says Obama admin 

by Agence France-Presse  16 Aug 2010 10:44 PM

  "WASHINGTON - The Obama administration announced on Monday that it will grant no more permits for deepwater oil exploration without requiring studies on their impact on the environment.

The Interior Department said it would award offshore drilling permits only to projects 'involving limited environmental risk' while it undertakes a comprehensive review of its procedures under U.S. environmental protection laws.

The administration imposed a moratorium on most offshore drilling activities until November following the Deepwater Horizon disaster, which released several million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico from a ruptured BP well.

The Bureau of Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEM) said it has directed its staff not to grant 'categorical exclusions' for deepwater drilling activities even after the moratorium is lifted, the Interior Department said."

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BP Anounces Funding For Stress And Depression

The Gulf coast And BP's oil spill BP to donate $58m to fight depression, stress in oil spill states August 16, 2010 at 9:24 PM BP announced overnight $US52 million ($58 million) in funding for health groups dealing with stress and depression in four southern US states hit by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster. "We appreciate that there is a great deal of stress and anxiety across the region," said Lamar McKay, president of BP America. "We are providing this assistance now to help make sure individuals who need help know where to... Responders to Gulf oil spill wrap up defining week August 16, 2010 at 6:47 PM NEW ORLEANS — BP PLC closed the books on a defining week in an epic battle to defeat its ruptured oil well, with exhausted engineers forcing the surging crude underground with a torrent of mud and cement, preparing to make a final push to plug it from the bottom. More than three months after the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded and triggered one of the world's worst oil spills, authorities weighed how to gather evidence from the mile-(1.6-kilometer)deep waters to help investigators determine what happened — and who could be at fault. Even retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, who was brought in by the government to oversee the... BP pledges Angola, Azerbaijan oil as it builds US spill fund August 16, 2010 at 2:11 PM London: BP Plc is pledging oil sales from Angola and Azerbaijan to raise $5 billion (Dh18.3 billion) of loans as it builds a cleanup fund for the worst US environmental disaster. The larger of the two loans, for as much as $3 billion, is backed by oil sales from BP's interest in fields off Angola, lenders said. A second, $2... So much for an exit strategy August 16, 2010 at 9:03 AM      Aug 17, 2010 Page 1 of 3 CREDIT BUBBLE BULLETIN So much for an exit strategy Commentary and weekly watch by Doug Noland Ten-year Treasury yields dropped another 14 basis points (bps) last week to 2.68%. Yields on benchmark Fannie Mae mortgage-backed securities (MBS) sank 13 bps to a record low 3.43%. Tuesday's announcement from the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) further emboldened a highly speculative fixed-income marketplace.... This email was sent to dyna999399.bp99@blogger.com. Delivered by Feed My Inbox 230 Franklin Road Suite 814 Franklin, TN 37064 Account Login Unsubscribe Here

Much More Oil Remains in Gulf, Researchers Say

 Although the leak has been stopped, there's still a lot of oil in the Gulf, and many are very worried about the long term results, as indicated in the article below.

Much Oil Remains in Gulf, Researchers Estimate - WSJ.com: "By ROBERT LEE HOTZ

Researchers at the University of Georgia said Monday that more than three-quarters of the oil spilled in the Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon drilling-rig explosion could still be in the Gulf threatening fisheries and marine life, disputing government statements that much of the oil had been safely dispersed.

The federal National Incident Command, which has been coordinating clean-up efforts, reported earlier this month that the damaged well had spewed about 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf before it was capped. Half of that oil had been safely burned off, skimmed, or directly recovered and another 25% had evaporated or dissolved, the federal researchers said.

Both the UGA assessment and the federal calculations it contradicts are estimates based on incomplete information. Federal researchers cautioned that their results would be refined as better information becomes available.

The UGA team, which has been at the forefront of investigating the underwater oil plumes created by the leaking well, took a closer look at the government's calculations and came to a more pessimistic conclusion: As much as 79% of the oil and its toxic byproducts still remained in the subsurface waters of the Gulf. Moreover, it might easily be years before these petrochemicals disappear."

The Obama Family Swim in The Gulf Of Mexico Despite Oil Spill

Barack Obama and his daughter have gone for a swim in the Gulf of Mexico as the US President tries to boost a tourism industry reeling after the oil spill. I'm sure he wouldn't have put Sasha at risk unless the water was clean, but it probably will help the tourist industry. The article below tells us about his working holiday in Florida.


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BP oil spill: Barack Obama and family swim in the Gulf of Mexico

By Calum Mcintyre Rogers and agencies Published: 8:51PM BST 14 Aug 2010

Barack Obama and his family have taken a holiday in Florida as the US President seeks to boost a tourism industry reeling after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Mr Obama was on holiday in Florida, accompanied on the brief 27-hour trip by First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughter Sasha. As well as holidaying, the President and First Lady met with small-business owners at a Coast Guard Station to hear accounts concerning the economic and environmental repercussions of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Obama said that his administration planned to make a long-term commitment to restoring and re-invigorating the Gulf Coast and repairing the damage from the spill: "We want to keep our focus here and not forget just because the well is capped," he said.

The President and First Lady were joined at the discussion by Charlie Crist, the Governor of Florida; Ray Mabus, the US Navy Secretary, a former Mississippi Governor appointed by Obama to develop a long-term Gulf restoration plan; the mayors of Panama City and Panama City Beach; the general manager of a three-hotel chain that has had 1,000 cancellations due to the spill, translating into more than $191,000 in lost room revenue alone; the owner of a charter boat company; and the co-owner of a restaurant and two fishing boats.

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If you were thinking of going to Florida for a holiday, would it convince you to go after seeing President Obama and Sasha in the water?   Leave a comment.

. . . June

Are Florida Beaches Safe Following BP Spill?

It does seem a little bit much ado over nothing with the media creating such a frenzy over whether The First Family will swim in the Gulf of Mexico during their brief working holiday in Florida. On the surface, it's nobody's business. However, it would probably be good for tourism on the Florida beaches if they did. The article below from CNN today shows just how hot an issue this is.


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Will Obama take the plunge in Florida?
Posted: August 13th, 2010 04:22 PM ET

From CNN Senior White House Correspondent Ed Henry

Washington (CNN) – There's really only one big question hanging over President Obama's weekend vacation to Panama City, Florida: Will he or won't he dive into the water to send a message that the Gulf Coast is back?

"Absolutely, I want him to take his shirt off and get in the water and show it's clean and safe," said Stephen Leatherman, a professor at Florida International University in Miami who puts together an annual list of America's best beaches.

Leatherman rates the beach there as one of the top 10 in the country, and he said Obama has a unique opportunity to showcase the fact that the Gulf Coast is still open for business despite the worst oil spill in American history.


"It's got lily-white sand, and frankly the oil didn't really make it there - it was pretty well spared," said Leatherman, who noted that the water is 87 or 88 degrees because of the steamy Florida weather, making it conducive to at least a quick presidential plunge.

"There is no better symbol than the president of the United States showing us the way," Leatherman said.

But White House press secretary Robert Gibbs was cagey Friday when reporters asked whether the president will take a swim during the first family's 27-hour mini-vacation.

"Stay tuned," said Gibbs, who grew slightly impatient and a bit bemused about getting so many queries about something as seemingly minor as a presidential swim.

"Look, he's going to have some fun," Gibbs said. "Whether or not he gets in the water is up for clearly some debate. But, look, he will have an opportunity to enjoy ... the physical beauty of the Gulf and do some work at the same time."

Mindful that Obama caused a bit of a tabloid stir when he took off his shirt to reveal a muscular physique during trips to Hawaii during the 2008 presidential campaign and subsequent presidential transition, Gibbs turned it around on reporters and wondered whether they would bare their midriffs this weekend.

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Would you book a trip to Florida right now or are you still worried about the damage the oil might have done?  Leave a comment


... June