Hands Across the Sand-Join us to stop near shore Oil Drilling In Florida Waters

[jack S]

Pensacola News Journal
pnj.com
November 3, 2009

Editorial: Ten weeks, and counting

There was more bad news for proponents of offshore drilling near the Florida coast this weekend.

We can only hope it isn't the kind of bad news Gulf Coast residents will face someday.

The bad news: The drilling rig that has been leaking an estimated 400 barrels of oil, natural gas and byproducts a day into the Timor Sea near Australia since an Aug. 21 blowout erupted in flames Sunday, delaying efforts to plug the leak.

Meanwhile, complaints are coming in from remote Indonesian islands ? hundreds of miles from the spill ? about people being made sick from eating fish contaminated by oil and byproducts, and of dead fish and other marine life. Tests 20 miles off its coast by the West Timor Regional Environmental Agency found "high concentrations" of oil.

News reports say the oil slick ? fortunately relatively thin ? now covers thousands of square miles. But the leak is on the sea bottom, so experts say it's unknown how much of the spill remains underwater.

One of most worrisome points: The rig, built in 2007, is one of the newest in the world with the best ? and supposedly safest ? technology.

Yet for 10 weeks now the spill has been uncontained.

Fortunately, as oil spills go, it is a relatively small leak ? 400 barrels a day. But estimates are that since it began more than 1.2 million gallons of oil have leaked into the ocean from the site, which is only 150 miles off the coast of Australia.

What if the leak were twice that size ? or worse?

The Associated Press reported that Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he was "deeply disturbed" at the newest problem and the time it is taking to stop the leak.

"Do I think this is acceptable? No, I don't," Rudd said. "Are we angry with this company? Yes we are. Are were trying to do everything we can to get this under control? You betcha."

Yes, for only 10 weeks ? and counting.

<http://www.pnj.com/article/20091103/OPINION/911030301>

 

[jack S]

Oil spills poison the Red Sea
Egyptian tourism commercials present the Red Sea as an untouched paradise where ?the sun shines 365 days a year? and the water is full of exuberant marine life. But the reality is that the beaches and marine life are being destroyed as a result of offshore oil drilling and spills.


Oil spills poison the Red Sea | csmonitor.com

 

[Gidget]

[ame="http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/179263/august-13-2008/formidable-opponent---offshore-drilling"]Formidable Opponent - Offshore Drilling | Wednesday August 13 | ColbertNation.com[/ame]

I know this is a serious subject, but I could not resist inserting Formidable Opponent into the dialogue.

(Jack S - did you get the photo? Sorry for difficulties I had sending it)

G

 

[Gidget]

I am not trying to start a discussion about driving on the beach so please don't think that was my goal. I was just wondering what it would look like with a line of people on the beach holding hands protesting impacts from offshore drilling with a line of four wheel drive vehicles in the background on the beach. If I were on the other side supporting offshore drilling (which I am NOT), that is the picture I would take and spread as far and wide as possible.

Think about it. Depending on how it's shot, you could show a line of concerned citizens, a globally rare coastal dune lake, sugar white sands, majestic dune systems, and a big 4WD vehicle all in the same shot. The opportunities to try and smear the campaign are endless.

(I hope I didn't just give anyone an idea, but I am pretty sure Big Oil is much smarter on this stuff than I am.)

You are so wise to consider this. All it takes is one photo of one Hummer or large SUV or pickup truck and the pundits will be all over it and the essence of the report will change full circle. "They" wait with baited breath for just such a scenario.

G

 

[Gidget]

... or I might add ANY vehicles other than electric or solar or bikes. I think it would be wonderful for people to carpool, ride bikes or golf carts or walk.

JMHO

 

[Lake View Too]

Ya can never have too much Colbert!! Truthiness rules! I also think it would be a good idea if the participants of this event around Grayton did not show up in their Jeeps. (Just this one time.)

 

[scooterbug44]

Since part of the idea is to have a strong visual impact of a mass of people dressed in black against the (right now) white sand, I definitely agree that vehicles should not be part of the scene.

An anti-drilling environmental protest w/ a bunch of SUVs in the background......................it turns the whole thing into a joke instead of news.

Leno - Today a bunch of folks in Florida took to the beaches to protest plans for more offshore drilling.................it was a family event with several generations involved - good thing they had SUVs to get them all there! Now maybe it's just me, but if you are going to protest oil drilling wouldn't you take the car that gets MORE than 10 mpg?

 

[Gidget]

Since part of the idea is to have a strong visual impact of a mass of people dressed in black against the (right now) white sand, I definitely agree that vehicles should not be part of the scene.

An anti-drilling environmental protest w/ a bunch of SUVs in the background......................it turns the whole thing into a joke instead of news.

Leno - Today a bunch of folks in Florida took to the beaches to protest plans for more offshore drilling.................it was a family event with several generations involved - good thing they had SUVs to get them all there! Now maybe it's just me, but if you are going to protest oil drilling wouldn't you take the car that gets MORE than 10 mpg?

Exactly

You just can not give them the fuel they need to cast a shadow on the entire day!

 

[Eileen West]

With ya every step of the way Dave. Whatever you need.

 

[Dave Rauschkolb]

A response to Mr. R. Shaffer's Letter in the Walton Sun

LETTER: Shame on The Sun and those who won't drill down

November 12, 2009 3:15 PM
R. Shaffer
Kudos to Mr. Swiercz for his column in last week’s Walton Sun. He rationally, logically, and simply explained away highly charged emotional fears (by the use of facts and common sense) about offshore drilling.

This fear mongering “not-in-my-backyard” (NIMBY) attitude regarding offshore drilling comes from self-important, ego-centric, bell-ringing tavern-keepers (without doubt an Obama fan too), and their imbibing patrons, who have no concept of reality beyond their hostess' doorway.

The situation as described by Mr. Swiercz's column is the “upside.” The “downside” is that presently the military uses a very large majority portion of the eastern half of the Gulf as a bombing range (which can't be too popular with non-voting marine life species or boaters and sport fishermen).

When you consider that Eglin (the biggest landmass Air Force base in the world) has always had a bombing range, why would we suppress our energy reserve potential by not drilling in the Gulf — especially in the face of ongoing Middle Eastern coercion by OPEC? (Are we saving it for China, who is already slant-drilling off Cuba?)

Maybe these NIMBY tavern people should try to resist the nightly rhetoric and try to gather some facts that would be beneficial to the entire country and not merely within the sound of their “sundown bell.”

Meanwhile, Deborah Wheeler’s “SIGN OF THE TIMES” photo (immediately opposite Mr. Swiercz’ article) is an abomination — a newspaper editing placement insult to Mr. Swierz. It is a blight on the landscape and I hope she reported it to Walton County Code Enforcement like a good citizen should.

If “Shorty’s” in Grayton Beach had anything to do with erecting this eyesore on the dunes opposite them, they should be cited and the sign removed along with errant beach chairs and umbrellas.

Deborah Wheeler is the Walton Sun writer who reports birthdays, resident vacation trips, and snowbird comings and goings, (no doubt all tavern attendees where the rhetoric and wine flows thick and freely). Those facts are as memorable as faces on the bar-room floor.

It's no wonder that the readership of The Sun is setting.

We're tired of reading about the same circle of birthdays and visits “to and from” as well as warmed-over items from other failing newspapers around the country (Hmmm, I wonder if those other papers around the country report our warmed-over birthdays from here on 30-A).

R. Shaffer
Panama City Beach


Response From Dave Rauschkolb


Dear Mr. Shaffer, thank you for your thoughtful comments. Gosh you would think being a Tavern owner is a crime judging from your letter. Like we are a bunch of seedy, liquor peddling sinners klomping around in wooden shoes. It's the first time I have heard a restaurant called a Tavern in 40 years.

To set the record straight. I am a tax paying, law abiding business person who employs 140 staff in season and have provided thousands of job opportunities in the past 24 years. A business person who is a member of only one of all of the Chambers of Commerce from Pensacola to Panama City who have signed resolutions against this oil legislation.

Let me clue you in, attacking me is like trying to catch a feather in a windstorm. On February 13 thousands of Floridians who agree with protecting our waters and shores will ring a bell so loud the legislators will hear it clear and true. NO oil on OUR beaches, No oil in OUR waters. Period.

Sorry it is not the job of Florida to save America from terrorism or make us free of foreign oil. Florida can and should be the leader of our nation in Solar. We ARE the sunshine state. Texas is the OIL state. Do we want a bunch of anonymous Texas Oilmen determining the future of our beaches and waters? I think not. That would be the real abomination.

Anyway, your efforts to paint this as some ill conceived liberal cause is the real bell ringer. Listen to this. Loud and clear. There is a long line of conservative Republicans including Senator Durell Peaden, R of Crestview, Senator Dennis L. Jones, R , former Senator Jack Latvala R, and others who are against oil drilling in Florida's waters. Peaden and Jones by the way both endorse Hands Across The Sand.

Sir, my concept of reality is clear as a bell. Florida is a place of sunshine, fun and clean waters and beaches. That's why people come here. Our coastal legacy is all of the above and this Nimby, Tavern owner as you call me will stand in a long line around the state to be sure it will stay that way. And please, attacking Debbie Wheeler in the way you did was very rude.

Dave Rauschkolb
Founder, Hands Across The Sand.